“Theoris,” she said, “has the time arrived?”
“Yes, Mistress,” Theoris said. “I have come obediently, as you instructed, but I am still of the opinion that you had much better stay in bed like a lady and forego this dangerous business for good and all.”
“Do you think it a cardinal requisite of being a lady to lie in bed passively and suffer indignities endlessly?”
“I don’t know about that, for I have had no personal experience in being a lady. What I know, however, is that you are likely to be destroyed in the plot you have contrived, and it will cause me to feel bad and take the pleasure out of life.”
“For how long?”
“Surely you don’t mock my concern.”
“Not at all. The truth is, I am quite touched by it. I am only pointing out that it is customary to recover eventually from grief. But regardless of that, I will not be deterred in my undertaking, which I consider basically noble and beneficial to all of us.”
“To my way of thinking, there is little benefit in being killed or beaten or exiled to an unpleasant place.”
“That’s true, of course, but we must be optimistic about our chances of avoiding all those possibilities. Anyhow, everything is arranged and settled and must now be carried out according to plan at any cost. We have achieved wonders, Theoris, since Lycon and Acron ran off abjectly to their miserable war. This achievement is the result of intelligence and application, and I believe that the men could never have managed anything comparable. They would have gobbled interminably about it in open assembly, and would then have turned it over to the Council of Five Hundred, which would have gobbled about it even longer than the Assembly. You will have to admit that we have proceeded much more quietly and efficiently.”
“I do admit it. I only hope it goes as well hereafter.”
“Well, we have reached the crisis of the matter, and we shall soon see. Nausica, who has been absolutely fierce in her devotion and determination, will lead this morning the shock troops of intrepid Athenian wives who will wrest the Acropolis from its keepers. Meanwhile, outside the five gates, I shall meet the envoys of the wives of Athens’ enemies. Even now they are on their various ways to the appointed place, and it will be my task as local leader to enlist their aid in converting their countrywomen to our rebellion.”
“As to your power of persuasion, I am convinced. But I am not so certain of Nausica’s part. Can she possibly succeed in such a perilous undertaking? Surely there will be violence and blood and broken skulls. Suppose she is repulsed, the Acropolis un-taken.”
“Nausica fail? Pshaw, Theoris! I can see that you have underestimated Nausica, even as I was guilty of doing, I confess, before she demonstrated her capacity so brilliantly. The Acropolis is in the care of old men who will be no match, I assure you. Haven’t you heard how effectively she handled Cadmus?”
“I have heard that she made things difficult for him.”
“It’s true. She leaped upon him with a stick and beat thoroughly, and she has twice beaten him since on the thinnest pretexts, just to make certain that he doesn’t attempt to assert himself again. The poor fellow is absolutely cowed.”
“I must confess that I feel rather sorry for him.”
“So do I, to tell the truth, but it is essential to the cause to be ruthless. Pity, for the moment, has no place. Cadmus is, of course, in an impossible position. Lycon and Acron ran off like cowards to Pylos, being afraid of the situation at home, but poor Cadmus is afraid of everything in the least threatening, Pylos as well as Nausica, and so he is utterly trapped and has no escape whatever.”
“Is Calonice firm in the cause?”
“Oh, yes. After her initial reluctance, she has become quite rabid. This is often the case with reluctant converts. It has been in her favor that Acron left so soon after she joined us. She is especially susceptible to requests for accommodation and might have defected if he had remained to tempt her. But time is passing, Theoris, and I must waste no more of it. Is my bath ready?”
“Yes, Mistress.”
“Good. You needn’t come to assist me. While I am bathing, lay out a clean white peplos and a warm cloak. The air in the streets will be chill, and especially on the height of the Acropolis.
“Bring me some wine and bread from the kitchen. I had better eat before I leave, for it may be some time before I have another chance.”
“Are you actually determined, then, to go ahead?”
“Certainly. What must I do to convince you?”
“I only hoped that you might find it expedient to change your mind, but I can see now that there is no hope of it, and I must become resigned.”
“You are a loyal and cherished companion and maid, Theoris, but you do not understand the problems of citizens. Now do as I instructed, for I shall certainly waste not another minute.”
She went out of the room into the court on her way to the bathroom, and Theoris, after laying out the peplos and cloak, hurried to the kitchen. To her surprise, the kitchen was lighted by torches placed in holders on the walls, and the cook was already puttering about in a rather leisurely manner among his pots. She pulled up with a startled little whinny, and sidled warily around him on an imaginary circumference of safety.
“You don’t have to be so cautious,” he said sullenly. “It’s far too early in the morning to enjoy patting your behind. If you weren’t so vain, it wouldn’t even occur to you at this hour.”
“One does not need to be vain,” she said, “to suspect you of the grossest bestiality at any hour whatever. I am still bearing the marks of your great thumb and finger.”
“I don’t believe it. You are only trying to make something big out of a trifling pinch. It wouldn’t surprise me if you told the Mistress that I attacked you.”
“It occurred to me, to tell the truth, and I may do it yet if you don’t begin treating me with a little more consideration.”
“Tell her what you like. My services are more valuable than yours in this house. Besides, I would only deny it and make you appear a flagrant little liar, which is what you are.”
“You forget that I have the marks to prove it.”
“Another of your lies. The marks have vanished long ago.”
“They have not. I tell you I still have them, although a bit faded.”
“Prove it, then.”
“Oh, no! Do you think I’m so innocent as to be taken in that crudely? You are only trying to get me to display myself, you lewd fellow. I thought you weren’t interested in such things at this hour.”
“I’m not. I merely wanted you to display your vanity again, for it amuses me. Do you think I would get any pleasure out of seeing your skinny behind?”
“It’s not skinny, and you are truly the most ignorant and offensive fellow I have ever known. You’re an animal, that’s what you are. I feel like spitting on you.”
“You ever spit on me, it will be slut chowder for dinner.”
“Step aside, if you please! I was sent here on an urgent errand for the Mistress, and I am delayed by your interference. If you don’t stop molesting me, I shall certainly get you into serious trouble.”
“You persist in lying, I see. The Mistress is sound asleep in her bed.”
“On the contrary, she is wide awake. In fact, she is at this moment bathing, and I have been sent in the meanwhile to bring bread and wine for her breakfast.”
“Why should she have breakfast so early? When you trifle with the truth, you should at least make your stories reasonable.”