"Chelsea Quinn Yarbro - Olivia 1 - A Flame in Byzantium" - читать интересную книгу автора (Yarbro Chelsea Quinn)

must do as I am commanded. I leave for Roma in the morning. Those of my men I leave behind are
mandated to do what they can to aid in the transport of Romans to safe ports, and that much they will do.
Beyond that, you must look to your own resources. I will fail my mandate if I permit your concerns to
override all that has been entrusted to me."
The monk raised his hand, making a gesture against the evil eye. "You are a tool of the forces of Hell,
not of the Emperor."
Belisarius had been cursed by those more expert than this man, but he still disliked the feelings it
awakened in him. "I am no one's tool, good monk. I am the Emperor's General in Italy and will remain so
for as long as he honors me with the position."
"You will fall," said the monk with deep satisfaction.
"That is for God and Justinian to determine," said Belisarius with a faint smile. "I will authorize two of
my Captains to do what they can to aid in controlling the people coming through the city, and if you wish,
I will give them permission to deal with any disruptions in the most direct way possible." He saw the faint
approval in the men's eyes and went on to warn them. "Take care. You have had near-riots here for the
last several days, and now there is no doubt that these Romans will need all the aid they can get or take.
If you are too stringent with them, you may lose all that you seek to preserve through your rules and
limitations."
The monk lowered his eyes. "We submit to the will of God."
"Once you have troops to protect you," said Belisarius.
 "And you, proud man, you are fast coming to a time when all your might and all your battles and all
your honor will avail you nothing." The monk glowered at the General. "The Emperor listens to other
voices than yours. Never forget that."
"He listens to his wife after God," said Belisarius, not adding that Theodora was a close friend of his
Antonina; as long as the two women were close friends, Belisarius knew that his position was secure.
"If a man is led by a woman, he makes his own fall, as did Adam," said the man with the darkest
beard. "It is known that these women have given themselves more to the service of Satan than of God."
"Do not let the Emperor hear you say such things," suggested Belisarius. "He says that the words of a
virtuous woman are more worthy than the preaching of fools. He has gained much from his wise
Empress."
It was apparent that none of the men believed this, and Belisarius was too tired to pursue the matter
any further. The tallest of the delegation, a man who had remained stubbornly silent, finally said, "How
many troops will you leave here, General?"
"I can leave no more than two hundred foot soldiers and fifty cavalry. The rest must follow me to
Roma before midday," he said, welcoming this apparent understanding from one of the men of Neapolis.
"I will be certain that the instructions are clear to these troops. You may choose one of your number to
work with the men I leave behind, and that will in turn give you the opportunity to arrange the defenses
you have in whatever way most suits your purposes."
"These troopsтАФare they the best you can provide?" asked the youngest man.
"If you mean, will I leave the exhausted and the wounded behind to guard you and take with me those
soldiers who are in better condition and more fully equipped, then the answer must be no, for those who
are wounded are not required to fight in any sense and are with our ships in the east." He sighed. "I will
be at pains to find you a Tribune you can trust to do all that you require of the soldiers without spreading
them too thin or putting them at a serious disadvantage. Let me point out one thing to you, and you may
then do what you wish: the soldiers can create a corridor from gate to dockside, and can keep most of
the people from spilling over into your city, if you will permit them to act in that way. It would be the best
use of the men you have and it would limit the amount of damage you are apt to sustain during the time
the Romans are in Neapolis."
"Are those your orders?" asked the oldest suspiciously.
"No, those are my observations. You are free to do as you wish with the men so long as your orders
do not contradict those of the Emperor." He stretched. "It has been more than a full day since I slept,