"By the gods, what is this?" said Tis. "I saw that you bore bruises but did not think it polite to ask about them."
I told of my reception by the strategos Alkman.
"I am sorry to hear that," said Tis. "Many a time and oft have I warned Alkman—" He paused.
"You must know him well," said I. "I should think twice before admonishing this two-eyed Polyphemos."
"I have met him," said Tis shortly.
"Do you and he do business together?"
"Not really. Have some more wine, will you not? And try these honey scones. Have another sardine!"
Manethôs ' eyes and mine met in a brief glance of shared suspicion. Soon the priest arose, saying: "I must be off to arrange the funeral."
Berosos said to Tis: "With due respect, sir, never have I seen a folk so mad about funerals as your countrymen. Since men die not often enough to suit them, equally sumptuous rites they hold for bulls and cats and other pets."
I also took my leave. Instead of returning at once to the house of Tis, I wandered down to the waterfront and found the Hathor. In the boat, Horos played checkers with a fellow boatman while Zazamanx mended cordage.
"You go back to Tamiathis now?" said Horos.
"Not yet. But I want you to stay close by your boat for the next day or two. We may wish to push off in a hurry."
"You kill somebody, maybe?" said he, grinning brightly.
"Not yet," I said.
For part of the return, journey, I solicited a ride in a two-horse chariot, driven by a sporting young gentleman on his way to the desert for a shot at a lion. Although the ride saved me a weary walk, the youth drove at a pace that reduced me to speechless terror. I have never been at ease around horses, and to go bouncing and banging along in this flimsy little car at full gallop frightened me more than all of Demetrios' spears and missiles.
My heart pounded as I neared the house of Tis. In truth, my bruises were nothing. My real reason for returning ahead of the others was to see Amenardis alone.
The Nubian giant admitted me. As I entered the house, Dikaiarchos' deep voice boomed from the library.
"O Chares!" he said. "Look at this."
In the library Dikaiarchos showed me a roll. "It looks like Thoukydides' Peloponnesian War," I said.
"Ah, but look there!" He pointed a knobby finger.
I read, in small neat writing on the yellow papyrus: "Property of the Library of Kôs."
"Are there any more like this?" I asked.
"I think not, or at least not many. I have been through many of these rolls, and this is the only such legend that I have found. However, I have discovered evidence that somebody has erased similar legends on some of the other books with pumice."
"The men of the phalanx begin to take their proper places," I said. "By a slip at lunch, Tis admitted that he's intimate with Alkman. I think we have here one of those archthieves whereof Tauros and Manethôs have told us. Semken and Alexis, I doubt not, work for him, stealing books from far and near. I'd wager that, had we the librarians of Kôs and Rhodes with us, they could identify many of their stolen scrolls. And this explains why Alkman used me with such barbarity; he knew at once whom I was after and foresaw trouble for his private dealings with Tis, were I encouraged to pursue my quest in Memphis."
"Had he been cleverer," said Dikaiarchos, "he would have smiled sweetly and sent you upriver to Thebes and beyond on a false scent. But now, what shall we do?"
"I don't know; be prepared for anything. I've told Horos to stand by for a hurried departure. The polluted robe may be in this very house."
Said Dikaiarchos: "If Alkman be hand in glove with Tis, I don't think-it would get us far to complain to the strategos."
"On the contrary, he'd probably hang us all for blasphemy." I caught my breath. "Excuse me."
Having glimpsed Amenardis in the garden, I went out to her. We fell into talk, walking slowly among the flower beds. At first we exchanged conventional greetings and compliments, though when we looked into each other's eyes I do not think either of us was deceived about what was going to happen.
"Did Tis get necklace for Thoueris?" she asked in her deep, caressing voice.
"He hadn't when I saw him at lunch, but he means to beat down Men some more this afternoon. It must be a costly piece."
"That so. I see it in shop of Men. Tis never give me one like that."
"Why not, dear Amenardis?"
"Because I never bear child. I drink Nile water; I pray to Isis; I take medicine the doctor give. Nothing do any good. So now Thoueris get all the—how you say—attention."
I was tempted to remark that the only effect of Nile water on me had been to give me a flux, but I did not know if such a jest would offend. I said:
"It must be hard for you, after giving him all those years."
She muttered: "Neterou nophrou! Sometimes I think I endure it no more. Run away."
"If the right man offered to take you with him, would you consider it seriously?"
She looked at me sidelong. "Maybe. What think you, Chares?"
"I think that if I get out of here alive, I might be the right man."
"Alive? What you afraid of?"
I smiled. "Come, my dear, not everything is what it seems in the house of Tis."
"How you mean?"
"Oh, you know as well as I. Tis calls himself a trader in used goods, but I don't think he pays for all the things he sells."
"You too smart for own good, Chares. You let Tis know you think that—" She made a clucking sound to indicate a throat-cutting, and her voice sank to a whisper. "He suspect you know, now, I think."
"It's true, though, is it not?"
"Maybe. What would you do? Alkman no help you."
"I had already figured that out."
"I no help you if I stay here with Tis. While I his wife, Tis's fortune my fortune."
"Help me to get Demetrios' robe back, and flee with me to Rhodes!" I urged.
"Oh? You like me?"
"Darling, I—I'm mad with love of you. I'm no orator, but from the moment I saw you I haven't been able to think of anything else."
"You nice boy. Maybe I love you, too, a little. We see." She looked at the sun. "Bullfight already started. Must hurry to show you where the robe kept."
I followed her into the house. First she went into the kitchen and lit a rushlight from the hearthfire. She fixed this in a holder and brought it into Tis's bedroom. The sight of Tis's broad bed drove me nearly mad with desire. I caught Amenardis' eye and indicated the bed.
"In house full of servants? You crazy?" she said.
Amenardis went to a wooden panel at one side, ornately carved with reliefs of coiling cobras. She twisted an ornamental knob, which turned out to be the handle of a latch. With a quick look at the door to make sure that none was near, she opened the panel and stepped in. I followed. She closed the secret door behind me.
The rushlight discovered walls of brown brick and a stair leading down. I descended cautiously until, I judged, we were wholly below ground. Then the tunnel ran almost straight; the brick gave place to solid rock, roughhewn.
Amenardis moved slowly so as not to extinguish the rushlight. I could see little but her silhouette against the feeble yellow light and a few feet of wall, floor, and ceiling. With a gown of gossamer and the light on the far side of her, she might as well have been nude.
The tunnel ran on and on, now and then bending a little. Something like a cobweb brushed my face; I almost cried out, snatching at the stuff with my fingers. There was no sound but our breathing and the scuff of our shoes on the dusty stone floor—and, perhaps, the faint rustle of some creature of the underground, surprised out of its burrow.
We walked for at least five or six furlongs. Then Amenardis said: "Watch step!"