Murder in the Forum

Chapter Seven

‘I hope,’ Marcus said sternly as he followed me reluctantly down the short staircase, ‘that this is as important as you say.’ He was not dependent on my poor smoky taper, a slave with a fine oil-lamp was lighting his way, but he walked gingerly and with distaste, as though subterranean perambulations through the lower regions were not at all to his taste.

He had a point. The latrine in a town dwelling is never especially sweet-smelling, despite being over running water, but the odour from this one seemed to permeate the whole area. A man like Marcus, I realised, would probably not even demean himself by visiting the ablutions in a house like this: if he were staying here he would expect to be provided with servants, washing water and chamber pots.

‘See for yourself, Excellence,’ I said, opening the store cupboard with a flourish. In the better illumination the contents were clearer than before.

Marcus, who is not a lover of bouncy dogs, backed away hastily and motioned for the door to be shut before the dog awoke. All the same he had noticed the blanket. ‘That cloak! It is the one which that Egobarbus fellow was wearing. Or one very like it. What is it doing here in the store cupboard?’

‘I suppose it is just possible, Excellence, that either Gaius or Felix bought a length of the same cloth. Unfortunately we can hardly ask either of them since Felix is dead and Gaius is occupied in mourning him. Although perhaps the house-slaves would know.’

Marcus turned to the slave who was carrying the lamp. ‘Well? You work in this house, don’t you? Did Gaius, or Felix, purchase such a thing?’

The lad gulped and shook his head. When he spoke his voice was trembling with nervousness. ‘Not that I know of, Excellence. I cannot imagine that my master would want such a piece of coarse Celtic plaid, His Excellence Tigidius Perennis Felix even less so.’

Marcus was looking impatient, and I stepped in hastily. ‘I agree, Excellence. A most unlikely purchase for either of them. In which case I can only suppose that it is the cloak, and the man himself put it here. It occurs to me that I did not notice him again after Felix died. The doorman did not see him leave, either. I made a point of asking him.’

Marcus’s frown deepened. ‘Yet Egobarbus would not be easy to miss. Those whiskers and that cloak. . By Jupiter, greatest and best! Libertus, I see what you are thinking. Somehow he came here and abandoned his cloak in order to escape without being noticed. Though he would have needed something to disguise those whiskers. A hooded cape, perhaps?’

I nodded, doubtfully. Roman citizens are not as universally clean-shaven as they used to be. Indeed, there has been quite a little fashion for beards since the Emperor Hadrian sported one, and naturally, since Commodus himself is bearded, much of polite society in high places follows the Emperor. But it is not usual in Glevum. Even I have to submit to the expensive horrors of a barber’s shop occasionally — with its dreadful sharpened blades and its spiders-web-and-ashes dressing for nicks and cuts — though I generally prefer the ministrations of Junio with a pair of iron scissors. Most of the guests, and slaves, at the banquet tonight had been as smooth-faced as Vestal virgins, so Egobarbus was as conspicuous as a lighted torch. Even a hooded cape would scarcely have disguised that exuberant moustache.

‘There is-’ I began, but Marcus brushed me aside and was scowling down the narrow corridor.

‘What is behind those other doors?’

I hastened to inform him. ‘More store cupboards, Excellence, and the big entrance on the right is to the kitchens. Egobarbus is not there. I searched them not a minute ago when I was looking for Zetso.’

‘Nevertheless,’ Marcus said, ‘we will search again.’ He gestured the lamp-bearer forward and suited the action to the words. In vain. There was nothing in the other cupboards but grain and candles and nothing in the smoky candlelit kitchen but a group of startled slaves, who — drawn as they were from different households — were squabbling noisily about what scraps were whose, and who should be expected to clean the greasy salvers and rub the dirty knives with red earth and ashes. My visit earlier had caused consternation enough, but at the sight of a purple-striper in the kitchen they stopped their bickering at once, and dropping their various brooms and implements stood staring at us in mystified terror.

Marcus made a pretence of looking under the tables, but there was clearly nothing to see and he withdrew, muttering, ‘Very well, get on with your work.’ The slaves’ hands resumed their tasks obediently, but their eyes never left us until we were once more back in the gloom of the corridor.

‘Excellence,’ I began again, but Marcus was not listening. His gaze had fallen on the glimmer of light beyond the skimpy curtain which screened the latrine.

‘There he is!’ Marcus strode forward and thrust the curtain aside.

The florid citizen-trader whom I had surprised earlier was standing there, his candle guttering on a shelf while he readjusted his toga. He stared at us for a moment in affronted astonishment, and then he and Marcus spoke as one man.

