I groaned, being no willing orator; but it had to be done. I talked softly and finished: "What I'm trying to say is: 'Twill be time to thank the benevolence of this gentleman when he's given us our silver and let us out of his grip, without trying to steal it back."
The men were quieted for the nonce. But, weary of the road and of my everlasting prodding and pushing, they remained sullen.
The next day Pygmalion was still absent. I insisted on another word with Harpalos, who was all smiles and promises.
"I know how eager you are to get on, dear Leon," he said. "But in another day or two he will surely be back. If not, I will write him ... No, there is nobody else whom I would trust with such a reckoning. Pygmalion is a skilled computer who has studied arithmetic under the wise Babylonians."
That evening, Thyestes went to the palace to be entertained. Harpalos sent a wagonload of his exotic dainties to our camp. This was a clever man. Rather than stiffen our resistance by openly attacking us, he would dissolve it away in the juices of kindness and generosity.
The next day there was still no Pygmalion, and another load of good things to eat and drink arrived at camp. Harpalos also sent some soldiers of the garrison and a troop of harlots, all wreathed and garlanded for revelry. Whilst Pyrron was feasted at the palace, I strove to keep my men sober and orderly. Despite my efforts, howsomever, an orgy was soon under way. When words ceased to avail, my officers and I resorted to blows.
The next thing I knew, four Thessalians laid hold of me and bore me, cursing and struggling, to the banks of the Kydnos, into which they tossed me. The waters of the little river, though but a few palms deep, were like ice. Thyestes followed me with a splash.
When we had dragged ourselves out, I said: "Buckie, saw you who's back of this? An I knew who he was, I'd kill the dastard."
" 'Twas none of our lads at all," replied he between chattering teeth. " 'Twas those all-abandoned men and women the treasurer sent to corrupt them."
When we got back to camp, the disturbance had somewhat abated because some of the people had fallen into drunken slumber. As nobody was on watch, we had no trouble getting to our tents and arming ourselves. Nearby, Vardanas held his four Dahas in a ring around Nirouphar's tent. Kanadas and Siladites guarded Aias.
"Oh, there you are!" cried Vardanas. "What befell you?"
"I'll tell you later," I said. "Get your bow. To massacre the whole hipparchia were a remedy too strong for the disease, but we can at least drive out the polluted Tarsians."
We made our plans. Thyestes blew the trumpet. When silence had fallen, I roared in my best battle voice:
"I will count three, and then every man or woman who belongs not to the hipparchia shall be slain with arrows or trampled by the elephant. One—two—three! Go to it, lads!"
The elephant gave a frightful squeal and lumbered into the camp. From his back Vardanas' bow twanged. One of Harpalos' soldiers yelled as the arrow skewered his leg. The Dahas walked into the firelight alongside the elephant, bows drawn.
In a trice the visitors scrambled up and fled. I saw at least two men rise up unsated from women in order to run. And so ended the mutiny.
The next day the men were contrite as I held court and doled out fines and beatings. One, however, had disappeared. I ought to have searched Tarsos for him, but I had too much else on my mind. He was only Polygonos of Iolkos, the least worthy of the Thessalians, and no great loss.
There was still no Pygmalion at the palace. Struck by a thought, I asked the young usher about the missing mathematician.
"That old Phoenician?" said the usher. "He died a month ago. The treasurer sent his body back to his folk in Byblos."
As soon as I got back to camp, I gave orders to strike our tents. Off we went again. Meseemed that Harpalos was keeping me dangling until he learned whether Alexander lived. If the king died, Harpalos would feel he could seize us with impunity.
We could not reach the Kilikian Gate, the pass from the Kilikian plain to the highlands of Kappadokia, by nightfall. We did, however, camp in the shadow of the Taurus. Just to make sure, I took another look at our treasure chests. No sooner had I laid hands on them than I cried:
"Immortal Zeus!"
"What is it?" said Thyestes and Vardanas, running up to the tent at the sound of my voice.
I whispered: "Those are not our chests!"
Thyestes' mouth fell open, and Vardanas sat down. The latter said: "Mithras grant that you be wrong!"
"Not so loud!" I said, tearing at the chains. "I know our chests well. I've been in and out of them often enough. Ours had three bronze clasps each, while this one has but two and that one is closed by a sliding bolt. They're the same size and shape as ours, but anybody from Karia to Carthage can see the difference. Oh, why did I no look at them more closely this morning!"
At last I got one of the chests open. It held nought but bricks. I opened the other, though I knew it would prove to contain bricks too, as indeed it did. Thyestes said:
"It maun be that one of the parties the treasurer sent out to provision us looked our chests over. Then last night during the party, his men traded for ours a pair as nearly like them as could be found in Tarsos. The men we had guarding them had wine as a chain about their wits, too."
I beat my head with my knuckles. "Woe, woe! What in Hera's name shall we do the now, bodies? We're fair ruined. How shall we ever face the Alexander?"
"'Tis a sad outcome to our labors," said Thyestes. "Could we no steal our chests back from Harpalos?"
"Nay; he'll have stowed the treasure in his vaults and be on watch for us."
"Well then, what for no seize one of these villages and gar the folk to disgorge their hordes? I kens some tricks with fire that'll wring silver from the most beggarly looking loons." Thyestes smiled a sinister smile and made motions of brushing hot metal against flesh.
"None of that!" I said. "We have troubles enow without inviting more."
"It need no be a town on the main road, that could easily send a waul till the government. And sin time began, that's how commanders of troops have refilled their coffers."
"I said nay! The king forbade it ane's errand."
"You're either addle-witted or fainthearted, Leon Aristou, to let that stop you in time of need."
"Hold your tongue, an you can think of nought better! I'll carry out my orders to the letter or die trying."
"Then what shall we do indeed?" said Vardanas, tears running down his face. "Slay ourselves? Turn pirate or highwayman?"
For a while we sat in deepest gloom. At last Thyestes said: "We maun ask the philosopher. Though a fool in the feck of practical matters, he does have a store of his own kind of wisdom."
When appealed to, Pyrron said: "My word, this is a shocking surprise! But I don't think we're reduced to such drastic measures as suicide yet. We still have the elephant, so it's our duty to carry on and get the animal to Athens. 'Before virtue have the deathless gods set the sweat of man's brow.'"
"But how?" I said. "We cannot get Aias to Ephesos without men to ward him and gather fodder for him, and we cannot hold the men without money to pay them. Let them hear we're moneyless, and most will look for another master."
Pyrron said: "If Siladites has taught Aias a few tricks, we might pass a helmet for gifts in the villages."
"We might thus collect a whole drachma a day," I said. "Man, you have no idea of how much this creature eats! And the Anatolian villagers are thrifty carles."
For half an hour we talked of ways to beg, borrow, earn, or steal enough money or food to get us to Ephesos, but without finding a solution. Then one of the treasure guards put his head into the tent and said:
"Troop Leader, the sutler is lief to speak with you."
Elisas came in, glanced at the brick-filled chests, and said: "Lord Leon, if you come with me, I will show you something you will like."