sideways at me with a weak smile.
“Never again,” he proclaimed dramatically, dropping to one knee. Tertulla laughed and slapped his hand away. “But Alexander’s plan,” he said conspiratorially, “has more financial merit. With your permission, of course.” Their playfulness with each other was embarrassing, yet wondrous to witness. Irony was everywhere this day.
“I have only one suggestion,” Tertulla said, standing and pulling her husband up with her. None present, especially the lady herself, believed that she would ever limit her opinions to just one. “Pay Boaz Livia’s full worth, love. I know that Jew; he’s as soft-hearted as a lamb. How he ever chose that trade is a wonder. How he survives in it is a miracle.”
“You needn’t worry about him,” Crassus said. “His family’s been in the business for generations. He may choose to keep a modest house in the Subura, but his accounts are overflowing. He has an eye for talent, and a keener lookout for profit. I suppose that gives him the latitude to make exceptions when he chooses.”
“So you will pay him the 16,000 sesterces ? Sabina is sure to be a success and your purse will yet be made whole. When you think of it, a little more time, not money, is all that will be required.”
“And we forbid women the practice of law! If I refuse her," Crassus said to the air above, "though the cost could not be counted in gold, its sum would be far greater.”
“Isn’t it wonderful to have a husband who comes complete with both ears and heart?” she asked, also to no one in particular. I felt completely useless.
Crassus answered her nonetheless. “Much depends on where you find them. They’re not much use in the senate.”
“Oh, one more thing. Let Sabina keep her coins. It is a trifle to us, but a treasure to her.”
“Let us wait a moment, Alexander," he said, finally addressing me directly. "There may yet be more.”
“No, I assure you I am quite finished.” Crassus nodded and turned back to his scrolls. “Oh.”
“Yes, dove?”
“Of course, Sabina should only be required to repay 2,300 of the total. If we choose to offer more to Boaz, that is not to be counted against her.”
“Agreed.” Now Crassus waited.
“No, no, I am quite finished. The good commander knows when to leave the field. I retreat and leave you to carry on.” She whispered, “I shan’t say a thing. Let’s tell her when we put the children to bed, shall we?” Without waiting for an answer she kissed her husband lightly on the cheek and turned toward the peristyle. “Sabina! To me, please.”
Tertulla had not gone ten steps when she stopped and called back, “Husband - interest free!” Crassus waved her off.
“I wasn’t going to charge the woman interest,” he muttered.
“Um,” I ventured after making sure that Tertulla was completely out of sight, “I have something more, if I may. It concerns my tutoring duties?”
“Why, are you tiring of them?”
“On the contrary, I think I may have found my calling. Teaching suits me. Which is what gave me this thought: Running about the house translating Pío’s instructions seems inefficient for both myself and the staff. I am constantly repeating myself and being interrupted by someone looking for a word here or a phrase there. I should like, with permission, to make the process more formal.”
“How?”
“A school. Imagine an entire bilingual staff - their value would increase two-fold at least, if I understand the market. Communication and work would flow smoother throughout the domus . And we needn’t limit instruction to language: any skill required by the familia could be taught. Gardeners could teach gardening, cook could teach, well, cooking, so that more than one of us would have the same skill. Should one become sick, others could fill in. And if dominus feels the need to sell one of us, we are bound to fetch a higher price.”
"And where would you organize this school?”
“The
“Never again,” he proclaimed dramatically, dropping to one knee. Tertulla laughed and slapped his hand away. “But Alexander’s plan,” he said conspiratorially, “has more financial merit. With your permission, of course.” Their playfulness with each other was embarrassing, yet wondrous to witness. Irony was everywhere this day.
“I have only one suggestion,” Tertulla said, standing and pulling her husband up with her. None present, especially the lady herself, believed that she would ever limit her opinions to just one. “Pay Boaz Livia’s full worth, love. I know that Jew; he’s as soft-hearted as a lamb. How he ever chose that trade is a wonder. How he survives in it is a miracle.”
“You needn’t worry about him,” Crassus said. “His family’s been in the business for generations. He may choose to keep a modest house in the Subura, but his accounts are overflowing. He has an eye for talent, and a keener lookout for profit. I suppose that gives him the latitude to make exceptions when he chooses.”
“So you will pay him the 16,000 sesterces ? Sabina is sure to be a success and your purse will yet be made whole. When you think of it, a little more time, not money, is all that will be required.”
“And we forbid women the practice of law! If I refuse her," Crassus said to the air above, "though the cost could not be counted in gold, its sum would be far greater.”
“Isn’t it wonderful to have a husband who comes complete with both ears and heart?” she asked, also to no one in particular. I felt completely useless.
Crassus answered her nonetheless. “Much depends on where you find them. They’re not much use in the senate.”
“Oh, one more thing. Let Sabina keep her coins. It is a trifle to us, but a treasure to her.”
“Let us wait a moment, Alexander," he said, finally addressing me directly. "There may yet be more.”
“No, I assure you I am quite finished.” Crassus nodded and turned back to his scrolls. “Oh.”
“Yes, dove?”
“Of course, Sabina should only be required to repay 2,300 of the total. If we choose to offer more to Boaz, that is not to be counted against her.”
“Agreed.” Now Crassus waited.
“No, no, I am quite finished. The good commander knows when to leave the field. I retreat and leave you to carry on.” She whispered, “I shan’t say a thing. Let’s tell her when we put the children to bed, shall we?” Without waiting for an answer she kissed her husband lightly on the cheek and turned toward the peristyle. “Sabina! To me, please.”
Tertulla had not gone ten steps when she stopped and called back, “Husband - interest free!” Crassus waved her off.
“I wasn’t going to charge the woman interest,” he muttered.
“Um,” I ventured after making sure that Tertulla was completely out of sight, “I have something more, if I may. It concerns my tutoring duties?”
“Why, are you tiring of them?”
“On the contrary, I think I may have found my calling. Teaching suits me. Which is what gave me this thought: Running about the house translating Pío’s instructions seems inefficient for both myself and the staff. I am constantly repeating myself and being interrupted by someone looking for a word here or a phrase there. I should like, with permission, to make the process more formal.”
“How?”
“A school. Imagine an entire bilingual staff - their value would increase two-fold at least, if I understand the market. Communication and work would flow smoother throughout the domus . And we needn’t limit instruction to language: any skill required by the familia could be taught. Gardeners could teach gardening, cook could teach, well, cooking, so that more than one of us would have the same skill. Should one become sick, others could fill in. And if dominus feels the need to sell one of us, we are bound to fetch a higher price.”
"And where would you organize this school?”
“The
Similar Books
