CHAPTER XV - CASCA PILLORIED

Next to the Prince the man possessing most influence and authority in the little community was Teresh, who, since the death of Neocles, had been Chief Counsellor to the Queen. Between the two men had existed a lifelong friendship, undisturbed by any marked divergence of opinion, and by a continual consultation of each other's wishes they naturally drew the bond closer with years. Plans, aims, and ambitions were equally shared, so that, when the loss fell upon the Queen, it was not to be wondered at that Teresh should, to an extent, be called upon to fill the vacant place. The arrangement was singularly fortunate for Glarces, who in his father's friend found a valuable successor in the tutorship so early and abruptly ended. To Teresh such a guardianship came as a sacred legacy, and much of the nobility of Glarces' character was due to the watchful guidance and unflagging zeal of his foster-father's devotion.

Since the night of the enquiry Glarces had been invisible, but the lying tongue of rumour had whispered how the gods, in disapprobation of his audacity, had changed him into a decrepit old man.

Lais had secretly encouraged the report, not by the things she had said, but rather by her evasions and what she did not say. She had found her work far more difficult than anticipated. The path before her refused to open, and compelled her to move with a caution both perplexing and irritating. Zachra had confided to Teresh his suspicions in relation to Casca and Zillah following upon the incident of the eunuch and Maphir, and Lais was unpleasantly certain that the searching eyes of Teresh were determined, if possible, to tear her secret from her keeping.

The man or woman who takes Guilt for a valet in a flight from justice is sure to be betrayed. Teresh had heard what Zachra had to say, but the man who had so carefully schooled Glarces in his own ideas of justice was not himself unjust. Experience taught him to doubt Casca, but as yet he had no reason to go further than this. That Glarces had for some unknown purpose - unquestionably out of the ordinary - visited the oracle, and that the mysterious and awe-inspiring Rhea had considered the occasion of sufficient importance to come to Velia and preside over the ceremonies, was an open secret. The retirement of the Prince, and positive refusal even to see himself, gave a certain amount of colour to the wild floating rumours, but Teresh was too cautious to attempt the construction of any theory out of such fragments. He listened to and remembered all he heard, but reserved his judgment until such time as definite evidence was placed before him.

More than a week had passed and Glarces had not called the officers of the household together for such business as was necessary. He had been anxious to defer it until the traces of his magical experiences had disappeared. Such a desire was not to be realised, however, business demanded attention, and though by no means the hideous deformity many expected to behold, he was compelled to meet his friends in such an altered condition as to cause them no inconsiderable surprise and anxiety.

Still, Glarces was known too well for anyone to appear to notice it, much less to make any reference to the change - under the circumstances. The business was speedily discharged, and the council was dismissed. It was then that more intimate friends paired off, retired to the gardens, and compared notes in conference.

Teresh and Zachra were so engaged when they unexpectedly met Casca and Meshrac.

“By the gods, Meshrac, you went dangerously near making an end of the Prince the other night,” exclaimed Zachra.

“For that Glarces is himself responsible,” replied the astrologer. “He was cautioned before he began, and frequently during the consultation, but like so many others he appeared to treat the matter of standing before the oracle in a lighter manner than experience warrants.”

“But did not your interest in his welfare prompt you to suggest a pause before proceeding to such extremities?” enquired Teresh.

“Have you yet to learn, my noble Teresh, that Glarces has a will of his own?”

“My good Meshrac, some people have no desire to discover that he is anything but a boy,” returned Casca, who never missed the opportunity of a thrust at the man he so jealously regarded as his rival in the friendship of the Prince.

Teresh smiled, but said nothing.

“Oh-ho! Let me offer my apologies to the Queen's great Chamberlain,” said Zachra. “I have done you an unintentional wrong, my friend, in supposing that nothing would convince you that Glarces had passed that age of credublity but if the lesson of the other night has really convinced you of the fact all Sahama will gladly acknowledge the service the magicians therein rendered.” Casca writhed, but the scribe at once turned to the astrologer. “May I ask the nature of the enquiry which has brought such an unexpected revelation to Casca?”

