THE PLOT THICKENS
The first news I had of the carrying off of Lydia was from Ariston. I
was just going down to breakfast when he abruptly entered the sitting
room we shared, and exclaimed: "Lydia has disappeared!"
To my inquiries he answered that the gate of the cloister had been
forced, and the janitor bound and gagged. Obviously several men were
involved, for traces of many steps were clearly visible--all shod;
Lydia's sandals and cothurni were still in her room: she had,
apparently, been lifted off her bed in the bed clothes; the absence of
all trace of bare feet indicated that Lydia had not put foot to ground.
Probably she had been gagged also, as no cry had been heard; everything
seemed to indicate that she had been carried off against her will. The
Demetrian council was swearing in special constables and had called upon
the state authorities for help to capture the intruders; on the other
hand, Balbus and others were collecting their followers, and armed
conflict was feared.
Ariston was in great perplexity; all his convictions were on the side of
order; but friendship made it impossible for him to join Chairo's
enemies. After an animated discussion we decided that he should go to
the council and endeavor to obtain a hearing, in the hope of persuading
the council to abandon the effort either to recover Lydia or punish
Chairo. Ariston begged me to go to Lydia First, explain to her the steps
he was taking, and put myself at her disposal should she have a message
to send him.
I hurried to Lydia First's apartment and found Cleon there. With flushed
face Cleon announced that Chairo and his sister had been captured; that
they were probably at that moment before the magistrate; that he had
rushed home to tell his mother, and that she was preparing to go to her
daughter.
Presently Lydia First entered the room; the events of the night had not
impaired the dignity of her manner but had deepened the lines in her
already timeworn countenance. She bade me seek Ariston, of whose
knowledge of legal procedure she felt in need, and hurry him to the
court where Lydia and Chairo were being examined.
Prisoners were entitled to counsel if they asked for it; but the
innocent seldom availed themselves of the privilege. The examination
might, therefore, be actually then proceeding unless either Chairo or
Lydia demanded an adjournment. It little suited the temperament of
Chairo to seek counsel, and the consciousness of innocence would prevent
Lydia from doing so. I hastened, therefore, with all speed and found
Ariston waiting to be introduced into the council chamber. He was still
ignorant of the capture. We hurried to the courthouse and Ariston, who
had no right to appear except at the request of one of the prisoners,
sent in a line both to Chairo and Lydia urging them to demand an
adjournment. The examination had already commenced. Both Chairo and
Lydia, however, asked that Ariston be admitted, and I was admitted with
him.
Lydia First was there and had already urged both Chairo and Lydia to ask
for counsel, and both had refused. The examination was not a public one,
only relations and friends or counsel being admitted; when, however,
Ariston's message was received, he was by general consent admitted, and
he immediately addressed the examining magistrate. He pointed out that
Chairo, being a member of the state legislature, enjoyed immunity from
arrest unless captured _in flagrante delicto_, and that Lydia was not
charged with any offense; both ought, therefore, to be released without
examination. A priest, however, who appeared for the Demetrian council
persisted that their doors had been forced, their sanctuary violated, a
vestal carried off without her consent, and Chairo found in the act of
flight with her; the priest maintained that this constituted arrest _in
flagrante delicto_. Chairo reminded the magistrate that he had not
sought to escape examination, but added that, mindful of the magnitude
of the issue involved in the case, he felt it ought to be fought out in
the political rather than the judicial arena, and that he was indebted
to Ariston for having reminded the court of an immunity which would
transfer the question from the courts to the legislature.
The magistrate decided that he would not proceed with the examination,
but in view of the seriousness of the offense he would hold Chairo until
the question whether legislative immunity applied to his case could be
decided by a full court.
Chairo was, therefore, confined in the house of detention, and Lydia was
restored to her mother.
We at once sought admittance to Chairo, and found him impatiently pacing
the room where he was confined.
"There was treachery," he exclaimed. "My carriage had been tampered
with; it broke down within a mile of the cloister. I am trying to think
who can have been guilty of it."
