Colleen McCullough - 1. First Man in Rome

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Julia went into labor on the Ides of March, and when the midwives informed Marius that it was not going to be an easy birth, he summoned Julia's parents immediately. "Our blood is too old and too thin," said Caesar fretfully to Marius as they sat together in Marius's study, husband and father bound together by a mutual love and fear. "My blood isn't," said Marius. "But that can't help her! It may help her daughter if she has one, and we must be thankful for that. I had hoped my marrying Marcia would infuse a little plebeian strength into my line but Marcia is still too noble, it seems. Her mother was patrician, a Sulpicia. I know there are those who argue that the blood must be kept pure, but I have noticed time and time again that the girls of ancient family have a tendency to bleed in childbirth. Why else is the death rate among the girls of ancient family so much higher than it is among other girls?'' And Caesar ran his hands through his silver-gilt hair. Marius couldn't sit any longer; he got to his feet and began to pace up and down. "Well, she does have the best attention money can buy," he said, nodding in the direction of the confinement room, from which no noises of distress had yet begun to emanate. "They couldn't save Clitumna's nephew last autumn," said Caesar, yielding to gloom. "Who? Your unsatisfactory next-door neighbor, you mean?" "Yes, that Clitumna. Her nephew died last September after a protracted illness. Only a young fellow, seemed healthy enough. The doctors did everything they could think of doing, but he died anyway. It's preyed on my mind since." Marius stared at his father-in-law blankly. "Why on earth should it prey on your mind?" he asked. "What possible connection is there?" Caesar chewed at his lip. "Things always happen in threes," he said cheerlessly. "The death of Clitumna's nephew was a death in close proximity to me and mine. There have to be two more deaths." "If so, then the deaths will occur in that family." "Not necessarily. There just have to be three deaths, all connected in some way. But until the second death happens, I defy a soothsayer to predict what the connection will be." Out went Marius's hands, half in exasperation, half in despair. "Gaius Julius, Gaius Julius! Try to be optimistic, I beg of you! No one has yet come to say Julia is in danger of dying, I was simply told that the birth wouldn't be easy. So I sent for you to help me blunder through this awful waiting, not to make me so downcast I can't see a trace of light!" Ashamed, Caesar made a conscious effort. "As a matter of fact, I'm glad Julia's time is here," he said more briskly. "I haven't wanted to bother her of late, but once she's over her delivery I'm hoping she will be able to spare the time to talk to Julilla." Privately Marius considered what Julilla needed was a sore bottom from an unsparing parental hand, but he managed to look interested; after all, he had never been a parent himself, and now that (all going well) he was about to become a parent, he ought to admit to himself that he might turn out to be as doting a tata as Gaius Julius Caesar. "What's the matter with Julilla?" he asked. Caesar sighed. "She's off her food. We've had some difficulty in making her eat for a long time, but during the last four months it's worsened. She's lost pounds and pounds! And now she's prone to fainting fits, drops like a stone in her tracks. The doctors can find nothing wrong with her.'' Oh, will I really get like this? Marius asked himself; there is nothing wrong with that spoiled young lady that a good dose of indifference wouldn't cure! However, he supposed she was something to talk about, so he tried to talk about her. "I gather you'd like Julia to get to the bottom of it?" "Indeed I would!" "She's probably in love with someone unsuitable," said Marius, utterly ignorant, but totally correct. "Nonsense!" said Caesar sharply. "How do you know it's nonsense?" "Because the doctors thought of that, and I made full inquiries," said Caesar, on the defensive. "Who did you ask? Her?" "Naturally!" "It might have been more practical to ask her girl." "Oh, really, Gaius Marius!" "She's not pregnant?" "Oh, really, Gaius Marius!" "Look, Father-in-law, there's no use starting to view me as an insect at this stage of things," said Marius unfeelingly. "I'm a part of the family, not an outsider. If I, with my extremely limited experience of young ladies of sixteen, can see these possibilities, so too ought you, and even more so. Get her girl into your study and wallop her until you get the truth out of her I guarantee she's in Julilla's confidence, and I guarantee she'll break down if you question her properly torture and death threats!" "Gaius Marius, I couldn't do that!" said Caesar, aghast at even the thought of such Draconian measures. "You wouldn't need to do more than cane her," said Marius patiently. "A smarting pair of buttocks and the mere mention of torture will produce everything she knows." "I couldn't do that," Caesar repeated. Marius sighed. "Have it your own way, then. But don't assume you know the truth just because you've asked Julilla." "There has always been truth between me and mine," said Caesar. Marius didn't answer, merely looked skeptical. Someone knocked at the study door. "Come!" called Marius, glad of the interruption. It was the little Greek physician from Sicily, Athenodorus. "Domine, your wife is asking to see you," he said to Marius, ' 'and I think it would do her good if you came.'' Down hurtled the contents of Marius's chest into his belly; he drew a sobbing breath, his hand going out. Caesar had jumped to his feet, and was staring at the doctor painfully. "Is she is she ?" Caesar couldn't finish. "No, no! Rest easy, domine, she's doing well," said the Greek soothingly. Gaius Marius had never been in the presence of a woman in labor, and now found himself terrified. It wasn't hard to look on those killed or maimed in battle; they were comrades of the sword, no matter which side they belonged to, and a man always knew he might but for Fortune be one of them. In Julia's case the victim was dearly beloved, someone to be shielded and protected, spared all possible pain. Yet now Julia was no less his victim than any enemy, put into her bed of pain because of him. Disturbing thoughts for Gaius Marius. However, all looked very normal when he walked into the confinement chamber. Julia was indeed lying in a bed. The childing stool the special chair on which she would be seated when she went into the final stage of her labor was decently covered up in a corner, so he didn't even notice it. To his vast relief, she didn't look either worn out or desperately ill, and the moment she saw him she smiled at him radiantly, holding out both hands. He took them and kissed them. "Are you all right?" he asked, a little foolishly. "Of course I am! It's just going to take a long time, they tell me, and there's a bit of bleeding. But nothing to be worried about at this stage." A spasm of pain crossed her face; her hands closed on his with a strength he hadn't known she possessed, and clung there for perhaps a minute before she began to relax again. "I just wanted to see you," she resumed, as if there had been no interruption. "May I see you from time to time, or will it be too distressing for you?" "I would much rather see you, my little love," he said, bending to kiss the line where brow and hair met, and a few fine, fluffy curls clustered. They were damp, his lips informed him, and her skin was damp too. Poor, sweet darling! "It will be all right, Gaius Marius," she said, letting go of his hands. "Try not to worry too much. I know everything will be all right! Is tata still with you?" "He is." Turning to leave, he encountered a fierce glare from Marcia, standing off to one side in the company of three old midwives. Oh, ye gods! Here was one who wouldn't forgive him in a hurry for doing this to her daughter! "Gaius Marius!" Julia called as he reached the door. He looked back. "Is the astrologer here?" she asked. "Not yet, but he's been sent for." She looked relieved. "Oh, good!"