With timing as perfect as that of a messenger in a play, the soldier guarding the door stepped forward to tell Caesar that the others he had summoned had arrived.
'Take this creature away,' ordered Caesar, referring to Philip, 'and show the others in.'
CHAPTER XXVI
Apollodorus entered first, followed by Merianis, both looking grim. I glanced at Caesar and saw that grimness mirrored on his face. Then another expression, hard to discern-consternation, resignation, apprehension? — crossed his countenance as Cleopatra entered the room.
I had asked Caesar to summon her minions without the queen, and without her knowledge if possible; yet here she was. She swept into the room, fully outfitted in royal dress, draped in gold-and-scarlet robes, with the vulture-headed uraeus crown upon her head. Her presence now was very different from that which she projected at ease in her own quarters on Antirrhodus, and more different still from that of the seductress who had emerged from the rug in this very room. Even when I had seen her in her robes of state in the reception room on formal occasions, she had not possessed the air of majesty that radiated from her now.
She cast a singeing glance at me, then turned a softer gaze to Caesar. 'The consul desires to question my subjects yet again?'
Caesar cleared his throat. 'Gordianus has been able, after all, to cast some light upon the events that occurred on Antirrhodus.'
She raised an eyebrow. 'Something to do with the freedman Philip, whom I passed in the hall outside?'
'Perhaps. Suffice to say that the amphora of Falernian had been poisoned even before it was opened. We may discuss the details at another time, but for now, that fact has been demonstrated to my satisfaction.'
The queen slowly nodded. 'Which presents a very awkward question.'
'Yes. How did it come to pass that the empty alabaster vial was discovered on Meto's person, when the vial, as it turns out, had nothing to do with the poisoning?'
'A curious situation.'
'Curious indeed, Your Majesty, and most distressing. Yet I'm convinced that someone here among us can explain it.'
A silence settled over the room. At last the queen spoke. 'Is the simplest explanation not the most likely? You say the amphora was already poisoned. But could it not have been doubly poisoned? The vial was found on Meto; the vial was empty. I suggest that Meto acquired the vial from Gordianus-with or without his father's knowledge-and conspired to use it, perhaps against you, Caesar, or perhaps to do away with us both. He fetched the amphora for you, and brought it to Antirrhodus; doing so, he saw his opportunity to use the poison, so he brought that with him as well. When he opened the amphora, he opened the vial at the same time and emptied it into the amphora. None of us noticed, simply because none of us were watching. You say the amphora was already poisoned. It appears that Meto acted in ignorance of that fact, but with no less malice. His crime was no less heinous for being redundant.' The queen, in making this assertion, stood erect and kept her voice low and steady, with a gaze that never wavered. Cicero himself, standing in the Forum before a skeptical jury, could not have delivered the argument with greater authority.
But Caesar was not convinced. 'What Your Majesty says makes perfect sense, yet the explanation does not satisfy me.' He turned his gaze to Merianis, who lowered her eyes and bit her lip. The exuberant, smiling, beautiful young woman who had greeted me when I first arrived at the palace seemed very far away at that moment, replaced by a haggard figure whose shifty eyes and furtive manner reminded me more of Philip. Since the death of Zoe on Antirrhodus, I had not seen a smile on Merianis's face. Each time I saw her, she looked more haunted.
'Perhaps, Merianis, you can offer an explanation that gives more satisfaction?' said Caesar.
She shivered, though the room was warm. She lifted her eyes just enough to cast a questioning look at the queen, who responded with an almost imperceptible nod.
'I confess,' said Merianis. Her voice trembled.
'Explain,' said Caesar.
'I did what I did… to hurt Meto. It was a shameful act, unworthy of a priestess of Isis.'
'Go on,' said Caesar.
'Yes, Merianis, go on,' said the queen, her voice stern.
I shook my head. 'Consul, when I asked you to summon the queen's subjects, this was not what I had in mind. This is-'
'Quiet, Gordianus. I shall conduct the questioning. Go on, Merianis. Explain to me what you did that day.'
'I had nothing to do with the poisoning. But when Zoe died, and the queen called me to her side…'
'Yes, I remember,' said Caesar. 'You conversed in whispers.'
'She merely told me to fetch Apollodorus.'
'You conversed at some length, and with noticeable emotion.'
'I–I was jarred by what had happened. I was confused and upset. The queen had to repeat herself. She became impatient with me.'
Caesar nodded. 'And then I saw you look at Meto. Your expression was strange.'
'I looked at him strangely because… that was the moment I conceived of the plot against him.'
'I see. Go on.'
'The queen told me to bring Apollodorus. I ran to find him. But first… first I went to my room… to fetch the vial of poison.'
'Then it was you who took the vial from Gordianus's trunk?' said Caesar.
'Yes.'
'But how did you even know about the vial's existence, and what it contained?'
'On the day I brought Meto to his room, Gordianus asked me to leave-but I lingered in the hallway outside. I listened to their conversation. I heard what Gordianus said about the vial and the poison inside-and I also heard what Meto told him, to get rid of it! Later, when I had a chance, I took the vial from the trunk-but only because I feared that Gordianus might be tempted to use it against himself, and I could not bear the thought.' Her eyes met mine at last. 'That's the truth, I swear to you by Isis! I stole the vial only because I wanted to protect you from yourself, Gordianus! Please, believe me!'
I drew a breath to speak, but Caesar raised a hand to silence me. 'Go on, Merianis,' he said.
'The queen sent me to fetch Apollodorus, but first I ran to my room and found the vial. I emptied it-'
'You hadn't emptied it before?' Caesar asked sharply. 'Why did you not empty it when you stole it, if your purpose was to keep the poison from being used?'
Merianis became flustered. 'You're right. It was empty already-I forgot. I'm becoming confused again…'
'Go on!' Caesar's tone made even Cleopatra wince. Merianis began to weep.
'When I found Apollodorus, I quickly explained what had happened… and I told him of my desire: that he should place the empty vial upon the person of Meto, so that Meto would be blamed for the poisoning.'
'But why, Merianis? What was your grudge against Meto?'
'Not a grudge; a broken heart! From the moment I saw him, I desired him. He should have desired me in return. I made my feelings plain to him, and he spurned me. I wanted him to suffer!' She shuddered and hid her face in her hands.
'And you, Apollodorus?' Caesar cast a burning gaze at the tall Sicilian. 'You went along with this deception?'
Before, in every circumstance, Apollodorus's attitude had been utterly self-assured, even brazenly defiant; but now he lowered his eyes and spoke in a hoarse whisper. 'I did what Merianis asked me to do.'
'But why, Apollodorus?'
'Because…' He spoke through gritted teeth. 'Because I love her.'
'I see.' Caesar nodded gravely. 'You must love her very much indeed.'
'I do!'
I could no longer remain quiet. 'Caesar!' I said-but again he silenced me with his hand and an angry glare. He
