the jacket (the star-rover)-第36章

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Agard　in　south　foray　with　his　ships　along　what　would　be　now　the

coast　of　France；　and　there　I　learned　that　still　south　were　warmer

seasons　and　softer　climes　and　women。



But　we　brought　back　Agard　wounded　to　death　and　slow…dying。　　And　we

burned　his　body　on　a　great　pyre；　with　Elgiva；　in　her　golden

corselet；　beside　him　singing。　　And　there　were　household　slaves　in

golden　collars　that　burned　of　a　plenty　there　with　her；　and　nine

female　thralls；　and　eight　male　slaves　of　the　Angles　that　were　of

gentle　birth　and　battle…captured。　　And　there　were　live　hawks　so

burned；　and　the　two　hawk…boys　with　their　birds。



But　I；　the　drink…boy；　Ragnar　Lodbrog；　did　not　burn。　　I　was　eleven；

and　unafraid；　and　had　never　worn　woven　cloth　on　my　body。　　And　as　the

flames　sprang　up；　and　Elgiva　sang　her　death…song；　and　the　thralls

and　slaves　screeched　their　unwillingness　to　die；　I　tore　away　my

fastenings；　leaped；　and　gained　the　fens；　the　gold　collar　of　my

slavehood　still　on　my　neck；　footing　it　with　the　hounds　loosed　to

tear　me　down。



In　the　fens　were　wild　men；　masterless　men；　fled　slaves；　and　outlaws；

who　were　hunted　in　sport　as　the　wolves　were　hunted。



For　three　years　I　knew　never　roof　nor　fire；　and　I　grew　hard　as　the

frost；　and　would　have　stolen　a　woman　from　the　Juts　but　that　the

Frisians　by　mischance；　in　a　two　days'　hunt；　ran　me　down。　　By　them　I

was　looted　of　my　gold　collar　and　traded　for　two　wolf…hounds　to　Edwy；

of　the　Saxons；　who　put　an　iron　collar　on　me；　and　later　made　of　me

and　five　other　slaves　a　present　to　Athel　of　the　East　Angles。　　I　was

thrall　and　fighting　man；　until；　lost　in　an　unlucky　raid　far　to　the

east　beyond　our　marches；　I　was　sold　among　the　Huns；　and　was　a

swineherd　until　I　escaped　south　into　the　great　forests　and　was　taken

in　as　a　freeman　by　the　Teutons；　who　were　many；　but　who　lived　in

small　tribes　and　drifted　southward　before　the　Hun　advance。



And　up　from　the　south　into　the　great　forests　came　the　Romans；

fighting　men　all；　who　pressed　us　back　upon　the　Huns。　　It　was　a

crushage　of　the　peoples　for　lack　of　room；　and　we　taught　the　Romans

what　fighting　was；　although　in　truth　we　were　no　less　well　taught　by

them。



But　always　I　remembered　the　sun　of　the　south…land　that　I　had

glimpsed　in　the　ships　of　Agard；　and　it　was　my　fate；　caught　in　this

south　drift　of　the　Teutons；　to　be　captured　by　the　Romans　and　be

brought　back　to　the　sea　which　I　had　not　seen　since　I　was　lost　away

from　the　East　Angles。　　I　was　made　a　sweep…slave　in　the　galleys；　and

it　was　as　a　sweep…slave　that　at　last　I　came　to　Rome。



All　the　story　is　too　long　of　how　I　became　a　free…man；　a　citizen；　and

a　soldier；　and　of　how；　when　I　was　thirty；　I　journeyed　to　Alexandria；

and　from　Alexandria　to　Jerusalem。　　Yet　what　I　have　told　from　the

time　when　I　was　baptized　in　the　mead…pot　of　Tostig　Lodbrog　I　have

been　compelled　to　tell　in　order　that　you　may　understand　what　manner

of　man　rode　in　through　the　Jaffa　Gate　and　drew　all　eyes　upon　him。



Well　might　they　look。　　They　were　small　breeds；　lighter…boned　and

lighter…thewed；　these　Romans　and　Jews；　and　a　blonde　like　me　they　had

never　gazed　upon。　　All　along　the　narrow　streets　they　gave　before　me

but　stood　to　stare　wide…eyed　at　this　yellow　man　from　the　north；　or

from　God　knew　where　so　far　as　they　knew　aught　of　the　matter。



Practically　all　Pilate's　troops　were　auxiliaries；　save　for　a　handful

of　Romans　about　the　palace　and　the　twenty　Romans　who　rode　with　me。

Often　enough　have　I　found　the　auxiliaries　good　soldiers；　but　never

so　steadily　dependable　as　the　Romans。　　In　truth　they　were　better

