"Such things have mighty magical powers," said Onas.
"Indeed they do," replied our host. "The gods grant that I never have occasion to use these powers against those whom I deemed my friends."
We went in to dinner with the wives of our host, as is customary in many foreign lands. Since Manethôs, as a priest, was allowed but a meager diet of certain plain foods and might not eat pork, mutton, fish, onions, and many other wholesome victuals, Tis had caused him to be given a special ascetic's repast.
During dinner I observed that Tis kept fussing over Thoueris, the younger wife, while ignoring Amenardis, the older. Although the latter made no comment, her looks revealed that she did not relish such treatment. Thoueris kept saying something in Egyptian, over and over in a high whining voice. I asked Amenardis what this meant.
"She want to spend the day in town," said Amenardis in a rich, throaty voice that made each word of her garbled Greek seem like a caress. "Tomorrow day of bullfight at the temple of Apis. She want to see."
"Who fights whom?"
"Two bulls fight. Poke with horns."
"Is one of these the sacred Apis bull?"
"Oser hena Iset, no! Just common mortal bulls. Great crowd come, see which bull win. Bet much money. Make much noise."
"I shouldn't think a pushing, yelling crowd would be any place for a pregnant girl."
Amenardis shrugged, her full, jutting breasts straining the front of her thin, tight gown, which clung to the contours of her small virginal nipples as faithfully as a casting in beeswax. "Pregnant women get strange desires."
"I've heard of their lusting for curious foods, but this is the first time I have seen one lust for a bullfight."
"Also want Tis to buy her necklace. He promise one if she pass third month without—how you say—miscarriage. Now he try to put off; she say he must."
"That, at least, I can understand," I said, and went on to converse with Amenardis. Although her Greek was poor, we managed. She urged me to tell her of my achievements and ambitions; so, naturally, I found her charming. She could also jest in a tongue whereof she was not master. She said:
"And when you build the most big statue man can make, what you do then?"
"I don't know. I had not thought beyond that."
"I tell you. When you finish statue, you climb up to the head, jump off, and kill self."
"In Hera's name, why? That were the time for rejoicing!"
"Ah, but if this statue the most big that man can build, you can never make one more big. So you have nothing to look forward to. I think you should wait until you are old before you build statue. You nice boy. I not like to see you dead soon." She drew back her head and looked at me from under lowered lids. The effect was somehow as if she were looking up from a pillow.
"I'm a bit older than I look!" declared I.
"You know, I tell you secret. It other way round with me! Living with Tis make me look more old than I am."
"Come, madam, you are no older than I." (I judged Amenardis to be above five years older than I, in fact.)
"Ha! How nice if true. But I not mind being old lady. Modern Greek sculptors make statues of beggars, old ladies, and ugly things like that. So maybe you make statue of me."
"When the war is over," I said, "I shall be glad to. You would make a fine statue, having a strong bone structure."
"Strong bones not what men like in Egypt, alas! Like little soft plump girls, like kittens." She shot a lethal glance at Thoueris. "Nobody mistake me for kitten, even if I say meou, meou."
So went our chaff. By the end of our repast we were so absorbed in each other that we ignored the other diners in a way that was neither courteous nor prudent. Tis, though too much taken up with Thoueris to pay much heed to his older wife, and too self-controlled to show his emotions readily, still cast me a veiled glance that reined in my spirit.
After dinner the ladies withdrew. My eyes followed Amenardis out while my heart pounded. Tis called for more wine and said:
"Now to business, gentlemen. Seek you a robe, once belonging to Demetrios Antigonou, stolen from you at Tamiathis a few days past?"
I spoke: "That's true, sir. But how did you know?"
"The bats whispered a rumor in my ears as they fluttered through the dusk, and I got further details from Manethôs and Onas whilst you so charmingly entertained my wife. Can you tell me of this garment in more detail?"
"It's a silken robe of Persian cut, with long sleeves, made for a powerful man over six feet tall. It is a light grayish blue, with a purple strip one digit wide along the edges, and with stars and astronomical symbols worked in golden thread and spangles all over it."
"What say you it were worth if bought in the mart?"
"I don't know; those who deal in textiles can tell you better. I think I could have it copied for—say, five pounds."
Tis: "It were more in Egypt, because we have as yet but little domestic manufacture of silk, and there is an import tariff to pay. Know you our Egyptian custom for the recovery of stolen goods?"
"Yes. What is the going rate?"
"For centuries it has been one-fourth of the value of the goods. A thief who asked more would deem himself dishonest. However, we have here more to consider than mere market value. This is a special robe, destined to special uses. It were worth more to Rhodes than a similar robe, not made by Demetrios' wife for her husband on his assumption of royal rank. Do you understand?"
"You're saying that this robe's sentimental associations would give it more than its ordinary value."
"Aye, sir."
"How much more are you thinking of?"
"Oh—perhaps a total value of a hundred and twenty pounds."
"Two talents!" I cried. "That's fantastic, sir! I'm sure you would never get so much from Rhodes. Anyway, I brought no such sums with me, but only enough to pay the expenses of the journey. Our orders were to recover the garment, by force of arms if need be; not to ransom it."
Tis shrugged. "Remember, I am but an agent, and I have not yet even found your robe. I expected not that you would bear such a sum upon you. However, you could, once a bargain had been struck, return to your ship and obtain the money from your captain, who no doubt carries funds for emergencies."
"I don't think this plan is practical, sir. Even if Python would pay so fabulous a price, our city is under siege. There is no time for me to travel up and down the Nile between Tamiathis and Memphis, bearing offers back and forth while you and Python come together on price. If you locate your thieves and learn what they demand, why can't you come to Tamiathis with us and do your chaffering face to face?"
"My business affairs do not permit. It were easier for your Captain Python to come hither."
"But he must stay with his ship, to oversee its repair and keep his crew in order. All I really need to know is where the polluted gown is, and my comrades and I will get it or die trying."
Tis looked shocked. "My dear sir, are you suggesting that I betray my clients? That were dishonorable!"
I decided to take a worldly line with this dubious antiquarian. "Look, old boy," I said, "you get a commission on these deals, don't you?"
Tis smiled. "You cannot expect me to engage in so speculative a business without recompense, though in Egypt it is considered more polite not to bring the matter up so baldly."
"Excuse my foreign crudity, but what's the going rate for making such arrangements?"