He looked at me as if I were a lazy legionnaire asking for a nap before a battle. The commander's edge returned to his voice. 'No, as soon as you're ready! We've wasted enough time as it is!'
'Very well,' I yawned. 'I'll just tell Bethesda to gather up a few of my things-'
'That won't be necessary.' Mummius pulled himself up to his full height, still weary-looking but happy to be in charge at last. 'Anything you need will be supplied to you.'
Of course; a client willing to pay four hundred sesterces a day could certainly supply mere necessities like a change of clothing or a comb or a slave to carry my things. 'Then I'll take only a moment to say good-bye to Bethesda.'
I was stepping out of the room when Mummius cleared his throat. 'Just to be sure,' he said, looking at me and Eco in turn, 'I don't suppose either one of you has a problem with seasickness?'
II
'But where is the man taking you?' Bethesda demanded to know. (Yes, 'demanded'; never mind her status as a slave. If her impertinence seems unlikely, that is because you have not met Bethesda.) 'Who is he? What makes you think he can be trusted? What if he's been sent by one of your old enemies, just to lure you away from the city where he can slit your throat with no one to see?'
'Bethesda, if someone cared to slit my throat, they could go to far less trouble and do the job right here in the Subura. They could hire an assassin on any street corner.'
'Yes, and that's why you have Belbo to protect you. Why aren't you taking him with you?'
'Because I would rather he stayed here to protect you and the other slaves in my absence, so that I won't have to worry about you while I'm gone.'
Even roused from sleep in the middle of the night, Bethesda was spectacular. Her hair, black with strands of silver, tumbled about her face in unkempt glory. Even pouting, she maintained that same air of unshakable dignity that had first drawn me to her in the slave market at Alexandria fifteen years ago. I felt a shiver of doubt, as I always do at parting with her. The world is an unsafe and uncertain place, and the life I have chosen often courts danger. I learned long ago not to show my doubts. Bethesda did the opposite.