Andivius Hedulio: Adventures of a Roman Nobleman in the Days of the Empire

by Edward Lucas White

  CHAPTER XIX

  MARSEILLES AND TIBER WHARF

  We rode the first mile at full gallop and then slowed to an easy canterwhich permitted of conversation. All the way to Calcaria we discussed oursituation, prospects and plans. We revised our previous view and agreedthat we had best not be too late entering Marseilles, as we might not havetime to buy cloaks, hats and footgear, change and get rid of our equipmentand find lodgings.

  Then again, of course, we fell into a panic at the idea of riding intoCouriers' Headquarters and perhaps facing a dozen men who knew SabinusFelix and Bruttius Asper as well as we knew each other. We went over, forthe tenth time, a series of absurd suggestions and tried to conceive someway by which we might sneak in at some other gate than that to which ourroad led, might avoid delivering our despatches and might find ourselvessafe in ordinary clothes in some obscure lodging.

  But we came to the conclusion that, it would be highly suspicious to actotherwise than as genuine couriers would act. There was nothing for it butto ask our way to Couriers' Headquarters, which would not arousesuspicion, since couriers unacquainted with Marseilles must be constantlyarriving there, as green or shifted couriers did at all cities; to rideboldly in; to take what came if we were exposed, to deliver our despatchesand stroll out for an airing if we had luck.

  Even if we had luck so far I could not forecast our being able to buyordinary clothing and change into it without causing suspicion,investigation, and our arrest and ruin. Agathemer argued that, if Maternuscould find, in Rome, a bath where we could bathe without anyone so much asnoticing our brand-marks and scourge-scars, he ought to be able to find inwicked, easy-going Marseilles a shop whose proprietor would ask noquestion except had we the cash. I was palpitating with panic and couldforesee in a shopkeeper only an informer, greedy for a reward for ourapprehension.

  Agathemer asked:

  "Didn't I get us out of our troubles at Tegulata?"

  "You certainly did!" I replied. "To a marvel."

  "Well," he pursued, "I have full confidence in my intuition and myresourcefulness. I feel that I can get us out of our troubles atMarseilles, if you will let me alone and not interfere."

  "I certainly won't interfere," I said, "to spoil any chance you think yousee. If you see one, signal me and I'll let you use all your dexterity."

  After that we rode evenly to Calcaria and even gaily from there toMarseilles, which we entered about two hours before sunset of a mild,fair, delightful afternoon.

  The gate-guard took our questions as a matter of course and directed us toCouriers' Headquarters. There we found only one very stupid Gallicprovincial in charge, with a few slaves.

  "I," said he, "am Gaius Valerius Procillus."

  And he fingered the package of despatches, eyeing us meditatively. Iquaked, but kept my countenance.

  He eyed us yet longer, but made no comment, wrote out a formal receipt forthe despatches, handed it to Agathemer and said:

  "Munatius will not be back here at Headquarters till tomorrow. So I cannottell you whether you will have a day or more of rest, which you haveearned, or must set off again at once. Nor can I tell you whether, whenyou do set off, it will be back to Rome, or onward with some of these samedespatches to Spain or Britain or Germany.

  "Make the most of your time for rest and refreshment. You are free tilltomorrow at sunrise. Dromo will show you your quarters."

  And he beckoned one of the slaves.

  Headquarters was a low rectangle of two stories only, built of some stonelike lime-stone, roofed with red tiles and set about a spacious courtyard.The ground floor seemed mostly stables; but, besides the office in whichwe had found Procillus, it had other office rooms, a common-room, and weglimpsed a bath and a kitchen. Dromo led us up the stone stair and alongthe colonnaded portico of the second floor to clean rooms, provided withcomfortable cots, chests, stools, and not much else.

  We threw our wallets on our cots and sat on stools. As soon as Dromo wasgone we opened our wallets, made ourselves comfortable, disposed all ourmoney about us in the body-belts we had bought at Genoa and went out,unopposed and apparently unremarked.

  Through the lively streets of Marseilles, in the mellow glow of theevening sunshine, we made for the harborside, Agathemer nosing the airlike a dog on the scent. Presently he remarked:

  "We are not far from what I am looking for."

  And he turned up a side street to our right. As we took turn after turneach street was less savory and more disreputable than the last till wewere in a sort of alley populated it seemed by slatternly trulls andtrollops.

