THE 
 
 BRITON 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ROMAN 
 
 INVASION 
 
 BY
 
 UNIV. OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES
 
 BEEIC THE BEITON
 
 ME. HENTY'S HISTORICAL TALES. 
 
 THE CAT OF BUBASTES : A Story of Ancient Egypt. 5s. 
 THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN: A Story of the Times of Hannibal. 6s. 
 FOR THE TEMPLE : A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. 6s. 
 BERIO THK BRITON : A Story of the Roman Invasion. 6s. 
 THE DRAGON AND THE RAVEN : or, The Days of King Alfred. 5s. 
 WULF THE SAXON: A Story of the Norman Conquest. 6s. 
 A KNIGHT OF THE WHITE CROSS : The Siege of Rhodes. 6s. 
 IN FREEDOM'S CAUSE : A Story of Wallace and Bruce. 6*. 
 THE LION OF ST. MARK: A Story of Venice in the I4th Century. 6s. 
 ST. GEORGE FOR ENGLAND : A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. 5s. 
 A MARCH ON LONDON : A Story of Wat Tyler. 6s. 
 BOTH SIDES THE BORDER : A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower. 6s. 
 AT AGINOOURT : A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. 6s. 
 BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST : or, With Cortez in Mexico. 6s. 
 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE : A Tale of the Huguenot Wars. 6s. 
 BY PIKE AND DYKE: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic. 6s. 
 BY ENGLAND'S AID : or, The Freeing of the Netherlands. 6s. 
 UNDER DRAKE'S FLAG : A Tale of the Spanish Main. 6s. 
 THE LION OF THE NORTH : A Tale of Gustavus. Adolphus. 6s. 
 WON BY THE SWORD : A Tale of the Thirty Years' War. 6s. 
 WHEN LONDON BURNED : A Story of the Great Fire. 6s. 
 ORANGE AND GREEN : A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick. 5s. 
 A JACOBITE EXILE : In the Service of Charles XII. 5s. 
 IN THE IRISH BRIGADE : A Tale of War in Flanders and Spain. 6s. 
 THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE: or, With Peterborough in Spain. 5s. 
 BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE : A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. 6s. 
 WITH CLIVE IN INDIA : or, The Beginnings of an Empire. 6s. 
 WITH FREDERICK THE GREAT : The Seven Years' War. 6s. 
 WITH WOLFE IN CANADA : or, The Winning of a Continent. 6s. 
 TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG : The American War of Independence. 6s. 
 HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND : A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar. 5s. 
 IN THE REIGN OF TERROR : The French Revolution. 5s. 
 No SURRENDER ! A Tale of the Rising in La Vended. 5s. 
 A ROVING COMMISSION : A Story of the Hayti Insurrection. 6s. 
 THE TIGER OF MYSORE : The War with Tippoo Saib. 6s. 
 AT ABOUKIR AND ACRE : Napoleon's Invasion of Egypt. 5s. 
 WITH MOORE AT CORUNNA : A Tale of the Peninsular War. 6s. 
 UNDER WELLINGTON'S COMMAND : The Peninsular War. 6s. 
 WITH COCHRANE THE DAUNTLESS : A Tale of his Exploits. 6s. 
 THROUGH THE FRAY : A Story of the Luddlte Riots. 6s. 
 THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS : The Retreat from Moscow. 5s. 
 ONE OF THE 28TH : A Story of Waterloo. 5s. 
 IN GREEK WATERS : A Story of the Grecian War (1821). 6s. 
 ON THE IRRAWADDY : A Story of the First Burmese War. 5s. 
 THROUGH THE SIKH WAR : A Tale of the Punjaub. 6s. 
 MAORI AND SETTLER : A Story of the New Zealand War. 5s. 
 WITH LEE IN VIRGINIA : A Story of the American Civil War. 6s. 
 BY SHEER PLUCK : A Tale of the Ashanti War. 5s. 
 OUT WITH GARIBALDI : A Story of the Liberation of Italy. 5s. 
 FOR NAME AND FAME : or, To Cabul with Roberts. 5s. 
 THB DASH FOR KHARTOUM : A Tale of the Nile Expedition. 6s. 
 CONDEMNED AS A NIHILIST : A Story of Escape from Siberia. 5s. 
 WITH BULLER IN NATAL : or, A Born Leader. 6s.
 
 BERIC KACKS THE LION IN THE ARENA.
 
 BEBIC THE BRITON 
 
 A STORY OF 
 THE EOMAN INVASION 
 
 BY 
 
 G. A. HENTY, 
 
 Author of " The Hash for Khartoum;" " In Freedom'g Cause;" " With Clive in India 
 "St. George for England;" "Facing Death;" &c. 
 
 WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS BY W. PARKINSON 
 
 LONDON 
 
 BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED, 50 OLD BAILEY, B.C. 
 GLASGOW AND DUBLIN
 
 UNfV. OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES
 
 Stack 
 Annex 
 
 PR 
 
 1*93 
 PREFACE. 
 
 My series of stories dealing with the wars of England 
 would be altogether incomplete did it not include the period 
 when the Romans were masters of the country. The valour 
 with which the natives of this island defended themselves was 
 acknowledged by the Roman historians, and it was only the 
 superior discipline of the invaders that enabled them finally to 
 triumph over the bravery and the superior physical strength 
 of the Britons. The Roman conquest for the time was un- 
 doubtedly of immense advantage to the people who had pre- 
 viously wasted their energies in perpetual tribal wars as it 
 introduced among them the civilization of Rome. In the end, 
 however, it proved disastrous to the islanders, who lost all their 
 military virtues. Having been defended from the savages of 
 the north by the soldiers of Rome, the Britons were, when the 
 legions were recalled, unable to offer any effectual resistance to 
 the Saxons, who, coming under the guise of friendship, speedily 
 became their masters, imposing a yoke infinitely more burden- 
 some than that of Rome, and erasing almost every sign of the 
 civilization that had been engrafted upon them. How far the 
 British population disappeared under the subsequent invasion 
 and the still more oppressive yoke of the Danes is uncertain; 
 but as the invaders would naturally desire to retain the people 
 
 5 
 
 2049753
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 to cultivate the land for them, it is probable that the great 
 mass of the Britons were not exterminated. It is at any rate 
 pleasant to believe that with the Saxon, Danish, and Norman 
 blood in our veins, there is still a large admixture of that of 
 the valiant warriors who fought so bravely against Caesar, and 
 who rose under Boadicea in a desperate effort to shake off the 
 oppressive rule of Rome. 
 
 G. A. HENTY,
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. Page 
 
 I. A HOSTAGE, 11 
 
 II. CITY AND FOREST, 28 
 
 III. A WOLF HUNT, 46 
 
 IV. AN INFURIATED PEOPLE, 64 
 
 V. THE SACK OF CAMALODONUM, 82 
 
 VI. FIRST SUCCESSES, 100 
 
 VII. DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS, 118 
 
 VIII. THE GREAT SWAMPS, 135 
 
 IX. THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP, 154 
 
 X. BETRAYED, 171 
 
 XI. A PRISONER, 189 
 
 XII. A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS, 209 
 
 XIII. A CHRISTIAN, 231 
 
 XIV. ROME IN FLAMES, 248 
 
 XV. "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS," 263 
 
 XVI. IN NERO'S PALACE, 281 
 
 XVII. BETROTHAL, 296 
 
 XVIII. THE OUTBREAK, 312 
 
 XIX. OUTLAWS, 328 
 
 XX. MOUNTAIN WARFARE, 344 
 
 XXI. OLD FRIENDS . . ' . .359
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Page 
 BERIC FACES THE LION IN THE ARENA, Froiitis. 268 
 
 BERIC KEEPS THE WOLVES AT BAY, 43 
 
 PARTA AND BERIC ENTERTAIN THE CHIEFS, 54 
 
 BOADICEA SHOWS THE MARKS OF THE ROMAN RODS, .... 72 
 
 BERIC FIRES THE ROMAN TEMPLE, 103 
 
 THEY DISCOVER AN ANCIENT MONSTER, .148 
 
 THE BRITONS BEFORE THE PROPRIETOR, 186 
 
 A ROMAN LADY AND HER ATTENDANT, 197 
 
 ROME IN FLAMES, 243 
 
 "THIS IS THE LIBRARY," SAID PHAON, 289 
 
 BERIC CONFRONTS NERO AT THE BANQUET, 315 
 
 "I CAN SEE AN AMPHITHEATRE," THE GlRL SAID, 360 
 
 9
 
 BERIC THE BEITON. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A HOSTAGE. 
 
 T is a fair sight." 
 
 "It may be a fair sight in a Roman's eyes, Beric, 
 
 but nought could be fouler to those of a Briton. 
 
 To me every one of those blocks of brick and stone 
 weighs down and helps to hold in bondage this land of ours; 
 while that temple they have dared to rear to their gods, in 
 celebration of their having conquered Britain, is an insult and 
 a lie. We are not conquered yet, as they will some day know 
 to their cost. We are silent, we wait, but we do not admit that 
 we are conquered." 
 
 " I agree with you there. We have never fairly tried our 
 strength against them. These wretched divisions have always 
 prevented our making an effort to gather; Cassivelaunus and 
 some of the Kentish tribes alone opposed them at their first 
 landing, and he was betrayed and abandoned by the tribes on 
 the north of the Thames. It has been the same thing ever 
 since. We fight piecemeal; and while the Romans hurl their 
 whole strength against one tribe the others look on with folded 
 hands. Who aided the Trinobantes when the Romans defeated 
 them and established themselves on that hill ? No one. They 
 
 will eat Britain up bit by bit." 
 
 11
 
 12 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "Then you like them no better for having lived among 
 them, Eerie?" 
 
 " I like them more, but I fear them more. One cannot be 
 four years among them, as I was, without seeing that in many 
 respects we might copy them with advantage. They are a 
 great people. Compare their splendid mansions and their 
 regular orderly life, their manners and their ways, with our 
 rough huts, and our feasts, ending as often as not with quarrels 
 and brawls. Look at their arts, their power of turning stone 
 into lifelike figures, and above all, the way in which they can 
 transfer their thoughts to white leaves, so that others, many 
 many years hence, can read them and know all that was 
 passing, and what men thought and did in the long bygone. 
 Truly it is marvellous." 
 
 "You are half Eomanized, Beric," his companion said 
 roughly. 
 
 "I think not," the other said quietly; "I should be worse 
 than a fool had I lived, as I have done, a hostage among them 
 for four years without seeing that there is much to admire, 
 much that we could imitate with advantage, in their life and 
 ways; but there is no reason because they are wiser and far 
 more polished, and in many respects a greater people than we, 
 that they should come here to be our masters. These things 
 are desirable, but they are as nothing to freedom. I have said 
 that I like them more for being among them. I like them 
 more for many reasons. They are grave and courteous in their 
 manner to each other ; they obey their own laws ; every man 
 has his rights; and while all yield obedience to their superiors, 
 the superiors respect the rights of those below them. The 
 highest among them cannot touch the property or the life of 
 the lowest in rank. All this seems to me excellent; but then, 
 on the other hand, my blood boils in my veins at the contempt 
 in which they hold us; at their greed, their rapacity, their 
 brutality, their denial to us of all rights. In their eyes we are 
 but savages, but wild men, who may be useful for tilling the 
 ground for them, but who, if troublesome, should be hunted
 
 A HOSTAGE. 13 
 
 down and slain like wild beasts. I admire them for what they 
 can do; I respect them for their power and learning; but I hate 
 them as our oppressors." 
 
 "That is better, Beric, much better. I had begun to fear 
 that the grand houses and the splendour of these Romans 
 might have sapped your patriotism. I hate them all; I hate 
 changes; I would live as we have always lived." 
 
 " But you forget, Boduoc, that we ourselves have not been 
 standing still. Though our long -past forefathers, when they 
 crossed from Gaul wave after wave, were rude warriors, we 
 have been learning ever since from Gaul as the Gauls have 
 learned from the Romans, and the Romans themselves admit 
 that we have advanced greatly since the days when, under 
 their Ceesar, they first landed here. Look at the town on the 
 hill there. Though 'tis Roman now 'tis not changed so much 
 from what it was under that great king Cunobeline, while 
 his people had knowledge of many things of which we and the 
 other tribes of the Iceni knew nothing." 
 
 "What good did it do them?" the other asked scornfully; 
 "they lie prostrate under the Roman yoke. It was easy to 
 destroy their towns while we, who have few towns to destroy, 
 live comparatively free. Look across at Camalodunum, Cuno- 
 beline's capital. Where are the men who built the houses, 
 who dressed in soft garments, who aped the Romans, and who 
 regarded us as well-nigh savage men? Gone every one of 
 them; hewn down on their own hearthstones, or thrust out 
 with their wives and families to wander homeless is there 
 one left of them in yonder town 1 Their houses they were so 
 proud of, their cultivated fields, their wealth of all kinds has 
 been seized by the Romans. Did they fight any better for 
 their Roman fashions? Not they; the kingdom of Cunobeline, 
 from the Thames to the western sea, fell to pieces at a touch, 
 and it was only among the wild Silures that Caractacus was 
 able to make any great resistance." 
 
 "But we did no better, Boduoc; Ostorius crushed us as 
 easily as Claudius crushed the Trinobantes. It is no use our
 
 14 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 setting ourselves against change. All that you urge against 
 the Trinobantes and the tribes of Kent the Silures might urge 
 with equal force against us. You must remember that we were 
 like them not so many ages back. The intercourse of the 
 Gauls with us on this eastern sea-coast, and with the Kentish 
 tribes, has changed us greatly. We are no longer, like the 
 western tribes, mere hunters living in shelters of boughs and 
 roaming the forests. Our dress, with our long mantles, our 
 loose vests and trousers, differs as widely from that of these 
 western tribes as it does from the Romans. We live in towns, 
 and if our houses are rude they are solid. We no longer 
 depend solely on the chase, but till the ground and have our 
 herds of cattle. I daresay there were many of our ancestors 
 who set themselves as much against the Gaulish customs as you 
 do against those of the Romans; but we adopted them, and 
 benefited by them, and though I would exult in seeing the last 
 Eoman driven from our land, I should like after their departure 
 to see us adopt what is good and orderly and decent in their 
 customs and laws." 
 
 Beric's companion growled a malediction upon everything 
 Koman. 
 
 " There is one thing certain," he said after a pause, " either 
 they must go altogether, not only here but everywhere they 
 must learn, as our ancestors taught them at their two first in- 
 vasions, that it is hopeless to conquer Britain or they will end 
 by being absolute masters of the island, and we shall be their 
 servants and slaves." 
 
 "That is true enough," Beric agreed; "but to conquer we 
 must be united, and not only united but steadfast. Of course 
 I have learned much of them while I have been with them. I 
 have come to speak their language, and have listened to their 
 talk. It is not only the Romans who are here whom we have 
 to defeat, it is those who will come after them. The power of 
 Rome is great; how great we cannot tell, but it is wonderful 
 and almost inconceivable. They have spread over vast coun- 
 tries, reducing peoples everywhere under their dominion. I
 
 A HOSTAGE. 15 
 
 have seen what they call maps showing the world as far as they 
 know it, and well-nigh all has been conquered by them; but 
 the farther away from Kome the more difficulty have they in 
 holding what they have conquered. 
 
 "That is our hope here; we are very far from Eome. They 
 may send army after army against us, but in time they will get 
 weary of the loss and expense when there is so little to gain, 
 and as after their first invasions a long time elapsed before they 
 again troubled us, so in the end they may abandon a useless 
 enterprise. Even now the Komans grumble at what they call 
 their exile, but they are obstinate and tenacious, and to rid our 
 land of them for good it would be necessary for us not only to 
 be united among ourselves when we rise against them, but to 
 remain so, and to oppose with our whole force the fresh armies 
 they will bring against us. 
 
 "You know how great the difficulties will be, Boduoc; we 
 want one great leader whom all the tribes will follow, just as 
 all the Roman legions obey one general; and what chance is 
 there of such a man arising a man so great, so wise, so brave, 
 that all the tribes of Britain will lay aside their enmities and 
 jealousies, and submit themselves to his absolute guidance." 
 
 " If we wait for that, Beric, we may wait for ever," Boduoc 
 said in a sombre tone, "at anyrate it is not while AVC are tran- 
 quil under the Eoman heel that such a man could show him- 
 self. If he is to come to the front it must be in the day of 
 battle. Then, possibly, one chief may rise so high above his 
 fellows that all may recognize his merits and agree to follow 
 him." 
 
 "That is so," Beric agreed; "but is it possible that even the 
 greatest hero should find support from all? Cassivelaunus 
 was betrayed by the Trinobantes. Who could have united the 
 tribes more than the sons of Cunobeline, who reigned over 
 well-nigh all Britain, and who was a great king ruling wisely 
 and well, and doing all in his power to raise and advance the 
 people; and yet, when the hour came, the kingdom broke up 
 into pieces. Veric, the chief of the Cantii, went to Kome and
 
 16 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 invited the invader to aid him against his rivals at home, and 
 not a man of the Iceni or the Brigantes marched to the aid of 
 Caractacus and Togodamnus. What wonder, then, that these 
 were defeated. Worse than all, when Caractacus was driven 
 a fugitive to hide among the Brigantes, did not their queen, 
 Cartismandua, hand him over to the Eomans 1 ? Where can we 
 hope to find a leader more fitted to unite us than was Carac- 
 tacus, the son of the king whom we all, at least, recognized and 
 paid tribute to; a prince who had learned wisdom from a wise 
 father, a warrior enterprising, bold, and indomitable a true 
 patriot? 
 
 "If Caractacus could not unite us, what hope is there of 
 finding another who would do so? Moreover, our position is 
 far worse now than it was ten years ago. The Belgse and 
 Dumnonii in the south-west have been crushed after thirty 
 battles; the Dobuni in the centre have been defeated and gar- 
 risoned; the Silures have set an example to us all, inflicting 
 many defeats on the Komans; but their power has at last been 
 broken. The Brigantes and ourselves have both been heavily 
 struck, as we deserved, Boduoc, for standing aloof from Carac- 
 tacus at first. Thus the task of shaking off the Roman bonds 
 is far more difficult now than it was when Plautius landed 
 here twenty years ago. Well, it is time for me to be going on. 
 Won't you come with me, Boduoc?" 
 
 "Not I, Beric; I never want to enter their town again save 
 with a sword in one hand and a torch in the other. It 
 enrages me to see the airs of superiority they give themselves. 
 They scarce seem even to see us as we walk in their streets; 
 and as to the soldiers as they stride along with helmet and 
 shield, my fingers itch to meet them in the forest. No; I 
 promised to walk so far with you, but I go no farther. How 
 long will you be there?" 
 
 " Two hours at most, I should say." 
 
 " The sun is half-way down, Beric ; I will wait for you till it 
 touches that hill over there. Till then you will find me sitting 
 by the first tree at the spot where we left the forest." 
 
 (726)
 
 A HOSTAGE. 17 
 
 Beric nodded and walked on towards the town. The lad, 
 for he was not yet sixteen, was the son of Parta, the chief- 
 tainess of one of the divisions of the great tribe of the Iceni, 
 who occupied the tract of country now known as Suffolk, Nor- 
 folk, Cambridge, and Huntingdon. This tribe had yielded but 
 a nominal allegiance to Cunobeline, and had held aloof during 
 the struggle between Caractacus and the Komans, but when the 
 latter had attempted to establish forts in their country they 
 had taken up arms. Ostorius Scapula, the Eoman propraetor, 
 had marched against them and defeated them with great 
 slaughter, and they had submitted to the Roman authority. 
 The Sarci, the division of the tribe to which Beric belonged, 
 had taken a leading part in the rising, and his father had fallen 
 in the defence of their intrenchments. 
 
 Among the British tribes the women ranked with the men, 
 and even when married the wife was often the acknowledged 
 chief of the tribe. Parta had held an equal authority with 
 her husband, and at his death remained sole head of the sub- 
 tribe, and in order to ensure its obedience in the future, Osto- 
 rius had insisted that her only son Beric, at that time a boy 
 of eleven, should be handed over to them as a hostage. 
 
 Had Parta consulted her own wishes she would have retired 
 with a few followers to the swamps and fens of the country to 
 the north rather than surrender her son, but the Brigantes, 
 who inhabited Lincolnshire, and who ranged over the whole 
 of the north of Britain as far as Northumberland, had also 
 received a defeat at the hands of the Romans, and might not 
 improbably hand her over upon their demand. She therefore 
 resigned herself to let Beric go. 
 
 "My son," she said, "I need not tell you not to let them 
 Romanize you. You have been brought up to hate them. 
 Your father has fallen before their weapons, half your tribe 
 have been slain, your country lies under their feet I will not 
 wrong you then by fearing for a moment that they can make 
 a Roman of you. 
 
 " You have been brought up to lie upon the bare ground, to 
 
 (72M B
 
 18 BERIC THE B1UTON. 
 
 suffer fatigue and hardship, hunger and thirst, and the rich 
 food and splendid houses and soft raiment of the Eomans 
 should have no attraction for you. I know not how long your 
 imprisonment among them may last. For the present I have 
 little hope of another rising; but should I see a prospect of 
 anything like unity among our people, I will send Boduoc with 
 a message to you to hold yourself in readiness to escape when 
 you receive the signal that the time has come. Till then 
 employ your mind in gaining what good you may by your 
 residence among them; there must be some advantage in 
 their methods of warfare which has enabled the people of one 
 city to conquer the world. 
 
 " It is not their strength, for they are but pigmies to us. 
 We stand a full head above them, and even we women are 
 stronger than Roman soldiers, and yet they defeat us. Learn 
 then their language, throw your whole mind into that at first, 
 then study their military discipline and their laws. It must 
 be the last as much as their discipline that has made them 
 rulers over so vast an empire. Find out if you can the secret of 
 their rule, and study the training by which their soldiers move 
 and fight as if bound together by a cord, forming massive walls 
 against which we break ourselves in vain. Heed not their arts, 
 pay no attention to their luxuries, these did Cunobeline no 
 good, and did not for a day delay the destruction that fell 
 upon his kingdom. What we need is first a knowledge of their 
 military tactics, so that we may drive them from the land; 
 secondly, a knowledge of their laws, that we may rule ourselves 
 wisely after they have gone. What there is good in the rest 
 may come in time. 
 
 " However kind they may be to you, bear always in mind 
 that you are but a prisoner among the oppressors of your 
 country, and that though, for reasons of policy, they may treat 
 you well, yet that they mercilessly despoil and ill-treat your 
 countrymen. Remember too, Beric, that the Britons, now that 
 Caractacus has been sent a prisoner to Rome, need a leader, 
 one who ia not only brave and valiant in the fight, but who
 
 A HOSTAGB. 19 
 
 can teach the people how to march to victory, and can order 
 and rule them well afterwards. We are part of one of our 
 greatest tribes, and from among us, if anywhere, such a leader 
 should come. 
 
 "I have great hopes of you, Beric. I know that you are 
 brave, for single-handed you slew with an arrow a great 
 wolf the other day; but bravery is common to all, I do not 
 think that there is a coward in the tribe. I believe you are 
 intelligent. I consulted the old Druid in the forest last week, 
 and he prophesied a high destiny for you; and when the mes- 
 senger brought the Roman summons for me to deliver you 
 up as a hostage, it seemed to me that this was of all things 
 the one that would fit you best for future rule. I am not 
 ambitious for you, Beric. It would be nought to me if you were 
 king of all the Britons. It is of our country that I think. 
 We need a great leader, and my prayer to the gods is that one 
 may be found. If you should be the man so much the better; 
 but if not, let it be another. Comport yourself among them 
 independently, as one who will some day be chief of a British 
 tribe, but be not sullen or obstinate. Mix freely with them, 
 learn their language, gather what are the laws under which 
 they live, see how they build those wonderful houses of theirs, 
 watch the soldiers at their exercises, so that when you return 
 among us you can train the Sarci to fight in a similar manner. 
 Keep the one purpose always in your mind. Exercise your 
 muscles daily, for among us no man can lead who is not as 
 strong and as brave as the best who follow him. Bear your- 
 self so that you shall be in good favour with all men." 
 
 Beric had, to the best of his power, carried out the instruc- 
 tions of his mother. It was the object of the Romans always 
 to win over their adversaries if possible, and the boy had no 
 reason to complain of his treatment. He was placed in charge 
 of Caius Muro, commander of a legion, and a slave was at once 
 appointed to teach him Latin. He took his meals with the 
 scribe and the steward of the household, for Caius was of noble 
 family, of considerable wealth, and his house was one of the
 
 20 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 finest in Camalodunum. He was a kindly and just man, and 
 much beloved by his troops. As soon as Beric had learned the 
 language, Caius ordered the scribe to teach him the elements of 
 Koman law, and a decurion was ordered to take him in hand 
 and instruct him in arms. 
 
 As Beric was alike eager to study and to exercise in arms, 
 he gained the approval of both his teachers. Julia, the wife 
 of Caius, a kindly lady, took a great fancy to the boy. " He 
 will make a fine man, Caius," she said one day when the boy 
 was fourteen years old. "See how handsome and strong 
 he is; why, Scipio, the son of the centurion Metellus, is 
 older by two years, and yet he is less strong than this young 
 Briton." 
 
 " They are a fine race, Julia, though in disposition as fierce 
 as wild cats, and not to be trusted. But the lad is, as you say, 
 strong and nimble. I marked him practising with the sword 
 the other day against Lucinus, who is a stout soldier, and the 
 man had as much as he could do to hold his own against him. 
 I was surprised myself to see how well he wielded a sword of 
 full weight, and how active he was. The contest reminded 
 me of a dog and a wild cat, so nimble were the boy's springs, 
 and so fierce his attacks. Lucinus fairly lost his temper at 
 last, and I stopped the fight, for although they fought with 
 blunted weapons, he might well have injured the lad badly 
 with a downright cut, and that would have meant trouble with 
 the Iceni again." 
 
 "He is intelligent, too," Julia replied. ''Sometimes I have 
 him in while I am working with the two slave girls, and he 
 will stand for hours asking questions about Rome, and about 
 our manners and customs." 
 
 "One is never sure of these tamed wolves," Caius said; 
 "sometimes they turn out valuable allies and assistants, at 
 other times they grow into formidable foes, all the more 
 dangerous for what they have learned of us. However, do with 
 him as you like, Julia; a woman has a lighter hand than a 
 man, and you are more likely to tame him than we are.
 
 A HOSTAGE. 21 
 
 Cneius says that he is very eager to learn, and has ever a book 
 in his hand when not practising in arms." 
 
 "What I like most in him," Julia said, "is that he is very 
 fond of our little Berenice. The child has taken to him won- 
 derfully, and of an afternoon, when he has finished with Cneius, 
 she often goes out with him. Of course old Lucia goes with 
 them. It is funny to hear them on a wet day, when they 
 cannot go out, talking together she telling him stories of 
 Eome and of our kings and consuls, and he telling her tales 
 of hunting the wolf and wild boar, and legends of his people, 
 who seem to have been always at war with someone." 
 
 After Beric had resided for three years and a half at Cama- 
 lodunum a great grief fell on the family of Caius Muro, for 
 the damp airs from the valley had long affected Julia and she 
 gradually faded and died. Beric felt the loss very keenly, for 
 she had been uniformly kind to him. A year later Suetonius 
 and the governor of the colony decided that as the Sarci had 
 now been quiet for nearly five years, and as Caius reported that 
 their young chief seemed to have become thoroughly Roman- 
 ized, he was permitted to return to his tribe. 
 
 The present was his first visit to the colony since he had 
 left it four months before. His companion, Boduoc, was one 
 of the tribesmen, a young man six years his senior. He was 
 related to his mother, and had been his companion in his 
 childish days, teaching him woodcraft, and to throw the javelin 
 and use the sword. Together, before Beric went as hostage, 
 they had wandered through the forest and hunted the wolf 
 and wild boar, and at that time Boduoc had stood in the rela- 
 tion of an elder brother to Beric. That relation had now much 
 changed. Although Boduoc was a powerful young man and 
 Beric but a sturdy stripling, the former was little better than 
 an untutored savage, and he looked with great respect upon 
 Beric both as his chief and as possessing knowledge that seemed 
 to him to be amazing. 
 
 Hating the Romans blindly he had trembled lest he should 
 find Beric on his return completely Romanized. He had many
 
 22 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 times, during the lad's stay at Camalodunum, carried messages 
 to him there from his mother, and had sorrowfully shaken his 
 head on his way back through the forest as he thought of 
 his young chief's surroundings. Beric had partially adopted 
 the Roman costume, and to hear him talking and jesting in 
 their own language to the occupants of the mansion, whose 
 grandeur and appointments filled Boduoc with an almost 
 superstitious fear, was terrible to him. However, his loyalty 
 to Beric prevented him from breathing a word in the tribe as 
 to his fears, and he was delighted to find the young chief 
 return home in British garb, and to discover that although his 
 views of the Eomans differed widely from his own, he was still 
 British at heart, and held firmly the opinion that the only 
 hope for the freedom of Britain was the entire expulsion of 
 the invaders. 
 
 He was gratified to find that Beric had become by no means 
 what he considered effeminate. He was built strongly and 
 massively, as might be expected from such parents, and was 
 of the true British type, that had so surprised the Romans at 
 their first coming among them, possessing great height and 
 muscular power, together with an activity promoted by con- 
 stant exercise. 
 
 Beric had fallen back upon the customs of his people as 
 thoroughly as if he had never dwelt in the stately Roman 
 town. He was as ready as before to undertake the longest 
 hunting expeditions, to sleep in the forest, to go from sunrise 
 to sunset without breaking his fast. When not engaged in 
 hunting he practised incessantly hurling the javelin and other 
 warlike exercises, while of an evening he frequently related 
 stories of Roman history to any chiefs or other guests of his 
 mother, on which occasions the humbler followers would gather 
 thickly in the background, evincing an interest even greater than 
 that which they felt in the songs and legends of the bards. 
 
 Beric generally chose stories relating to periods when Rome 
 was hardly pressed by her foes, showing how the intense feel- 
 ing of patriotism, and the obstinate determination to resist, in
 
 A HOSTAGE. 23 
 
 spite of all dangers, upon the part of the population, and the 
 discipline and dogged valour of the soldiers, saved her from 
 destruction. He was cautious to draw no parallel openly to 
 the case of Britain. He knew that the Romans were made 
 acquainted, by traitors in their pay, with much that passed 
 among the native tribes, and that at first they were sure to 
 interest themselves in his proceedings. At present there could 
 be no thought of a rising, and the slightest sign of disaffection 
 might bring disaster and ruin upon his tribe. Only when 
 some unexpected event, some invasion of the rights of the 
 Britons even more flagrant than those that had hitherto taken 
 place, should stir the smouldering fire of discontent, and fan it 
 into a fierce flame of revolt from end to end of Britain, could 
 success be hoped for. 
 
 No Eoman could have found fault with Beric's relation of 
 their prowess or their valour; for he held them up to the 
 admiration of his hearers. "No wonder Eome is great and 
 powerful," he said, " when its people evince so deep a love of 
 country, so resolute a determination in the face of their enemies, 
 so unconquerable a spirit when misfortune weighs upon 
 them." 
 
 To the men he addressed all this was new. It was true that 
 a few princes and chiefs had visited Rome, occasionally as 
 travellers desiring to see the centre of her greatness, more 
 often as exiles driven from Britain by defeat in civil strife, 
 but these had only brought back great tales of Rome's magni- 
 ficence, and the Britons knew nothing of the history of the 
 invaders, and eagerly listened to the stories that Beric had 
 learned from their books in the course of his studies. The 
 report of his stories spread so far that visits were paid to the 
 village of Parta by chiefs and leading men from other sections 
 of the Iceni to listen to them. 
 
 Oratory was among the Britons, as among most primitive 
 
 tribes, highly prized and much cultivated. Oral tradition 
 
 among such peoples takes the place of books among civilized 
 
 , nations. Story and legend are handed down from father to
 
 24 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 son, and the wandering bard is a most welcome guest. Next 
 only to valour oratory sways and influences the minds of the 
 people, and a Ulysses has greater influence than an Ajax. 
 From his earliest childhood Beric had listened to the stories 
 and legends told by bards in the rough palace of his father, 
 and his sole schooling before he went to Camalodunum had 
 been to learn these by heart, and to repeat them with due 
 emphasis and appropriate gesture. His father had been one 
 of the most eloquent and influential of the chiefs of the Iceni, 
 and had early impressed upon him the importance of cultivating 
 the power of speech. 
 
 His studies in Roman history, too, had taught him the 
 power exercised by men with the gift of moving multitudes 
 by their words; he had learned from books how clearly and 
 distinctly events could be described by a careful choice of 
 words, and attention to form and expression, so that almost 
 unconsciously to himself he had practised the art in his 
 relations of the tales and legends of British history to Berenice 
 and her mother. Thus, then, the manner no less than the 
 matter of his recitals of Roman story, gained him a high esti- 
 mation among his hearers, and he was already looked upon 
 as a young chief likely to rise to a very high position among 
 the Iceni. Among the common herd his glowing laudations 
 of Roman patriotism, devotion, and sacrifice, caused him to be 
 regarded with disfavour, and the epithet " the Roman" was 
 frequently applied to him. But the wiser spirits saw the hidden 
 meaning of his stories, and that, while holding up the Romans 
 as an example, he was endeavouring to teach how much can 
 be done by patriotism, by a spirit of self-sacrifice, and by 
 unity against a common foe. Parta was also proud of the con- 
 gratulations that distinguished chiefs, famed for their wisdom 
 throughout the tribe, offered to her on the occasion of their 
 visits. 
 
 " Beric will be a great chief," one of the wisest of these said 
 to her; "truly his sojourn among the Romans has done great 
 things for him. It would be well, indeed, if every noble youth
 
 A HOSTAGE. 25 
 
 throughout the island were to have such schooling, if he had 
 your son's wit in taking advantage of it. He will be a great 
 orator; never among our bards have I heard narrations so 
 clear and so well delivered; although the deeds he praises are 
 those of our oppressors, one cannot but feel a thrill of enthu- 
 siasm as he tells them. Yea, for the moment I myself felt half 
 a Roman when he told us of the brave youth who thrusb his 
 hand into the flames, and suffered it to be consumed in order 
 to impress the invader with a knowledge of the spirit that 
 animated the Romans, and of the three men who held against 
 a host the bridge that their friends were breaking down behind 
 them. 
 
 " If he could stir me thus by his tales of the deeds of our 
 enemies, what will it be when some day he makes the heroes 
 of Britain his theme, and calls upon his countrymen to imitate 
 their deeds! I have heard him called 'the Roman,' Parta. 
 Now that I have listened to him I know that he will, when the 
 time comes, be one of Rome's most formidable foes. I will tell 
 you now that Prasutagus, our king, and his queen Boadicea, spoke 
 to mo about Beric, and begged me to come hither to see for 
 myself this youth of whom they had heard reports from others, 
 some saying that he had returned a Roman heart and soul, 
 while others affirmed that, while he had learned much from 
 them, he had forgotten nothing of the injuries he had received 
 at their hands in the death of his father, and the disaster of 
 the tribe. I shall know now what to tell them. To Prasu- 
 tagus, whose fear of the Romans is even greater than his 
 hatred for them, I shall say that the lad is full of the glories of 
 Roman story, and that there is no fear of his doing or saying 
 aught that will excite the anger or suspicion of the Romans. 
 To Boadicea, who hates the Romans far more than she fears 
 them, I shall tell the truth, and shall inform her that when the 
 time comes, as assuredly it some day will, that the Iceni are 
 called upon to defend their liberties against Rome, in Beric 
 she will find a champion of whom I predict that he will be 
 , worthy to take his place in our history by the side of Carac-
 
 26 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 tacus and Cassivelaunus. May our gods avert that, like them, 
 he fall a victim to British treachery ! " 
 
 After leaving Boduoc, Beric crossed the bridge built by the 
 Romans over the Stour, and entered the city. Camalodunum 
 was the chief seat of the Roman power in England. Although 
 but so short a time had elapsed since Claudius had occupied 
 it, it was already a large city. A comparatively small propor- 
 tion, however, was Roman work, but all bore the impress of 
 Roman art and civilization, for Cunobeline, whose capital it 
 had been, was a highly enlightened king, and had introduced 
 Roman ways and methods among his people. Men instructed 
 in their arts and architecture had been largely employed in 
 the building of the town, and its edifices would have borne 
 comparison with those in minor towns in the Roman provinces. 
 
 The conquerors, therefore, found much of their work done 
 for them. The original possessors of the houses and of the 
 highly cultivated lands lying round the town were ejected 
 wholesale, and the Romans, establishing themselves in their 
 abodes and farms, then proceeded to add to, embellish, and 
 fortify the town. The 2d, 9th, and 14th Legions were selected 
 by Claudius to found what was called the colony, and to take 
 possession of the surrounding country. Plautius was appointed 
 propraetor, or governor, and establishing himself in the royal 
 palace of Cunobeline, his first step was to protect the city from 
 renewed attacks by the Britons. He accordingly erected vast 
 works to the westward of the town, extending from the sea to 
 the river, by which means he not only protected the city from 
 attack, but gained, in case of an assault by overpowering num- 
 bers, the means of retiring safely to Mersea Island, lying a 
 short distance from the shore. 
 
 A council-house and a tribunal were erected for the Roman 
 magistrates; temples, a theatre, and baths raised. The civilian 
 population increased rapidly. Architects, artists, and musi- 
 cians, decorators, skilled artisans, and traders were attracted 
 from the mainland to the rising city, which rapidly increased 
 in wealth and importance. Conspicuous on the most elevated
 
 A HOSTAGE. 27 
 
 position etood a temple erected to the honour of Claudius, who 
 was raised by the grateful legionaries to divine rank. So 
 strong and populous was the city that the Trinobantes, during 
 the years that had elapsed since the Romans took possession 
 of it, remained passive under the yoke of their oppressors, and 
 watched, without attempting to take part in them, the rising 
 of the Iceni and Brigantes, the long and desperate war of the 
 Silures and Ordovices under Caractacus, and the reduction of 
 the Belgas and Dumnonii from Hampshire to Cornwall by 
 Vespasian. Yet, had cheir spirit remained unbroken, there 
 was an opportunity for revenge, for a large part of the veteran 
 legionaries had been withdrawn to take part in the struggle 
 against the western tribes. The tribe had, however, been dis- 
 armed, and with Camalodunum on the north, and the rising 
 towns of London and Verulamium on the south, they were cut 
 off from other tribes, and could not hope for final success, 
 unless the powerful Iceni, who were still semi -independent, 
 rose in the national cause. Whether their easy defeat of this 
 tribe soon after the occupation of Camalodunum had rendered 
 the Romans contemptuous of their fighting powers, or that they 
 deemed it wiser to subdue the south-west and west of England, 
 and to strike a heavy blow at the Brigantes to the north 
 before interfering with a powerful tribe so close to their doors, 
 is uncertain; but doubtless they felt that so long as Prasutagus 
 reigned there was little fear of trouble in that quarter, as that 
 king protested himself the friend and ally of Rome, and occu- 
 pied himself wholly in acquiring wealth and adding to his per- 
 sonal possessions. 
 
 The scene in Camalodunum was a familiar one to Beric. 
 The streets were thronged with people. Traders from Gaul 
 and Italy, Roman artisans and workmen, haughty legionaries 
 with shield and helmet, civil officials, Greek players, artists 
 and decorators, native tribesmen, with the products of their 
 fields or the spoils of the chase, walking with humble mien; 
 and shopkeepers sitting at the open fronts of their houses, 
 , while their slaves called the attention of passers-by to the
 
 28 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 merits of the goods. Here were the rich products of Eastern 
 looms, there the cloths and linen of Rome, further on a smith's 
 shop in full work, beyond that a silversmith's, next door to 
 which was a thriving trader who sold unguents and perfumes, 
 dyes for the ladies' cheeks and pigments for their eyebrows, 
 dainty requisites for the toilette, and perfumed soap. Bakers 
 and butchers, vendors of fish and game, of fruit, of Eastern 
 spices and flavourings abounded. 
 
 Druggists and dealers in dyes for clothing and in the pig- 
 ments used in wall decorations and paintings were also to be 
 found; and, in fact, this Roman capital of a scarcely subjugated 
 country contained all the appliances for luxury and comfort 
 that could be found in the cities of the civilized provinces. 
 
 The only shops at which Beric paused were those of the 
 armourers and of the scribes, at some of which were exhibited 
 vellums with the writings of the Greek and Roman poets and 
 historians ; and Beric muttered to himself, " If I am ever present 
 at the sack of Camalodunum these shall be my share of the 
 spoil, and I fancy that no one is likely to dispute their posses- 
 sion with me." 
 
 But he did not linger long. Boduoc would be waiting for 
 him, and he could not hurry over his visit, the first he had 
 paid since his absence; therefore he pushed on, with scarce a 
 glance at the stately temple of Claudius, the magnificent baths 
 or other public buildings, until he arrived at the villa of Caius 
 Muro, which stood somewhat beyond the more crowded part 
 of the town. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 
 
 THE house of Caius Muro had been built but six years 
 before on the model of one owned by him in the Tuscan 
 hills. Passing through the hall or vestibule, with its mosaic
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 29 
 
 pavement, on which was the word of welcome, "Salve!" Beric 
 entered the atrium, the principal apartment in the house. 
 From each side, at a height of some twenty feet from the 
 ground, extended a roof, the fall being slightly to the centre, 
 where there was an aperture of about eight feet square. 
 Through this light and air made their way down to the apart- 
 ment, the rainfall from the roofs and opening falling into a 
 marble tank, called the impluvium, below the level of the floor, 
 which was paved with squares of coloured marble. On either 
 side of the atrium were the small sleeping chambers, the bed- 
 places being raised and covered with thick mats and rugs. 
 
 The walls of the bed-chambers as well as of the atrium were 
 painted in black, with figures and landscapes in colour. On 
 the centre of the side facing the vestibule was the tablinum, 
 the apartment of Caius Muro himself. This formed his sitting- 
 room and study. The floor was raised about a foot above that 
 of the atrium, and it was partly open both on that side and 
 on the other, looking into the peristylium, so that, while at 
 work, he commanded a view of all that was going on in the 
 atrium and in the court-yard. In the centre of this was a 
 fountain surrounded by plants. From the court-yard opened 
 the triclinium, or dining-room, and also rooms used as store- 
 rooms, kitchen, and the sleeping places of the slaves. 
 
 At the back of the peristylium was the cecus, or state apart- 
 ment, where Caius received distinguished guests, and where, in 
 the lifetime of Julia, entertainments were given to the ladies 
 of the colony. Like the triclinium, this room was also partially 
 open at both ends, affording the guests a view of the graceful 
 fountain on the one side and of the garden on the other. In 
 winter wooden frames, with heavy hangings, were erected across 
 these openings and that of the tablinum, for the Romans soon 
 found the necessity for modifying arrangements which, although 
 well suited for an Italian climate, were wholly unfit for that 
 of Britain. The opening in the centre of the atrium was then 
 closed with an awning of oiled canvas, which admitted a certain 
 amount of light to pass, but prevented the passage of rain and
 
 30 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 snow, and kept out much of the cold. There was a narrow 
 passage between the atrium and the peristylium; this was 
 called the fauces. Above the chambers round the atrium was 
 a second story, approached by a staircase from the peristylium; 
 here were the apartments of the ladies and of the female slaves. 
 
 As Beric entered the atrium, a man, who was reading a roll 
 of parchment, rose to his feet. 
 
 "Welcome, Beric!" he said warmly. 
 
 "All hail, preceptor!" the lad replied. "Are all well here?" 
 
 "All well, Beric. We had looked to see you before, and 
 Berenice has been constantly asking me when you were coming." 
 
 " I had been absent over four years, you see," Beric replied, 
 " and it was not easy to get away from home again. Now I 
 must speak to Caius." He crossed the apartment, and stood at 
 the entrance to the tablinum. Caius looked up from a military 
 treatise he was perusing. 
 
 " Ah, Beric ! it is you ! I am glad to see you again, though 
 I am sorry to observe that you have abandoned our fashions 
 and taken to the native garb again." 
 
 " It was necessary, Caius," Beric said. " I should have lost 
 all influence with the tribe had I not laid aside my Roman 
 dress. As it is, they regard me with some doubt, as one too 
 enamoured of Roman customs." 
 
 " We have heard of you, Beric, and, indeed, report says that 
 you speak well of us, and are already famous for your relations 
 of our history." 
 
 " I thought it well that my countrymen should know your 
 great deeds," Beric said, " and should see by what means you 
 have come to rule the world. I received nought but kindness 
 at your hands, and no prisoner's lot was ever made more easy 
 than mine. To you and yours I am deeply grateful. If your 
 people all behaved as kindly towards the natives of this 
 country as you did to me, Britain would be conquered without 
 need of drawing sword from scabbard." 
 
 "I know not that, Beric; to rule, one should be strong as 
 well as kind. Still, as you know, I think that things might
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 31 
 
 have been arranged far less harshly than they have been. It 
 was needful that we should show ourselves to be masters; but 
 I regret the harshness that has been too often used, and I would 
 that not one of us here, from the governor down to the poorest 
 soldier, was influenced by a desire for gain, but that each was 
 animated, as he assuredly should be, only by a desire to uphold 
 the glory and power of Eome. But that would be expecting 
 too much from human nature, and even among you there are 
 plenty ready to side against their countrymen for the sake of 
 Eoman gold. In that they have less excuse than we. Custom 
 and habit have made our wants many, and all aim at attaining 
 the luxuries of the rich. On the other hand, your wants are 
 few, and I see not that the piling up of wealth adds in any 
 way to your happiness." 
 
 " That is true, Caius. I quite agree with you that it is far 
 more excusable for a Roman to covet wealth than for a Briton; 
 and while I blame many officials and soldiers for the harshness 
 with which they strive to wring all their possessions from my 
 countrymen, I deem their conduct as worthy and honourable 
 when compared with that of Britons who sell their country for 
 your gold." 
 
 "We must take the world as we find it, Beric. We may 
 regret that greed and the love of luxury should influence 
 men, as we may grieve that they are victims of other base pas- 
 sions; but it is of no use quarrelling with human nature. 
 Certain it is that all vices bring their own punishment, and 
 that the Romans were a far nobler race when they were poor 
 and simple, in the days of the early consuls, than they are now, 
 with all their power, their riches, and their luxuries. Such is 
 the history of all peoples of Egypt, of Persia, of Greece, and 
 Carthage; and methinks that Rome, too, will run the course of 
 other nations, and that some day, far distant maybe, she will 
 sink beneath the weight of her power and her luxury, and 
 that some younger and more vigorous people will, bit by bit, 
 wrest her dominions from her and rule in her place. 
 
 " As yet, happily, I see no signs of failing in her powers.
 
 32 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 She is still vigorous, and even in the distant outskirts of 
 the empire the wave of conquest flows onward. Happily for 
 us, I think, it can flow no farther this way; there is but one 
 island beyond this to conquer, and then, as in Western Gaul 
 and Iberia, the ocean says to Rome, 'Thou shalt go no farther.' 
 Would that to the south, the east, and north a similar barrier 
 checked our progress, then we could rest and be content, and 
 need no longer waste our strength in fresh conquests, or in oppos- 
 ing the incursions of hordes of barbarians from regions unknown 
 to us even by report. I could wish myself, Beric, that nature 
 had placed your island five days' sail from the coasts of Gaul, 
 instead of placing it within sight. Then I might have been 
 enjoying life in my villa among the Tuscan hills with my 
 daughter, instead of being exposed at any moment to march 
 with the Legion against the savage mountaineers of the west. 
 Ah! here comes Berenice," he broke off, as his daughter, 
 attended by her old nurse, entered the atrium from the vesti- 
 bule. She hastened her steps as she saw Beric standing before 
 her father in the tablinum. 
 
 " I knew you would come back, Beric, because you promised 
 me; but you have been a long time in keeping your word." 
 
 " I am not my own master at home, any more than I was 
 here, Berenice," he said, " and my mother would not hear 
 before of my leaving her. I have only come now for an hour's 
 visit, to see that all goes well in this house, and to tell you 
 that I had not forgotten my promise; the next time I hope to 
 pay a longer visit At daybreak to-morrow we have a party 
 to hunt the wolves, which have so multiplied as to become a 
 danger in the forests of late." 
 
 " I should like to go out to see a wolf hunt, Beric." 
 
 "I fear that would not be possible," he said; "the woods are 
 thick and tangled, and we have to force our way through to 
 get to their lair." 
 
 " But last winter they came close to the town, and I heard 
 that some came even into the streets." 
 
 "Yes, they will do so when driven by hunger; but they were
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 33 
 
 hunting then and not being hunted. No, Berenice, I fear that 
 your wish to see a wolf hunt cannot be gratified; they are savage 
 beasts, and are great trouble and loss to us. In winter they 
 carry off many children, and sometimes devour grown-up people, 
 and in times of long snow have been known to attack large 
 parties, and, in spite of a stout resistance by the men, to devour 
 them. In summer they are only met singly, but in winter they 
 go in packs and kill numbers of our cattle." 
 
 " I should like to go into the woods," the girl said earnestly, 
 " I am tired of this town. My father says he will take me with 
 him some day when he goes west, but so far I have seen no- 
 thing except this town and Verulamium, and the country was 
 all just as it is here, fields and cultivation. We could see the 
 forests in the distance, but that was all. My father says, that 
 if we went west, we should travel for miles through the forest 
 and should sleep in tents, but that we cannot do it till every- 
 thing is quiet and peaceful. Oh, Beric! I do wish the Britons 
 would not be always fighting." 
 
 Beric smiled. "The British girls, Berenice, say they wish 
 the Romans would not be always fighting." 
 
 " It is very troublesome," she said pettishly. " I should like 
 everyone to be friends, and then there would be no need to 
 have so many soldiers in Britain, and perhaps the emperor 
 would order our legion home. Father says that we ought to 
 look upon this as home now, for that the legion may remain 
 here for years and years; but he said the other day that he 
 thought that if everything was quiet here he should, when I 
 am sixteen years old, obtain leave from the governor, and go 
 back to Rome for two or three years, and I think, though he 
 has not said so outright, that he will perhaps retire and settle 
 there." 
 
 " It would be much the best for you," Beric said earnestly. 
 " I should be sorry, because you have been very kind to me, 
 and I should grieve were you to leave me altogether; but there 
 may be trouble here again some day, and I think it would be 
 far better for you to be back in Rome, where you would have 
 
 (725) C
 
 34 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 all the pleasures and delights of the great capital, and live in 
 ease and comfort, without the risk of your father having to 
 march away to the wars. I know that if I were your father I 
 would take you back. He says that his villa there is exactly 
 like this, and you have many relations there, and there must 
 be all sorts of pleasures and grand spectacles far beyond any- 
 thing there is here. I am sure it would be better for you, and 
 happier." 
 
 " I thought that you would be quite sorry," she said gravely. 
 
 " So, I shall be very sorry for myself," Beric said; " as, next 
 to my own mother, there is no one I care for so much as you and 
 your father. I shall miss you terribly; but yet I am so sure 
 that it would be best for you to be at home with your own 
 people, that I should be glad to hear that your father was 
 going to take you back to Eome." 
 
 But Berenice did not altogether accept the explanation. She 
 felt really hurt that Beric should view even the possibility of 
 her going away with equanimity, and she very shortly went off 
 to her own apartment; while a few minutes later, Beric, after 
 bidding good-bye to Caius, started to rejoin Boduoc, whom he 
 found waiting at the edge of the forest. 
 
 That evening Berenice said to her father, " I was angry with 
 Beric to-day, father." 
 
 "Were you, child 1 ? what about?" 
 
 "I told him that perhaps in another three years, when I 
 was sixteen, you would take me to Rome, and that I thought, 
 perhaps, if we went there you would not come back again; and 
 instead of being very much grieved, as I thought he would, he 
 seemed quite pleased at the idea. Of course he said he was 
 sorry, but he did not really seem to be, and he says he thought 
 it would be very much better for me. I thought he was grate- 
 ful, father, and liked us very much, and now I am quite dis- 
 appointed in him." 
 
 Caius was silent for a minute or two. 
 
 " I do not think Beric is ungrateful," he said, "and I am sure 
 that he likes us, Berenice."
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 35 
 
 "He said he did, father, that he cared for us more than any- 
 one except his mother; but if he cared for us, surely he would 
 be very, very sorry for us to go away." 
 
 " Beric is a Briton, my dear, and we are Eomans. By this 
 time he must have thoroughly learned his people's feelings to- 
 wards us. I have never believed, as some do, that Britain is as 
 yet completely conquered, and that when we have finished with 
 the Silures in the west our work will be completely done. 
 
 "Beric, who knows his countrymen, may feel this even more 
 strongly than I do, and may know that, sooner or later, there 
 will be another great effort on the part of the Britons to drive 
 us out. It may be a year, and it may be twenty, but I believe 
 myself that some day we shall have a fierce struggle to main- 
 tain our hold here, and Beric, who may see this also, and who 
 knows the feeling of his countrymen, may wish that we should 
 be away before the storm comes. 
 
 "There is but little doubt, Berenice, that we despise these 
 people too much, still less that we treat them harshly and cruelly. 
 Were I propraetor of Britain I would rule them very differently. 
 I am but the commander of a legion, and my duty is but to rule 
 my men. I would punish, and punish sternly, all attempts at 
 rising; but I would give them no causes for discontent. We treat 
 them as if their spirit were altogether broken, as if they and their 
 possessions were but our chattels, as if they possessed no rights, 
 not even the right to live. Some day we shall find our mistake, 
 and when the time comes the awakening will be a rude one. 
 It is partly because I see dimly the storm gathering in the dis- 
 tance that I long to be home again. As long as your mother 
 lived this seemed a home to me, now I desire rest and quiet. 
 I have done my share of fighting, I have won honour enough, 
 and I may look before long to be a general; but I have had 
 enough of it, and long for my quiet villa in the Alban hills, 
 with an occasional visit to Kome, where you can take part in 
 its gaietiep, and I can have the use of the libraries stored with 
 the learning of the world. So do not think harshly of Beric, 
 my child; he may see the distant storm more plainly than I do
 
 36 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 I am sure that he cares for us, and if he is glad at the news that 
 we are going, it is because he wishes us away and in safety 
 before the trouble comes. 
 
 " Nero has come to the imperial throne, and the men he is 
 sending hither are of a widely different stamp from the lieu- 
 tenants of Claudius. The latter knew that the Britons can 
 fight, and that, wild and untutored as they are, it needed all 
 the skill and courage of Ostorius and Vespasian to reduce them 
 to order. The new-comers regard them as slaves to be trampled 
 upon, robbed, and ill-used as they choose. I am sure they will 
 find their mistake. As long as they deal only with the tribes 
 thoroughly subdued, the Trinobantes, the Cantii, the Belgae, 
 and the Dumnonii, all may be quiet; they dare not move. But 
 the Iceni and Brigantes, although they both have felt the weight 
 of our swords, are still partly independent, and if pressed 
 too severely will assuredly revolt, and if they give the signal 
 all Britain may be up in arms again. I am scoffed at if I 
 venture to hint to these new-comers that there is life yet in 
 Britain. Dwelling here in a Roman city, it seems to them 
 absurd that there can be danger from the savages who roam 
 in the forests that stretch away from beyond the river at our 
 very feet to the far distant north, to regions of which we are 
 absolutely ignorant. I regard what Beric has said as another 
 warning." 
 
 "But I thought that Beric was our friend, father, and you 
 told me you had heard that he was teaching his countrymen 
 how great is our history." 
 
 " Beric is a Briton in the midst of Britons, child. He is a 
 partially tamed wolf-cub, and had he been sent to Rome and 
 remained there he would have done credit to our teaching. 
 He is fond of study, and at the same time fond of arms; he 
 might have turned out a wise citizen or a valiant soldier. But 
 this was not done. He has gone back again among the wolves, 
 and whatever his feelings towards us personally may be, he 
 must side with his own people. Did they suspect him of being 
 Roman at heart they would tear him in pieces. I believe that
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 37 
 
 as he knows our strength, and that in the end we must conquer, 
 his influence will always be on the side of peace; but if arms 
 are taken up he will have no choice but to side with his country- 
 men, and should it be another ten years before the cloud bursts, 
 he may be one of our most formidable opponents. Don't blame 
 him, child ; he only shows his regard for you, by wishing you 
 back safely in Rome before trouble arises." 
 
 " You are just in time, Beric," Boduoc said as the young 
 chief joined him. "The sun is but a hand's-breadth above 
 that hill. Here are your spear and sword where you hid them, 
 though why you should have done it I know not, seeing that 
 they have not yet ventured to order us to disarm." 
 
 "And if they did we should not obey them, Boduoc; but 
 as the Trinobantes have long been forbidden to carry arms, it 
 might have caused trouble had I gone armed into the town, 
 and we don't want trouble at present. I went on a peaceful 
 visit, and there was no occasion for me to carry my weapons. 
 But give me a piece of that deer flesh and an oaten cake; we 
 have a long march before us." 
 
 " Why, did you not eat with them?" 
 
 " No. I was, of course, invited, but I had but a short time 
 to stop, and did not wish it to seem as if I had come for a taste 
 of Roman dainties again." 
 
 As soon as the meal was eaten they set out. It was but 
 a track through the forest, for although the trees had been 
 cleared away for a width of twenty feet there was but little 
 traffic, for the road was seldom traversed, save by an occasional 
 messenger from Prasutagus. It had been used by the legions 
 at the time that Ostorius had built a line of forts stretching 
 from the Nen to the Severn, and by it they had advanced 
 when the Iceni had risen ; but from that time it had been un- 
 used by them, as the Iceni had paid their tribute regularly, 
 and held aloof from all hostile movements against them. 
 Prasutagus was always profuse in his assurances of friendship 
 towards Rome, and save that the Roman officers visited his 
 capital once a year to receive their tribute, they troubled but
 
 38 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 little about the Iceni, having their hands occupied by their wars 
 in the south and west, while their main road to the north ran 
 far to the west of Camalodunum. 
 
 "We shall arrive about midnight," Beric said as they strode 
 along. 
 
 " We may or we may not," Boduoc said curtly. 
 
 "What is to prevent us, Boduoc?" 
 
 "Well, the wolves may prevent us, Beric; we heard them 
 howling several times as we came along this morning. The 
 rapacious brutes have not been so bold for years, and it is high 
 time that we hunted them down, or at any rate made our part 
 of the country too hot to hold them. I told Borgon before 
 I started that if we did not return by an hour after midnight 
 it would be because we had been obliged to take to a tree, and 
 that he had better bring out a party at the first break of day 
 to rescue us." 
 
 " But we have never had any trouble of that kind while we 
 have been hunting, Boduoc." 
 
 "No; but I think there must have been some great hunts 
 up in Norfolk, and that the brutes have come south. Certain 
 it is that there have in the last week been great complaints of 
 them, and, as you know, it was for that reason that your mother 
 ordered all the men of the tribe to assemble by to-morrow 
 morning to make war against them. The people in the farms 
 and villages are afraid to stay out after nightfall. No man 
 with arms in his hands fears a wolf, or even two or three of 
 them, in the daytime; but when they are in packs they are for- 
 midable assailants, even to a strong party. Things are getting 
 as bad now as they were twenty years ago. My father has 
 told me that during one hard winter they destroyed full half 
 our herds, and that hundreds of people were devoured by them. 
 They had to erect stockades round the villages and drive in 
 all the cattle, and half the men kept guard by turns, keeping 
 great fires alight to frighten them away. When we have 
 cleared the land of those two-legged wolves the Romans, we 
 ehall have to make a general war upon them, for truly they are
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 39 
 
 becoming a perfect scourge to the land. It is not like the wild 
 boar, of which there might with advantage be more, for they 
 do but little harm, getting their food for the most part in the 
 woods, and furnishing us with good eating as well as good 
 sport. But the wolves give us nothing in return, and save for 
 the sport no one would trouble to hunt them; and it is only 
 by a general order for their destruction, or by the offer of a 
 reward for their heads, that we shall get rid of them." 
 
 "Well, let us press on, Boduoc. I would not that anything 
 should occur to prevent us starting with the rest in the mor- 
 ning." 
 
 " We are walking a good pace now," Boduoc said, " and 
 shall gain but little by going faster. One cannot run for six 
 hours; and besides it is as much as we can do to walk fast in 
 the dark. Did we try to run we should like enough fall over 
 a stump or root, and maybe not arrive there even though the 
 wolves stopped us not." 
 
 For two hours more they strode along. Boduoc's eyes had 
 been trained by many a long night spent among the woods, 
 and dark as it was beneath the overarching trees, he was able 
 to discern objects around him, and kept along in his regular 
 stride as surely and almost as noiselessly as a wild beast; but 
 the four years spent in the Eoman town had impaired Beric's 
 nocturnal vision; and though he had done much hunting since 
 his return home, he was far from being able to use his eyes as 
 his companion did, and he more than once stumbled over the 
 roots that crossed the path. 
 
 " You will be on your head presently," Boduoc growled. 
 
 " It is all very well for you, Boduoc, who have the eyes of 
 a cat; but you must remember we are travelling in the dark, 
 and although I can make out the trunks on either hand the 
 ground is all black to me, and I am walking quite at hazard." 
 
 " It is not what I should call a light night," Boduoc admitted. 
 
 " Well, no, considering that there is no moon, and that the 
 clouds that were rising when the sun went down have over- 
 , spread all the sky. I don't see that it could well be darker."
 
 40 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "Well we will stop at that hut in the little clearing, some- 
 where about half a mile on, and get a couple of torches. If you 
 were to fall and twist your foot you would not be able to hunt 
 to-morrow." 
 
 "What is that?" Beric exclaimed as a distant cry came to 
 their ears. 
 
 " I think it is the voice of a woman," Boduoc said. " Or 
 maybe it is one of the spirits of evil." 
 
 Beric during his stay among the Romans had lost faith in most 
 of his superstitions. "Nonsense, Boduoc! it was the cry of a 
 woman; it came from ahead. Maybe some woman returning 
 late has been attacked by wolves. Come along," he shouted, 
 and he started to run, followed reluctantly by his companion. 
 
 "Stop, Beric, stop!" he said in a short time, "I hear other 
 sounds." 
 
 "So do I," Beric agreed, but without checking his pace. 
 " My eyes may be dull, Boduoc, but they are not so dull as 
 your ears. Why, don't you know the snarling of wolves when 
 you hear them?" 
 
 Again the loud cry of distress came on the night air. " They 
 have not seized her yet," Beric said. " Her first cry would 
 have been her last had they done so. She must be in that 
 hut, Boduoc, and they are trying to get at her. Maybe her 
 husband is away." 
 
 " It is wolves," Boduoc agreed in a tone of relief. " Since that 
 is all I am ready for them; but sword and spear are of no avail 
 against the spirits of the air. We must be careful though, or 
 instead of us attacking we may be attacked." 
 
 Beric paid no attention. They had as they passed the hut 
 that morning stopped for a drink of water there, and he saw 
 now before his eyes the tall comely young woman with a baby 
 in her arms and two children hanging to her skirts. In a short 
 time they stood at the edge of the little clearing by the side of 
 the path. It was lighter here, and he could make out the 
 outline of the rude hut, and, as he thought, that of many 
 dark figures moving round it. A fierce growling and snarling
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 41 
 
 rose from around the hut, with once or twice a sharp yell of 
 pain. 
 
 " There are half a dozen of them on the roof," Boduoc said, 
 " and a score or more round the hut. At present they haven't 
 winded us, for the air is in our faces." 
 
 "I think we had best make a rush at them, Boduoc, shout- 
 ing at the top of our voices as we go, and bidding the woman 
 stand in readiness to unbar her door. They will be scared for 
 a moment, not knowing how many of us there may be, and 
 once inside we shall be safe from them." 
 
 "Let us get as near as we can before we begin to shout, 
 Beric. They may run back a few paces at our voice, but will 
 speedily rally." 
 
 Holding their spears in readiness for action they ran forward. 
 When within thirty yards of the hut Boduoc raised his voice 
 in a wild yell, Beric adding his cry and then shouting, " Unbar 
 your door and stand to close it as we enter." 
 
 There was, however, no occasion for haste. Boduoc's sudden 
 yell completely scared the wolves, and with whimpers of dis- 
 may they scattered in all directions. The door opened as Beric 
 and his companion came up, and they rushed in and closed it 
 after them. A fire burned on the hearth. A dead wolf lay 
 on the ground, the children crouched in terror on a pile of 
 rushes, and a woman stood with a spear in her hand. 
 
 " Thanks to our country's gods that you have come !" she said. 
 "A few minutes later and all would have been over with me 
 and my children. See, one has already made his way through 
 the roof, and in half a dozen places they have scratched holes 
 well-nigh large enough to pass through." 
 
 "We heard your cry," Beric said, "and hastened forward at 
 the top of our speed." 
 
 " It was for you that I called," the woman said. " By what 
 you said this morning I judged you would be returning about 
 this hour, and it was in hopes you might hear me that I cried 
 out, for I knew well that no one else would be likely to be 
 within ear-shot.
 
 42 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "Where is your husband?" Beric asked. 
 
 " He started this afternoon for Cardun. He and all the 
 able-bodied men were ordered to assemble there to-night in 
 readiness to begin the war against the wolves at daybreak. 
 There is no other house within a mile, and even had they heard 
 me there they could have given me no assistance, seeing there 
 are but women and children remaining behind." 
 
 "They are coming again," Boduoc broke in; "I can hear 
 their feet pattering on the dead leaves. Which shall we do, 
 Beric, pile more wood on the fire, or let it go out altogether? 
 I think that we shall do better without it; it is from the roof 
 that they will attack, and if we have a light here we cannot 
 see them till they are ready to leap down; whereas, if we are 
 in darkness we may be able to make them out when they 
 approach the holes, or as they pass over any of the crevices." 
 
 " I don't know, Boduoc ; I think we shall do better if we 
 have light. We may not make them out so well, but at least 
 we can use our spears better than we could in the dark, when 
 we might strike them against the rafters or thick branches." 
 
 The woman at once gathered some of the pieces of wood that 
 had fallen through as the wolves made the holes and put them 
 on the hearth, where they soon blazed up brightly. 
 
 " I will take this big hole," Boduoc said, " it is the only one 
 by which they can come down at present. Do you try and 
 prevent them from enlarging any of the others." 
 
 There was a sudden thump overhead, followed almost 
 immediately by several others. 
 
 " They get up by the wood-pile," the woman said. " It is 
 against that side of the hut, and reaches nearly up to the 
 eaves." 
 
 There was a sharp yell as Boduoc thrust his spear up through 
 the hole when he saw a pair of eyes, shining in the firelight, 
 appear at the edge. At the same moment there was a sound of 
 scraping and scratching at some of the other holes. The roof 
 was constructed of rough poles laid at short distances apart, and 
 above these were small branches, on which was a sort of thatch
 
 CITY AND FOREST. 43 
 
 of reeds and rushes. Standing close under one of the holes 
 Beric could see nothing, but from the sound of the scratching 
 he could tell from which side the wolf was at work enlarging 
 it. He carefully thrust the point of his spear through the 
 branches and gave a sudden lunge upwards. A fierce yell 
 was heard, followed by the sound of a body rolling down the 
 roof, and then a struggle accompanied by angry snarling and 
 growling outside. 
 
 "That is one less, Beric," Boduoc said. "I fancy I only 
 scratched mine. Ah!" he exclaimed suddenly, as without the 
 least warning a wolf sprang down through the hole. Before 
 it could gather its legs under it for a fresh spring Beric and 
 the woman both thrust their spears deeply into it, Boduoc 
 keeping his eyes fixed on the hole, and making a lunge as 
 another wolf peered down in readiness to spring after the one 
 that had entered. 
 
 For hours the fight went on. Gradually the holes, in spite 
 of the efforts of the defenders, were enlarged, and the position 
 became more and more critical. At least twenty of the wolves 
 were slain; but as the attack was kept up as vigorously as at 
 first, it was evident that fresh reinforcements had arrived to 
 the assailants. 
 
 "We cannot keep them out much longer, Beric," Boduoc 
 said at last. " It seems to me that our only plan is to fire the 
 hut, and then, each taking a child, to make a rush across to 
 the trees and climb them. The sudden burst of fire will drive 
 them back for a little, and we may make good our retreat to 
 the trees. 
 
 " What time is it, think you, Boduoc ?" 
 
 " It must be two or three hours past midnight, and if Borgon 
 carried out my instructions help ought to be near at hand. I 
 would that we could let them know of our peril." 
 
 " There is a cow-horn," the woman said, pointing to the 
 corner of the hut. "My husband uses it for calling in the 
 cattle." 
 
 Boduoc seized the horn and blew a deep hollow blast upon
 
 44 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 it. There was a sudden pattering of feet overhead and then 
 silence. 
 
 "That has scared them," Beric said. " Blow again, Boduoc; 
 if we can but gain half an hour our friends may be up." 
 
 Again and again the hoarse roar of the cow-horn rose, but the 
 wolves speedily recovered from their scare and crowded on the 
 roof. 
 
 "We can't hold out much longer," Beric said, as two wolves 
 that leapt down together had just been despatched. " Get 
 a brand from the fire." At this moment there was a sudden 
 scuffle overhead, and the three defenders stood, spear in hand, 
 ready to repel a fresh attack; but all was quiet; then a loud 
 shout rose on the air. 
 
 " Thank the gods, here they are !" Boduoc said. He listened 
 a moment, but all was still round the hut; then he threw the 
 door open as a score of men with lighted torches came running 
 towards it, and raised a shout of satisfaction as the light fell 
 upon Beric. 
 
 "Thanks for your aid, my friends!" he said as they crowded 
 round him; "never was a shout more welcome than yours. 
 You were just in time, as you may see by looking at the 
 roof. We were about to fire it and make for the trees, though 
 I doubt if one of us would have reached them." 
 
 As the men entered the hut and looked at the ragged holes in 
 the roof and the bodies of nine wolves stretched on the ground, 
 they saw that they had, indeed, arrived only just in time. 
 Among the rescuing party was the man to whom the hut 
 belonged, whose joy at finding his wife and children unhurt 
 was great indeed; and he poured forth his thanks to Beric and 
 Boduoc when he learned from his wife that they had voluntarily 
 abandoned the wood, where they could have been secure in 
 the shelter of a tree, in order to assist her in defending the 
 hut against the wolves. 
 
 "You must all come with us," Beric said; "the wolves may 
 return after we have gone. When our hunt is over I will send 
 some men to help you to repair your roof. Where are the cattle? "
 
 CUT AND FOREST. 45 
 
 'They are safe in a stockade at the next village," the man 
 said. " We finished it only yesterday, and drove in all the 
 cattle from the forests, and collected great quantities of wood 
 so that the women might keep up great bonfires if the wolves 
 tried to break in." 
 
 A few minutes later the party started on their return. As 
 they walked they could sometimes hear the pattering of foot- 
 steps on the falling leaves, but the torches deterred the animals 
 from making an attack, and after three hours' walking they 
 arrived at Cardun. The village stood on a knoll rising from 
 swamps, through which a branch of the Stour wound its way 
 sluggishly. Round the crest of the knoll ran two steep earthen 
 banks, one rising behind the other, and in the inclosed space, 
 some eight acres in extent, stood the village. The contrast 
 between it and the Roman city but two-and-twenty miles away 
 was striking. No great advance had been made upon the homes 
 that the people had occupied in Gaul before their emigration. 
 In the centre stood Parta's abode, distinguished from the rest 
 only by its superior size. The walls were of mud and stone, 
 the roof high, so as to let the water run more easily off the 
 rough thatching. It contained but one central hall surrounded 
 by half a dozen small apartments. 
 
 The huts of the people consisted but of a single room, with 
 a hole in the roof by which the smoke of the fire in the centre 
 made its way out. The doorway was generally closed by 
 a wattle secured by a bar. When this was closed light only 
 found its way into the room through the chinks of the wattle 
 and the hole in the roof. In winter, for extra warmth, a 
 skin was hung before the door. Beyond piles of hides, which 
 served as seats by day and beds at night, there was no furniture 
 whatever in the rooms, save a few earthen cooking pots. 
 
 Parta's abode, however, was more sumptuously furnished. 
 
 Across one end ran a sort of dais of beaten earth, raised a foot 
 
 above the rest of the floor. This was thickly strewn with fresh 
 
 rushes, and there was a rough table and benches. The walls of 
 
 1 the apartment were hidden by skins, principally those of wolves.
 
 46 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 The fireplace was in the centre of the lower part of the hall, 
 and arranged on a shelf against the wall were cooking pots of 
 iron and brass; while on a similar shelf on the wall above the 
 dais were jugs and drinking-vessels of gold. Hams of wild boar 
 and swine hung from the rafters, where too were suspended wild 
 duck and fish, and other articles of food. Parta's own apartment 
 led from the back of the dais. That of Beric was next to it, 
 its separate use having been granted to him on his return from 
 Camalodunum, not without some scoffing remarks upon his 
 effeminacy in requiring a separate apartment, instead of sleep- 
 ing as usual on the dais; while the followers and attendants 
 stretched themselves on the floor of the hall. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 
 
 SHOUTS of welcome saluted Beric as with his party he 
 crossed the rough bridge over the stream and descended 
 the slope to the village. Some fifteen hundred men were 
 gathered here, all armed for the chase with spears, javelins, and 
 long knives. Their hair fell over their necks, their faces were, 
 according to the universal custom, shaved with the exception 
 of the moustache. Many of them were tattooed a custom that 
 at one time had been universal, but was now dying out among 
 the more civilized. Most of them were, save for the mantle, 
 naked from the waist up, the body being stained a deep blue 
 with woad a plant largely cultivated for its dye. This plant, 
 known as Isatis tinctoria, is still grown in France and Flan- 
 ders. It requires rich ground and grows to a height of three 
 or four feet, bearing yellow flowers. The dye is obtained 
 from the leaves, which are stripped two or three times in the 
 season. They are partially dried, and are then pounded or
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 47 
 
 ground, pressed into a mass with the hands or feet, and piled 
 in a heap, when fermentation takes place. When this process 
 is completed the paste is cut up, and when placed in water 
 yields a blue dye. It can also be prepared by laying it in the 
 water in the first place and allowing it to ferment there. The 
 water, which becomes a deep blue, is drawn off and allowed to 
 settle, the dye remaining at the bottom. Fresh water is then 
 added to the leaves, which are again stirred up and the opera- 
 tion repeated. 
 
 Passing through the crowd of tribesmen, Eerie entered his 
 mother's abode, walked up to the dais, and saluted her by a 
 deep bow. Parta was a woman of tall stature and of robust 
 form. Her garment was fastened at each shoulder by a gold 
 brooch. A belt studded and clasped by the same metal girded 
 it in at the waist, and it then fell in loose folds almost to her 
 feet. She had heavy gold bracelets on her arms. 
 
 "You are late, Beric," she said sternly. "Our tribesmen have 
 been waiting nigh an hour for you. I only heard at daybreak 
 that Borgon had gone out to search for you with a party." 
 
 " It was well that he did, mother, for Boduoc and I were 
 besieged in a hut by a pack of wolves, who would shortly have 
 made an end of us had not rescue arrived." 
 
 "What were you doing in the hut?" she asked. "You told 
 me you should leave the Eomans' town before sunset and 
 make your way straight back here." 
 
 Beric shortly related the circumstances of the fight. 
 
 " It is well that it is no worse," she said ; " but Boduoc 
 ought to have known better than to have allowed you to leave 
 the trees, where you would at least have been safe from the 
 wolves. What mattered the life of a woman in comparison to 
 yours, when you know my hopes and plans for you? But 
 stay not talking. Magartha has some roasted kid in readiness 
 for you. Eat it quickly, and take a horn of mead, and be 
 gone. An hour has been wasted already." 
 
 A few minutes sufficed for Beric to satisfy his hunger. Then 
 he went out and joined two or three minor chiefs of expe-
 
 48 I'.EttlC THE BRITON. 
 
 rience who had charge of the hunt. The greater portion of 
 the tribesmen had already started. Almost every man had 
 brought with him one or more large dogs trained in hunting 
 the wolf and boar, and the woods beyond the swamp rang 
 with their deep barking. Instructions had already been given 
 to the men. These proceeded in parties of four, each group 
 taking its post some fifty yards from the next. Those who 
 had the farthest to go had started before daybreak, and it was 
 another two hours before the whole were in position, farming 
 a long line through the forest upwards of ten miles in length. 
 A horn was sounded in the centre where the leaders had posted 
 themselves, and the signal was repeated at points along the 
 line, and then, with shouts on the part of the men and fierce 
 barkings on that of the dogs, the whole moved forward. The 
 right of the line rested on the Stour, the left upon the Orwell; 
 and as they passed along through the forest the line contracted. 
 At times wild boars made a dash to break through it. Many 
 of these were slain, till the chiefs considered that there was a 
 sufficient supply of food, and the rest were then allowed to 
 pass through. 
 
 No wolves were seen until they neared the point where the 
 two rivers unite, by which time the groups were within a few 
 paces of each other. Then among the trees in front of them a 
 fierce snarling and yelping was heard. The dogs, which had 
 hitherto been kept in hand, were now loosed, and with a shout 
 the men rushed forward both on the bluffs in the centre and 
 along the low land skirting the rivers on either side. Soon the 
 wolves came pouring down from the wooded bluff, and engaged 
 in a furious conflict with the dogs. As the men ran up, a few of 
 the wolves in their desperation charged them and endeavoured 
 to break through, but the great majority, cowed by the clamour 
 and fierce assault, crouched to the earth and received their 
 death-blow unresistingly. Some took to the water, but coracles 
 had been sent down to the point the evening before, and they 
 were speedily slain. Altogether some four or five hundred 
 wolves were killed.
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 49 
 
 It was now late in the afternoon. Wood was collected and 
 great fires made, and the boars' flesh was soon roasting over 
 them. At daybreak they started again, and retracing their 
 steps formed a fresh line at the point where the last beat had 
 begun, this time beating in a great semicircle and driving the 
 wolves down on to the Stour. So for a fortnight the war 
 went on. Only such deer and boar as were required for food 
 were killed; but the wolves were slain without mercy, and at 
 the end of the operations that portion of the country was com- 
 pletely cleared of these savage beasts, for those who had 
 escaped the beating parties had fled far away through the 
 forest to more quiet quarters. 
 
 The work had been laborious; for each day some forty miles 
 had been traversed in the march from the last place of slaughter 
 to the next beat, and in the subsequent proceedings. It had, 
 however, been full of interest and excitement, especially during 
 the second week, when, having cleared all the country in the 
 neighbourhood of the rivers, the men were ranged in wide 
 circles some ten miles in diameter, advancing gradually towards 
 a centre. Occasionally many of the wolves escaped before 
 the lines had narrowed sufficiently for the men to be near 
 enough to each other to oppose a successful resistance, but in 
 each case the majority continued to slink from the approaching 
 noises until the cordon was too close for them to break through. 
 
 Altogether over four thousand wolves were slain. All 
 those whose coats were in good condition were skinned, the 
 skins being valuable for linings to the huts, for beds, and 
 winter mantles. Many men had been bitten more or less 
 severely by them, but none had been killed; and there was 
 much rejoicing at the complete clearance from the district of a 
 foe that had, since the arrival of the large packs from the 
 north, made terrible inroads among the herds of cattle and 
 swine, and had killed a considerable number of men, women, 
 and children. The previous winter had been a very severe 
 one, and had driven great numbers of wolves down from North 
 Britain. The fighting that had been going on for years in the 
 
 (726) D
 
 50 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 south and west, and at times in the midlands, had put a stop 
 to the usual chases of wolves in those districts, and they had 
 consequently multiplied exceedingly and had become a serious 
 scourge even before the arrival of the fresh bands from the 
 north. However, after so great a slaughter it was hoped that 
 for a time at least they would not again make their appearance 
 in that neighbourhood 
 
 Returning home at the end of their expedition Beric was 
 surprised as he entered the hall to see a Druid standing upon 
 the dais conversing with his mother, who was pacing up and 
 down with angry gestures. That their conference was an im- 
 portant one he did not doubt; for the Druids dwelt in the 
 recesses of the forests or near their temples, and those who 
 wished to consult them must journey to them to ask their 
 counsel beneath a sacred oak or in the circle of the magic 
 stones. When great events were impending, or when tribes took 
 up arms against each other, the Druids would leave their forest 
 abodes, and, interposing between the combatants, authori- 
 tatively bid them desist. They acted as mediators between 
 great chiefs, and were judges upon all matters in dispute. He 
 was sure, therefore, that the Druid was the bearer of news of 
 importance. He stood waiting in the centre of the hall until 
 his mother's eye fell upon him. 
 
 "Come hither, Beric," she said, "and hear the news that 
 the holy Druid has brought. Think you not that the Eomans 
 have carried their oppression far enough when they have 
 seized half the land of our island, enslaved the people, and 
 exacted tribute from the free Britons 1 What think you, now ? 
 The Koman governor Severus, knowing that it is our religion 
 as well as love of our country that arms us against them, and 
 that the Druids ever raise their voices to bid us defend our 
 altars and our homes, have resolved upon an expedition against 
 the Sacred Island, and have determined to exterminate our 
 priests, to break down our altars, and to destroy our religion. 
 Ten days since the legion marched from Camalodunum to join 
 the army he is assembling in the west. From all other parts
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 51 
 
 he has drawn soldiers, and he has declared his intention of 
 rooting out and destroying our religion at its centre." 
 
 " The news is terrible," the Druid said, " but our gods will 
 fight for us, and doubtless a terrible destruction will fall upon 
 the impious men who thus dream of profaning the Sacred 
 Island; but it may be otherwise, or perchance the gods may 
 see that thus, and thus only, can the people of Britain be 
 stirred to take up arms and to annihilate the worshippers of 
 the false gods of Rome. Assuredly we are on the eve of great 
 events, and every Briton must prepare to take up arms, either 
 to fall upon the legions whom our gods have stricken or to 
 avenge the insult offered to our faith." 
 
 "It is terrible news, indeed," Beric said; "and though I am 
 but a lad, father, I am ready when the call comes to fight in 
 the front ranks of the Iceni with our people. My father fell 
 fighting for his country by the sword of the Eomans, and I 
 am ready to follow his example when my mother shall say, 
 'Go out to war.'" 
 
