‘Why do you ask me? What can it be to you?’ said the wine-grower, with a show of resistance.
‘To me—nothing!’ responded the steward, with a grim smile; ‘I am only one of the tiger’s paws to be stretched out at the tiger’s will. It rests upon you at present, Tucca, so be wise. I have come from the villa of Neptune this morning straight.’
‘Good Zeno, be easy with me, for you have dealt well with me so far,’ whined the perplexed and terrified old man.
‘You are not proceeding in the way most calculated to incline me to do so. Tell me!’ said Zeno, pointing meaningly towards the house.
‘I cannot—there is one as great in Capreae as Caesar—I dare not.’
‘You will repent of that delusion when you find yourself, very shortly, about to be cast from one of the cliffs of Capreae. What’s he that you compare with Caesar? There is but one you can mean—is it the Prefect?’
Tucca hung his head and did not answer. Zeno thereby gained a little information, which had the effect of giving him, at once, some more personal concern in the matter. To spy upon a probable arrangement of the formidable Prefect was a task unlooked for and likely to prove of some interest.
‘You are obstinate, Tucca, and you are simple and foolish to put the servant before his master. I might be disposed to leave you in a huff and allow you to take the consequences of your idiocy, but I will take more pains with you, and try and reason you out of your ideas. You live so much out of the way here in this corner that you are ignorant of how things run. Listen: last night a certain merchant, named Tigellinus, brought two females to your house, and there they are at this moment. It is folly for you to deny it. You grow excellent [pg 160]wine, Tucca—I have bought it from you for the Emperor’s table, and the Emperor likes it. Caesar is a resident, and if you wish to continue his custom you had better do as I advise you; if not, you will assuredly have every drop of blood drawn out of your old veins, as well as every quart of wine out of your cellars. The same finger that can do this can, equally as well, do the same to the most noble Prefect if sad necessity compelled. Do your duty to your ruler and patron, therefore, and rest easy.’
‘You know what I know—I cannot tell you more,’ said the husbandman despairingly.
‘Their names?’