'At the correct hours for prayers—of course.' The answer was breathless; the majordomo did not know what was coming and was worried about what Athanatadies might say next.
'When you pray, ask God to reveal my enemies to me, and to show me the purpose He intends for me.' He blessed himself and watched his majordomo do the same. 'Give that instruction to the household.'
The majordomo made his reverence and withdrew gratefully.
Athanatadies went through the inner doors of his private apartments to the chamber where his bath was waiting. As he took off the towel, he noticed with distaste that he stank. His sweat was acrid from fear, and he washed himself diligently to be rid of that odor.
By the time he was dried and dressed again, he felt less frightened. He was informed that Panaigios was waiting for him in his private reception room, and he greeted this information with satisfaction. 'Excellent. I will speak with him directly. See that he has food and drink and then do not disturb us unless there is a messenger from the Emperor. And send for Konstantos Mardinopolis. I want to speak to him tonight.' He dressed himself, refusing his slave's ministrations.
The reception chamber where Panaigios waited was not the littlest one adjoining the chapel, but a pleasant room opening onto the side garden of the Censor's house. The scent of flowers drifted on the air and where the garden could be glimpsed through the half-open door the shadows were lengthening, fading from stark darkness to a softer shade. The reception room itself was gloomy.
'I came as soon as I had your message,' said Panaigios as he made his reverence. 'I confess I was surprised at the urgency.'
'So was I,' said Athanatadies, trying to maintain the calm for which he was known. 'I was favored by the Emperor with an audience today, to… to hear what he has decided must be done and to learn the means to achieve his ends.'
Panaigios said nothing, but he regarded the Censor with a degree of curiosity. 'What did he say? that you may repeat to me?'
'He… he had many new goals,' Athanatadies began, striving for an air of detachment. 'His zeal increases with every new day.'
'How this must be pleasing to God,' said Panaigios, trying to interpret the Censor's intentions. He sensed an unfamiliar tension in Athanatadies which puzzled him.
'Pleasing to God?' echoed Athanatadies. 'Perhaps. It is for other men to discover what pleases God; I am sworn to please the Emperor.'
'Surely their purposes are the same.' To say anything else might be construed as treason, and Panaigios had the terrible sense that he was being tested in some new way.
'So we are told,' Athanatadies said. 'The Emperor has decided that he wishes to post certain officers away from this city, to send them into the field once again so that they may use their military skills in the service of the Empire once again.'
'Belisarius?' Panaigios inquired.
'No,' came the dry response. 'No, Belisarius is still confined to his house and Konstantinoupolis. The Emperor believes that for all his protestations, he is part of a group of discontented men who seek to bring him down. He believes that it would be folly to permit the man more liberty than he has now. There are others, however, who might do better on campaign. And there are… there are a few men who are not to be spoken of again.' This last came out quickly. He spun as he said it, and discovered a kitchen slave standing in the doorway.
'I have brought the refreshments you ordered, great master,' the slave said, trembling at the thunderous expression he saw in Athanatadies' face.
'Present them to my guest and depart,' said the Censor. He stood still while the slave carried out these orders, and it was only when the slave was gone and the door closed that he spoke again. 'I want you to be on guard, Panaigios.'
Panaigios nodded, holding his cup halfway to his mouth. 'I will do so, of course.'
'More than ever. The Emperor is a stern man, an unforgiving man of strong principles and great determination. He seeks to purify his reign.' He straightened up, looking toward the door. 'We are either his allies or his enemies, and he will regard us accordingly.'
'I am not his enemy.' Panaigios put down his cup, the wine untasted.
'I did not say you are. But you must persevere and be more stringent than ever.'
Panaigios swallowed hard. 'You said there are those who are not to be spoken of. What have they done that they are—'
'They have displeased Justinian,' said the Censor. 'They have been shown to be working against the Empire.' He recalled the confessions he had read, and the petitions that had been made to the Emperor for the destruction of the families of the men.
'A great crime,' said Panaigios, his tone a bit distracted. 'I… I know we are not to speak of them, but who are they?' He faltered. 'Great Censor, what am I to do to defend the Empire if I do not know who these pernicious men are?'
Athanatadies cleared his throat. 'I will tell you once, Panaigios, and then you are not to speak of it again. I warn you, if you mention these men, you place yourself in great danger and there is little I can do to protect you should you have so great a transgression. The men are all Captains: Savas, Leonidas, Fortunos Ipakradies, and Hipparchos. They, and their families, are… expunged.'
'They were Belisarius' officers, weren't they?' Panaigios asked, wishing he could call the words back as soon as he had spoken them.
'Yes; Fortunos served with him in Africa, the others in the Italian campaign.' He indicated the food. 'You're not eating.'
Obediently Panaigios took one of the dried figs stuffed with crushed almonds, but it had no taste and no savor.
'And Belisarius? What of him?'
'The Emperor demands proof before he condemns, for he is a just man.' He fell silent, then resumed. 'He has found no proof that makes the General part of a conspiracy.'
'But his officers—'
'They claim there is no conspiracy, but they are opposed to what the Emperor has done with the army and they do not endorse his plan to reestablish the Empire as it was in the days of Imperial Roma. That is reason enough to accuse them, and their actions have shown that they are the enemies of the Emperor, so he has declared that they are not only dead men, but men who never existed.' He joined his hands, staring at his linked fingers to see if they still trembled. 'The Emperor has ordered me that where treason is discovered, it is to be eradicated, the traitor and all his blood, so that the poisonous growth of conspiracy may be ended.'
Panaigios paled. 'The families? What… how… Are they to be enslaved?'
'That is for the Emperor to determine,' said the Censor in a flat voice. He saw the dark, severe eyes boring into his once more, and heard that hard-edged voice issuing orders that made his skin prickle. 'I am the devoted servant of Justinian, and I will do all that he requires of me with a grateful heart and a dedicated mind.'
'Amen, and God aid us in the endeavor,' said Panaigios. He chose another dried fruit but could not bring himself to eat it. The fig felt as if it was lodged halfway down his gullet and if he ate anything more, it might choke him.
'I will beseech God to do so every day,' Athanatadies stated. 'And I will depend upon you to be more diligent than ever. You hear many things and you have those who report to you; whatever you are told that might have any bearing on this, I must hear of it at once, so that I may inform the Emperor.' There were others who would tell Justinian if Athanatadies was lax in performing his duties.
What would befall him then he did not want to think about.
'Four Captains. That is very dangerous.' Panaigios watched the Censor closely, searching for a clue to what Athanatadies expected of him, what he wanted from him. 'I will be certain that those whose aid I have required take extra care.'
'I depend on you to do that,' said Athanatadies, feeling very tired. 'You are to urge those you employ to be on the alert for anything that might point to treason. Tell them that no one is exempt from his duty to the Emperor and God.'
'Yes, certainly,' said Panaigios, determined to send for Simones before the night was over.