 "For the present, Beric, we must remain quiet; we must 
 await news of the result of this expedition; but the word has 
 gone round, and I and my brethren are to visit every chief of 
 the Iceni, while the Druids of the north stir up the Brigantes; 
 the news, too, that the time of their deliverance is at hand, and 
 that they must hold themselves in readiness to rise against the 
 oppressors, is passing through the Trinobantes and the tribes 
 of the south and south-west. This time it must be no partial 
 rising, and we must avoid the ruinous error of matching a 
 single tribe against the whole strength of the Romans. It must 
 be Britain against Rome a whole people struggling for their 
 homes and altars against those who would destroy their religion 
 and reduce them to slavery." 
 
 "I would that it could have been postponed for a time, 
 father," Beric said. "During the four years I passed as a host- 
 age at Camalodunum I have been learning the tactics that 
 have enabled the Romans to conquer us. I have learned their 
 words of command, and how the movements were executed,
 
 52 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 and I hope when I become a man to train the Sarci to 
 fight in solid order, to wheel and turn as do the Eomans, so 
 that we might form a band which might in the day of battle 
 oppose itself to the Roman onset, check pursuit, and perhaps 
 convert a reverse into a victory." 
 
 " Heed not that," the Druid said enthusiastically. " It would 
 be useful indeed, but there is but scant time for it now. Our 
 gods will fight for us. We have numbers and valour. Our 
 warriors will sweep their soldiers aside as a wave dashes over 
 a rock." 
 
 The conversation between the Druid and Parta had been 
 heard by others in the hall, and the news spread rapidly among 
 the tribesmen as they returned from the chase. Shouts of fury 
 and indignation rose outside, and several of the minor chiefs, 
 followed by a crowd of excited men, poured into the hall, 
 demanding with loud shouts that war should be declared 
 against the Eomans. The Druid advanced to the edge of the 
 dais. 
 
 " Children," he said, " the time has not yet come, nor can 
 the Sarci do aught until the word is given by Prasutagus, and 
 the whole of the Iceni rise in arms, and not the Iceni alone, 
 but Britons from sea to sea. Till then hold yourselves in 
 readiness. Sharpen your arms and prepare for the contest. 
 But you need a chief. In the ordinary course of things years 
 would have elapsed before Beric, the son of your last brave 
 prince, would have been associated with his mother in the 
 rule of the tribe; but on the eve of such a struggle ordinary 
 customs and usages must be set at nought. I therefore, in 
 virtue of my sacred authority, now appoint Beric as chief next 
 to his mother in the tribe, and I bid you obey him in all things 
 relating to war. He has learned much of Roman ways and 
 methods, and is thus better fitted than many far older than he 
 to instruct you how best to stand their onset, and I prophesy 
 that under him no small honour and glory will fall to the tribe, 
 and that they will bear a signal share in avenging our gods 
 and winning our freedom. Come hither, Beric;" and the
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 53 
 
 Druid, laying a hand upon the lad's head, raised the other to 
 heaven and implored the gods to bestow wisdom and strength 
 upon him, and to raise in him a mighty champion of his 
 country and faith. Then he uttered a terrible malediction 
 upon any who should disobey Beric's orders, or question his 
 authority, who should show faint heart in the day of battle, 
 or hold his life of any account in the cause of his country. 
 
 "Now," he concluded, "retire to your homes. We must 
 give no cause or pretext for Eoman aggression until the signal 
 is given. You will not be idle. Your young chief will teach 
 you somewhat of the discipline that has rendered the Roman 
 soldiers so formidable, so that you may know how to set your- 
 selves in the day of battle, how to oppose rank to rank, to 
 draw off in good order, or to press forward to victory. The 
 issue is ever in the hands of the gods, but we should do all 
 we can to deserve it. It is good to learn even from our enemies. 
 They have studied war for ages, and if they have conquered 
 brave peoples, it has not been by superior valour, but because 
 they have studied war, while others have trusted solely to their 
 native valour. Therefore deem not instruction useless, or de- 
 spise methods simply because you do not understand them. 
 None could be braver than those who fought under Caractacus, 
 yet they were conquered, not by the valour, but by the disci- 
 pline of the Romans. It was the will of the gods that your 
 young chief should dwell for four years a hostage among 
 the Romans, and doubtless they willed it should be so in 
 order that he might be fitted to be a worthy champion of his 
 country, and so to effect what even the valour of Caractacus 
 failed to do. The gods have spoken by me. See that you obey 
 them, and woe to the wretch who murmurs even in his own 
 heart against their decrees ! " 
 
 As he concluded a loud shout was raised throughout the 
 crowded hall, and swelled into a mighty roar outside, for those 
 at the open door had passed his words to the throng of tribes- 
 men outside. When the shout subsided, Beric added a few 
 words, saying, that although he regretted he had not yet
 
 54 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 come to his full strength, and that thus early he should he 
 called upon to lead men, he accepted the decree of the gods, 
 and would strive not to be wanting in the day of trial. In 
 matters connected with war he had learned much from the 
 Romans, who, pppressors as they were and despisers of the 
 gods of Britain, were skilled beyond all others in such matters. 
 In all other respects he had happily his mother's counsel and 
 guidance to depend upon, and before assuming any civil autho- 
 rity he should wait until years had taught him wisdom, and 
 should then go through all the usual ceremonies appointed by 
 their religion, and receive his instalment solemnly in the temple 
 at the hands of the Druids. 
 
 That night there was high feasting at Cardun. A bullock 
 and three swine were slain by order of Parta, and a number of 
 great earthen jars of mead broached, and while the principal 
 men of the tribe feasted in the hall, the rest made merry out- 
 side. The bard attached to Parta's household sang tales of 
 the glories of the tribe, even the women from the villages and 
 detached huts for a large circle round came in, happy that, 
 now the wolves had been cleared away, they could stir out 
 after nightfall without fear. After entertaining their guests in 
 the hall, Parta and her son went round among the tribesmen 
 outside and saw that they had all they needed,- and spoke 
 pleasantly even to the poorest among them. 
 
 It was long before Beric closed his eyes that night. The 
 events of the day had been a complete surprise to him. He 
 had thought that in the distant future he should share with 
 his mother in the ruling of the tribe, but had never once 
 dreamed of its coming for years. Had it not been for the news 
 they had heard of the intended invasion of the Holy Isle he 
 should not have regretted his elevation, for it would have given 
 him the means and opportunity to train the tribesmen to fight 
 in close order as did the Romans. But now he could not hope 
 that there would be time to carry this out effectually. He knew 
 that throughout Britain the feeling of rage and indignation at 
 this outrage upon the gods of their country would raise the
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 55 
 
 passions of men to boiling point, and that the slightest inci- 
 dent would suffice to bring on a general explosion, and he 
 greatly feared that the result of such a rising would in the end 
 be disastrous. 
 
 His reading had shown him how great was the power of Rome, 
 and how obstinately she clung to her conquests. His country- 
 men seemed to think that were they, with a mighty effort, to 
 free Britain of its invaders, their freedom would be achieved; 
 but he knew that such a disaster would arouse the Roman 
 pride, and that however great the effort required, fresh armies 
 would be despatched to avenge the disaster and to regain the 
 territory lost. 
 
 " The Britons know nothing of Roman power," he said to 
 himself. " They see but twenty or thirty thousand men here, 
 and they forget that that number have alone been sent because 
 they were sufficient for the work, and that Rome could, if need 
 be, despatch five times as many men. With time to teach the 
 people, not of the Sarci tribe only, but all the Iceni, to fight 
 in solid masses, and to bear the brunt of the battle, while the 
 rest of the tribes attacked furiously on all sides, we might hope 
 for victory; but fighting without order or regularity, each man 
 for himself, cannot hope to prevail against their solid mass. 
 
 "If I could have gained a name before the time came, so 
 that my voice might have had weight and power in the 
 councils of the chiefs, I might have done something. As it is, 
 I fear that a rising now will bring ruin and slavery upon all 
 Britain." 
 
 Beric thought but little of himself, or of the personal danger 
 he should encounter. The Britons were careless of their lives. 
 They believed implicitly in a future life, and that those who 
 fell fighting bravely for their country would meet with reward 
 hereafter; hence, as among the Gauls, cowardice was an almost 
 unknown vice. 
 
 Beric had faith in the gods of his country, while he had 
 none whatever in those of Rome, and wondered how a mighty 
 people could believe in such deities; but, unlike the Britons in
 
 56 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 general, he did not believe that the gods interfered to decide 
 the fate of battles. 
 
 He saw that the Romans, with their false gods, had con- 
 quered all other nations, and that so far they had uniformly 
 triumphed over his own. Therefore, mighty as he believed 
 the gods to be, he thought that they concerned themselves but 
 little in the affairs of the world, and that battles were to be 
 won solely by valour, discipline, and numbers. Numbers and 
 valour the British had, but of discipline they were absolutely 
 ignorant, and it was this that gave so tremendous an advantage 
 to the Romans. Hence Beric felt none of the exultation and 
 excitement that most British lads of his age would have done 
 on attaining to rank and command in the tribe to which they 
 belonged. 
 
 The Britons despised the Romans as much for their belief 
 in many gods as for their luxury, and what they considered 
 their effeminacy. The religion of the Britons was a pure one, 
 though disfigured by the offering of human sacrifices. They 
 believed in one great Supreme Spirit, whose power pervaded 
 everything. They thought of him less as an absolute being than 
 as a pervading influence. They worshipped him everywhere, in 
 the forests and in the streams, in the sky and heavenly bodies. 
 Through the Druids they consulted him in all their under- 
 takings. If the answer was favourable, they followed it; if 
 unfavourable, they endeavoured to change it by sacrifices and 
 offerings to the priests. They believed firmly in a life after 
 death, when they held that the souls of all brave and good men 
 and women would be transported at once to an island far out 
 in the Atlantic, which they called the Happy Island. The 
 highest places would be theirs who had fought valiantly and 
 died in battle; but there was room for all, and all would be 
 happy. Holding this idea firmly, the Britons sought rather 
 than avoided death. Their lives in their separate tribes were 
 quiet and simple, except when engaged in the chase or war. 
 They were averse to labour. They were domestic, virtuous, 
 frank, and straightforward. The personal property of a stranger
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 57 
 
 was sacred among them, and the most lavish hospitality was 
 exercised. It was not strange that a simple hardy people, 
 believing firmly in the one supreme god, should have regarded 
 with contempt alike the luxury of the Romans and their worship 
 of many gods in the likenesses of men and women, and that 
 the more Beric had seen of the learning and wisdom of the 
 Romans in other directions, the more he should wonder that 
 such a people should be slaves to what seemed to him childish 
 superstitions. 
 
 The next morning, after a consultation with some of the 
 minor chiefs, a hundred men were summoned to attend on the 
 following day. They were picked out from families where 
 there were two or more males of working age, so that there 
 should be as little disturbance of labour as possible. It was 
 principally in companies of a hundred that Beric had seen the 
 Romans exercised, and he had learned every order by heart 
 from first to last. The manoeuvres to be taught were not of a 
 complicated nature. To form in fighting order six deep, and to 
 move in column, were the principal points; but when the next 
 day the band assembled, Beric was surprised and vexed to find 
 that the operations were vastly more difficult than he expected. 
 To begin with, every man was to have his place in the line, 
 and the tribesmen, though eager to learn, and anxious to please 
 their young chief, could not see that it mattered in what order 
 they stood. When, however, having arranged them at first 
 in a line two deep, Beric proceeded to explain how the spears 
 were to be held, and in what order the movements were to be 
 performed, the exercise answering to the manual and platoon 
 of modern days, the tribesmen were unable to restrain their 
 laughter. What difference could it make whether the hands 
 were two feet apart or three, whether the spears were held 
 upright or sloped, whether they came down to the charge 
 one after another or all together 1 To men absolutely unac- 
 customed to order of any kind, but used only to fight each in 
 the way that suited him best, these details appeared absolutely 
 ludicrous.
 
 58 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Beric was obliged to stop and harangue them, pointing out 
 to them that it was just these little things that gave the 
 Romans their fighting power; that it was because the whole 
 company moved as one man, and fought as one man, each 
 knowing his place and falling into it, however great the 
 confusion, however sudden the alarm, that made them what 
 they were. 
 
 "Why do they conquer you?" he said. "Chiefly because 
 you can never throw them into confusion. Charge down upon 
 them and break them, and they at once reunite and a solid 
 wall opposes your scattered efforts. You know how cattle, 
 when wolves attack them, gather in a circle with their horns 
 outwards, and so keep at bay those who could pull them down 
 and rend them separately. At present it seems ridiculous to 
 you that every position of the hand, every movement of the 
 arm, should be done by rule; but when you have practised them 
 these will become a second nature; so with your other move- 
 ments. It seems folly to you to do with measured steps 
 what it seems you could do far more quickly by running 
 together hastily; but it is not so. The slowest movement 
 is really the quickest, and it has the advantage that no one 
 is hurried, that everything is done steadily and regularly, and 
 that even in the greatest heat and confusion of a battle every 
 man takes his place, as calm and ready to fight as if no foe were 
 in sight. Now let us try this again. At the end of the day 
 I shall pick out some of those who are quickest and most atten- 
 tive, and make of them officers under me. They will have 
 more work to do, for they will have to understand and teach 
 my orders, but also they will gain more honour and credit." 
 
 For hours the drill went on; then they broke off for dinner 
 and again worked until evening, and by that time had made 
 sufficient progress in their simple movements to begin to feel 
 that there was after all something more in it than they had 
 fancied. For the first hour it had seemed to them a sort of 
 joke a mere freak on the part of their young chief; but 
 they were themselves surprised to find by the end of the day
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 59 
 
 how rapidly they were able to change from their rank two 
 deep into the solid formation, and how their spears rose and 
 fell together at the order. Beric bade them by the next mor- 
 ning provide themselves with spears six feet longer. Britons 
 were more accustomed to fight with javelin than with spear, 
 and the latter weapons were shorter and lighter than those of 
 the Romans. Beric felt that the advantage should be the 
 other way, for the small shields carried by the Britons were 
 inferior as defensive weapons to those of the Romans, and to 
 preserve the balance it was necessary therefore to have longer 
 spears; the more so since the Britons were taller, and far more 
 powerful men than their foes, and should therefore be able, with 
 practice, to use longer weapons. 
 
 The next day Beric chose Boduoc as his second in com- 
 mand, and appointed ten men sub-officers or sergeants. After 
 a week of almost incessant work that would have exhausted 
 men less hardy and vigorous, Beric was satisfied. The com- 
 pany had now come to take great interest in their work, and 
 were able to go through their exercises with a fair show of 
 regularity. Even the older chiefs, who had at first shaken 
 their heads as they looked on, acknowledged that there was a 
 great deal to be gained from the exercises. Parta was delighted. 
 It was she who had foreseen the advantages that might be 
 derived from Beric's stay among the Eomans, and she entered 
 heartily into his plans, ordering the men engaged to be fed 
 from the produce of her flocks and herds. 
 
 When the week was over two hundred more men were 
 summoned, a sufficient number of the brightest and most 
 intelligent of the first company being chosen as their sub- 
 officers. Before the drill commenced, however, the first com- 
 pany were put through their exercises in order that the new- 
 comers might see what was expected of them, and how much 
 could be done. This time several of the chiefs joined the com- 
 panies in order that they might learn the words of command 
 and be fitted to lead. This greatly encouraged Beric, who 
 had foreseen that while he himself could command a company,
 
 60 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 he could do nothing towards controlling ten or fifteen companies 
 unless these had each officers of rank and influence enough to 
 control them. 
 
 The exercises after the first company had been drilled were 
 carried on in the forest some miles away from the village, the 
 men assembling there and camping beneath the trees, so that 
 no rumour of gatherings or preparations for war should reach 
 the Komans, although at present these were not in a position to 
 make any eruption from Camalodunum, as the greater portion 
 of the legionaries had marched with Suetonius. 
 
 Returning one day to Cardun with Boduoc, Beric was surprised 
 to hear loud cries of lamentation. The women were running 
 about with dishevelled hair and disordered garments. Fearful 
 that something might have happened to his mother, he hurried 
 on to the hall. Parta was sitting on the ground rocking her- 
 self to and fro in her grief, while the women were assembled 
 round her uttering cries of anguish. 
 
 "What is the matter?" Beric asked as he hurried forward. 
 The bard stepped forward to answer the question. 
 
 "My son," he said, "misfortune has fallen on the land. 
 The gods have hidden their faces and refused to fight for their 
 children. Woe and desolation have come upon us. The altars 
 are thrown down and the priests slaughtered." 
 
 "Mona is taken!" Beric exclaimed. 
 
 "Yes, my son, Mona is taken. The Druid Boroc but an 
 hour ago brought the news. The Romans having reached the 
 strait, constructed flat-bottomed boats, and in these approached 
 the island, the horsemen towing their horses behind them. 
 There were assembled the women of the Silures and the Druids 
 from all parts of Britain, with many fugitives who had fled for 
 shelter to the island. The Druids remained by their altars 
 offering up human sacrifices, the men and women assembled on 
 the beach waving torches, hurling imprecations upon the in- 
 vaders, and imploring the gods to aid them and to crush the 
 impious foe. For a time the Romans paused in mid channel, 
 terrified at the spectacle, and the hopes of all that the gods had
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 61 
 
 paralysed their arms rose high; but, alas! the halt was but 
 temporary. Encouraging each other with shouts, they again 
 advanced, and, leaping from their boats, waded through the 
 wfater and set foot on the sacred soil. 
 
 "What was there to do? The men were few, and though 
 the women in their despair rushed wildly at the enemy, it was 
 all in vain; men and women were alike slaughtered; and then, 
 moving forward, they advanced against the holy circle and slew 
 the Druids upon the altars of the gods they served, and yet the 
 gods were silent. They saw, they heard, but answered not; 
 neither the clouds rained fire upon the invaders nor the earth 
 shook. Ah ! my son, evil days have fallen upon the land. What 
 will be the end of them 1 ?" 
 
 Throughout the length and breadth of Britain a thrill of 
 horror was felt at the news of the massacre of Druids at Mona, 
 and everywhere it was followed by a stern determination to 
 prepare for battle to clear the land of the Romans. The Druids 
 went from tribe to tribe and from village to village stirring up 
 men's hearts; the women, even more deeply excited than the 
 men at the news of the calamity, behaved as if possessed, many 
 going about the country calling upon the men to take up arms, 
 and foretelling victory to the Britons and destruction to the 
 Romans; even in the streets of Carnal odunum at night their 
 voices were heard crying out curses upon the Romans and 
 predicting the destruction of the city. 
 
 A week after the news came, Beric, in fulfilment of the 
 promise he had given to Berenice, paid another visit to Cama- 
 lodunum. There were no signs in its busy streets of uneasiness 
 or fear. The new propraetor Catus Decianus, who commanded 
 in the absence of Suetonius, was holding a sort of court there, 
 and the bearing of the Romans seemed even more arrogant and 
 insolent than usual. The news of the destruction of the Druids 
 at Mona had by them been hailed as a final and most crushing 
 blow to the resistance of the Britons. Since their gods could 
 not protect their own altars what hope could there be for them 
 in the future 1 Decianus, a haughty tyrant who had been sent
 
 62 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 to Britain by Nero as a mark of signal favour, in order that 
 he might enrich himself by the spoils of the Britons, was levy 
 ing exactions at a rate hitherto unknown, treating the people 
 as if they were but dirt under his feet. His lieutenants, all 
 creatures of Nero, followed his example, and the exasperation 
 of the unfortunate Trinobantes, who were the chief victims, had 
 reached such a point that they were ready for revolt whensoever 
 the signal might come. 
 
 On arrival at the house of Caius Muro, Beric found Berenice 
 at home; she received him with joy. "I am glad that you 
 have come, Beric; it is so dull now that father has gone away 
 to the war. I have been expecting you here for the last fort- 
 night. I suppose you have been amusing yourself too much 
 even to give a thought to me." 
 
 " I have been very busy, Berenice. I am a chief now, and 
 have had much to do in the tribe. Among other things we 
 have been having great war with the wolves." 
 
 " Yes, you told me when you were last here that you were 
 going to set out next day on an expedition against them." 
 
 " They began first, as it turned out," he said smiling, " and 
 very nearly made a meal of me that night on my way homeward." 
 
 "Sit down and tell me all about it," she said. "You know 
 I love stories." 
 
 Beric recited to her the story of the fight at the hut. 
 
 " And there was a woman there ! How terrible it must have 
 been for her to be alone with her children before you arrived, 
 and to think of her killing the wolves with the spear. How 
 different your women must be from us, Beric, for we are only 
 taught to embroider, to dress ourselves, and to care for pretty 
 things. Why, I should be frightened out of my life at the sight 
 of a wolf if I were all alone and had no one to protect me." 
 
 "Our women are brought up differently, Berenice. We 
 regard them as altogether our equals, and many of our tribes 
 are ruled by women. My own, you know, for example. They 
 do not go into battle with the men; but when a camp is 
 attacked they are ready to fight in its defence, and being
 
 A WOLF HUNT. 63 
 
 brought up to lead a vigorous life, they are well-nigh as strong 
 as we are. Among all the Gaulish nations the women are held 
 in high respect. Of course with you this is so sometimes. 
 Your father was wont to listen to the opinions of your mother; 
 but you know that is not often so, and that with many Komans 
 women are looked upon as inferior creatures, good only for 
 dress and pleasure, useful in ordering a house and in managing 
 the slaves, but unfit to take part in public life, and knowing 
 nothing of aught save domestic affairs. And what has been 
 going on here, Berenice 1 !" 
 
 "Nothing," the girl said; "at least I have been doing no- 
 thing. I went to the foot-races the other day, and saw the 
 propraetor, but I don't like him. I think that he is a bad 
 man, and I hear stories among the ladies of his being cruel 
 and greedy; and there have been mad women going about at 
 night shrieking and crying; I have heard them several times 
 myself. Some of the ladies said they wish that my father was 
 back here with his legion, for that there are but few soldiers, and 
 if Decianus continues to treat the people so badly there may 
 be trouble. What do you think, Eerie 1 ?" 
 
 "I cannot say," he replied. "It seems to me that the 
 Komans are bent upon crushing us down altogether. They have 
 just captured our Holy Island, slaying the priests and priest- 
 esses, and overthrowing the altars, while Nero's officers wring 
 from the people the last coin and the last animal they possess. 
 I fear that there will be trouble, Berenice. No men worthy of 
 the name could see their gods insulted and themselves despoiled 
 of all they possess without striking a blow in defence." 
 
 " But they will only bring more trouble upon themselves," 
 the girl said gravely. " I have heard my father lament that 
 they forced us to fight against them, though you know he 
 held that it was our fault more than theirs, and that if they 
 were ruled kindly and wisely, as were the people in Southern 
 Gaul, where the legion was stationed before it came over here, 
 they would settle down and live peaceably, and be greatly 
 benefited by our rule."
 
 64 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " If you treat a man as you would a dog you must not be 
 surprised if he bites you," Beric said. " Some of your people 
 not only think that we are dogs, but that we are toothless ones. 
 Mayhap they will find their mistake some day." 
 
 "But you will never fight against us, Beric," the girl said 
 anxiously, "after living so long among us?" 
 
 " I would not fight against your father or against those who 
 have treated me well," he replied; " but against those who ill- 
 treat and abuse us I would fight when my countrymen fought. 
 Yet if I could ever do you a service, Berenice, I would lay 
 down my life to do it" 
 
 The event seemed so improbable to the girl that she passed 
 over the promise without comment. 
 
 "So you are a chief, Beric! But I thought chiefs wore 
 golden bracelets and ornaments, and you are just as you were 
 when you came here last." 
 
 "Because I come here only as a visitor. If I came on a 
 mission from the queen, or as one of a deputation of chiefs, I 
 should wear my ornaments. I wear them at home now, those 
 that my father had." 
 
 Beric stayed for some hours chatting with Berenice, and his 
 old instructor, who had been left by Caius in charge of the 
 household. As he walked home he wondered over the careless 
 security of the Romans, and vowed that should opportunity 
 occur he would save Berenice from the fate that was likely to 
 fall upon all in Camalodunum should the Britons rise. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 
 
 A FRESH misfortune has occurred," was the greeting with 
 j[\. which Beric's mother met him on his return home. 
 "Prasutagus is dead; and this is not the worst, he has left 
 half his estates to the Roman Emperor."
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 65 
 
 "To the Roman Emperor!" Beric repeated; "is it possible, 
 mother?" 
 
 " It is true, Beric. You know he has always tried to curry 
 favour with the Romans, and has kept the Iceni from joining 
 when other tribes rose against Rome. He has thought of 
 nothing but amassing wealth, and in all Britain there is no 
 man who could compare with him in riches. Doubtless he 
 felt that the Romans only bided their time to seize what he 
 had gathered, and so, in order that Boadicea and his daughters 
 should enjoy in peace a portion of his stores, he has left half 
 to Nero. The man was a fool as well as a traitor. The 
 peasant who throws a child out of the door to the wolves 
 knows that it does but whet their appetite for blood, and so 
 it will be in this case. I hear Prasutagus died a week since, 
 though the news has come but slowly, and already a horde 
 of Roman officials have arrived in Norfolk, and are proceeding 
 to make inventories of the king's possessions, and to bear them- 
 selves as insolently as if they were masters of all. Trouble 
 must come, and that soon. Boadicea is of different stuff to 
 her husband; she will not bear the insolence of the Romans. 
 It would have been well for the Iceni had Prasutagus died 
 twenty years ago and she had ruled our country." 
 
 " The gods have clearly willed, mother, that we should rise 
 as one people against the Romans. It may be that it was for 
 this that they did not defend their shrines from the impious 
 hands of the invaders. Nought else stirred the Britons to lay 
 aside their jealousies and act as one people. Now from end to 
 end of the island all are burning for vengeance. Just at 
 this moment, comes the death of the Romans' friend Prasu- 
 tagus, and the passing of the rule of the Iceni into the hands 
 of Boadicea. With the Romans in her capital the occasion 
 will assuredly not long be wanting, and then there will be 
 such a rising as the Romans have never yet seen; and then, 
 their purpose effected, the gods may well fight on our side. I 
 would that there had been five more years in which to prepare 
 for the struggle, but if it must come it must. This Catus 
 
 ( 725 ) B
 
 66 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 Declaims is just the man to bring it on. Haughty, arrogant, 
 and greedy, he knows nothing of us, and has never faced the 
 Britons in arms. Had Suetonius been here he would not have 
 acted thus with regard to the affairs of Prasutagus. Had Caius 
 Muro not been absent his voice might have been raised in 
 warning to the tyrant; but everything seems to conspire 
 together, mother, to bring on the crisis." 
 
 "The sooner the better," Parta exclaimed vehemently. "It 
 is true that in time you might teach the whole Iceni to fight 
 in Roman methods, but what is good for the Romans may not 
 be good for us. Moreover, every year that passes strengthens 
 their hold on the land. Their forts spring up everywhere, 
 their cities grow apace; every month numbers flock over here. 
 Another five years, my son, and their hold might be too strong 
 to shake off." 
 
 "That is so, mother. Thinking of ourselves I thought not 
 of them; it may be that it were better to fight now than to 
 wait. Well, whenever the signal is given, and from where- 
 soever it comes, we are ready." 
 
 Since the news of the capture of Mona had arrived, the 
 tribesmen had drilled with increased alacrity and eagerness. 
 Every man saw that the struggle with Rome must ere long 
 take place, and was eager to take a leading share in the con- 
 flict. It was upon them that the blow had fallen most heavily 
 in the former partial rising, and they knew that the other tribes 
 of the Iceni held that their defence of their camp should not 
 have been overborne by the Romans as it was; hence they had 
 something of a private wrong as well as a national one to 
 avenge. Another fortnight was spent in constant work, until 
 one day the news came that Boadicea's daughters had been 
 most grossly insulted by the Roman officers, and that the 
 queen herself had started for Camalodunum to demand from 
 Decianus a redress of their wrongs and the punishment of the 
 offenders. The excitement was intense. Every man felt the 
 outrage upon the daughters of their queen as a personal injury, 
 and when Beric took his place before the men of the tribe,
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 67 
 
 who were drawn up in military order, a shout arose : " Lead us 
 to Camalodunum ! Let us take vengeance ! " 
 
 "Not yet," Beric cried. "The queen has gone there; we 
 must wait the issue. Not until she gives the orders must we 
 move. A rising now would endanger her safety. We must 
 wait, my friends, until all are as ready as we are; when the 
 time comes you will not find me backward in leading you." 
 
 Three days later came news that seemed at first incredible, 
 but which was speedily confirmed. Decianus had received the 
 queen, had scoffed at her complaints, and when, fired with 
 indignation, she had used threats, he had ordered his soldiers 
 to strip and scourge her, and the sentence had actually been 
 carried into effect. Then the rage of the tribesmen knew no 
 bounds, and it needed the utmost persuasions of Parta herself 
 to induce them to wait until news came from the north. 
 
 "Fear not," she said, "that your just vengeance will be 
 baulked. Boadicea will not submit to this double indignity, 
 of that you may be sure. Wait until you hear from her. 
 When measures are determined upon in this matter the Iceni 
 must act as one man. We are all equally outraged in the 
 persons of our queen and her daughters; all have a right to 
 a share in avenging her insults. We might spoil all by moving 
 before the others are ready. When we move it must be as a 
 mighty torrent to overwhelm the invaders. Not Camalodunum 
 only, but every Roman town must be laid in ruins. It must 
 be a life-and-death struggle between us and Kome; we must 
 conquer now or be enslaved for ever." 
 
 It was not long before messengers arrived from Boadicea, 
 bidding the Sarci prepare for war, and summoning Parta and 
 her son to a council of the chiefs of the tribe, to be held under a 
 well-known sacred oak in the heart of the forest, near Norwich. 
 Parta's chariot was at once prepared, together with a second, 
 which was to carry Boduoc and a female attendant of Parta, 
 and as soon as the horses were harnessed they started. Two 
 long days' journey brought them to the place of meeting. The 
 scene was a busy one. Already fully twoscore of the chiefs had
 
 68 BERIC THE BRITON, 
 
 arrived. Parta was received with great marks of respect. The 
 Sarci were the tribe lying nearest to the Romans, and upon 
 them the brunt of the Roman anger would fall, as it had done 
 before; but her appearance in answer to the summons showed, 
 it was thought, their willingness to join in the general action 
 of the tribe. 
 
 Beric was looked at curiously. His four years' residence 
 among the Romans caused him to be regarded with a certain 
 amount of suspicion, which had been added to by rumours 
 that he had been impressing upon the tribe the greatness and 
 power of Rome. Of late there had been reports brought by 
 wandering bards that the Sarci were being practised in the 
 same exercises as those of the Roman soldiers, and there were 
 many who thought that Beric, like Cogidinus, a chief of the 
 Regi of Sussex, had joined himself heart and soul to Rome, 
 and was preparing his tribe to fight side by side with the 
 legions. On the other hand many, knowing that Parta had 
 lost her husband at the hands of the Romans, and hated them 
 with all her heart, held that she would never have divided her 
 power with Beric, or suffered him to take military command 
 of the tribe, had she not been assured of his fidelity to the 
 cause of Britain. 
 
 Beric was dressed in the full panoply of a chief. He wore a 
 short skirt or kilt reaching to his knees. Above it a loose vest 
 or shirt, girt in by a gold belt, while over his shoulders he wore 
 the British mantle, white in colour and worked with gold. 
 Around his neck was the torque, the emblem of chieftainship. 
 On his left arm he carried a small shield of beaten brass, and 
 from a baldric covered with gold plates hung the straight 
 pointless British sword that had been carried by his father in 
 battle. Even those most suspicious of him could not deny that 
 he was a stalwart and well-built youth, with a full share of 
 pith and muscle, and that his residence among the Romans had 
 not given him any airs of effeminacy. The only subject of 
 criticism was that his hair was shorter than that of his coun- 
 trymen, for although he had permitted it to grow since he left
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 69 
 
 Camalodunum, where he had worn it short, in Roman fashion, 
 it had not yet attained its full length. 
 
 Beric felt a stranger among the others. Since his return 
 home there had been no great tribal gathering, for Prasutagus 
 had for some time been ill, and had always discouraged such 
 assemblages both because they were viewed with jealousy by 
 the Romans and because he begrudged the expenses of enter- 
 taining. Parta, who was personally known to almost all pre- 
 sent, introduced Beric to them. 
 
 " My son is none the less one of the Iceni for his Roman 
 training," she said; " he has learned much, but has forgotten no- 
 thing. He is young, but you will find him a worthy companion 
 in arms when the day of battle comes." 
 
 " I am glad to hear what you say, Parta," Aska, one of the 
 older chiefs, said. "It would be unfair to impute blame to 
 him for what assuredly was not his fault, but I feared that 
 they might have taught him to despise his countrymen." 
 
 " It is not so, sir," Beric said firmly. " Happily I fell into 
 good hands. Caius Muro, the commander of the 1 2th Legion, 
 in whose charge I was, is a just as well as a valiant man, and 
 had me instructed as if I had been his own son, and I trust that 
 I am none the less a true Briton because I except him and his 
 from the hatred I bear the Romans. He never said a word to 
 me against my countrymen, and indeed often bewailed that we 
 were not treated more wisely and gently, and were not taught 
 to regard the Romans as friends and teachers rather than 
 oppressors." 
 
 "Well spoken, young chief!" the other said; "ingratitude is, 
 of all sins, the most odious, and you do well to speak up boldly 
 for those who were kind to you. Among all men there are 
 good and evil, and we may well believe, even among the 
 Romans, there are some who are just and honourable. But I 
 hear that you admire them greatly, and that you have been 
 telling to your tribe tales of their greatness in war and of their 
 virtues." 
 
 " I have done so," Beric replied. " A race could not conquer
 
 70 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the world as the Romans have done unless they had many vir- 
 tues; but those that I chiefly told of are the virtues that 
 every Briton should lay to heart. I spoke of their patriotism, 
 of the love of country that never failed, of the stern determi- 
 nation that enabled them to pass through the gravest dangers 
 without flinching, and to show a dauntless face to the foe even 
 when dangers were thickest and the country was menaced with 
 destruction. Above all, how in Rome, though there might be 
 parties and divisions, there were none in the face of a common 
 enemy. Then all acted as one man; there was no rivalry save 
 in great deeds. Each was ready to give life and all he possessed 
 in defence of his country. These were lessons which I thought 
 it well that every Briton should learn and take to heart. Rome 
 has conquered us so far because she has been one while we are 
 rent into tribes having no common union; content to sit with 
 our arms folded while our neighbours are crushed, not seeing 
 that our turn will come next. It was so when they first came 
 in the time of our forefathers, it has been so in these latter 
 times; tribe after tribe has been subdued; while, had we been 
 all united, the Romans would never have obtained a footing on 
 our shore. No wonder the gods have turned away their faces 
 from a people so blind and so divided when all was at stake. 
 Yes, I have learned much from the Romans. I have not learned 
 to love them, but I have learned to admire them and to regret 
 that in many respects my own countrymen did not resemble 
 them." 
 
 There was a murmur of surprise among the chiefs who 
 had by this time gathered round, while angry exclamations 
 broke from some of the younger men; but Aska waved his 
 hand. 
 
 "Beric speaks wisely and truly," he said; "our dissensions 
 have been our ruin. Still more, perhaps, the conduct of those 
 who should have led us, but who have made terms with Rome 
 in order to secure their own possessions. Among these Prasu- 
 tagus was conspicuous, and we ourselves were as much to blame 
 as he was that we suffered it. If he knows what is passing here
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 71 
 
 he himself will see how great are the misfortunes that he has 
 brought upon his queen, his daughters, and the tribe. Had we 
 joined our whole forces with those of Caractacus the Brigantes 
 too might have risen. It took all the strength of the Romans 
 to conquer Caractacus alone. What could they have done had 
 the Brigantes and we from the north, and the whole of the 
 southern tribes, then unbroken, closed down upon them ? It is 
 but yesterday since Prasutagus was buried. The grass has 
 not yet begun to shoot upon his funeral mound and yet his 
 estates have been seized by the Romans, while his wife and 
 daughters have been insulted beyond measure. 
 
 " The young chief of the Sarci has profited by his sojourn 
 among the Romans. The Druids have told me that the priest 
 who has visited the Sarci prophesies great things of him, and 
 for that reason decided that, young as he was, he should share 
 his mother's power and take his place as leader of the tribe in 
 battle, and that he foresaw that, should time be given him to 
 ripen his wisdom and establish his authority, he might some 
 day become a British champion as powerful as Cunobeline, as 
 valiant as Caractacus. These were the words of one of the 
 wisest of the Druids. They have been passed round among 
 the Druids, and even now throughout Britain there are many 
 who never so much as heard of the name of the Sarci, who yet 
 believe that, in this young chief of that tribe, will some day 
 be found a mighty champion of his country. Prasutagus knew 
 this also, for as soon as Beric returned from Camalodunum he 
 begged the Druids to find out whether good or evil was to be 
 looked for from this youth, who had been brought up among 
 the Romans, and their report to him tallied with that which I 
 myself heard from them. It was for that reason that Boadicea 
 sent for him with his mother, although so much younger than 
 any here, and belonging to a tribe that is but a small one among 
 the Iceni. I asked these questions of him, knowing that among 
 some of you there were doubts whether his stay with the 
 Romans had not rendered him less a Briton. He answered as 
 I expected from him, boldly and fearlessly, and, as you have
 
 72 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 heard, wisely, and I for one believe in the predictions of the 
 Druids. But here comes the queen." 
 
 As he spoke a number of chariots issued from the path 
 through the forest into the circular clearing, in the centre of 
 which stood the majestic oak, and at the same moment, from 
 the opposite side, appeared a procession of white-robed Druids 
 singing a loud chant. As the chariots drew up, the queen and 
 her two daughters alighted from them, with a number of 
 chiefs of importance from the branches of the tribe near her 
 capital. Beric had never seen her before, and was struck with 
 her aspect. She was a tall and stately woman, large in her 
 proportions, with her yellow hair falling below her waist. She 
 wore no ornaments or insignia of her high rank; her dress and 
 those of her daughters were careless and disordered, indicative 
 of mourning and grief, but the expression of her face was that 
 of indignation and passion rather than of humiliation. 
 
 Upon alighting she acknowledged the greeting of the assem- 
 bled chiefs with a slight gesture, and then remained standing 
 with her eyes fixed upon the advancing Druids. When these 
 reached the sacred tree they encircled it seven times, still con- 
 tinuing their chanting, and then ranged themselves up under 
 its branches with the chief Druid standing in front. They had 
 already been consulted privately by the queen and had declared 
 for war; but it was necessary that the decision should be pro- 
 nounced solemnly beneath the shade of the sacred oak. 
 
 "Why come you here, woman 1" the chief priest asked, ad- 
 dressing the queen. 
 
 "I come as a supplicant to the gods," she said; "as an out- 
 raged queen, a dishonoured woman, and a broken-hearted 
 mother, and in each of these capacities I call upon my country's 
 gods for vengeance." Then in passionate words she poured out 
 the story of the indignities that she and her daughters had 
 suffered, and suddenly loosening her garment, and suffering 
 it to drop to her waist, she turned and showed the marks 
 of the Roman rods across her back, the sight eliciting a shout 
 of fury from the chiefs around her.
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 73 
 
 "Let all retire to the woods," the Druids said, "and see 
 that no eye profanes our mysteries'? When the gods have 
 answered we will summon you." The queen, followed by all 
 the chiefs, retired at once to the forest, while the Druids 
 proceeded to carry out the sacred mysteries. Although all 
 knew well what the decision would be, they waited with sup- 
 pressed excitement the summons to return and hear the 
 decision that was to embark them in a desperate struggle 
 with Rome. Some threw themselves down under the trees, 
 some walked up and down together discussing in low tones 
 the prospects of a struggle, and the question what tribes would 
 join it. The queen and her daughters sat apart, none venturing 
 to approach them. Parta and three other female chiefs sat a 
 short distance away talking together, while two or three of the 
 younger chiefs, their attitude towards Beric entirely altered by 
 the report of the Druids' predictions concerning him, gathered 
 round him and asked questions concerning the Romans' methods 
 of fighting, their arms and power. An hour after they had 
 retired a deep sound of a conch rose in the air. The queen 
 and her daughters at once moved forward, followed by the four 
 female chiefs, behind whom came the rest in a body. Issuing 
 from the forest they advanced to the sacred oak and stood in 
 an attitude of deep respect, while the chief Druid announced 
 the decision of the gods. 
 
 "The gods have spoken," he said. "Too long have the 
 Iceni stood aloof from their countrymen, therefore have the 
 gods withdrawn their faces from them ; therefore has punish- 
 ment and woe fallen upon them. Prasutagus is dead; his 
 queen and his daughters have suffered the direst indignities; 
 a Roman has seized the wealth heaped up by inglorious cow- 
 ardice. But the moment has come; the gods have suffered 
 their own altars to be desecrated in order that over the whole 
 length and breadth of the land the cry for vengeance shall 
 arise simultaneously. The cup is full; vengeance is at hand 
 upon the oppressors and tyrants, the land reeks with British 
 blood. Not content with grasping our possessions, our lives
 
 74 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 and the honour of our women are held as nought by them, 
 our altars are cold, our priests slaughtered. The hour of 
 vengeance is at hand. I see the smoke of burning cities 
 ascending in the air. I hear the groans of countless victims to 
 British vengeance. I see broken legions and flying men. 
 
 "To arms! the gods have spoken. Strike for vengeance. 
 Strike for the gods. Strike for your country and outraged 
 queen. Chiefs of the Iceni, to arms! May the curse of the 
 gods fall upon an enemy who draws back in the day of battle ! 
 May the gods give strength to your arms and render you 
 invincible in battle! The gods have spoken." 
 
 A mighty shout was raised by his hearers; swords were 
 brandished, and spears shaken, and the cry "To arms! the 
 gods have spoken," was repeated unanimously. As the Druids 
 closed round their chief, who had been seized with strong 
 convulsions as soon as he had uttered the message of the gods, 
 Boadicea turned to the chiefs and raised her arm for silence. 
 
 "I am a queen again; I reign once more over a race of men. 
 No longer do I feel the smart of my stripes, for each shall ere 
 long be washed out in Roman blood; but before action, counsel, 
 and before counsel, food, for you have, many of you, come from 
 afar. I have ordered a feast to be prepared in the forest." 
 
 She led the way across to the opposite side of the glade, 
 where, a few hundred yards in the forest, a number of the 
 queen's slaves had prepared a feast of roasted sheep, pig, and 
 ox, with bread and jars of drink formed of fermented honey, 
 and a sort of beer. As soon as the meal was concluded the 
 queen called the chiefs round her, and the assembly was joined 
 by the Druids. 
 
 "War is declared," she said; "the question is shall we 
 commence at once, or shall we wait 1 ?" 
 
 There was a general response "At once!" but the chief 
 Druid stepped forward and said : " My sons, we must not risk 
 the ruin of all by undue haste; this must be a national move- 
 ment if it is to succeed. For a fortnight we must keep quiet, 
 preparing everything for war, so that we may take the field
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 75 
 
 with every man capable of bearing arms in the tribe. In the 
 meantime we, with the aid of the bards, will spread the news 
 of the outrages that the Romans have committed upon the 
 queen and her daughters far and wide over the land. Already 
 the tribes are burning with indignation at the insults to our 
 gods and the slaughter of our priests at Mona, and this news 
 will arouse them to madness, for what is done here to-day may 
 be done elsewhere to-morrow, and all men will see that only 
 in the total destruction of the Romans is there a hope of 
 freedom. All will be bidden to prepare for war, and, when 
 the news comes that the Iceni have taken up arms, to assemble 
 and march to join us. On this day fortnight, then, let every 
 chief with his following meet at Cardun, which is but a short 
 march from Camalodunum. Then we will rush upon the 
 Roman city, the scene of the outrage to your queen, and its 
 smoke shall tell Britain that she is avenged, and Rome that 
 her day of oppression is over." 
 
 The decision was received with satisfaction. A fortnight 
 was none too long for making preparations, assembling the 
 tribesmen, and marching to the appointed spot. 
 
 " One thing I claim," Boadicea said, " and that is the right 
 to fall upon and destroy instantly the Romans who installed 
 themselves in my capital, and who are the authors of the 
 outrages upon my daughters. So long as they live and lord it 
 there I cannot return." 
 
 " That is right and just," the Druid said. " Slay all but ten, 
 and hand them over bound to us to be sacrificed on the altars 
 of the gods they have insulted." 
 
 "I will undertake that task, as my tribe lies nearest the 
 capital," one of the chiefs said. " I will assemble them to- 
 night and fall upon the Romans at daybreak." 
 
 " See that none escape," the Druid said. " Kill them and 
 all their slaves and followers. Let not one live to carry the 
 news to Camalodunum." 
 
 " I shall be at the meeting-place and march at your head," 
 the queen said to the chiefs; "that victory will be ours I do
 
 76 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 not doubt ; but if the gods will it otherwise I swear that I shall 
 not survive defeat. Ye gods, hear my vow." 
 
 The council was now over, and the queen mingled with the 
 chiefs, saying a few words to each. Beric was presented to 
 her by his mother, and Boadicea was particularly gracious to 
 him. "I have heard great things predicted of you, Beric. 
 The gods have marked you out for favour, and their priests 
 tell me that you will be one day a great champion of the 
 Britons. So may it be. I shall watch you on the day of 
 battle, and am assured that none among the Iceni will bear 
 themselves more worthily." 
 
 An hour later the meeting broke up, and Parta and Beric 
 returned to Cardun, where they at once began to make pre- 
 parations for the approaching conflict. Every man in the tribe 
 was summoned to attend, and the exercises went on from day- 
 break till dusk, while the women cooked and waited upon the 
 men. Councils were held nightly in the hall, and to each of 
 the chiefs was assigned a special duty, the whole tribe being 
 treated as a legion, and every chief and fighting man having 
 his place and duty assigned to him. 
 
 In Camalodunum, although nothing was known of the pre- 
 parations that were being made, a feeling of great uneasiness 
 prevailed. The treatment of Boadicea had excited grave dis- 
 approval upon the part of the great majority of the inhabitants, 
 although new arrivals from Gaul or Eome and the officials in 
 the suite of Decianus lauded his action as an act of excellent 
 policy. 
 
 " These British slaves must be taught to feel the weight of 
 our arm," they said, " and a lesson such as this will be most 
 useful. Is it for dogs like these to complain because they are 
 whipped 1 They must be taught to know that they live but at 
 our pleasure; that this island and all it contains is ours. They 
 have no rights save those we choose to give them." 
 
 But the older settlers viewed, the matter very differently. 
 They knew well enough that it was only after hard fighting 
 that Vespasian had subdued the south, and Ostorius crushed
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 77 
 
 Caractacus. They knew, too, that the Iceni gave but a nominal 
 submission to Borne, and that the Trinobantes, crushed as they 
 were, had been driven to the verge of madness by extortion. 
 Moreover the legions were far away; Camalodunum was well- 
 nigh undefended, and lay almost at the mercy of the Britons 
 should they attack. They, therefore, denounced the treatment 
 of Boadicea as not only brutal but as impolitic in the extreme. 
 
 The sudden cessation of news from the officials who had 
 gone to take possession of the estate of Prasutagus caused 
 considerable uneasiness among this section of the inhabitants 
 of Camalodunum. Messengers were sent off every day to 
 inquire as to what had taken place after the return of Boadicea, 
 but none came back. The feeling of uneasiness was heightened 
 by the attitude of the natives. Reports came in from all parts 
 of the district that they had changed their attitude, that they 
 no longer crouched at the sight of a Roman but bore themselves 
 defiantly, that there were meetings at night in the forest, and 
 that the women sang chants and performed dances which had 
 evidently some hidden meaning. 
 
 Decianus, conscious perhaps that his action was strongly 
 disapproved by all the principal inhabitants of the town, and 
 that, perhaps, Suetonius would also view it in the same light 
 when it was reported to him, had left the city a few days after 
 the occurrence and had gone to Verulamium. His absence 
 permitted the general feeling of apprehension and discontent- 
 ment more open expression than it would otherwise have had. 
 Brave as the Romans were, they were deeply superstitious, and 
 a thrill of horror and apprehension ran through the city when 
 it was reported one morning that the statue of Victory in the 
 temple had fallen to the ground, and had turned round as if 
 it fled towards the sea. This presage of evil created a profound 
 impression. 
 
 "What do you think of it, CneiusT' Berenice asked; "it is 
 terrible, is it not? Nothing else is spoken of among all the 
 ladies I have seen to-day, and all agree it forbodes some terrible 
 evil."
 
 78 BEBIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "It may, or it may not," the old scribe said cautiously; "if 
 the statue has fallen by the action of the gods the omen is 
 surely a most evil one." 
 
 "But how else could it have fallen, Cneius?" 
 
 "Well, my dear, there are many Britons in the town, and 
 you know they are in a very excited state; their women, in- 
 deed, seem to have gone well-nigh mad with their midnight 
 singing and wailing. . It is possible mind, I do not for a 
 moment say that it is so, for were the suggestion to occur to 
 the citizens it would lead to fresh oppressions and cruelties 
 against the Britons but it is just possible that some of them 
 may have entered the temple at night and overthrown Victory's 
 image as an act of defiance. You know how the women nightly 
 shriek out their prophecies of the destruction of this town." 
 
 "But could they destroy it, Cneius? Surely they would 
 never dare to attack a great Roman city like this!" 
 
 "I don't know whether they dare or not, Berenice, but 
 assuredly Decianus is doing all in his power to excite them to 
 such a pitch of despair that they might dare do anything; and 
 if they dare, I see nothing whatever to prevent them from 
 taking the city. The works erected after Claudius first founded 
 the colony are so vast that they would require an army to 
 defend them, while there are but a few hundred soldiers here. 
 What could they do against a horde of barbarians? I would 
 that your father were back, and also the two legions who 
 marched away to join Suetonius. Before they went they ought 
 to have erected a central fort here, to which all could retire in 
 case of danger, and hold out until Suetonius came back to our 
 assistance; but you see, when they went away none could 
 have foreseen what has since taken place. No one could have 
 dreamt that Decianus would have wantonly stirred up the Iceni 
 to revolt." 
 
 "But you don't think they have revolted?" 
 
 " I know nothing of it, Berenice, but I can put two and two 
 together. We have heard nothing for a week from the officials 
 who went to seize the possessions of Prasutagus. How is it
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 79 
 
 that none of our messengers have returned? It seems to me 
 almost certain that these men have paid for their conduct to 
 the daughters of Boadicea with their lives." 
 
 "But Beric is with the Iceni. Surely we should hear from 
 him if danger threatened." 
 
 "He is with them," Cneius said, "but he is a chief, and if 
 the tribe are in arms he is in arms also, and cannot, without 
 risking the forfeit of his life for treachery, send hither a 
 message that would put us on our guard. I believe in the lad. 
 Four years I taught him, and I think I know his nature. He 
 is honest and true. He is one of the Iceni and must go with 
 his countrymen ; but I am sure he is grateful for the kindness he 
 received here, and has a real affection for you, therefore I 
 believe, that should my worst fears be verified, and the Iceni 
 attack Camalodunum, he will do his utmost to save you." 
 
 " But they will not kill women and girls surely, even if they 
 did take the city?" 
 
 "I fear that they will show slight mercy to any, Berenice; 
 why should they 1 } We have shown no mercy to them; we have 
 slaughtered their priests and priestesses, and at the storm of 
 their towns have put all to death without distinction of age or 
 sex. If we, a civilized people, thus make war, what can you 
 expect from the men upon whom we have inflicted such count- 
 less injuries?" 
 
 The fall of the statue of Victory was succeeded by other occur- 
 rences in which the awe-struck inhabitants read augury of evil. 
 It was reported that strange noises had been heard in the 
 council-house and theatre, while men out in boats brought back 
 the tale that there was the appearance of a sunken town below 
 the water. It was currently believed that the sea had assumed 
 the colour of blood, and that there were, when the tide went 
 out, marks upon the sand as if dead bodies had been lying 
 there. Even the boldest veterans were dismayed at this accu- 
 mulation of hostile auguries. A council of the principal citizens 
 was held, and an urgent message despatched to Decianus, pray- 
 ing that he would take instant measures for the protection of
 
 80 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the city. In reply to this he despatched two hundred soldiers 
 from Verulamium, and these with the small body of troops 
 already in the city took possession of the Temple of Claudius, 
 and began to make preparations for putting it into a state of 
 defence. 
 
 Still no message had come from Norwich, but night after night 
 the British women declared that the people of Camalodunum 
 would suffer the same fate that had already overwhelmed 
 those who had ventured to insult the daughters of the queen 
 of the Iceni. A strange terror had now seized the inhabitants 
 of the town. The apprehension of danger weighed upon all, 
 and the peril seemed all the more terrible inasmuch as it was 
 so vague. Nothing was known for certain. No message had 
 come from the Iceni since the queen quitted the town, and yet 
 it was felt that among the dark woods stretching north a host 
 of foes was gathering, and might at any moment pour down 
 upon the city. Orders were issued that at the approach of danger 
 all who could do so were to betake themselves at once to the 
 temple, which was to act as a citadel, yet no really effective 
 measures were taken. There was, indeed, a vague talk of 
 sending the women and children and valuables away to the 
 legion, commanded by Cerealis, stationed in a fortified camp to 
 the south, but nothing came of it; all waited for something defi- 
 nite, some notification that the Britons had really revolted, and 
 while waiting for this nothing was done. 
 
 One evening a slave brought in a small roll of vellum to 
 Cneius. It had been given him at the door, he said, by a 
 Briton, who had at once left after placing it in his hands. The 
 scribe opened it and read as follows: 
 
 "To Cneius Nepo, greeting, Obtain British garb for yourself 
 and Berenice. Let her apparel be that of a boy. Should anything 
 unusual occur by night or day, do you and she disguise yourselves 
 quickly, and stir not beyond the house. It will be best for you to 
 wait in the tablinum; lose no time in carrying out this instruction." 
 
 There was no signature, nor was any needed. 
 
 " So the storm is about to burst," Cneius said thoughtfully
 
 AN INFURIATED PEOPLE. 81 
 
 when he had read it. " I thought so. I was sure that if the 
 Britons had a spark of manhood left in them they would 
 avenge the cruel wrongs of their queen. I am rejoiced to read 
 Beric's words, and to see that he has, as I felt sure he had, a 
 grateful heart. He would save us from the fate that he clearly 
 thinks is about to overwhelm this place. The omens have not 
 lied then not that I believe in them; they are for the most 
 part the offspring of men's fancy, but at any rate they will come 
 true this time. I care little for myself, but I must do as he 
 bids me for the sake of the girl. I doubt, though, whether Beric 
 can save her. These people have terrible wrongs to avenge, 
 and at their first outburst will spare none. Well, I must do 
 my best, and late as it is I will go out and purchase these gar- 
 ments. It is not likely that the danger will come to-night, for 
 he would have given us longer notice. Still he may have had 
 no opportunity, and may not have known until the last moment 
 when the attack was to take place. He says ' lose no time.' " 
 
 Cneius at once went to one of the traders who dealt with the 
 natives who came into the town, and procured the garments 
 for himself and Berenice. The trader, who knew him by sight, 
 remarked, "Have you been purchasing more slaves?" 
 
 " No, but I have need for dresses for two persons who have 
 done me some service." 
 
 "I should have thought," the trader said, "they would have 
 preferred lighter colours. These cloths are sombre, and the 
 natives, although their own cloths are for the most part dark, 
 prefer, when they buy of me, brighter colours." 
 
 " These will do very well," Cneius said. " Just at present 
 Roman colours and cloths are not likely to be in demand 
 among them." 
 
 "No, the times are bad," the trader said; "there has been 
 scarce a native in my shop for the last ten days, and even 
 among the townspeople there has been little buying or sell- 
 ing." 
 
 Cneius returned to the house, a slave carrying his purchases 
 behind him. On reaching home he took the parcel from him, 
 
 (725) F
 
 82 BERIG THE BRITON. 
 
 and carried it to his own cubicule, and then ordered a slave to 
 beg Berenice to come down from her apartment as he desired 
 to speak with her. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 
 
 UPON the morning of the day fixed for the gathering of the 
 Iceni preparations were begun early at Cardun. Oxen 
 and swine were slaughtered, great fires made, and the women 
 in the village were all employed in making and baking oaten 
 cakes upon the hearth. For some days many of them had 
 been employed in making a great store of fermented honey 
 and water. Men began to flock in from an early hour, and by 
 mid-day every male of the Sarci capable of bearing arms had 
 come in. Each brought with him a supply of cooked meat 
 and cakes sufficient to last for three or four days. In the 
 afternoon the tribes began to pour in, each tribe under its chiefs. 
 There was no attempt at order or regularity; they came 
 trooping in in masses, the chiefs sometimes in chariots some- 
 times on horseback, riding at their head. Parta welcomed 
 them, and food was served out to the men while the chiefs 
 .were entertained in the hall. Beric, looking at the wild figures, 
 rough and uncouth but powerful and massive in frame, was 
 filled with regret that these men knew nothing of discipline, 
 and that circumstances had forced on the war so suddenly. 
 
 The contrast between these wild figures and the disciplined 
 veterans of Rome, whom he had so often watched as they per- 
 formed their exercises, was striking indeed. Far inferior in 
 height and muscular power to the tribesmen, the legionaries 
 bore themselves with a proud consciousness in their fighting 
 power that alone went a long way towards giving them victory. 
 Each man trusted not only in himself, but on his fellows, and
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 83 
 
 believed that the legion to which he belonged was invincible. 
 Their regular arms, their broad shields and helmets, all added 
 to their appearance, while their massive formation, as they 
 stood shoulder to shoulder, shield touching shield, seemed as 
 if it could defy the utmost efforts of undisciplined valour. 
 However, Beric thought with pride that his own tribe, the 
 sixteen hundred men he had for six weeks been training inces- 
 santly, would be a match even for the Roman veterans. Their 
 inferiority in the discipline that was carried to such perfection 
 among the Romans would be atoned for by their superior 
 strength and activity. His only fear was, that in the excite- 
 ment of battle they would forget their teaching, and, breaking 
 their ranks, fight every man for himself. He had, however, 
 spared no pains in impressing upon them that to do this would 
 be to throw away all that they had learned. 
 
 "I have not taught you to fight in Roman fashion," he said, 
 " merely that you might march in regular order and astonish 
 the other tribesmen, but that you should be cool and collected, 
 should be able patiently to stand the shock of the Roman 
 legion, and to fight, not as scattered units, but as a solid whole. 
 You will do well to bear this in mind, for to those who disobey 
 orders and break the line when engaged with the foe I will 
 show no mercy. My orders will be given to each sergeant of 
 ten men to run a spear through any man who stirs from his 
 post, whether in advance or in retreat, whether to slay or to 
 plunder. The time may come when the safety of the whole 
 army depends upon your standing like a wall between them 
 and the Romans, and the man who advances from his place in 
 the ranks will, as much as the man who retreats, endanger the 
 safety of all." 
 
 Over and over again had he impressed this lesson upon them. 
 Sometimes he had divided them in two parts, and engaged 
 in mimic fight. The larger half, representing the tribesmen, 
 advanced in their ordinary fashion with loud shouts and cries, 
 while the smaller section maintained their solid formation, 
 and with levelled spears, five deep, waited the attack. Even
 
 84 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 those who were least impressed with the advantages of the 
 exercises through which they had been going, could not but 
 feel how immensely superior was the solid order, and how im- 
 possible would it have been for the assailants to burst through 
 the hedge of pointed weapons. 
 
 By sunset well-nigh thirty thousand men had arrived, each 
 sub-tribe passing through the village and taking up its post on 
 the slopes around it, where they were at once supplied with 
 food by the women. 
 
 With the fighting men were large numbers of women, for 
 these generally accompanied the Britons on their warlike expe- 
 ditions. Just at sunset a shout arose from the tribesmen on 
 the north side of the village, and Boadicea, with her daughters 
 and chief councillors, drove into the village. Her mien was 
 proud and lofty. She carried a spear in her hand and a sword 
 in her girdle. She had resumed her royal ornaments, and a 
 fillet of gold surrounded her head. Her garments were belted 
 in with a broad girdle of the same metal, and she wore heavy 
 gold armlets and bracelets. She looked with pride upon the 
 tribesmen who thronged shouting to greet her, and exclaimed 
 as she leapt from her chariot, "The day of vengeance is at 
 hand." 
 
 The fires blazed high all that night round Cardun. Num- 
 bers of bards had accompanied the tribes, as not only had 
 those who lived in the households of the principal chiefs come 
 in, but many had been attracted from the country lying near 
 their borders. At every fire, therefore, songs were sung and 
 tales told of the valour and glory of the heroes of old. Mingled 
 with these were laments over the evil days that had befallen 
 Britain, and exhortations to their hearers to avenge the past 
 and prove themselves worthy of their ancestors. 
 
 In similar manner the night was passed in Parta's hall Here 
 the chief bards were assembled, with all the tribal leaders, and 
 vied with each other in their stirring chants. Beric moved 
 about among the guests, seeing that their wants were supplied, 
 while Parta herself looked after those who were gathered on
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 85 
 
 the dais. Beric learned from the old chief Aska, who had first 
 spoken to him on the day of their arrival at the sacred oak, 
 that all Britain was ripe for the rising, and that messengers 
 had been received not only from the Brigantes, but from many 
 of the southern and western tribes, with assurances that they 
 would rise as soon as they heard that the Iceni had struck the 
 first blow. 
 
 " The Trinobantes will join us at Camalodunum. All goes 
 well. Suetonius, with the legions, is still in the far west. We 
 shall make an end of them here before he can return. By that 
 time we shall have been joined by most of the tribes, and shall 
 have a force that will be sufficient to destroy utterly the army 
 he is leading. That done, there will be but the isolated forts 
 to capture and destroy, and then Britain will be free from the 
 invader. You think this will be so, Beric?" 
 
 " I hope and trust so," Beric replied. " I think that success 
 in our first undertakings is a certainty, and I trust we may 
 defeat Suetonius. With such numbers as we shall put in the 
 field we ought surely to be able to do so. It is not of the 
 present I think so much as of the future. Home never submits 
 to defeat, and will send an army here to which that of Sue- 
 tonius would be but a handful. But if we remain united, and 
 utilize the months that must elapse before the Romans can 
 arrive in preparing for the conflict, we ought to be victorious." 
 
 "You feel sure that the Romans will try to reconquer 
 Britain?" 
 
 f Quite sure. In all their history there is not an instance 
 where they have submitted to defeat. That is one of the main 
 reasons of their success. I am certain that, at whatever sacri- 
 fices, they will equip and send out an army that they will believe 
 powerful enough for the purpose." 
 
 " But they were many years after their first invasion before 
 they came again." 
 
 " That is true ; but in those first two invasions they did not 
 conquer. In the first they were forced to retire, and therefore 
 came again; in the second they had success enough to be able
 
 86 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 to claim a victory and so to retire with honour. Besides, Rome 
 is vastly stronger and more powerful now than she was then. 
 Believe me, Aska, the struggle will be but begun when we have 
 driven the last Eoman from the island." 
 
 " We must talk of this again," Aska said, " as it is upon us 
 that the brunt of this struggle will fall. We shall have the 
 chief voice and influence after it is over, and Boadicea will 
 stand in the place that Cunobeline held, of chief king of the 
 island. Then, as you say, much will depend on the steps we 
 take to prepare to resist the next invasion; and young as you 
 are, your knowledge of Roman ways will render your counsels 
 valuable, and give great weight to your advice." 
 
 " I do not wish to put myself in any way in the foreground," 
 Beric said. " I am still but a boy, and have no wish to raise 
 my voice in the council of chiefs; but what I have learned of 
 Roman history and Roman laws I would gladly explain to 
 those who, like yourself, speak with the voice of authority, and 
 whose wisdom all recognize." 
 
 In the morning Boadicea said that reports had been brought 
 to her of the manner in which Beric had been teaching the 
 Sarci to fight in Roman fashion, and that she should be glad 
 to see the result. 
 
 Accordingly the tribesmen proceeded to the open fields a 
 mile away, where they had been accustomed to drill, and they 
 were followed by the whole of those gathered round the village. 
 The queen and Parta drove out in their chariots. When they 
 reached the spot the chiefs of the other tribes, at Beric's request, 
 called upon their men to draw off and leave a space sufficient 
 for the exercises. This left the Sarci standing in scattered 
 groups over the open space, at one end of which Boadicea and 
 all the chiefs were gathered. 
 
 " They are now in the position, queen," Beric said, " of men 
 unsuspecting danger. I shall now warn them that they are 
 about to be attacked, and that they are to gather instantly to 
 repel the enemy." 
 
 Taking the conch slung over his shoulder Beric applied it to
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 87 
 
 his lips and blew three short notes. The tribesmen ran to- 
 gether; there was, as it seemed to the lookers-on, a scene of 
 wild confusion for a minute, and then they were drawn up in 
 companies, each a hundred strong, in regular order. A short 
 blast and a long one, and they moved up together into a mass 
 five deep; a single note, and the spears fell, and an array of 
 glistening points shone in front of them. 
 
 A shout of surprise and approval rose from the tribesmen 
 looking on. To them this perfect order and regularity seemed 
 well-nigh miraculous. 
 
 Beric now advanced to the line. At his order the two rear 
 ranks stepped backwards a few feet, stuck their spears in the 
 ground, and then discharged their javelins of which each man 
 carried six over the heads of the ranks in front, against the 
 enemy supposed to be advancing to attack them. Then seizing 
 their spears they fell into line again, and at another order the 
 whole advanced at a quick pace with levelled spears to the 
 charge, and keeping on till within a few paces of where the 
 queen was standing, halted suddenly and raised their spears. 
 Again a roar of applause came from the tribesmen. 
 
 " It is wonderful," the queen said. " I had not thought that 
 men could be taught so to move together; and that is how 
 the Romans fight, Beric 1" 
 
 "It is, queen," Beric said. "The exercises are exactly 
 similar to those of the Romans. I learnt them by heart when 
 I was among them, and the orders are exactly the same as 
 those given in the legions only, of course, they are performed 
 by trained soldiers more perfectly than we can as yet do them. 
 It is but two months since we began, and the Romans have 
 practised them for years. Had I had time you would have 
 seen them much more perfect than at present." 
 
 "You have performed marvels," .she said. "I wish that you 
 had had more time, and that all the Iceni, and not the Sarci 
 only could have thus learned to meet the enemy. Do you 
 not think so, chiefs?" 
 
 "It is wonderful," one of the chiefs said; "but I think that
 
 88 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 it is not so terrifying to a foe as the rush of our own men. It 
 is better for resistance, but not so good for attack. Still it has 
 great merits; but I think it more suited for men who fight 
 deliberately, like the Romans, than for our own tribesmen, 
 who are wont to rely for victory each upon his own strength 
 and valour." 
 
 "What say you, Beric?" the queen asked. 
 
 "It would be presumptuous for me to give my opinion 
 against that of a great chief," Beric said quietly; "but, so far, 
 strength and valour have not in themselves succeeded. The 
 men of Caractacus had both, but they were unavailing against 
 the solid Roman line. We have never yet won a great victory 
 over the Romans, and yet we have fought against them 
 valiantly. None can say that a Briton is not as brave and as 
 strong as a Roman. In our battles we have always outnum- 
 bered them. If we have been beaten, therefore, it has been 
 surely because the Roman method of fighting is superior to 
 our own." 
 
 There was a murmur of assent from several of the chiefs. 
 
 " Beric's argument is a strong one," the queen said to the one 
 who had spoken; "and I would that all the Iceni had learnt to 
 fight in this fashion. However, we shall have opportunities of 
 seeing which is right before we have finished with the Romans. 
 March your men back again, Beric." 
 
 Beric sounded his horn, and the line, facing half round, be- 
 came a column, and marched in regular order back to the vil- 
 lage. The morning meal was now taken, and at mid-day the 
 march began. Boadicea with her daughters, Parta and other 
 women of rank, went first in their chariots; and the Sarci, 
 who, as lying next to the enemy's country, were allowed the 
 post of honour, followed in column behind her, while the rest 
 of the tribesmen made their way in a miscellaneous crowd 
 through the forest. They halted among the trees at a distance 
 of four miles from Camalodunum, and then rested, for the 
 attack was not to take place until daybreak on the next 
 morning.
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 89 
 
 Late that evening two or three women of the Trinobantes 
 came out, in accordance with a preconcerted arrangement, to 
 tell them that there was no suspicion at Camalodunum of the 
 impending danger; and that, although there was great uneasi- 
 ness among the inhabitants, no measures for defence had been 
 taken, and that even the precaution of sending away the women 
 and children had not been adopted. 
 
 No fires had been lighted; the men slept in the open air, 
 simply wrapping themselves in their mantles and lying down 
 under the trees. Beric had a long talk with Boduoc and ten 
 of the tribesmen of the latter's company. 
 
 " You understand," Beric said at last, "that if, as I expect, the 
 surprise will be complete and no regular resistance be offered, 
 I shall sound my horn and give the signal for the tribe to break 
 ranks and scatter. You ten men will, however, keep together, 
 and at once follow Boduoc and myself. As soon as we enter 
 the house to which I shall lead you, you will surround the two 
 persons I shall place in your charge, and will conduct them to 
 the spot where the chariot will be waiting. You will defend 
 them, if necessary, with your lives, should any disobey my 
 order to let you pass through with them. As soon as they are 
 placed in the chariot you will be free to join in the sack, and if 
 you should be losers by the delay, I will myself make up your 
 share to that of your comrades. You are sure, Boduoc, that all 
 the other arrangements are perfect?" 
 
 "Everything is arranged," Boduoc said. "My brother, who 
 drives the chariot that brought your mother's attendants, quite 
 understands that he is to follow as soon as we move off, and 
 keeping a short way behind us is to stop in front of the last 
 house outside the gate until we come. As soon as he has taken 
 them up he will drive off and give them into the charge of our 
 mother, who has promised you to have everything in readiness 
 for them; the skins for beds, drinking vessels, food, and every- 
 thing else necessary was taken there two days ago. My sisters 
 will see to the comfort of the young lady, and you can rely upon 
 my mother to carry out all the orders you have given her.
 
 90 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Our hut lies so deeply in the forest that there is little chance of 
 anyone going near it, especially as the whole of the men of the 
 tribe are away." 
 
 Two hours hefore daylight the Iceni moved forward. They 
 were to attack at a number of different points, and each chief 
 had had his position allotted to him. The Sarci were to move 
 directly against the northern gate and would form the centre 
 of the attack. Each man, by Beric's order, carried a faggot so 
 that these could be piled against the wall by the gate and enable 
 them to effect an entrance without the delay that would be 
 incurred in breaking down the massive gates. They passed 
 quietly through the cultivated fields, and past the houses scat- 
 tered about outside the walls, whose inhabitants had with- 
 drawn into the city since the alarm spread. They halted at a 
 short distance from the gate, for sentries would be on guard 
 there, and remained for nearly an hour, as many of the other 
 tribesmen had a considerably longer distance to go to reach 
 their appointed stations. A faint light was beginning to steal 
 over the sky when, far away on their right, a horn sounded. It 
 was repeated again and again, each time nearer, and ran along 
 far to the left; then, raising their war-cry, the Sarci dashed 
 forward to the gate. 
 
 The shouts of the sentinels on the walls had arisen as soon as 
 the first horn sounded, and had scarcely died away when the 
 Sarci reached the gate. Each man as he arrived threw down 
 his faggot, and the pile soon reached the top of the wall. Then 
 Beric led the way up and stood on the Roman work. The 
 sentries, seeing the hopelessness of resistance, had already fled, 
 and the Sarci poured in. A confused clamour of shouts and 
 cries rose from the town, above which sounded the yells of 
 the exulting Iceni. Beric gave the signal for the Sarci to 
 scatter, and the tribesmen at once began to attack the houses. 
 Placing himself at the head of Boduoc's chosen party, Beric 
 ran forward. Already from some of the houses armed men 
 were pouring out, but disregarding these Beric pressed on until 
 he reached the house of Caius Mum His reason for haste
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 91 
 
 was that, standing rather on the other side of the town, it was 
 nearer the point assailed by one of the other divisions of the 
 tribe than to the north gate, and he feared that others might 
 arrive there before him. Beaching the door he beat upon it 
 with the handle of his sword. 
 
 " Open, Cneius," he shouted, "it is I, Beric." 
 
 The door was opened at once, and he ran forward into the 
 atrium, which was filled with frightened slaves, who burst into 
 cries of terror as, followed by his men, he entered. "Where 
 are you, Cneius?" Beric shouted. 
 
 "I am here," the scribe replied from his cubicule, "I will be 
 with you in a moment; it is but a minute since we were awoke 
 by the uproar." 
 
 "Be quick!" Beric said, "there is not a moment to be lost. 
 Run up to the women's apartments," he said to a slave, "and 
 tell your mistress to hurry down, for that every minute is 
 precious." 
 
 Almost immediately Berenice came down the stairs in her dis- 
 guise as a British boy, and at the same moment Cneius issued 
 from his room. 
 
 "Come, Berenice," Beric said, "there is not a moment to be 
 lost; the town is in our hands, and if others of the tribe arrive 
 I might not be able to save you." 
 
 Hurrying them from the house he ordered the men to close 
 round them, and then started on his way back. A terrible din 
 was going on all round ; yells, shouts, and screams arising from 
 every house. Flames were bursting up at a dozen points. To 
 his great satisfaction Beric reached the point where the Sarci 
 were at work, breaking into the houses, before he encountered 
 any of the other Iceni. The men were too busy to pay any 
 attention to the little group of their own tribesmen; passing 
 through these they were soon at the gate. It already stood 
 open, the bolts having been drawn by those who first entered. 
 Fifty yards from the wall stood the chariot. 
 
 "Now you can leave us," Beric said to his followers, "I will 
 rejoin you soon."
 
 92 BER1C THE BRITON. 
 
 Berenice was crying bitterly, horror-stricken at the sounds 
 she had heard, though happily she had seen nothing, being 
 closely shut in by the tall forms of her guard. 
 
 "Thanks be to the gods that I have saved you, Berenice," Beric 
 said, "and you also, Cneius! Now I must commit you to the 
 care of the driver of the chariot, who is one of my tribesmen. 
 He will take you to a retreat where you will, I trust, be in per- 
 fect safety until the troubles are over. His mother has pro- 
 mised to do all in her power for your comfort. You will find 
 one of our huts but a rough abode, but it will at least be a 
 shelter." 
 
 " Cannot you come with us, Beric?" the girl sobbed. 
 
 " That I cannot do, Berenice. I am a Briton and a chief, and 
 I must be with my tribe. And now I must away. Farewell, 
 Berenice! may your gods and mine watch over you! Fare- 
 well, my kind teacher!" 
 
 He took off the torque, the collar formed of a number of 
 small metal cords interlaced with each other, the emblem of rank 
 and command, and handed it to the driver. "You will show this, 
 Runoc, to any you meet, for it may be that you will find parties 
 of late comers on the road. This will be a proof that you are 
 journeying on my business and under my orders. Do not stop 
 and let them question you, but drive quickly along, and if they 
 shout and bid you stop, hold up the torque and shout, 'I travel 
 at speed by my chief's orders.' Do you both sit down in the 
 chariot," he said to the others. "Then as you journey rapidly 
 along it will be supposed that you are either wounded or mes- 
 sengers of importance. Farewell ! " 
 
 Cneius and the girl had already mounted the chariot, and 
 the driver now gave the horses rein and started at full speed. 
 Beric turned and re-entered the town slowly. In those days 
 pity for the vanquished was a sentiment but little comprehended, 
 and he had certainly not learned it among the Romans, who fre- 
 quently massacred their prisoners wholesale. Woe to the van- 
 quished ! was almost a maxim with them. But Beric shrank from 
 witnessing the scene, now that the tables were turned upon the
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 93 
 
 oppressors. Nationally he hated the Romans, but individually 
 he had no feeling against them, and had he had the power he 
 would at once have arrested the effusion of blood. He wished 
 to drive them from the kingdom, not to massacre them ; but he 
 knew well that he had no power whatever in such a matter. 
 Even his own tribesmen would not have stayed their hand at 
 his command. To slay a Roman was to them a far more meri- 
 torious action than to slay a wolf, and any one who urged mercy 
 would have been regarded not only as a weakling but as a 
 traitor. 
 
 Already the work was well-nigh done. Pouring in on all sides 
 into the city the Iceni had burst into the houses and slain their 
 occupants whether they resisted or not. A few men here and 
 there sold their lives dearly, but the great majority had been too 
 panic-stricken with the sudden danger to attempt the slightest 
 resistance. Some of the inhabitants whose houses were near the 
 temple had fled thither for refuge before the assailants reached 
 them, but in half an hour from the striking of the first blow these 
 and the troops there were the sole survivors of the population 
 of Camalodunum. For the present the temple was disregarded. 
 It was known that the garrison did not exceed four hundred 
 men, and there was no fear of so small a body assuming the 
 offensive. 
 
 The work of destruction had commenced. There was but 
 little plundering, for the Britons despised the Roman luxuries, 
 of the greater part of which they did not even comprehend the 
 use. They were Roman, and therefore to be hated as well as 
 despised. Save, therefore, weapons, which were highly prized, 
 and gold ornaments, which were taken as trinkets for the 
 women at home, nothing was saved. As the defenders of 
 each house were slain, fire was applied to hangings and curtains, 
 and then the assailants hurried away in search of fresh victims. 
 Thus the work of destruction proceeded concurrently with that 
 of massacre, and as the sun rose vast columns of smoke mount- 
 ing upwards conveyed the news to the women of the Iceni and 
 1 Trinobantes for a circle of many miles round, that the attack
 
 94 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 had been successful, and that Camalodunum, the seat of their 
 oppressors, was in flames. Beric, as he made his way towards 
 the centre of the town, sighed as he passed the shop where two 
 months before he had stopped a moment to look at the rolls of 
 vellum. 
 
 The destruction of the monuments of Roman luxury; the 
 houses with their costly contents; and even the Palace of Cu- 
 nobeline, which had been converted into the residence of the 
 Roman governor, had not affected him; but he mourned over 
 the loss of the precious manuscripts which had contained such 
 a wealth of stored-up learning. Already the house was wrapped 
 in flames, which were rushing from the windows, and the prize 
 which he had looked upon as his own special share of the 
 plunder had escaped him. 
 
 At the edge of the broad open space that surrounded the 
 Temple of Claudius the Britons were gathering thickly. Beric 
 applied his horn to his lips, and in a few minutes the Sarci 
 gathered round him. Bidding them stand in order he moved 
 away to see what disposition was being made for the attack on 
 the temple, but at present all were too excited with their 
 success for any to assume the lead or give orders. At the first 
 rush parties of the Britons had made for the temple, but had 
 been received with showers of darts and stones, and had been 
 met on the steps by the Roman soldiers and roughly re- 
 pulsed. Walking round he came upon the chariot of Boadicea. 
 The queen was flushed with excitement and gratified vengeance, 
 and was shaking her spear menacingly towards the temple; 
 her eye presently fell upon Beric. 
 
 "The work has begun well, my young chief, but we have 
 still to crush the wolves in their den. It is a strong place, 
 with its massive walls unpierced save by the doorway at each 
 end; but we will have them out if to do so we are forced to 
 tear it down stone by stone." 
 
 "I trust that we shall not be as long as that would take, 
 queen," Beric said, "for we have other work to do." 
 
 Just at this moment one of the chiefs of the Trinobantes
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 95 
 
 came up. " Queen Boadicea," he said, " we crave that we may 
 be allowed to storm the temple. It is built on our ground as 
 a sign of our subjection, and we would fain ourselves capture 
 it." 
 
 " Be it so," the queen replied. " Do you undertake the task 
 at once." 
 
 The Trinobantes, who had joined the Iceni in the attack on 
 the town, presently gathered with loud shouts, and under their 
 chiefs rushed at the temple. From the roof darts and stones 
 were showered down upon them; but though many were killed 
 they swarmed up the broad steps that surrounded it on all 
 sides and attacked the doors. Beric shook his head, and 
 returning to his men led them off down one of the broad streets 
 to an open space a short distance away. 
 
 "This will be our gathering place," he said. "Do not 
 wander far away, and return quickly at the sound of my horn. 
 We may be wanted presently. I do not think that the Trino- 
 bantes will take the temple in that fashion." 
 
 They had indeed advanced entirely unprovided with proper 
 means of assault The massive gates against which the Romans 
 had piled stones, casks of provisions, and other heavy articles 
 were not to be broken down by such force as the Britons 
 could bring against them. In vain these chopped with their 
 swords upon the woodwork The gates were constructed of 
 oak, and the weapons scarce marked them. In vain they threw 
 themselves twenty abreast against them. The doors hardly 
 quivered at the shock, and in the meantime the assailants were 
 suffering heavily, for from openings in the roof, extending from 
 the building itself to the pillars that surrounded it, the Romans 
 dropped missiles upon them. 
 
 For some time the Trinobantes persevered, and then their 
 chiefs, seeing that the attempt was hopeless, called off their 
 followers. No fresh attempt was made for a time, and Boadicea 
 established herself in one of the few houses that had escaped 
 the flames, and there presently the chiefs assembled. Various 
 suggestions were made, but at last it was decided to batter in the
 
 96 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 doors with a heavy tree, and a strong party of men were at once 
 despatched to fell and prepare two of suitable size. The oper- 
 ation was a long one, as the trees when found had to be brought 
 down by lighting fires against the trunks, and it was nightfall 
 before they fell and the branches were cut off. It was decided, 
 therefore, to postpone the attack until the next day. 
 
 Beric had not been present at the council, to which only a 
 few of the leading chiefs had been summoned; but he doubted, 
 when he heard what had been decided upon, whether the attack 
 would be successful. It was settled that the Trinobantes were 
 to attack the door at one end of the temple, and the Iceni that 
 at the other. Late in the evening the chariot returned, and Beric 
 was greatly relieved to hear that the fugitives had been placed 
 in safety and that the journey had been made without inter- 
 ference. He was glad to recover his torque, for its absence would 
 have excited surprise when men's minds were less occupied 
 and excited. Not until he had recovered it could he go to see 
 Parta, who was lodged with the queen, but as soon as he 
 recovered it he went in. Every sign of Roman habitation and 
 luxury had been, as far as possible, obliterated by the order of 
 Boadicea before she entered the house. Hangings had been 
 pulled down, statues overthrown, and the paintings on the 
 plaster chipped from the walls. 
 