He continued pacing the room and neither of us was disposed to speak.
Suddenly he turned to Ariston:
"But I have not thanked you; I should have made a mistake had you not
interfered; and I know you belong to the other side." He put his hand
out to Ariston and they shook hands warmly.
"You may be of immense service at this moment," he continued, "just
because you belong to the government party. I was prepared for violence,
and Balbus is now collecting our friends; but this treachery makes me
doubtful of success; only some half dozen knew of my plan; the loyalty
of every one of them seems essential to us, and one of them is
a--traitor."
"You should be thankful that treachery prevented your resort to
violence," answered Ariston. "You have secured what must be the matter
of most importance to you: Lydia is restored to her home; she is removed
from the cloister and is given time for reflection. This you could
doubtless not have brought about in any other manner than by the plan
you adopted. But had you escaped there would have been only one
alternative; now the question can be settled without the shedding of
blood."
"But I have lost Lydia!" exclaimed Chairo, with haggard eyes.
"Not lost," said Ariston. "I have yet to learn just what part Lydia has
played in the matter. Did she consent?"
Chairo, who was still pacing the room, suddenly stopped and faced us; he
put out both hands deprecatingly and seemed about to answer, but
arrested himself and resumed his walk. Then very slowly he said:
"What do you mean by consent? Can she be said to have consented when,
under an influence that paralyzed her will she paid her tribute at the
altar? The question we have to bring before the state is not whether
Lydia consented to the cult or to me, but whether the influence
exercised by the cult is a wholesome influence or a damnable one."
"If you want this issue to be fairly presented," said Ariston, "don't
allow your case to be prejudiced by violence. Send orders at once to
Balbus bidding him abandon this gathering together of your followers.
The mere fact that he is preparing for violence will distort the issue,
and any attempt at rescue will prevent a calm and fair discussion of it
altogether."
"You are right," said Chairo. He took out a note book and made as though
he would write, but checking himself, he said: "I must put nothing on
paper," and turning to me asked: "Won't you go to Balbus at once and
explain to him that violence now would be a mistake? He would hardly
accept such a message from Ariston, who is known to be on the government
side; but from you it will seem less open to suspicion. Tell him if he
doubts you to come and see me, and hear my views from my own lips."
On leaving Ariston I was aware that a large force of special constables,
bearing the badge of Demeter--a sheaf of wheat--were gathered about the
House of Detention. I hurried to the office of _Liberty_ and found a
crowd there, through which it was difficult to penetrate. Obviously
something unusual was happening. I should never have got through to
Balbus had I not been able to state that I was the bearer of a message
from Chairo. This, however, opened every door to me, and soon I found
myself in a room where Balbus was engaged in giving rapid instructions
to a number of men waiting their turn to be received. Neaera was there
also, sitting at a side table, busily writing. As soon as I began giving
my message to Balbus, Neaera rose and came toward us. She was serious
and there was a slight frown upon her face. When I had finished, Balbus
turned to her and she answered:
"It is too late. Measures have already been taken. Besides, Chairo's
messenger"--and as she looked at me squarely in the face her brow
darkened--"is not accredited."
I explained the situation as Chairo had stated it and urged Balbus to go
himself to the House of Detention. But Neaera said quickly:
"If Balbus were to leave this office unescorted he would be arrested. He
is already compromised. Moreover, we cannot take our orders from a
prisoner."
"The House of Detention is strongly guarded," said I.
"And we are strongly armed," answered Neaera.
I felt that it was useless further to insist and proposed to retire, but
Neaera whispered a word in Balbus's ear, and he said to me, "I think I
shall ask you to stay with us a little while."
"I shall not stay with you except compelled to do so by actual
violence," I answered, with no slight indignation.
"Then we shall have to use violence," answered Balbus.
In a moment I was seized, bound, gagged, and hurried into an adjoining
room where I was tied to a chair and a band was fastened about my eyes.
In this uncomfortable position I remained for some hours.