discovered it for myself. I found that by cutting the facets at certain angles, and painting one side…but I must not waste your valuable time, Lord Chamberlain. Please believe me when I tell you while some of my patrons have asked me to put my skills to the most vile use yet I have had many worthy commissions. In one of the Patriarch’s private chapels Lazarus opens his eyes when a lamp filled with holy oil is lit and set before it. If I may say so, I am particularly proud of that creation.”
Figulus sat with his hands in his lap, long fingers intertwined as if he were ready to pray.
Those were the hands which had given birth to Zoe.
“I’ve spent hours admiring your work,” John said. “During the daytime of course. Do you recall when you made those particular mosaics?”
“I remember exactly. It was in the sixth year of Justinian’s reign. I finished the very day the Blues and Greens rioted against the emperor. Both factions poured out of the Hippodrome and fought in the streets. I feared for my life all the way home. It isn’t something easily forgotten.”
“You had already finished the mosaic in the bath at my house?”
“Yes, during the summer. When I heard what Glykos wanted for the study I delayed, hoping he’d change his mind. I became indisposed. I found several urgent commissions in other parts of the palace. Finally he refused to believe me when I explained that the winter was not the best season for that kind of work, that the plaster might not set correctly. He would not be swayed. So I began on a chilly day in January and finished the day the riots began. Or at least I thought I had finished.”
John asked him what he meant.
Figulus glanced in the direction of his older sons, who continued their tasks. He looked down at his clasped hands uneasily. “I regret I will bore you with my reminiscences.”
“Not at all, Figulus. I have always been fascinated by the mosaic in my study. Tell me what happened.”
“Very well. As I said, I believed I had finished my repulsive commission from Glykos. As soon as I was back home, my wife and I knelt and thanked the Lord I didn’t need to venture outside again. As the light faded we saw mobs surging through the street below our windows. When night fell it was worse for then of course we could see nothing. More than once the house door creaked and rattled as someone tried to get in.”
“It was a dangerous time,” John replied.
“It seemed to us that the gates of hell had opened. We were convinced the emperor must have died or fled, for otherwise he would have delivered us from the savages roaming the streets. For three days it went on. Then, before dawn, there came a terrible pounding at the door. My wife begged me not to open it, even when the frantic cries from outside told us who our callers were. But what else could I do? Glykos had sent two servants for me. He was not satisfied with the mosaic!”
“I am surprised the tax collector was concerned about a wall mosaic under the circumstances.”
“He had lost his wits, Lord Chamberlain.” Figulus shook his head. “Why, the servants he had sent were boys. They shook so badly they could hardly hold their spears. I remember looking back over my shoulder before we turned the corner. My wife was still standing in the doorway. I could barely see her though the swirling smoke that filled the street. I was certain I would never see her again.”
“You managed to get through to the palace without harm?”
“Only by the grace of God. Armed men appeared out of the smoke and pounded past us. Some carried swords, others brandished short lengths of boards bristling with nails, or carried the hammers used by metalsmiths. They paid us no heed. Once I glimpsed a fierce melee down a side street. It was when we reached the Mese that the miracle occurred.”
“Miracle?”
“Yes. A miracle. You can only understand the mosaic if you know about the miracle. My escorts and I had stepped through an
Figulus sat with his hands in his lap, long fingers intertwined as if he were ready to pray.
Those were the hands which had given birth to Zoe.
“I’ve spent hours admiring your work,” John said. “During the daytime of course. Do you recall when you made those particular mosaics?”
“I remember exactly. It was in the sixth year of Justinian’s reign. I finished the very day the Blues and Greens rioted against the emperor. Both factions poured out of the Hippodrome and fought in the streets. I feared for my life all the way home. It isn’t something easily forgotten.”
“You had already finished the mosaic in the bath at my house?”
“Yes, during the summer. When I heard what Glykos wanted for the study I delayed, hoping he’d change his mind. I became indisposed. I found several urgent commissions in other parts of the palace. Finally he refused to believe me when I explained that the winter was not the best season for that kind of work, that the plaster might not set correctly. He would not be swayed. So I began on a chilly day in January and finished the day the riots began. Or at least I thought I had finished.”
John asked him what he meant.
Figulus glanced in the direction of his older sons, who continued their tasks. He looked down at his clasped hands uneasily. “I regret I will bore you with my reminiscences.”
“Not at all, Figulus. I have always been fascinated by the mosaic in my study. Tell me what happened.”
“Very well. As I said, I believed I had finished my repulsive commission from Glykos. As soon as I was back home, my wife and I knelt and thanked the Lord I didn’t need to venture outside again. As the light faded we saw mobs surging through the street below our windows. When night fell it was worse for then of course we could see nothing. More than once the house door creaked and rattled as someone tried to get in.”
“It was a dangerous time,” John replied.
“It seemed to us that the gates of hell had opened. We were convinced the emperor must have died or fled, for otherwise he would have delivered us from the savages roaming the streets. For three days it went on. Then, before dawn, there came a terrible pounding at the door. My wife begged me not to open it, even when the frantic cries from outside told us who our callers were. But what else could I do? Glykos had sent two servants for me. He was not satisfied with the mosaic!”
“I am surprised the tax collector was concerned about a wall mosaic under the circumstances.”
“He had lost his wits, Lord Chamberlain.” Figulus shook his head. “Why, the servants he had sent were boys. They shook so badly they could hardly hold their spears. I remember looking back over my shoulder before we turned the corner. My wife was still standing in the doorway. I could barely see her though the swirling smoke that filled the street. I was certain I would never see her again.”
“You managed to get through to the palace without harm?”
“Only by the grace of God. Armed men appeared out of the smoke and pounded past us. Some carried swords, others brandished short lengths of boards bristling with nails, or carried the hammers used by metalsmiths. They paid us no heed. Once I glimpsed a fierce melee down a side street. It was when we reached the Mese that the miracle occurred.”
“Miracle?”
“Yes. A miracle. You can only understand the mosaic if you know about the miracle. My escorts and I had stepped through an
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