 "What have you been doing all day, Beric?" his mother 
 asked. " I looked to see you long before this, and should have 
 thought that some accident had befallen you had I not known 
 that the news would have been speedily brought me had it 
 been so." 
 
 " I have been looking after the tribesmen, mother. I should 
 have come in to see you, but did not wish to intrude among the 
 chiefs in council with the queen. You represented the Sarci 
 here, and had we been wanted you would have sent for me. 
 Who are to attack the temple to-morrow 1 ?" 
 
 "Not the Sarci, my son. Unser begged that he and his 
 tribe might have the honour, and the queen and council granted 
 it to him."
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 97 
 
 "I am glad of it, mother. The duty is an honourable 
 one, but the loss will be heavy, and others can do the work as 
 well as Ave could, and I want to keep our men for the shock of 
 battle with the legions. Moreover, I doubt whether the doors 
 will be battered down in the way they propose." 
 
 "You do, Beric! and why is that 1 ?" The speaker was 
 Aska, who had just left the group of chiefs gathered round the 
 queen at the other end of the apartment, and had come close 
 without Beric hearing him. 
 
 The lad coloured. " I spoke only for my mother's hearing, 
 sir," he said. " To no one else should I have ventured to 
 express an opinion on a course agreed upon by those who are 
 older and wiser than myself." 
 
 "That is right, Beric; the young should be silent in the 
 presence of their elders; nevertheless I should like to know 
 why you think the assault is likely to fail." 
 
 " It was really not my own opinion I was giving, sir. I was 
 thinking of the manner in which the Romans, who are accus- 
 tomed to besiege places with high walls and strong gates, 
 proceed. They have made these matters a study, while to us 
 an attack upon such a place is altogether new, seeing that none 
 such exist in Britain save those the Romans have erected." 
 
 "How would they proceed, Beric?" 
 
 " They would treat an attack upon such a place as a serious 
 matter, not to be undertaken rashly and hastily, but only after 
 great preparation. In order to batter down a gate or a wall 
 they use heavy beams, such as those that have been prepared 
 for to-morrow, but they affix to the head a shoe of iron or brass. 
 They do not swing it upon men's arms, seeing that it would 
 be most difficult to get so many men to exercise their strength 
 together, and indeed could not give it the momentum re- 
 quired." 
 
 " But we propose to have the beam carried by fifty men, and 
 for all to rush forward together and drive it against the door." 
 
 " If the door were weak and would yield to the first blow that 
 might avail," Beric said; "but unless it does so the shock will 
 
 (725) G
 
 98 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 throw down the tree and the men bearing it. Many will be 
 grievously hurt. Moreover, if, as will surely be the case, many 
 of the bearers fall under the darts of the Romans as they 
 approach, others will stumble over their bodies, and the speed 
 of the whole be greatly checked." 
 
 " Then can you tell me how the Romans act in such a case, 
 Bericf ' 
 
 " Yes, sir. I have frequently heard relations of sieges from 
 soldiers who have taken part in them. They build, in the first 
 place, movable towers or sheds running on wheels. These 
 towers are made strong enough to resist the stones and missiles 
 the besieged may hurl against them. Under cover of the shelter 
 men push up the towers to the door or wall to be battered; 
 the beam is then slung on ropes hanging from the inside of 
 the tower. Other ropes are attached; numbers of men take 
 hold of these, and working together swing the beam backwards 
 and forwards, so that each time it strikes the wall or door a 
 heavy blow. As the beam is of great weight, and many men 
 work it, the blows are well-nigh irresistible, and the strongest 
 walls crumble and the most massive gates splinter under the 
 shock of its iron head." 
 
 " The Romans truly are skilled warriors," Aska said. " We 
 are but children in the art of war beside them, and methinks it 
 would be difficult indeed for us to construct such a machine, 
 though mayhap it could be done had we with us many men 
 skilled in the making of chariots. But sometimes, Beric, they 
 must have occasion to attack places where such machines could 
 not well be used." 
 
 "In that case, sir, they sometimes make what they call a 
 tortoise. The soldiers link their broad shields together, so as 
 to form a complete covering, resembling the back of a tortoise, 
 and under shelter of this they advance to the attack. When 
 they reach the foot of the wall all remain immovable save 
 those in the front line, who labour with iron bars to loosen the 
 stones at the foot of the wall, protected from missiles from 
 above by the shields of their comrades. From time to time
 
 THE SACK OF CAMALODUNUM. 99 
 
 they are relieved by fresh workers until the foundations of the 
 wall are deeply undermined. As they proceed they erect 
 massive props to keep up the wall, and finally fill up the hole 
 with combustibles. After lighting these they retire. When the 
 props are consumed the wall of course falls, and they then 
 rush forward and climb the breach." 
 
 " Truly, Beric, you have profited by your lessons," Aska said, 
 laying his hand kindly on the lad's shoulder. "The Druids 
 spoke wisely when they prophesied a great future for you. Be- 
 fore we have done we may have many Roman strongholds to 
 capture, and when we do I will see that the council order that 
 your advice be taken as to how they shall be attacked; but in 
 this matter to-morrow things must remain as they are. Unser 
 is a proud chief, and headstrong, and would not brook any 
 interference. Should he be repulsed in the assault, I will 
 advise the queen to call up the Sarci, and allow you to proceed 
 in your own manner." 
 
 "I will do my best, sir; but time is needed for proceeding 
 according to the first Roman method, and our shields are too 
 small for the second. The place should be taken by to-morrow 
 night, for Cerealis will assuredly move with his legion to relieve 
 it as soon as he hears the news of our attack." 
 
 "That is what has been in our minds," Aska said. "Well, 
 what do you say, Beric? After what I saw the other day of 
 the movements you have taught your tribe I should be sorry 
 to have their ranks thinned in a hopeless attack upon the 
 temple. I would rather that we should leave it for the present 
 and march out to meet Cerealis, leaving a guard here to keep 
 the Romans hemmed in until we have time to deal with them." 
 
 Beric stood for a minute or two without answering, and then 
 said, "I will undertake it, sir, with the Sarci should Unser's 
 attack fail"
 
 100 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 
 
 TTPON leaving his mother, Beric returned to the spot where 
 U the Sarci were lying. Some of the chiefs were sitting 
 round a fire made of beams and woodwork dragged from the 
 ruins of the Roman houses. 
 
 "We must be up an hour before daybreak; I think that 
 there will be work for us to-morrow. If Unser and his tribe 
 fail in capturing the temple we are to try; and there will 
 be preparations to make." And he explained the plan upon 
 which he had determined. 
 
 Daylight was just breaking when the Sarci entered the 
 forest four miles from Camalodunum. Here they scattered in 
 search of dry wood. In two hours sufficient had been gathered 
 for their purpose, and it was made up into two hundred great 
 faggots nearly four feet across and ten in length, in weight as 
 much as a strong man could carry on his head. With these 
 they returned to the city. It needed no questions as to the 
 result of the attack, which had just terminated with the same 
 fortune that had befallen that on the day previous. Unser had 
 been killed, and large numbers of his men had fallen in their 
 vain attempts to hew down the gates. The battering-rams had 
 proved a complete failure. Many of the fifty men who carried 
 the beam had fallen as they advanced. The others had rushed 
 at the gate-door, but the recoil had thrown them down, and 
 many had had their limbs broken from the tree falling on 
 them. Attempts had been made to repeat the assault; but 
 the Romans having pierced the under part of the roof in many 
 places, let fall javelins and poured down boiling oil; and at 
 last, having done all that was possible, but in vain, the tribes- 
 men had fallen back. 
 
 Beric proceeded at once to the queen's. A council was being
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 101 
 
 held, and it had just been determined to march away to meet 
 Cerealis when Beric entered. Aska left his place in the circle 
 of chiefs as soon as he saw him enter the door. 
 
 "Are you ready to undertake it, Beric 1 Do not do so unless 
 you have strong hopes of success. The repulses of yesterday 
 and to-day have lowered the spirits of our men, and another 
 failure would still further harm us." 
 
 "I will undertake it, Aska, and I think I can answer for 
 success; but I shall need three hours before I begin." 
 
 " That could be spared," the chief said. " Cerealis will not 
 have learned the news until last night at the earliest he may 
 not know it yet. There is no fear of his arriving here until 
 to-morrow." Then he returned to his place. 
 
 "Before we finally decide, queen," he said, "I would tell 
 you that the young chief Beric is ready to attack the place 
 with the Sarci. He has learned much of Roman methods, and 
 may be more fortunate than the others have been. I would 
 suggest that he be allowed to try, for it will have a very ill 
 effect upon the tribes if we fail in taking the temple, which is 
 regarded as the symbol of Roman dominion. I will even go 
 so far as to say that a retreat now would go very far to mar 
 our hopes of success in the war, for the news would spread 
 through the country and dispirit others now preparing to 
 join us." 
 
 "Why should Beric succeed when Unser has failed?" one 
 of the chiefs said. " Can a lad achieve a success where one of 
 our best and bravest chiefs has been repulsed?" 
 
 " I think that he might," Aska replied. " At any rate, as he 
 is ready to risk his life and his tribe in doing so, I pray the 
 queen to give her consent. He demands three hours to make 
 his preparations for the attack." 
 
 "He shall try," Boadicea said decidedly. "You saw the 
 other day, chiefs, how well he has learned the Roman methods 
 of war. He shall have an opportunity now of turning his 
 knowledge to account. Parta, you are willing that your son 
 should try?"
 
 102 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "Certainly I am willing," Parta said. "He can but die 
 once; he cannot die in a nobler effort for his country." 
 
 "Then it is settled," the queen said. "The Sarci will attack 
 in three hours." 
 
 As soon as Beric heard the decision he hurried away and at 
 once ordered the tribesmen to scatter through the country and 
 to kill two hundred of the cattle roaming at present masterless, 
 to strip off their hides, and bring them in. They returned 
 before the three hours were expired, bringing the hides. In 
 the meantime Beric had procured from a half-consumed ware- 
 house a quantity of oil, pitch, and other combustibles, and had 
 smeared the faggots with them. On the arrival of the men 
 with the hides, these were bound with the raw side upwards 
 over the faggots. 
 
 Two hundred of the strongest men of the tribe were then 
 chosen and divided into two parties, and the rest being 
 similarly divided, took their station at the ends of the square 
 facing the gates. When Beric sounded his horn the faggot- 
 bearers raised their burdens on to their heads and formed in 
 a close square, ten abreast, with the faggots touching each 
 other. Beric himself commanded the party facing the principal 
 entrance, and holding a blazing torch in each hand, took his 
 place in the centre of the square, there being ample room for 
 him between the lines of men. The rest of the tribe were 
 ordered to stand firmly in order until he gave the signal for 
 the advance. Then he again sounded his horn, and the two 
 parties advanced from the opposite ends of the square. 
 
 As soon as they came within reach the Romans showered 
 down darts and javelins; but these either slipped altogether 
 from the surface of the wet hides, or, penetrating them, went 
 but a short distance into the faggots; and the British tribesmen 
 raised shouts of exultation as the two solid bodies advanced 
 unshaken to the steps of the temple. Mounting these they 
 advanced to the gates. In vain the Romans dropped their 
 javelins perpendicularly through the holes in the ceiling of the 
 colonnade, in vain poured down streams of boiling oil, which
 
 BERIC FIRES THE ROMAN TEMPLE.
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 103 
 
 had proved so fatal to the last attack. The javelins failed to 
 penetrate, the oil streamed harmless off the hides. The men 
 had, before advancing, received minute instructions. The ten 
 men in the front line piled their faggots against the door, and 
 then keeping close to the wall of the temple itself, slipped 
 round to the side colonnade. 
 
 The operation was repeated by the next line, and so on 
 until but two lines remained. Then the two men at each end 
 of these lines mounted the pile of faggots and placed their bur- 
 dens there, leaving but six standing. In their centre Beric 
 had his place, and now, kneeling down under their shelter, 
 applied his torches to the pile. He waited till he saw the 
 flames beginning to mount up. Then he gave the word; the 
 six men dropped their faggots to the ground, and with him 
 ran swiftly to the side colonnade, where they were in shelter, 
 as the Romans, knowing they could not be attacked here, had 
 made no openings in the ceiling above. The Britons were 
 frantic with delight when they saw columns of smoke followed 
 by tongues of flames mounting from either end of the temple. 
 Higher and higher the flames mounted till they licked the 
 ceiling above them. 
 
 For half an hour the fire continued, and by the end of 
 that time there was but a glowing mass of embers through 
 which those without could soon see right into the temple. 
 The doors and the obstacles behind them had been destroyed. 
 As soon as he was aware by the shouts of his countrymen 
 that the faggots were well in a blaze, Beric had sounded his 
 horn, and he and the tribesmen from both colonnades had run 
 across the open unmolested by the darts of the Eomans, who 
 were too panic-stricken at the danger that threatened them to 
 pay any heed to their movements. Beric was received with 
 loud acclamations by the Iceni, and was escorted by a shout- 
 ing multitude to the queen, who had taken her place at a 
 point where she could watch the operations. She held out 
 her hand to him. "You have succeeded, Beric, " she said; 
 "and my thanks and those of all here nay, of all Britain
 
 104 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 are due to you. In half an hour the temple will be open 
 to attack" 
 
 "Hardly in that time, queen," he replied. "The faggots 
 will doubtless have done their work by then, but it will be 
 hours before the embers and stonework will be sufficiently 
 cool to enable men to pass over them to the assault." 
 
 "We can wait," the queen said. "A messenger, who left 
 the camp of Cerealis at daybreak, has just arrived, and at that 
 hour nothing was known to the Romans of our attack here. 
 They will not now arrive until to-morrow." 
 
 Not until the afternoon was it considered that the entrances 
 would be cool enough to pass through. Then the Sarci pre- 
 pared for the attack, binding pieces of raw hide under their 
 feet to protect them from the heated stonework. They were 
 formed ten abreast. Beric took his place before the front line 
 of one of the columns, and with levelled spears they advanced 
 at a run towards the doors. A shower of missiles saluted them 
 from the roof. Some fell, but the rest, pressing on in close 
 order, dashed through the gateway and flung themselves upon 
 the Roman soldiers drawn up to oppose their passage. The 
 resistance was feeble. The Romans had entirely lost heart, 
 and could not for a moment sustain the weight of the charge. 
 They were swept away from the entrance, and the Britons 
 poured in. 
 
 Standing in groups the Romans defended themselves in des- 
 peration; but their efforts were vain, and in five minutes the 
 last defender of the place was slain. As soon as the fight was 
 over the whole of the Iceni rushed tumultuously forward with 
 exultant shouts and filled the temple; then a horn sounded 
 and a lane was made, as Boadicea, followed by her chiefs and 
 chief tainesses, entered the temple. The queen's face was radiant 
 with triumph, and she would have spoken but the shouting 
 was so loud that those near her could not obtain silence. They 
 understood, however, when advancing to the statues of the 
 gods that stood behind the altars, she waved her spear. In 
 an instant the tribesmen swarmed round the statues, ropes were
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 105 
 
 attached to the massive figures, and Jupiter, Mars, and Minerva 
 fell to the ground with a crash, as did the statue of the 
 Emperor Claudius. 
 
 A mighty shout hailed its downfall. The gods of the Britons, 
 insulted and outraged, were avenged upon those of Eome; the 
 altars of Mona had streamed with the blood of the Druids, 
 those of Camalodunum were wet with the gore of Roman 
 legionaries. The statues were broken to pieces, the altars 
 torn down, and then the chiefs ordered the tribesmen to 
 fetch in faggots. Thousands went to the forest, while others 
 pulled down detached houses and sheds that had escaped the 
 flames, and dragged the beams and woodwork to the temple. 
 By nightfall an enormous pile of faggots was raised round each 
 of the eight interior columns that in two lines supported the 
 roof. Torches were applied by Boadicea, her two daughters 
 and some of the principal Druids, and in a short time the 
 interior of the temple was a glowing furnace. The beams of 
 the ceiling and roof soon ignited and the flames shot up high 
 into the air. 
 
 All day the Trinobantes had been pouring in, and a perfect 
 frenzy of delight reigned among the great crowd looking on at 
 the destruction of the temple that had been raised to signify 
 and celebrate the subjugation of Britain. Women with flowing 
 hair performed wild dances of triumph; some rushed about as 
 if possessed with madness, uttering prophecies of the total 
 destruction of the Romans; others foamed at the mouth and fell 
 in convulsions, while the men were scarcely less excited over 
 their success. Messengers had already brought in news that 
 at mid-day Cerealis had learned that Camalodunum had been 
 attacked, and that the legion was to start on the following 
 morning to relieve the town. 
 
 The news had been taken to him by one of the Trinobantes, 
 who had received his instructions from Aska. He was to say 
 that the town had suddenly been attacked and that many had 
 fallen ; but the greater portion of the population had escaped 
 to the temple, which had been vainly attacked by the Iceni.
 
 106 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 The object of this news was to induce Cerealis to move out from 
 his fortified camp. The chiefs felt the difficulty of assaulting 
 such a position, and though they had dreaded the arrival of 
 Cerealis before the temple was taken, they were anxious that he 
 should set out as soon as they saw that Beric's plan of attack 
 had succeeded, and that the temple was now open to their 
 assault. 
 
 At midnight the roof of the temple fell in, and nothing 
 remained but the bare walls and the columns surrounding them. 
 The chiefs ordered their followers to make their way through 
 the still burning town and to gather by tribes outside the 
 defensive works, and there lie down until morning, when they 
 would march to meet the legion of Cerealis. At daybreak they 
 were again afoot and on the march southward, swollen by the 
 accession of the Trinobantes and by the arrival during the last 
 two days of tribes who had been too late to join the rest at 
 Cardun. The British force now numbered at least fifty 
 thousand. 
 
 "It is a great army, Beric," Boduoc said exultingly as they 
 moved forward. 
 
 "It is a great host," Beric replied. "I would that it were 
 an army. Had they all even as much training as our men I 
 should feel confident in the future." 
 
 "But surely you are confident now, Beric; we have begun 
 well" 
 
 "We have scarcely begun at all," Beric said. "What have 
 we done? Destroyed a sleeping town and captured by means 
 of fire a temple defended by four hundred men. We shall win 
 to-day, that I do not doubt. The men are wrought up by their 
 success, and the Romans are little prepared to meet such a 
 force. I doubt not that we shall beat them, but to crush a 
 legion is not to defeat Rome. I hope, Boduoc, but I do not 
 feel confident. Look back at the Sarci and then look round 
 at this disordered host. Well, the Romans in discipline and 
 order exceed the Sarci as much as we exceed the rest of the 
 Iceni. They will be led by generals trained in war; we are led
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 107 
 
 by chiefs whose only idea of war is to place themselves at the 
 head of their tribe and rush against the enemy. Whether 
 courage and great numbers can compensate for want of disci- 
 pline remains to be seen. The history of Eome tells me that 
 it has never done so yet." 
 
 After five hours' marching some fleet-footed scouts sent on 
 ahead brought in the news that the Romans were approaching. 
 A halt was called, and the chiefs assembled round the queen's 
 chariot in council. Beric was summoned by a messenger from 
 the queen. 
 
 " You must always attend our councils," she said when he 
 came up. "You have proved that, young as you are, you 
 possess a knowledge of war that more than compensates for 
 your lack of years. You have the right, after capturing the 
 temple for us, to take for the Sarci the post of honour in 
 to-day's battle. Choose it for yourself. You know the Romans; 
 where do you think we had better fight them 1 ?" 
 
 " I think we could not do better than await them here," he 
 said. " We stand on rising ground, and one of the Trinobantes 
 to whom I have just spoken says that there is a swamp away 
 on the left of our front, so that the Roman horsemen cannot 
 advance in that direction. I should attack them in face and 
 on their left flank, closing in thickly so as to prevent their 
 horsemen from breaking out on to the plain at our right and 
 then falling upon us in our rear. Since you are good enough 
 to say that I may choose my post for the Sarci, I will hold 
 them where they stand ; then, should the others fail to break 
 the Roman front, we will move down upon them and check 
 their advance while the rest attack their flanks." 
 
 This answer pleased some of the chiefs, who felt jealous of 
 the honour the small tribe had gained on the previous day. 
 They were afraid that Beric would have chosen to head the 
 attack 
 
 "Does that plan please you?" Boadicea asked. 
 
 "It is as well as another," one of the chiefs said. "Let the 
 Sarci look on this time while we destroy the enemy. I should
 
 108 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 have thought Beric would have chosen for his tribe the post 
 of honour in the attack." 
 
 "The Romans always keep their best troops in reserve," 
 Beric said quietly; " in a hard fight it is the reserve that decides 
 the fate of battle." 
 
 " Then let it be so," Boadicea said. " Is the swamp that you 
 speak of deep 1 ?" 
 
 " It is not too deep for our men to cross," one of the chiefs 
 of the Trinobantes said; "but assuredly a horseman could not 
 pass through it." 
 
 " Very well, then, let the Trinobantes attack by falling upon 
 the Romans on our right; the Iceni will attack them in front; 
 and the Sarci will remain where they stand until Beric sees 
 need for them to advance." 
 
 In a few minutes the Roman legion was seen advancing, 
 with a portion of the cavalry in front and the rest in the rear. 
 The queen, whose chariot was placed in front of the line, raised 
 her spear. A tremendous shout was raised by the Britons, and 
 with wild cries the tribes poured down to the attack, while the 
 women, clustered on the slopes they had left, added their shrill 
 cries of encouragement to the din. The Romans, who, believing 
 that the Britons were still engaged in the attack on Camalodu- 
 num, had no expectation of meeting them on the march, halted 
 and stood uncertain as the masses of Britons poured down to 
 the attack. Then their trumpets sounded and they again 
 advanced, the cavalry in the rear moving forward to join those 
 in the advance, but before they accomplished this the Britons 
 were upon them. Showers of darts were poured in, and the 
 horsemen, unable to stand the onslaught, rode into the spaces 
 between the companies of the infantry, who, moving outwards 
 and forming a solid column on either flank, protected them 
 from the assaults of their foes. 
 
 The Britons, after pouring in showers of javelins, flung them- 
 selves, sword in hand, upon the Roman infantry; but these with 
 levelled spears showed so solid a front that they were unable 
 to break through, while from behind the spearmen, the light-
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 109 
 
 armed Eoman troops poured volleys of missiles among them. 
 Boadicea called Beric to her side. 
 
 "It is as you said, Beric; the order in which the Romans 
 fight is wonderful. See how steadily they hold together, it is 
 like a wild boar attacked by dogs ; but they will be overwhelmed, 
 see how the darts fly and how bravely the Iceni are fighting." 
 The tribesmen, indeed, were attacking with desperate bravery. 
 Seizing the heads of the spears they attempted to wrest them 
 from their holders, or to thrust them aside and push forward 
 within striking distance. Sometimes they partially succeeded, 
 and though the first might fall others rushing in behind 
 reached the Romans and pressed them backwards, but reserves 
 were brought up and the line restored. Then slowly but 
 steadily the Romans moved forward, and although partial suc- 
 cess had at some points attended those who attacked them in 
 flank, the front of the column with serried spears held its way 
 on in spite of the efforts of the Britons to arrest the movement. 
 Presently the supply of javelins of their assailants began to fail, 
 and the assaults upon the head of the column to grow more 
 feeble, while the shouts of the Roman soldiers rose above the 
 cries of their assailants. 
 
 "Now it is time for us to move down," Beric said; "if we 
 can arrest the advance their flanks will be broken in before 
 long. Now, men," he shouted as he returned to his place at 
 the head of the Sarci, "now is the time to show that you can 
 meet the Romans in their own fashion. Move slowly down to 
 the attack, let no man hasten his pace, but let each keep his 
 place in the ranks. Four companies will attack the Romans 
 in front, the others in column five deep will march down till 
 they face the Roman flank, then they will march at it, spears 
 down, and break it in." 
 
 Beric sounded his bugle, and ten deep the four hundred men 
 moved steadily down to the attack of the Romans. The five 
 front ranks marched with levelled spears, those behind pre- 
 pared to hurl their darts over their heads. When within fifty 
 yards of the enemy the Sarci raised their battle-cry, and the
 
 110 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Iceni engaged with the Romans in front, seeing the hedge of 
 spears advancing behind them, hurriedly ran off at both flanks 
 and the Sard advanced to the attack. 
 
 The Romans halted involuntarily, astonished at the spectacle. 
 Never before had they encountered barbarians advancing in 
 formation similar to their own, and the sight of the tall figures 
 advancing almost naked to the assault for the Britons always 
 threw off their garments before fighting filled them with 
 something like consternation. At the shouts of their officers, 
 however, they again got into motion and met the Britons 
 firmly. The additional length Beric had given to the spears 
 of the Sarci now proved of vital advantage, and bearing 
 steadily onward they brought the Romans to a standstill, while 
 the javelins from the British rear ranks fell thick and fast among 
 them. Gradually the Romans were pressed backwards, quickly 
 as the gaps were filled up by those behind, until the charg- 
 ing shout of the Sarci on their flank was heard. Beric blew 
 his horn, and his men with an answering shout pressed for- 
 ward faster, their cries of victory rising as the Romans gave 
 way. 
 
 Still the latter fought stubbornly, until triumphant yells and 
 confused shouts told them that the flank had given way under 
 the attack of the Britons. Then Beric's horn sounded again, 
 the slow advance was converted into a charge, the ranks behind 
 closed up, and before the weight and impetus of the rush the 
 Roman line was broken. Then the impetuosity of the Sarci 
 could be no longer restrained, in vain Beric blew his horn. 
 Flinging down their spears and drawing their swords the 
 Britons flung themselves on the broken mass, the other 
 tribesmen pouring in tumultuously behind them. 
 
 For a few minutes a desperate conflict raged, each man 
 fighting for himself; but numbers prevailed, the Roman shouts 
 became feebler, the war-cries of the Britons louder and more 
 triumphant. In ten minutes the fight was over, more than two 
 thousand Roman soldiers lay dead, while Cerealis and the 
 cavalry, bursting their way through their assailants, alone
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. Ill 
 
 escaped, galloping off at full speed towards the refuge of their 
 fortified camp. The exultation of the Britons knew no bounds. 
 They had for the first time since the Eomans set foot on their 
 shore beaten them in a fair fight in the open. There was 
 a rush to collect the arms, shields, and helmets of the fallen 
 Romans, and two of the Sarci presently brought the standards 
 of the legion to Beric. 
 
 "Follow me with them," he said, and, extricating himself 
 from the throng, ascended the slope to where Boadicea, sur- 
 rounded with women who were dancing and joining in a trium- 
 phant chant of victory, was still standing in her chariot. 
 
 " Here are the Eoman standards, the emblems of victory," 
 Beric said as he approached the chariot. 
 
 Boadicea sprang down, and advancing to him, embraced him 
 warmly. "The victory is yours, Beric," she said. "Keep 
 these two eagles, and fix them in your hall, so that your chil- 
 dren's children may point to them with pride and say, ' It was 
 Beric, chief of the Sarci, who first overthrew the Eomans in 
 the field.' But there is no time to be lost;" and she turned 
 to her charioteer, who carried a horn. " Sound the summons 
 for the chiefs to assemble." 
 
 There were several missing, for the Britons had suffered 
 heavily in their first attack 
 
 "Chiefs," she said, "let us not lose an instant, but press on 
 after the Eomans. Let us strike before they recover from their 
 confusion and surprise. Caius Decianus may be in their camp, 
 and while I seek no other spoil, him I must have to wreak my 
 vengeance on. See that a party remain to look to the wounded, 
 and that such as need it are taken to their homes in waggons." 
 The horns were at once sounded, the tribesmen nocked back to 
 the positions from which they had charged, and resumed their 
 garments. Then the march was continued. 
 
 They presented a strange appearance now. Almost every 
 
 man had taken possession of some portion or other of the 
 
 Eomans' arms. Some had helmets, others shields, others 
 
 i breastplates, swords, or spears. The helmets, however, were
 
 112 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 speedily taken off and slung behind them, the heads of the 
 Iceni being vastly larger than those of the Romans, the tallest 
 of whom they overtopped by fully six inches. The arms of 
 the officer who commanded under Cerealis were offered to 
 Beric, but he refused them. 
 
 "I fight to drive the Romans from our land," he said, "and 
 not for spoil. Nothing of theirs will I touch, but will return 
 to the forest when all is over just as I left it." 
 
 By evening they approached the Roman camp. A portion 
 of the legion had been left there when Cerealis set out, and in 
 the light of the setting sun the helmets and spear-heads could 
 be seen above the massive palisades that rose on the top of the 
 outworks. The Britons halted half a mile away, fires were 
 lighted, and the men sat down to feast upon the meat that 
 had been brought in waggons from Camalodunum. Then a 
 council was held. As a rule, the British councils were 
 attended by all able-bodied men. The power of the chiefs, 
 except in actual war, was very small, for the Britons, like their 
 Gaulish ancestors, considered every man to be equal, and each 
 had a voice in the management of affairs. Thus every chief 
 had, before taking up arms, held a council of his tribesmen, 
 and it was only after they had given their vote for war that he 
 possessed any distinct power and control. 
 
 When the council began, one of the chiefs of the Trinobantes 
 was asked first to give a minute description of the Roman 
 camp. The works were formidable. Surrounding it was a 
 broad and deep fosse, into which a stream was turned. 
 Beyond this there was a double vallum or wall of earth so 
 steep as to be climbed with great difficulty. In the hollow 
 between the two walls sharp stakes were set thickly together. 
 The second wall was higher than the first, and completely 
 commanded it. Along its top ran a solid palisade of massive 
 beams, behind which the earth was banked up to within some 
 three and a half feet from the top, affording a stand for the 
 archers, slingers, and spearmen. 
 
 The council was animated, but the great majority of chiefs
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 113 
 
 were in favour of leaving this formidable position untouched, 
 and falling upon places that offered a chance of an easier cap- 
 ture. The British in their tribal wars fought largely for the 
 sake of plunder. In their first burst of fury at Camalodunum 
 they had, contrary to their custom, sought only to destroy ; but 
 their thirst for blood was now appeased, they longed for the 
 rich spoils of the Roman cities, both as trophies of victory and 
 to adorn their women. The chiefs represented that already 
 many of their bravest tribesmen had fallen, and it would be 
 folly to risk a heavy loss in the attack upon such a position. 
 
 What matter, they argued, if two or three hundred 
 Romans were left there for the present? They could do 
 no harm, and could be either captured by force or obliged to 
 surrender by hunger after Suetonius and the Roman army had 
 been destroyed. Not a day should be lost, they contended, 
 in marching upon Verulamium, after which London could be 
 sacked, for, although far inferior in size and importance to 
 Camalodunum and Verulamium, it was a rising town, inhabited 
 by large numbers of merchants and traders, who imported 
 goods from Gaul and distributed them over the country. 
 
 Beric's opinion was in favour of an instant assault, and in 
 this he was supported by Aska and two or three of the older 
 chiefs; but the majority were the other way, and the policy of 
 leaving altogether the fortified posts garrisoned by the Romans 
 to be dealt with after the Roman army had been met and 
 destroyed was decided upon. One of the arguments employed 
 was that while the capture of these places would be attended 
 with considerable loss, it would add little to the effect that the 
 news of the destruction of the chief Roman towns would have 
 upon the tribes throughout the whole country, and would take 
 so long that Suetonius might return in time to succour the 
 most important places before the work was done. Aska walked 
 away from the council with Beric. 
 
 " They have decided wrongly," he said. 
 
 " I do not think it much matters," Beric replied. " Every- 
 thing hangs at present upon the result of our battle with Sue- 
 
 (725) H
 
 114 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 tonius. If we win, all the detached forts must surrender; if 
 we lose, what matters it?" 
 
 "You think we shall lose, Eerie 1 ?" 
 
 "I do not say that," Beric said; "but see how it was to-day. 
 The Iceni made no more impression upon the Eoman column 
 than if they had been attacking a wall. They hindered them- 
 selves by their very numbers, and by the time we meet the 
 Romans our numbers will be multiplied by five, perhaps by ten. 
 But shall we be any stronger thereby? Will not rather the 
 confusion be greater] To-day the Roman horse fled; but had 
 they charged among us, small as was their number, what con- 
 fusion would they have made in our ranks! A single Briton 
 is a match for a single Roman, and more. Ten Romans fighting 
 in order might repel the assault of a hundred, and as the 
 numbers multiply so does the advantage of discipline increase. 
 I hope for victory, Aska, but I cannot say that I feel confident 
 of it." 
 
 Marching next morning against Verulamium, they arrived 
 there in the afternoon and at once attacked it. The resistance 
 was feeble, and bursting through in several places the Iceni and 
 Trinobantes spread over the town, slaughtering all they found. 
 Not only the Romans, but the Gauls settled in the city, and 
 such Britons as had adopted Roman customs were put to the 
 sword. The city was then sacked and set on fire. It was now 
 decided that instead of turning towards London they should 
 march west in order that they might be joined by other tribes 
 on their way and meet Suetonius returning from Wales. 
 
 There was no haste in their movements. They advanced 
 by easy stages, their numbers swelling every day, tribe after 
 tribe joining them, as the news spread of the capture and 
 destruction of the two chief Roman towns, and the defeat and 
 annihilation of one of the legions. So they marched until, a 
 fortnight after the capture of Verulamium, the news arrived 
 that Suetonius, marching with all speed towards the east, had 
 already passed them, gathering up on his way the garrisons of 
 all the fortified posts. Then the great host turned and marched
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 115 
 
 east again. Beric regretted deeply the course that had been 
 taken. Had the garrisons all been attacked and destroyed sepa- 
 rately, the army they would have to encounter would have been 
 a little more than half the strength of that which Suetonius 
 would be able to put into the field when he collected all the 
 garrisons. 
 
 But the Britons troubled themselves in no way. They 
 regarded victory as certain, and expressed exultation that they 
 should crush all the Eomans at one blow in the open field, 
 instead of being forced to undertake a number of separate 
 sieges. Still marching easily, they came down upon the valley 
 of the Thames and followed it until they arrived at London. 
 They had expected that Suetonius would give battle before 
 they arrived there. He had indeed passed through the town 
 a few days previously, but had disregarded the prayers of the 
 inhabitants to remain for their protection. He allowed all 
 males who chose to do so to enlist in the ranks and permitted 
 others to accompany the army, but he wished before fighting 
 to be joined by Cerealis and the survivors of his legion, and by 
 the garrisons of other fortified posts. 
 
 The Britons therefore fell upon London, slaughtered all the 
 inhabitants, and sacked and burned the town. It was cal- 
 culated that here and in the two Roman cities no less than 
 80,000 persons had been slain. This accomplished, the great 
 host again set out in search of Suetonius. They were accom- 
 panied now by a vast train of waggons and chariots carrying 
 the women and spoil 
 
 Beric was not present at the sack of London. As they 
 approached the town and it became known that Suetonius had 
 marched away, and that there would be no resistance, he struck 
 off north. Since they had left Verulamium the tribesmen had 
 given up marching in military order. They were very proud 
 of the credit they had gained in the battle with the Romans, 
 but said that they did not see any use in marching tediously 
 abreast when there was no enemy near. Beric having no 
 > power whatever to compel them, told them that of course they
 
 116 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 could do as they liked, but that they would speedily forget all 
 they had learned. But the impatience of restraint of any kind, 
 or of doing anything unless perfectly disposed to do it, which 
 was a British characteristic, was too strong, and many were 
 influenced by the scoffs of the new-comers, who, not having 
 seen them in the day of battle, asked them scornfully if the 
 Sarci were slaves that they should obey orders like Roman 
 soldiers. 
 
 Boduoc, although he had objected to the drill at first, and 
 had scoffed at the idea of men fighting any better because 
 they all kept an even distance from each other, and marched with 
 the same foot forward, had now become an enthusiast in its 
 favour and raged at this falling away. But Beric said, "It is no 
 use being angry, Boduoc. I was surprised that they consented 
 at first, and I am not surprised that they have grown tired of it. 
 It is the fault of our people to be fickle and inconstant, soon 
 wearying of anything they undertake; but I do not think that 
 it matters much now. We alone were able to decide the fight 
 when there were but two thousand Roman spearmen; but 
 when we meet Suetonius, he will have ten thousand soldiers 
 under him, and our multitude is so great that the Sarci would 
 be lost in the crowd. If the Britons cannot beat them without 
 us, we should not suffice to change the fortunes of the day." 
 
 It was partly to escape the sight of the sack of London, 
 partly because he was anxious to know how Berenice and 
 Cneius Nepo were faring that Beric left the army, and drove 
 north in a chariot. After two days' journey he arrived at the 
 cottage of Boduoc's mother. The door stood open as was the 
 universal custom in Britain, for nowhere was hospitality so 
 lavishly practised, and it was thought that a closed door might 
 deter a passer-by from entering. His footsteps had been heard, 
 for two dogs had growled angrily at his approach. The old 
 woman was sitting at the fire, and at first he saw no one else 
 in the hut. 
 
 "Good will to all here!" he said. 
 
 "It is the young chief!" the old woman exclaimed, and at
 
 FIRST SUCCESSES. 117 
 
 once two figures rose from a pile of straw in a dark corner of 
 the room. 
 
 "Beric?" 
 
 "Yes, it is I," he said. "How fares it with you, Berenice? 
 You are well, Cneius, I hope ? You have run no risks, I trust, 
 since you have been here?" 
 
 "We are well, Beric," the girl said; "but oh the time has 
 seemed so long ! It is not yet a month since you sent us here, 
 but it seems a year. She has been very kind to us, and done 
 all that she could, and the girls, her daughters, have gone with 
 me sometimes for rambles in the wood; but they cannot speak 
 our language. Not another person has been here since we 
 came." 
 
 "What is the news, Beric?" Cneius asked. "No word has 
 reached us. The old woman and her daughters have learned 
 something, for the eldest girl goes away sometimes for hours, 
 and I can see that she tells her mother news when she returns." 
 
 Beric briefly told them what had happened, at which 
 Berenice exclaimed passionately that the Britons were a wicked 
 people. 
 
 "Then there will be a great battle when you meet Suetonius, 
 Beric," Cneius said. " How think you will it go?" 
 
 "It is hard to say," Beric replied; "we are more than one 
 hundred and fifty thousand men against ten thousand, but the 
 ten thousand are soldiers, while the hundred and fifty thousand 
 are a mob. Brave and devoted, and fearless of death I admit, 
 but still a mob. I cannot say how it will go." 
 
 "How long shall we stay here, Berio?" Berenice asked. 
 "When will you take me to my father?" 
 
 "If we are beaten, Berenice, you will rejoin him speedily; 
 if we win " 
 
 " He will not be alive," she broke in. 
 
 Beric did not contradict her, but went on, "I will see that 
 
 you are placed on board a ship and sent to Gaul; it is for this 
 
 I come here to-day. Cneius, in two or three days we shall 
 
 i meet Suetonius; if we win, I will return to you myself, or if
 
 118 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 I am killed, Boduoc or his brother, both of whom I shall 
 charge with the mission, will come in my place and will escort 
 you to the coast and see that you are placed on board ship. 
 If we lose, it is likely that none of us will return. I shall give 
 the old woman instructions that in that case her daughter is 
 to guide you through the forest and take you on until you 
 meet some Roman soldiers, or are within sight of their camp, 
 then you will only have to advance and declare yourself." 
 
 Then he turned and spoke for some time to Boduoc's mother 
 in her own language, thanking her for the shelter that she had 
 given the fugitives, and giving instructions as to the future. 
 He took a hasty meal, and started at once on his return journey 
 in order to rejoin the Sarci as the army advanced from London. 
 Berenice wept bitterly when he said good-bye, and Cneius 
 himself was much affected. 
 
 "I view you almost as a son," he said; "and it is terrible to 
 know that if you win in the battle, my patron Caius and my 
 countrymen will be destroyed, while if they win, you may fall." 
 
 "It is the fortune of war, Cneius. You know that we 
 Britons look forward to death with joy; that, unlike you, we 
 mourn at a birth and feast at a burial, knowing that after 
 death we go to the Happy Island where there is no more 
 trouble or sorrow, but where all is peace and happiness and 
 content; so do not grieve for me. You will know that if I 
 fall I shall be happy, and shall be free from all the troubles 
 that await this unfortunate land." 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 
 
 T ONDON was but a heap of ashes when Beric arrived there. 
 -IJ It had been a trading place rather than a town. Here 
 were no Roman houses or temples with their massive stone
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 119 
 
 work; it consisted only of a large collection of wooden struc- 
 tures, inhabited by merchants and traders. It lay upon a knoll 
 rising above the low swainpy ground covered by the sea at 
 high -water, for not till long afterwards did the Komans erect 
 the banks that dammed back the waters and confined them 
 within their regular channel. The opposite shore was similarly 
 covered with water at high-tide, and forests extended as far 
 as the eye could reach. London, in fact, occupied what was at 
 high-water a peninsula, connected with the mainland only by 
 a shoulder extending back to the hills behind it, and separated 
 by a deep channel on the west from a similar promontory. 
 
 It was a position that, properly fortified by strong walls 
 across the isthmus, could have been held against a host, but 
 the Romans had not as yet taken it in hand; later, however, 
 they recognized the importance of the position, and made it 
 one of the chief seats of their power. Even in the three days 
 that he had been absent Beric found that the host had con- 
 siderably increased. The tribes of Sussex and Kent, as they 
 heard of the approach of the army, had flocked in to join it, 
 and to .share in the plunder of London. 
 
 Another day was spent in feasting and rejoicing, and then 
 the army moved northward. It consisted now of well-nigh two 
 hundred thousand fighting men, and a vast crowd of women, 
 with a huge train of waggons. Two days later, news reached 
 them of the spot where Suetonius had taken up his position 
 and was awaiting their attack, and the army at once pressed 
 forward in that direction. At nightfall they bivouacked two 
 miles away from it, and Beric, taking Boduoc with him, went 
 forward to examine it. It was at a point where a valley opened 
 into the plain; the sides of the valley were steep and thickly 
 wooded, and it was only in front that an attack could well be 
 delivered. 
 
 " What think you of it, Beric?" Boduoc asked. 
 
 "Suetonius relies upon our folly," Beric said; "he is sure 
 that we shall advance upon him as a tumultous mob, and as 
 but a small portion can act at once our numbers will count but
 
 120 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 little. The position would be a bad one had we any skill or 
 forethought. Were I commander to-morrow I should, before 
 advancing to the attack, send a great number round on 
 either side to make their way through the woods, and so to 
 attack on both flanks, and to pour down the valley in their rear, 
 at the same time that the main body attacked in the front. 
 Then the position would be a fatal one; attacked in front and 
 rear and overwhelmed by darts from the woods on the flanks, 
 their position would be well-nigh desperate, and not a man 
 should escape." 
 
 "But we must overwhelm them," Boduoc said. "What can 
 ten thousand men do against a host like ours 1 ?" 
 
 " It may be so, Boduoc. Yet I feel by no means sure of it. 
 At any rate we must prepare for defeat as well as victory. If 
 we are beaten the cause of Britain will be lost. As we advance 
 without order we shall fly without order, and the tribes will 
 disperse to their homes even more quickly than they have 
 gathered. Of one thing you may be sure, the Roman vengeance 
 will be terrible. We have brought disgrace and defeat upon 
 them. We have destroyed their chief cities. We have massacred 
 tens of thousands. No mercy will be shown us, and chiefly will 
 their vengeance fall upon the Iceni. When we return to the 
 camp, go among the men and ask them whether they mean to 
 fight to-morrow as they fought Cerealis, or whether they will 
 fight in the fashion of the rest. I fear that, wild as all are with 
 enthusiasm and the assurance of victory, they will not consent 
 to be kept in reserve, but will be eager to be in the front of 
 the attack. I will go with you, and will do my best to per- 
 suade them; but if they insist on fighting in their own way, 
 then we will go to them one by one, and will form if we can a 
 body, if only a hundred strong, to keep, and if needs be, retreat 
 together. In speed we can outrun the heavy-armed Eoman 
 soldiers with ease, but their cavalry will scour the plain. Keep- 
 ing together, however, we can repel these with our lances, and 
 make good our escape. We will first make for home, load our- 
 selves with grain, and driving cattle before us, and taking our
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 121 
 
 women and children, make for the swamps that lie to the 
 north-west of our limits. There we can defend ourselves 
 against the Romans for any length of time." 
 
 " You speak as if defeat were certain," Boduoc said reproach- 
 fully. 
 
 "Not at all, Boduoc; a prudent man prepares for either 
 fortune, it is only the fool that looks upon one side only. I 
 hope for victory, but I prepare for defeat; those who like to 
 return to their homes and remain there to be slaughtered by 
 the Romans, can do so. I intend to fight to the last." 
 
 Upon rejoining the Sarci, Beric called them together, and 
 asked them whether they wished on the following day to rush 
 into the battle, or to remain in solid order in reserve. The 
 reply was, that they wished for their share of glory, and that 
 did they hold aloof until the battle was done and the enemy 
 annihilated they would be pointed out as men who had feared 
 to take their share in the combat. When the meeting had dis- 
 persed Beric and Boduoc went among them; they said nothing 
 about the advantage that holding together would be in case of 
 defeat, but pointed out the honour they had gained by deciding 
 the issue of the last battle, and begged them to remain in a 
 solid body, so that possibly they might again decide the battle. 
 As to disgrace, they had already shown how well they could fight, 
 and that none could say that fear had influenced their decision. 
 Altogether two hundred agreed to retain their ranks, and with 
 this Beric was satisfied. He then went off to find his mother, 
 who was as usual with the queen. She would not hear of any 
 possibility of defeat. 
 
 "What!" she said. "Are Britons so poor and unmanly a 
 race, that even when twenty to one they cannot conquer a foe 1 ? 
 I would not believe it of them." 
 
 " I don't expect it, mother, but it is best to be prepared for 
 whatever may happen." He then told her of the arrangements 
 he had made. 
 
 " You may be right, Beric, in preparing for the worst, but I 
 will take no part in it. The queen has sworn she will not
 
 122 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 survive defeat, nor shall I. I will not live to see my country 
 bound in Roman chains. A free woman I have lived, and a 
 free woman I will die, and shall gladly quit this troubled life 
 for the shores of the Happy Island." 
 
 Beric was silent for a minute. " I do not seek to alter your 
 determination, mother, but as for myself, so long as I can lift 
 a sword I shall continue to struggle against the Romans. 
 We shall not meet to-morrow ; when the battle once begins all 
 will be confusion, and there would be no finding each other 
 in this vast crowd. If victory is ours, we shall meet after- 
 wards; if defeat, I shall make for Cardun, where, if you 
 change your mind, I shall hope to meet you, and then shall 
 march with those who will for the swamps of Ely, where doubt- 
 less large numbers of fugitives will gather, for unless the 
 Romans drive their causeways into its very heart they can 
 scarce penetrate in any other way." 
 
 So sure were the Britons of victory that no council was held 
 that night. There were the enemy, they had only to rush upon 
 and destroy them. Returning to his men, Beric met Aska. 
 
 "I have just been over to your camp to see you, Beric. I 
 have talked with Boduoc, who told me frankly that you did 
 not shar the general assurance of an easy victory. Nor do 
 I, after what I saw the other day how we dashed vainly 
 against the Roman line. He tells me that your men, save a 
 small party, have determined to fight to-morrow in the front 
 line with the rest, and I lament over it." 
 
 "It would make no difference in the result," Beric said; "in 
 so great a mass as this we should be lost, and even if we could 
 make our way to the front, and fall upon the Romans in a solid 
 body, our numbers are too small to decide the issue; but at 
 least we might, had the day gone against us, have drawn off 
 in good order." 
 
 " I will take my station with you," Aska said ; " I have, as 
 all the Iceni know, been a great fighter in my time; but I will 
 leave it to the younger men to-morrow to win this battle. My 
 authority may aid yours, and methinks that if we win to
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 123 
 
 morrow, none can say that you were wrong to stand aloof from 
 the first charge, if Aska stood beside you." 
 
 Thanking the chief warmly for the promise, Beric returned 
 to the Sarci. Feasting was kept up all night, and at daybreak 
 the Britons were on foot, and forming in their tribes ad- 
 vanced within half a mile of the Roman position. Then they 
 halted, and Boadicea with her daughters and the chiefs moved 
 along their front exhorting them to great deeds, recalling 
 to them the oppression and tyranny of the Romans, and the 
 indignity that they had inflicted upon her and her daughters; 
 and her addresses were answered by loud shouts from the 
 tribesmen. In the meantime the waggons had moved out and 
 drew up in a vast semicircle behind the troops, so as to enable 
 the women who crowded them to get a view of the victory. So 
 great was the following that the waggons were ranged four or 
 five deep. Beric had drawn up the men who had agreed to fight 
 in order, in a solid mass in front of the tribe. He was nearly 
 on the extreme left of the British position. Aska had taken 
 his place by his side. His mother, as in her chariot she passed 
 along behind Boadicea, waved her hand to him, and then 
 pointed towards the Romans. 
 
 "Look, Aska," he said presently; "do you see that deep line 
 of waggons forming all round us? In case of disaster they 
 will block up the retreat A madness has seized our people. 
 One would think that this was a strife of gladiators at Rome 
 rather than a battle between two nations. There will be no 
 retreat that way for us if disaster comes. We must make off 
 between the horn of the crescent and the Romans. It is there 
 only we can draw off in a body." 
 
 "That is so, Beric," the chief said; "but see! the queen has 
 reached the end of the lines, and waves her spear as a signal." 
 
 A thundering shout arose, mingled with the shrill cries of 
 encouragement from the women, and then like a torrent the 
 Britons rushed to the attack in confused masses, each tribe striv- 
 ing to be first to attack the Romans. The Sarci from behind 
 the company joined in the rush, and there was confusion in the
 
 124 BER1C THE BRITON. 
 
 ranks, many of the men being carried away by the enthusiasm ; 
 but the shouts and exhortations of Beric, Aska, and Boduoc 
 steadied them again, and in regular order they marched after 
 the host. In five minutes the uproar of battle swelled high 
 in front. Beric marched up the valley until he arrived at the 
 rear of the great mass of men who were swarming in front of 
 the Eoman line, each man striving to get to the front to hurl 
 his dart and join in the struggle. The Romans had drawn 
 up twelve deep across the valley, the heavy -armed spearmen 
 in front, the lighter troops behind, the latter replying with 
 their missiles to the storm of darts that the Britons poured 
 upon them. With desperate efforts the assailants strove to 
 break through the hedge of spears; their bravest flung them- 
 selves upon the Roman weapons and died there, striving in 
 vain to break the line. 
 
 For hours the fight continued, but the Roman wall remained 
 unbroken and immovable. Fresh combatants had taken the 
 place of those in front until all had exhausted their store of 
 javelins. In vain the chiefs attempted to induce their fol- 
 lowers to gather thickly together and to make a rush; the din 
 was too great for their voices to be heard, and the tribesmen 
 were half mad with fury at the failure of their own efforts to 
 break the Roman line. Beric strove many times to bring up 
 his company in a mass through the crowd to the front. The 
 pressure was too great, none would give way where all sought 
 to get near their foes, and rather than break them up he 
 remained in the rear in spite of the eager cries of the men to 
 be allowed to break up and push their way singly forward. 
 
 " What can you do alone," he shouted to them, " more than 
 the others are doing? Together and in order we might succeed, 
 broken we should be useless. If this huge army cannot break 
 their line, what could two hundred men do?" At last, as the 
 storm of javelins began to dwindle, a mighty shout rose from 
 the Romans, and shoulder to shoulder with levelled spears they 
 advanced, while the flanks giving way, the cavalry burst out 
 on both sides and fell upon the Britons. For those in front,
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 125 
 
 pressed by the mass behind them, there was no falling back, 
 they fell as they stood under the Roman spears. Stubbornly 
 for a time the tribesmen fought with sword and target; but 
 as the line pressed forward, and the horsemen cut their way 
 through the struggling mass, a panic began to seize them. 
 
 The tribes longest conquered by the Romans first gave way, 
 and the movement rapidly spread. Many for some time des- 
 perately opposed the advance of the Romans, whose trium- 
 phant shouts rose loudly; but gradually these melted away, and 
 the vast crowd of warriors became a mob of fugitives, the 
 Romans pressing hotly with cries of victory and vengeance 
 upon their rear. Beric's little band was swept away like foam 
 before the wave of fugitives. For a time it attempted to stem 
 the current; but when Beric saw that this was in vain he 
 shouted to his tribesmen to keep in a close body and to press 
 towards the left, which was comparatively free. Fortunately 
 the Roman horse had plunged in more towards the centre, and 
 the ground was open for their retreat. 
 
 Thousands of flying men were making towards the rear, but 
 with a great effort they succeeded in crossing the tide of fugi- 
 tives, and in passing through outside the semicircle of waggons. 
 Here they halted for a moment while Beric, climbing on the 
 end waggon, surveyed the scene. There was no longer any 
 resistance among the Britons. The great semicircle within 
 the line of waggons was crowded by a throng of fugitives, 
 behind whom, at a run now, the Roman legions were ad- 
 vancing, maintaining their order even at that rapid pace. 
 Outside the sweep of waggons women with cries of terror were 
 flying in all directions, and the horses, alarmed by the din, were 
 plunging and struggling, while their drivers vainly endeavoured 
 to extricate them from the close line of vehicles. 
 
 " All is lost for the present," he said to Aska, " let us make 
 for the north; it is useless to delay, men; to try to fight would 
 be to throw away our lives uselessly, we shall do more good 
 by preserving them to fight upon another day. Keep closely 
 together, we shall have the Roman cavalry upon us before
 
 126 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 long, and only by holding to our ranks can we hope to repel 
 them." 
 
 Many of the women from the nearest waggons rushed in 
 among the men, and, placing them in their centre, the hand 
 went off at a steady trot, which they could maintain for hours. 
 The din behind was terrible, the shouts of the Romans mingled 
 with the cries of the Britons and the loud shrieks of women. 
 The plain was already thick with fugitives, consisting either of 
 women from the outside waggons or men who had made their 
 way through the mass of struggling animals. Here and there 
 chariots were dashing across the plain at full gallop. Looking 
 back from a rise of the ground a mile from the battle-field, 
 they saw a few parties of the Roman horse scouring the plain ; 
 but the main body were scattered round the confused mass by 
 the waggons. 
 
 " There will be but few escape," Aska said, throwing up his 
 arms in despair; "the waggons have proved a death-trap; had 
 it not been for them the army would have scattered all over 
 the country, and though the Roman horse might have cut down 
 many, the greater number would have gained the woods and 
 escaped; but the waggons held them just as a thin line of men 
 will hold the wolves till the hunters arrive and hem them in." 
 
 The carts crowded with women, the plunging horses in lines 
 three or four deep had indeed checked the first fugitives; then 
 came the others crowding in upon them, and then before a gap 
 wide enough to let them through could be forced, the Roman 
 horse were round and upon them. 
 
 The pause that Beric made had been momentary, and 
 the band kept on at their rapid pace until the woods were 
 reached, and they were safe from pursuit; then, as they halted, 
 they gave way to their sorrow and anguish. Some threw them- 
 selves down and lay motionless; others walked up and down 
 with wild gestures; some broke into imprecations against the 
 gods who had deserted them. Some called despairingly the names 
 of wives and daughters who had been among the spectators in 
 that fatal line of waggons. The women sat in a group weeping-
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 127 
 
 none of them belonged to the Iceni, and their kinsfolk and 
 friends had, as they believed, all perished in the fight. 
 
 "Think you that the queen has fallen?" Aska asked Beric. 
 
 "She may have made her way out," Beric said; "we saw 
 chariots driving across the plain. She would be carried back 
 by the first fugitives, and it may be that they managed to 
 clear a way through the waggons for her and those with her. 
 If she is alive, doubtless my mother is by her side." 
 
 "If the queen has escaped," Aska said, "it will be but to 
 die by her own hand instead of by that of the Romans. I am 
 sure that she will not survive this day. There is nothing else 
 left for her, her tribe is destroyed, her country lost, herself 
 insulted and humiliated. Boadicea would never demand her 
 life from the Romans." 
 
 " My mother will certainly die with her," Beric said, " and 
 I should say that all her party will willingly share her fate. 
 For the chiefs and leaders there will be no mercy, and for 
 a time doubtless all will be slaughtered who fall into the 
 Roman hands; but after a time the sword will be stayed, for 
 the land will be useless to them without men to cultivate it, 
 and when the Roman hands are tired of slaying, policy will 
 prevail. It were best to speak to the men, Aska, for us to be 
 moving on; will you address them 1 ?" 
 
 The old chief moved towards the men, and raising his hand, 
 called them to him. At first but few obeyed the summons, but 
 as he proceeded they roused themselves and gathered round 
 him, for his reputation in the tribe was great, and the assured 
 tone in which he spoke revived their spirits. 
 
 "Men of the Sarci," he said, "this is no time for wailing or 
 lamentation ; the gods of Britain have deserted us, but of this 
 terrible day's defeat none of the disgrace rests upon you. The 
 honour of the victories we won was yours, and though but a small 
 sub-tribe, the name of the Sarci rang through Britain as that 
 of the bravest in the land. Had all of your tribe obeyed their 
 young chief and fought together to-day as they have fought be- 
 fore, it may be that the defeat would have been averted ; but you
 
 128 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 stood firmly by him when the others fell away, and you stand 
 here without the loss of a man, safe in the forest and ready to 
 meet the Roman again. You are fortunate in having such a 
 leader. I may tell you that had his counsel prevailed you would 
 not now be mourning a defeat. I, an old chief with long years 
 of experience, believed what he said, young though he is, and 
 saw that to fight in a confused multitude on such a field was 
 to court almost certain defeat. 
 
 " Thus then I placed myself by his side, relying upon his 
 skill in arms and your bravery, and throwing my fortune in 
 with yours. I was not mistaken. Had you not firmly kept toge- 
 ther and followed his instructions you too would have been 
 inclosed in that vast throng of fugitives hemmed in among the 
 waggons, slaughtered by the Roman footmen in their rear and 
 cut down by their horse if they broke through the line of 
 waggons. You may ask what is there to live for; you may say 
 that the cause of Britain is lost, that your tribe is well-nigh 
 destroyed, that many of you have lost your wives and families 
 as well. All this is true, but yet, men, all is not lost. Great as 
 may have been the slaughter, large numbers must have escaped, 
 and many of you have still wives and families at home. Before 
 aught else is thought of these must be taken to a place of 
 safety until the first outburst of Roman vengeance has passed. 
 
 " Had Beric been the sole leader of the Britons from the 
 first there would be no need of fearing their vengeance, for in 
 that case none of their women and children would have been 
 slain, and they would be now in our hands as hostages; but 
 that is past. I say it only to show you how wise and far- 
 seeing as well as how brave a leader in battle is this young 
 chief of yours. While all others were dreaming only of an easy 
 victory over the Romans he and I have been preparing for 
 what had best be done in case of defeat. To return to your 
 homes would be but to court death, and if we are to die at the 
 hands of the Romans it is best that we should die fighting them 
 to the end. We have therefore arranged that we will seek 
 a refuge in the Fen country that forms the western boundary
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 129 
 
 of the land of the Iceni; there we can find strongholds into 
 which the Eomans can never force tluir way; thence we can 
 sally out, and in turn take vengeance. There will rally round 
 you hundreds of other brave men till we grow to a force that 
 may again make head against the Romans. There at least we 
 shall live as free men and die as free men." 
 
 A shout of approval broke from the men. 
 
 " You need not starve," Aska went on. " The rivers abound 
 with fish and the swamps with water-fowl. There are islands 
 among the swamps where the land is dry, and we can construct 
 huts. Three days since, when he foresaw that it might be that 
 a refuge would be needed, Beric despatched a messenger home 
 with orders that a herd of three hundred cattle and another of 
 as many swine should be driven to the spot near the swamps 
 for which we propose to make, and they will there be found 
 awaiting you." 
 
 There was again a chorus of approval, and one of the men 
 stepping forward said, " Beric is young, but he is a great chief. 
 We will follow him wherever he will take us, and will swear to 
 be faithful and obedient to him." Every man raised his right 
 arm towards the sky, and with a loud shout swore to be faith- 
 ful to Beric. 
 
 " You are right," Aska said. " It is of no use to obey a 
 chief only when ranged in battle; it is that which has ruined 
 our country. There is nothing slavish in recognizing that one 
 man must rule, and in obeying when obedience is necessary for 
 the sake of all. As one body led by one mind you may do 
 much; as two hundred men swayed by two hundred minds you 
 will do nothing. I shall be with Beric, and my experience 
 may be of aid to him. And if I, a chief of high standing among 
 the Iceni, am well content to recognize in him the leader 
 of our party, you may well do the same. Now, Beric, step 
 forward and say what is next to be done." 
 
 " I thank you," Beric said when the shout of acclamation 
 that greeted him when he stepped forward had subsided, "for 
 the oath you have sworn to be faithful to me. I pretend not 
 
 (725) I
 
 130 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 to more wisdom than others, and feel that in the presence of 
 one so full of years and experience as Aska it is a presumption 
 for one of my age to give an opinion; but in one respect I 
 know that I am more fitted than others to lead you. I have 
 studied the records of the Romans, of their wars with the Gauls 
 and other peoples, and I know that their greatest trouble was 
 not in defeating armies in the field but of overcoming the 
 resistance of those who took refuge in fastnesses and harassed 
 them continually by sorties and attacks. I know where the 
 Romans are strong and where they are weak; and it is by the 
 aid of such knowledge that I hope that we may long retain our 
 freedom, and may even in time become so formidable that we 
 may be able to win terms not only for ourselves but for GUI 
 countrymen. 
 
 "The first step is to gather at our place of refuge those 
 belonging to us. Therefore do you choose among yourselves 
 twenty swift runners and send them to our villages, bidding 
 the wives and families of all here to leave their homes at once, 
 taking only such gear as they can carry lightly, and to make 
 with all speed for Soto, a village in the district of the Baci, and 
 but a mile or two from the edge of the great swamp country. 
 It is there that the herds have been driven, and there they 
 will find a party ready to escort them. Let all the other 
 women and children be advised to quit their homes also, and 
 to travel north together with the old men and boys. Bid the 
 latter drive the herds before them. It may be months before 
 they can return to their homes. It were best that they should 
 pass altogether beyond the district of our people, for it is upon 
 the Iceni that the vengeance of the Romans will chiefly fall. 
 By presents of cattle they can purchase an asylum among the 
 Brigantes, and had best remain there till they hear that Roman 
 vengeance is satisfied. 
 
 " Let them as they journey north advise all the people in our 
 villages to follow their example. Let those who will not do 
 this take shelter in the hearts of the forests. To our own 
 people my orders are distinct : no herd, either of cattle or swine,
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 131 
 
 is to be left behind. Let the Romans find a desert where they 
 can gather no food; let the houses be burnt, together with all 
 crops that have been gathered. "Warn all that there must 
 be no delay. Let the boys and old men start within five 
 minutes from the time that you deliver my message, to gather 
 the herds and drive them north. Let the women call their 
 children round them, take up their babes, make a bundle of 
 their garments, and pile upon a waggon cooking-pots and such 
 things as are most needed, and then set fire to their houses and 
 stacks and granaries and go. Warn them that even the delay 
 of an hour may be fatal, for that the Roman cavalry will be 
 spreading like a river in flood over the country. Beg them to 
 leave the beaten tracks and journey through the woods, both 
 those who go north and those who will meet us at Soto. Quick ! 
 choose the messengers; and such of you as choose had best 
 hand to the one who is bound for his village a ring or a bracelet, 
 or some token that your wives will recognize, so that they may 
 know that the order comes from you." 
 
 Twenty young men were at once chosen, and Boduoc and 
 two of the older men divided the district of the Sarci among 
 them, allotting to each the hamlets they should visit. As soon 
 as this was decided the rest of the band gave the messengers 
 their tokens to their families, and then the runners started at 
 a trot which they could maintain for many hours. The rest 
 of the band then struck off in the direction in which they were 
 bound. With only an occasional half-hour for food and a few 
 hours at night for sleep they pressed northward. Fast as 
 they went the news of the disaster had preceded them, carried 
 by fugitives from the battle. 
 
 At each hamlet through which they passed, Aska repeated 
 the advice that had been sent to the Iceni. "Abandon your 
 homes, drive the swine and the cattle before you, take to the 
 forests, journey far north, and seek refuge among the Brigantes. 
 A rallying place for fighting men will be found at Soto, on the 
 edge of the great swamps; let all who can bear arms and love 
 freedom better than servitude or death gather there."
 
 132 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Upon the march swine were taken and killed for food with- 
 out hesitation. Many were found straying in the woods untended, 
 the herdsmen having fled in dismay when the news of the defeat 
 reached them. As yet the full extent of the disaster was un- 
 known. Some of the fugitives had reported that scarce a man 
 had escaped; but the very number of fugitives who had pre- 
 ceded the band showed that this was an exaggeration. But it 
 was not until long afterwards that the truth was known. Of 
 the great multitude, estimated at two hundred and thirty thou- 
 sand, fully a third had fallen, among whom were almost all the 
 women and children whose presence on the battlefield had proved 
 so fatal, and of whom scarce one had been able to escape; for 
 the Romans, infuriated by the massacres at Camalodunum, 
 Verulamium, and London had spared neither age nor sex. 
 
 On their arrival at Soto they obtained for the first time 
 news of the queen. A chief of one of the northern sub-tribes 
 of the Iceni had driven through on his chariot and had told the 
 headman of the hamlet that he had been one of the few who 
 had accompanied Boadicea in her flight. 
 
 At the call of the queen, he said, the men threw thenselves 
 on the line of waggons in such number and force that a breach 
 was made through them, horses and waggons being over- 
 thrown and dragged bodily aside. The chariot with the queen 
 and her two daughters passed through, with four others contain- 
 ing the ladies who accompanied her. Three or four chiefs also 
 passed through in their chariots, and then the breach was filled 
 by the struggling multitude, that poured out like a torrent. 
 The chariots were well away before the Roman horse swept 
 round the waggons, and travelled without pursuit to a forest 
 twenty miles away. As soon as they reached this the queen 
 ordered the charioteers to dig graves, and then calling upon the 
 god of her country to avenge her, she and her daughters and 
 the ladies with them had all drunk poison, brewed from berries 
 that they gathered in the wood. The chiefs would have done 
 so also, but the queen forbade them. 
 
 " It is for you," she said, " to look after your people, and to
 
 DEFEAT OF THE BRITONS. 133 
 
 wage war with Rome to the last. We need but two men to lay 
 us in our graves and spread the sods over us; so that after death 
 at least we shall be safe from further dishonour at the hands 
 of the Romans." 
 
 When they had urunk the poison the men were ordered to 
 leave them for an hour and then to return. When they did 
 so the ladies were all dead, lying in a circle round Boadicea. 
 They were buried in the shallow holes that had been dug, the 
 turf replaced, and dead leaves scattered over the spot, so that 
 no Roman should ever know where the queen of the Iceni and 
 her daughters slept. 
 
 Although Beric had given up all hope of again seeing his 
 mother alive, the news of her death was a terrible blow to him, 
 and he wept unrestrainedly until Aska placed a hand on his 
 shoulder. "You must not give way to sorrow, Beric. You 
 have her people to look to. She has gone to the Green Island, 
 where she will dwell in happiness, and where your father has 
 been long expecting her. It is not at a death that we Britons 
 weep, knowing as we do that those that have gone are to be 
 envied. Arouse yourself! there is much to be done. The 
 cattle will probably be here in the morning. We have to 
 question the people here as to the great swamps, and get them 
 to send to the Fen people for guides who will lead us across 
 the marshes to some spot where we can dwell above the level 
 of the highest waters." 
 
 Beric put aside his private grief for the time, and several of 
 the natives of the village who were accustomed to penetrate 
 the swamps in search of game were collected and questioned as 
 to the country. None, however, could give much useful infor- 
 mation. There was a large river that ran through it, with 
 innumerable smaller streams that wandered here and there. 
 None had penetrated far beyond the margin, partly because 
 they were afraid of losing their way, partly because of the 
 enmity of the Fen people. 
 
 These were of a different race to themselves, and were a 
 remnant of those whom the Iceni had driven out of their
 
 134 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 country, and who, instead of going west, had taken refuge 
 in the swamps, whither the invaders had neither the power 
 nor inclination to follow them. 
 
 " It is strange," Aska said, " that just as they fled before us 
 centuries ago, so we have now to fly before the Eomans. Still, 
 as they have maintained themselves there, so may we. But 
 it will be necessary that we should try and secure the good- will 
 of these people and assure them that we do not come among 
 them as foes." 
 
 " There is no quarrel between us now," the headman of the 
 hamlet said. "There has not been for many generations. They 
 know that we do not seek to molest them, while they are not 
 strong enough to molest us. There is trade between all the 
 hamlets near the swamps and their people; they bring fish and 
 wild-fowl, and baskets which they weave out of rushes, and 
 sell to us in exchange for woven cloth, for garments, and some- 
 times for swine which they keep upon some of their islands. 
 
 "It is always they who come to us, we go not to them. They 
 are jealous of our entering their country, and men who go too 
 far in search of game have often been shot at by invisible foes. 
 They take care that their arrows don't strike, but shoot only as 
 a warning that we must go no farther. Sometimes some fool- 
 hardy men have declared that they will go where they like in 
 spite of the Fenmen, and they have gone, but they have never 
 returned. When we have asked the men who come in to trade 
 what has become of them they say ' they do not know, most 
 likely they had lost their way and died miserably, or fallen 
 into a swamp and perished there;' and as the men have certainly 
 lost their lives through their own obstinacy nothing can be 
 done." 
 
 "Then some of these men speak our tongue, I suppose?" 
 Aska said. 
 
 " Yes, the men who come are generally the same, and these 
 mostly speak a little of our language. From time to time some 
 of our maidens have taken a fancy to these Fenmen, and in 
 spite of all their friends could do have gone off. None of these
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 135 
 
 have ever returned, though messages have been brought saying 
 they were well. We think that the men who do the trading 
 are the children of women who went to live among them 
 years ago." 
 
 " Then it is through one of these men that we must open 
 communications with them," Aska said. 
 
 "Some of them are here almost daily. No one has been 
 to-day, and therefore we may expect one to-morrow morning. 
 This is one of the chief places of trade with them. The women 
 of the hamlets round bring here the cloth they have woven to 
 exchange it for their goods, others from beyond them do the 
 same, so that from all this part of the district goods are brought 
 in here, while the fish and baskets of the Fenmen go far and 
 wide." 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 
 
 SOON after daybreak next morning the headman came into 
 the hut he had placed at the disposal of Aska and Beric 
 with news that two of the Fenmen had arrived. They at once 
 went out and found that the two men had just laid down 
 their loads, which were so heavy that Beric wondered they 
 could possibly have been carried by them. One had brought 
 fish, the other wild -fowl, slung on poles over their shoulders. 
 These men were much shorter than the Iceni, they were swarthier 
 in complexion, and their hair was long and matted. Their only 
 clothing was short kilts made of the materials for which they 
 bartered their game. 
 
 "They both speak the language well," the headman said, "I 
 will tell them what you want." 
 
 The men listened to the statement that the chiefs before them 
 desired to find with their followers a refuge in the Fens, and
 
 136 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 that they were willing to make presents to the Fenmen of 
 cattle and other things, so that there should be friendship 
 between them, and that they should be allowed to occupy some 
 island in the swamps where they might live secure from pur- 
 suit. The men looked at each other as the headman began to 
 speak, shaking their heads as if they thought the proposal 
 impossible. 
 
 "We will tell our people," they said, "but we do not think 
 that they will agree; we have dwelt alone for long years with- 
 out trouble with others. The coming of strangers will bring 
 trouble. Why do they seek to leave their land?" 
 
 " Our people have been beaten in battle by the Romans," 
 Aska said, taking up the conversation, " and we need a refuge 
 till the troubles are over." 
 
 "The Romans have won!" one of the men exclaimed in a 
 tone that showed he was no stranger to what was going on 
 beyond the circle of the Fens. 
 
 " They have won," Aska repeated, " and there will be many 
 fugitives who will seek for shelter in the Fens. We would 
 fain be friends with your people, but shelter we must have. 
 Our cause after all is the same, for when the Romans have de- 
 stroyed the Iceni, and conquered all the countries round, they 
 will hunt you down also, for they let none remain free in the 
 lands where they are masters. The Fen country is wide, there 
 must be room for great numbers to shelter, and surely there 
 must be places where we could live without disturbance to 
 your people." 
 
 "There is room," the man said briefly. "We will take your 
 message to our people, our chiefs will decide." 
 
 Aska and Beric wore few other ornaments than those de- 
 noting their position and authority. Many of their followers, 
 however, had jewels and bracelets, the spoil of the Roman 
 towns. Beric left the group and spoke to Boduoc, who in two 
 or three minutes returned with several rings and bracelets. 
 "You could have a score for every one of these," he said; "they 
 are of no value to the men now, and indeed their possession
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 137 
 
 would bring certain death upon any one wearing them did he 
 fall into the hands of Romans." 
 
 Beric returned to the Fenmen. " Here," he said, " are some 
 presents for your chiefs, tell them that we have many more like 
 them." 
 
 The men took them with an air of indifference. 
 
 "They are of no use," they said, "though they may please 
 women. If you want to please men you should give them 
 hatchets and arms." 
 
 " We will do that," Aska said, " we have more than we re- 
 quire;" for indeed after the battle with Cerealis and the sack of 
 the towns all the men had taken Roman swords and carried 
 them in addition to their own weapons, regarding them not only 
 as trophies but as infinitely superior to their own more clumsy 
 implements for cutting wood and other purposes. At a word 
 from Beric four of these were brought and handed to the men, 
 who took them with lively satisfaction. 
 
 " Could you take us with you to see your chiefs ' Beric asked. 
 
 They shook their heads. " No strangers can enter the 
 swamps; but the chiefs will come to see you." 
 
 " It is very urgent that no time shall be lost," Beric said, 
 " the Romans may be here very shortly." 
 
 "By the time the sun is at its highest the chiefs will be here 
 or we will bring you an answer," they said. " Come with us 
 now, we will show you where to expect them, for they will not 
 leave the edge of our land." 
 
 After half an hour's walking through a swampy soil they 
 arrived at the edge of a sluggish stream of water. Here tied 
 to a bush was a boat constructed of basket-work covered with 
 hide. In it lay two long poles. The men took their places in 
 the coracle, pushed out into the stream, and using their poles 
 vigorously were soon lost to sight among the thick grove of 
 rush and bushes. Aska and Beric returned to the hamlet. 
 
 "Have you any idea of the number of these people?" they 
 asked the headman. 
 
 "No," he said, "no one has any idea; the swamps are of a
 
 138 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 vast extent from here away to the north. We know that long 
 ago when the Iceni endeavoured to penetrate there they were 
 fiercely attacked by great numbers, and most of those who en- 
 tered perished miserably, but for ages now there has been no 
 trouble. The land was large enough for us, why should we 
 fight to conquer swamps which would be useless to us? We 
 believe that there are large numbers, although they have, from 
 the nature of the country, little dealings with each other; but 
 live scattered in twos and threes over their country, since, 
 living by fishing and fowling, they would not care to dwell in 
 large communities. They never talk much about themselves, 
 but I have heard that they say that parts of the swamps 
 are inhabited by strange monsters, huge serpents and other 
 creatures, and that into these none dare penetrate." 
 
 " All the better," Beric said; " we are not afraid of monsters 
 of any kind, and they might therefore let us settle in one of 
 these neighbourhoods where we could clear out these enemies 
 of theirs for them. It strikes me that our greatest difficulty will 
 be to get our cattle across the morasses to firm ground. We 
 shall have to contrive some plan for doing so. It will be no 
 easy matter to feed so large a number as we shall be on fish 
 and wild-fowl." 
 
 At noon the two chiefs returned to the spot where the men 
 had left them, taking with them Boduoc and another of their 
 followers. A few minutes after they arrived there they heard 
 sounds approaching, and in a short time four boats similar to 
 those they had seen, and each carrying two men in addition 
 to those poling, made their way one after another through the 
 bushes that nearly met across the stream. Most of the men 
 were dressed like the two who had visited the village, but 
 three of them were in attire somewhat similar to that of the 
 Iceni. These were evidently the chiefs. Several of the men were 
 much shorter and darker than those they had first seen, while the 
 chiefs were about the same stature. All carried short bows and 
 quivers of light arrows, and spears with the points hardened in 
 the fire, for the Iceni living near the swamps had been strictly
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 139 
 
 forbidden to trade in arms or metal implements with the Fen- 
 men. The chiefs, however, all carried swords of Iceni make. 
 Before the chiefs stepped ashore their followers landed, and at 
 once, to the surprise of Beric, scattered among the bushes. In 
 two or three minutes they returned and said something in their 
 own language to their chiefs, who then stepped ashore. 
 
 "They were afraid of an ambush," Aska muttered, "and 
 have satisfied themselves that no one is hidden near." 
 
 The chiefs were all able to speak the language of the Iceni, 
 and a long conversation ensued between them and Beric. 
 They protested at first that it was impossible for them to 
 grant the request made; that for long ages no stranger had 
 penetrated the swamps, and that although the intention of 
 those who addressed them might be friendly, such might not 
 always be the case, and that when the secrets of the paths and 
 ways were once known they would never be free from danger 
 of attack by their neighbours. 
 
 "There is more room to the north," they said; "the Fen 
 country is far wider there, there is room for you all, while here 
 the dry lands are occupied by us, and there is no room for so 
 many strangers. We wish you well; we have no quarrel with 
 you. Ages have passed now since you drove our forefathers 
 from the land; that is all forgotten. But as we have lived so 
 long, so will we continue. We have no wants; we have fish 
 and fowl in abundance, and what more we require we obtain 
 in barter from you." 
 
 "Swords like those we sent you are useful," Aska said. 
 " They are made by the Romans, and are vastly better than 
 any we have. With one of those you might chop down as 
 many saplings in a day as would build a hut, and could 
 destroy any wild beasts that may lurk in your swamps. The 
 people who are coming now are not like us. We were content 
 with the land we had taken, and you dwelt among us undis- 
 turbed for ages; but the Romans are not like us, they want 
 to possess the whole earth, and when they have overrun our 
 country they will never rest content till they have hunted you
 
 140 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 out also. There are thousands of us who will seek refuge 
 in your swamps. You may oppose us, you may kill numbers 
 of us, but in the end, step by step, we shall find our way in 
 till we reach an island of firm land where we can establish 
 ourselves. It is not that we have any ill-will towards you, or 
 that we covet your land, but with the Romans behind us, slay- 
 ing all they encounter, we shall have no choice but to go for- 
 ward. 
 
 "It will be for your benefit as well as ours. Alone what 
 could you do against men who fight with metal over their 
 heads and bodies that your arrows could not penetrate, and 
 with swords and darts that would cut and pierce you through 
 and through 1 ? But with us who have met and fought them 
 in fair battle, and have once even defeated them with great 
 slaughter to help you to guard your swamps, it would be dif- 
 ferent, and even the Romans, brave as they are, would hesi- 
 tate before they tried to penetrate your land of mud and 
 water. Surely there must be some spots in your morasses 
 that are still uninhabited. I have heard that there are places 
 that are avoided because great serpents and other creatures live 
 there, but so long as the land is dry enough for our cattle to 
 live and for us to dwell we are ready to meet any living thing 
 that may inhabit it." 
 
 The chiefs looked awe-struck at this offer on the part of the 
 strangers, and then entered into an animated conversation 
 together. 
 
 " The matter is settled," Aska said in a low voice to Beric. 
 " There are places they are afraid to penetrate, and I expect 
 that, much as they object to our entering their country, they 
 would rather have us as neighbours than these creatures that 
 they are so much afraid of." 
 
 When the chiefs' consultation was finished, the one who had 
 before spoken turned to them and said : " What will you give 
 if we take you to such a place?" 
 
 " How far distant is it? " Aska asked. 
 
 " It is two days' journey from here," the chief said. " The
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 141 
 
 distance is not great, but the channels are winding and difficult. 
 There is land many feet above the water, but how large I 
 cannot say. Three miles to the west from here is the great 
 river you call the Ouse, it is on the other side of that where 
 we dwell. None of us live on this side of that river. Three 
 hours' walk north from here is a smaller river that runs into 
 the great one. At the point where the two rivers join you 
 will cross the Ouse, and then journey west in boats for a day; 
 that will take you near the land we speak of." 
 
 " But how are we to get the boats 1 We have no time to 
 make them." 
 
 " We will take you in our boats. This man," and he pointed 
 to one of those who had been with them in the morning, " will 
 go with you as a guide through the swamps to the river to the 
 north. There we will meet you with twenty boats, and will 
 take a party to the spot we speak of. Then we will sell you 
 the boats we can build more and you can take the rest of 
 your party over as you like. What will you give us?" 
 
 " We will give you twenty swords like those I sent you, 
 and twenty spear-heads, and a hundred copper arrow-heads, 
 and twenty cattle." 
 
 The chiefs consulted together. "We want grain and we 
 want skins," their spokesman said. " We have need of much 
 grain, for if the Romans take your land and kill your people, 
 where shall we buy grain? And we want skins, for it takes 
 two skins to make a boat, and we shall have to build twenty 
 to take the place of those we give you." 
 
 "We can give the skins," Aska said, after a consultation 
 with Beric; " and I doubt not we can give grain. How much 
 do you require 1 ?" 
 
 " Five boat-loads filled to the brim." 
 
 "To all your other terms we agree," Aska said; "and you 
 shall have as much grain as we can obtain. If we fall short 
 of that quantity we will give for each boat-load that is wanting 
 three swords, six spear-heads, and ten arrow-heads." 
 