‘You!’

Marcus recovered first. ‘Tommonius Lunaris! What brings you to this house?’

The man he had called ‘Tommonius’ smiled faintly. ‘The same occasion as brings you here yourself, Excellence. I was bidden to the feast by Perennis Felix. I had business with him earlier in the town. I was astonished to see you at the banquet — I thought you in Corinium. Was not the lawsuit scheduled for today?’

‘Indeed it was. I presided at it before I came here.’

‘And how did you find my old goat of a father-in-law? Innocent, no doubt, since he has wealthy friends on the council.’

‘I found him guilty,’ Marcus said. ‘And sentenced him to exile.’

Tommonius smiled grimly. ‘Where he will die in comfort in his bed. Well, I bear him no malice. He did me a favour, killing the scoundrel who dishonoured my bed. No, I reserve my anger for the courts — saving your presence, Excellence — and for this fellow’s family, who brought this disgraceful case in the first place. What purpose did it serve except to bring me into disrepute and turn me into a laughing stock in every market place in the province? You know that there were itinerant pedlars calling after me in Glevum today? “Better hurry home, Tommonius, before your wife starts missing you and your father-in-law is charged with another murder.” It prevented me from concluding at least one serious bargain.’

Marcus said placatingly, ‘Yes, I understand it must be distressing. To learn that your wife-’

‘My wife!’ Tommonius exclaimed. ‘That is not important. So, the woman had a lover — she was discreet enough, and it was no great loss. She brought no significant dowry with her when we married — her father’s wealth is all in his home and business — and she had begun to bore me long ago. And I her. But I provided for her, she was decorative and her father’s estate would have come into my hands when he died. It was an arrangement which suited us both.’

I stared at him. This was a peculiarly Roman view of marriage, I thought. But Tommonius had not finished.

‘Now I shall have to divorce her,’ he continued, ‘and have her exiled to some tiresome island. I shall keep the measly marriage portion, of course, since she was caught in flagrante delicto, but thanks to this lawsuit I have lost all hope of the real money. The estate will have gone to that wretched lover’s family as recompense for a trumped-up murder charge — such of it as the old man didn’t manage to smuggle away with him. Thanks to the vagaries of the law.’ He picked up his candle. ‘By the by, I congratulate you on your own marriage, Excellence. May the lady bring you more good fortune than mine did.’

He made as if to leave but Marcus blocked his path. ‘You saw what happened upstairs?’ my patron asked.

‘To Felix?’ Tommonius nodded. ‘Indeed I did. A pity, I had hoped to strike a bargain with him. I hear he was a great importer of goods. But Gaius says it is a judgement of the gods. I trust that is more just than the judgements of men.’ He smiled. ‘Excuse me, Excellence, but I have no great respect for the law — even if you are the one to wield it. Good evening, gentlemen.’

Marcus, who had listened to this in silence, inclined his head and stood back to allow the trader to pass. Tommonius retreated with as much dignity as a man can after he has been surprised in the latrine.

Marcus watched him go. ‘You know who that is, Libertus? The husband of the woman in that murder case this afternoon.’

‘Yes, Excellence,’ I said respectfully. ‘I had rather gathered that.’

‘I heard that he had come to Glevum. I wonder why Felix invited him to the feast?’

I had no real answer to that. ‘For the same reason that he invited Egobarbus, perhaps?’ I suggested. ‘Because he was hoping to strike some bargain with him and wanted to offer him entertainment at no cost to himself?’ From what I had heard of Felix that seemed likely enough.

‘Yes,’ Marcus said. ‘Egobarbus. We are no nearer to finding him.’

‘Nor Zetso either,’ I reminded him. ‘And the man you call Egobarbus is-’

Marcus shook his head impatiently. ‘Terrified out of their wits, most like, the pair of them, after what happened to Felix.’ He motioned for the lamp and began to stride back down the corridor, rather to my relief. I suspect the speed of his step was not unrelated to the overpowering odour of the latrine.

I trotted after him.

Marcus was still talking. ‘Zetso was bodyguard to his master and Egobarbus was the only Celt present. They must both have felt that if any questions were asked, they were likely to fall on them. The public torturers are not always scrupulous in their examination of non-citizens who find themselves under suspicion.’ We were at the top of the staircase by now, and he waved away the lamp-bearer. Most of the other guests had taken advantage of our disappearance and made good their own, and slaves were already moving to clear the tables and sweep the floors with their bunches of broom. Marcus turned to smile at me. ‘Well, it is too late now. I suppose it is unimportant. Fortunately, on this occasion there is nothing to be suspicious about. Felix died in full view of everyone, and there can be no doubt that it was an accident.’