fighting　men　the　year　round　than　were　we　men　of　the　North；　who

fought　in　great　moods　and　sulked　in　great　moods。　　The　Roman　was

invariably　steady　and　dependable。



There　was　a　woman　from　the　court　of　Antipas；　who　was　a　friend　of

Pilate's　wife　and　whom　I　met　at　Pilate's　the　night　of　my　arrival。　　I

shall　call　her　Miriam；　for　Miriam　was　the　name　I　loved　her　by。　　If

it　were　merely　difficult　to　describe　the　charm　of　women；　I　would

describe　Miriam。　　But　how　describe　emotion　in　words？　　The　charm　of

woman　is　wordless。　　It　is　different　from　perception　that　culminates

in　reason；　for　it　arises　in　sensation　and　culminates　in　emotion；

which；　be　it　admitted；　is　nothing　else　than　super…sensation。



In　general；　any　woman　has　fundamental　charm　for　any　man。　　When　this

charm　becomes　particular；　then　we　call　it　love。　　Miriam　had　this

particular　charm　for　me。　　Verily　I　was　co…partner　in　her　charm。

Half　of　it　was　my　own　man's　life　in　me　that　leapt　and　met　her　wide…

armed　and　made　in　me　all　that　she　was　desirable　plus　all　my　desire

of　her。



Miriam　was　a　grand　woman。　　I　use　the　term　advisedly。　　She　was　fine…

bodied；　commanding；　over　and　above　the　average　Jewish　woman　in

stature　and　in　line。　　She　was　an　aristocrat　in　social　caste；　she　was

an　aristocrat　by　nature。　　All　her　ways　were　large　ways；　generous

ways。　　She　had　brain；　she　had　wit；　and；　above　all；　she　had

womanliness。　　As　you　shall　see；　it　was　her　womanliness　that　betrayed

her　and　me　in　they　end。　　Brunette；　olive…skinned；　oval…faced；　her

hair　was　blue…black　with　its　blackness　and　her　eyes　were　twin　wells

of　black。　　Never　were　more　pronounced　types　of　blonde　and　brunette

in　man　and　woman　met　than　in　us。



And　we　met　on　the　instant。　　There　was　no　self…discussion；　no

waiting；　wavering；　to　make　certain。　　She　was　mine　the　moment　I

looked　upon　her。　　And　by　the　same　token　she　knew　that　I　belonged　to

her　above　all　men。　　I　strode　to　her。　　She　half…lifted　from　her　couch

as　if　drawn　upward　to　me。　　And　then　we　looked　with　all　our　eyes；

blue　eyes　and　black；　until　Pilate's　wife；　a　thin；　tense；　overwrought

woman；　laughed　nervously。　　And　while　I　bowed　to　the　wife　and　gave

greeting；　I　thought　I　saw　Pilate　give　Miriam　a　significant　glance；

as　if　to　say；　〃Is　he　not　all　I　promised？〃　　For　he　had　had　word　of　my

coming　from　Sulpicius　Quirinius；　the　legate　of　Syria。　　As　well　had

Pilate　and　I　been　known　to　each　other　before　ever　he　journeyed　out

to　be　procurator　over　the　Semitic　volcano　of　Jerusalem。



Much　talk　we　had　that　night；　especially　Pilate；　who　spoke　in　detail

of　the　local　situation；　and　who　seemed　lonely　and　desirous　to　share

his　anxieties　with　some　one　and　even　to　bid　for　counsel。　　Pilate　was

of　the　solid　type　of　Roman；　with　sufficient　imagination

intelligently　to　enforce　the　iron　policy　of　Rome；　and　not　unduly

excitable　under　stress。



But　on　this　night　it　was　plain　that　he　was　worried。　　The　Jews　had

got　on　his　nerves。　　They　were　too　volcanic；　spasmodic；　eruptive。

And　further；　they　were　subtle。　　The　Romans　had　a　straight；

forthright　way　of　going　about　anything。　　The　Jews　never　approached

anything　directly；　save　backwards；　when　they　were　driven　by

compulsion。　　Left　to　themselves；　they　always　approached　by

indirection。　　Pilate's　irritation　was　due；　as　he　explained；　to　the

fact　that　the　Jews　were　ever　intriguing　to　make　him；　and　through　him

Rome；　the　catspaw　in　the　matter　of　their　religious　dissensions。　　As

was　well　known　to　me；　Rome　did　not　interfere　with　the　religious

notions　of　its　conquered　peoples；　but　the　Jews　were　for　ever

confusing　the　issues　and　giving　a　political　cast　to　purely

unpolitical　events。



Pilate　waxed　eloquent　over　the　diverse　sects　and　the　fanatic