 The bargain was closed. The Fenmen had come resolved
 
 142 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 not to allow the strangers to enter their land, but their offer 
 to occupy any spot, even if tenanted by savage beasts, entirely 
 changed the position. In the recesses of the swamps to the 
 east of the Ouse lay a tract of country which they avoided 
 with a superstitious fear. In the memory of man none had 
 dared to approach that region, for there was a tradition among 
 them that, when they had first fled from the Iceni, a large 
 party had penetrated there, and of these but a few returned, 
 with tales of the destruction of their companions by huge 
 serpents, and monsters of strange shapes, some of which were 
 clothed in armour impenetrable to their heaviest weapons. 
 From that time the spot had been avoided. Legends had 
 multiplied concerning the creatures that dwelt there, and it 
 now seemed to the chiefs that they must be gainers in any case 
 by the bargain. 
 
 If the monsters conquered and devoured the Iceni, as no 
 doubt they would do, they would be well rid of them. If the 
 Iceni destroyed the monsters a large tract of country now 
 closed would be open for fishing and fowling. They therefore 
 accepted, without further difficulty, the terms the strangers 
 offered. It was, moreover, agreed that any further parties of 
 Iceni should be free to join the first comers without hindrance, 
 and that guides should be furnished to all who might come to 
 the borders of the swamps to join their countrymen. They 
 were to act in concert in case of any attack by the Eomans, 
 binding themselves to assist each other to the utmost of their 
 powers. 
 
 "But how are we to convey our cattle over 1 ?" Beric asked. 
 
 The native shook his head. "It is too far for them to 
 swim, and the ground in most places is a swamp, in which they 
 would sink." 
 
 " That must be an after matter, Beric," Aska said. " We 
 will talk that over after we have arrived. Evidently we can do 
 nothing now. The great thing is to get to this place they speak 
 of, and to prepare it to receive the women and other fugitives. 
 When will you have the boats at the place you name?"
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 143 
 
 " Three hours after daylight to-morrow." 
 
 " We will be there. You shall receive half the payments 
 we have agreed upon before we start, the rest shall be paid 
 you when you return with the boats and hand them over for 
 the second detachment to go." 
 
 The native nodded, and at once he and his companions took 
 their places in their coracles, leaving the native who was to 
 act as guide behind them. 
 
 " They are undersized little wretches," Boduoc said, as they 
 started for the village; "no wonder that our forefathers swept 
 them out of the land without any difficulty. But they are 
 active and sturdy, and, knowing their swamps as they do, 
 could harass an invader terribly. I don't think that at present 
 they like our going into their country, but they will be glad 
 enough of our aid if the Romans come." 
 
 When they reached the village they found that the herds 
 had just arrived. The headman was surprised when they told 
 him that the Fenmen had agreed to allow them a shelter in 
 the swamps, and he and eight or ten men who had straggled 
 in since Beric's party arrived, expressed their desire to accom- 
 pany the party with their families. Other women in the vil- 
 lage would likewise have gone, but Aska pointed out to them 
 that they had better go north and take shelter among the 
 Brigantea, as all the women of his tribe had done, except those 
 whose men were with them. 
 
 " You will be better off there than among the swamps, and 
 we cannot feed unnecessary mouths; nor have we means of 
 transporting you there. We, too, would shelter in the woods, 
 were it not that we mean to harass the Romans, so we need 
 a place where they cannot find us. But as you go spread the 
 news that Aska has sought refuge in the swamps with two 
 hundred fighting Sarci, and that all capable of bearing arms 
 who choose to join them can do so. They must come to the 
 junction of the two rivers, and there they will hear of us." 
 
 As the villagers were unable to take away with them their 
 stores of grain, they disposed of them readily to Beric in
 
 144 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 exchange for gold ornaments, with which they could purchase 
 cattle or such things as they required from the Brigantes; 
 they also resigned all property in their swine and cattle, which 
 were to be left in the woods, to be fetched as required. Aska 
 and Beric having made these arrangements, sat down to discuss 
 what had best be done, as the twenty boats would only carry 
 sixty, and would be away for two days before they returned 
 for the second party. Boduoc was called into the council, and 
 after some discussion it was agreed that the best plan would 
 be for the whole party to go down together to the junction of 
 the rivers, each taking as large a burden of grain as he could 
 carry, and driving their cattle before them. 
 
 They heard from the headman that the whole country near 
 the river was densely covered with bushes, and that the 
 ground was swampy and very difficult to cross. They agreed, 
 therefore, that they would form a strong intrenchment at 
 the spot where they were to embark. It was unlikely in the 
 extreme that the Romans would seek to penetrate such a 
 country, but if they did they were to be opposed as soon as 
 they entered the swamps, and a desperate stand was to be made 
 at the intrenchment, which would be approachable at one or 
 two points only. Six men were to be left at the village to re- 
 ceive the women and children when they arrived. The guide 
 was to return as soon as he had led the main party to the point 
 where the boats were to meet them, and to lead the second 
 party to the same point. 
 
 That evening, indeed, the women began to arrive, and said 
 that they believed all would be in on the following day. 
 Among them was Boduoc's mother, who told Beric that her 
 eldest daughter had started with Berenice and Cneius to meet 
 the Romans as soon as the news of the defeat reached them. 
 When day broke, Beric's command, with the women who had 
 arrived, set off laden with as much grain in baskets or cloths as 
 they could carry, and driving the cattle and pigs before them. 
 The country soon became swampy, but their guide knew the 
 ground well, and by a winding path led them dry-footed through
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 145 
 
 the bushes, though they could see water among the roots and 
 grass on either side of them. They had, however, great difficulty 
 with the cattle and pigs, but after several attempts to break 
 away, and being nearly lost in the swamps, from which many 
 of them had to be dragged out by sheer force, the whole reached 
 the river. The men of the rear-guard in charge of the main 
 body of the swine and cattle did not arrive there until mid-day. 
 
 The spot to which the guide led them was on the river flowing 
 east and west, a mile from its junction with the main stream, as 
 he told them that the swamps were too deep near the junction 
 of the river for them to penetrate there. 
 
 Some of the boats were already at the spot. When they 
 reached it Aska and Beric at once began to mark out a semi- 
 circle, with a radius of some fifty yards, on the river bank. 
 Ten of the cattle were killed and skinned, and as others of the 
 party came up they were set to work to cut down the trees 
 and undergrowth within the semicircle, and drag them to its 
 edge, casting them down with their heads outwards so as to 
 form a formidable abbatis. Within half an hour of the ap- 
 pointed time the twenty boats had arrived together with as 
 many more, in which the grain, hides, and other articles agreed 
 to be paid were to be carried off. Three of the cattle were cut 
 up, and their flesh divided among the twenty boats, in which 
 a quantity of grain was also placed. The seven remaining 
 carcasses were for the use of the camp, the ten hides, half 
 the grain, swords, spears, and arrow-heads agreed upon, were 
 handed over to the natives, and Beric, as an extra gift, pre- 
 sented each of the three chiefs who had come with the boats 
 with one of the Eoman shields, picked up on the field of 
 battle. 
 
 The chiefs were greatly pleased with the present, and showed 
 more good-will than they had exhibited at their first inter- 
 view. Aska had arranged with Beric to remain behind 
 in charge of the encampment. As soon, therefore, as the 
 presents had been handed over, Beric with Boduoc and three 
 men to each boat took their places and pushed off from shore. 
 
 (726) K
 
 146 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 The boats of the Fenmen put off at the same time, and the 
 natives, of whom there was one in each of Beric's boats, poled 
 their way down the sluggish stream until they reached a wide 
 river. The chiefs here shouted an adieu and directed their 
 course up the river, while Beric's party crossed, proceeded 
 down it for two miles, and then turned up a narrow stream 
 running into it. All day they made their way along its wind- 
 ings; other streams came in on either side or quitted it; and, 
 indeed, for some hours they appeared to be traversing a net- 
 work of water from which rose trees and bushes. The native 
 in Beric's boat, which led, could speak the language of the 
 Iceni, and he explained to Beric that the waters were now 
 high, but that when they subsided the land appeared above 
 them, except in the course of the streams. 
 
 "It is always wet and swampy," he said; "and men cannot 
 traverse this part on foot except by means of flat boards 
 fastened to the feet by loops of leather; this prevents them 
 from sinking deeply in." 
 
 Late in the afternoon the country became drier, and the 
 land showed itself above the level of the water. The native 
 now showed signs of much perturbation, stopping frequently 
 and listening. " I have come much farther now," he said, "than 
 I have ever been before, and I dare not have ventured so far 
 were it not that these floods would have driven everything 
 back; but I know from an old man who once ventured to 
 push farther, that this is the beginning of rising-ground, and 
 that in a short time you will find it dry enough to land. I 
 advise you to call the other boats up so that in case of danger 
 you can support each other." 
 
 The stream they were following was now very narrow, the 
 branches of the trees meeting overhead. 
 
 "Can any of the other Fenmen in the boats speak our 
 language 1 ?" Beric asked. 
 
 The man replied in the negative. 
 
 "That is good," he said; "I don't want my men to be 
 frightened with stories about monsters. I don't believe in
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 147 
 
 them myself, though I do not say that in the old time mon- 
 sters may not have dwelt here. If anything comes we shall 
 know how to fight it; but it is gloomy and dark enough here 
 to make men uncomfortable without anything else to shake 
 their courage." 
 
 At last they reached a spot where the bank was two feet 
 above the water, and they could see that it rose further inland. 
 Several of the other Fenmen had been shouting for some time 
 to Beric's boatmen, and their craft had been lagging behind. 
 Beric therefore thought it well to land at once. The boats 
 were accordingly called up, the meat and grain landed, and 
 the men leapt ashore, the boatmen instantly poling their crafts 
 down stream at their utmost speed. 
 
 "We will go no farther to-night," Beric said; "but choose 
 a comfortable spot and make a fire. It will be time enough 
 in the morning to explore this place and fix on a spot for a 
 permanent encampment." 
 
 A place was soon chosen and cleared of bushes. The men 
 in several of the boats had at starting brought brands with 
 them from the fires. These were carried across each other so as 
 to keep the fire in, and eight or ten of these brands being laid 
 together in the heart of the brushwood and fanned vigorously 
 a bright flame soon shot up. The men's spirits had sunk as 
 they passed through the wild expanse of swamp and water, but 
 they rose now as the fire burned up. Meat was sjeedily frying 
 in the flames, and this was eaten as soon as it was cooked, 
 nothing being done with the grain, which they had no means 
 of pounding. They had also brought with them several jars of 
 beer from the village, and these were passed round after they 
 had eaten their fill of meat. 
 
 " We will place four sentries," Beric said, " there may well 
 be wolves or other wild beasts in these swamps." 
 
 After supper was over Boduoc questioned Beric privately as 
 to the monsters of which their boatman had spoken. 
 
 " It is folly," Beric said. " You know that we have legends 
 among ourselves, which we learned from the natives who were
 
 148 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 here before we came, that at one time strange creatures wan- 
 dered over the country; but if there were such creatures they 
 died long ago. These Fenmen have a story among themselves 
 that such beasts lived in the heart of the swamp here when 
 they first fled before us. It is quite possible that this is true, 
 for although they died ages ago on the land they may have 
 existed long afterwards among the swamps where there were 
 none to disturb them. I have read in some of the Roman 
 writers that there are creatures protected by a coat of scales in 
 a country named Egypt, and that they live hundreds of years. 
 Possibly these creatures, which the legends say were a sort of 
 Dragon, may have lingered here, but as they do not seem to 
 have shown themselves to the Fenmen since their first arrival 
 here, it is not at all likely that there are any of them left; if 
 there are we shall have to do battle with them." 
 
 "Do you think they will be very formidable, Beric?" 
 
 "I do not suppose so. They might be formidable to one 
 man, but not to sixty well-armed as we are; but I have not 
 any belief that we shall meet with them." 
 
 The night passed quite quietly, and in the morning the band 
 set out to explore the country. It rose gradually until they 
 were, as Beric judged, from forty to fifty feet above the level 
 of the swamp. Large trees grew here, and the soil was per- 
 fectly dry. The ground on the summit was level for about 
 a quarter of a mile, and then gradually sank again. A mile 
 farther they were again at the edge of a swamp. 
 
 " Nothing could have suited us better," Beric said. " At the 
 top we can form an encampment which will hold ten thousand 
 men, and there is dry ground a mile all round for the cattle 
 and swine." 
 
 Presently there was a shout from some men who had 
 wandered away, and Beric, bidding the others follow, ran to 
 the spot. They found men standing looking in wonder at 
 a great number of bones lying in what seemed a confused 
 mass. 
 
 " Here is your monster," Beric said; " they are snake bones."
 
 THEY DISCOVER AN ANCIENT MONSTER.
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 149 
 
 This was evident to all, and exclamations of wonder broke from 
 them at their enormous size. One man got hold of a pair of 
 ribs, and placing them upright they came up to his chin. The 
 men looked apprehensively round. 
 
 " You need not be afraid," Beric said. " The creature has 
 probably been dead hundreds of years. You see his skin is all 
 decayed away, and it must have been thick and tough indeed. 
 By the way the bones are piled together, he must have curled 
 up here to die. He was probably the last of his race. How- 
 ever, we will search the island thoroughly, keeping together 
 in readiness to encounter anything that we may alight upon." 
 
 Great numbers of snakes were found, but none of any extra- 
 ordinary size. 
 
 " No doubt they fled here in the rains," Beric said, " when 
 the water rose and covered the swamps; we shall not be 
 troubled with them when the morasses dry. Anyhow they are 
 quite harmless, and save that they may kill a chicken or two 
 when we get some, they will give us no trouble. The swine 
 will soon clear them off." 
 
 It was late in the day before the search was completed, and 
 they then returned to the camping-ground of the night before, 
 quite assured that there was no creature of any size upon the 
 island. Just as evening was falling on the following day they 
 heard shouts. 
 
 "Are you alive 1 ?" a voice, which Beric recognized as that of 
 his boatman, shouted. 
 
 " Yes," he exclaimed, " alive and well. There is nothing to 
 be afraid of here." 
 
 A few minutes later the twenty boats again came up. The 
 Fenmen this time ventured to land, but Beric's boatman ques- 
 tioned him anxiously about the monsters. Beric, who thought 
 it as well to maintain the evil reputation of the place, told him 
 that they had searched the island and had found no living 
 monsters, but had come across a dead serpent, who must have 
 been seventy or eighty feet long. 
 
 " There are no more of them here," he said, " but of course
 
 150 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 there may be others that have been alarmed at the noises we 
 made and have taken to the swamps. This creature has been 
 dead for a long time, and may have been the last of his race. 
 However, if one were to come we should not be afraid of it 
 with a hundred and twenty fighting men here." 
 
 The Fenmen, after a consultation among themselves, agreed 
 that it would be safer to pass the night with the Iceni than to 
 start in the darkness among the swamps. When they left in 
 the morning Beric sent a message to Aska describing the place, 
 and begging him to send up some of the women with the next 
 party with means of grinding the grain. As soon as the boats 
 were started Beric led the party up to the top of the rise, and 
 then work was begun in earnest, and in a couple of days a large 
 number of huts were constructed of saplings and brushwood 
 cleared off from the centre of the encampment. Some women 
 arrived with the next boat-loads, and at once took the prepara- 
 tion of food into their hands. Aska sent a message saying that 
 the numbers at his camp were undiminished, as most of the 
 fighting men belonging to the villages round who had survived 
 the battle had joined him at once with their wives, and that 
 fresh men were pouring in every hour. He urged Beric to 
 leave Boduoc in charge of the island, and to return with the 
 empty boats in order that they might have a consultation. This 
 Beric did, and upon his arrival he found that there were over 
 four hundred men in camp, with a proportionate number of 
 women and children. There were several sub-chiefs among 
 them, and Aska invited them to join in the council. 
 
 "It is evident," he said, "that so large a number as this 
 cannot find food in one place in the swamps, at any rate until 
 we have learned to catch fish and snare wild-fowl as the Fen- 
 men do. The swine we can take there, but these light boats 
 would not carry cattle in any numbers, though some might 
 be thrown and carried there, with their legs tied together. 
 At present this place is safe from attack. There is only one 
 path, our guide says, by which it can be approached. I pro- 
 pose that we cut wide gaps through this, and throw beams and
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 151 
 
 planks over them. These we can remove in case of attack. 
 When we hear of the Romans' approach we can throw up a high 
 defence of trees and bushes behind each gap." 
 
 " That will be excellent," Beric agreed, "and you would doubt- 
 less be able to make a long defence against them on the cause- 
 way. But you must not depend upon their keeping upon that. 
 They will wade through the swamp waist-deep, and, if it be deeper 
 still, will cut down bushes and make faggots and move for- 
 ward on these. So, though you may check them on the cause- 
 way, they will certainly, by one means or other, make their way 
 up to your intrenchment, and you must therefore strengthen 
 this in every way. I should build up a great bank behind it, 
 so that if they break through or fire the defences you can 
 defend the bank There is one thing that must be done 
 without delay; we must build more boats. There must be here 
 many men from the eastern coast, where they have much larger 
 and stronger craft than these coracles. I should put a strong 
 party to work upon them. Then, in case of an attack, you 
 could, when you see that longer resistance would be vain, take 
 to the boats and join me; or, when the Romans approach, send 
 them off to fetch my party from the island. Besides, we shall 
 want to move bodies of men rapidly so as to attack and harass 
 the enemy when they are not expecting us. 
 
 " I should say that we ought to have at least twenty great 
 flat boats able to carry fifty men each. Speed would not be of 
 much consequence, as the Romans will have no boats to follow 
 us; besides, except on the Ouse and one or two of the larger 
 streams, there is no room for rowing, and they must be poled 
 along. Let us keep none but fighting men here. As all the 
 villagers fled north there must be numbers of cattle and swine 
 wandering untended in all the woods, and in many of the ham- 
 lets much grain must have been left behind, therefore I should 
 send out parties from time to time to bring them in. When 
 the large boats are built we can transport some of the cattle 
 alive to the island; till then they must be slaughtered here; 
 but with each party a few swine might be sent to the island,
 
 152 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 where they can range about as they choose. What is the last 
 news you have of the Romans'?" 
 
 " They are pressing steadily north, burning and slaying. I 
 hear that they spare none, and that the whole land of the Trino- 
 bantes, from the Thames to the Stour, has been turned into a 
 waste." 
 
 "It was only what we had to expect, Aska. Have any 
 more of my people come in since I left?" 
 
 " Only a young girl. She arrived last night. It is she that 
 brought the news that I am giving you. She is a sister of your 
 friend Boduoc, and her mother, who had given her up for lost, 
 almost lost her senses with delight when she returned. The 
 family are fortunate, for another son also came in two or three 
 days ago." 
 
 Beric at once went in search of Boduoc's mother, whom he 
 found established with her girls in a little bower. 
 
 " I am glad indeed that your daughter has returned safe," he 
 said, as the old woman came out on hearing his voice. 
 
 "Yes, I began to think that I should never see her face 
 again, Beric; but I am fortunate indeed, when so many are 
 left friendless, that all my four children should be spared. Tell 
 the chief how you fulfilled your mission," she said to the girl. 
 
 " It was easy enough," she replied. " Had I been by myself 
 I should have returned here three days since, but the little lady 
 could not make long journeys, and it was three days after we 
 left before we saw any of the Romans. At last we came upon 
 a column of horse. When we saw them the little lady gave me 
 this bracelet, and she put this gold chain into my hand and 
 said, 'Beric.' So I knew that it was for you. Then I ran 
 back and hid myself in the trees while they went forward. 
 When they got near the soldiers on horseback the man lifted 
 up his arms and cried something in a loud voice. Then they 
 rode up to them, and for some time I could see nothing. Then 
 the horsemen rode on again, all but two of them, who went on 
 south. The man rode behind one of them, and the little lady 
 before another. Then I turned and made hither, travelling
 
 THE GREAT SWAMPS. 153 
 
 without stopping, except once for a few hours' sleep. There 
 are many fugitives in the woods, and from them I heard that 
 the land of the Trinobantes was lit up by burning villages, 
 and that the Romans were slaughtering all. Some of those I 
 met in the wood had hid themselves, and had made their way 
 at night, and they saw numbers of dead bodies, women and 
 children as well as men, in the burned hamlets." 
 
 " You have done your mission well," Beric said. " Boduoc 
 will be glad when I tell him how you have carried out my 
 wish. We must find a good husband for you some day, and 
 I will take care that you go to him with a good store of cattle 
 and swine. Where is your brother?" 
 
 " He is there," she said, " leaning against that tree waiting 
 for you." 
 
 " I am glad to see you safe among us," Beric said to the 
 young man. " How did you escape the battle ?" 
 
 " I was driving the chariot with Parta's attendants, as I had 
 from the day we started. I kept close behind her chariot, and 
 escaped with her when the line of waggons was broken to let 
 the queen pass. When we got far away from the battle your 
 mother stopped her chariot and bade me go north. ' I have no 
 more need of attendants,' she said; 'let them save themselves. 
 Do you find my son if he has escaped the battle, and tell him 
 that I shall share the fate of Boadicea. I have lived a free 
 woman, and will die one. Tell him to fight to the end against 
 the Romans, and that I shall expect him to join me before long 
 in the Happy Island. Bid him not lament for me, but rejoice, 
 as he should, that I have gone to the Land where there are no 
 sorrows.' Then I turned my chariot and drove to your home 
 to await your coming there if you should have escaped. It was 
 but a few hours after that the messengers brought the news 
 that you were safe, and that the survivors of your band were 
 to join you at Soto with such men as might have escaped. As 
 Parta's orders were to take the women with me to the north, I 
 drove them two days farther, taking with me a lad, the brother 
 of one of them. Then I handed over the chariot to him, to
 
 154 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 convey them to the land of the Brigantes, and started hither 
 on foot to join you." 
 
 " You shall go on with me to-morrow, you and your mother 
 and sisters. Boduoc will be rejoiced to see you all. We have 
 found a place where even the Romans will hardly reach us." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 
 
 THAT evening Beric had a long talk with Aska and four 
 or five men from the coast accustomed to the building 
 of large boats. The matter would be easy enough, they said, 
 as the boats would not be required to withstand the strain of 
 the sea, and needed only to be put together with flat bottoms 
 and sides. With so large a number of men they could hew 
 down trees of suitable size, and thin them down until they 
 obtained a plank from each. They would then be fastened 
 together by strong pegs and dried moss driven in between the 
 crevices. Pitch, however, would be required to stop up the 
 seams, and of this they had none. 
 
 "Then," Beric said, "we must make some pitch. There is no 
 great difficulty about that. There are plenty of fir-trees grow- 
 ing near the edges of the swamps, and from the roots of these 
 we can get tar." 
 
 The men were all acquainted with the process, which was a 
 simple one. A deep hole was dug in the ground. The bottom 
 of this was lined with clay, hollowed out into a sort of bowl. 
 The hole was then filled with the roots of fir closely packed 
 together. When it was full a fire was lit above it As soon 
 as this had made its way down earth was piled over it and 
 beaten down hard, a small orifice being left in the centre. In 
 this way the wood was slowly converted into charcoal, and the
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 155 
 
 resin and tar, as they oosed out under the heat, trickled down 
 into the bowl of clay at the bottom. As little or no smoke 
 escaped after the fire was first lighted, the work could be 
 carried on without fear of attracting the attention of any 
 bodies of the enemy who might be searching the country. 
 
 Two months passed. By the end of that time the intrench- 
 ment on the river-bank had been made so strong that it could 
 resist any attack save by a very large tody of men. That on 
 the island had also been completed, and strong banks thrown 
 up at the only three points where a landing could be effected 
 from boats. 
 
 The swamps had been thoroughly explored in the neighbour 
 hood, and another island discovered, and on this three hundred 
 men had been established, while four hundred remained on the 
 great island, and as many in the camp on the river. There 
 were over a thousand women and children distributed among 
 the three stations. Three hundred men had laboured inces- 
 santly at the boats, and these were now finished. While all 
 this work had been going on considerable numbers of fish and 
 wild-fowl had been obtained by barter from the Fenmen, with 
 whom they had before had dealings, and from other communities 
 living among the swamps to the north. Many of the Iceni, 
 who came from the marshy districts of the eastern rivers, were 
 also accustomed to fishing and fowling, and, as soon as the 
 work on the defences was finished and the tortuous channels 
 through the swamps became known to them, they began to lay 
 nets, woven by the women, across the streams, and to make 
 decoys and snares of all sorts for the wild-fowl. 
 
 The framework for many coracles had been woven of withies 
 by the women, and the skins of all the cattle killed were util- 
 ized as coverings, so that by the end of the two months they 
 had quite a fleet of little craft of this kind. As fast as the 
 larger boats were finished they were used for carrying cattle 
 to the islands, and a large quantity of swine were also taken 
 over. 
 
 During this time the Komans had traversed the whole country
 
 156 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 of the Iceni. The hamlets were fired, and all persons who fell 
 into their hands put to death; but the number of these was 
 comparatively small, as the greater part of the population had 
 either moved north or taken to the woods, which were so exten- 
 sive that comparatively few of the fugitives were killed by the 
 search-parties of the Romans. From the few prisoners that the 
 Romans took they heard reports that many of the Iceni had 
 taken refuge in the swamps, and several strong bodies had 
 moved along the edge of the marsh country without attempt- 
 ing to penetrate it. 
 
 Aska and Beric had agreed that so long as they were undis- 
 turbed they would remain quiet, confining themselves to their 
 borders, except when they sent parties to search for cattle in 
 the woods or to gather up grain that might have escaped de- 
 struction in the hamlets, and that they would avoid any col- 
 lision with the Romans until their present vigilance abated or 
 they attempted to plant settlers in their neighbourhood. 
 
 Circumstances, however, defeated this intention. They 
 learned from the Fenmen that numerous fugitives had taken 
 refuge in the southern swamps, and that these sallying out 
 had fallen upon parties of Romans near Huntingdon, and had 
 cut them to pieces. The Romans had in consequence sent a 
 considerable force to avenge this attack. These had penetrated 
 some distance into the swamps, but had there been attacked 
 and driven back with much slaughter. But a fortnight later 
 a legion had marched to Huntingdon, and crossing the river 
 there had established a camp opposite, which they called God- 
 mancastra, and, having collected a number of natives from the 
 west, were engaged in building boats in which they intended 
 to penetrate the swamp country and root out the fugitives. 
 
 "It was sure to come sooner or later," Aska said to Beric. 
 " Nor should we wish it otherwise. We came here not to pass 
 our lives as lurking fugitives, but to gather a force and avenge 
 ourselves on the Romans. If you like I will go up the river and 
 see our friends there, and ascertain their strength and means 
 of resistance. Would it be well, think you, to tell them of our
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 157 
 
 strong place here and offer to send our boats to bring them 
 down, so that we may make a great stand here?" 
 
 "No, I think not," Beric said. "Nothing would suit the 
 Romans better than to catch us all together, so as to destroy us 
 at one blow. We know that in the west they stormed the in- 
 trenchments of Cassivellaunus, and that no native fort has ever 
 withstood their assault. I should say that it ought to be a war of 
 small fights. We should attack them constantly, enticing them 
 into the deepest parts of the morass, and falling upon them at 
 spots where our activity will avail against their heavily-weighted 
 men. We should pour volleys of arrows into their boats as they 
 pass along through the narrow creeks, show ourselves at points 
 where the ground is firm enough for them to land, and then 
 falling back to deep morasses tempt them to pursue us there, 
 and then turn upon them. We should give them no rest night 
 or day, and wear them out with constant fighting and watch- 
 ing. The fens are broad and long, stretching from Huntingdon 
 to the sea; and if they are contested foot by foot, we may tire 
 out even the power of Rome." 
 
 "You are right, Beric; but at any rate it will be well to see 
 how our brethren are prepared. They may have no boats, and 
 may urgently need help." 
 
 " I quite agree with you, and I think it would be as well 
 for you to go. You could offer to bring all their women and 
 children to our islands here, and then we would send down a 
 strong force to help them. We should begin to contest strongly 
 the Roman advance from the very first." 
 
 Accordingly Aska started up the Ouse in one of the large 
 boats with twelve men to pole it along, and three days after- 
 wards returned with the news that there were some two thou- 
 sand men with twice as many women and children scattered 
 among the upper swamps. 
 
 "They have only a few small boats," he said, "and are in 
 sore straits for provisions. They drove at first a good many 
 cattle in with them, but most of these were lost in the morasses, 
 and as there have been bodies of horse moving about near
 
 158 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Huntingdon, they have not been able to venture out as we have 
 done to drive in more." 
 
 "Have they any chief with them?" Beric asked. 
 
 " None of any importance. All the men are fugitives from 
 the battle, who were joined on their way north by the women 
 of the villages. They are broken up into groups, and have no 
 leader to form any general plan. I spoke to the principal men 
 among them, and told them that we had strongly fortified 
 several places here, had built a fleet of boats, and were pre- 
 pared for warfare; they will all gladly accept you as their 
 leader. They urgently prayed that we would send our boats 
 down for the women and children, and I promised them that 
 you would do so, and would also send down some provisions 
 for the fighting men." 
 
 The next morning the twenty large boats, each carrying 
 thirty men and a supply of meat and grain, started up the 
 river, Beric himself going with them, and taking Boduoc as 
 his lieutenant. Aska remained in command at the river fort, 
 where the force was maintained at its full strength, the boat 
 party being drawn entirely from the two islands. Four miles 
 below Huntingdon they landed at a spot where the greater 
 part of the Iceni there were gathered. Fires were at once 
 lighted, and a portion of the meat cooked, for the fugitives 
 were weak with hunger. As soon as this was satisfied, orders 
 were issued for half the women and children to be brought in. 
 
 These were crowded into the boats, which, in charge of four 
 men in each, then dropped down the stream, Beric having 
 given orders that the boats were to return as soon as the 
 women were landed on the island. He spent the next two 
 days in traversing the swamps in a coracle, ascertaining where 
 there was firm ground, and where the morasses were impassable. 
 He learned all the particulars he could gather about the exact 
 position of the Roman camp, and the spot where the boats 
 were being constructed the Iceni were already familiar with 
 several paths leading out of the morasses in that neighbour- 
 hood and then drew out a plan for an attack upon the Romans.
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 159 
 
 He had brought with him half the Sarci who had retired 
 with him from the battle. These he would himself command. 
 A force of four hundred men, led by Boduoc, were to travel 
 by different paths through the swamp ; they were then to unite 
 and to march round the Roman camp, and attack it suddenly 
 on three sides at once. 
 
 The camp was in the form of a horse-shoe, with its ends 
 resting on the river, and it was here that the boats were being 
 built. Beric himself with his own hundred men and fifty others 
 were to embark in four boats. As soon as they were fairly 
 beyond the swamp, they were to land on the Huntingdon side, 
 and to tow their boats along until within two or three hundred 
 yards of the Roman camp, when they were to await the sound 
 of Boduoc's horn. Boduoc's instructions were that he was to 
 attack the camp fiercely on all sides. The Roman sentries 
 were known to be so vigilant that there was but slight prospect 
 of his entering the camp by surprise, or of his being able to scale 
 the palisades at the top of the bank of earth. The attack, 
 however, was to be made as if in earnest, and was to be main- 
 tained until Beric's horn gave the signal for them to draw off, 
 when they were to break up into parties as before, and to retire 
 into the heart of the swamp by the paths by which they had 
 left it. 
 
 The most absolute silence was to be observed until the 
 challenge of the Roman sentries showed that they were dis- 
 covered, when they were to raise their war-shouts to the ut- 
 most so as to alarm and confuse the enemy. 
 
 The night was a dark one and a strong wind was blowing, so 
 that Beric's party reached their station unheard by the sentries 
 on the walls of the camp. It was an hour before they heard 
 a distant shout, followed instantly by the winding of a horn, 
 and the loud war-cry of the Iceni. At the same moment the 
 trumpets in the Roman intrenchments sounded, and immedi- 
 ately a tumult of confused shouting arose around and within 
 the camp. Beric remained quiet for five minutes till the roar 
 of battle was at its highest, and he knew that the attention
 
 160 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 rf the Romans would be entirely occupied with the attack. 
 Then the boats were again towed along until opposite the centre 
 of the horse-shoe; the men took their places in them again and 
 poled them across the river. 
 
 The fifty men who accompanied the Sarci carried bundles of 
 rushes dipped in pitch, and in each boat were burning brands 
 which had been covered with raw hides to prevent the light 
 being seen. They were nearly across the river when some sen- 
 tries there, whose attention had hitherto been directed entirely 
 to the walls, suddenly shouted an alarm. As soon as the boats 
 touched the shore, Beric and his men leapt out, passed through 
 the half-built boats and the piles of timber collected beside 
 them, and formed up to repel an attack. At the same moment 
 the others lighted their bundles of rushes at the brands, and 
 jumping ashore set fire to the boats and wood piles. Astonished 
 at this outburst of flame within their camp, while engaged in 
 defending the walls from the desperate attacks of the Iceni, 
 the Romans hesitated, and then some of them came running 
 down to meet the unexpected attack. 
 
 But the Sarci had already pressed quickly on, followed by 
 some of the torch-bearers, and were in the midst of the Roman 
 tents before the legionaries gathered in sufficient force to meet 
 them. The torches were applied to the tents, and fanned by 
 the breeze, the flames spread rapidly from one to another. 
 Beric blew the signal for retreat, and his men in a solid body, 
 with their spears outward, fell back. The Romans, as they 
 arrived at the spot, rushed furiously upon them; but discipline 
 was this time on the side of the Sarci, who beat off all attacks 
 till they reached the river bank. Then in good order they took 
 their places in the boats, Beric with a small body covering the 
 movement till the last; then they made a rush to the boats; the 
 men, standing with their poles ready, instantly pushed the 
 craft into the stream, and in two minutes they were safe on 
 the other side. 
 
 The boats and piles of timber were already blazing fiercely, 
 while the Roman camp, in the centre of the intrenchment, was
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 161 
 
 in a mass ot flames, lighting up the helmets and armour of the 
 soldiers ranged along the wall, and engaged in repelling the 
 attacks of the Iceni. As soon as the Sarci were across, they leapt 
 ashore and towed the boat along by the bank A few arrows 
 fell among them, but as soon as they had pushed off from the 
 shore most of the Romans had run back to aid in the defence of 
 the walls. Beric's horn now gave the signal that the work was 
 done, and in a short time the shouts of the Iceni began to 
 subside, the din of the battle grew fainter, and in a few minutes 
 all was quiet round the Roman camp. 
 
 There was great rejoicing when the parties of the Iceni met 
 again in the swamp. They had struck a blow that would 
 greatly inconvenience the Romans for some time, would retard 
 their attack, and show them that the spirit of the Britons 
 was still high. The loss of the Iceni had been very small, only 
 some five or six of Beric's party had fallen, and twenty or 
 thirty of the assailants of the wall; they believed that the 
 Romans had suffered much more, for they could be seen above 
 their defences by the light of the flames behind them, while 
 the Iceni were in darkness. Thus the darts and javelins of 
 the defenders had been cast almost at random, while they 
 themselves had been conspicuous marks for the missiles of the 
 assailants. 
 
 In Beric's eyes the most important point of the encounter 
 was that it had given confidence to the fugitives, had taught 
 them the advantage of fighting with a plan, and of acting 
 methodically and in order. There was a consultation next mor- 
 ning. Beric pointed out to the leaders that although it was neces- 
 sary sometimes with an important object in view to take the 
 offensive, they must as a rule stand on the defensive, and depend 
 upon the depth of their morasses and their knowledge of the 
 paths across them to baffle the attempts of the Romans to 
 penetrate. 
 
 " I should recommend," he said, " that you break up into 
 parties of fifteens and twenties, and scatter widely over the 
 Fen country, and yet be near enough to each other to hear the 
 
 (726) L
 
 162 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 sound of a horn. Each party must learn every foot of the 
 ground and water in the neighbourhood round them. In that 
 way you will be able to assemble when you hear the signal an- 
 nouncing the coming of the Romans, you will know the paths 
 by which you can attack or retreat, and the spots where you 
 can make your way across, but where the Romans cannot 
 follow you. Each party must earn its sustenance by fishing 
 and fowling; and in making up your parties, there should be 
 two or three men in each accustomed to this work. Each 
 party must provide itself with coracles; I will send up a boat- 
 load of hides. Beyond that you must search for cattle and 
 swine in the woods, when by sending spies on shore you find 
 there are no parties of Romans about. 
 
 "The parties nearest to Huntingdon should be always vigi- 
 lant, and day and night keep men at the edge of the swamp to 
 watch the doings of the Romans, and should send notice to me 
 every day or two as to what the enemy are doing, and when they 
 are likely to advance. Should they come suddenly, remember 
 that it is of no use to try to oppose their passage down the 
 river. Their boats will be far stronger than ours, and we should 
 but throw away our lives by fighting them there. They may go 
 right down to the sea if they please, but directly they land 
 or attempt to thrust their boats up the channels through the 
 swamp, then every foot must be contested. They must be 
 shot down from the bushes, enticed into swamps, and over- 
 whelmed with missiles. Let each man make himself a powerful 
 bow and a great sheath of arrows pointed with flints or flakes 
 of stone, which must be fetched from the dry land, although 
 even without these they will fly straight enough if shot from 
 the bushes at a few yards' distance. 
 
 " Let the men practise with these, and remember that they 
 must aim at the legs of the Romans. It is useless to shoot at 
 either shields or armour. Besides, let each man make himself a 
 spear, strong, heavy, and fully eighteen feet long, with the point 
 hardened in the fire, and rely upon these rather than upon 
 your swords to check their progress. Whenever you find broad
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 163 
 
 paths of firm ground across the swamps, cut down trees and 
 bushes to form stout barriers. 
 
 " Make friends with the Fenmen. Be liberal to them with 
 gifts, and do not attempt to plant parties near them, for this 
 would disturb their wild-fowl and lead to jealousy and quarrels. 
 However well you may learn the swamps, they know them 
 better, and were they hostile might lead the Romans into our 
 midst. In some parts you may not find dry land on which to 
 build huts; in that case choose spots where the trees are stout, 
 lash saplings between these and build your huts upon them so 
 as to be three or four feet above the wet soil. Some of my 
 people who know the swamps by the eastern rivers tell me that 
 this is the best way to avoid the fen-fevers." 
 
 Having seen that everything was arranged, Beric and his 
 party returned to their camp. For some time the reports from 
 the upper river stated that the Romans were doing little beyond 
 sending out strong parties to cut timber. Then came the news 
 that a Avhole legion had arrived, and that small forts containing 
 some two hundred men each were being erected, three or four 
 miles apart, on both sides of the Fen. 
 
 " That shows that all resistance must have ceased elsewhere," 
 Aska said, "or they would never be able to spare so great a 
 force as a legion and a half against us. I suppose that these 
 forts are being built to prevent our obtaining cattle, and that 
 they hope to starve us out. They will hardly succeed in that, 
 for the rivers and channels swarm with fish, and now that 
 winter is coming on they will abound with wild-fowl." 
 
 " I am afraid of the winter," Beric said, " for then they will 
 be able to traverse the swamps, where now they would sink over 
 their heads." 
 
 "Unless the frosts are very severe, Beric, the ground will 
 not harden much, for every foot is covered with trees and 
 bushes. As to grain we can do without it, but we shall be able 
 to fetch some at least down from the north. Indeed, it would 
 need ten legions to form a line along both sides of the Fen 
 country right down to the sea and to pen us in completely."
 
 164 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 By this time the Iceni had become familiar with the channels 
 through the swamps for long distances from their fastness, and 
 had even established a trade with the people lying to the north- 
 west of the Fen country. They learnt that the Romans boasted 
 they had well-nigh annihilated the Trinobantes and Iceni; but 
 that towards the other tribes that had taken part in the great 
 rising they had shown more leniency, though some of their 
 principal towns had been destroyed and the inhabitants put to 
 the sword. 
 
 A month later a fleet of boats laden with Roman soldiers 
 started from Huntingdon and proceeded down the Ouse. Dead 
 silence reigned round them, and although they proceeded 
 nearly to the sea they saw no signs of a foe, and so turning they 
 rowed back to Huntingdon. But in their absence the Iceni had 
 not been idle. The spies from the swamps had discovered when 
 the expedition was preparing to start, and had found too that 
 a strong body of troops was to march along the edges of the 
 swamps in order to cut off the Iceni should they endeavour to 
 make their escape. 
 
 The alarm had been sounded from post to post, and in accord- 
 ance with the orders of Beric the whole of the fighting men at 
 once began to move south, some in boats, some in their little 
 coracles, which were able to thread their way through the net- 
 work of channels. The night after the Romans started, the 
 whole of the fighting force of the Britons was gathered in the 
 southern swamps, and two hours before daybreak issued out. 
 Some five hundred, led by Aska, followed the western bank 
 of the river towards Huntingdon, which had for the time been 
 converted into a Roman city, inhabited by the artisans who 
 had constructed the boats and the settlers who supplied the 
 army; it had been garrisoned by five hundred legionaries, of 
 whom three hundred had gone away in the boats. 
 
 The main body advanced against the Roman camp on the 
 opposite bank, in which, as their spies had learnt, three 
 hundred men had been left as a garrison. By Beric's orders a 
 great number of ladders had been constructed. As upon the
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 165 
 
 previous occasion the camp was surrounded before they advanced 
 against it, and when the first shout of a sentry showed that they 
 were discovered Beric's horn gave the signal, and with a mighty 
 shout the Britons rushed on from all sides. Dashing down the 
 ditch, and climbing the steep bank behind it the Iceni planted 
 their ladders against the palisade, and swarming over it poured 
 into the camp before the Romans had time to gather to oppose 
 them. Beric had led his own band of two hundred trained 
 men against the point where the wall of the camp touched 
 the river, and as soon as they were over formed them up and 
 led them in a compact body against the Romans. 
 
 In spite of the suddenness of the attack, the discipline of the 
 legionaries was unshaken, and as soon as their officers found 
 that the walls were already lost they formed their men in a 
 solid body to resist the attack. Before Beric with his band 
 reached the spot the Romans were already engaged in a fierce 
 struggle with the Britons, who poured volleys of darts and 
 arrows among them, and desperately strove, sword in hand, to 
 break their solid formation. This they were unable to do, until 
 Beric's band six deep with their hedge of spears before them 
 came up, and with a loud shout threw themselves upon the 
 Romans. The weight and impetus of the charge was irresistible. 
 The Roman cohort was broken, and a deadly hand-to-hand 
 struggle commenced. But here the numbers and the greatly 
 superior height and strength of the Britons were decisive, and 
 before many minutes had passed the last Roman had been cut 
 down, the scene of the battle being lighted up by the flames of 
 Huntingdon. 
 
 A shout of triumph from the Britons announced that all 
 resistance had ceased. Beric at once blew his horn, and, as had 
 been previously arranged, four hundred of the island men 
 immediately started under Boduoc to oppose the garrison at the 
 nearest fort, should they meet these hastening to the assistance 
 of their comrades. Then a systematic search for plunder 
 commenced. One of the storehouses was emptied of its con- 
 tents and fired, and by its light the arms and armour of the
 
 166 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Roman soldiers were collected, the huts and tents rifled of 
 everything of value, the storehouses emptied of their stores of 
 grain and provisions, and of the tools that had been used for 
 the building of boats. Everything that could be of use to the 
 defenders was taken, and fire was then applied to the buildings 
 and tents. Morning broke before this was accomplished, and 
 laden down with spoil the Iceni returned to their swamps, 
 Boduoc's and Aska's parties rejoining them there. 
 
 The former had met the Romans hurrying from the nearest 
 fort to aid the garrison of the camp. Beric's orders had been 
 that Boduoc was if possible to avoid a fight, as in the open the 
 discipline of the Romans would probably prevail over British 
 valour. The Iceni, therefore, set up a great shouting in front 
 and in the rear of the Romans, shooting their missiles among 
 them, and being unable in the dark to perceive the number of 
 their assailants, and fearful that they had fallen into an ambush, 
 the Romans fell back to their fort. Aska's party had also re- 
 turned laden with plunder, and as soon as the whole were united 
 a division of this was made. The provisions, clothing, and 
 arms were divided equally among the men, while the stores of 
 rope, metal, canvas, and other articles that would be useful to 
 the community were set aside to be taken to the island. 
 Thither also the shields, armour, and helmets of the Roman 
 soldiers were to be conveyed, to be broken up and melted into 
 spear and arrow heads. 
 
 As the Roman boats returned two days later from their use- 
 less passage down the river, they were astonished and enraged 
 by outbursts of mocking laughter from the tangle of bushes 
 fringing the river. Not a foe was to be seen, but for miles these 
 sounds of derisive laughter assailed them from both sides of the 
 stream. The veterans ground their teeth with rage, and would 
 have rowed towards the banks had not their officers, believing 
 that it was the intention of the Britons to induce them to land, 
 and then to lead them into an ambush, ordered them to keep 
 on their way. On passing beyond the region of the swamp a 
 cry of dismay burst from the crowded boats, as it was perceived
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 167 
 
 that the town of Huntingdon had entirely disappeared. As 
 they neared the camp, however, the sight of numerous sentries 
 on the walls relieved them of part of their anxiety; but upon 
 landing they learnt the whole truth, that the five hundred 
 Roman soldiers in the camp and at Huntingdon had fallen to 
 a man, and that the whole of the stores collected had been 
 carried away or destroyed. 
 
 The news had been sent rapidly along the chain of forts on 
 either side of the swamp, and fifty men from each had been 
 despatched to repair and reoccupy the camp, which was now 
 held by a thousand men, who had already begun to repair the 
 palisades that had been fired by the Britons. 
 
 This disaster at once depressed and infuriated the Roman 
 soldiers, while it showed to the general commanding them that 
 the task he had been appointed to perform was vastly more 
 serious than he had expected. Already, as he had traversed 
 mile after mile of the silent river, he had been impressed with 
 the enormous difficulty there would be in penetrating the 
 pathless morasses, extending as he knew in some places thirty 
 or forty miles in width. The proof now afforded of the 
 numbers, determination, and courage of the men lurking there 
 still further impressed him with the gravity of the undertaking. 
 Messengers were at once sent off to Suetonius, who was at 
 Camalodunum, which he was occupied in rebuilding, to inform 
 him of the reverse, and to ask for orders, and the general with 
 five hundred men immediately set out for the camp of Godman. 
 
 Suetonius at once proceeded to examine for himself the extent 
 of the Fen country, riding with a body of horsemen along the 
 eastern boundary as far as the sea, and then, returning to the 
 camp, followed up the western margin until he again reached 
 the sea. He saw at once that the whole of the Roman army in 
 Britain would be insufficient to guard so extensive a line, and 
 that it would be hopeless to endeavour to starve out men who 
 could at all times make raids over the country around them. 
 The first step to be taken must be to endeavour to circumscribe 
 their limits. Orders were at once sent to the British tribes in
 
 168 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the south and midlands to send all their available men, and 
 as these arrived they were set to work to clear away by axe 
 and fire the trees and bush on the eastern side of the river 
 Ouse. 
 
 As soon as the intentions of the Romans were understood, 
 the British camp at the junction of the rivers was abandoned, as 
 with so large a force of workmen the Romans could have made 
 wide roads up to it, and although it might have resisted for 
 some time, it must eventually fall, while the Romans, by send- 
 ing their flotilla of boats down, could cut off the retreat of the 
 garrison. For two months thirty thousand workmen laboured 
 under the eyes of strong parties of Roman soldiers, and the 
 work of denuding the swamps east of the Ouse was accom- 
 plished. 
 
 Winter had now set in, but the season was a wet one, and 
 although the Romans made repeated attempts to fire the brush- 
 wood from the south and west, they failed to do so. Severe 
 frost accompanied by heavy snow set in late, and as soon as 
 the ground was hard enough the Romans entered the swamps 
 near Huntingdon, and began their advance northwards. The 
 Britons were expecting them, and the whole of their fighting 
 force had gathered to oppose them. Beric and Aska set them 
 to work as soon as the Roman army crossed the river and 
 marched north, and as the Romans advanced slowly and care- 
 fully through the tangled bushes, they heard a strange confused 
 noise far ahead of them, and after marching for two miles came 
 upon a channel, where the ice had been broken into fragments. 
 
 They at once set to work to cut down bushes and form them 
 into faggots to fill up the gaps, but as they approached the 
 channel with these they were assailed by volleys of arrows from 
 the bushes on the opposite side. The light-armed troops were 
 brought up, and the work of damming the channel at a dozen 
 points, was covered by a shower of javelins and arrows. The 
 Britons, however, had during the past month made shields of 
 strong wicker-work of the Roman pattern, but long enough to 
 cover them from the eyes down to the ankles, and the wicker
 
 THE STRUGGLE IN THE SWAMP. 169 
 
 work was protected by a double coating of ox -hide. Boys 
 collected the javelins as fast as they were thrown, and handed 
 them to the men. As soon as the road across the channel was 
 completed the Eomans poured over, believing that now they 
 should scatter their invisible foes; but they were mistaken, for 
 the Britons with levelled spears, their bodies covered with 
 their bucklers, burst down upon them as they crossed, while a 
 storm of darts and javelins poured in from behind the fighting 
 line. 
 
 Again and again they were driven back, until after suffering 
 great loss they made good their footing at several points, when, 
 at the sound of a horn, resistance at once ceased, and the Britons 
 disappeared as if by magic. Advancing cautiously the Romans 
 found that the ice in all the channels had been broken up, 
 and they were soon involved in a perfect network of sluggish 
 streams. Across these the Britons had felled trees to form 
 bridges for their retreat, and these they dragged after them 
 as soon as they crossed. Every one of these streams was despe- 
 rately defended, and as the line of swamp grew wider the 
 Roman front became more and more scattered. 
 
 Late in the afternoon a sudden and furious attack was made 
 upon them from the rear, Beric having taken a strong force 
 round their flank. Numbers of the Romans were killed before 
 they could assemble to make head against the attack, and as 
 soon as they did so their assailants as usual drew off. After a 
 long day's fighting the Romans had gained scarce a mile from 
 the point where resistance had commenced, and this at a cost 
 of over three hundred men. Suetonius himself had commanded 
 the attack, and when the troops halted for the night at the 
 edge of an unusually wide channel, he felt that the task he 
 had undertaken was beyond his powers. He summoned the 
 commanders of the two legions to the hut that had been 
 hastily raised for him. 
 
 "What think you?" he asked. "This is a warfare even more 
 terrible than that we waged with the Goths in their forests. 
 This Beric, who is their leader, has indeed profited by the
 
 170 BEBIC THE BRITON. 
 
 lessons he learned at Camalodunum. No Roman general could 
 have handled his men better. He is full of resources, and we 
 did not reckon upon his breaking up the ice upon all these chan- 
 nels. If we have had so much trouble in forcing our way 
 where the swamps are but two miles across, and that with a 
 frost to help us, the task will be a terrible one when we get 
 into the heart of the morasses, where they are twenty miles 
 wide. Yet we cannot leave them untouched. There would 
 never be peace and quiet as long as these bands, under so 
 enterprising a leader, remain unsubdued. Can you think of 
 any other plan by which we may advance with less loss?" 
 
 The two officers were silent. "The resistance may weaken," 
 one said after a long pause. " We have learnt from the natives 
 that they have not in all much above three thousand fighting 
 men, and they must have lost as heavily as we have." 
 
 Suetonius shook his head. " I marked as we advanced," he 
 said, " that there was not one British corpse to four Romans. 
 We shoot at random, while they from their bushes can see us, and 
 even when they charge us our archers can aid but little, seeing 
 that the fighting takes place among the bushes. However, 
 we will press on for a time. The natives behind us must clear 
 the ground as fast as we advance, and every foot gained is 
 gained for good." 
 
 Three times during the night the British attacked the Romans, 
 once by passing up the river in their coracles and landing 
 behind them, once by marching out into the country round 
 their left flank, and once by pouring out through cross channels 
 in their boats and landing in front. All night, too, their shouts 
 kept the Romans awake in expectation of attack. 
 
 For four days the fighting continued, and the Romans, at the 
 cost of over a thousand men, won their way eight miles farther. 
 By the end of that time they were utterly exhausted with toil 
 and want of sleep; the swamps each day became wider, and the 
 channels larger and deeper. Then the Roman leaders agreed 
 that no more could be done. Twelve miles had been won 
 and cleared, but this was the mere tongue of the Fenland, and
 
 BETRAYED. 171 
 
 to add to their difficulties that day the weather had suddenly 
 changed, and in the evening rain set in. It was therefore de- 
 termined to retreat while the ground was yet hard, and having 
 lighted their fires, and left a party to keep these burning and 
 to deceive the British, the Romans drew off and marched away, 
 bearing to the left so as to get out on to the plain, and to leave 
 the ground, encumbered with the sharp stumps of the bushes 
 and its network of channels, behind them as soon as possible. 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 BETRAYED. 
 
 rilHE Britons soon discovered that the Romans had retreated, 
 -L but made no movement in pursuit. They knew that the 
 legionaries once in open ground were more than their match, 
 and they were well content with the success they had gained. 
 They had lost in all but four hundred men, while they were 
 certain that the Romans had suffered much more heavily, and 
 that there was but little chance of the attack being renewed in 
 the same manner, for if their progress was so slow when they 
 had frost to aid them, what chance would they have when there 
 was scarce a foot of land that could bear their weight? The 
 winter passed, indeed, without any further movement. The 
 Britons suffered to some extent from the damps; but as the 
 whole country was undrained, and for the most part covered 
 with forest, they were accustomed to a damp-laden atmosphere, 
 and so supported the fogs of the Fens far better than they 
 would otherwise have done. 
 
 In the spring, grain, which had been carefully preserved for 
 the purpose, was sown in many places where the land was above 
 the level of the swamps. A number of large boats had been 
 built during the winter, as Beric and Aska were convinced that
 
 172 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the next attack would be made by water, having learned from 
 the country people to the west that a vast number of flat- 
 bottomed boats had been built by the Romans. 
 
 Early in the spring fighting again began. A great flotilla 
 of boats descended from Huntingdon, and turning off the side 
 channels entered the swamp. But the Britons were prepared. 
 They were now well provided with tools, and numbers of trees 
 had been felled across the channels, completely blocking the 
 passage. As soon as the boats left the main river, they were 
 assailed with a storm of javelins from the bushes, and the 
 Romans, when they attempted to land, found their movements 
 impeded by the deep swamp in which they often sank up to the 
 waist, while their foes in their swamp-pattens traversed them 
 easily, and inflicted heavy losses upon them, driving them back 
 into their boats again. At the points where the channels were 
 obstructed desperate struggles took place. The Romans, from 
 their boats, in vain endeavoured, under the storm of missiles 
 from their invisible foes, to remove the obstacles, and as soon 
 as they landed to attempt to do so they were attacked with 
 such fury that they were forced to fall back. 
 
 Several times they found their way of retreat blocked by 
 boats that had come down through side channels, and had to 
 fight their way back with great loss and difficulty. After 
 maintaining the struggle for four days, and suffering a loss even 
 greater than that they had incurred in their first attack, the 
 Romans again drew off and ascended the river. The Fenmen 
 had joined the Iceni in repelling the attack. The portion of 
 the swamp they inhabited was not far away, and they felt that 
 they too were threatened by the Roman advance. They had 
 therefore rejoined the Iceni, although for some time they had 
 kept themselves aloof from them, owing to quarrels that had 
 arisen because, as they asserted, some of the Iceni had entered 
 their district and carried off the birds from their traps. Beric 
 had done all in his power to allay this feeling, recompensing 
 them for the losses they declared they had suffered, and bestow- 
 ing many presents upon them. He and Aska often talked the
 
 BETRAYED. 173 
 
 matter over, and agreed that their greatest danger was from 
 the Fenmen. 
 
 "They view us as intruders in their country," Aska said, 
 " and doubtless consider that in time we shall become their 
 masters. Should they turn against us they could lead the 
 Romans direct to our islands, and if these were lost all would 
 be lost." 
 
 "If you fear that, Aska," Boduoc, who was present, said, 
 " we had better kill the little wretches at once." 
 
 "No, no, Boduoc," Beric said. "We have nothing against 
 them at present, and we should be undeserving of the protection 
 of the gods were we to act towards them as the Romans act 
 towards us. Moreover, such an attempt would only bring 
 about what we fear. Some of them, knowing their way as 
 they do through the marshes, would be sure to make their 
 escape, and these would bring the Romans down upon us. Even 
 did we slay all this tribe here, the Fenmen in the north 
 would seek to avenge their kinsmen, and would invite the 
 Romans to their aid. No, we must speak the Fenmen fair, 
 avoid all cause of quarrel, do all we can to win their good- 
 will, and show them that they have nothing to fear from us. 
 Still, we must always be on guard against treachery. Night 
 and day a watch must be set at the mouths of all the channels 
 by which they might penetrate in this direction." 
 
 Another month passed. The Romans still remained in their 
 forts round the Fens. The natives had now been brought 
 round to the western side, and under the protection of strong 
 bodies of soldiers were occupied in clearing the swamp on that 
 side. They made but little progress, however, for the Britons 
 made frequent eruptions among them, and the depth of the 
 morasses in this direction rendered it well-nigh impossible for 
 them to advance, and progress could only be made by binding 
 the bush into bundles and forming roads as they went on. 
 From their kinsmen in the north-west, Beric learned that a new 
 propraetor had arrived to replace Suetonius, for it was reported 
 that the wholesale severity of the latter was greatly disapproved
 
 174 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 of in Rome, so that his successor had come out -with orders to 
 pursue a milder policy, and to desist from the work of extir- 
 pation that Suetonius was carrying on. It was known that 
 at any rate the new-comer had issued a proclamation, saying 
 that Rome wished neither to destroy nor enslave the people of 
 Britain, and that all fugitives were invited to return to their 
 homes, adding a promise that no molestation should be offered 
 to them, and that an amnesty was granted to all for their share 
 in the late troubles. 
 
 "What do you think, AskaT' Beric asked when they heard 
 the news. 
 
 " It may be true or it may not," Aska said. " For myself, 
 after the treatment of Boadicea, and the seizure of all her 
 husband's property, I have no faith in Roman promises. How- 
 ever, all this is but a rumour. It will be time enough to 
 consider it when they send in a flag of truce and offer us terms 
 of surrender. Besides, supposing the proclamation has been 
 rightly reported, the amnesty is promised only for the past 
 troubles. The new general must have heard of the heavy losses 
 we inflicted on the Romans as soon as he landed, and had he 
 meant his proclamation to apply to us he would have said so. 
 However, I sincerely trust that it is true, even if we are not 
 included, and are to be hunted down like wild beasts. Rome 
 cannot wish to conquer a desert, and you have told me she 
 generally treats the natives of conquered provinces well after 
 all resistance has ceased. It may well be that the Romans dis- 
 approve of the harshness of Suetonius, although the rising was 
 not due to him so much as to the villain Decianus. Still he 
 was harsh in the extreme, and his massacre of the Druids 
 enlisted every Briton against him. Other measures may now 
 be tried ; the ground must be cultivated, or it is useless to Rome. 
 There are at present many tribes still unsubdued, and were men 
 like Suetonius and Decianus to continue to scourge the land by 
 their cruelties, they might provoke another rising as formid- 
 able as ours, and bring fresh disaster upon Rome. But whether 
 the amnesty applies to us or not, I shall be glad to hear that
 
 BETRAYED. 175 
 
 Suetonius has left. We know that three days ago at any rate 
 he was at their camp opposite Huntingdon, and he may well 
 wish to strike a blow before he leaves, in order that he may 
 return with the credit of having crushed out the last resistance." 
 
 Two nights later, an hour before daybreak, a man covered 
 with wounds, breathless and exhausted, made his way up to 
 the intrenchment on the principal island. 
 
 " To arms ! " he shouted. " The Romans are upon us ! " One 
 of the sentries ran with the news to Beric's hut. Springing 
 from his couch Beric sounded his horn, and the band, who were 
 at all times kept to the strength of four hundred, rushed to the 
 line of defences. 
 
 "What is it? What is your news?" Beric asked the mes- 
 senger. 
 
 "It is treachery, Beric. With two comrades I was on 
 watch at the point where the principal channel hence runs into 
 the river. Suddenly we thought we heard the sound of oars 
 on the river above us. We could not be sure. It was a faint 
 confused sound, and we stood at the edge of the bank listening, 
 when suddenly from behind us sprang out a dozen men, and 
 before we had time to draw a sword we were cut down. They 
 hewed at us till they thought us dead, and for a time I knew 
 nothing more. When I came to myself I saw a procession of 
 Roman boats turning in at the channel. For a time I was too 
 faint to move; but at last I crawled down a yard or two to the 
 water and had a drink. Then my strength gradually returned 
 and I struggled to my feet. 
 
 "To proceed by land through the marshes at night was 
 impossible, but I found my coracle, which we had hidden under 
 the bushes, and poled up the channel after the Romans, who 
 were now some distance ahead. The danger gave me strength, 
 and I gained upon them. When I could hear their oars ahead 
 I turned off by a cross channel so as to strike another leading 
 direct hither. What was my horror when I reached it to see 
 another flotilla of Roman boats passing along. Then I guessed 
 that not only we but the watchers at all the other channels
 
 176 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 must have been surprised and killed by the treacherous Fen- 
 men. I followed the boats till I reached a spot where I knew 
 there was a track through the marshes to the island. 
 
 "For hours I struggled on, often losing the path in the 
 darkness and falling into swamps, where I was nearly over- 
 whelmed; but at last I approached the island. The Romans 
 were already near. I tried each avenue by which our boats 
 approached, but all were held by them. But at last I made 
 my way through by one of the deepest marshes, where at any 
 other time I would not have set foot, even in broad daylight, 
 and so have arrived in time to warn you." 
 
 " You have done well. Your warning comes not, I fear, in 
 time to save us, but it will enable us at least to die like men, 
 with arms in our hands." 
 
 Parties of men were at once sent down to hold the intrench- 
 ments erected to cover the approaches. Some of those who 
 knew the swamps best were sent out singly, but they found the 
 Romans everywhere. They had formed a complete circle round 
 the island, all the channels being occupied by the boats, while 
 parties had been landed upon planks thrown across the soft 
 ground between the channels to prevent any from passing 
 on foot. 
 
 "They will not attack until broad daylight," Aska said, 
 when all the men who had been sent out had returned with 
 a similar tale. "They must fight under the disadvantage of 
 not knowing the ground, and would fear that in the darkness 
 some of us would slip away." 
 
 Contrary to expectation the next day passed without any 
 movement by the Romans, and Beric and Aska agreed that 
 most likely the greater portion of the boats had gone back to 
 bring up more troops. 
 
 "They will not risk another defeat," Aska said, "and they 
 must be sure that, hemmed in as we are, we shall fight to the 
 last." 
 
 The practicability of throwing the whole force against the 
 Romans at one point, and of so forcing their way through
 
 BETRAYED. 177 
 
 was discussed; but in that case the women and children, over 
 a thousand in number, must be left behind, and the idea was 
 therefore abandoned. Another day of suspense passed. During 
 the evening loud shouts were heard in the swamp, and the 
 Britons had no doubt that the boats had returned with rein- 
 forcements. 
 
 There were three points where boats could come up to the 
 shore of the island. Aska, Boduoc, and another chief, each with 
 a hundred men, took their posts in the intrenchments there, 
 while Beric, with a hundred of the Sarci, remained in the great 
 intrenchment on the summit, in readiness to bear down upon 
 any point where aid was required. Soon after daybreak next 
 morning the battle began, the Eomans advancing in their flat- 
 bottomed boats and springing on shore. In spite of a hail of 
 missiles they advanced against the intrenchments; but these 
 were strongly built in imitation of the Roman works, having a 
 steep bank of earth surmounted by a solid palisade breast-high, 
 and constructed of massive timber. 
 
 For some hours the conflict raged, fifty of the defenders at 
 each intrenchment thrusting down with their long spears the 
 assailants as they strove to scale the bank, while the other fifty 
 rained arrows and javelins upon them; and whenever they 
 succeeded in getting up to the palisade through the circle of 
 the spears, threw down their bows and opposed them sword 
 in hand. Again and again the Romans were repulsed with 
 great slaughter, and the cries of exultation from the women who 
 lined the upper intrenchment rose loud and shrill. 
 
 Beric divided his force into three bodies. The first was to 
 move down instantly if they saw the defenders of the lower 
 intrenchment hard pressed; the others were to hold their 
 position until summoned by Beric to move down and join in 
 the fray. He himself paced round and round the intrenchment, 
 occupied less with the three desperate fights going on below 
 than with the edge of the bushes between those points. He 
 knew that the morasses were so deep that even an active and 
 unarmed man could scarce make his way through them and 
 
 (726) M
 
 178 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 that only by springing from bush to bush. But he feared that 
 the Eomans might form paths by throwing down faggots, and 
 so gain the island at some undefended point. 
 
 Until noon he saw nothing to justify his anxiety; every- 
 thing seemed still in the swamp. But he knew that this silence 
 was deceptive, and the canopy of marsh-loving trees completely 
 hid the bushes and undergrowth from his sight. It was just 
 noon when a Roman trumpet sounded, and at once at six 
 different points a line of Roman soldiers issued from the 
 bushes. Beric raised his horn to his lips and blew the signal 
 for retreat. At its sound the defenders of the three lower 
 intrenchments instantly left their posts and dashed at full 
 speed up the hill, gaining it long before the Romans, who, as 
 they issued out, formed up in order to repel any attack that 
 might be made upon them. 
 
 "So they have made paths across the swamp," Aska said 
 bitterly, as he joined Beric. " They would never have made 
 their way in by fair fighting." 
 
 "Well," Beric said, "there is one more struggle, and a stout 
 one, and then we go to join our friends who have gone before 
 us in the Happy Island in the far west. We need not be 
 ashamed to meet them. They will welcome us as men who 
 have struggled to the last for liberty against the oppressor, 
 and who have nobly upheld the honour of the Iceni. We shall 
 meet with a great welcome." 
 
 Not until the Romans had landed the whole of the force 
 they had brought up, which Beric estimated as exceeding two 
 thousand men, did they advance to the attack, pressing for- 
 ward against all points of the intrenchment. The Iceni 
 were too few for the proper defence of so long a circuit of 
 intrenchments, but the women and boys took their places 
 beside them armed with hatchets, clubs, and knives. The 
 struggle was for a long time uncertain, so desperately did the 
 defenders fight; and it was not until suffering the loss of a 
 third of their number, from the missiles and weapons of the 
 British, that the Romans at last broke through the intrench-
 
 BETRAYED. 179 
 
 ment. Even then the British fought to the last None thought 
 of asking for quarter, hut each died contented if he could kill 
 but one Roman. The women flung themselves on the spears 
 of the assailants, preferring death infinitely to falling into the 
 hands of the Romans; and soon the only survivors of the 
 Britons were a group of some thirty men gathered on a little 
 knoll in the centre of the camp. 
 
 Beric had successfully defended the chief entrance to the 
 camp until the Romans burst in at other places, and then, 
 blowing his horn, he had tried to rally his men in the centre for 
 a final stand. Aska had already fallen, pierced by a Roman 
 javelin; but Boduoc and a small body of the Sarci had rallied 
 round Beric, and had for a time beaten off the assaults of the 
 Romans. But soon they were reduced to half their number, 
 and were on the point of being overwhelmed by the crowds 
 surrounding them, when a Roman trumpet sounded and their 
 assailants fell back An officer made his way towards them 
 and addressed Beric. 
 
 " Suetonius bids me say that he honours bravery, and that 
 your lives will be spared if you lay down your arms." 
 
 "Tell Suetonius that we scorn his mercy," Beric said, "and 
 will die as we have lived, free men." 
 
 The Roman bade his men stand to their weapons, and not 
 move until his return. It was a few minutes before he came 
 back again. Behind him were a number of soldiers, who had 
 laid aside their arms and provided themselves with billets of 
 wood and long poles. Before Beric could understand what 
 was intended, he and his companions were struck to the ground 
 by the discharge of the wooden missiles or knocked down by 
 the poles. Then the Romans threw themselves upon them 
 and bound them hand and foot, the camp was plundered, fire 
 applied to the huts, and the palisades beaten down. Then the 
 captives were carried down to the boats, and the Romans 
 rowed away through the marshes. They had little to congra- 
 tulate themselves upon. They had captured the leader of the 
 Iceni, had destroyed his stronghold and slain four hundred of
 
 180 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 his followers, but it had cost them double that number of men, 
 and a large proportion of the remainder bore wounds more or 
 less severe. 
 
 Boduoc and the other prisoners were furious at their capture. 
 The Britons had no fear whatever of death, but capture was 
 regarded as a disgrace; and that they alone should have been 
 preserved when their comrades had all been killed and the 
 women and children massacred, was to them a terrible misfor- 
 tune. They considered that they had been captured by an 
 unworthy ruse, for had they known what was intended they 
 would have slain each other, or stabbed themselves, rather 
 than become captives. 
 
 Beric's feelings were more mixed. Although he would have 
 preferred death to captivity, his ideas had been much modified 
 by his residence among the Romans, and he saw nothing dis- 
 graceful in what he could not avoid. He would never have 
 surrendered; would never have voluntarily accepted life; but 
 as he had been taken captive against his will and in fair fight, 
 he saw no disgrace in it. He wondered why he and his com- 
 panions had been spared. It might be that they were to be 
 put to death publicly, as a warning to their countrymen; but 
 he thought it more likely that Suetonius had preserved them 
 to carry them back to Rome as a proof that he had, before 
 giving up the command, crushed out the last resistance of the 
 Britons to Roman rule. As the captives had been distributed 
 among the boats, he had no opportunity of speaking to his 
 companions until, about midnight, the flotilla arrived at God- 
 mancastra. Then they were laid on the ground together, a 
 guard of six men taking post beside them. Boduoc at once 
 broke out in a torrent of execrations against the Romans. 
 
 " They had a right to kill us," he said, " but they had no 
 right to dishonour us. We had a right to die with the others. 
 We fought them fairly, and refused to surrender. It is a 
 shameful tyranny thus to disgrace us by making us captives. 
 I would not have refused death to my most hated foe; but 
 they shall not exult over us long. If they will not give me a
 
 BETRAYED. 181 
 
 weapon with which to put an end to my life, I will starve 
 myself." 
 
 There was an exclamation of fierce assent from the other 
 captives. 
 
 " They have not meant to dishonour us, Boduoc, but to do 
 us honour," Beric said. "The Komans do not view these 
 things in the same light that we do. It is because, in their 
 opinion, we are brave men, whom it was an honour to them to 
 subdue, that they have thus taken us. You see they slew all 
 others, even the women and children. We were captured not 
 from pity, not because they wished to inflict disgrace upon us, 
 but simply as trophies of their own valour; just as they would 
 take a standard. We may deem ourselves aggrieved because 
 we have not, like the rest, died fighting to the last, and so 
 departed for the Happy Island; but it is the will of the gods 
 that we should not make the journey for a time. It is really 
 an honour to us that they have deemed us worthy of the 
 trouble of capture, instead of slaying us. Like you, I would 
 rather a thousand times have died; but since the gods have 
 decreed it otherwise, it is for us to show that not even cap- 
 tivity can break our spirit, but that we are able to bear our- 
 selves as brave men who, having done all that men could do 
 against vastly superior force, still preserve their own .esteem, 
 and give way neither to unmanly repinings nor to a sullen 
 struggle against fate. 
 
 " Nothing would please the Romans better than for us to act 
 like wild beasts caught in a snare, gnashing our teeth vainly 
 when we can no longer strike, and either sulkily protesting 
 against our lot, or seeking to escape the pains of death or servi- 
 tude by flying from life. Let us preserve a front haughty and 
 unabashed. We have inflicted heavy defeats upon Rome, and 
 are proud of it. Let them see that the chains on our bodies 
 have not bound our spirit, and that, though captives, we still 
 hold ourselves as free men, fearless of what they can do to us. 
 In such a way we shall win at least their respect, and they will 
 say these are men whom we are proud of having overcome."
 
 182 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "By the sacred oak, Beric, you speak rightly," Boduoc 
 exclaimed. " Such was the bearing of Caractacus, as I have 
 heard, when he fell into their hands, and no one can say that 
 Caractacus was dishonoured. No man can control his fate; hut, 
 as you say, we may show that we are above fate. What say 
 you, my friends, has Beric spoken well?" 
 
 A murmur of hearty assent came from the other captives, 
 and then the Roman sergeant of the guard, uneasy at this ani- 
 mated colloquy among the captives, gruffly ordered silence. 
 
 Beric translated the order. "Best sleep, if we can," he 
 added. " We shall be stronger to-morrow." 
 
 Few, however, slept, for all were suffering from wounds more 
 or less severe. The following morning their bonds were un- 
 loosed, and their wounds carefully attended to by a leech. 
 Then water and food were offered to them, and of these, fol- 
 lowing Beric's example, they partook heartily. An hour later 
 they were placed in the centre of a strong guard, and then fell 
 in with the troops who were formed up to escort Suetonius to 
 Camalodunum. 
 
 "What are they going to do to us, think you?" Boduoc 
 asked Beric. 
 
 "They are either going to put us to death publicly at 
 Camalodunum, as a warning against resistance, or they are 
 going to take us to Rome. I think the latter. Had Suetonius 
 been going to remain here, he might be taking us to public 
 execution; but as he has, as we have heard, been ordered home, 
 he would not, I think, have troubled himself to have made us 
 prisoners simply that his successor might benefit by the example 
 of our execution. It is far more likely, I think, that he will 
 carry us to Rome in order to show us as proofs that he has, 
 before leaving Britain, succeeded in crushing out all resistance 
 here." 
 
 "And what will they do with us at Rome?" 
 
 "That I know not, Boduoc; possibly they will put us to 
 death there, but that is not their usual custom. Suetonius has 
 gained no triumph. A terrible disaster has fallen upon the
 
 BETRAYED. 183 
 
 Romans during his command here; and though he may have 
 avenged their defeat, he certainly does not return home in 
 triumph. After a triumph the chief of the captives is always 
 put to death, sacrificed to their gods. But as this will he 
 no triumph, we shall, I should say, be treated as ordinary pri- 
 soners of war. Some of these are sold as slaves ; some are em- 
 ployed on public works. Of some they make gladiators men 
 who fight and kill each other in the arena for the amusement 
 of the people of Rome, who gather to see these struggles just 
 as we do when two warriors who have quarrelled decide their 
 differences by combat." 
 
 " The choice does not appear a pleasing one," Boduoc said, 
 " to be a private or public slave, or to be killed for the amuse- 
 ment of the Romans." 
 
 " Well, the latter is the shortest way out of it, anyhow, and 
 the one I should choose ; but it must be terrible to have to fight 
 with a man with whom one has had no quarrel," Beric said. 
 
 " Well, I don't know, Beric. If he is a captive like yourself, 
 he must be just as tired of life as you are. So, if he kills you 
 he is doing you a service; if you kill him, you have greatly 
 obliged him. So, looking at it in that way, it does not much 
 matter which way it goes; for if you do him this service one 
 day, someone else may do you a like good turn the next." 
 
 " I had not looked at it in that way, Boduoc," Beric said, 
 laughing. "Well, there is one thing, I do not suppose the 
 choice will be given us. At any rate I shall be glad to see 
 Rome. I have always wished to do so, though I never thought 
 that it would be as a captive. Still, it will be something even 
 in this evil that has befallen us to see so great a city with all 
 its wonders. Camalodunum was but as a little hamlet beside it." 
 
 On the evening of the second day after leaving Godman- 
 castra they arrived at Camalodunum, which, in the year that 
 had passed since its destruction, had already been partially 
 rebuilt and settled by Gaulish traders from the mainland, 
 Roman officials with their families and attendants, officers 
 engaged in the civil service and the army, friends and associates
 
 184 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 of the procurator, who had been sent out to succeed Catus 
 Decianus, priests and servants of the temples. Suetonius had 
 already sent to inform the new propraetor, Petronius Turpil- 
 lianus, of the success which he had gained, and a crowd 
 assembled as the procession was seen approaching, while all 
 eyes were directed upon the little party of British captives who 
 followed the chariot of Suetonius. 
 
 Many of the new-comers had as yet scarcely seen a native, 
 so complete had been the destruction of the Trinobantes, and 
 they looked with surprise and admiration at these men, tower- 
 ing a full head above their guards, and carrying themselves, in 
 spite of their bonds, with an air of fearless dignity. Most of 
 all were they surprised when they learned that the youth for 
 Beric was as yet but eighteen who walked at their head was 
 the noted chief, who had during the past year inflicted such 
 heavy losses upon the troops of Rome, and who had now 
 only been captured by treachery. As yet he lacked some 
 inches of the height of his companions, but he bade fair in 
 another two or three years to rival the tallest among them in 
 strength and vigour. The procession halted before the build- 
 ing which had been erected from the ruins of the old city as 
 a residence for the propreetor. Petronius, surrounded by a 
 number of officials, came out to meet Suetonius. 
 
 "I congratulate you on your success, Suetonius," he said. 
 " It will make my task all the easier in carrying out my orders 
 to deal mildly with the people." 
 
 " And it will make my return to Rome all the more pleasant, 
 Petronius, and I thank you again for having permitted me to 
 continue in command of the troops until I had revenged the 
 losses we have suffered at the hands of these barbarians. It 
 is, of course, for you to decide upon the fate of Beric and his 
 companions; assuredly they deserve death, but I should like 
 to take them with me as captives to Rome." 
 
 " I should prefer your doing so, Suetonius. I could hardly 
 pardon men who have so withstood us, but, upon the other hand, 
 I should grieve to commence my rule by an act of severity;
 
 BETRAYED. 185 
 
 besides, I hope through them to persuade the others for, as 
 you told me 'n your letter, it is but a fraction of these outlaws 
 that you have subdued to lay down their arms. It is well, 
 indeed, that you have taken their chief, and that he, as I hear, 
 has partly been brought up among us and speaks our language." 
 
 " Yes, he lived here for some five years as a hostage for his 
 tribe. He was under the charge of Caius Muro, who returned 
 to Rome after our defeat of the Britons. I made inquiries 
 about him, when I learned that he was chief of the insurgents, 
 and heard that he was tractable and studious when among us, 
 and that Caius thought very highly of his intelligence." 
 
 "They are noble-looking men," Petronius said, surveying 
 the group of captives; "it is an honour to conquer such men. 
 I will speak with their chief presently." 
 
 "I shall make no longer delay," Suetonius said. "Ships 
 have been lying at the port in readiness for my departure for 
 the last two weeks, and I would fain sail to-morrow or next 
 day. Glad I shall be to leave this island, where I have had 
 nothing but fighting and hardships since I landed." 
 
 " And you have done well," Petronius said courteously. " It 
 was but half conquered when you landed, it is wholly subdued 
 now. It is for me only to gather the fruit of your victories." 
 
 " Never was there such an obstinate race," Suetonius replied 
 angrily. " Look at those men, they bear themselves as if they 
 were conquerors instead of conquered." 
 
 "They are good for something better than to be killed, 
 Suetonius; if we could mate all our Roman women with these 
 fair giants, what a race we should raise!" 
 
 "You would admire them less if you saw them pouring 
 down on you shouting like demons," Suetonius said sullenly. 
 
 "Perhaps so, Suetonius; but I will endeavour to utilize their 
 strength in our service, and not to call it into the field against 
 us. Now, let us enter the house. Varo," he said to one of 
 his officers, " take charge of the captives until Suetonius sails. 
 Guard them strongly, but treat them well. Place them in the 
 house, where they will not be stared at by the crowd. If their
 
 186 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 chief will give you his word that they will not attempt to 
 escape, their bonds can be removed; if not, they must remain 
 bound." 
 
 Varo at once called a centurion of the legion in garrison at 
 Camalodunum, and bade him bring up his company. These 
 on their arrival surrounded the captives and marched with 
 them to a guard-house near. When they entered Varo said 
 to Beric: 
 
 " The orders of the propraetor are, that j^ou shall all be released 
 from your bonds if you will give your oath that you will not 
 try to escape." 
 
 Beric turned to the others and asked if they were willing 
 to give the promise. " In no case could we escape," he said, 
 "you may be sure we shall be guarded too strictly for that. 
 It were better that we should remain bound by our own 
 promise than by fetters." As they all consented, Beric, in their 
 name, took an oath that they would not attempt to escape, so 
 that the ropes that bound their arms were at once taken off, 
 and in a short time a meal was sent to them from the house of 
 Petronius. 
 
 Soon after they had finished an officer came in and requested 
 Beric to accompany him to the propraetor. 
 
 "I will bring two of my followers with me," Beric said. 
 " I would not say aught to the Roman governor that my tribes- 
 men should not hear." 
 
 The officer assented, and Beric with Boduoc and another 
 sub-chief followed him to the house of the propraetor. Petro- 
 nius was seated with Suetonius at his side, while a number of 
 officers and officials stood behind him. 
 
 " How is it, Beric," he asked, "that, as I hear, you, who speak 
 our language and have lived for years amongst us, come to be 
 a leader of those who have warred against us?" 
 
 " It is, perhaps, because I studied Roman books, and learned 
 how you value freedom and independence," Beric replied, " and 
 how you revolt against tyranny. Had Rome been conquered 
 by a more powerful nation, every Roman would have risen in
 
 BETRAYED. 187 
 
 arms had one-tenth of the tyranny been practised against 
 them which Catus Decianus exercised against us. We have been 
 treated worse than the beasts of the field; our lives, our pro- 
 perties, and the honour of our women were sacrificed at his 
 will. Death was a thousand times better than such treatment. 
 I read that Rome has elsewhere been a worthy conqueror, 
 respecting the religion of the tribes it subdued, and treating 
 them leniently and well. Had we been so treated we should 
 have been, if not contented, patient under our lot, but being 
 men we rose against the infamous treatment to which we were 
 subject; and although we have been conquered and well-nigh 
 exterminated, there are Britons still remaining, and if such be 
 the treatment to which they are subjected it is not till the last 
 Briton is exterminated that you will rule this island." 
 
 A murmur of surprise at the boldness with which the young 
 captive spoke ran round the circle. 
 
 " Have you inquired since you arrived," Beric went on, " of 
 the infamous deeds of Decianus? How he seized, without the 
 shadow of excuse, the property of Boadicea? and how, when 
 she came here for justice for herself and her insulted daughters, 
 he ordered her to be scourged? Should we, a free-born people, 
 submit to such an indignity to our queen 1 ? I knew from the 
 first that our enterprise was hopeless, and that without order 
 or discipline we must in the end be conquered; but it was 
 better a thousand times to die than to live subject to treatment 
 worse than that which you give to your slaves." 
 
