Гладиатор

           "Itwasnotalwaystrue,"saidLucilla.

           "Manythingshavechangedsincewelastmet,"saidMaximus,andheturnedtowalkaway.

           "Whatdidmyfatherwantwithyou?"

           ’Towishmeluck,beforeIleaveforSpain,"hereplied,

           "You’relying,"saidLucilla."Icouldalwaystellwhenyouwerelying.You’renotverygoodatit."

           "Iwasneverasgoodasyou,mylady."

           Lucilladidnottrytodenyit.Again,Maximustriedtoleave.

           "Maximus,please...isitreallysoterribletoseemeagain?"

           "No,I’msorry.I’mtiredfrombattle,"hesaid.

           "Andyou’reupsettoseemyfathersoweak.CommodusexpectsourfathertonamehiminafewdaysasthenextCaesar.WillyoubeasloyaltohimasyouhavebeentoMarcus?"

           Thiswasadifficultquestion,butMaximusneverforgotthathewastalkingtooneoftheroyalfamily.

           "IwillalwaysbeloyaltoRome,"hesaid.

           "DoyouknowIstillrememberyouwhenIspeaktothegods?"saidLucilla,smiling.

           "Iwassorrytohearofyourhusband’sdeath,Iunderstandyouhaveason."

           "Yes,"saidLucilla."Lucius.He’salmosteightyearsold."

           "I,too,haveasonwhoiseightyearsold."

           Theysmiledateachotheragain.

           "Ithankyouforyourkindthoughts,"saidMaximus,andthenhewalkedslowlybacktohistent.Lucillawatchedhimgo.Herthoughtswereconfused,andheremotionsremindedherthatshehadoncelovedthisman.

           ***

           Maximussatinfrontofalowtableinhistent.Onthetableweresmallwoodenfiguresofhisfamily-parentsandgrandparents.Inthecenter,protectedbytheothers,werethetwosmallestfigures.