“Let me explain something to you,” he said icily. “I wasn’t in the slightest bit interested in getting information from the Persian regarding the pay caravan. He doesn’t know anything about it. How could he? The pay caravan only left Nibisis the day before yesterday.”
“The day before yesterday?” demanded Bouzes, puzzled. “But you said—”
“I said to an enemy officer that the pay chest left five days ago.”
The brothers were now silent, frowning. Belisarius resumed his seat.
“My spies spotted the caravan as soon as it left the gates of the city. One of them rode here as fast as possible, using remounts. There’s no way that caravan has reached Firuz’ camp yet.”
“Then why did you—”
“Why did I ask the Mede about it? I simply wanted to get his immediate reaction. You saw what a talented liar he was. Yet when I asked him about the pay caravan, he had to fumble for an answer. What does that tell you?”
Apparently, they weren’t that stupid, for both brothers immediately got the point.
“The Persians themselves don’t know about it!” they exclaimed, like a small chorus.
Belisarius nodded. “I’d heard that the Medes were starting to send out some of their pay caravans in this manner. Instead of tying up a small army to escort the caravans, they’re relying on absolute secrecy. Even the soldiers for whom the pay’s destined don’t know about it, until the caravan arrives.”
The brothers exchanged glances. Belisarius chuckled.
“Tempting, isn’t it? But I’m afraid we’ll have to let it go. This time, anyway.”
“Why?” demanded Bouzes.
“Yes, why?” echoed his brother. “It’s a perfect opportunity. Why shouldn’t we seize it?”
“You’re not thinking clearly. First, we have no idea what route the caravan’s taking. Don’t forget, we’d only have one day—two at the most—to catch the caravan before it arrives at the Persian camp. In order to be sure of finding it, we’d have to send out an entire regiment of cavalry. At the very least. Two regiments, to be on the safe side.”
“So?” demanded Coutzes.
“So?” Belisarius cast an exasperated glance upward. “You were at the parley with Firuz today, were you not?”
“What’s the point, Belisarius?”
“The point, Coutzes, is that Firuz is getting ready to attack us. We’re outnumbered. We need to stay on the defensive. This is the worst time in the world for us to be sending our cavalry chasing all over Syria. We need them here, at the fort. Every man.”
Coutzes began to argue, but his brother cut him short by grabbing his arm.
“Let’s not get into an argument! There’s no point in it, and it’s too hot.” He wiped his brow dramatically. Belisarius restrained a smile. In truth, there was hardly any sweat on Bouzes’ face.
Bouzes wiped his brow again, in a gesture worthy of Achilles. Then said: “I think we’ve finished all our business here. Or is there anything else?”
Belisarius shook his head. “No. Your officers have all been told that we are combining our forces?”
“Yes, they know.”
A brief exchange of amenities followed, in which Coutzes participated grudgingly. Bouzes, on the other hand, was cordiality itself. The brothers left the tent, with Belisarius escorting them. He chatted politely, while Bouzes and Coutzes mounted their horses. He did not return into the tent until he saw the brothers cantering through the gates of the fort.
Maurice was waiting for him inside.
“Well?” asked the hecatontarch.
“At nightfall, give the captured Persian officer my message for Firuz and let him go. Make sure he has a good horse. Then pass the word quietly to the men. I expect we’ll be leaving at dawn.”
“That soon?”
“Unless I’m badly mistaken, yes.” He glanced back at the entrance to the tent. “And I don’t think I’m mistaken.”
“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Belisarius smiled crookedly. “I am mortified, Maurice, mortified.”
The hecatontarch grunted sarcastically, but forebore comment. “Ashot’s back,” he said.
“What did he think of the location?”
“Good. The hill will do nicely—if the wind blows the right way.”
“It should, by midday.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
Belisarius shrugged. “We’ll just have to manage. Even if there’s no wind, the dust alone should do the trick. If the wind blows the wrong way, of course, we’ll be in a tight spot. But I’ve never seen it blow from the east until evening.” He took a seat at the table. “Now, send for the chiliarchs and the tribunes. I want to make sure they understand my plan perfectly.”
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181