 "I believe that there is justice in your complaints, Beric," 
 Petronius said calmly, "and it is to lessen these grievances 
 that Rome has sent me hither. Vengeance has been fully 
 taken for your rebellion, it is time that the sword was laid 
 aside. I have already issued a proclamation granting an 
 amnesty to all who then rose against us. Your case was 
 different, you have still continued in arms and have resisted 
 our power, but I trust that with your capture this will end. 
 You and your companions will go to Rome with Suetonius; 
 but there are many of your followers still in arms, with these
 
 188 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 I would treat, not as a conqueror with the conquered, but as a 
 soldiers with brave foes. If they will lay down their arms they 
 shall share the amnesty, and be free to return every man to 
 his own land, to dwell there and cultivate it free from all 
 penalty or interruption. Their surrender would benefit not 
 only themselves but all the Britons. So long as they stand in 
 arms and defy our power we must rule the land with the sword, 
 but when they surrender there will be peace throughout the 
 island, and I trust that the Britons in time will come to look 
 upon us as friends." 
 
 "If Rome had so acted before," Beric said, "no troubles 
 would have arisen, and she might now be ruling over a con- 
 tented people instead of over a desert." 
 
 "There are still many of your tribesmen in the Fens'?" 
 
 "There is an army," Beric replied. "You have taken one 
 stronghold, and that by surprise, but the lesson will not be lost 
 upon them. There will be no traitors to guide your next 
 expedition; by this time the last Fenman in the southern 
 swamps will have been killed. There will be a heavy ven- 
 geance taken by my countrymen." 
 
 " I would fain put a stop to it all," Petronius said. " Upon 
 what terms, think you, would your countrymen surrender?" 
 
 "They will not surrender at all," Beric said; "there is not 
 a man there but will die rather than yield. But if you will 
 solemnly take oath that those who leave the Fens and return 
 to their villages shall live unmolested, save that they shall 
 when their homes are rebuilt and their herds again grazing 
 around them pay a tribute such as they are able to bear, they 
 will, I believe, gladly leave the Fens and return to their villages, 
 and the fugitives who have fled north will also come back 
 again." 
 
 " I am ready to take such an oath at the altar," Petronius 
 said. " I have come to bring peace to the land. I am ready 
 to do all in my power to bring it about; but how are they to 
 know what I have done?" 
 
 "I would say, Petronius, let us, your captives, be present
 
 A PRISONER. 189 
 
 when you take the oath. Kelease four of my band ; choose those 
 most sorely wounded, and who are the least able to support 
 the journey to Eome. I will send them with my bracelet to 
 the Fens. I will tell them what you have said, and they will 
 testify to having seen you swear before your gods ; and I will 
 send my last injunctions to them to return again to their land, 
 to send for the fugitives to return from the north, and to say 
 from me that they will return as free men, not as slaves, and 
 that there is no dishonour in accepting such terms as you 
 offer." 
 
 "I will do as you say," the Roman agreed. "Suetonius, 
 you can spare four of your captives, especially as there are 
 assuredly some among them who could ill support the fatigues 
 of the journey. Return now to your friends, Beric; to-morrow 
 morning you shall meet me at the temple, and there I will 
 take an oath of peace with Britain." 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 A PRISONER. 
 
 ON leaving the propraetor Beric further informed his com- 
 rades of the offer that Petronius had made. 
 
 "And you think he will keep his oath?" Boduoc asked. 
 
 "I am sure of it," Beric said; "he has been sent out by 
 Rome to undo the mischief Suetonius and Decianus have 
 caused. His face is an honest one, and a Roman would not 
 lie to his gods any more than we would." 
 
 "But you ought to have made terms with them, Beric," 
 Boduoc said. " You ought to have made a condition that you 
 should be allowed to stay. It matters not for us, but you are 
 the chief of all the Iceni who are left." 
 
 " In the first place. Boduoc, I was not in a position to make
 
 190 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 terms, seeing that I am a captive and at their mercy; and in 
 the next place, I would not if I could. Think you that the 
 tribesmen would then accept my counsels to leave the Fens 
 and return to their homes? They would say that I had pur- 
 chased my life and freedom from the Romans, and had agreed 
 to betray them into their hands." 
 
 " No one would venture to say that of you, Beric." 
 
 " You may think not, Boduoc; but if not now, in the future 
 it would be said that, as before I was brought up among the 
 Eomans, so now I had gone back to them. No, even if they 
 offered to all of us our liberty, I would say, let those go who 
 will, but I remain a captive. Had the message come to us 
 when I was free in the Fens I would have accepted it, for I knew 
 that, although we might struggle long, we should be finally over- 
 powered. Moreover, the marsh fevers were as deadly as Roman 
 swords, and though for a year we have supported them, we 
 should in time, perhaps this year when the summer heats 
 come, have lost our strength and have melted away. Thus, 
 had I believed that the Romans were sincere in their wish for 
 peace, and that they desired to see the land tilled, I would have 
 accepted their terms, because we were in arms and free, and 
 could still have resisted; but as a captive, and conquered, I 
 scorn to accept mercy from Rome." 
 
 By this time they had arrived at the house where the other 
 captives were guarded, and Beric repeated the terms that 
 Petronius had offered. 
 
 " They will not benefit us," he said. " We are the captives 
 of Suetonius, and being taken with arms in our hands warring 
 against Rome, we must pay the penalty; but, for the sake of 
 our brethren, I rejoice. Our land may yet be peopled again 
 by the Iceni, and we shall have the consolation that, whatever 
 may befall us, it is partly our valour that has won such terms 
 from Rome. There are still fifteen hundred fighting men in 
 the swamps, and twice as many women and children. There 
 may be many more lurking in the Fens to the north, for great 
 numbers, especially from our northern districts, must have
 
 A PRISONER. 191 
 
 taken refuge with the Brigantes. Thus, then, there will, when 
 all have returned, be a goodly number, and it is our defence 
 of the Fen-lands that has won their freedom for them. We 
 may be captives and slaves, but we are not dishonoured. For 
 months we have held Suetonius at bay, and two Romans have 
 fallen for every Briton; and even at last it was by treachery 
 we were captured. 
 
 " None of us have begged our lives of Rome. We fought to 
 the last, and showed front when we were but twenty against 
 two thousand. It was not our fault that we did not die on the 
 field, and we can hold our heads as high now when we are cap- 
 tives as we did when we were free men. We know not what 
 may be our fate at Rome, but whatever it be, it will be a 
 consolation to us to know that our people again wander in the 
 old woods; that our women are spinning by their hearth-stones; 
 that the Iceai are again a tribe; and that it is we who have 
 won this for them." 
 
 An enthusiastic assent greeted Beric's words. 
 
 " Now," he said, " we must choose the four who shall carry 
 the message. I said those most sorely wounded, but since 
 four are to go they can care little who are chosen. Most of 
 us have lost those we love, but there are some whose wives 
 may have been elsewhere when the attack was made. Let 
 these stay, and let those who have no ties save that of country 
 go to Rome." 
 
 Only two men were found whose families had not been 
 on the island when it was attacked. These and the two most 
 seriously wounded were at once chosen as the messengers. 
 The next morning the whole of the captives were escorted to 
 the temple, which was but a small building in comparison with 
 the great edifice that had been destroyed at the capture of 
 Camalodunum. Here Petronius and all the principal officers 
 and officials were assembled. Sacrifice was offered, and then 
 Petronius, laying his hand on the altar, declared a solemn 
 peace with the Britons, and swore that, so long as they 
 remained peaceable subjects of Rome, no man should inter-
 
 192 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 fere with them, but all should be free to settle in their 
 villages, to till their land, and to tend their herds free from 
 any molestation whatever. Beric translated the words of the 
 oath to the Britons. Petronius then bade the four men who 
 had been chosen stand forward, and told them to carry his 
 message to their countrymen. 
 
 "Enough blood has been shed on both sides," he said. "It 
 is time for peace. You have proved yourselves worthy and 
 valiant enemies; let us now lay aside the sword and live 
 together in friendship. I sent orders last night for the 
 legions to leave their forts by the Fen-land and to return 
 hither, so that the way is now open to your own land. We can 
 settle the terms of the tribute hereafter, but it shall not be 
 onerous." 
 
 After leaving the temple Beric gave his messages to the 
 men, and they at once started under an escort for the camp, 
 the officer in charge of them being ordered to provide them 
 with a boat, in which they were to proceed alone to their 
 countrymen. 
 
 That evening Petronius sent for Beric, and received him alone. 
 " I am sorry," he said, " that I cannot restore you and your 
 companions to your tribe, but in this I am powerless, as 
 Suetonius has captured you, and to him you belong. I have 
 begged him, as a personal favour, to hand you over to me, but 
 he has refused, and placed as we are I can do no more. I 
 have, however, written to friends in Eome concerning you, 
 and have said that you have done all in your power to bring 
 about a pacification of the land, and have begged them to 
 represent to Nero and the senate that if a report reach this 
 island that you have been put to death, it will undo the work 
 of pacification, and perhaps light up a fresh flame of war." 
 
 There had, indeed, been an angry dispute between Suetonius 
 and his successor. The former, although well pleased to return 
 to Eome, was jealous of Petronius, and was angry at seeing 
 that he was determined to govern Britain upon principles the 
 very reverse of those he himself had adopted. Moreover, he
 
 A PRISONER, 193 
 
 regarded the possession of the captives as important, and 
 deemed that their appearance in his train, as proofs that before 
 leaving he had completely stamped out the insurrection, would 
 create a favourable impression, and would go far to restore 
 him to popular opinion. This was, as he had heard from 
 friends in Rome, strongly adverse to him, in consequence of the 
 serious disasters and heavy losses which had befallen the Roman 
 arms during his propraetorship, and he had therefore refused 
 with some heat to grant the request of Petronius. 
 
 The next morning the captives were mustered, and were 
 marched down to the river and placed on board a ship. There 
 were six vessels lying in readiness, as Suetonius was accom- 
 panied not only by his own household, but by several officers 
 and officials attached to him personally, and by two hundred 
 soldiers whose time of service had expired, and who were to 
 form his escort to Rome. To Beric, from his residence in 
 Camalodunum, large ships were no novelty, but the Britons 
 with him were struck with astonishment at craft so vastly 
 exceeding anything that they had before seen. 
 
 "Could we sail in these ships to Rome?" Boduoc asked. 
 
 " You could do so, but it would be a very long and stormy 
 voyage passing through the straits between two mountains 
 which the Romans call the Pillars of Hercules. Our voyage 
 will be but a short one. If the wind is favourable we shall 
 reach the coast of Gaul in two days, and thence we shall travel 
 on foot." 
 
 Fortunately the weather was fine, and on the third day after 
 setting sail they reached one of the northern ports of Gaul. 
 When it was known that Suetonius was on board, he was 
 received with much pomp, and was lodged in the house of the 
 Roman magistrate. As he had no desire to impress the in- 
 habitants of the place, the captives were left unbound and 
 marched through the streets under a guard of the Roman 
 spearmen. Gaul had long been completely subdued, but the 
 inhabitants looked at the captives with pitying eyes. When 
 these reached the house in which they were to be confined, the 
 
 (725) N
 
 194 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 natives brought them presents of food, bribing the Roman 
 guards to allow them to deliver them. 
 
 As the language of the two peoples was almost identical, 
 the Gauls had no difficulty in making themselves understood by 
 the captives, and asked many questions relating to the state of 
 affairs in Britain. They had heard of the chief, Beric, who 
 had for a year successfully opposed the forces of Rome, and 
 great was their surprise when they found that the youngest 
 of the party was the noted leader. Two days later they started 
 on their long march. 
 
 Inured as the Britons were to fatigue, the daily journeys were 
 nothing to them. They found the country flourishing. Villages 
 occurred at frequent intervals, and they passed through several 
 large towns with temples, handsome villas, and other Roman 
 erections similar to those that they had sacked at the capture 
 of Camalodunum. 
 
 "The people here do not seem to suffer under the Roman rule 
 at any rate," Boduoc remarked; "they appear to have adopted 
 the Roman dress and tongue, but for all that they are slaves." 
 
 "Not slaves, Boduoc, though they cannot be said to be free; 
 however, they have become so accustomed to the Roman domin- 
 ion that doubtless they have ceased to fret under it; they are, 
 indeed, to all intents and purposes Roman. They furnish large 
 bodies of troops to the Roman armies, and rise to positions of 
 command and importance among them. In time, no doubt, 
 unless misfortunes fall upon Rome, they will become as one 
 people, and such no doubt in the far distance will be the case 
 with Britain. We shall adopt many of the Roman customs, 
 and retain many of our own. There is one advantage, you see, 
 in Roman dominion there are no more tribal wars, no more 
 massacres and slaughters, each man possesses his land in peace 
 and quiet." 
 
 "But what do they do with themselves?" Boduoc asked, 
 puzzled. " In such a country as this there can be few wild 
 beasts. If men can neither fight nor hunt, how are they to 
 employ their time? They must become a nation of women."
 
 A PRISONER. 195 
 
 " It would seem so to us, Boduoc, for we have had nothing 
 else to employ our thoughts; but when we look at what the 
 Romans have done, how great an empire they have formed, 
 how wonderful are their arts, how good their laws, and what 
 learning and wisdom they have stored up, one sees that there 
 are other things to live for; and you see, though the Romans 
 have learned all these things, they can still fight. If they 
 once turn so much to the arts of peace as to forget the virtues 
 of war, their empire will fall to pieces more rapidly than it has 
 been built up." 
 
 Boduoc shook his head, " These things are well enough for 
 you, Beric, who have lived among the Romans and learned 
 many of their ways. Give me a life in which a man is a man ; 
 when we can live in the open air, hunt the wolf and the bear, 
 meet our enemies face to face, die as men should, and go to 
 the Happy Island without bothering our brains about such 
 things as the arts and luxuries that the Romans put such value 
 on. A bed on the fallen leaves under an oak-tree, with the 
 stars shining through the leaves, is better than the finest 
 chamber in Rome covered with paintings." 
 
 " Well, Boduoc," Beric said good-temperedly, u we are much 
 more likely to sleep under the stars in Rome than in a grand 
 apartment covered with paintings; but though the one may be 
 very nice, as you say, in summer, I could very weU put up with the 
 other when the snow lies deep and the north wind is howling." 
 
 They did not, as Beric had hoped, cross the tremendous 
 mountains, over which, as he had read in Polybius, Hannibal 
 had led his troops against Rome. Hannibal had been his hero. 
 His dauntless bravery, his wonderful resources, his cheerfulness 
 under hardships, and the manner in which, cut off for years 
 from all assistance from home, he had yet supported the 
 struggle and held Rome at bay, had filled him with the greatest 
 admiration, and unconsciously he had made the great Cartha- 
 ginian his model. He was therefore much disappointed when 
 he heard from the conversation of his guards that they were to 
 traverse Gaul to Massilia, and thence take ship to Rome.
 
 196 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 The Roman guards were fond of talking to their young cap- 
 tive. Their thoughts were all of Eome, from which they had 
 been so long absent, and Beric was eager to learn every detail 
 about the imperial city; the days' marches therefore passed 
 pleasantly. At night they were still guarded, but they were 
 otherwise allowed much liberty, and when they stopped for two 
 or three days at a place they were free to wander about as 
 they chose, their great stature, fair hair, and blue eyes exciting 
 more and more surprise as they went farther south, where the 
 natives were much shorter and swarthier than those of northern 
 GauL 
 
 One of the young officers with Suetonius had taken a great 
 fancy to Beric, and frequently invited him to spend the evening 
 with him at their halting-places. When they approached Massilia 
 he said, " I have some relations in the city, and I will obtain 
 leave for you to stay with me at their house while we remain 
 in the town, which may be for some little time, as we must 
 wait for shipping. My uncle is a magistrate, and a very learned 
 man. He is engaged in writing a book upon the religions of 
 the world, and he seldom remains long at any post. He has 
 very powerful friends in Rome, and so is able to get transferred 
 from one post to another. He has been in almost every pro- 
 vince of the empire in order to learn from the people them- 
 selves their religions and beliefs. I stayed with him for a month 
 here two years since on my way to Britain, and he was talk- 
 ing of getting himself transferred there, after he had been among 
 the Gauls for a year or two; but his wife was averse to the idea, 
 protesting that she had been dragged nearly all over the world 
 by him, and was determined not to go to its furthest boundaries. 
 But I should think that after the events of the last year he has 
 given up that idea. I know it will give him the greatest pos- 
 sible pleasure to converse with one who can tell him all about 
 the religions and customs of the Britons in his own lan- 
 guage." 
 
 Massilia was by far the largest city that the Britons had 
 entered, and they were greatly surprised at its magnitude, and
 
 A ROMAN LADY AND HER ATTENDANT.
 
 A PRISONER. 197 
 
 at the varieties of people who crowded its streets. Even 
 Boduoc, who professed a profound indifference for everything 
 Roman, was stupefied when he saw a negro walking in the 
 train of a Roman lady of rank. 
 
 " Is it a human being, think you," he murmured in Beric's 
 ear, " or a wild creature they have tamed 1 He has not hair, 
 but his head is covered with wool like a black sheep." 
 
 " He is a man," Beric replied. " Across the sea to the south 
 there are brown men many shades darker than the people here, 
 and beyond these lie lands inhabited by black men. Look at 
 him showing his teeth and the whites of his eyes. He is as 
 much surprised at our appearance, Boduoc, as we are at his. 
 We shall see many like him in Rome, for Pollio tells me that they 
 are held in high estimation as slaves, being good-tempered and 
 obedient." 
 
 "He is hideous, Beric; look at his thick lips. But the crea- 
 ture looks good-tempered. I wonder that any woman could 
 have such an one about the house. Can they talk 1 ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes, they talk. They are men just the same as we are, 
 except for their colour." 
 
 "But what makes them so black, Beric?" 
 
 "That is unknown; but it is supposed that the heat of the 
 sun, for the country they inhabit is terribly hot, has in time 
 darkened them. You see, as we have gone south, the people 
 have got darker and darker." 
 
 "But are they born that colour, Beric 1" 
 
 " Certainly they are." 
 
 " If a wife of mine bore me a child of that colour," Boduoc 
 said, " I would strangle it. And think you that it is the heat 
 of the sun that has curled up their hair so tightly?" 
 
 "That I cannot say they are all like that." 
 
 " Well, they are horrible," Boduoc said positively. " I did 
 not think that the earth contained such monsters." 
 
 Soon after the captives were lodged in a prison, Pollio came 
 to see Beric, and told him that he had obtained permission for 
 him to lodge at his uncle's house, he himself being guarantee
 
 198 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 for his safe custody there; accordingly they at once started 
 together. 
 
 The house was a large one; for, as Pollio had told Beric by 
 the way, his uncle was a man of great wealth, and it was a 
 matter of constant complaint on the part of his wife that he 
 did not settle down in Eome. Passing straight through the 
 atrium, where he was respectfully greeted by the servants and 
 slaves, Pollio passed into the tablinum, where his uncle was 
 sitting writing. 
 
 " This is the guest I told you I should bring, uncle," he said. 
 " He is a great chief, young as he looks, and has given us a 
 world of trouble. He speaks Latin perfectly, and you will be 
 able to learn from him all about the Britons without troubling 
 yourself and my aunt to make a journey to his country." 
 
 Norbanus was an elderly man, short in figure, with a keen 
 but kindly face. He greeted Beric cordially. 
 
 " Welcome, young chief," he said. " I will try to make your 
 stay here comfortable, and I shall be glad indeed to learn from 
 you about your people, of whom, unfortunately, I have had no 
 opportunity hitherto of learning anything, save that when I 
 journeyed up last year to the north-west of Gaul, I found a 
 people calling themselves by the same name as you. They 
 told me that they were a kindred race, and that your religion 
 was similar to theirs." 
 
 " That may well be," Beric said. " We are Gauls, though it 
 is long since we left that country and settled in Britain. It 
 may well be that in some of the wars in the south of the island 
 a tribe, finding themselves overpowered, may have crossed to 
 Gaul, with which country we were always in communication 
 until it was conquered by you. We certainly did not come 
 thence, for all our traditions say that the Iceni came by 
 ship from a land lying due east from us, and that we were an 
 offshoot of the Belgee, whose country lay to the north-west 
 of GauL" 
 
 " The people I speak of," the magistrate said, " have vast 
 temples constructed of huge stones placed in circles, which
 
 A PRISONER. 199 
 
 appear to me to have, like the great pyramids of Egypt, an 
 astronomical signification, for I found that the stones round 
 the sacrificial altars were so placed that the sun at its rising 
 threw its rays upon the stone only upon the longest day of 
 summer." 
 
 " It is so with our great temples," Beric said; " and upon_ 
 that day sacrifices are offered. What the signification of the 
 stones and their arrangements is I cannot say. These mysteries 
 are known only to the Druids, and they are strictly preserved 
 from the knowledge of those outside the priestly rank" 
 
 " Spare him for to-day, uncle," Pollio said laughing. " We 
 are like, I hear, to be a fortnight here before we sail; so you 
 will have abundant time to learn everything that Beric can tell 
 you. I will take him up now, with your permission, and in- 
 troduce him to my aunt and cousins." 
 
 " You will find them in the garden, Pollio. Supper will be 
 served in half an hour. To-morrow, Beric, we will, after 
 breakfast, renew this conversation that my feather-brained 
 young nephew has cut so short." 
 
 "My Aunt Lesbia will be greatly surprised when she sees 
 you," Pollio laughed as they issued out into the garden. " I did 
 not see her until after I had spoken to my uncle, and I horrified 
 her by telling her that the noted British chief Beric, who had 
 defeated our best troops several times with terrible slaughter, 
 was coming here to remain under my charge until we sail for 
 Rome. She was shocked, considering that you must be a 
 monster of ferocity; and even my pretty cousins were terrified 
 at the prospect. I had half a mind to get you to attire yourself 
 in Roman fashion, but I thought that you would not consent. 
 However, we shall surprise them sufficiently as it is." 
 
 Lesbia was seated with her two daughters on couches placed 
 under the shade of some trees. Two or three slave girls stood 
 behind them with fans. A Dalmatian boar-hound lay on the 
 ground in front of them. Another slave girl was singing, 
 accompanying herself on an instrument resembling a small harp, 
 while a negro stood near in readiness to start upon errands, or
 
 200 BEEIC THE BEITON. 
 
 to fetch anything that his mistress might for the moment fancy. 
 Lesbia half rose from her reclining position when she saw Pollio 
 approaching, accompanied by a tall figure with hair of a golden 
 colour clustering closely round his head. The Britons gene- 
 rally wore their hair flowing over their shoulders; but the 
 Iceni had found such inconvenience from this in making their 
 way through the close thickets of the swamps, that many of 
 them Beric among the number had cut their hair close to 
 the head. With him this was but a recurrence to a former 
 usage, as while living among the Romans his hair had been cut 
 short in their fashion. The two girls, who were fifteen and 
 sixteen years old, uttered an exclamation of surprise as Beric 
 came near, and Lesbia exclaimed angrily : 
 
 " You have been jesting with us, Pollio. You told me that 
 you were going to bring Beric the fierce British chief here, and 
 this young giant is but a beardless lad." 
 
 Pollio burst into a fit of laughter, which was increased at the 
 expression of astonishment in Lesbia's face when Beric said, in 
 excellent Latin, 
 
 "Pollio has not deceived you, lady. My name is Beric, I 
 was the chief of the Britons, and my followers gave some 
 trouble even to Suetonius." 
 
 "But you are not the Beric whom we have heard of as 
 leading the insurgent Britons?" 
 
 " There is no other chief of my name," Beric said. " There- 
 fore, if you heard aught of good or evil concerning Beric the 
 Briton, it must relate to me." 
 
 " This is Beric, aunt," Pollio said, " and you must not judge 
 him by his looks. I was with Suetonius in his battles against 
 him, and I can tell you that we held him in high respect, as we 
 had good cause for doing, considering that in all it cost the 
 lives of some twelve hundred legionaries before we could over- 
 come him, and we took him by treachery rather than force." 
 
 "But how is it that he speaks our language?" Lesbia asked. 
 
 " I was a hostage for five years among the Romans," Beric 
 said, " and any knowledge I may have of the art of war was
 
 A PRISONER. 201 
 
 learned from the pages of Caesar, Polybius, and other Roman 
 writers. The Romans taught me how to fight them." 
 
 " And now," Pollio broke in, " I must introduce you in proper 
 form. This is my Aunt Lesbia, as you see; these are my 
 cousins ^Emilia and Ennia. Do you know, girls, that these 
 Britons, big and strong as they are, are ruled by their women. 
 These take part in their councils, and are queens and chieftain- 
 esses, and when it is necessary they will fight as bravely as the 
 men. They are held by them in far higher respect than with 
 us, and I cannot say that they do not deserve it, for they think 
 of other things than attiring themselves and spending their 
 time in visits and pleasure." 
 
 "You are not complimentary, Pollio," ^Emilia said; "and as 
 to attire, the young Romans think as much of it as we do, and 
 that without the same excuse, for we are cut off from public 
 life, and have none save home pursuits. If you treat us as you 
 say the Britons treat their women, I doubt not that we should 
 show ourselves as worthy of it." 
 
 "Now I ask you fairly, ./Emilia, can you fancy yourself 
 encouraging the legionaries in the heat of battle, and seizing 
 spear and shield and rushing down into the thick of the fight 
 as I have seen the British women do?" 
 
 "No, I cannot imagine that," ^Emilia said laughing. "I 
 could not bear the weight of a shield and spear, much less use 
 them in battle. But if the British women are as much bigger 
 and stronger than I am, as Beric is bigger and stronger than you 
 are, I can imagine their fighting. I wondered how the Britons 
 could withstand our troops, but now that I see one of them 
 there is no difficulty in comprehending it, and yet you do not 
 look fierce, Beric." 
 
 "I do not think that I am fierce," Beric said smiling; "but 
 even the most peaceful animal will try and defend itself when 
 it is attacked." 
 
 "Have you seen Norbanus?" Lesbia asked. 
 
 "He has seen him," Pollio replied; "and if it had not been 
 for me he would be with him still, for my uncle wished to
 
 202 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 engage him at once in a discourse upon the religion and customs 
 of his people; I carried Beric away almost forcibly." 
 
 Lesbia sighed impatiently. The interest of her husband 
 in these matters was to her a perpetual source of annoyance. 
 It was owing to this that she so frequently travelled from one 
 province to another, instead of enjoying herself at the court in 
 Home. But although in all other matters Norbanus gave way 
 to her wishes, in this he was immovable, and she was forced to 
 pass her life in what she considered exile. She ceased to take 
 any further interest in the conversation, but reclined languidly 
 on her couch, while Pollio gave his cousins a description of 
 his life in Britain, and Beric answered their numerous questions 
 as to his people. Their conversation was interrupted by a slave 
 announcing that supper was ready, and Lesbia was relieved at 
 finding that Beric thoroughly understood Roman fashions, and 
 comported himself at table as any other guest would have done. 
 The girls sat down at the meal, although this was contrary to 
 usual custom; but Norbanus insisted that his family should 
 take their meals with him, save upon occasions of a set banquet. 
 
 " It seems wonderful," Ennia said to her sister later on, " that 
 we should have been dining with the fierce chief of whom we 
 have heard so much, and that he should be as courteous and 
 pleasant and well-mannered as any young Roman." 
 
 " A good deal more pleasant than most of them," ^Emilia 
 said, " for he puts on no airs, and is just like a merry, good- 
 tempered lad, while if a young Roman had done but a tithe 
 of the deeds he has he would be insufferable. We must get 
 Pollio to take us to-morrow to see the other Britons. They 
 must be giants indeed, when Beric, who says he is but little 
 more than eighteen years, could take Pollio under his arm and 
 walk away with him." 
 
 In the morning, accordingly, Pollio started with his two 
 cousins to the prison, while Beric sat down for a long talk with 
 Norbanus in his study. Beric soon saw that the Roman viewed 
 all the matters on which he spoke from the stand-point of a 
 philosopher without prejudices.
 
 A PRISONER. 203 
 
 After listening to all that Beric could tell him about the 
 religion of the Britons, he said, "It is remarkable that all 
 people appear to think that they have private deities of their 
 own, who interest themselves specially on their behalf, and aid 
 them to fight their battles. I have found no exception to 
 this rule, and the more primitive the people the more obstinate 
 is this belief. In Rome at present the learned no longer believe 
 in Jupiter and Mars and the rest of the deities, though they 
 still attend the state ceremonies at the temples, holding that 
 a state religion is necessary. The lower class still believe, but 
 then they cannot be said to reason. In Greece scepticism is 
 universal among the upper class, and the same may now be 
 said of Egypt. Our Roman belief is the more unaccountable 
 since we have simply borrowed the religion of the Greeks, the 
 gods and their attributes being the same, with only a change 
 of name; and yet we fancy that these Greek gods are the 
 special patrons of Rome. 
 
 " Your religion seems to me the most reasonable of any I have 
 studied, and approaches more nearly than any other to the 
 highest speculations of the Greek philosophers. You believe 
 in one God, who is invisible and impersonal, who pervades all 
 nature; but having formed so lofty an idea of him, you be- 
 little him by making him a special god of your own country, 
 while if he pervades all nature he must surely be universal. 
 The Jews, too, believe in a single God, and in this respect they 
 resemble you in their religion, which is far more reasonable than 
 that of nations who worship a multiplicity of deities; but they 
 too consider that their God confines his attention simply to 
 them, and rules over only the little tract they call their own 
 a province about a hundred miles long, by thirty or forty 
 wide. From them another religion has sprung. This has 
 made many converts, even in Rome, but has made no way 
 whatever among the learned, seeing that it is more strange and 
 extravagant than any other. It has, however, the advantage 
 that the new God is, they believe, universal, and has an equal 
 interest in all people. I have naturally studied the tenets of
 
 204 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 this new sect, and they are singularly lofty and pure. They 
 teach among other things that all men are equal in the sight of 
 God a doctrine which naturally gains for them the approval 
 of slaves and the lower people, but, upon the other hand, 
 brings them into disfavour with those in power. 
 
 " They are a peaceful sect, and would harm no one ; but as 
 they preach that fighting is wrong, I fear that they will before 
 long come into collision with the state, for, were their doc- 
 trines to spread, there would soon be a lack of soldiers. To me 
 it appears that their views are impracticable on this subject 
 In other respects they would make good citizens, since their 
 religion prescribes respect to the authorities and fair dealing in 
 all respects with other men. They are, too, distinguished by 
 charity and kindness towards each other. One peculiarity of 
 this new religion is, that although springing up in Judaea, it has 
 made less progress among the Jews than elsewhere, for these 
 people, who are of all others the most obstinate and intolerant, 
 accused the founder of the religion, one Christus, before the 
 Eoman courts, and he was put to death, in my opinion most 
 unjustly, seeing that there was no crime whatever alleged against 
 him, save that he perverted the religion of the Jews, which 
 was in no way a concern of ours, as we are tolerant of the 
 religions of all people." 
 
 "But Suetonius attacked our sacred island and slew the 
 priests on the altars," Beric objected. 
 
 " That is quite true," Norbanus said, " but this had nothing 
 whatever to do with the religion, but was simply because the 
 priests stirred up insurrection against us. We have temples in 
 Home to the deities of almost every nation we have subdued, 
 and have suffered without objection the preachers of this new 
 doctrine to make converts. The persecutions that have already 
 begun against the sect are not because they believe in this 
 Christus, but because they refuse to perform the duties incum- 
 bent upon all Eoman citizens. Two of my slaves belong to 
 the sect. They know well that I care not to what religion they 
 belong, and indeed, for my part, I should be glad to see all
 
 A PRISONER. 205 
 
 my slaves join them, for the moral teaching is high, and these 
 slaves would not steal from me, however good the opportunity. 
 That is more than I can say of the others. Doubtless, had 
 I been fixed in Rome, the fact that they belonged to these 
 people would have been kept a secret, but in the provinces no 
 one troubles his head about such matters. These are, to my 
 mind, matters of private opinion, and they have leave from me 
 to go on their meeting days to the place where they assemble, 
 for even here there are enough of them to form a gathering. 
 
 " So long as this is done quietly it is an offence to no one. 
 The matter was discussed the other day among us, for orders 
 against Christians came from Rome; but when the thing was 
 spoken of I said that, as I believed members of the sect were 
 chiefly slaves, who were not called upon to perform military 
 duties, I could not deem that the order applied to them, and 
 that as these were harmless people, and their religion taught 
 them to discharge their duty in all matters save that of carry- 
 ing arms, I could not see why they should be interfered with. 
 Moreover, did we move in the matter, and did these people 
 remain obstinate in their faith, we might all of us lose some 
 valuable slaves. After that no more was said of the matter. 
 Now tell me about your institution of the bards, of which I 
 have heard. These men seem not only to be the depositors of 
 your traditions and the reciters of the deeds of your fore- 
 fathers, but to hold something of a sacred position intermediate 
 between the Druids and the people." 
 
 For some hours Beric and his host conversed on these sub- 
 jects, Beric learning more than he taught, and wondering much 
 at the wide knowledge possessed by Norbanus. It was not 
 until dinner was announced that the Roman rose. 
 
 " I thank you much, Beric, for what you have told me, and 
 I marvel at the interest that you, who have for the last two 
 years been leading men to battle, evince in these matters. 
 After five minutes of such talk my nephew Pollio would begin 
 to weary." 
 
 "I was fond of learning when I was in the household of
 
 206 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 Caius Muro, but my time was chiefly occupied by the study 
 of military works and in military exercises; still I found time 
 to read all the manuscripts in Muro's library. But I think I 
 learned more from the talk of Cneius Nepo, his secretary, 
 who was my instructor, than from the books, for he had tra- 
 velled much with Muro, and had studied Greek literature." 
 
 Pollio had returned some time before with his cousins. 
 
 "I would have come in before to carry you away," he whis- 
 pered to Beric as they proceeded to the dinner-table, " but it 
 would have put out my uncle terribly, and as I knew you 
 would have to go through it all I thought it as well that you 
 should finish with it at once." 
 
 "I am glad you did not," Beric replied. "It has been 
 a great pleasure to me to listen to your uncle's conversation, 
 from which I have learned a good deal." 
 
 Pollio glanced up to see if Beric was joking. Seeing that 
 he spoke in perfect good faith, he said: 
 
 "Truly, Beric, you Britons are strange fellows. I would 
 rather go through another day's fighting in your swamps than 
 have to listen to uncle for a whole morning.' 
 
 As they sat down he went on: 
 
 "The girls are delighted with your Britons, Beric. They 
 declare they are not only the biggest but the handsomest men 
 they ever saw, and I believe that if your lieutenant Boduoc 
 had asked either of them to return with him and share his hut 
 in the swamps they would have jumped at the offer." 
 
 The girls both laughed. 
 
 " But they are wonderful, Beric," Emilia said. " When you 
 told us that you were not yet full grown I thought you were 
 jesting, but I see now that truly these men are bigger even 
 than you are. I wish I had such golden hair as most of them 
 have, and such a white skin. Golden hair is fashionable in Eome, 
 you know, but it is scarce, except in a few whose mothers 
 were Gauls who have married with Romans." 
 
 " It is the nature of man to admire the opposite to himself," 
 Norbanus said. "You admire the Britons because they are
 
 A PRISONER. 207 
 
 fair, while to them, doubtless, Roman women would appear 
 beautiful because their hair and their eyes are dark." 
 
 " But Beric has not said so, father," ^Emilia said laughing. 
 
 " I am not accustomed to pay compliments," Beric said with 
 a smile, "but assuredly your father is right. I have been 
 accustomed for the last two years to see British maidens only. 
 These are fair and tall, some of them well-nigh as tall as I, 
 and as they live a life of active exercise, they are healthy and 
 strong." 
 
 " That they are," Pollio broke in. " I would as soon meet a 
 soldier of the Goths as one of these maidens Beric speaks of, 
 when her blood is up. I have seen our soldiers shrink from 
 their attack, when, with flashing eyes and hair streaming 
 behind them, they rushed down upon us, armed with only stones 
 and billets of wood that they had snatched up. What they 
 may be in their gentler moments I know not, and I should 
 hesitate to pay my court to one, for, if she liked it not, she 
 would make small difficulty in throwing me outside the door 
 of her hut." 
 
 "You are too quick, Pollio," ^Emilia said. "Beric was 
 about to compare us with them." 
 
 "The comparison is difficult," Beric said; "but you must 
 not imagine our women as being always in the mood in which 
 Pollio has seen them. They were fighting, not for their lives, 
 but in order to be killed rather than fall into the hands of your 
 soldiers. Ordinarily they are gentle and kind. They seemed 
 to Pollio to be giantesses, but they bear the same proportion to 
 our height as you do to the height of the Roman men." 
 
 " I meant not to say aught against them," Pollio broke in 
 hastily. " I meant but to show my cousins how impossible it 
 was for you to make any comparison between our women and 
 yours. All who know them speak well of the British women, 
 and admire their devotion to their husbands and children, their 
 virtue, and bravery. You might as well compare a Libyan 
 lioness with a Persian cat as the British women with these little 
 cousins of mine."
 
 208 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "But the Persian cat has, doubtless, its lovable qualities," 
 Beric said smiling. " It is softer and gentler and better- 
 mannered than the lioness, though, perhaps, the lion might 
 not think so. But truly your Roman ladies are beyond com- 
 parison with ours. Ours live a life of usefulness, discharging 
 their duties as mistress of the household, intent upon domestic 
 cares, and yet interested as ourselves in all public affairs, and 
 taking a share in their decision. Your ladies live a life of 
 luxury. They are shielded from all trouble. They are like 
 delicate plants by the side of strong saplings. No rough air 
 has blown upon them. They are dainty with adornments 
 gathered from the whole world, and nature and art have com- 
 bined alike to make them beautiful." 
 
 "All of which means, ^Emilia," Pollio laughed, "that, in 
 Beric's opinion, you are pretty to look at, but good for nothing 
 else." 
 
 " I meant not that," Beric said eagerly, " only that the things 
 you are good for are not the things which British women are 
 good for. You have no occasion to be good housewives, 
 because you have slaves who order everything for you. But 
 you excel in many things of which a British woman never so 
 much as heard. There is the same difference that there is 
 between a cultured Roman and one of my tribesmen." 
 
 "Human nature is the same everywhere," Norbanus said, 
 " fair or dark, great or small It is modified by climate, by 
 education, by custom, and by civilization, but at bottom it is 
 identical. And now, Pollio, I think you had better take Beric 
 down to the port, the sight of the trade and shipping will be 
 new to him."
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 209 
 
 CHAPTER XH. 
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 
 
 AS the vessels carrying Suetonius, his suite, and captives 
 sailed up the Tiber it was met by a galley bearing the 
 orders of the senate that Suetonius was not to traverse the 
 streets with an armed suite and captives in his train, but was 
 to land as a private person ; that the soldiers were to march to 
 the barracks on the Capitoline, where they would receive 
 their arrears of pay and be disbanded; and that the captives 
 were to be handed over to a centurion, who with his company 
 would be at the landing-place to receive them. Pollio took the 
 news to Beric, who was on board the same ship, the rest of the 
 captives being with the soldiers in the vessel which followed. 
 
 "I am rejoiced, indeed," he said; "for although I knew that 
 the general would not receive a triumph, I feared that if he 
 made a public entry it was possible there might be a public out- 
 cry for your life, which would, by our custom, have been for- 
 feited had there been a triumph. I doubt not that the hand 
 of Petronius is in this ; his messengers would have arrived here 
 weeks ago, and it may be that letters despatched as much as 
 a month after we left have preceded us. Doubtless he would 
 have stated that his clemency had had the desired effect, and 
 that all trouble was at an end; he may probably have added 
 that this was partly due to your influence, and warned them 
 that were you put to death it would have a deplorable effect 
 among your people and might cause a renewal of trouble. 
 Suetonius is furious, for he has hoped much from the effect 
 his entry with captives in his train would have produced. He 
 has powerful enemies here ; scarce a noble family but has lost 
 a connection during the troubles in Britain, and Suetonius is of 
 course blamed for it. You and I know that, although he has 
 borne himself harshly towards the Britons, the rising was due 
 
 (725) O
 
 210 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 to Catus rather than to him, but as Catus is a creature of Nero 
 the blame falls upon Suetonius." 
 
 " It was the deeds of Catus that caused the explosion," Beric 
 said; "but it would have come sooner or later. It was the 
 long grinding tyranny that had well-nigh maddened us, that 
 drove Caractacus first to take up arms, that raised the western 
 tribes, and made all feel that the Roman yoke was intolerable. 
 The news of the massacre of the Druids and the overthrow of 
 our altars converted the sullen discontent into a burning desire 
 for revenge, and the insult to Boadicea was the signal rather 
 than the cause of the rising. It is to the rule of Suetonius 
 that it is due that hundreds of thousands of Britons, Eomans, 
 and their allies have perished." 
 
 " The fault of Suetonius," Pollio said, " was that he was too 
 much of a soldier. He thought of military glory, and left all 
 other matters, save the leading of his troops, in the hands of 
 his civilians. Petronius is a general, but he has distinguished 
 himself more in civil matters. Two generals have been sent 
 out with him, to lead the troops if necessary, but he has been 
 chosen as an administrator." 
 
 " They should have sent him out ten years ago," Beric said, 
 "and there then would have been no occasion for generals." 
 
 They were now approaching Eome, and Beric's attention was 
 entirely occupied by the magnificent scene before him, and 
 with the sight of the temples and palaces rising thickly upon 
 the seven hills. Massilia had surprised him by its size and 
 splendour, but beside Rome it was only a village. " Rome would 
 do well," he said to Pollio, " to bring the chiefs of every con- 
 quered country hither; the sight would do more than twenty 
 legions to convince them of the madness of any efforts to 
 shake off the Roman yoke." 
 
 " I will see you to-morrow," Pollio said as they neared the 
 landing-place. " I shall see many of my friends to-day, and get 
 them to interest themselves in your behalf. I will find out for 
 you where Caius Muro is at present; doubtless he too will do 
 what he can for you, seeing that you lived so long in his charge;''
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 211 
 
 for Beric had not mentioned to his friend aught of the manner 
 in which he had saved Muro's daughter at the sack of Cama- 
 lodunum. 
 
 As soon as the centurion came on board Pollio recommended 
 Beric to his care, saying that he was the chief of the party of 
 British captives, and that during the journey he had formed a 
 close friendship with him. 
 
 "I shall not be in charge of him long," the centurion said. 
 " I have but to hand him over to the governor of the prison, but 
 I will tell him what you have said to me. He must now go on 
 board the other ship and join his companions, for my orders 
 are that they are not to be landed until after dark." Pollio 
 nodded to Beric; this was another proof that it was determined 
 the populace should not be excited in favour of Suetonius by 
 the passage of the captives through the streets. 
 
 Beric rejoined his companions. " Well, Boduoc, what think 
 you of Eome 1 " 
 
 " I have been thinking how mad our enterprise was, Beric. 
 You told me about the greatness of Home and from the first 
 predicted failure, but I thought this was because you had been 
 infected by your Roman training; I see now that you were 
 right. Well, and what do you think is going to be done with 
 us!" 
 
 " It is evident there is going to be no public display of us, 
 Boduoc. Suetonius is at present in disgrace, and we shall be 
 either sent into the school for gladiators, or set to work at some 
 of the palaces Nero is building." 
 
 " They may do what they like," Boduoc said, " but I will not 
 fight for their amusement. They may train me if they like 
 and send me into the arena, but if they do I will not lift sword, 
 but will bid my opponent slay me at once." 
 
 There was a murmur of assent from some of the others; but 
 another who said, " Well, I would rather die fighting anyway 
 than work as a slave at Roman palaces," found a response from 
 several. 
 
 The next day they were marched up to Nero's palace.
 
 212 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Surprised as they might be by the splendour of the streets 
 they traversed, and by the grandeur and magnificence of the 
 palace, they betrayed no sign whatever of their feelings, but 
 marched through the vast halls with their wealth of marble 
 and adornments with calm and unmoved faces. At last they 
 reached the audience hall, where the emperor was seated with 
 a throng of courtiers behind him. 
 
 Nero was five-and-twenty, but looked older, for his dissolute 
 habits had already left their marks upon his features. He had 
 an air of good temper, and a rough frankness of manner that 
 rendered him popular among the mass of the people, whom 
 he courted by every means in his power, distributing with 
 lavish hand the wealth he gained by confiscation and spoliation 
 of the rich. The Britons bowed deeply before him and then 
 stood upright and fearless. 
 
 " By Hercules," the emperor said to the councillor standing 
 next to him, " but these are grand men ! No wonder Suetonius 
 has had such trouble in subduing them. And this young man 
 is their chief? Truly, as Petronius said in his letter, he is but 
 a lad. You speak our language too 1 " he went on, addressing 
 Beric. 
 
 "I was brought up as a hostage among the Eomans," he 
 replied, "and was instructed in their language and literature." 
 
 "Then you should have known better than to rise against 
 us, young chief." 
 
 "Two years ago I was but a boy, Caesar," Beric replied, 
 "scarce deemed old enough to fight, much less to give an opinion 
 in the presence of my elders. I was well aware that the 
 struggle must end in our defeat; but when the chiefs of my 
 nation decided for war, I had nought to do but to go with 
 them." 
 
 "But how is it, then, that you came to command so many, 
 and became in time the leader of so large a band?" 
 
 "It was because I had studied your military books, and 
 knew that only by an irregular warfare could we hope to 
 prolong our existence. It was no longer an insurrection; we
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 213 
 
 were simply fugitives trying to sell our lives dearly. If 
 Suetonius had offered us terms we would gladly have laid 
 down our arms, but as he simply strove to destroy us we had, 
 like animals brought to bay, to fight for our own lives. The 
 moment Petronius offered to allow my people to return to their 
 homes and pay tribute to Rome I advised them to submit." 
 
 " So Petronius tells me, and he has said much to excuse your 
 conduct I would I could enlist this band as my body-guard," 
 Nero said in a low voice, turning to his councillor, " but the 
 praetorian guards are jealous of their privileges, and none save 
 a Roman can be enrolled in their ranks." 
 
 "It would be dangerous, Caesar; the praetorians are well 
 affected to your majesty, and in these days when there are so 
 many ambitious generals at the head of armies it would be 
 unwise to anger them." 
 
 "Then we will send them to the schools to be trained. 
 Send this lad with the four best of the others to Scopus, and 
 divide the rest among three other schools. The Romans have 
 never seen such men as these in the arena. We must not spoil 
 it by matching them at present with men whose skill more 
 than makes up for their want of strength. Two years in the 
 schools will make marvels of them. The lad will want more 
 than that before he gains his full bulk and strength, but he 
 will some day turn out such a gladiator as Rome has never seen; 
 and if after a time we can find no champion to withstand him, 
 we can match him against the lions. I will myself give Scopus 
 orders concerning him." So saying he waved his hand. The 
 guards closed round the captives and they were led away. 
 
 "What is it all about, Beric?" Boduoc asked. 
 
 "We are to go to the school for gladiators," Beric said; 
 " but as the emperor considers that you will all need two years' 
 training at the exercises before you will be fit to appear in the 
 ring, we shall have time to think matters over. Much may 
 happen before that. Nero may be liked by the mass of the 
 people, but he is hated and feared, as I hear, by the upper 
 classes. He may be assassinated or overthrown before that"
 
 214 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " I don't see that it will make much difference to us," Boduoc 
 grumbled. 
 
 " I don't know that it would. At any rate we have time 
 before us. We shall be well taken care of, well fed, and have 
 plenty of exercise. Before now the gladiators have shaken 
 Kome to its centre. What has happened once may happen 
 
 As they passed along the streets of Rome the news that a 
 party of fair-haired giants were being escorted under a guard 
 spread rapidly, and a crowd soon filled the streets. Windows 
 opened and ladies looked curiously down at the procession. 
 Beric marched at the head of his party, who followed four 
 abreast, and their air of calmness and self-possession, their 
 proud bearing, and the massive strength of their figures roused 
 the admiration of the multitude, who, on learning from the 
 guards that the captives were Britons, greeted them with 
 shouts of approval. So thick became the crowd before they 
 reached their destination, that the Roman soldiers had difficulty 
 in forcing their way through. As they turned into the street 
 in which stood the great school of Scopus the crowd at once 
 guessed the destination of the captives. 
 
 " By all the gods!" one of the lookers-on said, " these fellows 
 will furnish us with grand sport in the arena." 
 
 " It is a shame to turn such grand-looking men into gladia- 
 tors," a woman said. 
 
 " What, would you like to pick a husband out among them, 
 darnel" the first speaker laughed. 
 
 "I would not mind. At any rate, I would prefer any of them 
 to such an ill-looking scarecrow as you," she retorted. " It is 
 bad enough when they kill off some of those Gauls, who are far 
 too good for such work; but the best of them I have seen in 
 the arena lacks six inches, both in height and breadth of shoul- 
 der, of these Britons." 
 
 "Ah!" the man grumbled, "that is always the way with 
 women; they think of nothing but strength." 
 
 " Why shouldn't we ? Men think of nothing but beauty."
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 215 
 
 And so, amid a chorus of romarks, for the most part compli- 
 mentary, the Britons strode along, surrounded by their escort, 
 until they reached the entrance to the school of Scopus. The 
 master, attracted by the noise in the street, was standing at the 
 entrance. He was a broad-built man, but without an ounce of 
 superfluous flesh, with muscles and sinews standing up in knots 
 and ridges, and evidently possessed of extreme activity as well 
 as strength. 
 
 "Nero has sent you five fresh scholars, Scopus." 
 
 "By Hercules," Scopus said, "they are splendid barbarians! 
 Whence come they ? " 
 
 "They are Britons." 
 
 "Ah! Yes, Claudius brought back a few with him, but that 
 was before I was here. I would they were all a few years 
 younger. They are in their prime now; and to make a man 
 first-class, one should begin with him young. This youngster 
 here is just the age. I warrant me there will not be many who 
 can hold their own against him when I have trained him." 
 
 "He is their chief," the centurion said, "and speaks our 
 language as well as you do." 
 
 " That is good. I can speak a little Gaulish; but there is 
 always trouble with new-comers from out-of-the-way countries 
 when we have no one who speaks their language." 
 
 "Well, I will leave them with you; they are in your charge. 
 I have the other fifteen to divide among threft other schools." 
 
 "I will take care of them," Scopus said. "There is good 
 feeding and good drinking here, and no one runs away. There 
 is nowhere to run to, that is one thing. Still, what could a 
 man want more than to be well housed, well fed, and have the 
 companionship of plenty of good fellows'? Don't you think so?" 
 and he turned to Beric. 
 
 " It is of no use asking for more if one is not likely to get it; 
 certainly we might do worse." 
 
 " Well, follow me," Scopus said. . " I will introduce you to 
 your comrades." 
 
 Beric and his companions took a hearty farewell of the
 
 216 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 others, Beric telling them that doubtless they would have fre- 
 quent occasions of meeting; he then followed Scopus into a 
 large hall. Here some forty or fifty men were assembled. 
 Some were swinging weights round their heads, others were 
 engaged at gymnastic exercises. Two men, under the direction 
 of an instructor, were fighting with blunted swords; one great 
 fellow, armed with sword and shield, was hotly pursuing an 
 active man of little over half his weight, carrying a trident in 
 one hand and a net in the other, amid the laughter of a group 
 watching them. 
 
 At the entrance of Scopus and his companions the proceed- 
 ings were arrested. 
 
 "Here are some fresh hands," Scopus said, "who have come 
 to fill up the vacancies made in the games ten days since. 
 They are Britons, and I should imagine will require a lot of 
 training before they are fit for the arena. One of them talks 
 Latin. The rest, I fancy, will have, for the present, to content 
 themselves with the companionship of you Gauls, who are, as I 
 believe, of kindred race, though it seems to me that either you 
 must have fallen off in size, or they have increased since you 
 separated." 
 
 Some seven or eight Gauls stepped forward and addressed 
 the Britons, and the latter, glad to find men who could speak 
 their language, responded heartily. The gladiators were of 
 many races. Besides the Gauls there were four or five Goths; 
 some Iberians, lean swarthy men; Numidians, fleet of foot, 
 lithe and active these were used more often for contests 
 with wild beasts than in the gladiatorial conflicts, for which 
 they lacked strength and weight Parthians and Scythians, 
 together with a score of natives of Italy, Romans and others, 
 who had taken to the profession of gladiator as they might 
 have done to any other calling. 
 
 "Now," Scopus said to Beric, "you are free of the place; 
 there are no prisoners here. There are regular hours and exer 
 cises; but beyond that your time is your own, to walk in the 
 city, to see the shows, or to remain here. As you see, all here
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 217 
 
 dress somewhat after Roman fashion, so that as they go abroad 
 they may not be stared at. There is no obligation that way, 
 but it is more comfortable. There are upwards of a hundred 
 schools in Rome. Some are larger than mine, and some 
 smaller, but there is not one that stands higher. When one of 
 my men enters the ring the audience know that they are going 
 to see good sport." 
 
 "Do we have to fight against each other, or against 
 strangers?" 
 
 "Against strangers," Scopus said. "When there is going to 
 be a show-day, so many schools are warned to send three or 
 four men, as the case may be, and the master of ceremonies 
 matches them against each other. Sometimes there may be ten 
 couples, sometimes forty or fifty, it depends whether it is a 
 great occasion or not; and of course each school hopes to see 
 its champions win. That fellow you saw running with a net, 
 he is a Scythian, and so quick and nimble that he always 
 gets away, and is ready for a throw again before his opponent 
 can overtake him. He is a great favourite of the public, for he 
 has been in the arena twelve times and has always conquered." 
 
 " What do you consider to be the best weapon the trident 
 or the sword?" 
 
 " If a man is active without being strong, I should make a 
 retiarius of him," Scopus said. " If he is strong without being 
 active, he would naturally fight with sword and buckler. Then 
 there is the caestus, but the Romans do not care for that, 
 though, to my mind, it is the finest of all the exercises; 
 for that both strength and activity are required, but it is 
 not bloody enough for the Romans. Perhaps the thing that 
 demands the greatest skill and nerve and strength at the 
 same time is to fight wild beasts. However, we settle none 
 of these things at first. After a few months' training we see 
 what a man's capabilities are, and what he himself has a fancy 
 for. I always let a man choose, if he has any very strong wish 
 in the matter, for he is sure to succeed best in that. There 
 are many who, even with all my care, never turn out first-class.
 
 218 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 These are reserved to fight in what may be called general con- 
 tests, which have become popular lately, ten against ten, or fifty 
 against fifty. On two or three grand occasions there have been 
 as many as a thousand engaged. For these no particular skill is 
 required; it is one side against the other. Lastly, there are a few 
 who turn out so useless that it would be a waste of pains to 
 try to make anything of them. These are sent to the galleys, 
 or to the public works." 
 
 "You never find any unwilling to learn?" Beric said 
 
 " Not one," the man said carelessly. " A man has to defend 
 himself, and even with blunt swords he will get awkward 
 cracks if he cannot protect his head. Besides, in the arena a 
 man's life depends upon his skill, and the conquered is sure to 
 have no mercy shown him unless he has borne himself well. 
 Therefore, each man is anxious to learn. I have had a few 
 obstinate fellows, for the most part Goths, who would do 
 nothing. I simply send them down to the galleys, and I war- 
 rant me that they are not long in finding out what fools they 
 have been, and would give a good deal to exchange their beds 
 of hard boards and their coarse food for a life of pleasure and 
 freedom here." 
 
 " As long as it lasts," Beric said. 
 
 " Yes, as long as it lasts. But with all its dangers it is likely 
 to last as long as that of a galley slave. What with bad food 
 and hardship and toil and the taskmaster's whip and the burn- 
 ing sun, a galley slave's life is a short one; while a skilful 
 gladiator may live for many years, and in time save money 
 enough to set up a school as I have done." 
 
 "Were you a gladiator once 1 ?" Beric asked. 
 
 " Certainly I was; and so were all the masters of the schools, 
 except, perhaps, a few Greeks, whose methods differ from ours. 
 
 " I was ten years in the arena, and fought thirty-five battles. 
 In thirty I was victorious, in the other five I was defeated; but 
 as I was a favourite, and always made a good fight, the thumbs 
 were turned up, which, as you may know, is the signal for 
 mercy."
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 219 
 
 " Are you a Roman ? " 
 
 " No, I am a Thessalian. I took to it young, having got into 
 trouble at home. We have blood feuds there, and having killed 
 the chief of a house with which my people had a quarrel I had 
 to fly, and so made to Pola. Thence I crossed to Brundusium. 
 I worked there in the dockyard for a year or two; but I was 
 never fond of hard work of that sort, so I came on here and 
 entered a school. Now, as you see, I am master of one. A 
 gladiator who distinguishes himself gets many presents, and I 
 did well. The life is not a bad one after all." 
 
 " It must be hateful having to fight with men with whom 
 you have no quarrel," Beric said. 
 
 " You don't feel that after the first minute or two," Scopus 
 laughed. " There is a man standing opposite to you with a sword 
 or a trident, and you know very well that if you do not kill 
 him, he is going to kill you. It makes very little difference, 
 after you once face each other, whether there was any quarrel 
 between him and you beforehand or not; the moment the 
 fighting begins, there is an end of all nonsense of that sort. 
 
 " What is an enemy 1 A man who wants to do you harm. 
 This man facing you is going to kill you, unless you kill him. 
 There cannot be a worse enemy than that. After all, it is just 
 the same with soldiers in a battle. They have no particular 
 quarrel with the men facing them; but directly the arrows 
 begin to fly, and a storm of javelins come singing through the 
 air, you think of nothing but of trying to kill the men who are 
 trying to kill you. I thought as you do before I entered the 
 arena the first time, but I never felt so afterwards. All these 
 things are matters of usage, and the gladiator, after his first 
 combat, enters the ring with just the same feeling as a soldier 
 marches to meet an enemy." 
 
 Beric was silent He had no doubt that there was some 
 truth in what Scopus said; his own experience in battle had 
 shown him this. But he was still determined in his mind 
 that, come what would, he would not fight for the amusement 
 of the Romans. But it was of no use to say this now; it might
 
 220 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 be a long time before he was required to enter the arena, and 
 until then he might as well apply himself to gaining strength 
 and science in arms. It did not seem to him that there was 
 any possibility of escape, but he might at least take to the 
 woods, and stand at bay there, and be killed in a fair open fight. 
 
 The next morning the exercises began. They were at first 
 of a moderate character, and were only intended to strengthen 
 the muscles and add to the endurance. For the first six months 
 they were told that their work would consist only of gym- 
 nastic exercises lifting weights, wielding heavy clubs, climb- 
 ing ropes, wrestling, and running on foot. Their food was 
 simple but plentiful. All adopted the Eoman costume, in 
 order to avoid observation when they went abroad. Being a 
 strong body, and individually formidable, they were free from 
 the rough jokes generally played upon new-comers, and when, 
 after six hours of exercise, they sat down to a hearty dinner, 
 the general feeling among them was that things were better 
 than they expected, and the life of a gladiator, with the excep- 
 tion of his appearances in the arena, was by no means a bad 
 one. Pollio called in the afternoon, as he had promised, and 
 had a long talk with Beric. 
 
 "In the first place, I have some bad news for you, Beric. 
 Caius Muro remained here but a month after his return from 
 Britain, and was then sent to command the legion in the north 
 of Syria." 
 
 " That is bad news indeed, Pollio. I had looked forward to 
 seeing him. I had made sure that I should find one friend at 
 least in Rome." 
 
 " It is unfortunate indeed, Beric, for he would have spoken 
 for you, and might have obtained a better lot for you. I 
 hate seeing you here," he said passionately, " but it is better 
 than being executed at once, which is the lot that generally 
 befalls the chief of captives taken in war. Scopus is not 
 a bad fellow when things go well, but they say that he is a 
 fiend when his blood is up. He is one of the finest fighters 
 we ever had in the arena, though he left it before I was old
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 221 
 
 enough to go there. I know him well, however, for I used to 
 come here with my elder brother, who was killed four years ago 
 in Africa. It is quite the fashion among the young Komans 
 to go the round of the schools and see the gladiators prac- 
 tising, and then when the sports come on they bet on the men 
 they consider the most skilful." 
 
 " A fine sport," Beric said sarcastically. 
 
 " Well, you see, Beric, we have been bred up to it, and we 
 wager upon it just as you Britons do on your fights between 
 cocks. I never felt any hesitation about it before, because I 
 had no particular personal interest in any of the combatants. 
 After all, you know, life is dull in Rome for those who take 
 no part in politics, who have no ambition to rise at the court, 
 and who do not care overmuch for luxury. We have none of 
 the hunting with which you harden your muscles and pass 
 your time in Britain. Therefore it is that the sports of the 
 arena are so popular with our class as well as with that below 
 it. You must remember, too, that the greater portion of the 
 gladiators are captives taken in war, and would have been put 
 to death at once had they not been kept for this." 
 
 "I do not say they have anything to complain of, Pollio, 
 but I am sure that most of them would much rather perish 
 in battle than be killed in the arena." 
 
 "Yes, but it is not a question of being killed in battle, 
 Beric; it is a question of being captured in battle and put to 
 death afterwards. It may be the fashion some day or other 
 to treat captives taken in war with generosity and honour, but 
 it certainly is not so at present, either with us or with any 
 other nation that I know of. I don't think that your people 
 differ from the rest, for every soul who fell into their hands 
 was slain." 
 
 "I quite admit that," Beric said; "and should have had no 
 cause for complaint had I been slain as soon as I was captured. 
 But there is something nobler in being killed as a victim of 
 hate by a victorious enemy than to have to fight to the death 
 as a holiday amusement."
 
 222 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "I admit that," Pollio said; "and though, since Nero came 
 to the throne, there has heen an increase in these gladiatorial 
 displays, methinks there are fewer now than in the days before 
 the Empire, when Spartacus led twenty thousand gladiators 
 against Rome. There is one thing, if the creed of those Jews 
 of whom Norbanus was speaking to you ever comes to be the 
 dominant religion, there will be an end to the arena, for so 
 averse are these people to fighting, that when placed in the 
 arena they will not make even an effort to defend themselves. 
 They do not, as do the Goths sometimes, lower their swords 
 and fall on the points. Suicide they consider wrong, and sim- 
 ply wait calmly like sheep to be killed. I have been talking 
 with some friends over the persecutions of two years ago, just 
 after I left for Britain, and they say it was wonderful to see 
 the calmness with which the Christians meet death. They say 
 the persecution was given up simply because the people became 
 sick of spectacles in which there was no interest or excitement. 
 Well, Beric, are you ready to go out with me?" 
 
 " You will not be ashamed to walk through the streets with 
 a gladiator, Pollio?" 
 
 " Ashamed ! on the contrary, you must know that gladiators 
 are in fashion at present, Beric. The emperor prides himself 
 on his skill, and consorts greatly with gladiators, and has even 
 himself fought in the arena, and therefore it is the thing with 
 all who are about the court to affect the society of gladiators. 
 But as yet you are not one of them, although you may have 
 commenced your training for the arena. But fashion or not, 
 it would have made no difference to me, you are my friend 
 whatever evil fortune may have done for you. The only dif- 
 ference is that whereas, had you not been in fashion, I should 
 have taken you with me only to the houses of intimate friends, 
 as I did at Massilia, now you will be welcome everywhere. 
 Besides, Beric, even in Home a chief who has kept Suetonius 
 at bay for a year, and who is, moreover, a Latin scholar accus- 
 tomed to Roman society, is recognized as being an object of 
 great interest, especially when he is young and good-looking.
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 223 
 
 I am glad to see that you have adopted clothes of our fashion; 
 they set you off to much better advantage than does the British 
 garb, besides attracting less attention." 
 
 " I hope that you are not going to take me to-day to meet any 
 people, Pollio; I want to see the temples and public buildings." 
 
 "It shall be just as you wish, Beric." 
 
 For hours Beric wandered about Rome with Pollio, so 
 interested in all he saw that he was scarce conscious of the 
 attention he himself attracted. From time to time they met 
 acquaintances of Pollio, who introduced them to Beric as 
 "my friend the chief of the Iceni, who cost us a year's hard 
 work and some twelve hundred men before we captured him. 
 Petronius has written so strongly to Nero in his favour that his 
 life has been spared, and he has been placed in the school of 
 Scopus;" and the languid young Romans, looking at Beric's 
 height and proportions, no longer wondered at the trouble that 
 the Roman legions had had in overcoming the resistance of a 
 mere handful of barbarians. Beric on his part was by no means 
 surprised at the appearance of these young courtiers. He had 
 seen many of the same type at Camalodunum, and had heard 
 Caius lament the effeminacy of the rising generation; but he 
 knew that these scented young nobles could, if necessary, 
 buckle on armour and fight as valiantly as the roughest sol- 
 dier; though why they should choose to waste their lives at 
 present in idleness, when there was so much work to be done 
 in every corner of the vast empire, was altogether beyond his 
 comprehension. 
 
 "Why is there a crowd gathered round that large building?" 
 he asked Pollio. 
 
 " That is one of the public granaries. Corn is brought here 
 in vast quantities from Sardinia and Sicily, from Spain and 
 Africa, and since Nero came to the throne it is distributed 
 gratis to all who choose to apply for it. No wonder Nero is 
 popular among the people; he feeds them and gives them shows 
 they want nothing more. It is nothing to them, the cruelties 
 he exercises upon the rich."
 
 224 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "But it must encourage the people in lazy habits," Beric 
 said. 
 
 Pollio shrugged his shoulders. "They think because they 
 are citizens of the capital of the world they have a right to 
 live in idleness, and that others should work for them. At 
 any rate it keeps them in a good temper. There have been 
 great tumults in Rome in past times, but by drawing the 
 tribute in corn and distributing it freely here Nero keeps them 
 in a high state of contentment." 
 
 "You don't like Nero, Pollio?" 
 
 " I hate him," Pollio said. " He is a tyrant greedy, cruel, 
 and licentious. He had his own mother murdered because 
 she opposed his plans, and some of our best and noblest citizens 
 have been put to death, either because Nero was jealous of 
 their popularity, or because he desired to grasp their posses- 
 sions. It is horrible that Rome, which has conquered the 
 world, should lie prostrate at the feet of a creature like this. 
 It was because my father feared that some spy among the 
 slaves might report what I said about Nero that caused him 
 to send me out to Suetonius, who is a connection of our 
 family, and he will ere long obtain for me some other employ- 
 ment away from the capital. I shall be glad to be gone, the 
 atmosphere here seems to stifle one. Nero's spies are every- 
 where, and a man is afraid of speaking his thoughts even in 
 his own house. I like to take life easily, but I would rather 
 be battling with your people in the swamps than living in 
 idleness in Rome." 
 
 "I thought you were glad to return, Pollio?" 
 
 "I thought I should be, Beric, but I suppose the active life 
 in Britain has spoilt me. I used to scent my hair and lounge 
 in the baths, and frequent the shows, and lead just such a life 
 as the young men we have spoken to this afternoon, and I was 
 contented with it. I wonder at myself now, but I cannot take 
 up the old life where I left it. I have been back for twenty- 
 four hours, and I am restless already and am longing to be 
 doing something."
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 225 
 
 " I should think," Beric said with a smile, "that you might 
 well put up with Rome for a few weeks. It seems to me that 
 it will take years to know all its wonders. There are the great 
 libraries, too, filled with the manuscripts, and as you understand 
 Greek you could study the writings of the sages and philoso- 
 phers." 
 
 " I would rather row in the galleys," Pollio said. " I don't 
 mind an hour or two now and then with the historians, but the 
 philosophers are too deep for my shallow brain. Would you 
 like to look into a library now?" 
 
 Beric assented eagerly, and they entered one of these build- 
 ings. It consisted of a great hall with innumerable couches 
 and benches for readers. Round the walls were pigeon-holes, 
 in which the manuscripts were deposited, and numerous atten- 
 dants moved to and fro among the readers, supplying them 
 with such manuscripts as they desired, and taking away those 
 they had done with. Leaving the hall they passed through a 
 series of large apartments, in which hundreds of men were at 
 work copying manuscripts. 
 
 " These are scribes," Pollio said. "Very many of them are 
 slaves whom the owners allow to work here, sharing with them 
 their earnings; others are freedmen who have either pur- 
 chased their liberty from their savings, or have been manu- 
 mitted by their owners. You see many of the most popular 
 writings, such as those of Csesar, Tacitus, Livy, or the poets 
 Horace, Virgil, and Ovid, are constantly in demand, and scores 
 of copies must be kept on hand. Then again many of the 
 Greek authors are greatly in request. The manuscripts wear 
 out and must be replaced, so that at the various libraries there 
 are some thousands of scribes always kept employed. You 
 see among the scribes men of many nationalities. Those men, 
 for instance, are Egyptians. You see the rolls they are copying, 
 they are made of papyrus, which is got, as I have heard my uncle 
 say, from the leaf of a sort of water plant Some of them are 
 copying these writings on to vellum for the use of those who 
 understand the Egyptian language, others are translating them 
 
 (725) P
 
 226 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 into Latin. Those men are Persians, and those at the tables 
 near them are Jews. They are making translations of their 
 sacred hooks, which are much read at present, partly owing to 
 the fact that the people are troublesome, and probably an army 
 will have to be sent against them, partly because of the Christian 
 sect, whose doctrines are founded upon the Jewish sacred books, 
 and are supported, as they claim, by various prognostications 
 of their augurs, or, as they call them, prophets. The books, 
 therefore, are of interest to the learned, and it may be that 
 some who come here to read them are secretly disciples of the 
 sect." 
 
 "Can I come here and read?" Beric asked eagerly. 
 
 "Certainly you can, these libraries are open to all. So are 
 the baths, at least the greater portion of them; everything is 
 free here. But it is nearly time for us now to be going home." 
 
 Beric availed himself at once of the advantages offered by 
 the public libraries. It was only thus that men of moderate 
 means could in those days obtain access to books, for the cost 
 of manuscripts was considerable, and libraries were only to be 
 found in the houses of the wealthy. His taste for reading was 
 a matter of astonishment among the gladiators, and was the 
 subject of a good deal of jesting. This, however, was for the 
 most part of a good-natured kind, but upon the part of one 
 named Lupus it was sneering and offensive. 
 
 This man, who was a professional gladiator, that is one of 
 those who had taken to it as a trade, was a Roman of unusual 
 stature and strength. He had been a worker in iron, and from 
 making arms took to their use. He had won many victories 
 in the arena, and was considered the champion of the school 
 of Scopus, the only man who approached him in the number of 
 victories being Porus, the Scythian, whose strong point, how- 
 ever, lay in his activity and his dexterity in throwing the net 
 rather than in strength. Lupus had, from the first day of the 
 Britons' arrival at the ludus, viewed them with aversion, his 
 hostility to Beric being especially marked, and he particularly 
 objected to the slight deference shown to him by his com-
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 227 
 
 panions, in spite of the protests of Beric himself, who in vain 
 pointed out to them that he was now no longer their chief, and 
 that they were in all respects comrades and equals. 
 
 Lupus had carefully abstained from any remarks that would 
 bring him into collision with the other Britons. Mortified as 
 he was that his strength and stature, of which he was very 
 proud, had been thrown into the shade by that of the new- 
 comers, he felt that in a quarrel their rough strength might 
 render them more than his match. Beric, however, he con- 
 sidered as but a youth, and though doubtless powerful, deemed 
 that his muscles would be no match for his own seasoned 
 strength. As yet he had not seen Beric tried with any arms, 
 and thought that the young barbarian could know nothing of 
 the management of weapons. At first his annoyance only took 
 the form of addressing him with an affected deference as "my 
 lord Beric;" but the discovery that, while he himself was unable 
 to read or write, the young Briton was fond of study, and spent 
 his spare time in the public libraries, afforded him opportunities 
 for constant sneers. 
 
 These Beric took in good part, but Boduoc, who had now 
 picked up enough Latin to understand the gist of his remarks, 
 one day intervened, and seizing Lupus by the shoulder dashed 
 him to the ground. The Roman sprang to his feet, caught up 
 a knife from the table, and rushed at Boduoc. Scopus, how- 
 ever, who was present, with an angry growl sprang upon him, 
 seizing him by the throat with so vigorous a grasp that his 
 face became purple, his eyes stared, and he in vain gasped for 
 breath. Then he flung him down into a corner of the room 
 with such force that he lay half-stunned. 
 
 " You dog," he exclaimed, " how dare you take a knife 1 I 
 will have no quarrels here, as you know; and if you again ven- 
 ture on a disturbance I will bid your comrades tie you up, and 
 will flay the skin off your back with the lash. The Briton was 
 perfectly right. Why can't you leave his friend alone 1 I have 
 marked your ill-natured jests before, and am glad that he 
 punished you."
 
 228 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Lupus rose slowly to his feet with an angry glare in his eyes. 
 He knew, however, that Scopus had in his time been unrivalled 
 in the arena, and that, moreover, the rest, who had been 
 offended by his airs of superiority, would side with the lanista 
 against him. 
 
 "I said nothing to the Briton," he said; "it was the boy I 
 addressed. If it was an offence, why did he not take it up? 
 Is he a coward that others have to fight his battles 1 If he is 
 offended, why does he not challenge me to fight, as is customary 
 in all the ludi?" 
 
 "Because he is as yet but a pupil, and will not be fit to enter 
 the arena for three or four years," Scopus said. "A fight can 
 only be between trained gladiators. You don't suppose that a 
 fresh-joined youth is going to fight with one who has won a 
 score of times in the arena?" 
 
 "Excuse me, Scopus," Beric said quietly, "I am perfectly 
 ready to fight with this braggadocio, and challenge him to a 
 contest; a few hard knocks will do neither of us any harm, there- 
 fore let us go into the school and have it out. It is much better 
 so than to have perpetual quarrelling." Scopus would have 
 objected, but the gladiators broke into shouts of "A fight! a 
 fight!" and, as it was according to the rules of all the ludi that 
 quarrels should be fought out with wooden swords without 
 interference by the lanistse, he simply shrugged his shoulders. 
 " Well, as he has challenged you, Lupus, I have nothing to say 
 to it;" and the whole of those present at once adjourned to the 
 school. 
 
 The combatants were armed with bucklers and with swords 
 of the same weight to those ordinarily used, but with square 
 edges with the corners rounded off, so that though they would 
 give a heavy blow they would not cut. 
 
 Lupus, confident in his skill, and furious at the humiliation 
 he had just suffered, at once sprang upon Beric, but the latter 
 as nimbly leaped back, catching the blow on his buckler, and 
 at the same time bringing his own with such force and weight 
 upon the Roman's left shoulder that it brought him for a
 
 A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS. 229 
 
 moment on to his knee. A shout of astonishment and applause 
 burst from the lookers-on. Lupus would have instantly re- 
 newed the fight, but Beric stepped back and lowered his sword. 
 
 " Your left arm is disabled," he said. " You had best wait 
 till you can use your buckler again; it would not be a fair match 
 now." 
 
 Furious as he was, Lupus felt the truth of what his opponent 
 said, and though the burst of applause at Beric's magnanimity 
 angered him even more than before, he drew back a step or two. 
 At the order of Scopus two of the others came forward with 
 some oil, with which for some minutes they kneaded his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " I am ready again," he said at last, and the gladiators drew 
 back, and the opponents faced each other. Lupus had learned 
 that Beric was not, as he had supposed, entirely untaught; but 
 although he attributed the blow he had received solely to his 
 own rashness, he renewed the conflict with the same care and 
 prudence he would have shown had he been fighting with 
 edged weapons in the arena. He soon found, however, that he 
 had met with an opponent differing widely from those he had 
 hitherto fought. Beric had had excellent teachers among the 
 veteran legionaries at Camalodunum, and to skill in the sword 
 he added a prodigious activity. Instead of fighting in the 
 ordinary Roman method, standing firm, with the body bent 
 forward and the buckler stretched out at the level of the 
 shoulder in front of him, he stood lightly poised on his feet, 
 ready to spring forward or back, and with his shield across his 
 body. 
 
 In vain Lupus tried to get to close quarters. His cramped 
 attitude prevented rapid movement, and he could not get even 
 within striking distance of his opponent save when the latter 
 sprang in to deliver a blow. These, however, fell vainly, for 
 ' Lupus was fighting now calmly and warily, and with sword 
 or shield guarded every blow aimed at him. Beric soon felt 
 that he should but exhaust himself did he continue to attack 
 in this fashion, and presently desisted, and standing his ground
 
 230 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 awaited the attack of Lupus. The blows fell fast and heavy 
 now. Then Beric purposely lowered his buckler a moment; 
 Lupus instantly struck, springing a pace forward. Beric sharply 
 threw up his left arm, striking up the hand of Lupus as it fell, 
 and at the same moment brought his weapon with tremendous 
 force down upon the head of his antagonist, who fell as if killed. 
 
 "Habet, habetl" shouted the gladiators, alike exultant and 
 astonished at the defeat of the bully of the school 
 
 " By the gods, Beric," Scopus said, " you have given him a 
 lesson. I talked about four years' training, but even now I 
 would send you into the arena without fear. Why, there are 
 but one or two gladiators who are considered the superior of 
 Lupus with the sword, and he had from the first no chance 
 with you." 
 
 " It was simply because he did not understand my way of 
 fighting," Beric said quietly. " No, Scopus, I will have the 
 four years' training before I fight. I have chanced to over- 
 come Lupus this time, but I am not going to match myself 
 against men until I have my full strength." 
 
 Scopus laughed. "That looks as if there was strength 
 enough in your arm, Beric," he said pointing to the prostrate 
 figure. " However, I know from what you have said that you 
 wish to put off your entry into the arena as long as possible, 
 and doubtless practice and teaching will render you a far 
 better swordsman than you are now. Take him away," he 
 said to the others, pointing to Lupus. "Dash cold water 
 over him till he comes round, and then bandage his head. I 
 doubt if his skull be not broken. One of you had better go 
 for a leech to examine him; and mind, let not a word be 
 breathed outside the school as to this contest. We will keep 
 it silent until it is time for Beric to enter the arena, and then 
 we shall be dull indeed if we do not lay bets enough on him 
 to keep us in wine for a year. There is no fear of Lupus him- 
 self saying a word about it. You may be sure that, roughly 
 shaken as his conceit may be, he will hold his tongue as to the 
 fact that he has found his master in what he was pleased to
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 231 
 
 call a boy. Mind, if I ever hear a word spoken outside the 
 school on the subject, I will make it my business to find out 
 who spread the report, and it will be very bad for the man 
 who did it when I bring it home to him." 
 
 It was upwards of a week before Lupus was able to enter 
 the gymnasium again. Beric had particularly requested the 
 others to make no allusion to his discomfiture, but from that 
 time the superiority of Lupus was gone, and Beric's position 
 in the school was fully established. 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 WHILE Beric thus spent his time between his exercises and 
 the schools and one or other of the libraries, varied 
 occasionally by paying a visit with Pollio, Boduoc and his 
 companions were not ill contented with their life. Most of 
 them had, during the long journey through Gaul, picked up a 
 few words of Latin from their guards, and as it was the lan- 
 guage of the gymnasium, and was the only medium by which 
 the men of the various nationalities could communicate with 
 each other, they now rapidly increased their knowledge of it, 
 Beric strongly urging them to become acquainted with it as 
 soon as possible, as it might be most useful and important 
 to them. None of the others besides Boduoc were, Scopus 
 thought, ever likely to be a credit to him in the more serious 
 contests in the ring, but all showed an aptitude for wrestling 
 and boxing, and the lanista was well content with this, as the 
 games in the arena frequently commenced with these compara- 
 tively harmless sports, and in many of the provincial cities 
 wrestlers and boxers were in great request. 
 
 Beric was much pleased when he heard from the master that
 
 232 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 he intended to confine his teaching to these two exercises only 
 with regard to his companions; for although men were some- 
 times seriously hurt by blows given by the masses of leather 
 and lead, which, wound round the fist, were used to give 
 weight to the blows, a fatal termination to the contests was 
 rare. In the exercises the men practised with many wrappings 
 of wadding and cotton wound round the caestus, answering 
 the purpose of the modern boxing-glove. Beric himself was 
 very partial to this exercise, and as it strengthened the 
 muscles, and gave quickness and activity to the limbs, Scopus 
 encouraged him in it. 
 
 " I do not see the use of the caestus," Beric said one day. 
 " One could hit and guard much more quickly without it. It 
 is good, no doubt, for exercise, as it strengthens the muscles, 
 but surely for fighting it would be better to lay it aside. What 
 is the advantage of it 1 ! With the bare fist one can knock an 
 opponent down, and with a very few blows strike him sense- 
 less. What more can you want than that?" 
 
 "Yes, for men like you Britons that would do, for a straight 
 blow from any one of you would well-nigh break in the bones 
 of the face of an ordinary man, and, as you say, you could strike 
 much more quickly without the weight on your hands, but 
 with smaller men a contest might last for hours without the 
 caestus, and the spectators would get tired of it; but I will try 
 the experiment some day, and put up one of the Britons 
 against Asthor the Gaul, hands against the caestus, and see 
 what comes of it. At present he is more skilful than any of 
 your people, but they are getting on fast, and when one of 
 them is fairly his match in point of skill I will try it. If the 
 Briton wins, I will, when they first go into the arena, match 
 them against the champions of the other schools with bare 
 hands against armed ones, and they will get great credit if 
 they win under those conditions. Both at that and at wrest- 
 ling you Britons are likely to carry all before you. I should 
 like to train you all only for that." 
 
 " I wish you would," Beric said earnestly.
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 233 
 
 " There is less honour in winning at wrestling and boxing 
 than in the other contests," Scopus said. 
 
 "For that I care nothing whatever, Scopus; besides, you 
 would get more credit from my winning in those games than 
 from my being killed in the others. Strength and height count 
 for much in them, while against an active retiarius strength 
 goes for very little." 
 
 "But you are active as well as strong, Beric, and so is 
 Boduoc. Moreover, when Caesar sent you to me to be pre- 
 pared for the ring, he meant that you should take part in the 
 principal contests, and he would be furious if, on some great 
 occasion, when he expected to see you stand up against a 
 famous champion, it turned out that you were only a wrestler." 
 