  "This," said Agathemer, "is the quarter of the town I am after, but notquite the part of it I want."

  At the end of the alley he questioned a boy, a typical Marseilles streetgamin. The lad nodded and led us still to our right, doubling back. Aftertwo or three turns Agathemer was for dismissing him. But the lad insistedon convoying us to some definite destination he had in mind.

  Agathemer displayed a coin.

  "Take that and get out and you are welcome to it," he said. "If you do notagree to get out and to take it, you get nothing."

  The boy eyed his face, took the coin, and vanished.

  Unescorted we strolled along a clean street, all whitewashed blank lowerwalls and latticed overhanging balconies; in the walls every door wasfast; through the lattices I thought I discerned eyes watching us.

  Ahead of us a lattice opened and two faces looked out. In fact two girlsleaned out. Their type was manifest: well-housed, well clad, well fed,luxurious, loose-living, light-hearted minxes.

  One was plump, full-breasted, merry-faced, with intensely black and glossyhair, a brunette complexion and in her cheeks a great deal of brilliantcolor, which I afterwards found was all her own, but which at first I tookfor paint. She wore a gown of a yellow almost as intense as the garb ofthe priests of Cybele in the Gardens of Verus. Its insistent yellow wasintensified and set off by a girdle of black silk cords, braided into acomplicated pattern, and by shoulder-knots of black silk, with danglingfringes, and by black silk lacings along her smocked sleeves.

  Her companion was tall and slender and melancholy faced, her hair a dullreddish-gold or golden-red, her face without color and a bit freckled, hergown of pale blue.

  The black-haired girl called:

  "You've had a long ride and you deserve recreation and refreshment. Comein. We don't know you two, but we have entertained couriers before this.This is the place for you."

  "Ah, my dear," Agathemer replied, "we not only have had a long ride but wemay have to set out on a longer tomorrow, and you know the proverb:

  "'Light lovers are seldom long lopers.'"

  "If you were too much disinclined to being light lovers," the girlretorted, "you'd never be strolling down this street. Come in!"

  "My dear," said Agathemer, "we'd love to come in. But remember theproverb:

  "'Gay girls are not good for great gallopers.'"

  "Oh, hang your proverbs," the girl laughed down at us. "I don't know whatyou are up to, but I like you. You don't look as austere as you talk. AndI don't mind your asceticism. If you don't appreciate the entertainmentoffered you, you can have any sort of entertainment you prefer. A gobletof wine and an hour's chat won't enervate you or make you less fit. Comein."

  A horrible old Lydian woman, one-eyed, obese, clean enough of body andclothing, but a foul old beast for all that, let us in.

  Agathemer introduced me as Felix and himself as Asper. The merry dark-haired girl was named Doris and her languorous comrade Nebris. A moregarish and gaudy creature than Doris I have never beheld. I was struckwith her profusion of jewels, mostly topazes, but also many carbuncles andgarnets; rings, bracelets, a necklace, a hair-comb and many big-headedhair pins. Nebris was equally bejewelled with turquoises and opals, but,somehow, they did not glitter like the jewelry on Doris, but partook oftheir wearer's subdued coloring. As Doris remarked next day:

  "Nebris is very graceful and almost pretty; but she was born faded, andnot
hing can brighten her."

  We found the girls housed in as neat, cosy and charming a little nest asheart could wish for. The atrium was tiny, the courtyard was tiny,everything was tiny. But it all had an air which put us at our ease andmade us feel at home. Doris, the dark-haired, red-cheeked, full-contouredlass, was plainly much taken with Agathemer and he with her; I always hada weakness for red-headed girls and felt genuinely pleased that Nebris,her long-limbed, long-fingered, pale-skinned, blurred, bleached comradeseemed equally taken with me. The sofas of the tiny _triclinium_ were softand comfortable and, after eight days in the saddle, without a bath, wewere glad to loll on them. The wine was good and, without any effort, thefour of us fell into cheerful chatter about nothing in particular. Icomplimented Doris on her dwelling and its furnishings and she at onceinsisted on showing us all over it: the kitchen, bath and latrine beyondthe tiny courtyard and upstairs a second _triclinium_, as tiny as thatbelow, and four tiny bed-rooms, with handsomely carved beds, piled withdeep, soft feather beds and feather-pillows. Doris and Nebris each had herbed-room furnished to harmonize with her own coloring. I complimented bothon their taste.

