more than to give their bodies. Next time you mix with Murranus’s friends look at them carefully, consider what I’ve said. Was your attacker looking for fresh prey? An innocent maid? Some respectable young woman, a change from the usual? It’s common enough.’ Sylvester sighed. ‘As the Lord of Light knows!’
Claudia stared at the far wall as if fascinated by the graffiti there: figures of men and women joining hands around a table and, underneath, Christian symbols about eternal life. She noticed the Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the symbols of the Christian God. She was distracted by what Sylvester had said. Sometime soon, when she was in a darkened room by herself, she would meditate, reflect on what he had said. She felt a spark of excitement, a secret thrill, as if she realised she was on the verge of the truth.
Sylvester broke off another piece of cheese, popped it in his mouth and walked over to examine the graffiti. Claudia sighed noisily.
‘Why am I here this morning? Why now?’
‘The Villa Pulchra, at Tibur,’ Sylvester replied, eager to change the subject. ‘Two matters of importance. The Empress Helena, as you may know, is collecting Christian relics. She seems to have a passion for them; her agents are scouring the countryside around Jerusalem searching for the True Cross. The Empress Helena believes she has found the sword used in the execution of the apostle St Paul. She has put it on show in a special room in the Villa Pulchra, a sort of exhibition when certain philosophers, the rhetoricians from Capua, debate matters of doctrine.’
‘And?’
‘To cut a long story short, yesterday afternoon, or so our agents tell us, the sword disappeared. The chamber or cellar has no secret entrances, and it was guarded by mercenaries. The door could only be opened by two keys. Timothaeus the steward held one of these, Burrus, the scruffy German who adores Helena, the other. Anyway,’ Sylvester bit into a fig, ‘yesterday afternoon Timothaeus, as usual, decided to check on the sword. The door was opened. Burrus, because he is frightened of the place, stayed outside. Timothaeus went in. Burrus heard a thump and a cry but dismissed this. A short while later he peered in. Timothaeus was lying by the circle of sand.’
‘Circle of sand?’
‘Yes, you will see, it stretches beneath where the sword hung from a chain. Only yesterday afternoon, the chain was empty. The sword was gone.’
‘And Timothaeus?’
‘Burrus thought he was dead, but the man had simply fallen in a faint. The alarm was raised, the guards called, Timothaeus was removed and the chamber searched. But no sword was found. A true miracle.’ Sylvester grinned. ‘Timothaeus believes that because of the squabbling between Christians, the Angel of the Lord came and removed the sword.’
‘Of course, it was stolen?’
‘So it seems, but by whom, why and how are truly a mystery. The Augusta will not be pleased. She will send for you. In fact, I’m sure that a message or messenger will have already arrived at the She-Asses ordering you to the Villa Pulchra.’
‘But there’s something else, isn’t there?’
‘Oh yes, there’s always something else. The Emperor has invited six rhetoricians, self-proclaimed philosophers, from the School of Oratory at Capua, a prestigious academy where many scholars study theology and philosophy and perfect their public speaking skills. It’s now become a thorn in the side for us, as the Arian heresy flourishes there. One of its most skilled advocates is a scholar called Justin.’
‘What is the bone of contention?’
‘The bone, Claudia? Why, the truth of our faith. Who is God? How does God act?’
‘I’m not a philosopher, I’m certainly not a Christian.’
‘No, you’re better,’ Sylvester retorted. ‘You are a woman of integrity with a keen mind and sharp wits. This is what we believe, Claudia. Our God is a triune God, three persons in one. The
Claudia stared at the far wall as if fascinated by the graffiti there: figures of men and women joining hands around a table and, underneath, Christian symbols about eternal life. She noticed the Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the symbols of the Christian God. She was distracted by what Sylvester had said. Sometime soon, when she was in a darkened room by herself, she would meditate, reflect on what he had said. She felt a spark of excitement, a secret thrill, as if she realised she was on the verge of the truth.
Sylvester broke off another piece of cheese, popped it in his mouth and walked over to examine the graffiti. Claudia sighed noisily.
‘Why am I here this morning? Why now?’
‘The Villa Pulchra, at Tibur,’ Sylvester replied, eager to change the subject. ‘Two matters of importance. The Empress Helena, as you may know, is collecting Christian relics. She seems to have a passion for them; her agents are scouring the countryside around Jerusalem searching for the True Cross. The Empress Helena believes she has found the sword used in the execution of the apostle St Paul. She has put it on show in a special room in the Villa Pulchra, a sort of exhibition when certain philosophers, the rhetoricians from Capua, debate matters of doctrine.’
‘And?’
‘To cut a long story short, yesterday afternoon, or so our agents tell us, the sword disappeared. The chamber or cellar has no secret entrances, and it was guarded by mercenaries. The door could only be opened by two keys. Timothaeus the steward held one of these, Burrus, the scruffy German who adores Helena, the other. Anyway,’ Sylvester bit into a fig, ‘yesterday afternoon Timothaeus, as usual, decided to check on the sword. The door was opened. Burrus, because he is frightened of the place, stayed outside. Timothaeus went in. Burrus heard a thump and a cry but dismissed this. A short while later he peered in. Timothaeus was lying by the circle of sand.’
‘Circle of sand?’
‘Yes, you will see, it stretches beneath where the sword hung from a chain. Only yesterday afternoon, the chain was empty. The sword was gone.’
‘And Timothaeus?’
‘Burrus thought he was dead, but the man had simply fallen in a faint. The alarm was raised, the guards called, Timothaeus was removed and the chamber searched. But no sword was found. A true miracle.’ Sylvester grinned. ‘Timothaeus believes that because of the squabbling between Christians, the Angel of the Lord came and removed the sword.’
‘Of course, it was stolen?’
‘So it seems, but by whom, why and how are truly a mystery. The Augusta will not be pleased. She will send for you. In fact, I’m sure that a message or messenger will have already arrived at the She-Asses ordering you to the Villa Pulchra.’
‘But there’s something else, isn’t there?’
‘Oh yes, there’s always something else. The Emperor has invited six rhetoricians, self-proclaimed philosophers, from the School of Oratory at Capua, a prestigious academy where many scholars study theology and philosophy and perfect their public speaking skills. It’s now become a thorn in the side for us, as the Arian heresy flourishes there. One of its most skilled advocates is a scholar called Justin.’
‘What is the bone of contention?’
‘The bone, Claudia? Why, the truth of our faith. Who is God? How does God act?’
‘I’m not a philosopher, I’m certainly not a Christian.’
‘No, you’re better,’ Sylvester retorted. ‘You are a woman of integrity with a keen mind and sharp wits. This is what we believe, Claudia. Our God is a triune God, three persons in one. The
Similar Books
