A Point of Law(32)

“Depend upon it, I’ll be here,” I told her.

I found Hermes waiting outside. He had brought along a small bodyguard of men from my neighborhood who were under obligation to me.

“I believe the lady is rather taken with you,” Asklepiodes said slyly as he took his leave.

“If this were another city, and if I were not as married as I am, I would be greatly taken with her,” I said. “But I think I am in enough danger as it is.”

“Life’s little complexities keep us from growing old too soon,” he assured me. “Please keep me informed how this fascinating business progresses.”

We walked home without incident, and I dismissed my little guard with my thanks. Julia was waiting up when I went inside.

“I hear you’ve been up to your old activities,” she said, as she took my toga and directed the slaves to lay out a late supper. “It’s been a long time since you practiced house breaking and burglary and escaping through the alleys and over rooftops.”

“You’ve been listening to Hermes. That’s always a mistake.”

“He’s acting innocent as a sacrificial lamb. It’s the rest of the City buzzing about your activities.”

“Oh. Well, gossip is unreliable, you know.” I picked up a chicken leg.

“Tell me your news, and I’ll tell you mine. And stop evading.”

So I began with my visit to Fulvia’s house and my encounter with Curio.

“He is a man with a scandalous history,” she commented, “but very courageous, and it looks as if he’s chosen the right side now. He spoke up for you in the contio this evening by the way.”

“He said that he would. Tell me about that.”

“When you’ve told me the rest of your day’s doings. Have some of that soup. It will keep you from catching cold running around like this in the winter.”

Obediently, I sipped at a cup of her grandmother’s cold remedy. It was broth of stewed chicken laced with garum and vinegar. Not bad, actually. I told her about our visit to the goldsmith’s guild and the lapidary.

“That was a waste of time,” she commented.

“You never know. Then, of course, I went to get those encoded letters examined by an expert.”

“Which one?” she asked.

“Well, I went to Asklepiodes first, and he recommended Callista.”

Julia was silent for a moment. “Callista?” The name sounded ominous in her mouth.

“Yes, she’s an Alexandrian, quite brilliant in—”

“I know who she is. She’s said to be quite beautiful.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Her nose is a little long for my taste. Anyway, I didn’t call on her for her looks, but for her expertise in Greek and mathematics.”

“You went to the home of a foreign woman at night, without invitation?” The dark clouds were gathering.

“It’s a sort of open salon she holds for intellectual sorts.” I floundered about for something to allay her suspicions, which were all too justified. “My dear,” I said, “Marcus Brutus was there.”

The clouds seemed to recede. “Brutus. Well, the gathering must have been respectable anyway.”

“Boringly so. Incidentally, Brutus seems to regard Caesar with some hostility.” I told her what he had said. Nothing distracted Julia as effectively as an insult to her revered uncle. But she didn’t seem concerned.

“Brutus has some foolishly old-fashioned notions. Caesar thinks the world of him. He’ll come around. Now tell me what Callista said about the letters.”

So I told her what the woman had said. “I’ll call on her tomorrow to find out what she’s learned.”

“Not if you’re under arrest, you won’t.”

“What?” I all but choked on my wine, a light Falernian, as I recall.

“The vote in the contio was close, but you are to be tried for the murder of Marcus Fulvius.”

“Ridiculous! There is no evidence!”

To my surprise, she leaned over and kissed me tenderly. “Decius, I think I love you most of all when you are being foolish and naive. Surely you understand that you are the only man in Rome who cares about things like evidence. Trials are not about evidence. They are not about guilt or innocence. They are about friends and enemies. Do you have more friends than enemies?”

“I certainly hope so.”

“Then you’ll probably be vindicated. But you may also find that you have enemies you knew nothing about.”

“I’ve already discovered one: Marcus Fulvius, although he’s no longer numbered among the living. And whoever is behind him.” Another thought struck me. I told her about Caesar’s veterans arriving.