  In Nebris's room Agathemer spied a flageolet.

  "Do you play on this?" he asked.

  "Sometimes," she said, "but Doris declares that my music makes hermelancholy, it's so dismal."

  "I'll play you any number of lively tunes," Agathemer promised, possessinghimself of the flageolet.

  We all went down into the lower _triclinium_, where we had left the wine,and Agathemer charmed the girls with his music and, indeed, enlivened meas much as them.

  After a score of tunes, while our first goblets of wine were not yetemptied, Agathemer said:

  "Felix, I believe I see a way out of our troubles."

  "Asper," I replied, "I leave it all to you."

  "Doris, my dear," said Agathemer, "we are not Imperial Couriers at all."

  Doris stared.

  "You mean it?" she asked.

  "So help me Hercules," said Agathemer solemnly.

  "Well," she meditated, with a sharp intake of her breath. "You fooled me.I thought you were genuine. How did you come in this rig?"

  "We belong in Rome, both of us," Agathemer began. "How we came inPlacentia is no part of the story. But we were in Placentia and we gotinto trouble. It wasn't serious trouble; we hadn't killed anybody, orstolen anything, or cheated anybody; but it was trouble enough and aplentyand we decided to get out of Placentia. Roads, road-houses, the townswouldn't have been healthy for us just then, so we took to the mountains.Not as brigands, you understand, but we hadn't much cash and coin will gofarther in the mountains than anywhere else; and the weather was fine andwe meant to camp out all we could and stay out all summer and let thingsblow over. It was hot, burning hot and we blundered on a cave, a nice,big, airy dry cave. We went in to cool off and sleep. And we slept sound."

  Then he told our entire story, just as it happened, from our capture byMaternus and his band, all down to Rome, into the Gardens of Verus, outalong the Aurelian Highway among the tombs, all about the two drunkenrobbers, in the moonlight, all about our gallop along the coast, all aboutour encounter with Pescennius Niger.

  Nebris kept looking from Agathemer to me, her pale gray eyes wide; butDoris kept her snapping brown eyes on Agathemer's face from his first wordto his last.

  "My!" she cried, "you have had adventures! Or you are the biggest liar andthe cleverest story-teller I ever met. If you invented that story youdeserve help as a paragon among improvisators; if you had all thoseadventures you deserve help ten times over and you certainly need it.Somehow I believe you. I'll help you all I can. You are in the rightplace."

  And she called:

  "Mother, tell Parmenio to find Alopex and bring him to me at once. Tellhim to be quick."

  One of the slaves went out, slamming the door after him.

  "Doris," said Nebris, "can you really save these lads?"

  "I can!" Doris asserted.

  "With Pescennius Niger after them?" Nebris quavered.

  "Even with Pescennius Niger after them," Doris declared.

  "You must remember," she went on, "that Pescennius told these lads hewould not expect to see them till tomorrow morning. That gives me tilldark to set things going and till about two hours after sunrise to finishthe job. Unless, indeed, messengers announcing the robbery of the realSabinus Felix and Bruttius Asper happen to overtake Pescennius at Tegulataor between there and Marseilles. Even then he can hardly get on theselads' trail before dark. I think we shall be able to get these lads awaysafe, no matter what happens. Anyhow let's be cheerful and make the bestof things."

  And she filled our goblets.

  Alopex could not have been far away. Very shortly we heard the door openand shut and a youth came in, whom Doris introduced as Alopex. A morerepulsive being I have never seen. He was of medium height, slender,habited in the embroidered, be-fringed garb fashionable among Marseillesdandies, his hair curled and perfumed, his face much like a weasel's, hiscomplexion like cold porridge. I then had my first glimpse of a Marseillespimp, and I never want to see another. To me he looked capable of anymeanness, of any treachery, of any dishonor, of any crime.

  "Alopex," Doris commanded, "look these gentlemen, over and take theirmeasure, then go out and buy hats, cloaks, boots and wallets for them,suitable for a sea-voyage, as inconspicuous as possible, durable andwater-proof. Get a porter and bring them back with you, in a bag, so noone on the streets will know what the porter is carrying. Be quick."

  "Six gold pieces," said Alopex.

