A Body In The Bath House

XVI

As helena and I later made our way back to the Noviomagus road and our transport, we came across a slow wagon trailing up to the site.

"Stop laughing, Marcus!" Luckily, there was nobody around to spy on our meeting. It would have been rude of me to guffaw at strangers the way I did now. But one of this mournful party was only disguised as a stranger. His grumpy scowl was all too familiar.

The scene was bright. Summer had come, as Timagenes observed. A fiercely cold morning with a lacerating wind had now developed into an afternoon of incredible mildness. The sun broke through the racing clouds as if it had never been away. It gave notice that even this-

far north, without any noticeable transition, there would be extra hours of light lengthening both ends of the day.

This spirit of renewal was wasted on the miserable young man we |

had met. "Don't even speak to me, Falco!"

"Hail, Sextius!" I greeted his companion instead. "I trust our dear Aulus is proving useful to you. He has some truculence, but we think well of him generally."

The man who sold moving statues hopped down to gossip. Helena's brother turned away with even greater bitterness. Still in his role as an assistant, he began foddering a lanky horse who pulled the cart of stoneware samples. Helena tried to kiss his cheek in sisterly affection; he shook her off angrily. Since we had kept all his luggage, he was wearing the same tunic as when we left him in Gaul. Its white wool had acquired a dark, greasy patina which some ruffians would take years to apply to their working gear. He looked cold and glum.

"Is that a suntan or are you utterly filthy?"

"Oh don't worry about me, Falco."

"I don't, lad, I don't. You are a repository of republican virtue.

Nobility, courage, steadfastness. Let's face it, you're the kind of virtuous cur who really likes suffering-'

He kicked the wheel of the cart. It lurched, causing a sound of crashing stone.

"Oil" protested Sextius, horrified.

As the statue factor clambered up to investigate, Aulus turned to me grimly. "This had better be worth it! I can't tell you what a time I've had…" He did lower his voice. If he offended Sextius, Sextius could easily shed him, which would not help me. "I'm bruised and bashed, and sick to the teeth of hearing about wonderful Heron of Alexandria's inventions. Now we have to slog here, find some completely uninterested buyer, then try to fib him into believing he needs a set of dancing nymphs worked by hot air, whose costumes fall off-'

"Whoa!" I stopped him, grinning. "I had a crazy great-uncle who adored mechanical toys. This is a new variation on an old favourite. When did the famous dancing nymphs shed their dresses?"

"A modern twist, Falco." Aelianus was displaying a prim streak. Hating popular taste, though he clearly understood it, he growled, "We give our buyers what they want. The more pornographic the better."

"Don't tell me you devised the striptease?" I chortled admiringly. "Great Jupiter, you're really taking to this. My uncle Scaro would love you, boy! Next thing you'll have one of Philon of Tyre's dip-in-me all-ways inkwells." Scaro had told me enough about Greek inventors to see me through this banter.

"Gimbals!" snarled Aulus. Thus proving that he had heard all about Philon's magic octagon, the executive toy every scribe wants as his next Saturnalia present. "Don't interrupt when I'm raving," Aulus carried on. Tm sick of this. Why me? Why not my devious brother?"

"Justinus is younger than you and he's delicate," Helena reproved. "Anyway, I promised dear little Claudia that I would look after him."

"Quintus is quite hardy and no one promised Claudia anything; she thought her darling bridegroom would be going home from Ostia. I always get the short measure. I already know I'll be eating rancid broth, and sleeping at the side of the cart, under an awning alongside the horse."

"There are canabae," I told him, with a grain of pity.

Sextius overheard me as he jumped down again beside us. "That's for me!" he cried. "Lucky I've got you, lad. I'm not taking this stuff anywhere it might get pinched, young Aulus. You'll have to stop with the cart and mind the goods. I'm going to find myself a drink and maybe a tasty wench tonight."

Aelianus was about to spit with frustration. Then we all pulled up. A voice which at least Helena and I recognised was calling my name excitedly. "Man from Rome!"

We turned to greet him as one, like a set of well-oiled but slightly guilty automata. "Verovolcus! Does your sophisticated king like moving statues?"

"Greek athletes he likes, Falco."

"I think that means classical art, not oily boyfriends," I explained to Sextius. "I don't know what's on offer, Verovolcus. I just met these interesting salesmen for the first time. They are trying to find out the procedure for getting an appointment to show off their wares '

"They have to see Plancus."

"The assistant architect? But he's an idiot," I wheedled.

"Plancus and Strephon who works with him," Verovolcus repeated dismissively. He seemed like a native comedian, yet the response was so brisk I looked twice at him. He knew how to rebuff foot-in-the-door men. Suddenly I could visualise him taking a hard line in other situations.

"Look, we know you must get canvassers all the time' Aelianus began.

"If Plancus and Strephon let them see Pomponius then he turns them down!" roared the King's representative. It was a huge joke.

"Oh go on how about a bird that guards her fledglings from a snake!" wheedled Sextius.

"With wings that really make her fly up and hover," added his assistant wearily. Aelianus must have suffered endless rehearsals somewhere. "In the direct tradition of the marvelous technician Csetiphon -'

"Ctesiphon!" hissed Sextius.

"Of Tyre-'

"Of Alexandria Alexandria must be awash with eccentrics building gadgets.

"We can show you the latest in talking statues worked by a speaking tube. I operate the display model," Aelianus explained, 'but I can easily train a slave of yours in the technique. Then we offer a mechanism for opening your palace doors as if by an invisible hand- you would need to dig a pit for the water tank, but I see you have labourers on site here and it's simplicity to use once you're set up properly. Consider a self-regulating oil-lamp wick'

Sextius dug him in the ribs for rushing the script.

"See Plancus see Strephon." Verovolcus waved them aside, so he could address Helena and me with his errand. "Man from Rome! My king invites you and your lady to the old house. It has many rooms, all beautiful. You can stay with us."

"But we are travelling with two very small children, their nurse and my sister-in-law…" Helena demurred shyly.

"More women!" Verovolcus was thrilled.

"I cannot allow myself to socialise, I'm afraid," I said warily.

"No, no. My king says you must be left to do your important work."

Helena and I consulted quickly.

"Yes?"

"Yes!"

My girl and I don't muck about.

The idea had obvious attractions. Flavius Hilaris was lending us a decent house in Noviomagus, but nothing like a palace. I would see more of Helena if she were living with me on site than if I had to leave her in the town while I worked out here. Assuming she wanted it, she would see more of me.

"Hmm." She made a show of reconsidering the practical disadvantages. I'll have to stop the little ones tumbling into deep trenches while you have fun solving the project problems."

"Organise however you like, fruit. You can audit the project, and I'll play with the infants, if you like."

So while Aelianus seethed in silence, thinking of his outdoor lodging in the rain and cold, his sister and I made our arrangements to live in luxury with the King.