Meshrac complacently stroked the curled false beard he wore by virtue of his profession, but frowningly resented the levity with which the oracle was treated.

“Such enquiries are of the gods, not men, and the servant of the altar never breaks his confidence even to Meshrac the counsellor.”

“But if Meshrac the counsellor has half the wisdom I have given him credit for, now that the cult has a chance of reviving, he will take lessons in divination from Meshrac the magician. For if the counsellor could only learn the secrets of the mystic he might become the most popular favourite the ladies ever had.”

“What care I for either men or women, for Queen, or Prince, or slave, in the performance of my sacred duty?” he asked, coldly.

“That is where your unnatural craft spoils good men,” replied the irrepressible scribe. “I think I shall start an oracle on my own account, and I'll warrant me it would be popular from the beginning. I should make my gods amenable to reason. There would always be a possibility of secrets leaking out. This would promote curiosity, and the oracle would be busy day and night, especially with ladies anxious to circulate their own or learn the private matters of others. Oh, Meshrac, you don't know how to work this business yet!”

“Has the cult of the gods become a jest, and the sacred altar a playground for jibbering fools?”

“Verily, my good friend, I am not jesting. Have you not heard that from my mother's breast I have been gifted with the power of divination? I'll warrant me that I can tell the nature of the Prince's quest as though I had stood beside him at the altar.”

“And you think that would prove - what?” enquired the astrologer.

“That in myself dwells the spirit of the holy gods, equally with yourself,” replied the daring humorist.

“The argument of an ass comes more forcibly from his heels than his throat.”

“ But are equally alarming at the same distance. So do I think my knowledge of the Prince's consultation would prove to be, if you only knew it.”

“Because he has told you,” volunteered Casca, whose curiosity had been at length aroused.

“Verily, no! If the Prince has mentioned the matter, surely it would be to yourself.”

“And why so?”

“Because it concerns yourself alone. Had he not that afternoon intercepted a love affair between your honourable self and the beautiful Iberian?”

“It is a lie!”

Fie, Casca, fie! Be courageous man, now you have lost your cunning mask - it has served you well; your contempt for slaves has been a masterpiece of hypocrisy - but now we have found you out, play the man and shield the lady.”

“I - I hate women.”

“We know it. So do we all, but we enjoy a flirtation all the same, especially with such a girl as Zillah. No, no! Don't interrupt me! The Prince thought there was a danger of losing one of his sister's favourite slaves, and knowing you would never confess the truth, he attempted to learn the secret from the oracle.”

“It's a lie, I tell you. The girl wanted - “

“Oh! the wicked woman. Then you had a most fortunate escape, and I most sincerely congratulate you,” at which he made a most profoundly mock obeisance.

“Surely I have the right - “

“To meet any lady where and when you wish, without interference,” interposed Zachra, who most thoroughly enjoyed the eunuch's discomfiture, hoping thereby to surprise him into useful or indicative admission. “So you have, and when I see - ah! here comes the Prince. Now if he is only in the humour I will speak to him at once, and your rights shall be respected.”

Glarces had evidently lost the reticence he had maintained in the council chamber; the meditative smile upon his face, before he was aware of the presence of his friends, gave an indication that his thoughts had taken a lighter turn, which Teresh interpreted as a pleasant augury he hoped would not be dispelled in their greeting.

“Peace, Prince!”

The salutation caused him to start a trifle, but he returned it affably. “Peace, friends. I hope the gods have made your hearts merry.”

“I would they had,” replied the garrulous scribe,” but we were just offering our condolences to Casca.”

“What misfortune has overtaken you, Casca?” “Nothing more than to meet with a braying ass.”

“And I have volunteered to carry him safely through his trouble,” added Zachra.

By this time the Prince had recognised the situation, so far as to appreciate the relief a little innocent badinage offered to the experience of the last few days, and he was quite prepared to accept the welcome change of his friends' companionship.

“From whence and whither would the patient beast bear him?” enquired the Prince.

“To keep his appointment with the beautiful Iberian, which the keeper of the lions prevented the other day.”