  "If you spend six gold pieces on that outfit," said Doris, "you are anass; you shall have six gold pieces, but bring back a reasonable sum inchange, after paying the porter."

  I gave Alopex six gold pieces and he went out.

  "When he comes back," Agathemer asked, "can he pilot us to a bath, wherewe shall be as safe as Felix was in Rome in the bath which Maternus knewof?"

  "He can and he shall," Doris replied. "You two certainly need a bath: andhowever you are marked by scourges and brands, the marks won't be noticedat the bath to which he will lead you."

  "How about a dinner?" Agathemer queried.

  "Asper, my dear," said Doris, "you said you had plenty of cash."

  "We have," said Agathemer.

  "Then," said she, "just give me one of those gold pieces you got from thetwo drunken robbers and while you are bathing I'll order as fine a dinneras Marseilles affords and have it here ready to serve when you two getback from your bath."

  Alopex soon appeared with a complete outfit for us and the prices which heannounced appeared reasonable to me and were agreed to by Doris. He handedAgathemer a gold piece and three silver pieces.

  "Change," Doris commanded, and we took off our boots and put on thoseAlopex had brought us. Doris had Parmenio bundle up our couriers' attire,boots and hats and said:

  "I hate to see anything wasted. These outfits are going to be found atCouriers' Headquarters and no one will ever suspect how they got there.You can arrange that, Alopex, can't you?"

  "Easy as that," said Alopex, snapping his fingers.

  "Then you do it," she ordered, "and now take these gentlemen to Sosia'sbathhouse and give him the tip that they are all right."

  Alopex acceded sulkily but obediently. That bath refreshed me amazinglyand Agathemer seemed to enjoy it as much as I did. It was after sunsetwhen we were back with Doris and Nebris, but still far from dark; in fact,light enough to see well.

  "Now Alopex," said Doris, briskly, "make your best speed to the harborsideand see if you can find a sure ship sailing at dawn, with a captain we cantrust, to get these lads out of Marseilles at once. I doubt if you canfind one, but do your best."

  "We want a ship for Antioch," Agathemer put in.

  "Alopex," said Doris, "find a ship to get these lads out of Marseilles atdawn, never mind where it is bound for. Now go. And come back and report,tonight, sure, and as soon as you can."

  When he was gone she round
ed on Agathemer:

  "Asper," said she, "I am ashamed of you. You are a fool. With PescenniusNiger likely after you, foaming at the mouth, raging because he let youslip through his fingers, you talk of picking and choosing a destination?Why lad, it makes no difference where the ship is bound so it isseaworthy, has a captain I can trust and is headed away from Marseilles.The point for you two is to get away from Marseilles quick. Whether youland at Carthage, or even Cadiz, makes no difference. You can reship fromanywhere to anywhere, once you are clear of Marseilles. You might lingerin Marseilles, under my protection, but for your encounter with PescenniusNiger. But after that there is nothing for you to do but get away quick."

  She paused for breath, shaking her finger at us, like a nurse at naughtychildren.

  "And now," said she, "let's get at that dinner. I'm hungry and I'm sureyou ought to be."

  We were. And the dinner was excellent, much of it unfamiliar. TheMarseilles oysters had a flavor novel, odd, not agreeable at first, butvery likable after a bit of experience with it. Everything out of the seawas tasty. The main dish was a wonderful stew of fish, for which, Nebristold us, Marseilles was famous. It was flavored with any number ofvegetables and relishes, and had bits of meat in it, but fish was thechief ingredient and the blended flavors made it a most appetizing viand.

  We ate slowly, had just finished our fruit and Agathemer was playing theflageolet to the accompaniment of enthusiastic applause from both girlswhen Alopex returned. He reported that no ship could possibly be gottenfor us the next morning and vowed that it would likely take him all day tofind one for the morning after.

  "Then run off, like a good boy," said Doris, "and get a good long sleep soas to be fresh tomorrow. Start before daylight and report to me beforenoon. Run along."

  "How about lodging for us?" Agathemer queried.

  Doris half chuckled, half snorted.

  "Run along, Alopex," she commanded.

  When he was gone she faced Agathemer, arms akimbo.