 " I am ready and willing to learn all the exercises, Scopus 
 I should like to excel in them all but you might put me up as 
 a wrestler and boxer; then if Nero insisted on my betaking 
 myself to other weapons, I could do so without discredit to 
 you. But my opinion is that every man should do what he 
 can do best. Were we to fight with clubs, I think that we 
 need have no fear of any antagonists; but our strength is for 
 the most part thrown away at sword-play, at which any active 
 man with but half our strength is our match. You have told me 
 that Nero often looks in at your school, and doubtless he will 
 do so when he comes back from Greece. You could then tell 
 him that you had found that all the Britons were likely to 
 excel rather in wrestling and boxing, where their strength and 
 height came into play, than in the other exercises, and that you 
 therefore were instructing them chiefly in them." 
 
 "I will see what I can do," Scopus said. "I like you 
 Britons, you are good-tempered, and give me no trouble. I 
 will tell you what I will do, I will send to Greece for the best 
 instructor in wrestling I can get hold of; they are better at 
 that than we are, and wrestling has always ranked very high 
 in their sports. Most of you already are nearly a match for 
 Decius; but you are all worth taking pains about, for there are 
 rich prizes to be won in the provincial arenas, as well as at
 
 234 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 Rome; and in Greece, where they do not care for the serious 
 contests, there is high honour paid to the winners in the wrest- 
 ling games." 
 
 As time went on Beric had little leisure to spend in libraries, 
 for the exercises increased in severity, and as, instead of con- 
 fining himself, as most of the others did, to one particular 
 branch, he worked at them all, the day was almost entirely 
 given up to exercises of one kind or another. His muscles, 
 and those of his companions, had increased vastly under the 
 training they received. All had been accustomed to active 
 exercise, but under their steady training every ounce of super- 
 fluous flesh disappeared, their limbs became more firmly 
 knit, and the muscles showed out through the clear skin in 
 massive ridges. 
 
 "We should astonish them at home, Beric," Boduoc said one 
 day. "It is strange that people like the Romans, who com- 
 pared to us are weakly by nature, should have so studied the 
 art of training men in exercises requiring strength. I used 
 to wonder that the Roman soldiers could wield such heavy 
 spears and swords. Now I quite understand it. We were 
 just as nature made us, they are men built up by art. Why, 
 when we began, my arms used to ache in a short time with 
 those heavy clubs, now I feel them no more than if they were 
 willow wands." 
 
 Pollio had remained but two months in Rome, and had 
 then gone out with a newly- appointed general to Sycia. 
 Beric had missed his light-hearted friend much, but he was 
 not sorry to give up the visits with him to the houses of his 
 friends. He felt that in these houses he was regarded as a 
 sort of show, and that the captured British chief, who was 
 acquainted with the Latin tongue and with Roman manners, 
 was regarded with something of the same curiosity and interest 
 as a tamed tiger might be. Besides, however much gladiators 
 might be the fashion in Rome, he felt a degradation in the 
 calling, although he quite appreciated the advantage that the 
 training would be to him should he ever return to Britain. 
 He was pleased to learn from Pollio, on the day before he 
 started, that he had heard that his uncle would ere long return 
 to Rome. 
 
 "I believe," he said, "that it is entirely my aunt's doing.
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 235 
 
 You know how she hates what she calls her exile, and I hear 
 that she has been quietly using all her family influence to 
 obtain his recall and his appointment as a magistrate here. 
 I learn she is likely to succeed, and that my uncle will be one 
 of these fine days astounded at receiving the news that he is 
 appointed a magistrate here. I don't suppose he will ever learn 
 my aunt's share in the matter, and will regard what others 
 would take as a piece of supreme good-luck as a cruel blow of 
 fortune. However, if he did discover it, my aunt would main- 
 tain stoutly that she did it for the sake of the girls, whom she 
 did not wish to see married to some provincial officer, and con- 
 demned, as she had been, to perpetual exile ; and as she would 
 have the support of all her relations, and even of my father, 
 who is also convinced that it is the greatest of all earthly 
 happiness for a Roman to reside at Rome, my uncle for once 
 will have to give in. ^Emilia, too, will be glad to return to 
 Rome, though I know that Ennia is of a different opinion. I 
 believe, from what she let drop one day, that she has a leaning 
 towards the new sect, of which she has heard from the old 
 slave who was her nurse. It will be a great misfortune if she 
 has, for it would cause terrible trouble at home, and if any 
 fresh persecution breaks out, she might be involved. I am 
 sure my aunt has no suspicion of it, for if she had the slave 
 would be flogged to death or thrown to the fishes, and Ennia's 
 life would be made a burden to her till she consented to 
 abandon the absurd ideas she had taken up." 
 
 But if Norbanus had returned with his family to Rome, 
 Beric had heard nothing of it. Had Pollio been at Rome he 
 would at once have taken him to see them on their return, but 
 now that he had gone there was no one from whom he would 
 hear of their movements, and Norbanus himself would be so 
 much occupied with his new duties, and with the society with 
 which Lesbia would fill the house, that he would have no time 
 to inquire about the British captive he had received as his 
 guest at Massilia. 
 
 One evening, when the rest of the gladiators were engaged 
 in a hot discussion as to the merits of some of those who were 
 to appear at the games given in celebration of the funeral 
 obsequies of a wealthy senator, Beric asked Boduoc to accom- 
 pauy him for a walk.
 
 236 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " One gets sick of all that talk about fighting," he said as 
 they went out. " How men can sit indoors in a hot room heavy 
 with the smoke of the lamps, when they can go out on such a 
 lovely night as this, I cannot understand. We do not have 
 such nights as this at home, Boduoc." 
 
 " No," Boduoc assented reluctantly, for it was seldom that 
 he would allow anything Roman to be superior to what he 
 was accustomed to in Britain; "the nights are certainly fine 
 here, and so they need be when it is so hot all day that one 
 can scarcely breathe outside the house. It seems to me that 
 the heat takes all the strength out of my limbs." 
 
 Beric laughed. "It did not seem so, Boduoc, when to-day 
 you threw Borthon, who is as heavy and well-nigh as strong as 
 yourself, full five yards through the air. Let us turn out from 
 these busy streets and get among the hills not those on which 
 the palaces stand, but away from houses and people." 
 
 "What a night it would be for wolf-hunting!" Boduoc said 
 suddenly, when they had walked along for some distance in 
 silence. 
 
 "Yes, that was fine sport, Boduoc; and when we slew we 
 knew we were ridding the land of fierce beasts." 
 
 " Well, many of the gladiators are not much better, Beric. 
 There is Porus, who may be likened to a panther; there is 
 Chresimus, who is like a savage bull; Gripus, who, when not 
 at work, is for ever trying to stir up strife. Truly, I used to 
 think, Beric, that I could not slay a man unless he was an 
 enemy, but I scarce feel that now. The captives in war are 
 like ourselves, and I would not, if I could help it, lift sword 
 against them. But many of the men are malefactors, who have 
 been sentenced to death as gladiators rather than to death by 
 the executioner, and who, by the terms of the sentence, must 
 be killed within the course of a year. Well, there is no ob- 
 jection to killing these; if you do not do it, someone else will. 
 Then there are the Romans, these are the roughest and most 
 brutal of all; they are men who have been the bullies of their 
 quarters, who fight for money only, and boast that it is a dis- 
 appointment to them when, by the vote of the spectators, they 
 have to spare an antagonist they have conquered. It is at least 
 as good a work to kill one of these men as to slay a wolf at 
 home. Then there are the patricians, who fight to gain popular
 
 A CHRISTIAN 237 
 
 applause, and kill as a matter of fashion; for them I have 
 assuredly no pity. 
 
 " No, I hope I shall never have to stand up against a captive 
 like myself; but against all others I can draw my sword with- 
 out any of the scruples I used to feel. I hear that if one of us 
 can but hold his own for three years, in most cases he is given 
 his liberty. I do not mean that he would be allowed to go 
 home, but he is free from the arena." 
 
 They were now near the summit of one of the hills, where a 
 clear sweep had been made of all the houses standing there in 
 order that a stately temple should be erected on the site. Sud- 
 denly they heard a scream in a female voice. 
 
 "There is some villainy going on, Boduoc, let us break in upon 
 the game." They ran at the top of their speed in the direction 
 from which they had heard the cry, and came upon a group of 
 seven or eight men, belonging, as they could see by the light of 
 the moon, to the dregs of the city. A female was lying on the 
 ground, another was clinging to her, and two men with coarse 
 jeers and laughter were dragging her from her hold when the 
 two Britons ran up. 
 
 Beric struck one of the men to the ground with a terrible 
 blow, while Boduoc seizing the other hurled him through the 
 air, and he fell head-foremost among a heap of the masonry of 
 a demolished building. The other men drew their knives, but 
 as Beric and his companion turned upon them there was a cry, 
 "They are gladiators," and the whole of them without a 
 moment's hesitation took to their heels. 
 
 Beric then turned towards the females, and as the light of 
 the moon fell full on his face the one with whom the men had 
 been struggling exclaimed, "Why, it is surely Beric!" 
 
 Beric looked at her in surprise. "It is the lady Ennia!" he 
 exclaimed. " Why, what are you doing at this time of night 
 in so lonely a place, and without other attendants than this 
 woman?" 
 
 "It is my nurse," Ennia said; "I was on my way with her, 
 Beric, to a secret meeting of Christians held in an underground 
 room of one of the villas that stood here. I have been there 
 several times before and we have not been molested, but, as I 
 gathered from what the men said, they noticed the light fall 
 upon my necklace and bracelet as I passed by a lamp, and so
 
 238 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 followed us. Happily they overtook us before we reached the 
 place of meeting. Had they followed us farther they might 
 have come upon us there, and then much more harm would 
 have been done. They came up and roughly demanded who 
 we were, and bade me hand over my jewels. Lycoris answered 
 them, and they struck her down. I threw myself down on 
 her and clung to her, but they would soon have plundered and 
 perhaps killed me had not you arrived." 
 
 "Do not you think, Ennia, that it is foolish and wrong of 
 you thus to go out unprotected at night to such a place as this, 
 and, as I suppose, without the knowledge of your father and 
 mother?" 
 
 "They do not know," she said, "but it is my duty to go. 
 It is the only opportunity I have for hearing the word preached." 
 
 "I cannot think, Ennia, that it is your duty," Beric said 
 gravely. "The first duty of a young woman is to obey her 
 parents, and I think that you, being as yet scarce a woman, are 
 not able to judge between one religion and another. I know 
 nothing of the doctrines of this sect save what your father told 
 me; but he said that they were good and pure, and, being 
 so, I am sure that they cannot countenance disobedience to 
 parents." 
 
 "The words are 'Forsake all, and follow Me,'" Ennia said 
 firmly. 
 
 " That could not have been said to one of your age, Ennia. 
 I was reading the Jewish sacred book the other day, and one 
 of the chief commandments is to honour your father and mother. 
 Well, I think, at any rate, that it were best not to go there to- 
 night. These men may return, and at any rate I will not allow 
 you thus to wander about at night unprotected. Boduoc and 
 I will escort you to your house. When you get there I trust 
 that you will think this over, and that you will see that such 
 midnight excursions are altogether wrong, whatever the motive 
 may be; but at any rate, if you must go, I must obtain your 
 promise that you will write to me at the school of Scopus the 
 gladiator, to tell me at what hour you start. I shall not intrude 
 my presence upon you, nor accompany you, for this would be 
 to make myself an accomplice in what I consider your folly; 
 but I shall always be near you, and if you are again disturbed 
 on your way Boduoc and I will be at hand to punish those
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 239 
 
 who meddle with you." The old nurse by this time had 
 regained her feet. 
 
 " You are the nurse of this young lady," Beric said to her 
 sternly, "and should know better than to bring her into danger. 
 If Norbanus knew what you have done he would have you cut 
 in pieces." 
 
 " It is not the fault of Lycoris. She begged and entreated me 
 not to come, but I would not listen to her. You are angry 
 with me, Beric, but you would not be angry if you knew what 
 it was to me. Younger than I have died for the faith, and I 
 would die too if it were necessary." 
 
 Beric made no reply, he was indeed deeply vexed at what 
 he considered an act of mad folly. The daughters of Norbanus 
 had been very friendly and kind to him at Massilia, and he 
 felt a debt of gratitude to their father; and this escapade on 
 the part of Ennia, who was as yet scarce sixteen, vexed him 
 exceedingly. He was not sure, indeed, but that he ought to 
 go straight to Norbanus and tell him what had happened, yet 
 he feared that in such a case the anger of the magistrate 
 would be so great that Ennia would be forced by him into 
 becoming one of the vestal virgins, or be shut up in strict 
 imprisonment. Scarce a word was spoken as they passed down 
 the hill and into the streets, now almost deserted. At last 
 Ennia stopped at the entrance used by the slaves to her 
 father's house. 
 
 " Will you give me your promise," he asked, " about going 
 out at night again? I implore you, I beseech you do not again 
 leave the house of your father at night unknown to him. You 
 cannot tell the dangers you run by so doing, or the misery you 
 may bring, not only on yourself, but on your parents." 
 
 " I promise you," Ennia said. " I owe you so great a debt 
 of gratitude that even your harsh words do not anger me. I 
 will think over what you have said, and try to do what may 
 seem to me my duty." 
 
 "That is all I ask," Beric said more gently; and then turning 
 walked away with Boduoc, who had but faintly understood 
 what was being said, but was surprised at the recognition 
 between Beric and this girl, whom he had not particularly 
 noticed when at Massilia. 
 
 " That is Pollio's cousin, the younger daughter of the magis-
 
 240 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 trate I stayed with at Massilia. It was well for her that it was 
 not Pollio who came to her rescue instead of us." 
 
 " I should say so," Boduoc said dryly. " Pollio would 
 scarcely be a match for eight cut-throats." 
 
 " I did not mean that, Boduoc. I meant that he would have 
 rated her soundly." 
 
 "It seemed to me that you were rating her somewhat soundly, 
 Beric. I scarce ever heard you speak so harshly before, and 
 I wondered the more as you are neither kith nor kin to her, 
 while by the heartiness with which you scolded her you might' 
 have been her own brother." 
 
 " I did not think whether I had a right to scold her or not, 
 Boduoc. I liked both the maiden and her sister, and their 
 father was very kind to me. Moreover, after all Pollio has 
 done for us, the least I could do was to look after his cousin. 
 But even if I had known nothing whatever of her or her friends, 
 I should have spoken just as I did. The idea of a young girl 
 like that wandering about at night with no one but an old 
 slave to protect her in an unfrequented quarter of Rome ! It 
 is unheard of." 
 
 "But what were they doing there, Beric?" 
 
 " They were going to a meeting-place of a new religion there 
 is in Rome. The people who belong to it are persecuted and 
 obliged to meet in secret. The old woman belongs to it, and 
 has, I suppose, taught Ennia. I have heard that the sect is 
 spreading, and that although most of those who adhere to it 
 are slaves, or belong to the poorer class, there are many of 
 good family who have also joined it." 
 
 "Well, I should have tlumght," Boduoc said, "that the 
 Romans had no cause to be dissatisfied with their gods. They 
 have given them victory, and dominion, and power, and wealth. 
 What more could they want of them ? I could understand that 
 we, whose god did nothing to assist us in our fight against the 
 Romans, should seek other gods who might do more for us. 
 But that a Roman should have been discontented with his gods 
 is more than I can understand. But what is that sudden flash 
 of light? " 
 
 "It is a fire, and in these narrow streets, with a brisk wind 
 blowing, it may well spread. There, do you hear the watch- 
 men's trumpets giving the alarm? Let us get back quickly,
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 241 
 
 Boduoc. It may be that we shall be all turned out to fight the 
 fire if it spreads." 
 
 They were not far from the school now, and a few minutes' 
 run took them there. The house was quiet, but a few oil 
 lamps burning here and there enabled them to make their way 
 to the broad planks, arranged like a modern guard-bed, on 
 which they slept with their three comrades. 
 
 "Is that you, Eerie 1 ?" Scopus, who slept in a cubicule leading 
 off the great room, asked. 
 
 " Yes it is; Boduoc and I." 
 
 " You are very late," he growled. " Late hours are bad for 
 the health. Are you sober 1 ?' 
 
 Beric laughed. 
 
 "No, I need not ask you," Scopus went on. " If it had been 
 some of the others who had been out so late, I should have 
 been sure they would have come home as drunk as hogs; but 
 that is not your way." 
 
 "There is a fire not very far off, Scopus, and the wind is 
 blowing strongly." 
 
 Scopus was at once on his feet and came out into the room. 
 " I don't like fires," he said uneasily. " Let us go up on the 
 roof and see what it is like." 
 
 Short as the time had been since Beric first saw the flash of 
 light the fire had already spread, and a broad sheet of flame 
 was shooting up into the air. "It is down there in the most 
 crowded quarter, and the wind is blowing strongly. It is 
 likely to be a big fire. Listen to the din." 
 
 A chorus of shouts, the shrieks of women, and the tramp of 
 many feet running, mingled with the sounding of the watch- 
 men's horns. 
 
 " The soldiers will soon be there to keep order," Scopus said. 
 " As every household is obliged to keep a bucket in readiness, 
 and there is an abundance of water; they will cope with it. 
 At any rate the wind is not blowing in this direction. It is 
 half a mile away fully." 
 
 "Can we go down and see if we can be of any assistance?" 
 Beric asked. "We might help in removing goods from the 
 houses, and in carrying off the aged and sick." 
 
 " You can if you like, Beric. I would not say as much for 
 those whc are training hard, for the loss of a night's rest is 
 
 (725) Q
 
 242 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 serious; but as it will be some months before you Britons are 
 ready for the arena, it will do you no harm." 
 
 Beric went below, aroused his countrymen, and went with 
 them and Boduoc. The streets were alive. Men were running 
 in the direction of the fire carrying buckets; women were 
 standing at the doors inquiring of the passers-by if they knew 
 what street was on fire, and whether it was likely to spread. 
 The sound of military trumpets calling the soldiers to arms rose 
 in various parts of the city, and mingled with the hoarse sound 
 of the watchmen's horns. As they approached the fire the 
 crowd became thicker. 
 
 Beric admired the coolness shown and the order that already 
 reigned. The prsefect of the 7th Cohort of the Night Guard, 
 always on duty to guard the streets from thieves or fire, was 
 already on the spot, and under his directions, and those of 
 several inferior officials, the men, as fast as they arrived, were 
 set to pass buckets along from the fountains and conduits. 
 
 "Who are you?" the magistrate asked, as the five tall figures 
 came up the street in the light of the fire. 
 
 "We belong to the school of Scopus," Beric said. "We 
 have come down to see if we can be of assistance. We are 
 strong, and can move goods from houses threatened, or carry 
 off the sick should there be any ; or we can throw water on the 
 flames." 
 
 "The soldiers will do that," the magistrate said, "that is 
 their business; but, as you say, you may be of use in helping 
 clear the houses outside their lines. The flames are spreading. 
 Come with me, I will take you to the centurion commanding 
 a company of the Night Guard here, for if he saw you coming 
 out of the house with goods he might take you for plunderers." 
 
 The centurion, who was hard at work with his men, nodded 
 an assent. 
 
 "It were well to get some more stout fellows like these," 
 he said to the magistrate. " In spite of our efforts the fire is 
 making headway, and the sooner the houses in its path are 
 stripped the better." 
 
 A strong body of volunteers for the work was soon organized, 
 and an official placed in charge of it. All night they worked 
 without intermission, Beric and his comrades keeping together 
 and astonishing those who were working with them by the
 
 ROME IN FLAMES.
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 243 
 
 strength and activity they displayed. But fast as they worked 
 the flames advanced faster. They were half suffocated by 
 smoke, and the sparks fell thickly round them. The workers 
 carried the goods out of the houses into the street, where other 
 parties conveyed them to open spaces. Lines of men down all 
 the streets leading to the scene of the fire passed along buckets 
 of water. These the soldiers carried up on to the roofs, which 
 they deluged, while others wetted the hangings and furniture 
 that had not been removed. 
 
 Parties of troops strove to pull down the houses in the path 
 of the flames, while others again marched up and down pre- 
 serving order. The Night Guard entered the houses, com- 
 pelled all to leave, and saw that none were left behind; while 
 sentries kept guard over the goods piled high in the open spaces. 
 When morning broke, Beric gave up the work to a fresh party 
 and returned with his companions to the school. They found 
 it deserted, save by the slaves, the others having, as they 
 learned, gone to the fire an hour before with Scopus. 
 
 " We will have a bath to get rid of the dust and sweat," 
 Beric said. "But first we will go up to the roof and have 
 a look at the fire. We had no time when we were working to 
 think much of it; but as we were always being driven back 
 by it, it must have spread a good deal." 
 
 An exclamation of surprise broke from them when they 
 gained the roof. Smoke and flames were rising over a large 
 area. A dense canopy overhung the town, a confused din filled 
 the air, while momentarily deep heavy sounds told of falling 
 roofs and walls. 
 
 " This is terrible, Boduoc." 
 
 "Why terrible, Beric ? For my part I should like to see 
 Rome utterly destroyed, as she has destroyed so many other 
 towns." 
 
 " The Romans would build it up again more magnificent than 
 before, Boduoc. No, it would be a misfortune to the world if 
 Rome were destroyed; but there is little chance of that. They 
 have had many fires before now; this is a large one certainly, 
 but by this time all the troops in the city must be there, and if 
 the wind drops they will soon arrest the progress of the flames." 
 
 The other Britons quite agreed with Boduoc, and though 
 ready to -work their hardest to aid in saving the property of
 
 244 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 individuals, they looked on with undisguised satisfaction at the 
 great conflagration. On such a point as this Beric knew that 
 it would be useless to argue with them. 
 
 " You had better come down from the roof, Boduoc. There 
 are others watching the fire besides ourselves; and if it were 
 reported that some of the gladiators from the school were seen 
 making exulting gestures, there would be a popular tumult, 
 and it is as likely as not we should be charged with being 
 the authors of the fire. Let us go down, get some food, and 
 then have a bath and sleep for a while. There is little chance 
 of the fire being checked at present. At any rate, we have 
 done our share of work." 
 
 After a few hours' sleep Beric again went up to the roof. 
 The fire had made great progress, and, as he could see, was not 
 only travelling with the wind, but working up against it. It 
 was already much nearer to the school than it had been. As 
 to the width of the area of the conflagration the smoke pre- 
 vented him from forming any opinion; but he judged that the 
 length was fully a mile. It was evident that the progress of the 
 fire was causing great dismay. Groups were gathered on the 
 house-tops everywhere, while the streets were crowded with 
 fugitives laden with household goods, making their way towards 
 the thinly populated portions of the hills. After eating some 
 bread and fruit, Beric again sallied out with his four companions. 
 On their way down they met Scopus with several of the gladi- 
 ators returning. 
 
 "What is being done, Scopus?" 
 
 "As far as stopping the fire nothing is being done. It has 
 been given up. What can be done when the fire is sweeping 
 along a mile broad, and the heat is so great that there is no 
 standing within a hundred yards of it? All the soldiers are 
 there, and the magistrates and the guards, and all the rest of 
 them, but all that can be done is to prevent the scum of the 
 city from sacking and plundering. Scores of men have been 
 scourged and some beheaded, but it is no easy matter to keep 
 down the mob. There are parties of guards in every street. 
 The whole of the Praetorians are under arms, but the terror and 
 confusion is so great and spread over so wide a space that it is 
 well-nigh impossible to preserve order. Proclamations have just 
 been issued by the senate calling upon all citizens to gather at
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 245 
 
 their places of assembly in arms, enjoining them to preserve 
 order, and authorizing the slaying of all robbers caught in the 
 act of plundering. All persons within a certain distance of the 
 fire are recommended to send their wives and families, with 
 their jewels and all portable wealth, to the public gardens, 
 where strong guards of the Praetorians will be posted." 
 
 " It seems to me that the fire is advancing in this direction 
 also, Scopus." 
 
 " It is spreading everywhere, " Scopus said gloomily. " The 
 heat seems to draw the air in from all directions, and the 
 flames surge sometimes one way and sometimes another. You 
 had better not go far away, Beric; if the flames crawl up much 
 nearer we shall have to prepare for a move. We have no 
 jewels to lose, nor is the furniture of much value, but the 
 arms and armour, our apparatus, clothes, and other things must 
 be carried off." 
 
 The scene as Eerie went forward was pitiful in the extreme. 
 Weeping women carrying heavy burdens and with their chil- 
 dren clinging to their dress came along. Some searched up 
 and down frantically for members of the family who had been 
 lost in the crowd. Old men and women were being helped 
 along by their relations. The sick were being borne past upon 
 doors or the tops of tables. 
 
 Among the fugitives were groups of men from the poorest 
 districts by the river, who were only restrained from snatching 
 at the ornaments and caskets of the women by the presence of 
 the soldiers, standing at short intervals along the street and at 
 the doors of the principal houses. In spite of the vigilance of 
 the guard, however, such thefts occasionally took place, and the 
 screams that from time to time rose in the side streets told of 
 the work of plunder going on there. 
 
 " I should like to turn down here and give a lesson to some 
 of these villains," Boduoc said. 
 
 " I should like nothing better, Boduoc, but it would not do 
 to get into a fray at present. It would only bring up the 
 guard, and they would not be likely to ask many questions as 
 to who was in fault, but would probably assume at once that 
 we, being gladiators, were there for the purpose of robbery, and 
 that the row had arisen over the division of spoil. Look, there 
 is a centurion taking a party of men down the street where we
 
 246 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 heard those screams. Let us move back a few paces and see 
 what is going to happen. Yes, there is another party of 
 soldiers coming in at the other end. The women are running 
 out of the houses to tell their grievances." 
 
 Small parties of soldiers entered the houses. Shouts and 
 yells could be heard even above the surrounding din. Men 
 jumped from windows or ran out into the street only to be cut 
 down by the troops there, and so each body of soldiers con- 
 tinued to advance until they met in the centre of the street, 
 and then, after a few words between the officers, each party 
 returned by the way it had come. They had done their work, 
 and the street had been completely cleared of the plunderers. 
 
 " You see, Boduoc, had we run down there when we heard 
 the cries it would have gone hard with us. The troops cer- 
 tainly spent no time in questioning; the women might have 
 told them, perhaps, that we had come to their assistance; still 
 it is just as well that we kept clear of the matter." 
 
 Beric's party skirted along the fire for some distance. At 
 some points to windward of the flames efforts were still being 
 made to prevent their spread, large numbers of men being 
 employed in pulling down houses under the supervision of the 
 fire guard. Bodies of troops guarded the entrances to all the 
 streets, and kept back the crowd of sight-seers, who had 
 assembled from all parts of the city. Fearing that they might 
 be impressed for the work of demolition, the Britons returned 
 to the school. The familia, as the members of any school of 
 this kind were called, were all assembled. Scopus was walking 
 moodily up and down the gymnasium, but it was evident by 
 the countenances of most of the men that they felt a deep 
 satisfaction at the misfortune that had befallen Rome. From 
 time to time Scopus ascended to the roof, or sent one of the 
 men out to gather news, but it was always to the same effect, 
 the fire was still spreading, and assuming every hour more 
 serious proportions. Towards evening the flames had ap- 
 proached so closely, that Scopus gave orders for the men to 
 take up the bundles that had already been made up, containing 
 everything of any value in the school. 
 
 "You had better not wait any longer," he said; "at any 
 moment there may be orders for all the schools to go down to 
 help the troops, and then we should lose everything."
 
 A CHRISTIAN. 247 
 
 Accordingly the heavy packets were lifted by the men on to 
 their heads or shoulders, and they started for the Palatine, 
 which was the nearest hill. Here were many of the houses of 
 the wealthy, and the owners of most of these had already 
 thrown open their gardens for the use of the fugitives. In one 
 of these the gladiators deposited their goods. Two of the 
 party having been left to guard them the rest went out to 
 view the fire. 
 
 There was little sleep in Some that night It was now 
 evident to all that this was no local conflagration, but that, if 
 the wind continued to blow, it threatened the entire destruc- 
 tion of a considerable portion of the town. Every space and 
 vantage-ground from which a view of the fire could be obtained 
 was crowded with spectators. 
 
 " There were great fires when we destroyed Camalodunum, 
 Verulamium, and London," Boduoc said, " but this is already 
 larger than any of those, and it is ever spreading; even at this 
 distance we can hear the roar of the flames, the crash of the 
 falling houses, and the shouts of the workers." 
 
 "It is a terrible sight, indeed, Boduoc. It looks like a 
 sea of fire. So far the part involved is one of the oldest and 
 poorest in the city, but if it goes on like this the better quarters 
 will soon be threatened. If we get no special orders to-morrow, 
 we will go down to the house of Norbanus and give what help 
 we can in the removal of his goods. His library is a very 
 valuable one, and its loss would be a terrible blow to him. I 
 remember that at Camalodunum there was nothing I regretted 
 so much as the destruction of the books." 
 
 " It is all a matter of taste," Boduoc said. " I would rather 
 have a good suit of armour and arms than all the books in 
 Rome. Why some people should worry their brains to make 
 those little black marks on paper, and others should trouble 
 to make out what they mean, is more than I can understand. 
 However, we shall be glad to help you to carry off the goods 
 of Norbanus."
 
 248 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ROME IN FLAMES. 
 
 ALL night the gladiators watched the ever-widening area of 
 fire. In the morning proclamations were found posted in 
 every street, ordering all citizens to be under arms, as if expect- 
 ing the attack of an enemy; each district was to be patrolled 
 regularly, and all evil-doers found attempting to plunder were 
 to be instantly put to death, the laws being suspended in the 
 face of the common danger. All persons not enrolled in the 
 lists of the city guards were exhorted to lend their aid in 
 transporting goods from the neighbourhood of the fire to a 
 place of safety in the public gardens, and the masters of the 
 schools of gladiators were enjoined to see that their scholars 
 gave their aid in this work 
 
 " Well, we may as well set to work," Scopus said. " There 
 are some of my patrons to whom we may do a good service." 
 
 "Will you let me go with my comrades first to aid Norbanus, 
 a magistrate who has done me service 1 ?" Beric said. "After I 
 have helped to move his things I will join you wherever you 
 may appoint." 
 
 Scopus nodded. "Very well, Beric. I shall go first to the 
 house of Gallus the praetor, he is one of my best friends. After 
 we are done there we will go to the aid of Lysimachus the 
 senator; so, if you don't find us at the house of Gallus, you will 
 find us there." 
 
 Beric at once started with the four Britons to the house 
 where he had left Ennia. It was distant but half a mile from 
 the point the fire had now reached, and from many of the houses 
 round the slaves were already bearing goods. Here, however, 
 all was quiet The door-keeper, knowing Beric, permitted him 
 and his companions to enter without question. Norbanus 
 was already in his study. He looked up as Beric approached 
 him. " Why, it is Beric!" he said in surprise. " I heard that 
 you were in one of the ludi and was coming to see you, but I 
 have been full of business since I came here. I am glad that 
 you have come to visit me."
 
 ROME IN FLAMES. 249 
 
 " It is not a visit of ceremony," Beric said; " it is the fire 
 that has brought me here." 
 
 "Lesbia tells me that it is still blazing," Norbanus said 
 indifferently. " She has been worrying about it all night. I 
 tell her I am not praetor of the fire-guard, and that it does not 
 come within my scope of duty. I went down yesterday after- 
 noon, but the soldiers and citizens are all doing their work 
 under their officers, and doubtless it will soon be extinguished." 
 
 " It is ever growing, Norbanus. It is within half a mile of 
 your house now, and travelling fast." 
 
 " Why, it was treble that distance last night," Norbanus said 
 in surprise. " Think you that there is really danger of its 
 coming this way 1 " 
 
 " Unless a change takes place," Beric said, " it will assuredly 
 be here by noon; even now sparks and burning flakes are falling 
 in the street. The neighbours are already moving, and I would 
 urge you to lose not a moment's time, but summon your slaves, 
 choose all your most valuable goods, and have them carried up 
 to a place of safety. If you come up to the roof you will see 
 for yourself how pressing is the danger." 
 
 Norbanus, still incredulous, ascended the stairs, but directly 
 he looked round he saw that Beric had not exaggerated the 
 state of things. 
 
 " I have brought four of my tribesmen with me," Beric said, 
 " and we are all capable of carrying good loads. There ought 
 to be time to make three journeys at least up to the gardens 
 on the hill, where they will be safe. I should say, let half your 
 slaves aid us in carrying up your library and the valuables 
 that come at once to hand, and then you can direct the others 
 to pack up the goods you prize most so that they shall be ready 
 by our return." 
 
 " That shall be done," Norbanus said, " and I am thankful 
 to you, Beric, for your aid." 
 
 Descending, Norbanus at once gave the orders, and then 
 going up to the women's apartments told Lesbia to bid the 
 female slaves pack at once all the dresses, ornaments, and 
 valuables. The cases containing the books were then brought 
 out into the atrium, and there stacked in five piles. They 
 were then bound together with sacking and cords. 
 
 "But what are you going to do with these great piles'?"
 
 250 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 Norbanus said as he came down from above, where Lrsbio, \\ as 
 ruling at the news that much of their belongings would have 
 to bo abandoned. " Why, each of them is a waggon load." 
 
 " They are largo to look at, but not heavy. At any rate we 
 can carry them. Is there anyone to whom we shall specially 
 take them, or shall we place a guard over them?" 
 
 41 My cousin Lucius, the senator, will, I am sure, take thorn 
 for me. His house is surrounded by gardens, and quite beyond 
 reach of fire. His wife is Lesbia's sister, aiul .Kinilia shall go 
 up \vith you." 
 
 The Britons helped each other up with the huge packets, 
 four slaves with difficulty raising the last and placing it on 
 Beric's head. 
 
 " The weight is nothing now it is up," he said, " though I 
 \\ish it were a solid packet instead of being composed of so 
 many of these book boxes." 
 
 The cases in which the Romans usually kept their books 
 were about the size and shape of hat boxes, but of far stronger 
 make, and each holding from six to ten rolls of vellum. A 
 dozen slaves under the superintendence of the steward, and 
 carrying valuable articles of furniture, followed the Britons, 
 and behind them came ^Emilia, with four or five female slave* 
 carrying on their heads great packages of the ladies' clothing. 
 The house of Lucius was but half a mile away from that of 
 Norbanus. Even among the crowd of frightened men and 
 women hurrying up the hill the sight of the five Britons, 
 with their prodigious burdens created lively astonishment and 
 admiration. 
 
 " Twenty such men as those," one said, " would carry off a 
 senator's villa bodily, if there was room for it in the road." 
 
 "They are the Titans come to life again," another remarked. 
 " It would take six Romans to carry the weight that one of 
 them bears." 
 
 When they neared the villa of Lucius, ^Emilia hurried on 
 ahead with the female slaves, and she was standing at the door 
 with the senator when the Britons approached. The senator 
 uttered an exclamation of astonishment. 
 
 11 Whence have you got these wonderful porters, ^Emilia 1" 
 
 " I know not," the girl said. " We were dressing, when our 
 father called out that we were to hurry and to put our best
 
 ROME IN FLAMES. 251 
 
 garments together, for that we were to depart instantly, as the 
 hre was approaching. For a few minutes there was terrible 
 confusion. The slaves were packing up our things, all talking 
 together, and in an extreme terror. Our mother was terribly 
 upset, and I think she made things worse by giving fresh 
 orders every minute. In the middle of it my father shouted 
 to me to come down at once, and the slaves were to bring down 
 such things as were ready. When I got down I was astonished 
 at seeing these great men quite hidden under the burdens they 
 carried, but I had no time to ask questions. My father said, 
 ' Go with them to my cousin Lucius, and ask him to take in our 
 goods/ and I came." 
 
 By this time the party had reached the house. 
 
 " Follow me," Lucius said, leading the way along the front of 
 the house, and round to the storehouses in its rear. ^Emilia 
 accompanied him. The slaves deposited their burdens on the 
 ground, and then aided the Britons to lower theirs. ^Emilia 
 gave an exclamation of astonishment as Beric turned round 
 
 "Why, it is Beric the Briton!" she exclaimed. 
 
 " You did not recognize me, then 1 " Beric said smiling. 
 
 "I should have done so had I looked at you closely," she 
 said, "in spite of your Roman garb; but what with the crowd, 
 and the smoke, and the fright, I did not think anything about 
 it after my first wonder at seeing you so loaded. Where did 
 you come from so suddenly to our aid? Are these your 
 countrymen? Ennia and I have asked our father almost 
 every day since we came to Rome to go and find you, and 
 bring you to us. He always said he would, but what with his 
 business and his books he was never able to. How good of 
 you to come to our aid ! I am sure the books would never have 
 been saved if it had not been for you, and father would never 
 have got over their loss." 
 
 " I knew where your house was," Beric said, " and was glad 
 to be able to do something in gratitude for your father's kind- 
 ness at Massilia. But I must not lose a moment talking; I hope 
 to make two or three more trips before the fire reaches your 
 house. Your slaves have orders to return with us. Will you 
 tell your steward to guide us back by a less-frequented road 
 than that we came by, and then we can keep together and shall 
 not lose time forcing our way through the crowd."
 
 252 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 By the time they reached the house of Norbanus the slaves 
 left behind had packed up everything of value. 
 
 " I will go up," Norbanus said, " with all the slaves, male 
 and female, if you will remain here to guard the rest of the 
 things till we return. Several parties of ill-favoured-looking 
 men have entered by the door, evidently in the hopes of 
 plunder, but left when they saw we were still here. The ladies' 
 apartments have been completely stripped, and their belong- 
 ings will go up this time, so that there will be no occasion for 
 them to return. If the flames approach too closely before we 
 come back, do not stay, Beric, nor trouble about the goods that 
 remain. I have saved my library and my own manuscripts, 
 which is all I care for. My wife and daughters have saved all 
 their dresses and jewels. All the most valuable of my goods 
 will now be carried up by my slaves, and if the rest is lost it 
 will be no great matter." 
 
 Beric and his companions seated themselves on the carved 
 benches of the atrium and waited quietly. Parties of marauders 
 once or twice entered, for the area of the fire was now so vast 
 that even the troops and armed citizens were unable properly 
 to guard the whole neighbourhood beyond its limits ; but upon 
 seeing these five formidable figures they hastily retired, to look 
 for booty where it could be obtained at less risk. 
 
 The fire was but a few hundred yards away, and clouds of 
 sparks and blazing fragments were falling round the house 
 when Norbanus and his slaves returned. These were sufficient 
 to carry up the remaining parcels of goods without assistance 
 from the Britons, who, however, acted as an escort to them on 
 their way back. Their throats were dry and parched by the 
 hot air, and they were glad of a long draught of the good wine 
 that Lucius had in readiness for their arrival. Beric at first 
 refused other refreshment, being anxious to hasten away to 
 join Scopus, but the senator insisted upon their sitting down to 
 a meal. 
 
 "You do not know when you may eat another," he said; 
 "there will be little food cooked in this part of Rome to-day." 
 
 As Beric saw it was indeed improbable that they would 
 obtain other food if they neglected this opportunity, he and 
 the others sat down and ate a good, though hasty, meal. 
 
 " You will come and see us directly the fire is over," Nor-
 
 ROME IN FLAMES 253 
 
 banus said as they rose to leave. "Remember, I shall not 
 know where to find you, and I have had no time to thank you 
 worthily for the service that you have rendered me. Many of 
 the volumes you have saved were unique, and although my 
 own manuscripts may be of little value to the world, they re- 
 present the labour of many years." 
 
 Hurrying down to the rendezvous Scopus had given him, 
 Beric found that both villas had already been swept away by 
 the fire. He then went up to the spot where their goods were 
 deposited, but the two gladiators in charge said that they had 
 seen nothing whatever of Scopus. 
 
 "Then we will go down and do what we can," Beric said. 
 " Should Scopus return, tell him that we will be here at night- 
 fall." 
 
 For another two days the conflagration raged, spreading 
 wider and wider, and when at last the wind dropped and the fury 
 of the flames abated, more than the half of Eome lay in ashes. 
 Of the fourteen districts of the city three were absolutely 
 destroyed, and in seven others scarce a house had escaped. 
 Nero, who had been absent, reached Rome on the third day of 
 the fire. The accusation that he had caused it to be lighted, 
 brought against him by his enemies years afterwards, was 
 absurd. There had been occasional fires in Rome for centuries, 
 just as there had been in London before the one that destroyed 
 it, and the strong wind that was blowing was responsible for 
 the magnitude of the fire. 
 
 There can, however, be little doubt that the misfortune which 
 appeared so terrible to the citizens was regarded by Nero in a 
 different light. Nero was prouder of being an artist than of 
 being an emperor. Up to this time Rome, although embellished 
 with innumerable temples and palaces, was yet the Rome of the 
 Tarquins. The streets were narrow, and the houses huddled 
 together. Mean cottages stood next to palaces. There was an 
 absence of anything like a general plan. Rome had spread as 
 its population had increased, but it was a collection of houses 
 rather than a capital city. 
 
 Nero saw at once how vast was the opportunity. In place 
 of the rambling tortuous streets and crowded rookeries, a city 
 should rise stately, regular, and well ordered, with broad streets 
 and noble thoroughfares, while in its midst should be a palace
 
 254 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 unequalled in the world, surrounded by gardens, lakes, and 
 parks. There was ample room on the seven hills, and across 
 the Tiber, for all the population, with breathing space for 
 everyone. What glory would there not be to him who thus 
 transformed Rome, and made it a worthy capital of the world ! 
 First, however, the people must be attended to and kept in 
 good-humour, and accordingly orders were at once issued that 
 the gardens of the emperor's palaces should be thrown open, 
 and the fugitives allowed to encamp there. Such magazines as 
 had escaped the fire were thrown open, and food distributed to 
 all, while ships were sent at once to Sicily and Sardinia for 
 large supplies of grain for the multitude. 
 
 While the ruins were still smoking the emperor was engaged 
 with the best architects in Rome in drawing out plans for lay- 
 ing out the new city on a superb scale, and in making prepara- 
 tions for the commencement of work The claims of owners of 
 ground were at once wiped out by an edict saying, that for the 
 public advantage it was necessary that the whole of the ground 
 should be treated as public property, but that on claims being 
 sent in other sites would be given elsewhere. 
 
 Summonses were sent to every town and district of the 
 countries under the Roman sway calling for contributions 
 towards the rebuilding of the capital. So heavy was the drain, 
 and so continuous the exactions to raise the enormous sums 
 required to pay for the rebuilding of the city and the superb 
 palaces for the emperor, that the wealth of the known world 
 scarce sufficed for it, and the Roman Empire was for many 
 years impoverished by the tremendous drain upon its resources. 
 
 The great mass of the Roman population benefited by the 
 fire. There was work for everyone, from the roughest labourer 
 to the most skilled artisan and artist. Crowds of workmen 
 were brought from all parts. Greece sent her most skilful 
 architects and decorators, her sculptors and painters. Money 
 was abundant, and Rome rose again from her ruins with a 
 rapidity which was astonishing. 
 
 The people were housed far better than they had ever 
 been before; the rich had now space and convenience for 
 the construction of their houses, and although most of them 
 had lost the greater portion of their valuables in the fire, they 
 were yet gainers by it. All shared in the pride excited by the
 
 HOME IN FLAMES 255 
 
 new city, with its broad streets and magnificent buildings, and 
 the groans of the provincials, at whose cost it was raised, 
 troubled them not at all. It was true that Nero, in his need 
 for money, seized many of the wealthier citizens, and, upon 
 one pretext or other, put them to death and confiscated their 
 property; but this mattered little to the crowd, and disturbed 
 none save those whose wealth exposed them to the risk of the 
 same fate. 
 
 Beric saw nothing of these things, for upon the very day 
 after the fire died out Scopus started with his scholars to a villa 
 on the Alban Hills that had been placed at his disposal by 
 one of his patrons. There were several other schools in the 
 neighbourhood, as the air of the hills was considered to be far 
 healthier and more strengthening than that of Rome. In 
 spite of the public calamity Nero continued to give games for 
 the amusement of the populace, other rich men followed his 
 example, and the sports of the amphitheatre were carried on 
 on an even more extensive scale than before. 
 
 Scopus took six of his best pupils to the first games that 
 were given after the fire. Four of them returned victorious, 
 two were sorely wounded and defeated. Their lives had, how- 
 ever, been spared, partly on account of their skill and bravery, 
 partly because the emperor was in an excellent humour, and 
 the mass of the spectators, on whom the decision of life or death 
 rested, saw that the signal for mercy would be acceptable to 
 him. 
 
 The Britons greatly preferred their life on the Alban Hills 
 to that in Rome; for, their exercises done, they could wander 
 about without being stared at and commented upon. 
 
 The pure air of the hills was invigorating after that of the 
 great city; and here, too, they met ten of their comrades whose 
 ludi had been all along established on the hills. Plans of 
 escape were sometimes talked over, but though they could not 
 resist the pleasure of discussing them, they all knew that it 
 was hopeless. Though altogether unwatched and free to do as 
 they liked after the work of the day was over, they were as 
 much prisoners as if immured in the strongest dungeons. 
 The arm of Rome stretched everywhere; they would be at 
 once followed and hunted down wherever they went Their 
 height and complexion rendered disguise impossible, and even
 
 256 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 if they reached the mountains of Calabria, or traversed the 
 length of Italy successfully and reached the Alps an almost 
 hopeless prospect they would find none to give them shelter, 
 and would ere long be hunted down. At times they talked 
 of making their way to a seaport, seizing a small craft, and 
 setting sail in her; but none of them knew aught of navigation, 
 and the task of traversing the Mediterranean, passing through 
 the Pillars of Hercules, and navigating the stormy seas be- 
 yond until they reached Britain, would have been impossible 
 for them. 
 
 News came daily from the city, and they heard that Nero 
 had accused the new sect of being the authors of the conflagra- 
 tion, that the most rigid edicts had been issued against them, 
 and that all who refused to abjure their religion were to be 
 sent to the wild beasts in the arena. 
 
 Beric had not seen Norbanus since the day when he had 
 saved his library from the fire; but a few days after they had 
 established themselves in the hills he received a letter from 
 him saying that he had, after much inquiry, learned where 
 Scopus had established his ludus; he greatly regretted Beric 
 had left Rome without his seeing him, and hoped he would 
 call as soon as he returned. His family was already estab- 
 lished in a house near that of Lucius. After that Beric occa- 
 sionally received letters from ^Emilia, who wrote sometimes in 
 her father's name and sometimes in her own. She gave him 
 the gossip of Rome, described the wonderful work that was 
 being done, and sent him letters from Pollio to read. 
 
 One day a letter, instead of coming by the ordinary post, 
 was brought by one of the household slaves. 
 
 " We are all in terrible distress, Beric," she said. " I have 
 told you about the severe persecution that has set in of the 
 Christians. A terrible thing has happened. You know that 
 our old nurse belonged to that sect. She often talked to me 
 about it, but it did not seem to me that what she said could be 
 true; I knew that Ennia, who is graver in her disposition than 
 I am, thought much of it, but I did not think for a moment 
 that she had joined the sect. Two nights ago some spies 
 reported to one of the praetors that some persons, believed to 
 be Christians, were in the habit of assembling one or two 
 nights a week at a lonely house belonging to a freedman. A
 
 ROME IN FLAMES. 257 
 
 guard was set and the house surrounded, and fifty people were 
 found there. Some of them were slaves, some freedmen, some 
 of them belonged to noble families, and among them was 
 Ennia. 
 
 " She had gone accompanied by that wretched old woman. 
 All who had been questioned boldly avowed themselves to be 
 Christians, and they were taken down and thrown into prison. 
 Imagine our alarm in the morning when we found that Ennia 
 was missing from the house, and our terrible grief when, an 
 hour later, a messenger came from the governor of the prison 
 to say that Ennia was in his charge. My father is quite 
 broken down by the blow. He does not seem to care about 
 Ennia having joined the new sect you know it is his 
 opinion that everyone should choose their own religion but he 
 is chiefly grieved at the thought that she should have gone out 
 at night attended only by her nurse, and that she should have 
 done this secretly and without his knowledge. My mother, on 
 the other hand, is most of all shocked that Ennia should have 
 given up the gods of Rome for a religion of slaves, and that, 
 being the daughter of a noble house, she should have consorted 
 with people beneath her. 
 
 "I don't think much of any of these things. Ennia may 
 have done wrong, but that is nothing to me. I only think of 
 her as in terrible danger of her life, for they say that Nero will 
 spare none of the Christians, whether of high or low degree. 
 My father has gone out this morning to see the heads of our 
 family and of those allied to us by kinship, to try to get them 
 to use all their influence to obtain Ennia's pardon. My mother 
 does nothing but bemoan herself on the disgrace that has fallen 
 upon us. I am beside myself with grief, and so, as I can do 
 nothing else, I write to tell you of the trouble that has befallen 
 us. I will write often and tell you the news." 
 
 Beric's first emotion was that of anger that Ennia should, 
 after the promise she had given him, have again gone alone to 
 the Christian gathering. Then he reflected that as he was 
 away from Rome, she was, of course, unable to keep that pro- 
 mise. He had not seen her since that night, for she had passed 
 straight through the atrium with her mother while he was 
 assisting the slaves to take up their burdens. 
 
 He could not help feeling an admiration for her steadfast 
 
 (725) B,
 
 258 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 ness in this new faith that she had taken up. By the side of 
 her livelier sister he had regarded her as a quiet and retiring 
 girl, and was sure that to her these midnight outings by stealth 
 must have been very terrible, and that only from the very 
 strongest sense of duty would she have undertaken them. 
 Now her open avowal of Christianity, when she must have 
 known what were the penalties that the confession entailed, 
 seemed to him heroic. 
 
 " It must be a strange religion that could thus influence a 
 timid girl," he said to himself. "My mother killed herself 
 because she would not survive the disaster that had fallen upon 
 her people and her gods; but her death was deemed by all 
 Britons to be honourable. Besides, my mother was a Briton, 
 strong and firm, and capable of heroic actions. This child is 
 courting a death that all who belong to her will deem most 
 dishonourable. There is nothing of the heroine in her disposi- 
 tion; it can only be her faith in her religion that sustains her. 
 As soon as I return to Rome I will inquire more into it." 
 
 It was now ten months since Beric had entered the school of 
 Scopus. He was nearly twenty years old, and his constant and 
 severe exercises had broadened him and brought him to well- 
 nigh his full strength. Scopus regarded him with pride, for in 
 all the various exercises of the arena he was already ahead of 
 the other gladiators. His activity was as remarkable as his 
 strength, and he was equally formidable with the trident and 
 net as with sword and buckler; while in wrestling and with 
 the csestus none of the others could stand up against him. He 
 had been carefully instructed in the most terrible contest of 
 all, that against wild beasts, for Scopus deemed that, being a 
 captive of rank and importance, he might be selected for such a 
 display. 
 
 A Libyan, who had often hunted the lion in its native wilds, 
 had described to him over and over again the nature of the 
 animal's attack, and the spring with which it hurls itself upon 
 its opponent; and Scopus having obtained a skin of one of the 
 animals killed in the arena, the Libyan had stuffed it with out- 
 stretched paws; and Scopus obtained a balista, by which it 
 was hurled through the air as if in the act of springing. 
 Against this Beric frequently practised. 
 
 "You must remember," the Libyan said, "that the lion is
 
 ROME IN FLAMES. 259 
 
 like a great cat, and as it springs it strikes, so that you must 
 avoid not only its direct spring, but its paws stretched to 
 their full extent as it passes you in the air. You must be as 
 quick as the animal itself, and must not swerve till it is in the 
 air. Then you must leap aside like lightning, and, turning as 
 you leap, be ready to drive your spear through it as it touches 
 the ground. This inert mass, although it may pass through 
 the air as rapidly as the wild beast, but poorly represents the 
 force and fierceness of the lion's spring. We Libyans meet 
 the charge standing closely together, with our spears in ad- 
 vance for it to spring on, and even then it is rarely we kill it 
 without one or two being struck down before it dies. Bulls 
 are thought by some to be more formidable than lions; but 
 as you are quick, you can easily evade their rush. The bears 
 are ugly customers. They seem slow and clumsy, but they 
 are not so, and they are very hard to kill. One blow from 
 their fore-paws will strip off the flesh as readily as the blow 
 of a tiger. They will snap a spear-shaft as easily as if it were a 
 reed. They are all ugly beasts to fight, and more than a fair 
 match for a single man. Better by far fight the most skilled 
 gladiator in the ring than have anything to do with these crea- 
 tures. Yet it is well to know how to meet them, so that if 
 ill-fortune places you in front of them, you may know how to 
 do your best." 
 
 Accounts came almost daily to the hills of the scenes in the 
 arena, and the Romans, accustomed though they were to the 
 fortitude with which the gladiators met the death-stroke, were 
 yet astonished at the undaunted bearing of the Christians old 
 men and girls, slaves and men of noble family, calmly facing 
 death, and even seeming to rejoice in it. 
 
 One evening a slave brought a note from ^Emilia to Beric. 
 It contained but a few words : 
 
 "Our efforts are vain; Ennia is condemned, and will be 
 handed to the lions to-morrow in the arena. We have received 
 orders to be present, as a punishment for not having kept a 
 closer watch over her. I think I shall die." 
 
 Beric went to Scopus at once. 
 
 " You advised me several times to go to the arena, Scopus, 
 in order to learn something from the conflicts. I want to be 
 present to-morrow. For us and Lupus are both to fight."
 
 260 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " I am going myself, Bcric, and will take you with me. I shall 
 start two hours before daybreak, so as to be there in good 
 time. As their lanista I shall enter the arena with them. I 
 cannot take you there, but I know all the attendants, and can 
 arrange for you to be down at the level of the arena. It may 
 not be long before you have to play your part there, and I 
 should like you to get accustomed to the scene, the wall of 
 faces and the roar of applause, for these things are apt to shake 
 the nerves of one unaccustomed to them." 
 
 Beric smiled. " After meeting the Romans twenty times in 
 battle, Scopus, the noise of a crowd would no more affect me 
 than the roar of the wind over the tree-tops. Still I want to 
 see it; and more, I want to see how the people of this new 
 sect face death. British women do not fear to die, and often slay 
 themselves rather than fall into the hands of the Romans, 
 knowing well that they will go straight to the Happy Island 
 and have no more trouble. Are these Christians as brave?" 
 
 Scopus shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, they die bravely 
 enough. But who fears death? Among all the peoples Rome 
 has conquered where has she met with cowards? Everywhere 
 the women are found ready to fall by their husbands' swords 
 rather than become captives; to leap from precipices, or cast 
 themselves into blazing pyres. Is man anywhere lower than 
 the wild beast, who will face his assailants till the last 1 I have 
 seen men of every tribe and people fight in the arena. If con- 
 quered, they raise their hand in order to live to conquer another 
 day; but not once, when the thumbs have been turned down, 
 have I seen one flinch from the fatal stroke." 
 
 "That is true enough," Beric said; "but methinks it is one 
 thing to court death in the hour of defeat, when all your friends 
 have fallen round you, and all hope is lost, and quite another 
 to stand alone and friendless with the eyes of a multitude fixed 
 on you. Still I would see it." 
 
 The next day Beric stood beside Scopus among a group of 
 guards and attendants of the arena at one of the doors leading 
 from it. Above, every seat of the vast circle was crowded 
 with spectators. In the centre of the lower tier sat the 
 emperor; near him were the members of his council and court. 
 The lower tiers round the arena were filled by the senators 
 and equites, with their wives and daughters. Above these were
 
 ROME IN FLAMES. 261 
 
 the seats of officials and others having a right to special seats, 
 and then came, tier above tier to the uppermost seats, the vast 
 concourse of people. When the great door of the arena opened 
 a procession entered, headed by Cneius Spado, the senator at 
 whose expense the games were given. Then, two and two, 
 marched the gladiators who were to take part in it, accompanied 
 by their lanistse or teachers. Scopus, after seeing Beric well 
 placed, had left him to accompany Porus and Lupus. 
 
 The gladiators were variously armed. There were the hop- 
 lomachi, who fought in complete suits of armour; the laquea- 
 tores, who used a noose to catch their adversaries; the retiarii, 
 with their net and trident, and wearing neither armour nor 
 helmet; the mirmillones, armed like the Gauls; the Samni, 
 with oblong shields ; and the Thracians, with round ones. With 
 the exception of the retiarii all wore helmets, and their right 
 arms were covered with armour, the left being protected by 
 the shield. The gladiators saluted the emperor and people, 
 and the procession then left the arena, the first two matched 
 against each other again . entering, each accompanied by his 
 lanista. Both the gladiators were novices, the men who had 
 frequently fought and conquered being reserved for the later 
 contests, as the excitement of the audience became roused. One 
 of the combatants was armed as a Gaul, the other as a Thracian. 
 
 The combat was not a long one. The men fought for a short 
 time cautiously, and then closing exchanged fierce and rapid 
 blows until one fell mortally wounded. A murmur of discon- 
 tent rose from the spectators, there had not been a sufficient 
 exhibition of skill to satisfy them. Eight or ten pairs of gladi- 
 ators fought one after the other, the excitement of the audience 
 rising with each conflict, as men of noted skill now contended. 
 The victors were hailed with shouts of applause, and the van- 
 quished were spared, a proof that the spectators were in a good 
 temper and satisfied with the entertainment. Beric looked on 
 with interest. In the age in which he lived feelings of com- 
 passion scarcely existed. War was the normal state of exis- 
 tence. Tribal wars were of constant occurrence, and the van- 
 quished were either slain or enslaved. Men fought out their 
 private quarrels to the death ; and Beric, being by birth Briton 
 and by education Roman, felt no more compunction at the 
 sight of blood than did either Briton or Roman.
 
 262 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 To him the only unnatural feature in the contest was that 
 there existed neither personal nor tribal hostility between the 
 combatants, and that they fought solely for the amusement of 
 the spectators. Otherwise he was no more moved by the scenes 
 that passed before his eyes than is a Briton of the present day 
 by a friendly boxing match. He was more interested when Porus 
 entered the arena, accompanied by Scopus. He liked Porus, 
 who, although quick and fiery in temper, was good-natured and 
 not given to brawling. He had often practised against him, 
 and knew exactly his strength and skill. He was clever in the 
 management of his net, but failed sometimes from his eagerness 
 to use his trident. He was received with loud applause when 
 he entered, and justified the good opinion of the spectators by 
 defeating his antagonist, who was armed as a Samnite, the 
 spectators expressing their dissatisfaction at the clumsiness of 
 the latter by giving the hostile signal, when the Gaul for the 
 vanquished man belonged to that nationality instead of wait- 
 ing for the approach of Porus, at once stabbed himself with his 
 own sword. 
 
 The last pair to fight were Lupus and one of the Britons. 
 He had not been trained in the school of Scopus, but in one of 
 the other ludi, and as he was the first of those brought over 
 by Suetonius to appear in the arena, he was greeted with accla- 
 mation as loud as those with which Lupus was received. Tall 
 as Lupus was, the Briton far exceeded him in stature, and the 
 interest of the spectators was aroused by the question whether 
 the strength of the new-comer would render him a fair match 
 for the well-known skill of Lupus. A buzz went round the 
 amphitheatre as bets were made on the result. Beric felt a 
 thrill of excitement, for the Briton was one of the youngest 
 and most active of his followers, and had often fought side by 
 side with him against the Romans. 
 
 How well he had been trained Beric knew not, but as he 
 knew that he himself was superior in swordmanship to Lupus, 
 he felt that his countryman's chances of success were good. It 
 was not long, however, before he saw that the teaching the 
 Briton had received had been very inferior to that given at 
 the school of Scopus, and although he twice nearly beat Lupus 
 to the ground by the sheer weight of his blows, the latter thrice 
 wounded him without himself receiving a scratch. Warned,
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 263 
 
 however, of the superior strength of the Briton Lupus still 
 fought cautiously, avoiding his blows, and trying to tire him 
 out. For a long time the conflict continued, then, thinking 
 that his opponent was now weakened by his exertions and by 
 loss of blood, Lupus took the offensive and hotly pressed his 
 antagonist, and presently inflicted a fourth and more severe 
 wound than those previously given. 
 
 A shout rose from the spectators, "Lupus wins!" when the 
 Briton, with a sudden spring, threw himself upon his opponent. 
 Their shields clashed together as they stood breast to breast. 
 Lupus shortened his sword to thrust it in below the Briton's 
 buckler, when the latter smote with the hilt of his sword with 
 all his strength full upon his assailant's helmet, and so tremen- 
 dous was the blow that Lupus fell an inert mass upon the 
 ground, while a tremendous shout rose from the audience at 
 this unexpected termination of the contest. Scopus leaned 
 over the fallen man. He was insensible but breathed, being 
 simply stunned by the weight of the blow. Scopus held up his 
 own hand, and the unanimous upturning of the thumbs showed 
 that the spectators were well satisfied with the skill and cour- 
 age with which Lupus had fought. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 'THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 
 
 AFTEE the contest in which Lupus had been defeated there 
 was a pause. The gladiatorial part of the show was 
 now over, but there was greater excitement still awaiting the 
 audience, for they knew Nero had ordered that some of the 
 Christians were to be given to the lions. There was a hush of 
 expectation as the door was opened, and a procession, consist- 
 ing of a priest of Jupiter and several attendants of the temple, 
 followed by four guards conducting an elderly man with his 
 two sons, lads of seventeen or eighteen, entered. They made 
 their way across the arena and stopped before the emperor.
 
 264 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 The priest approached the prisoners, holding out a small image 
 of the god, and offered them their lives if they would pay the 
 customary honours to it. 
 
 All refused. They were then conducted back to the centre 
 of the arena, and the rest, leaving them there, filed out through 
 the door. The old man laid his hands on the shoulders of his 
 sons and began singing a hymn, in which they both joined. 
 Their voices rose loud and clear in the silence of the amphi- 
 theatre, and there was neither pause nor waver in the tone as 
 the entrance to one of the cages at the other end of the arena 
 was opened, and a lion and a lioness appeared. The animals 
 stood hesitating as they looked round at the sea of faces, then, 
 encouraged by the silence, they stepped out, and side by side 
 made the circuit of the arena, stopping and uttering a loud roar 
 as they came upon the track along which the bleeding bodies 
 of those who had fallen had been dragged. When they had 
 completed the circle they again paused, and now for the first 
 time turned their attention to the three figures standing in its 
 centre. For a minute they stood irresolute, and then couching 
 low crawled towards them. 
 
 Beric turned his head. He could view without emotion a 
 contest of armed men, but he could not, like the population of 
 Eome, see unarmed and unresisting men pulled down by wild 
 beasts. There was a dead stillness in the crowded amphi- 
 theatre, then there was a low sound as of a gasping breath. 
 One voice alone continued the hymn, and soon that too ceased 
 suddenly. The tragedy was over, and the buzz of conversation 
 and comment again broke out among the spectators. Certainly 
 these Christians knew how to die. They were bad citizens, 
 they had doubtless assisted to burn Home, but they knew how 
 to die. 
 
 A strong body of guards provided with torches now entered. 
 The lions were driven back to their dens, the bodies being 
 left lying where they had fallen. Four batches of prisoners 
 who were brought out one after another met with a similar 
 fate. Then there was another pause. It was known that a 
 girl of noble family was to be the last victim, and all eyes were 
 turned to Norbanus, who, with his wife and Emilia, sat in the 
 front row near Nero, with two Praetorian guards standing 
 beside them. Norbanus was deadly pale, but the pride of
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 265 
 
 noble blood, the stoicism of the philosopher, and the knowledge 
 of his own utter helplessness combined to prevent his showing 
 any other sign of emotion. Lesbia sat upright and immovable 
 beside him, pale but haughty, as she would have met death 
 herself. She was not one to show her emotion before the gaze 
 of the common people. 
 
 ./Emilia, half insensible, would have fallen had not the guard 
 beside her supported her. She had seen nothing of what had 
 passed in the arena, but had sat frozen with horror beside her 
 mother. Again the doors opened, a priest of Diana, followed 
 by a procession of white-robed attendants, and six virgins from 
 the temple of Diana, entered, followed by Ennia between the 
 attendants of the temple, while a band of lictors brought up the 
 rear. Even the hardened hearts of the spectators were moved 
 by the youth and beauty of the young girl, who, dressed in 
 white, advanced calmly between her guards, with a gentle 
 modest expression on her features. When the procession formed 
 up before the emperor, she saluted him. The priest and the 
 virgins surrounded her, and urged her to pay reverence to the 
 statue of Diana. 
 
 Pointing to her parents, they implored her for their sake to 
 recant. Pale as death, and with tears streaming down her 
 cheeks, she shook her head quietly. " I cannot deny the Lord 
 who died for me," she said. Nero himself rose from his seat. 
 " Maiden," he said, " if not for your own sake, for the sake of 
 those who love you, I pray you to cease from your obstinacy. 
 How can a child like you know more than the wisest heads 
 of Rome? How can you deny the gods who have protected 
 and given victory to your country 1 ? I would fain spare you." 
 
 "I am but a child, as you say, Csesar," Ennia replied. "I 
 have no strength of my own, but I am strong in the strength 
 of Him I worship. He gave His life for me it is not much 
 that I should give mine for Him." 
 
 Nero sank back on his seat with an angry wave of his hand. 
 He saw that the sympathy of the audience was with the 
 prisoner, and would willingly have gained their approval by 
 extending his clemency towards her. The procession now 
 returned to the centre of the arena, where the girls, weeping, 
 took leave of Ennia, who soon stood alone a slight helpless 
 figure in the sight of the great silent multitude. Nero had
 
 266 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 spoken in a low tone to one of his attendants. The door of 
 another cage was opened, and a lion, larger in bulk than any 
 that had previously appeared, entered the arena, saluting the 
 audience with a deep roar. As it did so a tall figure, naked 
 to the waist, sprang forward from the group of attendants 
 behind a strong barrier at the other end of the arena. He was 
 armed only with a sword which he had snatched from a soldier 
 standing next to him. Deep murmurs of surprise rose from 
 the spectators. The master of the ceremonies exchanged a 
 few words with the emperor, and a body of men with torches 
 and trumpets ran forward and drove the lion back into its den. 
 Then Beric, who had been standing in front of Ennia, advanced 
 towards the emperor. 
 
 "Who are you?" Nero asked. 
 
 " I am Beric, once chief of the Iceni, now a British captive. 
 I received great kindness on my way hither from Norbanus, 
 the father of this. maid. As we Britons are not ungrateful 
 I am ready to defend her to the death, and I crave as a boon, 
 Caesar, that you will permit me to battle against the lion with 
 such arms as you may decide." 
 
 "Are you a Christian?" the emperor asked coldly. 
 
 " I am not. I am of the religion of my nation, and Rome 
 has always permitted the people that have been subdued to 
 worship in their own fashion. I know nought of the Christian 
 doctrines, but I know that this damsel at least can have had 
 nought to do with the burning of Rome, and that though she 
 may have forsaken the gods of Rome, in this only can she 
 have offended. I pray you, and I pray this assembly, to let 
 me stand as her champion against the beasts." 
 
 A burst of applause rose from the spectators. This was a 
 novelty, and an excitement beyond what they had bargained 
 for. They had been moved by the youth of the victim, and 
 now the prospects of something even more exciting than the 
 rending to pieces of a defenceless girl enlisted them in favour 
 of the applicant. Moreover the Romans intensely admired 
 feats of bravery, and that this captive should offer to face 
 single-handed an animal that was known to be one of the 
 most powerful of those in the amphitheatre filled them with 
 admiration. Accustomed as they were to gaze at athletes, they 
 were struck with the physique and strength of this young
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 267 
 
 Briton, with the muscles standing up massive and knotted 
 through the white skin. 
 
 "Granted, granted!" they shouted; "let him fight." 
 
 Nero waited till the acclamation ceased, and then said: "The 
 people have spoken, let their will be done. But we must not 
 be unfair to the lion; as the maiden was unarmed so shall you 
 stand unarmed before the lion." 
 
 The decision was received in silence by the spectators. It 
 was a sentence of death to the young Briton, and the silence 
 was succeeded by a low murmur of disapproval. Beric turned 
 a little pale, but he showed no other sign of emotion. 
 
 " Thanks, Csesar, for so much of a boon," he said in a loud, 
 steady voice; "I accept the conditions, it being understood that 
 should the gods of my country, and of this maiden, defend me 
 against the lion, the damsel shall be free from all pain and 
 penalty, and shall be restored to her parents." 
 
 " That is understood," Nero replied. 
 
 With an inclination of his head to the emperor and a wave of 
 his hand to the audience in general, Beric turned and walked 
 across the arena to the barrier. Scopus was standing there. 
 
 "You are mad, Beric. I grieve for you. You were my 
 favourite pupil, and I looked for great things from you, and 
 now it has come to this, and all is over." 
 
 "All is not quite over yet, Scopus. I will try to do credit 
 to your training; give me my cloak. He wrapped himself in 
 its ample folds, and then walked quietly back to the centre of 
 the arena. A murmur of surprise rose from the spectators. 
 Why should the Briton cumber his limbs with this garment? 
 
 On reaching his position Beric again threw off the cloak, and 
 stood in the short skirt reaching scarce to the knees. " I am 
 unarmed," he cried in a loud voice. " You see I have not as 
 much as a dagger." Then he tore off two broad strips from the 
 edge of the garment and twisted them into ropes, forming a 
 running noose in each, threw the cloak, which was composed of 
 the stout cloth used by the common people, over his arm, and 
 signed to the attendants at the cage to open the door. 
 
 " Oh, Beric, why have you thrown away your life in a useless 
 attempt to save mine?" Ennia said as he stood before her. 
 
 " It may not be useless, Ennia. My god has protected me 
 through many dangers, and your God will surely assist me now.
 
 268 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Do you pray to him for aid." Then as the door of the den 
 opened he stepped a few paces towards it. A roar of applause 
 rose from the vast audience. They had appreciated his action 
 in making the ropes, and guessed that he meant to use his cloak 
 as a retiarius used his net; there would then be a contest and 
 not a massacre. Enraged at its former treatment the lion 
 dashed out of its den with a sudden spring, made three or four 
 leaps forward, and then paused with its eyes fixed on the man 
 standing in front of it, still and immovable, in an easy pose, 
 ready for instant action. Then it sank till its belly nearly 
 touched the ground, and began to crawl with a stealthy glid- 
 ing motion towards him. More and more slowly it went, till 
 it paused at a distance of some ten yards. 
 
 For a few seconds it crouched motionless, save for a slow 
 waving motion of its tail; then with a sharp roar it sprang 
 through the air. With a motion as quick Beric leaped aside, 
 and as it touched the ground he sprang across its loins, at the 
 same moment wrapping his cloak in many folds round its 
 head, arid knotting the ends tightly. Then as the lion, recover- 
 ing from its first surprise, sprang to its feet with a roar of 
 anger and disgust, Beric was on his feet beside it. 
 
 For a moment it strove to tear away the strange substance 
 which enveloped its head, but Beric dropped the end of a noose 
 over one of its fore-paws, drew it tight, and with a sudden 
 pull jerked the animal over on to its back. As it sprang up 
 again the other fore-paw was noosed, and it was again thrown 
 over. This time, as it sprang to its feet, Beric struck it a 
 tremendous blow on the nose. The unexpected assault for a 
 moment brought it down, but mad with rage it sprang up and 
 struck out in all directions at its invisible foe, leaping and 
 bounding hither and thither. Beric easily avoided the onslaught, 
 and taking every opportunity struck it three or four times with 
 all his force on the ear, each time rolling it over and over. The 
 last of these blows seemed almost to stun it, and it lay for a 
 moment immovable. 
 
 Again Beric leaped upon it, coming down astride of its loins 
 with all his weight, and seizing at once the two ropes. The lion 
 uttered a roar of dismay and pain, and struck at him first with 
 one paw and then with the other. By his coolness and quick- 
 ness, however, he escaped all the blows, and then, when the
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 269 
 
 lion seemed exhausted, he jerked tightly the cords, twisting 
 them behind the lion's back and with rapid turns fastening them 
 together. The lion was helpless now. Had Beric attempted to 
 pull the cords in any other position it would have snapped them 
 like pack-thread, but in this position it had no strength, the 
 pads of the feet being fastened together and the limbs almost 
 dislocated. As the animal rolled over and over uttering roars 
 of vain fury, Beric snatched the cloth from its head, tore off 
 another strip, twisted it, and without difficulty bound its hind- 
 legs together. Then he again wrapped it round the lion's head, 
 and standing up bowed to the spectators. 
 
 A mighty shout shook the building. Never had such a feat 
 been seen in the arena before, and men and women alike stand- 
 ing up waved their hands with frantic enthusiasm. Beric had 
 not escaped altogether unhurt, for as the lion struck out at 
 him it had torn away a piece of flesh from his side, and the 
 blood was streaming down over his white skirt. Then he went 
 up to Ennia, who was standing with closed eyes and hands 
 clasped in prayer. She had seen nothing of the conflict, and 
 had believed that Beric's death and her own were inevitable. 
 
 "Ennia," he said, "our gods have saved me; the lion is help- 
 less." Then she sank down insensible. He raised her on his 
 shoulder, walked across the arena, passed the barrier, and, 
 ascending the steps, walked along before the first row of spec- 
 tators and handed her over to her mother. Then he descended 
 again, and bowed deeply, first to the emperor and then to the 
 still shouting people. 
 
 The giver of the games advanced and placed on his head a 
 crown of bay leaves, and handed to him a heavy purse of gold, 
 which Beric placed in his girdle, and, again saluting the audience, 
 rejoined Scopus, who was in a state of enthusiastic delight at 
 the prowess of his pupil. 
 
 " You have proved yourself the first gladiator in Rome," he 
 said. "Henceforth the school of Scopus is ahead of all its 
 rivals. Now we must get your side dressed. Another inch or 
 two, Beric, and the conflict would not have ended as it did." 
 
 " Yes, if the lion had not been in such a hurry to strike, and 
 had stretched its paw to the fullest, it would have fared badly 
 with me," Beric said ; " but it was out of breath and spiteful, and 
 had not recovered from the blow and from the shock of my
 
 270 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 jumping on it, which must have pretty nearly broken its back. 
 I knew it was a risk, but it was my only chance of getting its 
 paws in that position, and in no other would my ropes have 
 been strong enough to hold them." 
 
 "But how came you to think of fighting in that way 1 ?" 
 Scopus asked, after the leech, who was always in attendance to 
 dress the wounds of the gladiators, had bandaged up his side. 
 
 " I never expected to have to fight the beasts unarmed," 
 Beric said, " but I had sometimes thought what should be done 
 in such a case, and I thought that if one could but wrap one's 
 cloak round a lion's head the beast would be at one's mercy. 
 Had I had but a csestus I could have beaten its skull in, but 
 without that I saw that the only plan was to noose its limbs. 
 Surely a man ought to be able to overcome a blinded beast." 
 
 " I would not try it for all the gold in Rome, Beric, even 
 now that I have seen you do it. Did you mark Caesar 1 There 
 is no one appreciates valiant deeds more than he does. At 
 first his countenance was cold I marked him narrowly but 
 he half rose to his feet and his countenance changed when you 
 first threw yourself on the lion, and none applauded more 
 warmly than he did when your victory was gained. Listen to 
 them; they are shouting for you again. You must go. Never 
 before did I know them to linger after a show was over. They 
 will give you presents." 
 
 " I care not for them," Beric said. 
 
 " You must take them," Scopus said, " or you will undo the 
 favourable impression you have made, which will be useful to 
 you should you ever enter the arena again and be conquered. 
 Go, go!" 
 
 Beric again entered the arena, and the attendants led him up 
 to the emperor, who presented him with a gold bracelet, saying: 
 
 "I will speak to you again, Beric. I had wondered that 
 you and your people should have resisted Suetonius so long, 
 but I wonder no longer." 
 
 Then Beric was led round the arena. Ladies threw down 
 rings and bracelets to him. These were gathered up by the 
 attendants and handed to him as he bowed to the givers. 
 Norbanus, his wife, and daughter had already left their seats, 
 surrounded by friends congratulating them, and bearing with 
 them the still insensible girl. Having made the tour of the
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 271 
 
 arena Beric again saluted the audience and retired. One of the 
 imperial attendants met them as they left the building. 
 
 " The emperor bids me say, Scopus, that when Beric is re- 
 covered from his wound he is to attend at the palace." 
 
 " I thought the emperor meant well towards you," Scopus 
 said. " You will in any case fight no more in the arena." 
 
 "How is that?" Beric asked in surprise. 
 
 'Did you not hear the shouts of the people the last time 
 you entered, Beric?" 
 
 " I heard a great confused roar, but in truth I was feeling 
 somewhat faint from loss of blood, and did not catch any par- 
 ticular sounds." 
 
 " They shouted that you were free from the arena hence- 
 forth. It is their custom when a gladiator greatly distin- 
 guishes himself to declare him free, though I have never 
 known one before freed on his first appearance. The rule is 
 that a gladiator remains for two years in the ring, but that period 
 is shortened should the people deem that he has earned his life 
 by his courage and skill. For a moment I was sorry when I 
 heard it, but perhaps it is better as it is. Did you remain for 
 two years, and fight and conquer at every show, you could 
 gain no more honour than you have done. Now I will get a 
 lectica and have you carried out to the hills. You are not fit 
 to walk." 
 
 They were joined outside by Porus and Lupus. The former 
 was warm in his congratulation. 
 
 "By the gods, Beric, though I knew well that you would 
 gain a great triumph in the arena when your time came, I nevei 
 thought to see you thus fighting with the beasts unarmed. 
 Why, Milo himself was not stronger, and he won thirteen 
 times at the Olympian and Pythian games. He would have 
 won more, but no one would venture to enter against him. 
 Why, were you to go on practising for another five years, you 
 would be as strong as he was, and as you are as skilful as you 
 are strong it would go hard with any that met you. I con- 
 gratulated myself, I can tell you, when I heard the people shout 
 that you were free of the arena, for if by any chance we had 
 been drawn against each other, I might as well have laid down 
 my net and asked you to finish me at once without trouble." 
 
 "It was but a happy thought, Porus: if a man could be
 
 272 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 caught in a net, why not a lion blinded in a cloak? That 
 once done the rest was easy." 
 
 "Well, I don't want any easy jobs of that sort," Porus said. 
 "But let us go into a wine-shop; a glass will bring the colour 
 again to your cheeks." 
 
 " No, no, Porus," Scopus said. " Do you and Lupus drink, 
 and I will drink with you, but no wine for Beric. I will get 
 him a cup of hot ass's milk; that will give him strength with- 
 out fevering his blood. Here is a place where they sell it. I 
 will go in with him first, and then join you there; but take not 
 too much. You have a long walk back, and I guess, Lupus, 
 that your head already hums from the blow that Briton gave it. 
 By Bacchus, these Britons are fine men! I thought you had 
 got an easy thing of it, when boom ! and there you were stretched 
 out like a dead man." 
 
 "It was a trick," Lupus said angrily, "a base trick." 
 
 "Not at all," Scopus replied. "You fought as if in war; 
 and in war if you had an opponent at close quarters, and could 
 not use your sword's point, you would strike him down with 
 the hilt if you could. As I have told you over and over again, 
 you are a good swordsman, but you don't know everything yet 
 by a long way, and you are so conceited that you never will. I 
 hoped that drubbing Beric gave you a few days after he joined 
 us would have done you good, but I don't see that it has. 
 There are some men who never seem to learn. If it had not 
 been for you our ludus would have triumphed all round to-day; 
 but when one sees a man we put forward as one of our best 
 swordsmen defeated by a raw Briton, people may well say, 
 ' Scopus has got one or two good men ; there is Beric, he is 
 a marvel; and Porus is good with the net; but as for the rest, 
 I don't value them a straw.'" 
 
 The enraged gladiator sprang upon Scopus, but the latter 
 seized him by the waist and hurled him down with such force 
 that he was unable to rise until Porus assisted him to his feet. 
 As to Scopus, he paid him no farther attention, but putting his 
 hand on Beric's shoulder led him into the shop. A long draught 
 of hot milk did wonders for Beric, and he proposed walking, 
 but Scopus would not hear of it. 
 
 " Sit down here for five minutes," he said, " till I have a cup 
 of wine with the others. I should think Lupus must need it
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 273 
 
 pretty badly, what with the knock on the head and the tumble 
 I have just given him. I am not sorry that he was beaten by 
 your countryman, for since he has had the luck to win two or 
 three times in the arena, his head has been quite turned. He 
 would never have dared to lay his hand on me had he not been 
 half mad, for he knows well enough that I could strangle him 
 with one hand. The worst of him is, that the fellow bears 
 malice. He has never forgiven you the thrashing you adminis- 
 tered to him. Now I suppose he will be sulky for weeks; but 
 if he does it will be worse for him, for I will cut off his wine, 
 and that will soon bring him to his senses." 
 
 Scopus had gone but a few minutes when he returned with 
 a lectica, which was a sort of palanquin, carried by four stout 
 countrymen. 
 
 "Keally, Scopus, it is ridiculous that I should be carried 
 along the streets like a woman." 
 
 " Men are carried as well as women, Beric, and as you are 
 a wounded man you have a double right to be carried. Here 
 is a bag with all those ornaments you got. It is quite heavy to 
 lift." 
 
 The bearers protested loudly at the weight of their burden 
 when they lifted the lectica, but the promise of a little extra 
 pay silenced their complaints. They were scarcely beyond the 
 city when Beric, who was weaker from loss of blood than he 
 imagined, dozed off to sleep, and did not wake till the lectica was 
 set down in the atrium of the house on the Alban Hills. 
 
 Next morning he was extremely stiff, and found himself 
 obliged to continue on his couch. 
 
 " It is of no use your trying to get up," Scopus said; "the 
 muscles of your flank are badly torn, and you must remain 
 quiet." 
 