“But Casca would make no tryst with a slave.” “Zillah is no ordinary slave,” returned Teresh.

“Yet still a slave. Is it true, Casca, that a pretty face has power to conquer your so strong aversion?”

“It is like the tales we have heard of yourself lately,” he answered with sullen daring.

“Were we speaking of myself?” asked the Prince, with significant calmness, so well understood as endangering his further participation in the conversation.

“I can assure you,” Zachra adroitly asserted, “whatever Casca may say to the contrary the appointment did exist.”

The momentary cloud passed from the Prince's face. Casca was present to defend himself, and under such circumstances Glarces never closed his eyes to what was going on around him.

“Am I to accept this assurance, Teresh?”

“I am afraid the evidence is too strong to be denied successfully,” he answered.

“It is a vile piece of calumny, O Prince,” Casca retorted. “Surely you know me well enough not to accept this lie.” “Did you not yourself hear Maphir say that the girl was in danger?” appealed Zachra.

“I certainly did hear that.”

“And the hunter had learned that Casca had been to Meshrac to procure a love philtre for the occasion.”

“That is false,” replied the astrologer, “Casca has never consulted me on such a subject.”

“I did not say he had consulted you, my friend; I was speaking of Meshrac the magician, who never tells his secrets to anyone.”

“Nor is such knowledge necessary to enable me to answer for Casca's ability to deal with a woman without assistance from any man,” said the magician, derisively.

The eunuch was in a most uncomfortable situation. The usual raillery he suffered at the hands of Zachra was in itself unendurable in the presence of the Prince, but when his new relationship with Zillah had so far been suspected or discovered as to become the subject of his criticism, the craven spirit of the chamberlain was in a perfect panic of fear at the certainty of some unguarded accident.

The Prince was quietly amused; the voice of the oracle disarmed his suspicion of any serious motive on the part of the scribe, who, he imagined, took the pleasant opportunity of retaliation for an easy advantage Casca had seized upon a recent occasion. These passages were not only amusing, but occasionally instructive, since Zachra invariably found a tender point in Casca's armour through which one or two flashes of unsuspected character had already been revealed. The question of women had always been carefully evaded in their intercourse, and Glarces was not averse to hearing his friend's real opinion, which was certain to come out in his perturbation.

Meshrac had offered the distracted man an opening for escape in his reference to women in the abstract, and he plunged into it without a thought or care as to where it would lead, so long as he cleared the one danger.

“The best love philtre for a woman is the lash if a word will not suffice,” he answered wildly.

The Prince started, but it was Zachra who replied.

“Excellently spoken, Casca; but it is not well to use such brevity of speech were we not friends. Strangers might do you an injustice rather than appreciate your wit. We common dolts have been content to lead our ladies in Cupid's leash just as they lead a hound or ape; but not so Casca. His love walks on before, a queen whom he delights to honour, over whose shoulders he tenderly throws the silken love-lash to indicate the conquest he has made.”

The delicate sarcasm and mock flattery with which this was delivered was too ridiculous, and called a smile even to the lips of Meshrac by its extravagance.

Casca was livid.

“You fool,” he gasped.

“And is it not an honour to play fool to Cupid's friend? Now, Casca, don't deny it! We know your modesty; but that love philtre is a fact. Never mind, try again; but be careful that the hunter is engaged next time; and then poor Zillah!”

“Damn Zillah! Damn the whole tribe of women! The lot are not worth a single thought from an honest man!” and without seeking the Prince's permission he was gone before another word could be spoken.

“An honest man!” queried Teresh. “ What do you know of such a being, Casca?”

“He has left us, Teresh; let him go,” said Glarces.” “But if you knew -”

“All that the gods deem it well for me to know they have told me. Casca has left us, let him alone.”

“Will you not hear one word from your father's friend?”

“To what purpose, since I have so recently spoken with my father himself?”

“To this purpose, O Prince: there are times when men may see even more than the gods themselves. I have no ill-will against Casca, but I have a duty to yourself for your father's sake as well as your own.”