  "Asper," she said, "I'm going to save you two lads, no matter howidiotically you act or talk. I like you, in spite of your ridiculousascetic airs and your nonsensical assumption of austerity. You can't makeme angry nor lose my protection, no matter how rude and chilly you are. Ifyou two don't appreciate the kind of entertainment we are offering you andhaven't sense enough and manners enough to accept it and be thankful, youcan sleep here anyhow, where and how you prefer. But you don't go out ofthis house tonight, nor yet tomorrow, not if I know it. I'm going to saveyou two, in spite of your folly."

  Naturally, after that, we stayed where we were.

  Next morning, not much more than an hour after sunrise, as we were againenjoying flageolet music from Agathemer, Alopex returned and reported thathe had found a clean, roomy, seaworthy ship, captained by a man well andfavorably known to him and Doris, which would sail for Rome at dawn nextday.

  "That's your ship," said Doris to us.

  "After what I told you," Agathemer protested, "do you seriously advise usto set sail for Rome?"

  "I do," Doris declared. "Any place on earth is healthier for you two thanMarseilles. Were you in trouble in Rome before you got into trouble inPlacentia?"

  "We were," said Agathemer, "and trouble of the deepest dye."

  "Asper, my dear," said Doris, "no matter what sort of trouble you were inat Rome, Rome can't be as dangerous for you as Marseilles. And by all Ihear, Tiber Wharf is a fine locality in which to hide and Ostia nearly asgood. Take my advice and sail. From Rome or Ostia you ought to find iteasy to ship for Antioch."

  "I believe you," said Agathemer, "but I'd like to have more cash with methan I have and I'd like to give you two girls enough gold pieces to serveas a sort of indication of our gratitude. No gold either Felix or I shallever possess would be enough to repay you for what you have done for us.

  "Now I have an emerald of fair size and of the best water and flawless atthat, sewn into the hem of my tunic. Since you are so capable at findingsafe shops and baths and ships, perhaps Alopex could guide me to a gem-expert who would like to buy a fine emerald and who would pay a fair pricefor it and keep his mouth shut."

  "I had not meant you so much as to poke your nose out of doors tilltomorrow before sunrise," said Doris, meditatively, "but Pescennius won'tbe suspicious yet unless a post with news of the robbery you profited byhas already reached here. I fancy it will be a safe risk for Alopex toescort you to our gem-expert. He'll pay you an honest three-quarters ofthe full value of your emerald. Alopex and I get a rake-off on hisprofits, as we do on the fare of the men we ship out of Marseilles. Gemsand fugitives are part of my regular line of trade, with efficient helpfrom Alopex."

  Actually Agathemer was gone about two hours and came back with a portlybag of gold pieces. He found us in the _triclinium_, Nebris lying on thesofa with me, and playing a dismal tune on her flageolet, Doris on theother sofa laughing at us. He lay down by Doris, spilled the gold on theinlaid dining table, divided it into four equal portions, pouched one,made me pouch another, and piled one in Doris's lap, while I similarlypiled the other in Nebris's lap.

  "Share and share alike," said Agathemer, "and you are welcome to whateverpart of his rake-off Alopex turns over to you."

  "Asper," said Doris, "you are a dear. Play us a decent tune. Nebris'smusic makes me doleful."

  We spent the day eating, drinking, chatting, napping and listening toAgathemer's very lively music.

  For dinner we had another Marseilles fish-stew, entirely different fromthe former, and entirely different from anything I had ever eatenelsewhere.

  Next morning Doris had us all up, bathed as well as we could in her tinybath, fed and ready to set out long before the first streak of dawnappeared in the east. Agathemer, on his gem-selling expedition, had boughtall we needed to line our wallets except food, and that Doris supplied inabundance and variety and of a sort calculated to be palatable two orthree days out at sea.

  Doris was a creature no man could forget. She was buxom and buoyant andcompletely content with her home, her way of life, her friends and herprospects; and as capable and competent a human being as I ever met. WhenAlopex gave his cautious tap on the door and slipped inside she bade usfarewell unaffectedly, kissed me like a mother, and gave Agathemer onesisterly hug and one smacking kiss. If there were tears in her eyes noneran down either cheek.

  Nebris, on the other hand, wept over me and clung to me, with many kisses.

  "There are not many like you," she sobbed. "You are gentle and courteous.Our friends are generous enough, but they drink too much and areboisterous and rough and coarse. I wish you weren't going. But I'm gladI've had you even for so short a time."

  And she gave Agathemer her flageolet, holding it out to him with her lefthand, her right arm round my neck.

