The Emperor's Elephant(122)

‘Yet when an accident did happen and that raft hit the bridge, you risked your life to save the boatman who had been thrown into the water,’ I said.

He gave a slight shrug. ‘I repeat: I didn’t want anyone to be killed because of me.’

My scepticism must have been very apparent because he added, ‘Think back to when Protis’s ship foundered. My plan was for the animals to drown, and your companions to get safely to shore. I overlooked the fact that ice bears can swim, and the aurochs too.’

I stopped him there. ‘That was something else that puzzled me. I couldn’t understand how you arranged for the ship to sink.’

He arched a mocking eyebrow. ‘My people have excellent contacts along the river, and I sent ahead. Protis’s ship was delayed for repairs and while it was in dock, the carpenters were paid to drill some holes in the hull and plug them with wax. An old technique, used by unscrupulous shipowners. They then claim the loss of a cargo that they never loaded, but had stolen.’

‘And the wax comes loose and the ship sinks?’ I said.

He grinned. ‘But not fast enough. That was why I volunteered to swim overboard and put the canvas in place. It gave me a chance to knock out the last of the wax plugs.’

I found myself losing patience with his smug responses. Clearly Abram had anticipated this conversation. ‘You say that you didn’t want to hurt us,’ I snapped. ‘Yet Protis died in the arena. I presume your servants let the aurochs go free – and then the lions killed that poor wretch in the desert.’

‘I truly regret Protis’s death,’ said Abram, and he sounded as though he meant it. ‘I never thought he would be so foolhardy, or that his head would be so filled with the heroics of the ancient Greeks.’ He paused. ‘As for that poor wretch in the desert, he had no reason to run off into it.’

I looked down at the two coins in my hand. ‘These tell only part of your deceit.’

Abram grinned at me mischievously. ‘Then explain to me the rest of it.’

‘Offa might pay to have me killed, but he had no reason to wreck Carolus’s embassy to Haroun.’

This time I had managed to throw him off balance. His eyes narrowed. ‘Go on.’

‘So you set up another suspect. Those men who attacked me in Kaupang were also paid in Byzantine gold. I was shown a gold solidus. On our journey here you reminded me repeatedly that the Greeks are at war with the caliphate, and would do anything to stop an alliance between Aachen and Baghdad.’

I closed my fist and shook the two gold coins together so they clicked softly. The elephant had remarkably acute hearing. He flapped his ears and the trunk came questing again towards my hand, then withdrew as I kept my hand clenched.

‘Yet here in Baghdad I find that Greeks work for the caliph, and Arabs go to Constantinople to buy books. They are not at daggers drawn, as you had me believe,’ I said quietly. ‘Then I thought back to Christmas Day in Rome when I saw Pope Adrian with my own eyes as he went in procession in St Peter’s Basilica. He had a look of absolute self-belief, arrogant and implacable. I judged him to be someone who stopped at nothing to protect his Church.’

The dragoman was absolutely motionless. He did not contradict me.

‘It occurred to me that Adrian, more than anyone, has reason to be alarmed by an alliance between Carolus and Haroun, between the Christian king and the Commander of the Faithful. That would be the worst of all possible worlds for the pope.’ I chose my words with care. ‘The Nomenculator said to me that everything in Rome has its price. That all is self-interest. I remember his exact words, “We Romans have little loyalty to the past when it suits us.” ’

I had Abram’s full attention now. ‘In Rome you knew about the inner workings of the papal office and Adrian and his ministers. That struck me as odd for someone who is a Radhanite. This is what I think is the truth – you passed through Rome on the way north with Haroun’s gifts for Carolus. Pope Adrian offered you a large sum of money to make sure that the alliance between Carolus and Haroun never materialized. You became his creature.’

The dragoman cocked his head on one side. ‘Truly, Sigwulf, you have a vivid imagination. Next you’ll claim I killed the elephant in my care.’

I smiled mirthlessly. ‘Perhaps so. The elephant died long before you reached Rome. If you remember, I did dream that you were extracting bones from a dead elephant. In the interpretation of dreams, this meant that you would make a great profit from an endeavour. Maybe it was an unfortunate coincidence, but it eventually made me question what you were really up to.’