The Wolf and the Lamb Read Online Free Page A

is more. Of course there is. Sorry, go on.”
    “The man who put me in this position is named Cassia, Cassia Drusus. He has been commissioned by the Emperor to inspect the various outposts in the Empire, to root out disloyalty, inefficiency, and corruption, or so he says.”
    “You have some doubts as to his mission?”
    “You will interrupt won’t you, Rabban? I suppose it comes from a lifetime of disputation. We are not in that modality now, so please listen.”
    “But I only ask because it may bear on the rest—”
    “Please…now, with these sorts of official visits, that is, visits ordered by the Emperor, one never really knows. He might be speaking the truth and, then again, he might not. Politics, Rabban, surely you have politics in your Sanhedrin.”
    “Only to the extent your Emperor imposes them on us, but that is a topic for another day. On what basis did Cassia Drusus determine you had murdered your rival? Obviously, if this Aurelius person was found dead, you must be a prime suspect if what you have told me is correct, but to arrest you?”
    “Please do not barge in again. Cassia arrested me because he found me bent over the still-warm body of a very dead Aurelius, with his blood on my hands, and my dagger in his heart.”
    “Your dagger? That is unfortunate, but also interesting, importantly so I should say. Your dagger, truly?”
    “Mine.”
    “I see. Well, to be fair to this Cassia person, it seems a reasonable conclusion. I must ask…sorry, I cannot play at this logical exposition you insist on following. I take it you did not, in fact, dispatch the man.”
    “Are you mad? Certainly not.”
    “But you were discovered with the body, red-handed, you could say. How did this incriminating scene come about and why were you at the scene in the first place?”
    “If you want to hear the story, you must stop interrupting and listen. I received a message from one of my Centurions stating that he had urgent information for me that he needed to deliver in private. I thought he might have a line on my visitors’ real purpose for being in the city. The message named the time and the place. When I arrived, there was no Centurion, only a dead Aurelius.”
    “And Cassia Drusus?”
    “He arrived moments later.”
    “In time to find you in that compromising position. Yes, I see. Prefect, forgive me, but before you continue, I must ask you a question. Your story is indeed interesting, but why are you telling it to me and, as a corollary, why am I here?”
    “I would have thought that would be obvious, Rabban. I did not stab Aurelius. Our law, as yours, requires proof of guilt. I assure you that Cassia and the rest of the Emperor’s men have no interest in establishing my innocence. They may go through the motions of holding an inquiry, but it will only be for show, to meet the letter of the law. No, they intend to ship me back to Rome after the Passover to be tried by the Senate. In Rome, Rabban, they will send me to Rome. How can I possibly defend myself from the charges at such a remove?”
    “I would say not easily, if at all.”
    “There, you see? If I cannot clear myself here and now, I am doomed. That is why I called you.”
    “Wait.” Gamaliel started to rise but his legs failed him. “You dragged me to this wretched hole in the expectation that I would sort out Aurelius’ murder on your behalf? It is impossible.”
    “Nevertheless, you will. We have very little time before they leave with or without me. You will see to it that I do not accompany them.”

Chapter V
     
    The two men contemplated one another across the table’s scarred planking. How far had the Prefect fallen? The most powerful man in the Palestine, stripped of his powers, pleading for help from Gamaliel, the chief rabbi of the race of men and of the religion he despised. Gamaliel leaned back and gazed for several moments at this man he both feared and pitied. Except for the hissing from the burning torches, the room was