Requiem for a Slave Read Online Free PDF Page B

red-haired slave of yours. He was here the first time I came – that would have been an hour or two ago.’
    ‘You are quite sure of that?’
    He nodded. ‘Fairly certain. Of course, I wasn’t taking any special notice at the time, and there are always lots of people moving to and fro – street-vendors and messengers and clients for the various businesses – but nobody near your workshop in particular. I would have noticed that, I think, because I was looking out for you. But you weren’t here, of course.’ He did the grin again. ‘I decided to go on into town and come back later on. And when I did come back, I saw the litter and realized there was no point in calling while your customer was here, so I went off round the corner and waited until now. I’m trying to sell these last few turnips so I can go back home.’ He gestured towards the barrow. ‘Very good for soup.’
    I shook my head again. ‘I shan’t be buying turnips to take home today,’ I said. ‘There’s been a tragedy. Lucius the pie-seller – do you know the man?’
    His round face puckered into a thoughtful frown. ‘I think I know the one. Fellow with an awful burn-mark who only has one eye? Grey-haired chap who sells the dreadful pies?’
    ‘Used to sell them,’ I corrected. ‘I’m afraid he’s dead. I found him in my workshop. Someone’s murdered him.’
    The turnip-seller whistled. ‘Murdered? Well, I’ll go to Dis! Poor old Lucius! He was harmless. Who’d want to murder him?’
    ‘That is what exactly I am trying to find out.’
    He looked at me. ‘Of course, you’re supposed to be clever at this sort of thing. Will you be able to catch whoever did it, do you think?’ He tapped his forefinger against his stubby nose. ‘Oh, now I understand. That’s why you were asking if I’d seen anyone. Well, I will think about it a bit more carefully, and if I remember anything, I’ll be sure to let you know. And, of course, if there’s anything else that I can do to help . . .’ He was already turning as if to move away.
    I prevented him by saying thoughtfully, ‘Well, in fact, there might be something you can do.’ I saw his startled face. ‘It’s nothing difficult. I want to find his mother and break the news to her. Would you be prepared to stand watch here for me? It doesn’t feel decent to leave the poor man lying there alone, and in any case the military might come to take the corpse. That decurion who was here said he’d ask them to do that. Someone will have to be here to meet them when they come.’ He was looking doubtful, and I added instantly, ‘I’ll give you half a sestertius if you’ll stay here while I go.’
    ‘Well, I don’t know. I’m not sure that I’m very keen on keeping vigil for a corpse. Particularly a murder victim whom I scarcely knew.’ But he was clearly weakening. Turnip-selling was not a very profitable trade, and a half-sestertius is a handsome bribe. The promise of a silver coin was far too good to miss.
    I pressed my advantage. ‘And perhaps I’ll even buy a turnip too. But you must make up your mind. Will you stay here while I go and tell his mother what’s occurred, in case there are arrangements for a funeral? She’s only at the bake-oven, not very far away. But I’ll have to get there quickly, because if I don’t find her very soon, the army will be here and the body will be gone.’
    ‘And she’ll never have the chance to say goodbye or close the eyes. I know how much my wife would grieve if our son was lying dead and she could not perform those simple services for him. Very well, I’ll do it – to oblige you, citizen. Half a sestertius, I believe you said?’
    ‘Half a sestertius, when I get back again.’ I didn’t want him running off while I was gone. ‘But, on second thoughts, I don’t think I’ll ask his mother to come and close his eyes. They’re bulging from his head. Someone has pulled a cord around his neck. He doesn’t present a very pleasant