 An hour later a rheda or four-wheeled carriage drove up to 
 the door, and in another minute Norbanus entered Beric's 
 cubicle. There were tears in his eyes as he held out both hands 
 to him. " Ah, my friend," he said, " how happy you must be 
 in the happiness you caused to us ! Who could have thought, 
 when I entertained, as a passing guest, the friend of Pollio, 
 that he would be the saviour of my family 1 ? You must have 
 thought poorly of us yesterday that I was not at the exit from 
 the amphitheatre to meet and thank you. But I hurried home 
 
 ,' 725 ) t>
 
 274 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 with Ennia, and having left her in charge of her mother and 
 sister came back to find you, but you had left, and I could 
 learn no news of you. I searched for some time, and then 
 guessing that you had been brought home by Scopus, I went 
 back to the child, who is sorely ill. I fear that the strain has 
 been too much for her, and that we shall lose her. But how 
 different from what it would have been ! To die is the lot of 
 us all, and though I shall mourn my child, it will be a different 
 thing indeed from seeing her torn to pieces before my eyes by 
 the lion. She has recovered from her faint, but she lies still 
 and quiet, and scarce seems to hear what is said to her. Her 
 eyes are open, she has a happy smile on her lips, and I be- 
 lieve that she is well content now that she has done what she 
 deems her duty to her God. She smiled when I told her this 
 morning that I was coming over to see you, and said in a 
 whisper, 'I shall see him again, father.'" 
 
 "Would she like to see me now 1 ?" Beric said, making an 
 effort to rise. 
 
 "No, not now, Beric. I don't think somehow that she 
 meant that. The leech said that she must be kept perfectly 
 quiet; but I will send a slave with a letter to you daily. Oh, 
 what a day was yesterday! The woes of a lifetime seemed 
 centred in an hour. I know not how I lived as I sat there and 
 waited for the fatal moment. All the blood in my veins seemed 
 to freeze up as she was left alone in the arena. A mist came 
 over my eyes. I tried to close them, but could not. I saw 
 nothing of the amphitheatre, nothing of the spectators, nothing 
 but her, till, at the sudden shout from the crowd, I roused 
 myself with a start. When I saw you beside her I thought at 
 first that I dreamed; but ^Emilia suddenly clasped my arm 
 and said, 'It is Beric!' Then I hoped something, I know not 
 what, until Nero said that you must meet the lion unarmed. 
 
 " Then I thought all was over that two victims were to die 
 instead of one. I tried to rise to cry to you to go, for that 
 I would die by Ennia, but my limbs refused to support me; 
 and though I tried to shout I did but whisper. What followed 
 was too quick for me to mark. I saw the beast spring at you; 
 I saw a confused struggle; but not until I saw you rise and 
 bow, while the lion rolled over and over, bound and helpless, 
 did I realize that what seemed impossible had indeed come to
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 275 
 
 pass, and that you, unarmed and alone, had truly vanquished 
 the terrible beast. 
 
 " I hear that all Home is talking of nothing else. My friends, 
 who poured in all the evening to congratulate us, told me so, 
 and that no such feat had ever been seen in the arena." 
 
 " It does not seem much to me, Norbanus," Beric said. " It 
 needed only some coolness and strength, though truly I myself 
 doubted, when Nero gave the order to fight without weapons, if 
 it could be done. I cannot but think that Ennia's God and 
 mine aided me." 
 
 " It is strange," Norbanus said, " that one so young and weak 
 as Ennia should have shown no fear, and that the other 
 Christians should all have met their fate with so wonderful a 
 calm. As you know, I have thought that all religions were 
 alike, each tribe and nation having its own. But methinks 
 there must be something more in this when its votaries are ready 
 so to die for it." 
 
 " Do not linger with me," Beric said. " You must be long- 
 ing to be with your child. Pray, go at once. She must be 
 glad to have you by her, even if she says little. I thank you 
 for your promise to send news to me daily. If she should 
 express any desire to see me, I will get Scopus to provide a 
 vehicle to carry me to Rome; but in a few days I hope to be 
 about." 
 
 " Your first visit must be to Caesar, when you are well enough 
 to walk," Norbanus said. " They tell me he bade you come 
 to see him, and he would be jealous did he know that he was 
 not the first in your thoughts." 
 
 Norbanus returned to Rome, and each day a letter came to 
 Beric. The news was always the same; there was no change 
 in Ennia's condition. 
 
 Beric's wound healed rapidly. Hard work and simple living 
 had so toughened his frame that a wound that might have been 
 serious affected him only locally, and mended with surprising 
 rapidity. In a week he was up and about, and three days later 
 he felt well enough to go to Rome. 
 
 "You would have been better for a few days more rest," 
 Scopus said, " but Nero is not fond of being kept waiting; and 
 if he really wishes to see you it would be well that you present 
 yourself as soon as possible."
 
 276 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "I care nothing for Nero," Beric said; "but I should be 
 glad, for the sake of Norbanus, to see his daughter. It may be 
 that my presence might rouse her and do her good. I want none 
 of Nero's favours; they are dangerous at the best. His liking 
 is fatal. He has now murdered Britannicus, his wife Octavia, 
 and his mother Agrippina. He has banished Seneca, and every 
 other adviser he had he has either executed or driven into 
 exile." 
 
 "That is all true enough, Beric, though it is better not 
 said. Still, you must remember you have no choice. There 
 is no thwarting Nero; if he designs to bestow favours upon 
 you, you must accept them. I agree with you that they are 
 dangerous; but you know how to guard yourself. A man who 
 has fought a lion with naked hands may well manage to escape 
 even the clutches of Nero. He has struck down the greatest 
 and richest; but it is easier for one who is neither great nor rich 
 to escape. At any rate, Beric, I have a faith in your fortune. 
 You have gone through so much, that I think surely some god 
 protects you. By the way, what are you going to do with 
 that basketful of women's ornaments that I have locked up in 
 my coffer?" 
 
 "I thought no more about them, Scopus.'' 
 
 " I should advise you to sell them. In themselves they are 
 useless to you. But once turned into money they may some 
 day stand you in good stead. They are worth a large sum, I 
 can tell you, and I don't care about keeping them here. None 
 of my school are condemned malefactors. I would never take 
 such men, even to please the wealthiest patron. But there 
 is no use in placing temptation before any, and Porus and 
 Lupus will have told how the Roman ladies flung their 
 bracelets to you. I will take them down to a goldsmith who 
 works for some of my patrons, and get him to value them, if 
 you will." 
 
 " Thank you, Scopus, I shall be glad to get rid of them. 
 How would you dress for waiting on Caesar 1 ?" 
 
 " I have been thinking it over," Scopus said. " I should say 
 well, and yet not too well. You are a free man, for although 
 Nero disposed of you as if you had been slaves, you were not 
 enslaved nor did you bear the mark of slavery, therefore you 
 have always dressed like a free man. Again, you are a chief
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 277 
 
 among your own people; therefore, as I say, I should dress 
 well but quietly. Nero has many freedmen about him, and 
 though some of these provoke derision by vying with the 
 wealthiest, this I know would never be done by you, even did 
 you bask in the favour of Nero. A white tunic and a psenula 
 of fine white cloth or a lacerna, both being long and ample so 
 as to fall in becoming folds, would be the best. As I shall ride 
 into Kome with you, you can there get one before going to see 
 Nero." 
 
 On arriving at Kome Beric was soon fitted with a cloak of 
 fine white stuff, the folds of which showed off his figure to ad- 
 vantage. Scopus accompanied him to Nero's palace. 
 
 " I know several of his attendants," he said, " and can get 
 you passed in to the emperor, which will save you waiting hours, 
 perhaps, before you can obtain an audience." 
 
 Taking him through numerous courts and along many 
 passages they reached a chamber where several officials of the 
 palace were walking and talking, waiting in readiness should 
 they be required by Nero. Scopus went up to one with whom 
 he was well acquainted. After the usual greetings he explained 
 to him that he had, in accordance with Nero's order, brought 
 the young Briton, Beric, who had conquered the lion in the 
 arena, and begged him to ask the emperor whether he would 
 choose to give him audience at present. 
 
 " I will acquaint his chief chamberlain at once, Scopus, and 
 will ask him, for your sake, to choose his moment for telling 
 Nero. It may make a great difference in the fortunes of the 
 young man whether Caesar is in a good temper or not when 
 he receives him. It is not often at present that he is in bad 
 humour. Since the fire his mind has been filled with great 
 ideas, and he thinks of little but making the city in all respects 
 magnificent, and as he loves art in every way this is a high 
 delight to him; therefore, unless aught has gone wrong with 
 him, he will be found accessible. I will go to the chamberlain 
 at once, my Scopus." 
 
 It was half an hour before he returned. " The chamberlain 
 said that there could not be a better time for your gladiator to 
 see Ca3sar, and therefore he has spoken to him at once, and 
 Nero has ordered the Briton to be brought to him. These 
 two officials will conduct him at once to his presence."
 
 278 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Beric was taken in charge by the two ushers, and was led 
 along several passages, in each of which a guard was on duty, 
 until they reached a massive door. Here two soldiers were 
 stationed. The ushers knocked. Another official presented 
 himself at the door, and, beckoning to Beric to follow him, 
 pushed aside some rich hangings heavy with gold embroidery. 
 They were now in a small apartment, the walls of which were 
 of the purest white marble, and the furniture completely covered 
 with gold. Crossing this he drew another set of hangings 
 aside, entered with Beric, bowed deeply, and saying, " This is 
 the Briton, Csesar," retired, leaving Beric standing before the 
 emperor. 
 
 The apartment was of moderate size, exquisitely decorated 
 in Greek fashion. One end was open to a garden, where plants 
 and shrubs of the most graceful foliage, brought from many 
 parts of the world, threw a delicious shade. Statues of white 
 marble gleamed among them, and fountains of perfumed waters 
 filled the air with sweet odours. Nero sat in a simple white 
 tunic upon a couch, while a black slave, of stature rivalling that 
 of Beric, kneeled in front of him holding out a great sheet of 
 parchment with designs of some of the decorations of his new 
 palace. Nero waved his hand, and the slave, rolling up the 
 parchment, took his stand behind the emperor's couch. The 
 latter looked long and steadily at him before speaking, as if 
 to read his disposition. 
 
 "Beric," he said, "I have seen you risk your life for one 
 who was but little to you, for I have spoken to Norbanus, and 
 have learned from him the nature of your acquaintance with 
 him, and found that you have seen but little of this young 
 maiden for whom you were ready to risk what seemed certain 
 death. Moreover, she was but a young girl, and her life can 
 have had no special value in your eyes; therefore, it seems to 
 me that you are one who would be a true and faithful friend 
 indeed to a man who on his part was a friend to you. You 
 have the other qualities of bravery and skill and strength. 
 Moreover, you belong to no party in Eome. I have inquired 
 concerning you, and find that although Pollio, the nephew of 
 Norbanus, introduced you to many of his friends, you have 
 gone but little among them, but have spent your time much, 
 when not in the ludus, in the public libraries. Being myself
 
 "THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS." 279 
 
 a lover of books, the report inclines me the more toward you. 
 I feel that I could rely upon you, and you would find in me not 
 a master but a friend. Of those around me I can trust but few. 
 They serve from interest, and if their interest lay the other way 
 they would desert me. I have many enemies, and though the 
 people love me, the great families, whose connections and rela- 
 tions are everywhere, think only of their private aims and ends, 
 and many deem themselves to have reasons for hatred against 
 me. I need one like you, brave, single-minded, resolute, and 
 faithful to me, who would be as simple and as true when raised 
 to wealth and honour as you have shown yourself when but 
 a simple gladiator. Wilt thou be such a one to me 1 }" 
 
 "I am but ill fitted for such a post, Caesar," Beric said 
 gravely. " I have been a chief and leader of my own people, 
 and my tongue would never bring itself to utter the flattering 
 words used by those who surround an imperial throne. Mon- 
 archs love not the truth, and my blunt speech would speedily 
 offend you. A faithful guard to your majesty I might be, 
 more than that I fear I never could be, for even to please you, 
 Nero, I could not say aught except what I thought." 
 
 " I should expect and wish for no more," Nero said. " It is 
 good to hear the truth sometimes. I heard it from Seneca; 
 but, alas ! I did not value it then as I should have done. I am 
 older and wiser now. Besides, Seneca was a Roman, and neces- 
 sarily mixed up in the intrigues that are ever on foot, and 
 connected with half the great families in Rome. You stand 
 alone, and I should know that whatever you said the words 
 would be your own, and would not have been put in your 
 mouth by others, and even when your opinions ran counter to 
 mine I should respect them. Well, what do you say?" 
 
 " It is not for me to bargain with the master of Rome," Beric 
 said. " I am ready to be your man, Csesar, to lay down my 
 life in your defence, to be your guard as a faithful hound might 
 be; only, I pray you, take me not in any way into your con- 
 fidence as to state affairs, for of these I am wholly ignorant. 
 My ideas are those of a simple British chief. Rome and its 
 ways are too complicated for me to understand, and were you 
 to speak to me on such matters I should soon forfeit your 
 favour. For we in Britain are, as it were, people of another 
 world simple and straightforward in our thoughts and ways,
 
 280 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 and with no ideas of state expediency. Therefore, I pray you, 
 let me stand aloof from all such matters, and regard me simply 
 as one ready to strike and die in your defence, and as having 
 no more interest or knowledge of state affairs and state intrigues 
 than those statues in the garden there." 
 
 " So be it," Nero said. " You are modest, Beric, and modesty 
 is a virtue rare in Borne; but I appreciate your honesty, and 
 feel sure that I can rely upon you for faithful service. Let me 
 see, to what office shall I appoint you 1 ? I cannot call you my 
 body-guard, for this would excite the jealousy of the Praetorians." 
 He sat in thought for a minute. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "you 
 are fond of books, I will appoint you my private librarian. 
 My libraries are vast, but I will have a chamber close to mine 
 own fitted up with the choicest books, so that I can have ready 
 at hand any that I may require. This will be an excuse for 
 having you always about my person." 
 
 " I do not speak Greek, Caesar." 
 
 " You shall have under you a Greek freedman, one Chiton, 
 who is now in my library. He will take charge of the rolls, 
 for I do not intend that you should remain shut up there. It 
 is but a pretext for your presence here." 
 
 He touched a bell and a servant entered. " Tell Phaon to 
 come to me." A minute later Phaon, a freedman who stood 
 very high in the confidence of Nero, entered. " Phaon," the 
 emperor said, "this is Beric the Briton, he has entered my 
 service, and will have all my trust and confidence even as you 
 have. Prepare for him apartments close to mine, and appoint 
 slaves for his service. See that he has everything in accordance 
 with his position as a high official of the palace. Let one of 
 the rooms be furnished with sets of books, of which I will give 
 you a list, from my library. Chiton is to be in charge of it 
 under him. Beric is to be called my private librarian. I wish 
 him to be at all times within call of me. You will be friends 
 with Beric, Phaon, for he is as honest as you are, and will be, 
 like you, a friend of mine, and, as you may perceive, is one 
 capable of taking the part of a friend in case of need." 
 
 Phaon bowed deeply and signed to Beric to follow him; the 
 latter bowed to Nero, who nodded to him pleasantly, and left 
 the room with Phaon. The freedman took him to his private 
 apartment.
 
 IN NEROS PALACE. 281 
 
 " Nero has chosen well this time, methinks," he said after a 
 close scrutiny of the new-comer. " It is no easy post on which 
 you have entered, Beric. Nero is changeable in his moods, but 
 you carry your heart in your face, and even he can have no 
 suspicions of you. Take my advice, make friends with no man, 
 for one who stands high in court favour to-day may be an exile 
 or condemned to-morrow, and then all connected with him in 
 any way are apt to share his fate; therefore, it is best to 
 stand quite alone. By to-morrow morning you will find every- 
 thing in readiness for you here." 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 
 
 TTPON leaving Phaon, Beric was conducted to the room where 
 U he had left Scopus. The latter at once joined him, and 
 without asking any questions left the palace with him. 
 
 " I would ask nothing until you were outside," Scopus said. 
 " They were wondering there at the long audience you have 
 had with Nero. Judging by the gravity of your face, things 
 have not gone well with you." 
 
 " They have gone well in one sense," Beric said, " though I 
 would vastly rather that they had gone otherwise. I feel very 
 much more fear now than when I stood awaiting the attack of 
 the lion." 
 
 And he then related to Scopus the conversation he had 
 had with Nero. The lanista inclined himself humbly to the 
 ground. 
 
 " You are a great man now, Beric, though, as you say, the 
 place is not without its dangers. I guessed when Caesar sent 
 for you that he purposed to use your strength and courage in 
 his service. Your face is one that invites trust, and Nero was 
 wise enough to see that if he were to trust you he must trust 
 you altogether. He has acted wisely. He deemed that, having 
 no friends and connections in Rome, he could rely upon you
 
 282 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 as he could rely upon no one who is a native here. You will 
 be a great man, for a time at any rate." 
 
 "I would rather have remained at your ludus, Scopus. I 
 shall feel like a little dog I saw the other day in a cage of one 
 of the lions. The beast seemed fond of it, but the little creature 
 knew well that at any moment the lion might stretch out its 
 paw and crush it." 
 
 Scopus nodded. 
 
 " That is true enough, Beric, though there are tens of thou- 
 sands in Eome who would gladly run the risk for the sake of 
 the honour and profit. Still, as I said to you before we started, 
 I have faith in your good-fortune and quickness, and believe 
 that you may escape from the bars where another would lose 
 his skin. Tell to none but myself what Caesar has said to you. 
 The world will soon guess that your post as private librarian is 
 but a pretext for Caesar to have you near him. It is not by 
 such a post that the victor of the arena would be rewarded." 
 
 They now went together to a goldsmith. 
 
 "Ah! Scopus, I have been expecting you. I saw you in the 
 arena with your two gladiators. Afterwards I saw this tall 
 young Briton fight the lion, and when I heard that he was at 
 your ludus I said to myself, ' Scopus will be bringing him to 
 me to dispose of some of the jewelry of which the ladies were 
 so prodigal.' " 
 
 " That is our errand, Eufus. Here is the bag.' 
 
 The goldsmith opened it. 
 
 " You don't expect me to name a price for all these articles, 
 Scopus? It will take me a day to examine and appraise them; 
 and, indeed, I shall have to go to a friend or two for money, 
 for there is enough here to stock a shop. Never did I know 
 our ladies so liberal of their gifts." 
 
 "Ah!" Scopus said, "and you don't often see gifts so well 
 deserved; but, mind you, if it had been I who had fought the lion 
 I, who have nothing to recommend me in the way of either 
 stature or looks it would have been a very different thing. 
 Youth and stature and good looks go for a great deal even in 
 the arena, I can tell you. Well, Beric will call in a day or two. 
 Here is the inventory of the jewels; I have got a copy at 
 home. Do you put the price you will give against each, and 
 then he can sell or not as he pleases. He is not going to sacri-
 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 283 
 
 fice them, Rufus, for he has no need of money; Caesar has just 
 appointed him to his household." 
 
 The manner of the jeweller changed at once. 
 
 " The list shall be ready for you in two days," he said to 
 Beric respectfully. " If you have need of money on account 
 now I can let you have as much as you will." 
 
 Beric shook his head. 
 
 " I have all "that I require," he said. " I will return it may 
 be in two days, it may be in more I know not precisely how 
 much my duties may occupy me." 
 
 " You will get full value for your goods," Scopus said when 
 they left the shop " that was why I mentioned that you had 
 entered Nero's household, for it is a great thing to have a friend 
 at court." 
 
 "And how about yourself, Scopus? You have kept me and 
 trained me for months. Now you are going to lose my ser- 
 vices just when you might begin to get a return. Moreover, I 
 may tell you that I shall as soon as possible get Boduoc with 
 me. So you must name a sum which will amply recompense 
 you for the trouble and expense that you have had with us." 
 
 " I shall be no loser, Beric. When captives in war are sent 
 to be trained in a ludus the lanista is paid for a year's keep and 
 tuition for them. After that he makes what he can from those 
 who give entertainments. Therefore I received from the impe- 
 rial treasury the regular amount for you and your comrades. 
 Moreover, the senator who gave the performances sent me a 
 very handsome sum more than he had agreed to give me 
 for Porus and Lupus together saying that, although he had 
 not engaged you, your deeds in the arena had delighted the 
 people beyond measure, and that as his show would be talked 
 about for years, it was but fair he should pay your lanista 
 a sum worthy of the performance. And now farewell! You 
 know that I and your comrades at the ludus will always be 
 glad to see you. We shall be back in Rome as soon as my 
 place is rebuilt." 
 
 "You may be sure that I will come, Scopus. You have 
 shown me much kindness, and if in any way I can repay you 
 I will do so. Tell Boduoc I hope very shortly to have him with 
 me, and that maybe I shall be able to find means of withdrawing 
 the others from the arena,"
 
 284 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 As soon as they separated Beric walked rapidly to the house 
 where Norbanus had taken up his abode. As he reached the 
 door he paused, for he heard within the sounds of wailing, 
 and felt that he had come too late. 
 
 " Tell Norbanus," he said to the slave at the door, " that 
 Beric is here, but that unless he wishes to see me I will leave 
 him undisturbed, as I fear by the cries that the Lady Ennia is 
 dead." 
 
 "She died early this morning," the slave said. "I will tell 
 my master that you are here." 
 
 He returned almost directly. 
 
 " Norbanus prays you to enter," he said, and led the way to 
 the magistrate's study. 
 
 "Ah, my friend," the Roman said, "it is over! Ennia died 
 this morning. She passed away as if in sleep. It is a terrible 
 grief to me. Thanks to the gods I can bear that as becomes a 
 Eoman; but how would it have been had I seen her torn to 
 pieces under my eyes? Ah, Beric, you know not from what 
 you have saved us! We could never have lifted up our heads 
 again had she died so. Now we shall grieve for her as all 
 men grieve for those they love; but it will be a grief without 
 pain, for assuredly she died happy. She spoke of you once 
 or twice, and each time she said, 'I shall see him again.' I 
 think she was speaking her belief, that she should meet you 
 after death. The Christian belief in a future state is like 
 yours, you know, Beric, rather than like ours." 
 
 " She was a gentle creature," Beric said, " and as she dared 
 even death by the lions for her God, assuredly she will go to 
 the Happy Island, though it may not be the same that the 
 Druids tell us Britons of. And how are the Ladies Lesbia and 
 ^Emilia?" 
 
 " My wife is well," the magistrate said. " She has not the 
 consolations of philosophy as I have, but I think that she 
 feels it is better for the child herself that she should have so 
 died. Ennia would always have remained a Christian, and 
 fresh troubles and persecutions would have come. Besides, 
 her religion would have put her apart from her mother and 
 her family. To me, of course, it would have made no difference, 
 holding the views that I do as to the religions of the world; 
 but my wife sees things in a different light. ./Emilia is worn
 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 285 
 
 out with watching and grief, but I know that she will see you 
 presently, that is, if you are not compelled to return at once 
 to the hills." 
 
 " I return there no more. I have seen Nero to-day, and he 
 has appointed me an official in his household. It will seem 
 ridiculous to you when I say that I am to be his private libra- 
 rian. That, of course, is but a pretext to keep me near his 
 person, deeming that I am strong enough to be a useful guard 
 to him, and being a stranger am not likely to be engaged in 
 any intrigue that may be going on. I would rather have re- 
 mained at the ludus for a time; but there is no refusing the 
 offers of an emperor, and he spoke to me fairly, and I answered 
 him as one man should do another, frankly and openly." 
 
 "Nero has done wisely," Norbanus said warmly, "though for 
 you the promotion is perilous. To be Nero's friend is to be 
 condemned beforehand to death, though for a time he may 
 shower favours upon you. He is fickle and inconstant, and you 
 have not learned to cringe and flatter, and are as likely as not 
 to anger him by your outspoken utterances." 
 
 "I shall assuredly say what I think if he questions me," 
 Beric said quietly; "but if he values me as a guard, he will 
 scarce question me when he knows that I should express an 
 opinion contrary to his own." 
 
 " When do you enter his service, Beric?" 
 
 "I am to present myself to-morrow morning." 
 
 " Then you will stay with us to-night, Beric. This is a house 
 of mourning, but you are as one of ourselves. You must excuse 
 ceremony, for I have many arrangements to make, as Ennia 
 will be buried to-morrow." 
 
 " I will go out into the garden," Beric said. 
 
 " Do so. I will send up word to ./Emilia that you are there. 
 Doubtless she would rather meet you there than before the 
 slaves." 
 
 Beric had been sitting in the shade for half an hour when 
 he saw ^Emilia coming towards him. Her face was swollen 
 with crying, and the tears were still streaming down her 
 cheeks. Beric took her hand, and would have bent over it, 
 when she grasped his with both of hers and pressed it to her 
 lips. 
 
 " Oh, Beric," she cried, " what have you not done for us, and
 
 286 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 how much do we not owe you! Had it not been for you, I 
 should be mourning now, not for Ennia who lies with a smile 
 on her face in her chamber, but for Ennia torn to pieces and 
 devoured by the lion. It seemed to me that I too should die, 
 when suddenly you stood between her and the fierce beast, 
 seeming to my eyes as if a god had come down to save her; and 
 when all the people gave you up as lost, standing there unarmed 
 and calmly waiting the lion's attack, I felt that you would con- 
 quer. Truly Ennia's God and yours must have stood beside 
 you, though I saw them not. How else could you have been so 
 strong and fearless? Ennia thought so too. She told me so 
 one night when the house was asleep, and I only watching 
 beside her. ' My God was with him,' she said. ' None other 
 could have given him the strength to battle with the lion. He 
 will bring him to Himself in good time, and I shall meet him 
 again.' She said something about your knowing that she was 
 a Christian. But, of course, you could not have known 
 that." 
 
 "I did know it, ^Emilia;" and Beric then told her of his 
 meeting with Ennia and the old slave when they were attacked 
 by the plunderers on the way home from their place of meeting. 
 " She promised me not to go again," he said, " without letting 
 me know, in which case I should have escorted her and pro- 
 tected her from harm. But just after that there was the fire, 
 and I had to go away with Scopus to the Alban Hills; and so, 
 as she knew that I could not escort her, I never heard from her. 
 I would that I had been with her that night she was arrested, 
 then ishe might not have fallen into the hands of the guard. 
 Indeed, had I been here I would have gone gladly, for it 
 seemed to me there must be something strange in the religion 
 that would induce a quiet gentle girl like her to go out at 
 night unknown to her parents. Now I desire even more to 
 learn about it. Her God must surely have given her the 
 strength and courage that she showed when she chose death 
 by the lions rather than deny Him." 
 
 "I, too, should like to know something about it," ^Emilia 
 said. "By the way Ennia spoke, when she said you knew 
 that she was a Christian, it seemed to me that, if you did know, 
 which I thought was impossible, she thought you were angry 
 with her for becoming a Christian."
 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 287 
 
 " I was angry with her not for being a Christian, but for 
 going out without your father's knowledge, and I told her so 
 frankly. If it had been you I should not have been so much 
 surprised, because you have high spirits and are fearless in dis- 
 position; but for her to do so seemed so strange and unnatural, 
 that I deemed this religion of hers must be bad in that it 
 taught a girl to deceive her parents." 
 
 "What did she say, Eerie?" 
 
 "I could see that she considered it her duty beyond all 
 other duties, and so said no more, knowing nothing of her 
 religion beyond what your father told me." 
 
 " I wish Pollio had been here," the girl said; " he would have 
 thought as I do about the loss of Ennia. My father has his 
 philosophy, and considers it rather a good thing to be out of 
 the world. My mother was so horrified when she heard that 
 Ennia was a Christian, that I am sure she is relieved at her 
 death. I am not a philosopher, and it was nothing to me 
 whether Ennia took up with this new sect or not. So you see I 
 have no one who can sympathize with me. You can't think 
 how dreadful the thought is that I shall be alone in future." 
 
 " We grow accustomed to all things," Beric said. " I have lost 
 all my relations, my country, and everything, and I am here a 
 stranger and little better than a slave, and yet life seems not so 
 unpleasant to me. In time this grief will be healed, and you 
 will be happy again." 
 
 " I am sure I should never have been happy, Beric, if she 
 had died in the arena. I should always have had it before my 
 eyes I should have dreamt of it. But why do you say that 
 until to-day you have been almost a slave] Why is it different 
 to-day ?" 
 
 Beric told her of his new position. 
 
 " If I could take your position, and have your strength but 
 for one night," ^Emilia said passionately, " I would slay the 
 tyrant. He is a monster. It is to him that Ennia's death is 
 due. He has committed unheard-of crimes; and he will kill 
 you, too, Beric. He kills all those whom he once favours." 
 
 "I shall be on my guard, ^Emilia; besides, my danger will 
 not be great, for he will have nothing to gain by my death. I 
 shall keep aloof from all intrigues, and he will have no reason 
 to suspect me. The danger, if danger there be, will come from
 
 288 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 my refusing to carry out any of his cruel orders. I am ready to 
 be a guard, but not an executioner." 
 
 " I know how it will end," the girl sighed; "but I shall hope 
 always. You conquered the lion, maybe you will conquer 
 Nero." 
 
 " Who is a very much less imposing creature," Beric smiled. 
 
 A slave girl at this moment summoned ^Emilia into the house. 
 She waited a moment. 
 
 " Remember, Beric," she said, " that if trouble and dangei 
 come upon you, any such poor aid as I can give will be yours. 
 I am a Roman girl. I have not the strength to fight as you 
 have, but have the courage to die; and as, at the risk of your 
 life, you saved Ennia for us, so would I risk my life to save 
 yours. Remember that a woman can plot and scheme, and 
 that in dealing with Nero cunning goes for as much as strength. 
 We have many relatives and friends here, too, and Ennia's 
 death in the arena would have been viewed as a disgrace upon 
 the whole family; so that I can rely upon help from them if 
 need be. Remember that, should the occasion arise, I shall feel 
 your refusal of my help much more bitterly than any misfor- 
 tune your acceptance of it could bring upon me." Then turn- 
 ing, the girl went up to the house. 
 
 On arriving at Nero's palace the next morning, and asking 
 for Phaon, Beric was at once conducted to his chamber. 
 
 " That is well," the freedman said as he entered. " Nero is 
 in council with his architects at present. I will show you to 
 your chamber at once, so that you will be in readiness." 
 
 The apartment to which Phaon led Beric was a charming one. 
 It had no windows in the walls, which were covered with ex- 
 quisitely painted designs, but light was given by an opening in 
 the ceiling, under which, in the centre of the room, was the 
 shallow basin into which the rain that penetrated through the 
 opening fell. There were several elegantly -carved couches 
 round the room. Some bronze statues stood on plinths, and 
 some pots of tall aquatic plants stood in the basin; heavy 
 hangings covered the entrance. 
 
 "Here," Phaon said, drawing one of them aside, "is your 
 cubicle, and here, next to it, is another. It is meant for a friend 
 of the occupant of the room ; but I should not advise you to 
 Have anyone to sleep here. Nero would not sleep well did he
 
 'THIS IS THE LIBRARY," SAID PHAON.
 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 239 
 
 know that any stranger was so close to his apartment. This, 
 and the entrance at the other end of the room, lead into pas- 
 sages, while this," and he drew back another curtain, "is the 
 library." 
 
 This room was about the same size as that allotted to Beric, 
 being some twenty-five feet square. Short as the notice had 
 been, a wooden framework of cedar wood, divided into parti- 
 tions fifteen inches each way, had been erected round, and in 
 each of these stood a wooden case containing rolls of manu- 
 scripts, the name of the work being indicated by a label affixed 
 to the box Seated at a table in one of the angles was the 
 Greek Chiton, who saluted Beric. 
 
 " We shall be good friends, I hope," Beric said, " for I shall 
 have to rely upon you entirely for the Greek books, and it is 
 you who will be the real librarian." 
 
 Chiton was a man of some thirty years of age, with a pale 
 Greek face; and looking at him earnestly Beric thought that 
 it looked an honest one. He had anticipated that the man Nero 
 had chosen would be placed as a spy over him; but he now con- 
 cluded this was not so, and that Nero at present trusted him 
 entirely. 
 
 "This passage," Phaon said, "leads direct to Caesar's private 
 apartment, a few steps only separate them. The passage on 
 this side of your room also leads there, so that either from here 
 or from it you can be summoned at once. Now let us return 
 to your room. It is from there you will generally go to Nero 
 when he summons you. That door at the end of that short 
 passage will not be kept locked, while this one from the library 
 cannot be opened from your side. Three strokes of Nero's 
 bell will be the signal that he requires you. If after the three 
 have sounded there is another struck smartly, you will snatch 
 up your sword and rush in instantly by night or day." 
 
 "What are my duties to be?" Beric asked when they had 
 returned to his room, "for Chiton can discharge those of 
 librarian infinitely better than I can do." 
 
 " You will sit and read here, or pass the time as you like, 
 until nine o'clock, at which hour Nero goes to the baths. At 
 eleven he goes out to inspect the works, or to take part in 
 public ceremonies. At three he sups, and the meal lasts some- 
 times till seven or eight, sometimes until midnight. Your 
 
 (725) T
 
 290 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 duties in the library will end when he goes to the baths, and 
 after that you will be free, unless he summons you to attend 
 him abroad, until supper is concluded. At night you will draw 
 back the curtains between the passage and your room and that 
 of your cubicle, so that you may hear his summons, or even 
 his voice if loudly raised. You will lie down with your sword 
 ready at hand, I should say your duties will begin at six in 
 the morning, and it is only between that hour and nine that 
 you will be a prisoner in the library." 
 
 "I shall not find it an imprisonment," Beric said. (A Three 
 hours is little enough to study, with all that wealth of books 
 ready at hand. How about Chiton?" 
 
 " He will be on duty whenever the emperor is in the palace; 
 beyond that he is free to go where he likes, so that he be 
 ready at all times to produce any book that Nero may call for. 
 Your meals will be brought up to you by your attendant from 
 the imperial kitchen. There are, you know, baths in the 
 palace for the use of the officials. You will find in this chest 
 a supply of garments of all kinds suitable for different occa- 
 sions, and here, in the cubicle, ready to hand, are a sword and 
 dagger, with a helmet, breastplate, and shield, to be worn only 
 when Csesar desires you to accompany him armed. If there 
 is anything else that you require, you have but to give the 
 order to your attendant, who will obtain it from the steward of 
 the palace." 
 
 At this moment a slave drew aside the hanging: "Caesar 
 expects you, Beric." 
 
 Nero was standing at the top of the steps into the garden 
 when Beric entered. 
 
 " Walk with me, Beric," he said. " For three hours I have 
 been going into the affairs of the city, and hearing letters read 
 from the governors of the provinces. It will be a change to 
 talk of other things. Tell me about this Britain of yours. I 
 know about your wars, tell me of your life at home." 
 
 Beric at once complied. He saw that it was not informa- 
 tion about religion and customs that the emperor desired to 
 hear, but talk about simple matters that would distract his 
 thoughts from the cares of state. He talked, then, of his 
 native village, of his mother with her maids at work around 
 her, of hunting expeditions as a boy with Boduoc, and how
 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 291 
 
 both had had a narrow escape of being devoured by wolves. 
 Nero listened in silence as they strolled under the deep shade 
 of the trees. At times he hardly seemed to be listening, but 
 occasionally he asked a question that showed he was following 
 what Beric said. 
 
 " Your talk is like a breath from the snow-clad mountains," 
 he said at last, " or a cup of cold water to a thirsty traveller. 
 The word Romans never occurred in it, and yet it was in our 
 tongue. You were brought up among us, as I heard. Tell 
 me of that." 
 
 Briefly Beric described his life at Camalodunum. 
 
 " It is a strange mixture," Nero said; " the cultivated Roman 
 and the wild Briton. I understand now better than I did be 
 fore, your risking your life for that Christian girl in the arena. 
 You did not love her 1 ?" 
 
 "No, Caesar; we Britons do not think of marriage until we 
 are at least five-and-twenty. We hold that young marriages 
 deteriorate a race. Ennia was little more than a child, accor- 
 ding to our notions. She was scarce sixteen, and when I saw 
 her before, for a few days only, she was a year younger; but 
 I think that I should have done the same had I never seen 
 her before. We Britons, like the Gauls, hold women in high 
 respect, and I think that few of my people would hesitate to 
 risk their lives to save a helpless woman." 
 
 " I think we are all for self here," Nero said; " but we can 
 admire what we should not think of imitating. I like you, 
 Beric, because you are so different from myself and from all 
 around me. We are products of Rome, you of the forest; every 
 man here sighs for power or wealth, or lives for pleasure I 
 as much as any. We suffer none to stand in our way, but 
 trample down remorselessly all who hinder us. As to risking 
 our lives for the sake of a woman, and that woman almost a 
 stranger, such an idea would never so much as occur to us. 
 This is not the only girl you have saved. I received a letter 
 from Caius Muro some months ago, saying that the news had 
 come to him in Syria that Beric, the young chief of the Iceni, 
 who had so long withstood Suetonius, had been brought a 
 prisoner to Rome, and he besought me, should Beric still be 
 alive, to show favour to him, as he had saved his little 
 daughter, when all others had been slain, at the sack of
 
 292 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Camalodunum, and that he had hidden ner away until after 
 the defeat of Boadicea, and had then sent her safe and un- 
 harmed back to the Romans. The matter escaped my 
 mind till now, though, in truth, I bade my secretary write to 
 him to say that I would befriend you. But it is strange that, 
 having so much life and spirit in that great body of yours, you 
 should yet hold life so cheaply. It was the way with our 
 forefathers, but it is not so now, perhaps because our life is 
 more pleasant than theirs was. Tell me, has Phaon done all 
 to make you comfortable 1 Is there aught else that you would 
 wish 1 ? if so, speak freely." 
 
 " There is one thing I should like, Csesar; I should like to 
 have with me my follower Boduoc, he who was the companion 
 of my boyhood, who fought with me in that hut against the 
 wolves, and was ever by my side in the struggle among our 
 fens. I ask this partly for my own sake, and partly that I 
 may the better do the duty you have set me of acting as your 
 guard. The air of palaces is heavy, and men wake not from 
 sleep as when they lie down in the forest and carry their 
 lives in their hands. I might not hear your call; but with him 
 with me we could keep alternate watch through the night, and 
 the slightest sounds would reach our ears. We could even 
 take post close to the hangings of your chamber, just as the 
 Praetorians guard all the avenues on the other side. I might 
 even go further. There were twenty of my countrymen 
 brought hither with me. All are picked men, not one but in 
 strength and courage is my equal. I would say, place them in 
 offices in the palace; make them door-keepers, or place some of 
 them here as labourers under your gardeners, then at all times 
 you would have under your orders a body of twenty devoted 
 men, who would escort you in safety though half Rome were 
 in tumult. They would sleep together among the slaves, 
 where I could instantly summon them. I can answer for 
 their fidelity, they would follow me to the death against any 
 foe I bade them attack." 
 
 "It is an excellent idea, Beric, and shall be carried out. 
 They were all sent to the ludi, if I mistake not, and will have 
 skill as well as strength and courage. I will bid my secretary 
 send an order for their discharge, and that they present them- 
 selves to Phaon to-morrow. He will find occupations for
 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 293 
 
 them, and I will myself bid him so dispose of them that they 
 shall be well satisfied with their appointments. Truly, as you 
 say, a guard of twenty gladiators of your strength and courage 
 might well defend me against a host. Now it is time that I 
 went to my bath." 
 
 Upon the following day the British captives were all dis- 
 posed as door-keepers in the palace. Beric was present when 
 they presented themselves before Phaon, and had afterwards 
 a private interview with them. They were delighted at find- 
 ing that they were again under his leadership. All hated as 
 much as ever the occupation of gladiator, although only the 
 man who had defeated Lupus had as yet appeared in the 
 arena. 
 
 " Your duties will be simple and easy," Beric said. " You 
 will only have to see that no strangers pass you without autho- 
 rity. Each of you will have one or more attendants with you, 
 who will take the names of those who present themselves to 
 those whom they wish to see, and will, on bringing an author- 
 ization for them to pass, escort them to the person with whom 
 they have business. Of course the orders will be different at 
 different posts, but these you will receive from the officials 
 of the chamberlain. You will be on duty, as I learn, for six 
 hours each day, and will for the rest of the time be free to go 
 where you please. I suppose by this time all of you have 
 learned sufficient Latin to converse freely. Remember that at 
 nine o'clock in the evening you must all be in the palace. Phaon 
 has arranged for an apartment that you will occupy together. 
 There you will keep your arms, and be always ready, when you 
 receive a message from me, to attend prepared for fighting. 
 There is one thing more : do not mingle with the Romans more 
 than you can help; listen to no tales relating to the emperor, 
 and let no man discuss with you any question of state. Every- 
 thing that is done in the palace is known, and were you seen 
 talking with any man who afterwards fell under the suspicion 
 of Nero it might cost you your lives. Remember that, what- 
 ever may be the duties assigned to you here, we are really 
 assembled as a sort of special body-guard to him; he is our 
 general It is no business of ours what his private acts may 
 be. It may be that he is cruel to the powerful and wealthy, 
 but on the other hand he spends his money lavishly on the
 
 294 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 people of Some, and is beloved by them. If they as Romans 
 do not resent his acts towards senators and patricians it is no 
 business of ours, strangers and foreigners here, to meddle in 
 the matter. It may be that in time, if we do our duty well, 
 Nero may permit us to return to Britain." 
 
 There was a murmur of approval. 
 
 "Nero may cut off the head of every man in Rome for what 
 I care," Boduoc said. " I owe nothing to the Romans. They 
 are all our enemies, from the highest to the lowest; and if Nero 
 is disposed to be our friend he can do what he likes with them. 
 But I do wish he had given us something more to do than to 
 hang about his palace." 
 
 Six months passed. Beric stood high in favour with Nero. 
 Two or three times, in order to test the vigilance of his guard, 
 he had sounded his bell. On each occasion an armed figure 
 had instantly entered his room, only to retire when he waved 
 his hand; so that the slave who slept at the other door found 
 Nero alone when he entered, and brought him a cooling drink, 
 or performed some other little office that served as an excuse 
 for his summons, the emperor being well aware how great 
 would be the jealousy of the Praetorian guard, were report to 
 reach them that Csesar had other guards save themselves. 
 
 Beric often followed in the train of the emperor when he 
 went abroad; and as it speedily became known that he was a 
 favourite of Nero, his friendship was eagerly sought by those 
 who frequented the court, and his good offices solicited by 
 those who had requests to make of the emperor. Large sums 
 of money had been sometimes offered him for his good offices, 
 but he steadily refused to accept any presents whatever, or to 
 mingle in the affairs of others, except in very occasional cases, 
 where it seemed to him that those who sought his aid had been 
 cruelly and unfairly dealt with by officials or venal magistrates. 
 
 The sale of his jewels had brought him in a large sum of 
 money, which he had placed in the hands of Norbanus; and 
 the handsome appointments Nero had assigned to his office 
 were very much more than sufficient for his wants. He was 
 always a welcome guest at the house of Norbanus, and now 
 that he was an official high in favour with Nero, even Lesbia 
 received him with marked courtesy. The conversation always 
 turned, when the ladies were present, upon general topics the
 
 IN NERO'S PALACE. 295 
 
 gossip of society in Rome, news from the provinces, and other 
 similar matters, for Beric begged them not to speak of the 
 serious events of the day. " I am one of Nero's guards, and I 
 do not want to have to hate my work, or to wish well to those 
 from whom I am bound to protect him. To me he is kind and 
 friendly. At times when I am with him in the garden or 
 alone in his room he talks to me as an equal, of books and art, 
 the condition of the people, and other topics. 
 
 "It seems to me that there are two Neros: the one a man 
 such as he was when he ascended the throne gentle; inclined 
 to clemency; desirous of the good of his people, and of popu- 
 larity; a lover of beautiful things; passionately devoted to art 
 in all its branches; taking far greater pleasure in the society 
 of a few intimate friends than in state pageants and ceremonies. 
 There is another Nero ; of him I will not talk. I desire, above 
 all things, not to know of him. I believe that he has been 
 driven to this war upon many of the best and worthiest in 
 Rome, by timidity. He is suspicious. Possibly he has reason 
 for his suspicions; possibly they are unfounded. I do not wish 
 to defend him. All this is a matter for you Romans, and not 
 for me. I wish to know nothing about it; to leave all public 
 matters to those they may concern; to shut my eyes and my 
 ears as much as I can to all that goes on around me. It is 
 for that reason that I go so little to other houses save this. I 
 meet those about the court at the baths, the gymnasium, and 
 in the streets. But at these places men speak not of public 
 affairs, they know not who may be listening; and certainly 
 they would not speak before me. Happily, as I am known to 
 stand high in Caesar's favour, I am the last person to whom 
 they would say aught in his blame. Thus it is that, though 
 sometimes I come, from chance words let fall, to know that 
 proscriptions, accusations, confiscations, and executions take 
 place; that the Christians are still exposed to horrible persecu- 
 tions and tortures; that a gloom hangs over society, and that 
 no man of wealth and high station can regard himself as safe, 
 it is only a vague rumour of these things that I hear; and by 
 keeping my ears sealed and refusing to learn particulars, to 
 listen to private griefs and individual suffering, I am still able 
 to feel that I can do my duty to Caesar." 
 
 Norbanus and Lesbia alike agreed with Beric's reasoning;
 
 296 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the former, indeed, himself took but comparatively little interest 
 in what passed around him. The latter was, on the other 
 hand, absorbed in the politics of the hour. She was connected 
 with many noble families, and knew that a member of these 
 might fall at any moment under Nero's displeasure. To have 
 a friend, then, high in the favour of Nero was a matter of great 
 importance ; and she therefore impressed upon all her intimates 
 that when they found Beric at her house they should scrupu- 
 lously avoid all discussion of public affairs. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 BETROTHAL. 
 
 FRO had, within a short time of Beric's establishment in 
 the palace, spoken to him of his apprehension of the 
 increasing power of the party who, having reverted to the 
 opinions of the Stoic philosophers, were ever denouncing the 
 luxury and extravagance of modern ways, and endeavouring, 
 both by example and precept, to reintroduce the simplicity and 
 severity of former times. "All this," Nero said angrily, "is of 
 course but a cloak under which to attack me. Piso and 
 Plautus, Seneca and Lucan, do but assume this severity of 
 manners. They have plotted and intrigued against me. I 
 shall never be safe while they live." 
 
 " Caesar," Beric said gravely, " I am but a soldier, but born 
 a free Briton and a chief. I cannot sell my service, but must 
 give it loyally and heartily. You honour me with your favour 
 and confidence; I believe that I am worthy of it. I do not 
 serve you for money. Already I have begged you not to heap 
 presents upon me. Wealth would be useless to me did I desire 
 it. Not only have you offered to bestow estates upon me, but 
 I have learned already that there are many others who, seeing 
 that I am favoured by you, would purchase my friendship or 
 my advocacy by large sums. I should despise myself if I cared
 
 BETROTHAL. 297 
 
 for money. You would, I know, honour me not only with 
 your trust that I can be relied upon to do my duty as your 
 guard, but by treating me as one in your confidence in other 
 matters. At the risk, then, of exciting your displeasure and 
 forfeiting your favour, I must again pray you not to burden 
 me with state matters. Of these I know nothing, and wish to 
 know nothing. Save that of Seneca, I scarce know the names 
 of the others of whom you have spoken. I am wholly ignorant 
 of the intrigues of court life, and I seek to know nothing of them, 
 and am therefore in no position to give any opinion on these 
 matters ; and did I speak from only partial knowledge I should 
 do these men great wrong. In the next place, Caesar, I am 
 not one who has a double face, and if you ask my opinion of 
 a matter in which I thought that others had ill-advised you, 
 I should frankly say that I thought you were wrong; and the 
 truth is never palatable to the great. I try, therefore, to shut 
 my ears to everything that is going on around me, for did I 
 take note of rumours my loyalty to you might be shaken." 
 
 "Perhaps you are right," Nero said, after a long pause. 
 " But tell me, once and for all, what you do think on general 
 matters. It is good to have the opinion of one whom I know 
 to be honest" 
 
 " On one subject only are my convictions strong, Caesar. I 
 think that the terrible persecution of the Christians is in itself 
 horrible, and contrary to all the traditions of Rome. These 
 are harmless people. They make no disturbances; they do 
 injury to no one; they are guilty of no act that would justify 
 in any way the tortures inflicted upon them. I am not a 
 Christian, I know nothing of their doctrines; but I am unable 
 to understand how one naturally clement and kind-hearted as 
 you are can give way to the clamour of the populace against 
 these people. As to those of whom you speak, and others, I 
 have no opinions; but were I Caesar, strong in the support of the 
 Praetorian guards, and in the affection of the people at large, I 
 would simply despise plotters. The people may vaguely admire 
 the doctrines of the Stoics, but they themselves love pleasure 
 and amusements and spectacles, and live upon your bounty 
 and generosity. There can then be nothing to fear from open 
 force. Should there be conspirators who would attempt to 
 compass their ends by assassination, you have your guards to
 
 298 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 protect you. You have myself and my little band of country- 
 men ready to watch over you unceasingly." 
 
 "No care and caution will avail against the knife of the 
 assassin," Nero said gloomily. " It is only by striking down 
 conspirators and assassins that one can guard one's self against 
 their weapons. Julius Caesar was killed when surrounded by 
 men whom he deemed his friends." 
 
 Beric could not deny the truth of Nero's words. " That is 
 true, Caesar, and therefore I do not presume to criticise or even 
 to have an opinion upon acts of state policy. These are matters 
 utterly beyond me. I know nothing of the history of the 
 families of Rome, I know not who may, with or without 
 reason, deem that they have cause of complaint against you, or 
 who may be hostile to you either from private grievances or 
 personal ambitions, and knowing nothing I wish to know 
 nothing. I desire, as I said when you first spoke to me, to be 
 regarded as a watch-dog, to be attached to you by personal 
 kindness, and to guard you night and day against conspirators 
 and assassins. I beseech you not to expect more from me, or 
 to deem it possible that a Briton can be qualified to give any 
 opinion whatever as to a matter so alien to him as the intrigues 
 and conspiracies of an imperial city. Did I agree with you, 
 you would soon doubt my honesty; did I differ from you, I 
 should incur your displeasure." 
 
 Nero looked up at the frank countenance of the young 
 Briton. 
 
 " Enough," he said smiling, " you shall be my watch-dog and 
 nothing more." 
 
 As time went on Nero's confidence in his British guard steadily 
 increased. He had his spies, and knew how entirely Beric kept 
 himself aloof from intimate acquaintanceship with any save the 
 family of Norbanus, and learned, too, that he had refused 
 many large bribes from suitors. For a time, although he knew 
 it not, Beric was constantly watched. His footsteps were 
 followed when he went abroad, his conversations with others 
 in the baths, which formed the great centres of meeting, and 
 stood to the Romans in the place of modern clubs, were list- 
 ened to and noted. It was observed that he seldom went 
 to convivial gatherings, and that at any place when the con- 
 versation turned on public affairs he speedily withdrew; that
 
 BETROTHAL. 293 
 
 he avoided all display of wealth, dressed as quietly as it was 
 possible for one in the court circle to do, and bore himself as 
 simply as when he had been training in the ludus of Scopus. 
 There he still went very frequently, practising constantly in 
 arms with his former companions, preferring this to the more 
 formal exercises of the gymnasium. Thus, after a time, Nero 
 became confirmed in his opinion of Beric's straightforward 
 honesty, and felt that there was no fear of his being tampered 
 with by his enemies. 
 
 One result of this increased confidence was that Beric's hours 
 of leisure became much restricted, for Nero came to require 
 his attendance whenever he appeared in public. With Beric 
 and Boduoc among the group of courtiers that followed him, 
 the emperor felt assured there was no occasion to fear the 
 knife of the assassin; and it was only when he was at the baths, 
 where only his most chosen friends were admitted, or during 
 the long carousals that followed the suppers, that Beric was 
 at liberty, and in the latter case Boduoc was always near at 
 hand in case of need. 
 
 Nero's precautions were redoubled after the detection of the 
 conspiracy of Piso. That this plot was a real one, and not a 
 mere invention of Nero to justify his designs upon those he 
 hated and feared, is undoubted. The hour for the attempt at 
 assassination had been fixed, the chief actor was prepared and 
 the knife sharpened. But the executions that followed embraced 
 many who had no knowledge whatever of the plot. Seneca 
 was among the victims against whom there was no shadow of 
 proof. 
 
 After the discovery of this plot Beric found his position more 
 and more irksome in spite of the favour Nero showed him. 
 Do what he would he could not close his ears to what was 
 public talk in Eome. The fabulous extravagances of Nero, the 
 public and unbounded profligacy of himself and his court, the 
 open defiance of decency, the stupendous waste of public money 
 on the new and most sumptuous palace into which he had now 
 removed, were matters that scandalized even the population 
 of Rome. Senators, patricians, grave councillors, noble matrons 
 were alike willingly or unwillingly obliged to join in the satur- 
 nalia that prevailed. The provinces were ruined to minister to 
 the luxury of Rome. The wealth of the noblest families was
 
 300 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 sequestrated to the state. All law, order, and decency were 
 set at defiance. 
 
 To the Britons, simple in their tastes and habits, this pro- 
 fusion of luxury, this universal profligacy seemed absolutely 
 monstrous. When they met together and talked of their former 
 life in their rude huts, it seemed that the vengeance of the gods 
 must surely fall upon a people who seemed to have lost all 
 sense of virtue, all respect for things human and divine. To 
 Beric the only bearable portions of his existence were the 
 mornings he spent in reading, and in the study of Greek with 
 Chiton, and in the house of Norbanus. Of Lesbia he saw little. 
 She spent her life in a whirl of dissipation and gaiety, accom- 
 panying members of her family to all the fetes in defiance of 
 the wishes of Norbanus, whose authority in this matter she 
 absolutely set at naught. " The emperor's invitations override 
 the authority of one who makes himself absurd by his presump- 
 tion of philosophy. I live as do other Roman ladies of good 
 family. Divorce me if you like; I have the fortune I brought 
 you, and should prefer vastly to go my own way." 
 
 This step Norbanus would have taken but for the sake of 
 Emilia. By his orders the latter never went abroad with her 
 mother or attended any of the public entertainments, but lived 
 in the quiet society of the personal friends of Norbanus. Lesbia 
 had yielded the point, for she did not care to be accompanied 
 by a daughter of marriageable age, as by dint of cosmetics 
 and paint she posed as still a young woman. ^Emilia had long 
 since recovered her spirits, and was again the merry girl Beric 
 had known at Massilia. 
 
 One day when Beric called he saw that Norbanus, who was 
 seldom put out by any passing circumstance, was disturbed in 
 mind. 
 
 "I am troubled indeed," he said, in answer to Beric's inquiry. 
 "Lesbia has been proposing to me the marriage of Rufinus 
 Sulla, a connection of hers, and, as you know, one of Nero's 
 intimates, with ^Emilia." 
 
 Beric uttered an exclamation of anger. 
 
 " He is one of the worst of profligates," he exclaimed. " I 
 would slay him with my own hand rather than that ^Emilia 
 should be sacrificed to him." 
 
 " And I would slay her first," Norbanus said calmly; " but,
 
 BETROTHAL. 301 
 
 as Lesbia threatened when I indignantly refused the proposal, 
 Rufinus has but to ask Nero's approval, and before his orders 
 my authority as a father goes for nothing. I see but one way. 
 It has seemed to me for a long time, Beric, that you yourself 
 felt more warmly towards ^Emilia than a mere friend. Putting 
 aside our obligations to you for having risked your life in de- 
 fence of Ennia, there is no one to whom I would more willingly 
 give her. Have I been mistaken in your thoughts of her?" 
 
 " By no means," Beric said. " I love your daughter ./Emilia, 
 but I have never spoken of it to you for two reasons. In the 
 first place I shall not be for some years of the age at which we 
 Britons marry, and in the second I am but a captive. At 
 present I stand high in the favour of Nero, but that favour 
 may fail me at any day, and my life at the palace is becoming 
 unbearable; but besides, it is impossible that this orgy of crime 
 and debauchery can continue. The vengeance of heaven can- 
 not be much longer delayed. The legions in the provinces are 
 utterly discontented and well-nigh mutinous, and even if Rome 
 continues to support Nero the time cannot be far off when the 
 legions proclaim either Galba, or Vespasian, or some other 
 general, as emperor, and then the downfall of Nero must come. 
 How then could I ask you for the hand of ^Emilia, a maiden 
 of noble family, when the future is all so dark and troubled 
 and my own lot so uncertain? 
 
 " I cannot raise my sword against Caesar, for, however foul 
 his crimes, he has treated me well Had it not been for that 
 I would have made for Prseneste, when the gladiators rose there 
 the other day, and for the same reason I can do nothing to 
 prepare the way for a rising here. I know the ludus of Scopus 
 would join to a man. There is great discontent among the 
 other schools, for the people have become so accustomed to blood- 
 shed that they seem steeled to all pity, and invariably give 
 the signal for the despatch of the conquered. As to your offer, 
 Norbanus, I thank you with all my heart; but were it not for 
 this danger that threatens from Rufinus, I would say that at the 
 present time I dare not link her lot to mine. The danger is 
 too great, the future too dark. It seems to me that the city 
 and all in it are seized with madness, and above all, at the 
 present time, I would not for worlds take her to the palace of 
 Nero. But if ^Emilia will consent to a betrothal to me, putting
 
 302 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 off the period of marriage until the times are changed, I will, 
 with delight, accept the offer of her hand, if she too is willing, 
 for in Briton, as in Gaul, our maidens have a voice in their 
 own disposal." 
 
 Norbanus smiled. " Methinks, Beric, you need not fear on 
 that score. Since the day when you fought the lion in the 
 arena you have been her hero and the lord of her heart. Even 
 I, although but short-sighted as to matters unconnected with my 
 work, could mark that, and I believe it is because her mother 
 sees and fears it that she has determined to marry her to Rufinus. 
 I will call her down to find out whether she is ready to obey 
 my wishes." 
 
 In a minute or two ^Emilia came down from the women's 
 apartments above. 
 
 " My child," Norbanus said, " I have offered you in marriage 
 to Beric. He has accepted, saving only that you must come 
 to him not in obedience to my orders but of your own free-will, 
 since it is the custom of his country that both parties should 
 be equally free of choice. What do you say, my child?" 
 
 ^Emilia had flushed with a sudden glow of colour as her 
 father began, and stood with downcast eyes until he had 
 finished. 
 
 U 0ne moment before you decide, ^Emilia," Beric said. 
 "You know how I am situated, and that at any moment I 
 may be involved in peril or death; that life with me can 
 scarcely be one of ease or luxury, and that even at the best 
 you may be an exile for ever from Rome." 
 
 She looked up now. "I love you, Beric," she said. "I 
 would rather live in a cottage with you for my lord and master 
 than in a palace with any other. I would die with you were 
 there need. Your wishes shall always be my law." 
 
 " That is not the way in Britain," Beric said, as he drew her 
 to him and kissed her. " The husband is not the lord of his 
 wife, they are friends and equals, and such will we be. There 
 is honour and respect on both sides." 
 
 " It will be but your betrothal at present," Norbanus said. 
 " Neither Beric nor I would like to see you in the palace of 
 Caesar; but the sponsalia shall take place to-day, and then he 
 can claim you when he will. Come again this evening, Beric. 
 I will have the conditions drawn up, and some friends shall be
 
 
 BETROTHAL. 303 
 
 here to witness the form of betrothal. This haste, child, is in 
 order to give Beric power to protect you. Were you free, 
 Rufinus might obtain an order from Nero for me to give you 
 to him, but once the conditions are signed they cannot be broken 
 save by your mutual consent; and moreover, Beric can use his 
 influence with the emperor on behalf of his betrothed wife, while 
 so long as you remain under my authority he could scarcely 
 interfere did Nero give his promise to Rufinus?' 
 
 "Will my mother be here?" 
 
 " She will not, nor do I desire her presence," Norbanus said 
 decidedly. " She has defied my authority and has gone her 
 own path, and it is only for your sake that I have not divorced 
 her. She comes and she goes as she chooses, but her home is 
 with her family, not here. She has no right by law to a voice 
 in your marriage. You are under my authority and mine 
 alone. It is but right that a good mother should have an influ- 
 ence and a voice as to her daughter's marriage; but a woman 
 who frequents the saturnalia of Nero has forfeited her mother's 
 rights. It will be time enough for her to hear of it when it 
 is too late for her to cause trouble. Now do you two go into 
 the garden together, for I have arrangements to make." 
 
 At six o'clock Beric returned to the house. In the atrium 
 were gathered a number of guests; some were jnembers of the 
 family of Norbanus, others were his colleagues in office all 
 were men of standing and family. Beric was already known to 
 most of them, having met them at suppers at the house. When 
 all were assembled Norbanus left the room, and presently 
 returned leading ^Emilia by the hand. " My friends," he said, 
 "you already know why you are assembled here, namely to be 
 witnesses to the betrothal of my daughter to Beric the Briton. 
 Vitrio, the notary, will read the conditions under which they 
 are betrothed." 
 
 The document was a formal one, and stated that Norbanus 
 gave up his potestas or authority over his daughter ^Emilia to 
 Beric, and that he bound himself to complete the further cere- 
 mony of marriage either by the religious or civil form as Beric 
 might select whenever the latter should demand it, and that 
 further he agreed to give her on her marriage the sum of three 
 thousand denarii, and to leave the whole of his property to her 
 at his death; while Beric on his part bound himself to complete
 
 304 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the ceremonies of marriage whenever called upon by Norbanus 
 to do so, and to pay him at the present time one thousand 
 denarii on consideration of his signing the present agree- 
 ment, and on his delivering up to him his authority over his 
 daughter. 
 
 " You have heard this document read, Norbanus," the notary 
 said, when he had concluded the reading. " Do you assent to 
 it? And are you ready to affix your signature to the contract 1 ?" 
 
 " I am ready," Norbanus said. 
 
 "And you, Beric?" 
 
 " I am also ready," Beric replied. 
 
 " Then do you both write your signatures here." 
 
 Both signed, and four of the guests affixed their signatures 
 as witnesses. Norbanus then placed ^Emilia's hand in Beric's. 
 " You are now betrothed man and wife," he said. " I transfer 
 to you, Beric, my authority over my daughter; henceforth she 
 is your property to claim when you will." 
 
 A minute later there was a sudden movement at the door, 
 and Lesbia entered in haste. "News has just been brought 
 to me of your intention, Norbanus, and I am here to say that 
 I will not permit this betrothal." 
 
 " You have no voice or authority in the matter," Norbanus 
 said calmly. " Legal right to interfere you never had. Your 
 moral right you have forfeited. The conditions have been 
 signed. ^Emilia is betrothed to Beric." 
 
 Lesbia broke out into passionate reproaches and threats, 
 but Norbanus advanced a step or two towards her, and said 
 with quiet dignity, "I have borne with you for her sake, 
 Lesbia. Now that she belongs to Beric and not to me, I need 
 not restrain my just indignation longer. I return your pro- 
 perty to your hands." 
 
 Lesbia stepped back as if struck. The words were the well- 
 known formula by which a Roman divorced his wife. She had 
 not dreamed that Norbanus would summon up resolution to 
 put this disgrace upon her, and to bring upon himself the 
 hostility of her family. Her pride quickly came to her aid. 
 
 "Thanks for the release," she said sarcastically; "far too 
 much of my life has already been wasted on a dotard, and my 
 family will see that the restitution of my property is full and 
 complete : but beware, Norbanus, I am not to be outraged with
 
 BETROTHAL. 
 
 305 
 
 impunity, and you will learn to your cost that a woman of my 
 family knows how to revenge herself." 
 
 Then turning she passed out of the door, entered her lectica 
 and was carried away. 
 
 " I must apologize to you, my friends," Norbanus said calmly, 
 " for having brought you to be present at an unpleasant family 
 scene, but I had not expected it, and know not through whom 
 Lesbia obtained the news of what was doing here. I suppose 
 one of the slaves carried it to her. But these things trouble 
 not a philosopher; for myself I marvel at my long patience, and 
 feel rejoiced that at last I shall be free to live my own life." 
 
 " You have done well, Norbanus," one of his colleagues said, 
 " though I know not what Nero will say when he hears of it, 
 for severity among husbands is not popular at present in 
 Rome." 
 
 " I can open my veins as Seneca did," Norbanus said calmly; 
 " neither death nor exile have any terrors for me. Eome has 
 gone mad, and life for a reasoning being is worthless here." 
 
 " I shall represent the matter to Nero," Beric said, " and as 
 it is seldom that I ask aught of him, I doubt not he will listen 
 to me. When he is not personally concerned, Nero desires to 
 act justly, and moreover, I think that he can weigh the advan- 
 tages of the friendship of a faithful guard against that of his 
 boon companions. I will speak to him the first thing in the 
 morning. He frequently comes into the library and reads for 
 an hour. At any rate there is no chance of Lesbia being 
 beforehand with me. It is too late for her to see Rufinus and 
 get him to approach Nero to-night." 
 
 " Let us talk of other matters," Norbanus said, " all these 
 things are but transitory." He then began to talk on his 
 favourite topic the religions of the world, while Beric drew 
 Emilia, who had been weeping since the scene between her 
 parents, into the tablinum. 
 
 "It is unlucky to weep on the day of your betrothal, 
 ^Emilia." 
 
 " Who could help it, Beric? Besides, as it is not for my own 
 troubles the omen will have no avail. But it is all so strange 
 and so rapid. This morning I was in trouble, alarmed at what 
 my mother told me of her intentions, fearful that my father, 
 who has so long yielded to her, would permit her to have her 
 
 (726) U
 
 306 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 own way in this also. Then came the great joy when he told 
 me that he would give me to you that you, who of all men 
 I thought most of, was henceforth to be my lord. Then, just 
 when my happiness was complete, and I was formally bound 
 to you, came my mother. Ennia and I always loved our father 
 most, he was ever thoughtful and kind to us, while even as 
 children our mother did not care for us. As we grew up she 
 cared still less, thinking only of her own pleasures and friends, 
 and leaving us almost wholly in charge of the slaves; but it 
 was not until Ennia was seized as a Christian that I knew how 
 little she loved us. Then she raved and stormed, lamented 
 and wept, not because of the fate of Ennia, not because of the 
 terrible death that awaited her, but because of the disgrace it 
 brought upon herself. Even after she was brought here she 
 scarce came in to see her, and loudly said that it would be best 
 for her to die. Lately, as you know, I have seen little of her ; 
 she spends all her time abroad, has defied my father's authority, 
 and brought grief and trouble upon him. Still, to a daughter 
 it is terrible that her mother should be divorced." 
 
 "Let us not think of it now, ^Emilia. Your father has acted, 
 as he always does, rightly and well. I know much more of what 
 is going on than you do, and I can tell you that Lesbia, who 
 was so jealous of the honour of her name when Ennia was con- 
 cerned, is bringing far greater dishonour upon her name by her 
 own actions. And now let us talk of ourselves. The act you 
 have just done, dear, may bring all sorts of sacrifices upon you. 
 At any moment I may be a fugitive, and, as you know, the 
 families of those who incur Nero's wrath share in their dis- 
 grace; and if I am forced to fly, you too may be obliged to 
 become a fugitive." 
 
 She looked up brightly. "I shall not mind any hardships I 
 suffer for your sake, Beric. Rome is hateful to me since Ennia 
 stood in the arena. I would rather share a hut with you 
 among the savage mountains of the north than a palace here." 
 
 "I trust that trouble is still far distant, but I shall, as soon 
 as I can, find a retreat where, in case I fall under Nero's displea- 
 sure, you can lie hid until I can send for you." 
 
 " I have such a retreat, Beric. Since Ennia's death I have 
 seen a good deal of the Christians. Lycoris, you know, was 
 captured at the same time as Ennia, and was put to death by
 
 BETROTHAL. 307 
 
 fire; but her daughter, married to a freedman who had pur- 
 chased her liberty from my father, managed to escape with hei 
 husband when the place was surrounded. I have met hei 
 several times since. She and her husband are living hidden 
 in the catacombs, where she tells me many of their sect have 
 taken refuge from the persecutions. 
 
 " The last time I saw her she said to me, ' No one's life is 
 safe in this terrible city, and none, however high in station, can 
 say that they may not require refuge. Should you need an 
 asylum, ^Emilia, go to the house of a freedman, one Mincius, 
 living in the third house on the right of a street known as the 
 Narrow one, close behind the amphitheatre at the foot of the 
 Palatine Hill, and knock thrice at the door. When they open, 
 say, ' In the name of Christ,' then they will take you in. Tell 
 them that you desire to see me, and that you are the sister of 
 Ennia, the daughter of Norbanus, and they will lead you to 
 us. There is an entrance to the catacombs under the house. 
 As the sister of Eunia you will be warmly received by all 
 there, even although you yourself may not belong to us. The 
 galleries and passages are of a vast extent and known only to 
 us. There is no fear of pursuit there.' " 
 
 "That is good news, ./Emilia; it is sad that, but an hour 
 betrothed, we are forced to think of refuges, but it will be 
 happiness to me to know that if danger threatens, you have 
 a place of retreat. You see this ring; Nero himself gave it me; 
 mark it well, so that you may know it again. It is a figure of 
 Mercury carved on an amethyst. When you receive it, by night 
 or day, tarry not a moment, but wrap yourself in a sombre 
 mantle like that of a slave, and hie you to this refuge you speak 
 of; but first see your father, tell him where you are going and 
 why, so that he may fly too, if he choose." 
 
 "He will not do that," ^Emilia said, "and how can I leave 
 him]" 
 
 "You must leave him because you belong to me, ./Emilia, 
 and because you are acting on my orders. The danger to you 
 is far greater than to him. You are my wife, he only my 
 father-in-law, and they would strike at me first through you. 
 Besides, there are other reasons. Your father is a Koman of 
 the old type, and like Seneca and Plautus, and others of the 
 same school, will deem it no loss when the time comes to quit
 
 308 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 life. However, you will tell him of the danger, and he must 
 make his own choice. I shall beg him to hand to you at once 
 the money which I placed in his care now a year ago. Do you 
 hand it over to the woman you speak of, and ask her to hide 
 it away in the caves till you ask for it again; these Christians 
 are to be trusted. I have much money besides, for Nero is 
 lavishly generous, and it would anger him to refuse his bounty. 
 This money I have placed in several hands, some in Eome, 
 some elsewhere, so that if forced to fly I can at any rate obtain 
 some of my store without having to run into danger." 
 
 "One more question, Beric. Should I ever have to take 
 refuge among the Christians, and like Ennia come to love their 
 doctrines, would you be angered if I joined the sect ? If you 
 would I will not listen to them, but will tell them that I cannot 
 talk or think of these things without my husband's consent." 
 
 " You are free to do as you like, ^Emilia. Since Enriia died 
 I have resolved upon the first opportunity to study the doctrines 
 of these people, for truly it must be a wonderful religion that 
 enables those who profess it to meet a cruel death not only 
 without fear but with joy. You know Ennia said we should 
 meet again, and I think she meant that I, too, should become 
 a Christian. Ask the woman if I also, as a last resource, may 
 take refuge among them." 
 
 "I will ask her, Beric; but I am sure they will gladly re- 
 ceive you. Have you not already risked your life to save a 
 Christian?" 
 
 The other guests having now left, Norbanus joined them, 
 and Beric told him of the arrangements they had made in case 
 of danger. He warmly approved of them. 
 
 "It will be a relief to me as to you, Beric, to know that 
 ^Emilia's safety is provided for. As for myself, fate has no terrors 
 for me; but for you and her it is different. She is yours now, 
 for although but betrothed she is virtually your wife. You have 
 but to take her by the hand and to declare her your wife in the 
 presence of witnesses, and all is done. There is, it is true, a 
 religious ceremony in use only among the wealthier classes, 
 but this is rather an occasion for pomp and feasting, and is 
 by no means needful, especially as you have no faith in the 
 Roman gods. What are the rites among your own people, 
 Beric?"
 
 BETROTHAL. 309 
 
 " We simply take a woman by the hand and declare her our 
 wife. Then there is feasting, and the bride is carried home, 
 and there is the semblance of a fight, the members of her 
 family making a show of preventing us; but this is no part of 
 the actual rite, which is merely public assent on both sides. 
 And now I must be going. Nero will be feasting for a long 
 time yet; but Boduoc has been on guard for many hours and 
 I must relieve him. Farewell, Norbanus; we have been pre- 
 paring for the worst, but I trust we shall escape misfortune. 
 Farewell, my ^Emilia!" and kissing her tenderly Beric strode 
 away to the palace of Nero. 
 
 He had not seen Boduoc since early morning, and the latter, 
 standing on guard outside the private entrance to Nero's 
 apartments, greeted his arrival, "Why, Beric, I began to fear 
 that some harm had befallen you. I came in this morning 
 after the bath and found you had gone out. I returned again 
 at six and found your chamber again empty, but saw that you 
 had returned during my absence; I went on guard, and here 
 have I been for four hours listening to all that foolish singing 
 and laughter inside. How Caesar, who has the world at his 
 command, can spend his time with actors and buffoons, is more 
 than I can understand. But what has kept you?" 
 
 As there was no fear of his voice being heard through the 
 heavy hangings, Beric, to Boduoc's intense surprise, related the 
 events of the day. 
 
 "So you have married a Roman girl, Beric! Well, I sus- 
 pected what would come of it when you spent half your time 
 at the house of Norbanus. I would rather that you had 
 married one of our own maidens; but as I see no chance of our 
 return to Britain for years, if ever, one could hardly expect you 
 to wait for that. At any rate she is the best of the Roman 
 maidens I have seen. She neither dyes her hair nor paints 
 her face, and although she lacks stature, she is comely, and is 
 always bright and pleasant wh^en I have accompanied you there. 
 I am inclined to feel half jealous that you have another to love 
 you besides myself, but I will try and not grudge her a share of 
 your affection." 
 
 "Well, hand me your sword, Boduoc, and betake yourself 
 to your bed. I will remain on guard for the next four hours, 
 or until the feasting is over. Nero often opens the hangings
 
 310 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the last thing to see if we are watchful, and he likes to see me 
 at my post I wish to find him in a good temper in the 
 morning." 
 
 The next morning, to Beric's satisfaction, Nero came into 
 the library early. Chiton, as was his custom, retired at once. 
 
 " I was inspired last night, Beric," the emperor said. " Lis- 
 ten to these verses I composed at the table;" and he recited 
 some stanzas in praise of wine. 
 
 " I am no great judge of these matters, Caesar," Beric said ; 
 " but they seem to me to be admirable indeed. How could it 
 be otherwise, when even the Greeks awarded you the crown 
 for your recitations at their contests? Yesterday was a for- 
 tunate day for me, also, Csesar, for Norbanus betrothed his 
 daughter to me." 
 
 The emperor's face clouded, and Beric hastened to say: 
 
 " There is no talk of marriage at present, Caesar, for mar- 
 riage would interfere with my duties to you. Therefore it 
 is only when you have no longer an occasion for my ser- 
 vices that the betrothal will be converted into marriage. My 
 first duty is to you, and I shall allow nothing to interfere with 
 that." 
 
 Nero's face cleared. "That is right," he said graciously. 
 " You might have married better, seeing that you enjoy my 
 favour; but perhaps it is as well as it is. Norbanus is a worthy 
 man and a good official, although his ideas are old-fashioned; 
 but it is reported of him that he thinks of nothing but his 
 work, and mixes himself up in no way in politics, living the life 
 almost of a recluse. It was one of his daughters you championed 
 in the arena. She died soon afterwards, I heard. Has he 
 other children?" 
 
 "Only the maiden I am betrothed to, Caesar. He is now 
 alone, for his wife has long been altogether separated from him, 
 being devoted to gaiety and belonging to a family richer and 
 more powerful than his, and looking down upon her husband 
 as a mere book-worm. He has borne with her neglect and 
 disobedience to his wishes for a long time, and has shown, as it 
 seemed to me, far too great a weakness in exerting his authority; 
 but his patience has at last failed, and when yesterday, in de- 
 fiance of him, she would have interfered to prevent my betrothal 
 to his daughter, he divorced her."
 
 BETROTHAL. 311 
 
 "Divorce is the fashion," Nero said carelessly. "I know 
 his wife Lesbia, she has frequently been present with members 
 of her family at my entertainments. She is a fine woman, and 
 I wonder not that she and the recluse her husband did not get 
 on well together. She will soon be consoled." 
 
 " I have mentioned it to you, Csesar, because she is a revenge- 
 ful woman, and might cause rumours unfavourable to her 
 husband to be reported to you. He is the most simple and 
 single-minded of men, and his thoughts are entirely occupied, 
 as you say, with the duties of his office and with the learned 
 book upon which he has long been engaged; but although a 
 philosopher in his habits he holds aloof from all parties, 
 and even in his own family never discusses public affairs. 
 Had it been otherwise, you may be sure that I, your majesty's 
 attendant and guard, should have abstained from visiting his 
 house." 
 
 " I know this to be the case, Beric. Naturally, when I 
 first placed you near my person, I was interested in knowing 
 who were your intimates, and caused strict inquiries to be made 
 as to the household of Norbanus and his associates; all that I 
 heard was favourable to him, and convinced me that he was in 
 no way a dangerous person." Nero left the room, and returned 
 shortly bearing a casket. "Give these jewels to your betrothed, 
 Beric, as a present from Csesar to the wife of his faithful 
 guard." 
 
 Beric thanked the emperor in becoming terms, and in the 
 afternoon carried the jewels, which were of great value, to 
 JEmilia. 
 
 "They are a fortune in themselves," he said; "in case of 
 danger, take them from the casket and conceal them in your 
 garments. No one could have been more cordial than Nero 
 was this morning; but he is fickle as the wind, and when 
 Rufinus and others of his boon companions obtain his ear his 
 mood may change altogether^"
 
 312 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 
 
 IT was not long, indeed, before Beric found that hostile in- 
 fluences were at work. Nero was not less friendly in his 
 manner, but he more than once spoke to him about ^Emilia. 
 
 " I hear," he said one day, " that your beti'othed is very 
 beautiful, Beric." 
 
 " She is very fair, Caesar," Beric replied coldly. 
 
 "I know not how it is that I have not seen her at court," 
 Nero continued. 
 
 " Her tastes are like those of her father," Beric said. " She 
 goes but seldom abroad, and has long had the principal care of 
 her father's household." 
 
 "But you should bring her now," Nero persisted. "The 
 wife of one of the officials of the palace should have a place at 
 our entertainments." 
 
 " She is not at present my wife, Csesar, she is but my be- 
 trothed; and as you have yourself excused me from attend- 
 ance at all entertainments, it would be unseemly for her, a 
 Roman maiden, though betrothed to me, to appear there." 
 
 "There are plenty of other Roman maidens who appear there," 
 Nero said pettishly. Beric made no reply, and the subject 
 was not again alluded to at that time ; but the emperor returned 
 to it on other occasions, and Beric at last was driven to refuse 
 point-blank. 
 
 " I am your majesty's guard," he said. " I watch you at 
 night as well as by day, and, as I have told your majesty, I 
 cannot perform my duties properly if I have to be present at 
 your entertainments. I should not permit my wife or my 
 betrothed to be present in public unless I were by her side. 
 Your majesty took me for what I was, a simple Briton, who 
 could be relied upon as a guard, because I had neither friends 
 nor family in Rome, and was content to live a simple and quiet 
 life. I am willing to abstain from marriage in order that I 
 may still do my service as heretofore ; but if I have to attend 
 entertainments, you cannot rely upon my constant vigilance.
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 313 
 
 It is for you to choose, Caesar, whether you most require vigi- 
 lant guards, who could be trusted as standing aloof from all, or 
 the addition of two persons to the crowds you entertain. I 
 am sure, Caesar," he went on as the emperor made no reply, " it 
 is not yourself who is now speaking to me; it is Rufinus, for- 
 merly a suitor for the hand of the daughter of Norbanus, who 
 has been whispering into your ear and abusing the favour you 
 show him. He dare not show his animosity to me openly, for one 
 who has conquered a lion would make but short work of him. 
 Your majesty, I pray you, let not the word of men like this 
 come between yourself and one you know to be faithful to you." 
 
 "You are right, Beric," Nero said. "I will press you no 
 farther; it was but a passing thought. I had heard of the 
 beauty of your betrothed, and thought I would see if she were 
 as fair as report makes her; but since you do not wish it to be 
 so, it shall not be spoken of again." 
 
 But Beric knew enough of Nero to be aware that, like most 
 weak men, he was obstinate, and that Rufinus and his friends 
 would not allow the matter to drop. Every preparation was 
 therefore made for sudden flight. ^Emilia was warned on no 
 account to trust any message she might receive purporting to 
 be from him, and the Britons in the palace, who were heartily 
 sick of their monotonous duty, were told to hold themselves in 
 readiness for action. Beric knew that he could depend on the 
 slave who had been assigned to him as an attendant. He was 
 not the man who had at first served him, and who, as Beric 
 doubted not, had acted as a spy upon him. When it was found 
 that there was nothing to discover this man had been removed 
 for other work, and a slave boy of some seventeen years old had 
 taken his place. To him Beric had behaved with great kind- 
 ness, and the lad was deeply attached to him. He Ijad^ several 
 times taken notes and messages to the house of Norbanus, and 
 Beric told ^Emilia that when it became necessary to send her 
 the ring, he should probably intrust it to him. 
 
 A week later Boduoc was on guard at ten in the evening. 
 In the distant banqueting hall he could hear sounds of laughter 
 and revelry, and knowing the nature of these feasts he muttered 
 angrily to himself that he, a Briton, should be standing there 
 while such things were being done within. Suddenly he heard 
 a step approaching the hangings. They were drawn back, and
 
 314 BERTC THE BRITON. 
 
 one of the court attendants said, " Caesar requires the attendance 
 of Beric the Briton in the banqueting hall." 
 
 " I will tell him," Boduoc said. " He will come directly." 
 Beric was sitting reading when Boduoc entered and gave the 
 message. 
 
 "This means mischief, Boduoc," he said. "I have never 
 been sent for before to one of these foul carousals. Philo, come 
 hither 1" 
 
 The lad, who was lying on a mat by the door, rose. " Philo, 
 take this ring. Follow me to the door of the banqueting room, 
 and stand behind the hangings. If I say ' Eun, Philo ! ' carry 
 out the orders that I have before given you. Speed first to the 
 room where the Britons sleep, and tell them to arm and come 
 up by the private stairs to my room instantly. They know the 
 way. They are then to pass on through the passage and the 
 next room and wait behind the hangings, when Boduoc will 
 give them orders. Directly you have given my message speed 
 to the house of Norbanus, and demand in my name to see the 
 lady ^Emilia. If she has retired to her room she must be 
 roused. If the slaves make any difficulty, appeal to Norbanus 
 himself. He will fetch her down to you. Give her this ring, 
 and say the time has come." 
 
