Sarum - Edward Rutherfurd [131]
“If you do as you say, the consequences could be serious for you,” he said carefully.
“Perhaps, but what else can I do?”
Marcus looked at the young man with pity. He liked young Porteus, and he could not help frankly admiring his honesty and his courage. But . . . He shrugged. After all, he knew, each man must look out for himself.
“You do what you think is right, Porteus,” he said gravely. “You are a man of honour – and a brave man too,” he added.
It was enough. Porteus thanked him gratefully and went back to his quarters. His mind was now at rest, and Marcus’s words – a man of honour – were still ringing in his ears as he sat down to prepare what he must say to Suetonius.
It was his great misfortune that at this most critical moment of his life, he did not possess a highly important piece of information.
For the entire matter of the governor’s mistreatment of the new province had already been taken up by hands which were far stronger than his. After a careful inspection of the province’s affairs, the new procurator, Classicianus had been appalled by the destruction of the island’s wealth.
“If we go on like this,” he judged, “we shall be lucky to raise any taxes at all in a few years. This oppression must stop at once.”
He had exercised his official right to send his own independent report to Rome – a document far more damning of the governor than anything Porteus had dreamed of.
Such reports were not unusual, for it was the policy of the empire to encourage the financial and military authorities to watch each other jealously: every major official was spied upon in this way, and this was how the bureaucrats in Rome could control their far-flung empire with such efficiency. When Nero received the adverse report he was furious. But there was nothing that even the emperor himself could do about it without upsetting the whole administrative machine, and unbalanced though he often was, Nero knew the value of Rome’s huge system of checks and balances. Favourites or no favourites, a commission of inquiry would have to be sent from Rome to investigate Suetonius’s administration of the province – that was the only correct procedure.
Private word of the adverse report reached the governor early, before it was known in the province or even leaked to his staff. And it was on the very morning when he received the news that young Porteus requested his interview.
Suetonius was in a rage – a towering rage. He had nearly refused to see Porteus, but supposing it was some minor routine matter that could be easily disposed of, he had him sent in. The young man entered smartly, his clear expression giving no hint that he was about to touch off an explosion.
“Well Porteus, be quick about it,” he muttered testily.
And so Porteus stood to attention, squared his shoulders, and began.
He had worked hard to prepare his speech. It was well thought out, carefully argued, respectfully submitted; it contained exact instances of why he thought the policy of revenge was a mistake, and made practical suggestions for a new and more conciliatory policy; it was in every way an excellent speech, of which Porteus could rightfully be proud – and it contained not one word that the governor wished to hear. As Porteus went on, the general’s anger turned to fury; but not a muscle in his red face moved as he listened.
Porteus had no idea of this. Even if he doesn’t agree, he thought, he must be impressed with my case. And when he had finished he waited confidently for the governor’s response.
Suetonius was completely silent for some time, his eyes resting impassively on