uprisings　and　riotings　that　were　continually　occurring



〃Lodbrog；〃　he　said；　〃one　can　never　tell　what　little　summer　cloud　of

their　hatching　may　turn　into　a　thunder…storm　roaring　and　rattling

about　one's　ears。　　I　am　here　to　keep　order　and　quiet。　　Despite　me

they　make　the　place　a　hornets'　nest。　　Far　rather　would　I　govern

Scythians　or　savage　Britons　than　these　people　who　are　never　at　peace

about　God。　　Right　now　there　is　a　man　up　to　the　north；　a　fisherman

turned　preacher；　and　miracle…worker；　who　as　well　as　not　may　soon

have　all　the　country　by　the　ears　and　my　recall　on　its　way　from

Rome。〃



This　was　the　first　I　had　heard　of　the　man　called　Jesus；　and　I　little

remarked　it　at　the　time。　　Not　until　afterward　did　I　remember　him；

when　the　little　summer　cloud　had　become　a　full…fledged　thunderstorm。



〃I　have　had　report　of　him；〃　Pilate　went　on。　　〃He　is　not　political。

There　is　no　doubt　of　that。　　But　trust　Caiaphas；　and　Hanan　behind

Caiaphas；　to　make　of　this　fisherman　a　political　thorn　with　which　to

prick　Rome　and　ruin　me。〃



〃This　Caiaphas；　I　have　heard　of　him　as　high　priest；　then　who　is　this

Hanan？〃　I　asked。



〃The　real　high　priest；　a　cunning　fox；〃　Pilate　explained。　　〃Caiaphas

was　appointed　by　Gratus；　but　Caiaphas　is　the　shadow　and　the

mouthpiece　of　Hanan。〃



〃They　have　never　forgiven　you　that　little　matter　of　the　votive

shields；〃　Miriam　teased。



Whereupon；　as　a　man　will　when　his　sore　place　is　touched；　Pilate

launched　upon　the　episode；　which　had　been　an　episode；　no　more；　at

the　beginning；　but　which　had　nearly　destroyed　him。　　In　all　innocence

before　his　palace　he　had　affixed　two　shields　with　votive

inscriptions。　　Ere　the　consequent　storm　that　burst　on　his　head　had

passed　the　Jews　had　written　their　complaints　to　Tiberius；　who

approved　them　and　reprimanded　Pilate。　　I　was　glad；　a　little　later；

when　I　could　have　talk　with　Miriam。　　Pilate's　wife　had　found

opportunity　to　tell　me　about　her。　　She　was　of　old　royal　stock。　　Her

sister　was　wife　of　Philip；　tetrarch　of　Gaulonitis　and　Batanaea。　　Now

this　Philip　was　brother　to　Antipas；　tetrarch　of　Galilee　and　Peraea；

and　both　were　sons　of　Herod；　called　by　the　Jews　the　〃Great。〃

Miriam；　as　I　understood；　was　at　home　in　the　courts　of　both

tetrarchs；　being　herself　of　the　blood。　　Also；　when　a　girl；　she　had

been　betrothed　to　Archelaus　at　the　time　he　was　ethnarch　of

Jerusalem。　　She　had　a　goodly　fortune　in　her　own　right；　so　that

marriage　had　not　been　compulsory。　　To　boot；　she　had　a　will　of　her

own；　and　was　doubtless　hard　to　please　in　so　important　a　matter　as

husbands。



It　must　have　been　in　the　very　air　we　breathed；　for　in　no　time　Miriam

and　I　were　at　it　on　the　subject　of　religion。　　Truly；　the　Jews　of

that　day　battened　on　religion　as　did　we　on　fighting　and　feasting。

For　all　my　stay　in　that　country　there　was　never　a　moment　when　my

wits　were　not　buzzing　with　the　endless　discussions　of　life　and

death；　law；　and　God。　　Now　Pilate　believed　neither　in　gods；　nor

devils；　nor　anything。　　Death；　to　him；　was　the　blackness　of　unbroken

sleep；　and　yet；　during　his　years　in　Jerusalem；　he　was　ever　vexed

with　the　inescapable　fuss　and　fury　of　things　religious。　　Why；　I　had

a　horse…boy　on　my　trip　into　Idumaea；　a　wretched　creature　that　could

never　learn　to　saddle　and　who　yet　could　talk；　and　most　learnedly；

without　breath；　from　nightfall　to　sunrise；　on　the　hair…splitting

differences　in　the　teachings　of　all　the　rabbis　from　Shemaiah　to

Gamaliel。



But　to　return　to　Miriam。



〃You　believe　you　are　immortal；〃　she　was　soon　challenging　me。　　〃Then

why　do　you　fear　to　talk　about　it？〃



〃Why　burden　my　mind　with　thoughts　about　certainties？〃　I　countered。



〃But　are　you　c