I took a deep breath. ‘With respect, Excellence. .’

‘What is it, Libertus? You find something in what I have said to disagree with?’

There was nothing for it now. I bowed my head. ‘Three things, Excellence. In the first place, there was more than one Celt present. I am a Celt myself, from the same part of the island. That is how I come to know the second thing. That man is not Egobarbus, nor ever was.’ I told him what I knew.

Marcus was dismissive. ‘My dear old friend, it is twenty years since you met the fellow. A man may change a great deal in that time.’

‘Indeed he may, Excellence, but there are some things he cannot alter. The Egobarbus that I knew was a taller man than I am, though I was a grown adult and he was still a boy. This fellow is the same height as me. He cannot have shrunk. And did you see his hands?’

‘There was nothing the matter with his hands.’

‘Exactly. But Egobarbus has a damaged little finger. I know, because I damaged it, with a whip.’

Marcus was staring at me now. ‘Then who. .’

I shook my head. ‘As to that, Excellence, I have no more idea than you have.’

‘Then he must be found. It may have nothing to do with this evening’s accident, but the fellow cannot arrive here impersonating someone else.’

‘Yes, Excellence, he must be found, and with more urgency than you think. I told you there was a third matter. There is also the question of the dog.’

‘Ah, yes, I have been thinking of the dog. Too quiet, even for an old animal half asleep. And why was it in a cupboard?’ He gave me a triumphant smile. ‘I know what you are going to tell me. Gaius was boasting to me of the creature’s tricks. Someone had fed it on ale. The old beast loves it. The drink makes it playful and then puts it into a drunken sleep for hours. Somebody learned of this, and gave the dog ale so that he could make his escape. This Egobarbus, probably. Confess, that was what you were going to tell me.’

I moved closer so that nobody should overhear me. ‘No, Excellence,’ I murmured. ‘Worse than that. I’m very much afraid the dog was dead.’

Marcus looked startled. ‘You think he strangled it with its collar? Or perhaps it was that slave who dragged it away?’

I shook my head. ‘I looked, Excellence. There is no sign of damage to the neck — as there assuredly would be in that case. But there is evidence of vomit and foaming at the mouth. Now, it occurs to me that the animals were lapping up the food under the table. And in that case there has to be a possibility that whatever it was that killed the dog also killed Perennis Felix. Despite appearances, Excellence, I fear we may be looking at a murder.’

Marcus, unquestionably the most powerful man in Glevum, glanced around as guiltily as any schoolboy. ‘I think,’ he said carefully, ‘that this theory of yours may be better kept to ourselves. Even if you are right — and there is no evidence at all that you are — as Tommonius said about his own affairs, what is to be gained by making it public? We shall merely have Commodus baying for blood, and all of us will be under suspicion.’

Himself especially, I thought, since he had been sitting nearest to Felix and had occasion enough to detest and fear the man. And he had brought in the extra wine. But I said nothing beyond, ‘Indeed, Excellence, although it might be wise to prevent the servants eating the remnants from the high table. Another corpse might prove exceedingly embarrassing.’

He thought about that for a moment. ‘That might be difficult. The slaves will expect to be allowed the scraps. Anything else might attract speculation and gossip.’

‘Unless you ordered them to be burnt at the Vestal flame?’

He flushed. ‘Of course. A propitiation to the household gods. I was about to suggest it myself.’

I did not dignify that with a response. I merely said, ‘So Felix will have his public funeral and that will be the end of that?’

‘That is the safest option, do you not think?’

‘I am sure it is.’ I bowed. I wanted to go home. ‘So you will not be requiring my services further? Except in the matter of the commemorative pavement?’

He gazed at me as though Diana had touched my wits. ‘But of course I shall require your services. If there is any truth in your suspicions, naturally I wish to find the culprit. If you can prove to me who did it, of course we will bring a case against him. It is merely that, without clear proof of someone else’s guilt, suspicion will assuredly fall on me. Much better if people do not guess that there might ever have been a case at all. I want you to come here and consult about the pavement, and while you are about it you can ask a few questions in the household, find out who put that dog in the cupboard, and what happened to Egobarbus. And Zetso too. They cannot have got far tonight; the city gates will be closed. You can report to me here first thing in the morning.’

‘Excellence,’ I pleaded wearily, ‘it is already first thing in the morning. By the time I have walked home from here the bakers will be abroad in the streets.’

I must have sounded as weary as I felt. Marcus took pity on me, and sent me home in a litter.