'What game are you playing at, Consul?'
'Not a game; a test. According to you, the amphora of Falernian was never poisoned, nor was the golden cup; Merianis put poison in the taster's clay vessel, and Apollodorus planted the empty alabaster vial on your son. If that's true, the Falernian was untainted, and remains so, for I had it resealed with wax before I let it out of my sight again. Are you certain of this allegation, Gordianus?'
'It's the only explanation, Consul.'
'Unless, of course, Meto poisoned the amphora-in which case the Falernian will kill anyone who drinks it.'
I shook my head. 'That's not possible, Consul.'
'We shall see. I had thought that tonight might be a joyous occasion, a chance to celebrate reconciliation and peace. Instead, it seems I'm fated to learn who are my friends, and who are my foes.' He cast a glance at Ptolemy, then at Cleopatra.
Samuel, breathing hard, arrived with the amphora.
Caesar inspected the new seal, which bore the impression of his own ring. Satisfied, he nodded to Samuel, who cut the seal away.
'Pour a cup, Samuel. Here, use mine, since I'm certain no one's tampered with it.'
The barber poured a measure of wine into the cup.
'Stand up, Pothinus!'
The eunuch rose to his feet, a mingled look of dread and defiance on his face.
'Consul!' I whispered. 'What are you thinking? This isn't Roman justice. This is pure capriciousness.'
'The gods are capricious. So must we sometimes be, if we would emulate the gods. It is also a way to determine the truth, Gordianus; and are you not always in favor of that?'
The queen sat forward, frowning. 'What do you intend to do, Caesar?'
Merianis looked at her lap and nervously pulled at her fingers. Apollodorus stood with his arms crossed and his jaw thrust forward.
'Yes, Caesar,' said Ptolemy. 'Why do you not have the traitor strangled, here and now?'
'Because I intend to offer Pothinus a choice, which may yet allow him to live. This is a cup of Falernian wine, Pothinus. It comes from the private stores of Pompey. Falernian wine is legendary; it's the best of all the vintages of Italy. But this amphora may-or may not-contain a deadly poison. Which is it? I should like to know. Rather than test it on a hapless slave, I offer it to you, Pothinus.'
'You demean me, Roman!'
'No, Pothinus, I offer you a chance to live-which is far more than you deserve. If the wine is wholesome, and you drink it without ill effect, I shall release you and allow you to join Achillas outside the palace. Gordianus here shall enjoy the second cup, and the rest of us will share a fine Falernian tonight. But if the wine is poisoned…'
'You lie! Whether it's poisoned or not, you'll have me killed before I can leave this room.'
'I'm a man of my word, eunuch! Make up your mind. Take the cup, or not.'
From the shiftiness of Pothinus's eyes, I sensed the debate that raged in his mind. So long as he had his wits and a voice to beg, he might yet contrive some way to win Ptolemy's mercy; but once he drank from the cup, there could be no turning back. I myself felt a sudden tremor of doubt; the logic of my argument to Caesar was compelling, of that I was certain, and yet… I recalled the inchoate flash of intuition I had felt when I questioned Apollodorus, somehow tied to the piece of driftwood he had carved into a lion's head; that moment of insight, fleeting and inconclusive, still had seemed to be absolutely authentic-and yet it had no connection to what was happening now. Was I mistaken about the amphora? I found myself almost wishing that Pothinus would refuse to take it.
But at last the prospect of freedom held out by Caesar won Pothinus over. He took the cup, gazed for a moment at his reflection in the wine, then drank it in a single draught.
I looked at those on the dais and saw them all watching with bated breath. I glanced over my shoulder; the guests upon their dining couches looked like silent spectators at a play, intent upon the climax. At the far corner of the room, I glimpsed the two Egyptian courtiers and the Roman who had teased them; the three now sat close together on a single couch, interrupted in their merrymaking and struck dumb by the drama on the dais.
Pothinus thrust the cup back into Caesar's hands and stood erect, turning his head this way and that to glare defiantly at those around him. He licked his lips, ground his teeth, and took a deep breath. He shut his eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them again, smiled, and turned to Caesar.
'There, Roman. Are you satisfied?'
'You feel nothing?'
'Only the satisfaction that comes from drinking a truly fine wine. A pity that the Great One himself was never able to taste it! Well? Are you as good as your word, Caesar? Will you let me go now?'
Caesar tilted his head back and studied Pothinus for a long moment, then turned his gaze to me. He did not look happy. 'So, Gordianus, it seems that you were right. The amphora was not poisoned, only the taster's cup. The unpleasant occurrence on Antirrhodus was due to the actions of someone I thought I could trust, someone who's become very close to me.' His eyes moved in the direction of the queen, but before his gaze fell upon her, Pothinus made a noise that drew his attention.
The sound came from deep in the eunuch's throat, a grunt that emerged as a stifled gasp. He gave a jerk, as if someone had poked him in a delicate place, and took a step back, putting his hands on his belly. 'No!' he whispered. 'This isn't happening!' He grimaced and turned toward the king. 'You ungrateful little viper! You and your sister deserve one another, and you both deserve the ruin that Caesar has in store for you!'
He dropped to his knees, clutching himself and convulsing. 'A curse on you, Caesar! May you die as Pompey died, cut to shreds and covered in blood!' He fell onto his side and drew his knees to his chest. Even as he gave a final twitch, the king stepped forward and gave him a hard kick that sent him rolling off the dais. Limp and lifeless, the eunuch's body fell heavily to the floor.
I looked at Caesar, who stared at the dead body with eyes wide and unblinking. His face was like wax; the eunuch's curse had unnerved him. At last he shuddered and shook off the spell. He looked at me and flashed a rueful smile. 'So, Gordianus, it seems you're mistaken. The queen's companions are innocent. The blame for what happened on Antirrhodus falls on your son, after all.'
I shook my head. 'No, Consul, there must be another explanation-' 'Silence! The king has rid himself of a traitor who managed to climb very high in his esteem. I shall follow the king's example. I shall rid myself of the traitor in my midst. Meto will be executed tomorrow.'
I staggered back, as stunned as if Caesar had struck me. Light-headed, I looked at Cleopatra. The queen was smiling.
CHAPTER XXV
'It was good of Caesar to allow us this final visit,' said Meto. He sat on his cot, staring at the dank stones of the opposite wall. From the high, barred window came the sounds of a hot summer morning: the creaking of anchored ships, the cry of hungry gulls, the shouts of Caesar's sailors making sure that nothing was amiss. Achillas had nominal control over most of the city, including the island of Pharos with its lighthouse, as well as the smaller Eunostos Harbor south of the Pharos causeway, but Caesar's control of the great harbor remained unchallenged.
'Good of him?' I shook my head, which was full of cobwebs. I had spent a miserable, sleepless night, struggling in vain to think of some way to save my son. ' 'It was good of Caesar to allow us this final visit.' Loyal Meto! Faithful to Caesar to the very last, even as Caesar prepares to put an end to you.'
'What else can he do, Papa? Someone tried to poison him on Antirrhodus. Not me; but every bit of evidence points to me. He can't let such an act go unpunished.'
'But what point is there in punishing an innocent man-and a man as unfailingly loyal as you? When I think of the sacrifices you've made for that man, the terrible risks you've taken-'
'All done of my own volition. I chose to serve Caesar. He allowed me the privilege. Don't forget that I began life as a slave, Papa. I never forget.'
