Free The Making of the Lamb by Robert Bear Page A

ship. It cost me more for the tolls than for what I paid for the ingots in the first place. Nevertheless I made a nice profit selling them in Judea.”
    “Yes, I have heard that it’s a sorry business dealing with those British kingdoms.”
    “But looking around this room, I am reminded of how the good people of Rome love bronze. You have a lot of bronze items right here, and you cannot make bronze without tin. Even with the tolls, there’s money to be made from tin if I can locate a reliable supply, and even more profit if I can figure out how to avoid the tolls.”
    “I see where you are going with this, and you may be onto something. There are many places to get iron and copper, but few places to get tin.” Septurius paused. “You know, I might be interested in making an investment if you need capital for this venture.”
    “I am not far along enough to take your money for that—I must first secure the supply. This is an exploratory voyage, but there will be ample opportunity for investment if it works out. In the meantime, I was wondering if you might be interested in exporting a partial shipload under our usual consignment terms.”
    Septurius glanced about the room. “Let’s discuss that tomorrow.”
    “Very well, we’ll talk business tomorrow. But now, before the day wanes, I must be off to find rooms at one of your local inns.”
    “Nonsense,” said Septurius, “I will not hear of it. There is plenty of room in my home for an old friend, and as legate of this city I command it.” He laughed and turned to Daniel. “You seem to be old enough for your own room now.” A slightly stocky, pimply faced boy of about fourteen approached as Septurius continued addressing Daniel. “You remember my younger son, Longinus?” Septurius looked at Jesus and then turned back to Joseph. “I will have the slaves make room for your servant boy, too.”
    Joseph turned to Jesus and saw the reason for Septurius’s mistake. Between the rush to get him out of Galilee and the quick stopover at Salamis, there had not been any time to obtain decent clothes for the boy. He was still dressed like a peasant, in the same worn homespun cloth in which he left Nazareth, except that the voyage had taken its toll in the form of several large tears in the fabric. Daniel was turning red, but Jesus smiled. Joseph quickly explained their relation, though not the reason for the boy’s abrupt departure from home.
    Septurius beckoned Jesus forward. “Terribly sorry, I had no idea...”
    “Sir, there is no need to apologize,” Jesus said. “You were quite correct; I am indeed a servant, of my God and my people.”
    Septurius let out a hearty laugh and slapped Jesus on the shoulder. “Well said, lad!” He turned to Joseph. “With a wit like that and such a sense of public duty, I bet your nephew will be a consul in Rome someday.”
    “I see that the town prospers,” Jesus said. “I saw on the walk here from the ship that you have started building an amphitheater and a chariot circus. You must rule here with wisdom, and the emperor will surely recognize that soon.”
    “Oh, he’s good!” Septurius remarked to Joseph with a grin. Then he responded to Jesus. “Actually, the citizens here have Julius Caesar to thank much more than me. He’s the one who stripped Massilia of its possessions and gave them to Arelate after Massilia took the wrong side in Julius’s war against Pompey. As for me, Arelate is likely to be my final posting—but a long one, unless I do something either phenomenally stupid or great to get the attention of my superiors. Nonetheless, life is good here, and I have no complaints. As legate of Rome, I maintain the peace and see to it that the taxes are collected. Arelate is an important port, but it is not even a regional center of the province. My jurisdiction ends at the town walls. A posting such as this is not given to men of strong ambition.”
    Joseph smiled. Perhaps I was too hard on Jesus earlier, on