"All right, Pullus. You win. We need totalk, but I can see that you're determined to play the StupidLegionary, so I'll begin. Do you know why you're here?"
"I know that I've been accused of somethingto do with Marcus Primus' campaign," I told him. "But that's all Iknow."
This was not the complete truth, but neitherwas it a lie. Over the long years of my career, I had learned tospeak the duplicitous language of the nobility, and I wasdetermined to use it here. Agrippa stared at me hard, as if tryingto determine whether I was lying. Finally, he gave an abruptnod.
"That is the bare bones of it. Butspecifically, you're being charged with complicity in theconducting of an unauthorized campaign into Thrace by the Praetorof Macedonia, Marcus Primus."
"May I ask how Augustus arrived at theconclusion that I was complicit? Because, as I recall it, I wasnever asked about whether or not I chose to participate in thiscampaign. In fact," I felt compelled to point out, "I did ask tosee his orders from Augustus. Which he showed me," I finished.
Agrippa had straightened up in his chair,and his eyes narrowed as he stared at me, but I could not interprethis expression.
"That," he said carefully, "is not theinformation that Augustus has."
"Well, his information is wrong," I repliedforcefully. In my excitement and agitation, I felt my rear leavethe chair as I tried to press my point. "In fact, the wholecampaign almost came to a halt because I demanded to see Primus'orders."
Agrippa suddenly leaned back, but his gazedid not waver.
"Go on."
Gathering my thoughts, I tried to decide howforthcoming I should be, and decided to let the dice fly.
"When I challenged him on it, he told me towait for a watch before he summoned me to the Praetorium.That's when he showed me a set of orders that stated that thiscampaign was not only authorized, but that punitive action againstany Thracian tribe we encountered was also allowed, in retributionfor the unprovoked attack on the army of Marcus Crassus."
Even as I mouthed the words, the image ofBalbus, his mouth full of blood as he tried to smile and reassureme it would be all right shoved into my mind. Agrippa said nothingfor several moments, and instead stared down at the scroll in frontof him.
"That," his eyes did not leave the scroll,giving me my first intimation that I was not going to like whatcame next, "is not the information that Augustus has. In fact, hisinformation is that while you indeed demanded to see Primus'orders, that he admitted the orders were forged, but when hepromised you a share of the gold he planned to extort from Serdica,you agreed to go along with the fiction."
I heard a gasp, but it was barely audiblebecause of a roaring sound in my ears that I suppose was caused bymy rapidly increased heartbeat.
"And who says this kind of thing?" I finallyfound my voice. "Whoever it is, they're lying!"
"I assure you, this source is of the mostimpeccable character," Agrippa replied stiffly.
That means he's a patrician, I thoughtbitterly, but somehow I managed to avoid blurting it out.
"Impeccable character or not, whoever toldAugustus that is lying." I tried to remain calm, although it wasdifficult.
"Be that as it may, I must tell you thatthis man's testimony alone is very damning," Agrippa seemed to havea hard time looking me in the eye, which was certainly unusual forhim.
"If it is, then I believe I have a right toknow who it is that's making this accusation."
Agrippa shifted in his chair and, for thefirst time, he looked a bit uncomfortable, as if he was somehowashamed of something, and he did not reply for the space of severallong heartbeats.
Finally, he heaved a sigh, and picked up thescroll he had been holding the entire time we had been talking.Turning it so I could read it, with one hand, he pointed down tothe name that was neatly printed at the bottom, just below thescrawled mark that was the man's signature. Damning my failingvision, I first tried squinting at it, which sometimes worked, butfinally I had to shift forward to get close enough to read it. WhenI recognized the name, I had the queerest sensation, as if thefloor underneath my chair had suddenly disappeared and I wasdropping down, down, down. At the same time, I felt a burst ofsweat, but it was the cold, fear type of sweat that leaves oneclammy. In truth, I had been expecting a betrayal of some sort fromone of the Tribunes, and I was sure I knew which one it would be.But this man? I wondered. How could I have misjudged him sobadly?
"As you can see," Agrippa broke the silence."Tribune Lucullus has provided evidence that is damning in itsdetails."
Somewhat to my surprise, I was actuallyallowed to leave on my own, but truthfully. I do not rememberexactly how I managed to walk out, mount Ocelus, and ride to theCampus Martius. Diocles had sent word to the guards standing watchat the entrance to the Campus, providing direction to the buildingthat I would be staying at for...how long? I thought as Ocelus tookme in that direction. Slaves were assigned to see to the needs ofany occupants of the villa, and they were waiting to see to Ocelusand take him to the stables. I walked; stumbled would be a betterword, I suppose, up the steps and crossed the shaded portico andopened the door to the villa. Diocles leapt up from where he hadbeen sitting, on a stool near the door, and I saw his look changefrom concern to alarm, which was appropriate.
"Titus, what is it?"
I did not answer immediately, insteadgesturing to the amphora of wine that he had ready on the table inthe center of the room. He immediately ran to it, and poured me acup, which I took with hands that even I could see were trembling.Gulping it down, I still did not speak until he refilled the cup,and I drank a second one down. Only then did I tell him what hadhappened, in voice I barely recognized. When I was through, Dioclesdid
