The Persian Boy by Mary Renault Read Free Book Online

she was the loveliest woman in all Asia; of course he would be content with nothing less. Now he had lost her to a barbarian younger than she, and, from his deeds, it would seem hot-blooded. Of course he never spoke of such things to me. Indeed, once in bed he hardly spoke at all.
    About this time, I caught a summer fever. Neshi, my slave from Egypt, nursed me with much kindness. The King sent me his own physician; but he never came himself.
    I remembered Oromedon’s scar. Since my mirror gave me bad news, it was better so. Yet, being young, I must have had something left in me that still looked for -I don’t know what. I cried once in the night, when I was weak and silly; Neshi got up from his pallet to sponge my face. Soon after, the King sent me some gold darics, but still did not come. I gave the gold to Neshi.
    It was when I was about again, and had been playing my harp in the fountain court with the King alone, that the Grand Vizier himself came in, panting with news. The Queen’s Eunuch had escaped from Alexander’s camp, and begged audience.
    Had others been there, they would have been dismissed and I would have followed. But I was like the birds and the fountain, part of the appointments. Besides, when the man came in, for secrecy they spoke Greek.
    No one had ever asked if I understood it. As it happened, there were several Greek jewelers in Susa, whom my old master traded with, in gems, or in me. So I had come to the Palace with a smattering, and had often passed idle time by listening to the Greek interpreter. He did all kinds of business in public, between court officials and suitors to the King; fugitive tyrants from Greek cities freed by Alexander, or envoys from states like Athens, which he had spared, as it seemed, to intrigue against him; generals of Greek mercenaries, shipmasters and spies. With all the Persian repeated in Greek, it was easy to learn by ear.
    Impatient even through the? prostration, the King asked if his family was alive. The eunuch said yes, and in good health; moreover, they were given their royal rank, and fitting quarters. This, he said (he was an oldish man and looked the worse for his long journey), was how he had escaped so easily; the guard on the royal women was posted more to keep intruders out, than anyone in.
    On the ends of his chair-arms I could see the King’s hands working. No wonder. What he had to ask should not be asked of a servant.
    “Never, my lord!” The eunuch’s gesture called God to witness. “My lord, he has not come even into her presence since the day after the battle, when he came to promise his safeguard. We were there all the time; he, also, brought a friend with him. I have heard that his companions, in their wine, recalled the fame of her beauty, and urged him to change his mind; and he too had been drinking, as all Macedonians do, yet he was angry, and forbade them to name her in his presence again. One who was there assured me of it.”
    The King was some time silent. Having given a long sigh, he said in Persian, “What a strange man.” I thought he would go on to ask what he looked like, which I myself wished to know; but of course, he had seen him in the battle.
    “And my mother?” He fell now into Persian. “She is too old for these hardships. Is she well cared for?”
    “Great King, My Lady’s health is excellent. Alexander always inquires for it. When I left, he was visiting her nearly every day.”
    “Visits my mother?” His face had changed suddenly. I thought that he looked pale. I could not think why; the Queen Mother was over seventy.
    “Indeed, my lord. He gave her offense at first; but now, when he asks her to admit him, she always gives him leave.”
    “What insult did he offer her?” asked the King. He sounded eager.
    “He gave her a parcel of wool for weaving.”
    “What? Like a slave?”
    “So My Lady thought. But when she showed her affront, he begged her pardon. He said his mother and sister did such work, and he