  "Come, come!" Doris bustled, "act sensible, child!"

  We tore ourselves away and followed our unsavory guide through the dim,foggy streets. I distrusted Alopex and should not have been astonished hadhe turned us over to a batch of guards, waiting for us at any corner. Buthe led us to a fine stone quay by which was moored as trig a merchantmanas I ever saw, new and fresh painted. Her captain was a bluff, hearty,wind-tanned Maltese, Maganno by name, swarthy, hook-nosed and with a shockof black curls. He counted the gold pieces Alopex gave him and said, inLatin with a strong Punic accent:

  "My ship is yours from here to Tiber wharf."

  We shook hands on it, went on board and she cast off at once and was outof the harbor before the sun had dispersed the fog. To our surprise we seta course not about southeast as we had expected, but along the coast untilwe passed Ulbia, and then almost due east. Maganno explained:

  "Give me the open sea. You Italians are always for hugging the shore: weMaltese, like our Phoenician ancestors, are all for clear water. I'vesailed between Corsica and Sardinia, and once was enough for me. I've madethis cruise many times and I always prefer to weather the Holy Cape."

  North of Corsica, in fact, we sped, with a fair following wind and
we hadan unsurpassably fortunate voyage; skies clear, wind always favorable,steady and neither too gentle nor too strong. Our time we spent on deckfrom before sunrise till long after sunset, dozing through the heat of theday; Agathemer, when awake, playing on his flageolet, more often than hewas silent, to the delight of all on board. The crew were mostly Maltese,like their master, using indifferently their own dialect, Greek of a sortand very poor Latin. Maganno's Latin was better than theirs, but all racywith his accent.

  When we were already in sight of the month of the Tiber he sat down by usand said:

  "I was told that you lads were in trouble. But, certainly, you are luckyvoyagers. I have sailed from Ostia to Marseilles and from Marseilles toOstia forty-one times, and this forty-second is the easiest and quickestpassage ever I made. I like you lads. Anybody Doris recommends I alwayshelp, for her sake. I'll also help you for your own. Tell me your plansand I'll do my best for you."

  He agreed with us that both the Northern Harbor and Ostia were certain tobe swarming with spies and secret-service agents and informers: so, forthat matter, was the harbor-side of Rome along the Tiber: but Rome, beingmany times as large as Ostia, was likely to be proportionately easier tohide in.

  "That's where a small merchantman like mine," said he, "beats any big one.That's why I sail always a small ship, never a big ship. A big merchantmanmust berth at Ostia or at the Northern Harbor. My ship can sail on up theTiber to Rome. And I shall. You come on up with me."

  His advice seemed good. We decided to stay on the ship all the way up toRome, and we did, lolling on deck to Agathemer's piping in the mellowsunshine.

  So idling we spoke more than once of the Aemilian Sibyl and of this secondfulfillment of her acrid prophecy.

  Maganno promised to find us a ship loading for Antioch; seaworthy, roomyand with a trustworthy captain.

  This could not be done quickly and, he found us, meantime, lodgings with afriend of his, a fat, bald, one-eyed cook-shopkeeper named Colgius, whorented us a tiny room over his eating-room, which was not far from theOstian Gate, between the public warehouses and the slope of the Aventine.

  At his table we fared pretty well, for his prices were low, his winedrinkable, and most of his food eatable, though we did not try a secondtime the viands for which he had the briskest demand: a very greasy porkstew of which he was inordinately proud, amazingly rank ham, andincredibly strong Campanian cheese; all three of which seemed to delighthis customers, who were an astonishing medley of slaves and freemen:porters, stevedores, inspectors' assistants, coopers, mariners, jar-markers, gig-drivers, teamsters, drivers of all sorts of hired vehicles,drovers who herded cattle from Ostia to the cattle-market, vendors ofsulphur-dipped kindling-splints, collectors of street filth and othersequally low in class, equally novel to me.

  Colgius took a fancy to us and undertook to show us Rome. It struck meoddly that, whereas Nona, in every fiber an Umbrian Gaul, and Maternus,who had spent all his life beyond the Alps, had both, at first glance,recognized us for what we were, Roman master and Greek servant, this Romanof the Romans, keen for personal profit, habituated to the sight of menfrom all ports, accepted us for Gallic provincials, and never suspectedthat we were anything else.