 " I will do it, my lord. Where am I to join you afterwards] " 
 
 " I shall take the road to the Alban Hills first; I think that 
 if you are speedy, you may be on the Alban road before me. 
 Now follow me. Boduoc, do you come as far as the hangings 
 of the banqueting room, and stand there with Philo. You will 
 be able to hear what passes within. Do not enter unless I 
 call you. Bring my sword with you." 
 
 Beric passed through two or three large apartments and then 
 entered the banqueting room. It was ablaze with lights. A 
 dozen men and as many women, in the scantiest costumes, lay 
 on couches along each side of the table. All were crowned 
 with chaplets of flowers, and were half-covered with roses, of 
 which showers had fallen from above upon them. Nero lay on 
 a couch at the end of the table; his features were flushed with 
 wine. Beric repressed the exclamation of indignant disgust 
 that rose to his lips, and walking calmly up to Nero said coldly, 
 " I am told that you want me, Ca3sar." 
 
 " I do, my fighter of lions," Nero said unsteadily. " I would
 
 BERIC CONFRONTS NERO AT THE BANQUET.
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 315 
 
 see this paragon of whom Rufinus tells me, whom you guard 
 so jealously from my eyes. Send and fetch her hither. She 
 will be a worthy queen of our revels." 
 
 " It is an honour to me to obey your majesty's commands in 
 all matters that regard myself," Beric said; "but in regard to 
 my promised wife, no! This is no place for a Roman lady; 
 and even at the risk of your displeasure, Caesar, I refuse to 
 dishonour her by bringing her into such an assembly." 
 
 " I told you he would refuse, Caesar," Rufinus, who was lying 
 on the couch next to Nero, laughed. 
 
 Nero was speechless with surprise and anger at Beric's calm 
 refusal to obey his orders. " Do I understand," he said at last, 
 " that you refuse to obey me V 
 
 " I do, Caesar. It is not a lawful command, and I distinctly 
 refuse to obey it." 
 
 "Then, by the gods, your life is forfeit!" Nero said, rising 
 to his feet. 
 
 " You may thank your gods, Caesar, that I have more sense 
 of honour than you. Were it otherwise, I would strike you 
 dead at my feet. But a British chief disdains to fight an 
 unarmed foe, and I who have eaten your bread and taken your 
 wages am doubly bound not to lift my hand against you." 
 Then he lifted his voice and cried, "Run, Philo!" 
 
 The revellers by this time had all started to their feet. Nero, 
 shrinking backwards behind them, called loudly for help. Ru- 
 finus, who had shown bravery in the wars, drew a dagger from 
 beneath his toga and sprang at Beric. The latter caught his 
 uplifted wrist, and with a sharp wrench forced him to drop the 
 weapon ; then he seized him in his grasp. " You shall do no 
 more mischief, Rufinus," he said, and raising him in his arms 
 hurled him with tremendous force against a marble pillar, where 
 he fell inert and lifeless, his sjkull being completely beaten in 
 by the blow. 
 
 The hall rang with the shrieks of women and the shouts of 
 men. There was a sound of heavy footsteps, and eight of the 
 Praetorian guards, with drawn swords, ran in on the other side 
 of the ohamber. "Boduoc!" Beric shouted; and in a moment 
 his follower stood beside him and handed him his sword and 
 buckler. 
 
 "Kill him!" Nero shouted frantically. "The traitor would
 
 316 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 have slain me." Beric and Boduoc stepped back to the door by 
 which they had entered, and awaited the onset of the Prae- 
 torians. For a moment these hesitated, for Beric's figure was 
 well known in the palace, and not one of them but had 
 heard of his encounter with the lion. The emperor's shouts, 
 however, overcame their reluctance, and shoulder to shoulder 
 they rushed forward to the attack. Two fell instantly, helmet 
 and head cloven by the swords of the Britons, who at once 
 took the offensive and drove the others before them, slaying 
 three more and putting the others to flight. But the success 
 was temporary, for now a great body of the guard poured into 
 the room. 
 
 "Step back through the doorway, Boduoc," Beric said; 
 " their numbers will not avail them then." The doors were 
 ten feet in width. This gave room to but three men to enter 
 at once and use their arms to advantage, and for two or three 
 minutes the Britons kept the Praetorians at bay, eight of them 
 having fallen beneath their blows; then there was a shout, and 
 the Roman soldiers came running in at a door at the end of the 
 chamber. "Fall back to the next door," Beric said; but as he 
 spoke there was a rush behind, and nineteen Britons ran into 
 the room, and uttering the war-cry of the Iceni flung them- 
 selves upon the Koman soldiers. These, taken by surprise at 
 the sudden appearance of these tall warriors, and ignorant of 
 what further reinforcements might be coming up, gave ground, 
 and were speedily beaten back, a score of them falling beneath 
 the Britons' swords. 
 
 "Now retreat!" Beric cried as the room was cleared; "re- 
 treat at full speed. Show them the way, Boduoc, by the stair- 
 case down into the garden. Quick ! there is not a moment to 
 lose. I will guard the rear." 
 
 They ran down the passage, through Beric's room, down 
 a long corridor, and then by stairs leading thence into the gar- 
 den, which was indeed a park of considerable size, with lakes, 
 shrubberies, and winding walks. The uproar in the palace 
 was no longer heard by the time they were half-way across 
 the park; but they ran at full .speed until they reached a 
 door in the wall. Of this Beric had some time before ob- 
 tained a key from the head gardener, and always carried 
 this about with him. As they stopped they looked back
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 317 
 
 towards the palace. Distant shouts could be heard, and the 
 lights of numbers of torches could be seen spreading out in all 
 directions. 
 
 Beric opened the door and locked it behind him when all had 
 passed out. "Now," he said to his companions, "make your 
 way down to the road leading out to the Alban Hills. Break 
 up and go singly, so that you may not be noticed. It will be 
 a good half-hour before the news of what has occurred is known 
 beyond the palace. Do not pass through the frequented streets, 
 but move along the dark lanes as much as possible. When half 
 a mile beyond the city we will reunite." 
 
 An hour later the whole party were gathered beyond the 
 city. All were delighted to escape from what they considered 
 slavery, and the fact that they had again bucklers on their arms 
 and swords by their sides made them feel as if their freedom 
 were already attained. 
 
 " This puts one in mind of old times," Boduoc said joyously; 
 " one might think we were about to start on an expedition in 
 the fens. Well, they have taught us all somewhat more than 
 we knew before, and we will show them that the air of Rome 
 has robbed us of none of our strength. Where go we now, 
 Beric?" 
 
 "First to the ludus of Scopus; I learned a week since that 
 he had taken his band out again to the Alban Hills for the 
 hot season. I believe that most of his men will join us, if not 
 all. As soon as the news is spread that we are in arms we 
 could, if we wished it, be joined by scores of gladiators from 
 the other schools. There are hundreds who would, if the 
 standard of revolt were raised, prefer dying fighting in/the 
 open to being slain to gratify a Roman mob." 
 
 " Ay, that there are," put in another of the band. " I have 
 never ceased to lament that I did not fall that day on our 
 island in the fens." 4 
 
 "Think you there will be pursuit, Beric?" another asked. 
 
 "No; the first thought of Nero will be to assemble all the 
 Praetorians for his protection; they will search the palace and 
 the park, expecting attack rather than thinking of pursuit. 
 In the morning, when they find that all is quiet, and that it is 
 indeed only us with whom there is trouble, they will doubtless 
 send parties of searchers over the country ; but long before that
 
 318 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 we shall be a day's march ahead. My wish is to gain the 
 mountains. I do not want to head a great rebellion against 
 Rome disaster would surely come of it at last, and I should 
 have only led men to their death. A hundred men is the out- 
 side number I will take. With that number we may live as 
 outlaws among the mountains to the south; we could move so 
 rapidly that large forces could not follow us, and be strong 
 enough to repulse small ones. There is plenty of game among 
 the hills, and we should live as we did at home, chiefly by 
 hunting." 
 
 Just as they were approaching the hills a quick step was 
 heard behind them, and the lad Philo ran up. 
 
 "Ah, you have overtaken us, Philo! 'tis well, lad, for your 
 life would have been forfeited had you stayed in Rome. Well," 
 he asked, drawing him aside, "you saw the lady ^Emilia. 
 What said she?" 
 
 " She said, ' Tell my lord that I obey, but that I pray him to 
 let me join him and share his dangers if it be possible; but be 
 it to-morrow or five years hence, he will find me waiting for him 
 at the place he knows of.' Norbanus was present when she 
 spoke. I told him what I had heard in the banqueting-room, 
 and he said 'Beric has done rightly. Tell him that he has 
 acted as a Roman should do, but as Romans no longer act, 
 caring less for their honour than do the meanest slaves, and 
 that I thank him for having thus defended my daughter 
 against indignity.' He was glad, he said, that his life would 
 end now, for it was a burden to him under such conditions. 
 He gave me this bag of gold to bring to you, saying that he 
 should have no farther need for it, and that, leaving in such 
 haste, you would not have time to furnish yourself with money. 
 It is heavy," the boy said. " I should have caught you some 
 time earlier, but twenty or more pounds' weight makes a deal of 
 difference in a long run." 
 
 On arriving at the house of Scopus Beric bade the others 
 wait without, and stepping over the slaves lying at the entrance, 
 he went quietly to the sleeping chamber of the lanista. 
 
 "Who is thisl" Scopus asked as he entered. 
 
 "It is I, Beric; throw your mantle on and come outside with 
 me, Scopus. I would speak with you alone, and do not wish 
 that all should know that I have been here."
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 319 
 
 "In trouble?" Scopus asked as they left the house. "Ay, 
 lad, I expected it, and knew that sooner or later it would come. 
 What is it?" 
 
 " Nero ordered me to fetch ^Emilia to his foul carousal. I 
 refused. Kufinus, at whose instigation he acted, attacked me. 
 I hurled him against a pillar, and methinks he was killed, and 
 then Nero, in alarm for his life, called in the Praetorians. 
 Boduoc and my countrymen joined me, and we slew some 
 thirty of them, and then made our escape, and are taking to 
 the mountains." 
 
 "And you have come to ask my gladiators to join?" Scopus 
 said shortly. 
 
 "No," Beric replied; "when I started I thought of so doing, 
 but as I walked hither I decided otherwise. It would not be 
 fair to you. Did I ask them some would join, I know, others 
 might not. The loss of their services I could make up to you; 
 but if it were known that we had been here, and that some 
 of your band had joined me, Nero's vengeance would fall on 
 you all." 
 
 " I thank you, Beric ; if some went I must go myself, for I 
 dare not remain, and though I wish you well, and hate the 
 tyrant, I am well off and comfortable, and have no desire to 
 throw away my life." 
 
 "There is one I should like to take with me Porus; we 
 were good friends when I was here, and I know that he hates 
 this life and longs to be free from it. He would have run 
 away and joined the gladiators when they rose at Praeneste had 
 I not dissuaded him. He could leave without th^pthers 
 knowing it, and in the morning you might affect a belief that 
 he has run away, and give notice to the magistrate here and 
 have him sought for. In that way there would be no suspicion 
 of his having joined us. I know that he is valuable to you, 
 being, I think, the best of youV troop, but I will pay you what- 
 ever price you place his services at." 
 
 " No, no," Scopus said, " I will give him to you, Beric, for 
 the sake of our friendship, and for your consideration for me 
 in not taking the rest with you. I have done well by you and 
 him. Stay here and 1 will fetch him out to you ; it may be 
 that many will desert both from me and the other lanistm 
 when they hear that you have taken to the mountains, but for
 
 320 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 that I cannot be blamed. You have come far out of your way 
 to come hither." 
 
 " Yes, 'tis a long detour, but it will matter little. We shall 
 skirt round the foot of the hills, cross the Lyris below Praeneste, 
 and then make straight to the mountains. They will not 
 search for us in that direction, and we will take shelter in a 
 wood when day breaks, and gain the mountains to-morrow 
 night. Once there we shall be safe, and shall move farther 
 south to the wild hills between Apulia and Campania, or if it 
 is too hot for us there, down into Bruttium, whence we can, if 
 it be needed, cross into Sicily. I am not thinking of making 
 war with Rome. We intend to live and die as free men, 
 and methinks that in the mountains we may laugh at the whole 
 strength of Rome." 
 
 " You will find plenty of others in the same condition there, 
 Beric; escaped slaves and gladiators constantly make for the 
 hills, and there have been many expeditions against the bands 
 there, who are often strong enough to be a danger to the towns 
 near the foot of the mountains." 
 
 "We are not going to turn brigands," Beric said; "there is 
 game on the hills, and we are all hunters, and I have money 
 enough to pay for all else we require did we live there for 
 years. But fetch me Porus. We must be far from here by 
 daylight." 
 
 Porus soon came out, much surprised at being suddenly 
 roused from sleep, and silently brought out of the house by 
 Scopus. As soon as Beric explained to him what had hap- 
 pened, he joyfully agreed to join him, and stole in and fetched 
 his arms. Then with a hearty adieu to Scopus Beric placed 
 himself at the .head of his band and struck off by the road to 
 Prseneste. Walking fast they arrived at the bank of the Lyris 
 before daybreak, crossed the river in a fisherman's boat they 
 found on the bank, and just as daylight showed in the sky 
 entered an extensive grove, having walked over forty miles 
 since leaving Rome. They slept during the day, taking it by 
 turns to watch at the edge of the wood, and when it was again 
 dark started afresh, and were, when morning broke, high up 
 on the slopes of the Apennines. 
 
 " I feel a free man again now," Boduoc said. " It does not 
 seem to me that I have drawn a breath of fresh air since I
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 321 
 
 entered Rome; but fresh air, good as it is, Beric, is not alto- 
 gether satisfying, and I begin to feel that I have eaten nothing 
 since I supped the day before yesterday." 
 
 " We will push on for another hour," Beric said, " and then 
 we shall be fairly beyond the range of cultivation. At the 
 last house we come to we will go in and purchase food. Flour 
 is the principal thing we need; we shall have no difficulty in 
 getting goats from the herdsmen who pasture their animals 
 among the hills." 
 
 An hour later Beric, with Boduoc and two of his followers, 
 went up to a farm-house. The farmer and his servants ran 
 into the house, raising cries of alarm at the sight of the four 
 tall armed figures. 
 
 " Do not fear," Beric said when he reached the door, " we 
 are not brigands, but honest men, who desire to pay for what 
 we need." 
 
 Somewhat reassured, the farmer came out. " What does my 
 lord require 1 " he asked, impressed by a nearer view of Beric's 
 dress and arms. 
 
 "How much flour have you in the house?" Beric asked, 
 "and what is the price of it?" 
 
 The farmer had three sacks of flour. " I will take them all," 
 Beric said, " and three skins of wine if you have them. I would 
 also buy two sheep if you name me a fair price for the whole." 
 
 The farmer named a price not much above that which he 
 would have obtained in the market, and Beric also bought of 
 him a number of small bags capable of containing some fifteen 
 or twenty pounds of flour each. Then one of the men Etched 
 up the rest of the band; the flour was divided and packed in the 
 small bags; the sheep were killed and cut up; three of the men 
 lifted the wine-skins on to their shoulders; the rest took the 
 flour and meat, and they marched away, leaving the farmer and 
 his family astounded at the appearance of these strange men 
 with fair hair and blue eyes, and of stature that appeared to 
 them gigantic. 
 
 Still ascending the mountain the band halted in a forest. 
 Wood was soon collected and a fire lighted. The contents of 
 one 'of the bags was made into dough at a stream hard by, 
 divided into cakes and placed on red-hot ashes, while the meat 
 was cut up and hung over the fire. 
 
 (725) X
 
 322 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " We have forgotten drinking-horns," Beric said, " but your 
 steel cap, Porus, will serve us for a drinking- cup for to- 
 day." 
 
 After a hearty meal they lay down for some hours to sleep, 
 and then resumed their march. They were getting well into the 
 heart of the mountains when a figure suddenly appeared on a 
 crag above them. 
 
 "Who are you?" he shouted, "and what do you here in the 
 mountains ? " 
 
 " We are fugitives from the tyranny of Kome," Beric replied. 
 " We mean harm to no man, but those who would meddle with 
 us are likely to regret it." 
 
 " You swear that you are fugitives," the man called back. 
 
 " I swear," Beric said, holding up his hand. 
 
 The man turned round and spoke to someone behind him, 
 and a moment later a party of fifteen men appeared on the 
 crag and began to descend into the ravine up which Beric's 
 band were making their way. 
 
 " It is the Britons," the leader exclaimed as he neared them. 
 "Why, Beric, is it you, tired already of the dignities of Kome? 
 How fares it with you, Boduoc?" 
 
 Beric recognized at once a Gaul, one of the gladiators of 
 Scopus, who had some months before fled from the ludus. In 
 a minute the two bands met. Most of the new-comers were 
 Gauls, and, like their leader, escaped gladiators, and as Beric's 
 name was well known to all they saluted him with acclamations. 
 Both parties were pleased at the meeting, for, akin by race and 
 speaking dialects of the same language, they regarded each 
 other as natural allies. 
 
 " The life of an outlaw will be a change to you after Nero's 
 palace, Beric," Gatho, their leader, said. 
 
 " A pleasant change," Beric replied. " I have no taste for 
 gilded chains. How do you fare here, Gatho?" 
 
 "There are plenty of wild boars among the mountains^ and 
 we can always get a goat when they are lacking. There are 
 plenty of them wild all over the hills, escaped captives like 
 ourselves. As for wine and flour, we have occasionally to make 
 a raid on the villages." 
 
 "I do not propose to do that," Beric said; "I have money 
 to buy what we require; and if we set the villagers against us,
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 323 
 
 sooner or later they will lead the troops after us up the moun- 
 tains." 
 
 "I would gladly do that too, but the means are lacking. 
 We owe the peasants no ill-will, but one must live, you know." 
 
 " Have you any place you make your head-quarters?" 
 
 "Ay, an hour's march from hence; I will lead you to it." 
 The united bands continued to climb the hills, and on emerging 
 from the ravine Gatho led them for some distance along the 
 upper edge of a forest, and then turned up a narrow gorge in 
 the hillside with a little rivulet running down it. The ravine 
 widened out as they went up it, till they reached a spot where 
 it formed a circular area of some hundred and fifty feet in 
 diameter, surrounded on all sides by perpendicular rocks, with 
 a tiny cascade a hundred feet in height falling into it at the 
 farther end. Some rough huts of boughs of trees were erected 
 near the centre. 
 
 " A good hiding-place," Beric said, " but I see no mode of 
 retreat, and if a peasant were to lead a party of Romans to the 
 entrance you would be caught in a trap." 
 
 "We have only been here ten days," Gatho said, "and never 
 stop long in one place; but it has the disadvantage you speak 
 of. However, we have always one or two men posted lower 
 down, at points where they can see any bodies of men ascending 
 the hills. They brought us notice of your coming when you 
 were far below, so you see we are not likely to be taken by 
 surprise, and the Roman soldiers are not fond of night marches 
 among the mountains." <^, 
 
 As it was some hours since the Britons had partaken of their 
 meal they were quite ready to join the Gauls in another, and 
 the carcass of a wild boar hanging up near the huts was soon 
 cut up and roasting over a fire, the Britons contributing wine 
 and flour to the meal. After i* was over there was a long talk, 
 and after consulting together Gatho and his band unanimously 
 agreed in asking Beric to take the command of the whole party. 
 
 " We all know you, Beric," Gatho said. " None could like 
 you have fought a lion bare-handed, and I know that there was 
 no one in the ludus who was your match with the sword, while 
 Boduoc and the other five were infinitely superior to any of us 
 in strength. Besides, you are well versed in Roman ways, and 
 have led an army against them, therefore we all are ready to
 
 324 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 accept you as our leader and to obey your orders if you will 
 take us." 
 
 " I will do so willingly, Gatho. I do not wish to have more 
 than fifty men with me, for it would be difficult to find subsis- 
 tence for a larger number. A hundred is the outside number, 
 and doubtless we shall be able to gather other recruits should 
 we choose to raise the band to that number; but all who follow 
 me must obey me as implicitly as did my own tribesmen in our 
 struggle with the Romans, and must swear to do no harm to 
 innocent people, and to abstain from all violence and robbery. 
 I am ready to be a leader of outlaws but not of brigands. I 
 desire only to live a free life among the mountains. If the 
 Romans come against us we will fight against them, and the 
 spoil we may take from them is lawful booty, to be used in 
 exchange for such things as we may require. But with the 
 peasants we will make friends, and if we treat them well they 
 will bring us news of any expeditions that may be on foot for 
 our capture. As I said I have money enough to buy everything 
 we want at present, and can obtain more if necessary, so that 
 there is no reason for us to rob these poor people of their goods. 
 Here we are too near Rome for them to be disaffected, but 
 further south we shall find them not unwilling to aid us, for 
 the provinces are ground into the dust by the exactions neces- 
 sary to pay for the cost of the rebuilding of Rome and to sup- 
 port the extravagance of Nero." 
 
 The Gauls cheerfully took the required oath. 
 
 "You, Gatho, will continue to act as my lieutenant with 
 your Gauls, Boduoc commands the Britons under me. It may 
 be necessary at times for the band to divide, as when game is 
 scarce we may find a difficulty in keeping together, especially 
 if we recruit our band up to a hundred. I am determined to 
 have no malefactors who have fled from justice nor riotous men 
 among us. I should prefer that they should be chiefly your 
 countrymen, but we will not refuse gladiators of other nations 
 who have been captured as prisoners of war. We want no 
 escaped slaves among us. A man who has once been a slave 
 might try to buy his pardon and freedom by betraying us. We 
 will be free men all, asking only to live in freedom among the 
 mountains, injuring none, but determined to fight and die in 
 defence of that freedom."
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 325 
 
 These sentiments were warmly welcomed by the Gauls. The 
 next day the number of men on the look-out was increased, 
 and the band, breaking up into small parties, scattered among 
 the mountains in pursuit of wild boars and goats. Some were 
 to return, successful or not, at night to the encampment, and 
 on the following day to take the place of those on watch, and 
 relays were provided so that during the week each would take 
 a turn at that duty. 
 
 Never did men enjoy a week's hunting with greater zest than 
 the Britons. To them life seemed to begin anew, and although 
 the skies were bluer and the mountains higher and rougher 
 than those of Britain, it seemed to them that they were once 
 again enjoying their native air, and of an evening rude chants 
 of Gaul and Britain echoed among the rocks. 
 
 Porus, the Syrian, stood somewhat apart from the rest, not 
 understanding the tongue of the others, and he therefore became 
 naturally the special companion of Beric; for having been six 
 years in Rome he spoke Latin fluently. 
 
 " It is I who must go down to get you news, Beric," he said 
 one day. " You Britons could not disguise yourselves, for even 
 if you stained your cheeks and dyed your hair your blue eyes 
 and your height would betray you at once. The Gauls, too, 
 though shorter than you, are still much taller and broader men 
 than the Romans, and there are none of them who speak the 
 language well enough to ask a question without their foreign 
 tongue being detected. I am about the height of the Romans, 
 and am swarthier than the Gauls, and could, if I borroVed the 
 dress of one of the goat-herds, pass among them without notice. 
 It would certainly be well, as you were saying, to know what 
 is being done below, and whether there is any idea of sending 
 troops up into the mountains to search for us. 
 
 " You may be sure that after the scare you gave Nero, and 
 the defeat of his guards, the matter will not be allowed to 
 drop, and that they will search all Italy for you. I should 
 think that, at first, they will seek for you in the north, think- 
 ing that you would be likely, after taking to the hills which 
 you would be sure to do, for such a party could never hope to 
 traverse the plains unnoticed to keep along the chain to the 
 north, cross the Cisalpine plains, and try to make the passage 
 of the great mountains.'
 
 326 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "At anyrate it will be well, Porus, to know what they are 
 doing. If they are at present confining their search to the 
 northern range we can stay where we are with confidence. I 
 should be sorry to move, for we are well placed here; there 
 is good water and game is abundant. We certainly shall soon 
 lack wine, but for everything else we can manage. We have 
 meat in abundance, and have still flour to last for some time, 
 for both we and the Gauls eat but little bread; besides, if 
 pushed, we can do as the peasants do, pound up acorns and 
 beech-nuts and make a sort of bread of them." 
 
 "Very well, Beric, I will go down to-morrow." 
 
 Early in the morning, however, two of the men on sentry 
 came in and said that they observed the glitter of the sun on 
 spear-head and armour far down the hillside. 
 
 "If they are after us," Beric said, "as I expect they are, 
 they have doubtless learned that we are somewhere in this part 
 of the mountains from the man of whom we bought the wine 
 and flour. I don't suppose he intended to do us harm, but 
 when he went down to purchase fresh supplies he may well 
 have mentioned that a party of strong men of unusual height, 
 and with fair hair, had bought up his stock, paying for it 
 honestly, which would perhaps surprise him more than any- 
 thing. If the news had come to the ears of any of the officials, 
 they, knowing the hue and cry which was being made for us, 
 would have sent word at once to Prseneste or Rome. We must 
 at once recall those who are away. Philo, take a couple of 
 brands and go and light the signal fire." 
 
 A pile of dry wood had been placed in readiness upon a 
 projecting rock a mile away and standing in a position where 
 it was visible from a considerable extent of the hillside. It 
 had been settled that the parties of hunters who did. not return 
 at nightfall should occasionally send one of their number to a 
 point whence he could get a view of the beacon. 
 
 "Directly the pile is well alight, Philo, pluck up green bushes 
 and tufts of grass and throw upon it, so as to make as much 
 smoke as possible." 
 
 There were eighteen men in the encampment, and four out 
 on guard. Boduoc and Gatho were both away, and as soon as 
 Philo had started with the brands Beric and Porus set out with 
 the two scouts.
 
 THE OUTBREAK. 327 
 
 " That was where we saw them," one of them said, pointing 
 far down the hillside, " but by this time they will no doubt 
 have entered the wooded belt" 
 
 "We must find out something about their numbers," Beric 
 said. "Not that I wish to fight; for were we to inflict losses 
 upon them they would more than ever make efforts to overtake 
 us. Still, it will be as well to know what force they may 
 think sufficient to capture us." 
 
 " I will go down through the forest," Porus said, " doubt- 
 less they will have some light-armed troops with the spearmen; 
 but they must be fleet indeed if they overtake me after all my 
 training." 
 
 "Do not let them see you if you can help it, Porus, or they 
 will follow close behind you, although they might not over- 
 take you, and that might bring on a fight." 
 
 "I will be careful;" and leaving his buckler behind him, 
 Porus started on his way down the mountain. 
 
 In an hour and a half he returned. " I have had a good 
 view of them," he said; "they have halted at the place where 
 we got the flour. There are a hundred heavy-armed troops 
 and a hundred archers and slingers." 
 
 "They have come in strength," Beric said; "it shows that 
 they do not hold the Britons cheaply. We will return at once 
 to the camp. By this time the hunters should be back." 
 
 Sending one of the men to call in the other sentries, they 
 returned to the huts. Boduoc, with a party of ten anen, had 
 already come in, and said that they had seen Gatho s party 
 making their way down from a point high up in the mountains. 
 
 " We will pause no longer," Beric said, " we shall meet them 
 as they descend; take the flour and what little wine remains, 
 and let us be going. Scatter the fire and extinguish the brands; 
 unless they have found some goat-herd who has marked us 
 coming and going, they may not find this place. I hope they 
 will not do so, as it would encourage them by the thought that 
 they had nearly captured us." 
 
 The party had ascended the mountain half a mile when they 
 met Gatho returning. " I like not to retreat without fighting," 
 he said, when he had heard from Beric of the coming of the 
 Romans and their force; "but I agree with you that it is 
 better not to anger them farther."
 
 328 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " I want three of the fleetest-footed of your men, Gatho, to 
 stay behind with Porus and watch them, themselves unseen. 
 We will cross over the crest of the hills to the eastern side, 
 Porus. Do you mark that tall craig near the summit; you will 
 find one of us there, and he will lead you to our camping-place. 
 I want to know whether the Romans, after spending the day 
 searching the hills, go back through the forest, or whether they 
 encamp here. In the one case we can return, in the other it 
 will be better to move south at once. We could laugh at their 
 heavy armed spearmen, but their archers and slingers carry no 
 more weight than we do, and would harass us sorely with their 
 missiles, which we have no means of returning." 
 
 As soon as the men to remain with Porus were chosen, the 
 rest of the band proceeded on their way. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 OUTLAWS. 
 
 IT was late at night before Porus with the three Gauls joined 
 the rest of the band in their new encampment on the 
 eastern slope of the hills. "As soon as the moon rises, Beric, we 
 must be up and moving. The Romans are in earnest. When 
 they came through the forest they ascended for some little dis- 
 tance, and then the spearmen halted and the light-armed 
 troops scattered in parties of four searching the country like 
 dogs after game. They were not very long before they dis- 
 covered signs of us, whether foot-marks or broken twigs I 
 know not, but following them they soon came upon the entrance 
 of the ravine. No doubt our marks were plain enough there, 
 for the spearmen were brought down. What happened then 
 I know not; no doubt they entered and found that we had 
 gone. At anyrate, in a short time they set out briskly up the 
 mountain, the spearmen as before keeping together, and the 
 light-armed men scattering. 
 
 "All day they searched, and it was well that you crossed the
 
 OUTLAWS. 329 
 
 crest. They halted for the night half-way between the forest 
 and the summit, and I determined to learn something of their 
 intentions. So after it was dark I laid aside my arms and 
 crawled into the camp. The ground was broken and rough, 
 and there was no great difficulty in getting close to their fires. 
 I learned that the whole of the legion at Prseneste had been sent 
 into the mountains, and that there were twenty parties of equal 
 force; they were but a mile and a half apart, and considered 
 that they could search every foot of the ground for thirty 
 miles along, and would assuredly discover us if we were still in 
 this part. More than that, troops from Corfinium and Mar- 
 rubium had started to search the eastern slopes, and between 
 them they made sure that they should catch you, now that 
 they had found, by the heat of the earth where our fire had been, 
 that we must have been there but an hour or so before their 
 arrival." 
 
 "If that is the case we must make our way to the south at 
 once," Beric said. " It is well indeed that we decided to retreat 
 without fighting, for had we retired, closely pursued by their 
 archers, their shouts would certainly have been heard by some 
 of the other parties. It is fortunate we did not light a fire; 
 had we done so it might have brought some of the troops from 
 Marrubium, which cannot be far distant from here, upon us. 
 The moon will not be up for three hours yet, and it is useless 
 to try to make our way among these mountains until we have 
 her light, therefore let all lie down to sleep ; I will ke<o guard 
 and will rouse you when it is time to move." 
 
 Beric sat listening intently for any sound that would tell 
 of the approach of foemen. He had, however, but small fear 
 that the Eomans were moving at present. It would be even 
 more difficult for them than for his men to make their way about 
 in the darkness ; besides, the day must have been an extremely 
 fatiguing one for them. They had, doubtless, started long before 
 dawn, had had to climb the mountains, and had been all day 
 on their feet. They would scarcely recommence the search 
 before morning. Easy on this score, his thoughts turned to 
 Eome. That ^Emilia had gained the shelter of the Catacombs 
 he had no doubt, and he wondered how she fared there among 
 the Christian fugitives. As to Norbanus he had but slight 
 hopes of ever seeing him alive. Nero's vengeance always ex-
 
 330 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 tended to the families of those who offended him, and Norbanus 
 would certainly be held responsible for the flight of ^Emilia. 
 He thought it indeed probable that as soon as ^Emilia left, 
 Norbanus would have called his friends together, and, having 
 opened his veins, would die as Piso had done discussing philo- 
 sophy with them. 
 
 As soon as the moon was fairly up he aroused his companions 
 and they started along the hillside. It was difficult work making 
 their way on, now descending into a deep ravine, now climbing 
 a rugged slope, now passing along a bare shoulder. There was 
 no pause until day broke, when they descended into a gorge 
 and lay down among some clumps of bushes, one man being 
 sent half a mile down while two others were posted on each side 
 of the ravine. They had good reason for hope, however, that 
 they had got beyond the point to which the searching parties 
 would extend on the eastern side of the hill. The day passed 
 without alarms, although the sentries above more than once 
 heard the sounds of distant trumpets. As soon as the sun set 
 they continued their way, halting again until the moon rose, 
 and then keeping south until daybreak 
 
 They were sure now that they were far beyond the parties 
 of Romans, but after a few hours' sleep they again pressed on, 
 and at night lighted their fires and prepared for a longer stay. 
 But the orders of Nero were so imperative that the troops, hay- 
 ing thoroughly searched the mountains at the point where they 
 had ascended them, united, and also moved south in a long line 
 extending from the summit of the hills to the lower edge of the 
 forest; and after two days' halt the fugitives again moved south, 
 and cotinued their journey until they found themselves among 
 the wild and lofty hills of Bruttium. 
 
 But their numbers had swollen as they went, for the other 
 fugitive bands among the hills were also driven south by the 
 advance of the Romans, and it was a miscellaneous body of 
 gladiators, escaped slaves, and malefactors, in all over five hundred 
 strong, that crossed the mountains into Bruttium. There was 
 a general wish among them that Beric should take the command 
 of the whole. This, however, he absolutely declined to do, 
 upon the ground that it was impossible for so large a body 
 of men to keep together, as there would be no means of feeding 
 them. Scattered about they would find an ample supply of
 
 OUTLAWS. 331 
 
 meat from the wild goats, boars and semi- wild swine, but to- 
 gether, they would soon scare away the game. From among the 
 gladiators, however, he picked out sufficient men to raise his own 
 force to a hundred strong, and separating from the rest he led 
 them, guided by a charcoal-burner, to one of the wildest and 
 most inaccessible points in the promontory. 
 
 Here they were safe from pursuit. Bruttium, now called 
 Calabria, is a chain of rugged hills, at that time thickly covered 
 with wood, and although it was possible fairly to search the 
 Apennines in the centre of Italy with six or seven thousand men, 
 a large army would fail to find a band of fugitives in the 
 recesses of the mountains of the south. On the evening of their 
 arrival at the spot they determined to make their head-quarters, 
 Beric held a sort of council of war, the whole of the band, as 
 was the custom both in Gaul and Britain, joining in the 
 deliberations. 
 
 "So far," Beric began, "we have retreated without fighting; 
 Rome cannot complain that we have been in insurrection 
 against her, we have simply acted as fugitives; but as there is 
 nowhere else whither we can retire, we must turn upon them 
 if they again pursue us. We must then regard this as our 
 abode for a long time, and make ourselves as comfortable as 
 we can. Huts we can erect of the branches of trees, the skins 
 of the goats we kill will provide us with bedding, and if needs 
 be with clothing. Meat will not fail us, for should g^me be- 
 come scarce we can buy goats and sheep from the shepherds 
 who come up with their flocks and herds from the villages by 
 the sea. But besides this we need many things for comfort. 
 We must have utensils for cooking, and drinking cups, and 
 shall need flour and wine; we must therefore open communica- 
 tions with one of the towns by the sea. This is the great 
 difficulty, because of all things I fear treachery; for nigh a year 
 we fought the Eomans at home, and could have fought them 
 for twenty more had we not been betrayed and surrounded. 
 
 " Of that there will always be a danger. I have gold, and 
 shall always pay for what we require; but the other bands 
 among these hills will not be so scrupulous, and as, indeed, 
 they will be forced to take food, they will set the inhabitants 
 against us, and the Romans will have no difficulty in finding 
 guides among them. So long as we keep ourselves far apart
 
 332 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 from the rest we are comparatively safe ; but none of the natives 
 must know of our hiding-place. Can anyone propose a good 
 plan for obtaining supplies?" 
 
 There was silence for some time. These men were all good 
 for fighting, but few of them had heads to plan. At last Porus 
 said: 
 
 " We are, as our guide tells me, but two hours' journey from 
 the hills whence we may look down upon the gulf dividing 
 Bruttium from Sicily. The lower slopes of these hills are, he 
 says, closely cultivated. There are many small villages some 
 distance up on their sides, and solitary farms well-nigh up to 
 the crest. It seems to me that we should use one of these 
 farmers as our agent. He must be a man with a wife and 
 family, and these would be hostages. If we told him that if he 
 did our bidding he would be well rewarded, while if unfaith- 
 ful we would destroy his farmhouse and slay his wife and 
 children, I think we might trust him. Two or three of us 
 could go down with him to the town on the sea-shore, dressed 
 as men working under him, and help bring up the goods he 
 purchases. The quantity might excite suspicion did he always 
 go to the same place for them, but he need not always do this. 
 If we found it impossible to get enough by means of one man, 
 we might carry out this plan with three or four of them. None 
 of these men need know the direction of our camp; it would 
 suffice that the wine and flour were brought to their houses. 
 We could always send a strong party to fetch them thence 
 as we required them." 
 
 "I do not think we can hit on any better plan, Porus;" and 
 as there was a murmur of assent he continued: "I propose, my 
 friends, that we appoint Porus the head of our victualling 
 department, and leave the arrangements to him entirely." 
 
 This point was settled. The next morning Porus, taking three 
 of the gladiators who most resembled the natives in appear- 
 ance, started on his mission. He was completely successful. 
 The farmers on the upper slopes of the hills lived in terror of 
 the banditti among the mountains, and one was readily induced, 
 by the offer of a reward for his services, and of freedom from 
 all molestation, to undertake the business of getting up corn 
 and wine. Henceforth supplies of these articles were obtained 
 regularly. Huts were soon erected; the men were divided
 
 OUTLAWS 333 
 
 into hunting parties, and the life of the fugitives passed 
 quietly, and for a time without incident. 
 
 The persons with whom Beric had deposited his money had 
 all been chosen for him by Norbanus. He himself had been too 
 long away from Italy to be acquainted with any outside the 
 walls of Rome; but among his friends there were several who 
 were able to recommend men of property and character to 
 whom the money could be committed with the certainty that it 
 would be forthcoming whenever demanded. At present Beric 
 was amply supplied with funds, for the money that Norbanus 
 had sent to him would last for at least a year; but, four months 
 after reaching Bruttium, he thought it would be as well to 
 warn those in whose charge his own stores had been placed, 
 to hold it in readiness by them in case it should be suddenly 
 asked for. Philo seemed to him the only person he could send 
 on such a mission, and upon the more important one of going 
 to Rome and communicating with ^Emilia. He was certain of 
 the fidelity of the lad, and, properly disguised, he was less 
 likely to be recognized in Rome than Porus would be. Clothes 
 such as would be worn by the son of a well-to-do cultivator 
 were obtained for him, and he was directed to take the road 
 along the coast to Rome, putting up at inns in the towns, and 
 giving out that he was on his way to the capital to arrange for 
 the purchase of a farm adjoining that of his father. 
 
 Letters were given him to the persons holding Beric's money; 
 and one for the goldsmith in Rome, with whom a portion of the 
 money he had given for the jewellery that Beric had received 
 at the games was still deposited. This letter was not to be 
 delivered until he had been to the catacombs and seen ^Emilia ; 
 as, although Scopus had spoken very highly of the man, it was 
 possible that he might, to gain favour with Nero, hand over 
 Beric's messenger to him. Beric fully impressed upon Philo 
 the risks he would run, and told him to make all his calls after 
 nightfall, and to be prepared for instant flight if he mistrusted 
 the manner of any of the men he visited. 
 
 "Do not be afraid, Beric," Philo said; "I will not be taken 
 alive. I know that they would torture me to force me to lead 
 them to your hiding-place, and I would rather die a thousand 
 times first. I was but a slave when I was allotted to you in 
 the palace of Nero. You have been kind to me, and trusted
 
 334 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 me. You have allowed me to go with you, and have behaved 
 to me as if I had been free and one of your own people. I 
 have my dagger, and if I see that evil is intended me I will 
 not wait until they lay hands on me, for then my blow might 
 fail, but will make sure. But before I start give me full 
 instructions what I am to say to the Lady ^Emilia; for how- 
 ever fully you may write, she will be sure to want to know 
 more, and, above all, instruct me what to do if she demands to 
 join you, and commands me to bring her here. This, methinks, 
 she is sure to do, and I must have your instructions in the 
 matter." 
 
 " I shall tell her in my letter, Philo, that this is no place for 
 her, and that I cannot possibly have her here, among rough 
 men, where, at any moment, we may be called upon to make 
 distant and toilsome journeys, and even to fight for our lives." 
 
 "That is all very well, my lord; but suppose she says to me 
 it is only because Beric thinks that I cannot support fatigue 
 and hardship that he does not send for me; but I am willing 
 and ready to do so, and I charge you, therefore, to take me to 
 him." 
 
 This was a point that Beric had many times thought over 
 deeply. He, too, felt sure that ^Emilia would choose to be 
 with him; and accustomed as the Britons were for their wives 
 to share their perils, and to journey with them when they went 
 on warlike expeditions, it seemed to him that she had almost a 
 right to be with him. Then, too, her life must be dreary in the 
 extreme, shut up in caverns where the light of day never pene- 
 trated, in ignorance of his fate, and cut off from all kinsfolk 
 and friends. The question so puzzled him that he finally took 
 Porus into his confidence, having a high idea of his good 
 sense. 
 
 "She cannot come here," Porus agreed; "but I do not 
 see why you should not bring her from that dismal place 
 where you say she is, and establish her near at hand, either 
 at one of the upper farmhouses, or in a town by the sea. 
 Let me think it over. In an hour I will tell you what 
 seems to me the best plan. My counsel is this," he said, after 
 he had been absent for an hour from the hut, " I myself will 
 go with the lad to fetch her. A Roman lady, even though a 
 fugitive, should not be travelling about the country under the
 
 OUTLAWS. 335 
 
 protection of a lad. I dare not go into Rome. I am known 
 to too many of the gladiators, and, disguise myself as I might, 
 I should be recognized before I had been there an hour. I will 
 obtain a dress such as would suit a respectable merchant; will 
 go down to one of the ports below and take passage in a trading 
 craft bound for Ostia. There I will take lodgings, and giving 
 out that my daughter, who has been staying with friends for 
 her education in Rome, is about to return to Messina with me, 
 will purchase two or three female slaves. When she arrives 
 with Philo, who can pass as her brother and my son, we will 
 take ship and come down hither. I can then bring her up and 
 place her in the house of one of the farmers; or can, if you like, 
 take a house in the town, or lodge her there with people to 
 whom one of the farmers might recommend her. But, at any- 
 rate, she could come up to one of the farmhouses first, to see 
 you, and then you could arrange matters between you. She 
 would really run no danger. You say she went out but little 
 in Rome, and it would be ill-luck indeed were there anyone 
 on this coast who met her there. If it were not for your pre- 
 posterous height, your yellow hair and blue eyes, there would 
 be no difficulty about the matter at all, for you would have but 
 to cross the straits into Sicily, to buy a small property there, 
 and to settle down quietly; but it is impossible with your 
 appearance to pass as one of the Latin race." 
 
 " Besides," Beric said, " I could not desert my comrades. 
 Whatever their lot may be, mine must be also. If we are ever 
 to escape, we must escape together; but for the rest, I think 
 your plan is a good one, Porus, and thank you heartily. When 
 you get to Ostia you will learn all that is going on in Rome, 
 what has befallen Norbanus, and fether matters. If Norbanus 
 is alive, ^Emilia will certainly be in communication with him by 
 means of the Christians, and will, of course, be guided by his 
 advice." 
 
 The next day Porus and Philo set out together. Three weeks 
 passed, and then one morning Philo entered the camp. 
 
 "All has gone well, my lord, the Lady ^Emilia is at the 
 house of the farmer Cornelius, with whom Porus arranged to 
 receive her on the morning we left you. She has sent no 
 letter, for there were no writing materials in the house, but she 
 awaits your coming."
 
 336 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Beric hastened away at once, accompanied by the lad, who 
 by the way gave an account of his journey. 
 
 " It was as I thought," he said. " When I came to the house 
 you told me of, I knocked as you instructed me, gave the 
 ring to the man within and begged him to take it to the Lady 
 Emilia. He at first pretended that he knew nothing of such 
 a person; but at last, on my showing him the letter addressed 
 to her, he said that some friends of his might know where she 
 was, and that if I called again, two hours before midnight, he 
 might have news of her. When I came back the Lady Emilia 
 was there. She asked many questions about your health before 
 she opened your letter, the one that you first wrote to her. 
 When she had read it she said, ' My lord bids me stay here, 
 Philo, and I am, above all things, bound to obey him; but he 
 says that he bids me remain, because the hardships would be too 
 great for me. But I know that I could support any hardships; 
 and kind as they are to me here, I would rather go through any- 
 thing with my husband than remain here ; the darkness and the 
 silence are more trying than any hardships. So you see that 
 my lord's orders were given under a misapprehension, and as I 
 am sure he would not have given them had he known that I 
 was not afraid of hardships, and desired above all things to be 
 with him, I shall disobey them, and he, when I join him, must 
 decide whether I have done wrong, and, if he thinks so, send 
 me away from him.' 
 
 " Then, my lord, seeing that it was so, I gave her your second 
 letter, in which you said that if she wished to join you you had 
 made arrangements for her doing so. Then she kissed the letter 
 and cried over it, and said that she was ready to depart when I 
 came to fetch her. Then she told me that Norbanus had opened 
 his veins that night after she had left, and that the soldiers of 
 Nero arrived just too late to trouble him ; that all his property 
 had been confiscated, and that she had no friends in the world 
 but you. 
 
 " It took a week for Porus to obtain two suitable slaves the 
 one an elderly woman and the other a young servant. 
 
 "The goldsmith handed over your money to me at once, 
 saying, ' I am glad to hear that Beric is alive. Tell him that 
 he did badly in not slaying the tyrant when he had him at his 
 mercy. Tell him, too, there are rumours of deep discontent
 
 OUTLAWS. 337 
 
 among the legions in the provinces, and a general hope among 
 the better class of Romans that they will ere long proclaim a 
 new emperor and overthow Nero. Tell him also to be on his 
 guard. There is a talk of an expedition on a large scale to root 
 out those who are gathered in the mountains of Bruttium. It 
 is said that it is to be commanded by Caius Muro, who but a 
 week ago returned from Syria.'" 
 
 "Is it sol" Beric exclaimed. "I know him well, having 
 lived in his house for years. I should be sorry indeed that we 
 should meet as enemies. Heard you aught of his daughter?" 
 
 " Not from the goldsmith, but afterwards. She is married, 
 I hear, to Pollio, who is of the family of Norbanus." 
 
 " I am indeed glad to hear it, Philo. He also was a great 
 friend of mine, and as he knew Muro in Britain, would doubt- 
 less have sought him out in Syria, where he, too, held an 
 office. 'Tis strange indeed that he should have married Bere- 
 nice, whom I last saw as a girl, now fully four years back. 
 And all went well on the voyage?" 
 
 " Well indeed, my lord. I took the Lady ^Emilia down to 
 Ostia in a carriage with closed curtains. She stayed two days 
 in the place Porus had hired, and none suspected on the voy- 
 age that she was other than his daughter." 
 
 "And how is she looking, Philo?" 
 
 " At first, my lord, she was looking strangely white, and I 
 feared that her health had suffered; but she said that it was 
 dwelling in the darkness that had so whitened her, and indeed 
 the sun during the voyage has brought the colour back to her 
 cheeks, and she is now looking as she used to do when I carried 
 letters to the house from Nero's palace." 
 
 Once arrived at the brow of the hill, looking down upon 
 the Straits of Messina, Beric's impatience could be no longer 
 restrained, and he descended the slope with leaps and bounds 
 that left Philo far behind. Porus was at the door of the 
 farm; Beric grasped his hand. 
 
 " She is in there," he said, pointing to a door, and a moment 
 later ^Emilia fell into his arms. 
 
 In half an hour the door opened. 
 
 "Come in, Porus and Philo," Beric called. "I must first 
 thank you, both in my own name and that of my betrothed, 
 for the great service you have rendered us, and the care and 
 
 ( 79IR ^ Y
 
 338 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 kindness with which you have watched over -her. We have 
 settled nothing yet about the future, except that to-morrow I 
 shall complete the betrothal, and she will become my wife. It 
 should be done to-day, but my faithful Boduoc must be here as 
 a witness. It would be a disappointment indeed to him were 
 he not to be present at my marriage. For the present, at any- 
 rate, my wife will remain here. 
 
 " She would fain go up into the mountains, but that cannot 
 well be. Not only is our life too rough for her, but her pre- 
 sence there would greatly add to my anxieties. Here she will 
 be safe, and you, Philo, will remain with her. I am convinced 
 that I can trust Cornelius. You have told me, Porus, that you 
 are assured of his honesty, and as I can pay him well, and he 
 can have no idea that the Romans would be glad to pay a far 
 higher sum for my capture, he has no temptation to be un- 
 faithful to us; besides, his face is a frank and open one. I 
 shall charge him that, while ./Emilia remains here, none of his 
 men are to accompany him when he goes down to the port, for, 
 without meaning harm, they might talk to people there of what 
 is going on, and the matter might come to the ears of the 
 authorities." 
 
 "I think," Porus said, "it would be well, Beric, that I 
 and the three men who go down with me to bring up 
 goods should take up our residence here. There is an out- 
 house which is unused, and which we can occupy. In this 
 way we can keep an eye upon the two men on the farm, 
 and one can be always on the watch to see that no party of 
 armed men is coming up from the port I believe in the 
 good faith of the fanner, but it is always better to take pre- 
 cautions." 
 
 "Far better, Porus. The plan you suggest is an excellent 
 one. We must try and make this chamber a little more fitting 
 for Emilia's abode." 
 
 "That will soon be done," Porus said. "Knowing what 
 your wishes would be in such a matter, I purchased at Ostia 
 sufficient stuff to cover these bare walls, with rugs and such 
 furniture as was requisite. These I brought up in a cart as 
 far as the road extends, and I will now go down with Philo 
 and the two men and bring them up here and help the slaves 
 get the room in order."
 
 OUTLAWS. 339 
 
 Before sunset Beric returned alone to the camp, and the next 
 morning came back to the farm with Boduoc. 
 
 " There is one thing I must tell you, Beric," ^Emilia said when 
 he went in alone to see her, " I have become a Christian." 
 
 " I thought it was likely you would do so, ^Emilia," he said; 
 " living among these people, and knowing how Ennia had em- 
 braced their religion, it could hardly be otherwise. You shall 
 tell me about it afterwards. I know but little of its tenets, but 
 I know how those who held them faced death, and there must 
 be much indeed in a religion which teaches men so to die." 
 
 " You told me that you would not object, Beric, or I would 
 have abstained from attending their assemblies. Still, it was 
 right I should tell you before I became your wife." 
 
 Porus and his companion had spent the morning in 
 gathering flowers. These the slaves had made into wreaths 
 and had decorated the room, which was completely changed in 
 appearance since Beric left it on the afternoon before. The 
 roughly-built walls were hidden by rich hangings. The floor 
 was covered with matting, on which were placed thick rugs 
 woven in the East Two or three carved couches were placed 
 against the walls, and as many small tables on tripod legs stood 
 beside them. The farmer and his wife were called in, and in 
 their presence and that of his three followers Beric performed 
 the simple ceremony of a Roman marriage, consisting only of 
 taking ^Emilia's hand in his and declaring that, in conformity 
 with the conditions of the pact before made and signed, and 
 with the full consent and authorization of her father, he took 
 her to be his wife. 
 
 Beric remained three days down at the cottage, and then 
 rejoined his band. A few days later a messenger came in from 
 one of the bands at the other side of the promontory of Brut- 
 tium, saying they had obtained news that preparations were 
 being made at Sybaris for the landing of a very large body of 
 troops, and that it was said to be the intention of the Romans 
 to make a great expedition through the mountains and entirely 
 exterminate the outlaws. 
 
 "They would have left us alone," Beric said bitterly, "if 
 it had not been that you made yourselves scourges to the 
 country, pillaging and ravaging the villages among the hills 
 and slaying innocent people."
 
 340 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 "We were obliged to live," the man said. "Rome has 
 driven us into the mountains, and we must feed at the 
 expense of Rome." 
 
 Beric was silent. He felt that had he himself not had means 
 his own bands would have also taken to pillage. The men who 
 took to the hills regarded themselves as at war with Rome. 
 Rome sent her soldiers against them, and slew every man cap- 
 tured. She hunted them like wild beasts, and as wild beasts 
 they had to live at her expense. Beric was not in advance of 
 the spirit of his time. It was the custom in war to burn, 
 destroy, and slay. 
 
 That as Rome warred with them they should war with Rome 
 seemed natural to every fugitive in the hills, and they regarded 
 their leader's action in purchasing what he could have taken by 
 force simply as an act of policy. Their own people had been 
 slain by the Romans, they themselves doomed to risk their 
 lives for the amusement of the Roman mob. If recaptured 
 they would, like the followers of Spartacus, be doubtless put 
 to death by crucifixion. That, under these circumstances, they 
 should be in the slightest degree influenced by any feeling of 
 pity or humanity towards Romans would, if suggested to them, 
 have appeared supremely ridiculous. 
 
 Beric felt, then, that for him to say any further word of 
 blame would only have the effect of causing him to be regarded 
 with suspicion and dislike, and would lessen his own influence 
 among the mountain bands. 
 
 He therefore said, " That you should take what is necessary 
 is not blamable, against it I have nothing to say; but it was 
 to the interest of all of us that nothing more should be taken. 
 Rome would not have been stirred to send an army against us 
 merely by the complaints of peasants that some of their goats 
 and sheep had been driven off or their granaries emptied; but 
 when it comes to burning villages and slaughtering their in- 
 habitants, and carrying fire and sword down to the sea-shore, 
 Rome was roused. She felt her majesty insulted, and now we 
 are going to have a veritable army invade the mountains. It 
 is no longer viewed as an affair of brigands, but as an insurrec- 
 tion. However, there is no more to be said, the mischief is 
 done, and we have now only to do our best to repel the in- 
 vasion. Tell your leaders that to-morrow morning I will set
 
 OUTLAWS. 341 
 
 out and join them, and will with them examine the country, 
 mark the lines by which the enemy are likely to advance, 
 decide where obstacles had best be erected, and where the 
 first stand should be made. It may be weeks yet before they 
 come. Roman armies are not moved as quickly as a tribe of 
 mountaineers." 
 
 The following day Beric, taking with him the greater portion 
 of his band, marched across the hills under the guidance of the 
 charcoal-burner, who had now enrolled himself regularly in its 
 ranks, and had taken the oath of obedience. Their course lay 
 to the north-east, as it was in the Bay of Tarentum that rumour 
 reported that the Romans would land. As, after two days' 
 marching, they neared the spot fixed upon for the rendezvous, 
 they came upon other bands journeying in the same direction; 
 and when these united on a shoulder of the hill commanding 
 a view of the great bay, some eight hundred men were as- 
 sembled. Fires had been already lighted, and a number of 
 sheep killed and roasted. The leaders withdrew from the rest 
 as soon as they had finished their meal, and seating themselves 
 at a point whence they could see the plains stretching away 
 from the foot of the hills to the gulf, began their consulta- 
 tion. 
 
 "I wonder why they are coming round here 1 ?" one of the 
 chiefs said; " they might have landed at Rhegium in the straits, 
 and thence marched straight up into the hills. From where 
 your camp is, Beric, you should know what is going on there, 
 for the town stands almost below you. Is nought said there 
 about military preparations?" 
 
 " Nothing whatever," Beric replied ; " nor do I think it likely 
 that they will attack from that point, for if they advanced 
 thence, we should simply retire through the mountains to the 
 north just as we retired south when they before attacked us. 
 It is clear what their object is : they will sail up that river and 
 will disembark at Cosenza; the hills narrow there, and it is but 
 a short distance across them to the Western Sea. Ascending them 
 they will at once cut us off from any retreat north. They will 
 have their magazines close at hand. A thousand men stationed 
 in a chain across the mountains will suffice to bar our way, 
 while the rest will move south, penning us up as they go, until 
 they drive us down to the very edge of the promontory, where,
 
 342 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 joined perhaps by a force coming up from Rhegium, they will 
 have us altogether in their grip." 
 
 An expression of dismay spread round the circle. They had 
 thought that the Romans would but march straight through the 
 mountains, in which case it would be easy to evade them, but 
 they saw at once that by the erection of a chain of permanent 
 posts across the hill from Cosenza they would be completely 
 hemmed in, and must sooner or later be hunted down. 
 
 "Then you think that our only chance is to move to the 
 mountains north of Cosenza before they land, Eerie?" 
 
 " I do not say that," Beric replied. " To begin with, we are 
 not going to remain passive and allow ourselves to be driven 
 like a flock of sheep into the hurdles. Did they bring against 
 us only heavy-armed troops we could laugh at them, for we 
 can march two miles to their one, and move easily among 
 the rocks where they could find no footing. It is only their 
 light -armed soldiers we have to fear, but even these must 
 move at the same rate as the hoplites, for if they ventured far 
 away from the protection of the spearmen we should make 
 short work of them. We have over a thousand fighting men in 
 these mountains, and each one of us in close conflict is a match 
 for at least three of their light-armed men. In the plains, of 
 course, we should suffer greatly from their missiles before we 
 came to a close conflict; but among these woods and precipices 
 we could fall on them suddenly, and be in their midst before 
 they have time to lay arrow to bow. Therefore, you see, the 
 Romans can move but slowly among the hills, and we will soon 
 teach them that they dare not scatter, and even twelve thou- 
 sand men do not go for much among these mountains, extending 
 some seventy miles from Cosenza to Rhegium, and from ten to 
 twenty miles across." 
 
 "How about food?" one of the others asked. 
 
 " In that respect we shall be far better off than they would. 
 We shall really have no difficulty about food. It would need 
 twenty legions to form a cordon along the slopes of these hills 
 on both sides, and we can, while opposing the Romans, always 
 detach parties to make forays down into the plain and drive off 
 sheep, goats, and cattle. Besides, among the lower forests 
 there are herds of swine pasturing, which will be available for 
 our use. The question of food will be of no trouble to us, but
 
 OUTLAWS. 343 
 
 on the other hand, it will be a vast trouble to the Eomans. 
 Every foot that they advance from their magazines at Cosenza 
 their difficulties will increase. They must make roads as they 
 go, and their convoys will always be exposed to our attacks. 
 Very large bodies of men must otherwise be employed in 
 escorting them. They may form depots at the foot of the hills 
 as they advance, but even then their difficulties will be pro- 
 digious. 
 
 " I should propose to fight them as we fought them in the 
 swamps of my native land to harass them night and day, to 
 wear them out with false alarms, to oppose them in the defiles, 
 to hurl down the rocks on them from precipices, to cut off their 
 convoys, and fall upon their camps at night, until they lose all 
 confidence in themselves, and dare only move hither and thither 
 in a solid body. Not until they have destroyed the whole of 
 the forests between Cosenza and Rhegium, and made roads 
 everywhere across the mountains, ought they to be able to 
 overcome us. It will be time enough to think of retiring 
 then. By descending the western slopes a long night march 
 would take us north of Cosenza, and we could then take to the 
 hills again; or we could descend upon the coast near Rhegium 
 at night, seize a fishing village, embark in its boats and cross 
 the strait, and before morning be among the mountains of 
 Sicily, which are so vast and far-stretching that operations 
 which, though possible, are difficult here, could not probably be 
 carried on against us." 
 
 Beric's words were received with enthusiastic approval. 
 Before all had felt dispirited, and though ready to fight to the 
 last, had deemed that the resistance could be but short and their 
 fate certain. Now they saw before them a veritable war, in 
 which they could hope to defend themselves successfully, and 
 if beaten here escape to renew it elsewhere, and which pro- 
 mised them an abundant opportunity for encountering the 
 Romans. This was what they most longed for. Not one 
 there but hated Rome with a bitter hatred, as the author of 
 unnumbered woes to their tribes, their families and themselves. 
 Death had no terrors whatever to these men, so that they could 
 die fighting with Romans. Rising to their feet they returned 
 with exulting shouts to their comrades.
 
 344 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 
 
 THE gladiators sprang to their feet as their leaders returned 
 to them, and eagerly questioned them as to the news 
 that had so reanimated them. But they only replied, " Beric 
 will tell you," and Beric was obliged to mount a rock near the 
 spot where they had been feasting, and to repeat to the whole 
 of the assembly his plan for the campaign against the Romans. 
 Loud shouts greeted his speech, the Gauls and Britons clashing 
 their swords against their shields as was their custom, and 
 the others signified their approval each after the manner of 
 his country. 
 
 "Beric is our leader! Beric is our leader!" they shouted. 
 " We will follow him to the death." When the tumult had 
 subsided, Beric raised his hand for silence. 
 
 "I am willing to accept the leadership," he said; " but if I 
 lead I must be obeyed. In a warfare like this everything 
 depends upon the orders of him who commands being carried 
 out promptly and without question. I only accept the com- 
 mand because, although younger than most of you, I have 
 already fought the Romans often and successfully. Each of 
 you will remain under your respective chiefs, who will act as 
 my lieutenants, and all must be ready to sacrifice their own 
 wishes and their own opinions to the general welfare. Those 
 whom I order to fight will fight, I know; those whom I 
 tell off to fell trees, to raise obstacles, or to pile stones on the 
 edge of precipices, must labour with equal zeal; while those 
 who are despatched to drive up cattle, or to guard them until 
 needed in the forest, will know that their turn for active fight- 
 ing will come in good time. The man who disobeys me dies. 
 It is only by acting as one man and under one leader that we 
 can hope to resist successfully. You are free men, and may 
 consider it humiliating thus to obey the orders of another; 
 but the Romans are free men too, and yet they submit to the 
 severest discipline, and without the slightest question obey 
 the orders of their general. So it must be here. If all are dis-
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 345 
 
 posed thus to follow me I accept the command. Let those 
 who cannot so submit themselves withdraw and fight in their 
 own fashion. They shall be free to depart, none harming 
 them." 
 
 A great shout followed the conclusion of Beric's speech, and 
 the whole of those present lifted up their hands and swore 
 implicit obedience to him. The next few days were spent in 
 making a careful examination of the mountains above Cosenza, 
 and fixing upon the points where an active resistance could be 
 best made. 
 
 "We must have missiles," Beric said one day when his 
 lieutenants were gathered round him. " We will not begin 
 the Avar until the Eomans do so, but we must have weapons. 
 Boduoc, you will to-morrow take the whole of my band and 
 descend to the plain, fall upon the town of Castanium at day- 
 break; the bands of Victor and Marsus will accompany you 
 and will be also under your orders. My orders are strict, that 
 no one is to be injured unless he resists. Tell the inhabitants 
 that we wish them no harm. Ransack the armourers' shops for 
 arrow and javelin heads, and search all the private houses for 
 weapons; also bring off all the brass, copper, and iron you can 
 find, with every axe-head and chopper in the town. We can 
 erect charcoal furnaces here similar to those we used at home, 
 and so provide ourselves with an ample store of missiles. 
 Bring off from the carpenters' shops any seasoned wood you 
 can find suitable for the making of bows. Touch no gold or 
 silver ornaments of the women the metals are useless to us here 
 neither take garments nor spoil of any other kind. I would 
 show them that, until driven to it, we are not the foes of the 
 people at large. Above all frighten no woman; let them see 
 that we, though gladiators and outlaws, are as well disciplined 
 and as humane as their own soldiery." 
 
 Accordingly at sunset Boduoc marched away at the head of 
 two hundred men, and returned to the mountains late on the 
 following afternoon with a large store of arms and metal, 
 Beric's orders having been scrupulously carried out. 
 
 " You should have seen the wonder of the people," Boduoc 
 said to him, "when they saw that we meant them no harm, and 
 that we touched neither person nor goods save in the matter 
 of arms. They gave us their best to eat, and many even
 
 346 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 accompanied us some distance on our return, overjoyed with 
 the clemency we had shown the town." 
 
 There was no lack of charcoal, and in many places the stacks 
 had been left by the charcoal-burners untouched when the 
 bands first appeared among the mountains. Those who had 
 been accustomed to the smelting of metals at home were ap- 
 pointed to cast heads for arrows and javelins, others cut down 
 and split up tough wood and fashioned the shafts, others made 
 bows; strong parties were set to work to fell trees and form 
 obstacles in defiles where the rocks rose steeply, while others 
 piled great heaps of stones and heavy rocks along the edges 
 of the precipices. As yet there were no signs of the ex- 
 pected fleet, and when the preparations were complete the 
 bands again scattered, as it was easier so to maintain them- 
 selves in provisions; and, a party being left to watch for the 
 arrival of the Roman legions, Beric returned with his band 
 to his former station. 
 
 " There will be plenty of time to gather again before they 
 move forward," he said to their lieutenants. "They will have 
 to collect the carts from all the country round, to land their 
 stores and to make their arrangements for victualling. They 
 will know that it is no easy task that they are undertaking, 
 and that they have desperate men to meet. It will be a week 
 after they land at the very earliest before they leave Cosenza." 
 
 For a fortnight Beric remained quietly passing the greater 
 portion of his time at the farmhouse with ^Emilia. 
 
 "It is terrible to me that you are going to fight the Eomans, 
 Beric," she said. 
 
 " I have no desire to fight the Romans, it is they who want 
 to fight with me," he replied; "and as I have no desire for 
 crucifixion, or any of the other forms of death which they 
 bestow upon their captives, I have no choice but to resist. As 
 you do not think any the worse of me, ^Emilia, for having 
 fought your countrymen before, I don't see that you can take 
 it to heart that I am going to do it again, especially as you 
 have very small reason to be grateful to them for the treat- 
 ment that you and yours have received at their hands. You 
 must remember, dear, that as my wife, you are a Briton now, 
 and must no longer speak of the Romans as your people. Still, 
 were it not for my countrymen, I would gladly bury myself
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 347 
 
 with you in some cottage far up among the hills of Sicily, and 
 there pass my life in quiet and seclusion. But without a leader 
 the others would speedily fall victims to the Romans, and as 
 long as the Romans press us, I must remain with them." 
 
 At the end of the fortnight a messenger arrived saying, 
 that a great fleet had arrived at the mouth of the Crathis 
 River. 
 
 " I will from time to time send a messenger to you, Emilia," 
 Beric said as he took a tender farewell of his wife, " to tell 
 you how matters go with us; but do not alarm yourself about 
 me, for some time there is little chance of close fighting." 
 
 The bands gathered in their full force above Cosenza, and 
 during the week that elapsed before the Romans advanced 
 renewed their labour at various passes through which it was 
 probable that the enemy would move. Some of the men were 
 already skilled archers, and the rest had spent their time for 
 the last fortnight in incessant practice, and could manage their 
 weapons sufficiently well to be able to send an arrow into a 
 crowded mass of men. 
 
 It was with a feeling of satisfaction that the Roman column 
 was seen one morning issuing from Cosenza and moving up 
 the road that there crossed the mountains. Once on the crest 
 they proceeded to cut down trees and form a camp. While 
 they were so occupied the gladiators remained on the defensive. 
 Light-armed troops had been pushed by the Romans into the 
 woods, but after being permitted to advance some distance the 
 sound of a horn was heard, followed instantly by a flight of 
 arrows, and then by a rush of the gladiators, who drove these 
 light-armed troops before them, killing many, till they reached 
 the protection of the spearmen. 
 
 Again and again during the ensuing week the Romans 
 endeavoured to penetrate the woods, heavy -armed troops 
 accompanying the archers. Before they had penetrated far 
 into the forest they found their way arrested by obstacles 
 lines of felled trees with the branches pointing towards them, 
 and these were only taken after severe loss, the defenders 
 shooting through the green hedge, which was only broken 
 through when working parties with heavy axes came up covered 
 , by the spearmen. One party, pushing on incautiously, was 
 suddenly attacked on all sides, and after pouring in their mis-
 
 348 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 siles the gladiators charged them, broke the ranks of the spear- 
 men, and destroyed the whole party, three hundred in number. 
 
 After this the advance was delayed until the fortified camp 
 was complete and stored with provisions. Then the Eoman 
 army moved forward, and was soon engaged in a succession of 
 combats. Every valley and ravine was defended, invisible foes 
 rolled down masses of rock among them and a hail of arrows, 
 and it was only when very strong bodies of archers, supported 
 by spearmen, climbed the heights on both sides that the resist- 
 ance ceased. The Eomans halted for the night where they 
 stood, but there was little sleep for them, for the woods rang 
 with war-cries in many languages. The sentries were shot or 
 stabbed by men who crawled up close to them. At times the 
 shouts became so threatening and near that the whole force 
 was called to its feet to repel attack, but in the morning all 
 was quiet. As before, they were attacked as soon as they 
 moved forward. No serious opposition was offered to the 
 columns of spearmen, but the light-armed troops who covered 
 the advance and formed a connection between the columns 
 were exposed to incessant attack 
 
 The third day the Romans, after another disturbed night, 
 again advanced. This time they met with no opposition, and 
 as they moved cautiously forward, wondered uneasily what was 
 the meaning of this silence. Late in the afternoon they learned. 
 They had advanced, each man carrying three days' provisions 
 with him. Beric, being aware that this was their custom, had 
 during the night led his men some distance down the hillside, 
 and making a detour occupied before morning the ground the 
 Romans had passed over. At mid-day a great convoy of bag- 
 gage animals, laden with provisions, came along. It extended 
 over a great length, and came in straggling order, the men 
 leading their animals, and making their way with difficulty 
 through the thick trees. Five hundred Roman soldiers were 
 scattered along the line. Suddenly the sound of a horn rose 
 in the woods, and in an instant, at points all along the line of 
 the convoy, strong bodies of men burst down upon them. 
 
 In vain the Roman soldiers tried to gather in groups. The 
 animals, frightened by the shouting and din, broke loose from 
 their leaders and rushed wildly hither and thither, adding to 
 the confusion. Greatly outnumbered, and attacked by foes
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 349 
 
 individually their superiors both in strength and skill of arms, 
 and animated by a burning hatred, the Romans could do little, 
 and the combat terminated in a few minutes in their annihilation. 
 The men with the convoy were all killed, a line of gladiators 
 having been posted through the woods, both ahead and behind 
 it, before the attack began, so that no fugitives might escape 
 either way to carry the news. 
 
 The animals were then collected, and their burdens taken off 
 and examined. The flour was divided up into parcels that a 
 man could easily carry on his shoulder, and a large number of 
 skins of wine set aside. All that could not be taken was 
 scattered and destroyed, and the animals then slaughtered. As 
 soon as it became dark the band descended the mountain side, 
 marched for many miles along its foot, and then again ascended 
 the hills, ready to oppose the Roman advance; but there was no 
 movement in the morning. Surprised and alarmed at the non- 
 arrival of the train by nightfall, the general sent a strong body 
 of troops back to meet them with torches. These in time came 
 upon the bodies of the men and animals, and at once returned 
 with the news of the disaster to the camp. 
 
 " This is a terrible blow, Pollio," the general said to his son- 
 in-law. "We had reckoned on an obstinate resistance, but did 
 not dream that the gladiators would thus oppose us." 
 
 "It puts me in mind, Muro, of the work in the fens of 
 Britain ; and indeed more than once I have thought I recognized 
 the war-cries with which the Iceni attacked us. The strategy 
 is similar to that we then encountered. Can it be possible that 
 Beric is again opposing us? I heard during the short time we 
 were at Rome that the Britons in the palace of Nero had risen 
 and escaped. I was too heart-broken at the fate of my uncle 
 and his family to ask many questions, and was fully occupied 
 in our preparations. My first thought would have been to find 
 Beric out had I not been met on landing with the news of 
 the disgrace and death of Norbanus, and I shunned the palace 
 of Nero as if the pestilence had been there. No doubt Beric 
 would have left with the other Britons, and in that case he 
 may well be at the head of those opposing us." 
 
 "The tactics they are adopting certainly look like it, Pollio; 
 and if they continue to fight as they have done so far, we are 
 likely to have no better fortune than Suetonius had in his
 
 350 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 campaign against them. It is ten days since we left Cosenza, 
 we have made but some ten miles advance among the hills, 
 and we have lost already eight hundred hoplites, and I know 
 not how many light-armed troops. At this rate our force will 
 melt away to nothing before we have half cleared this wilder- 
 ness of rock and forest Hitherto in their revolts the gladiators 
 have mot our troops in pitched battle, but their strength and 
 skill have not availed against Eoman discipline. But in such 
 fighting as this discipline goes for little. They are fighting on 
 ground they know, can choose their moment for attack, and 
 hurl all their strength on one point while we are groping 
 blindly." 
 
 " But how can they have got through our lines in the night, 
 Muro?" Pollio asked. "Our men were posted down to the 
 edge of the forest on either side of the hills. There were two 
 thousand under arms all night." 
 
 "But there was nothing to prevent them, Pollio, from de- 
 scending far below the forest line and coming up again in our 
 rear. This is what they must have done. Nor have we any 
 means of preventing their doing so, for nothing short of a force 
 strong enough to reach down to the sea on either hand would 
 prevent their passing us. At anyrate we must halt here for a 
 time. The whole of our baggage animals are destroyed, and 
 nothing can be done until another train is collected." 
 
 The war proceeded but slowly. The Romans indeed made 
 some slight advance, but they were worn out and harassed by 
 incessant alarms. To prevent the recurrence of the disaster to 
 the baggage train the supplies were now carried along the plain 
 at the foot of the hill, and then taken up under very strong 
 escorts directly to the point at which the army had arrived. The 
 soldiers, worn out and dispirited by constant alarms, became 
 reluctant to advance unless in solid order; and in this way five 
 thousand men, taking nine days' provisions with them, made 
 their way through the heart of the hills until they reached 
 the southern slopes, and the sea lay before them. But they 
 occupied only the ground on which they stood, and their pas- 
 sage brought them no nearer to the end they desired. The 
 fact that the army had made a passage right through the 
 mountains was regarded as a triumph in Rome, and believing 
 that the end was near fresh reinforcements were sent to Muro
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 351 
 
 to enable him to finish the campaign rapidly. His reports, 
 however, to the senate left no doubt in the minds of those who 
 read them as to the situation. 
 
 " We are fighting," he said, " an enemy who will not allow 
 us to strike him. Three months have passed since I entered 
 the mountains, and yet I cannot say that I am nearer the end 
 than I was when I began. I have lost three thousand men, of 
 whom half are spearmen. The gladiators have suffered but 
 slightly, for they always burst down in overwhelming numbers, 
 slay, and retire. At least twenty times my camps have been 
 attacked; and although I have lost but one convoy, the diffi- 
 culty and labour of victualling the troops is enormous. If the 
 gladiators would but take to the plain we should annihilate 
 them in the first battle. As it is, it is they who select the 
 ground for action, and not we. The troops are utterly worn 
 out and well-nigh mutinous at what they consider a hopeless 
 task. You ask me what had best be done. My own opinion 
 is, that we should retire from the mountains and establish the 
 troops in camps near their foot, so as to restrain the gladiators 
 from making excursions, and to fall upon them when hunger 
 drives them to leave the mountains. Treachery may then do 
 what force has failed in. 
 
 " Among such a body there must be traitors, and Avhen the 
 war is apparently ended we may, through shepherds or goat- 
 herds, open communication with them. My great fear is, and 
 always has been, that as we gradually press them south they 
 may pour down on to one of the villages on the straits, 
 seize the boats, cross to Sicily, an8. take refuge in the mountains 
 there, where they could laugh at our efforts to pursue them. 
 I should advise that it should be announced publicly that our 
 army, having traversed the whole mountains of Bruttium with- 
 out meeting with a foe, the objects of the expedition have 
 been attained, and the enemy may now be considered as a mere 
 mass of fugitives, whom it would be impossible to root out as 
 long as they take refuge among their fastnesses; but that for 
 the present the army will be placed in a cordon of camps round 
 the foot of the mountains, by which means the fugitives will 
 be starved into surrender. If this course is not approved I 
 have but one other to suggest, namely, that the whole of the 
 1 population of southern Italy should be ordered to take part in
 
 352 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 the total destruction of the forests of Bruttium. Every tree 
 must be cut down to the level of the soil; every trunk and 
 branch be burnt by fire. The task would be a tremendous one. 
 The loss to the country around by the destruction of the forests, 
 wherein their flocks of sheep and goats and their herds of 
 swine find sustenance and shelter in winter, would be enor- 
 mous, but thus, and thus alone, I am assured, can these bands 
 of gladiators be rooted out." 
 
 Muro's advice was taken, and the exulting gladiators beheld 
 the troops descending from the mountains to the plains below. 
 Their own loss had not exceeded three hundred men, and their 
 shouts of triumph rose high in the woods, and reached the ears 
 of the Romans retiring sullenly down the slopes. In a few 
 days the plan of the Romans became apparent. The camp in 
 the pass above Cosenza was still strongly held, four well-fortified 
 camps were established in the plains on either side of the hills, 
 and Muro himself took up his post at Rhegium, where two 
 thousand legionaries were posted. The gladiators again broke 
 up into bands, Beric returning to his former encampment, to 
 the delight of ^Emilia. 
 
 " You must not suppose that our troubles are over, ^Emilia," 
 he said. " We have indeed beaten them on our own ground, 
 but we shall now have to fight against famine. The wild 
 animals have already become scarce. You may be sure that 
 the villagers will be allowed to send no more flocks or herds 
 up the hills to pasture, and before long it will be necessary to 
 make raids for food. You will see that, emboldened by their 
 successes, the men will become rash, and may be cut off and 
 defeated. As for us there is no fear; as long as we can pay 
 for provisions we shall be able to obtain them, for although 
 there may be a difficulty in obtaining regular supplies, now that 
 the troops are at Rhegium, all these upland farmers and vil- 
 lagers will continue to deal with us, knowing that if they do 
 not we shall take what we need without payment and perhaps 
 burn their houses over their heads." 
 
 It was not long, indeed, before Beric's predictions were 
 verified. As soon as the provisions became scarce the bands 
 on the other side of the mountains recommenced their forays 
 on the villagers, but from the Roman camps parties of soldiers 
 were sent off after nightfall to the upper villages, and the
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 353 
 
 marauders were several times surprised and almost exter- 
 minated. 
 
 " We must be more and more careful," Beric said to ^Emilia 
 when he heard of one of these disasters. "The prisoners the 
 Romans take will under torture tell all they know, and it will 
 not be long before the Romans ascertain the general position 
 of our encampment. The force will dwindle rapidly. In the 
 last two months they have lost well-nigh as many men as in 
 the campaign in the mountains. More than that, I have seen 
 several of the leaders, who told me they had determined, see- 
 ing that starvation was approaching them here, to endeavour 
 to pass between the Roman camps with their bands, and regain 
 the mountains beyond Cosenza, so as to establish themselves 
 far north; and indeed I cannot blame them. But their retreat 
 adds to our danger. So long as they roamed the eastern hills 
 there was no danger of a Roman force surprising us, but when 
 they have gone some of the captives may be forced to lead 
 the Romans across the hills to our neighbourhood. Boduoc is 
 vigilant and his scouts are scattered far round the camp, and 
 at the worst we may have to carry out my plan of crossing to 
 Sicily. At any rate he has my orders what to do in case of 
 a sudden surprise. If I am absent, knowing every foot of the 
 wood now, he will at once make his way north, leaving it to 
 me to rejoin him as I best can." 
 
 But upon one thing Beric had not reckoned. So long as the 
 gladiators were in force among the mountains the country 
 people on the slopes above the ^traits were glad enough to 
 purchase their safety by silence. But as they heard of one 
 band after another being crushed by the Romans, and learned 
 that parties from the various camps had penetrated far into the 
 hills without meeting with a single opponent, their fear of the 
 gladiators decreased. There were two thousand legionaries at 
 Rhegium. These could crush the band that remained somewhere 
 about the crest of the hills with ease, and they need no longer 
 fear their vengeance. The Roman general would surely pay 
 a great reward for information that would lead to his being 
 able to deal a final blow to the gladiators. The farmer with 
 whom ^Emilia lodged had no such thought. He had earned in 
 the last eight months as much as his farm had brought him in 
 in the three best years since he inherited it. He found these 
 
 (725) Z
 
 354 BERIO THE BRITON. 
 
 terrible outlaws gentle and pleasant, ready to lend a hand on 
 the farm if needful, and delighted to play with his children. 
 As to their chief, he was a source of never-ending wonder to him. 
 Gladiators were, according to his idea, fierce and savage men, 
 barbarians who were good for nothing but to kill each other, 
 while this tall man bore himself like a Roman of high rank, 
 conversed in pure Latin, and could even read and write. 
 ^Emilia, too, had become a great favourite in the house. The 
 farmer's wife wondered at seeing one, with two slaves to wait 
 upon her, active and busy, interested in all that went on, and 
 eager to learn every detail of the housework. 
 
 " I could manage a Roman household, Beric," she said. " I 
 did so indeed all the time we were in Rome; but we may have 
 to live in a hut, and I must know how to manage and cook for 
 you there." 
 
 In Rhegium life was more cheerful than usual. Many of the 
 upper class of Rome, who shrank from the festivities of the 
 court of Nero and yet dared not withdraw altogether from 
 Rome, had their country estates and villas along the coasts, 
 where they could for a time enjoy freedom and live according 
 to their tastes. Berenice had joined Pollio three weeks before, 
 when she found that he was likely to remain stationed at 
 Rhegium for some time. They lived with Muro in a villa a 
 short distance from the town, and looking over the straits. 
 
 " I should feel perfectly happy here, Pollio," Berenice said 
 one evening as she walked to and fro on the terrace with him, 
 looking at the water in which the moonlight was reflected, 
 bringing up into view the boats rowing here and there with 
 pleasure parties with music and lanterns, "if it were not for 
 the thought of Beric. It is curious that he should be mixed 
 up with both our lives. He was my playmate as a boy; he 
 saved me at the massacre of Camalodunum, and restored me 
 to my father. When we left Britain he was fighting against 
 Suetonius, and we expected when we left that the news of his 
 defeat and death would reach Rome before us. At Rome we 
 heard but vague rumours that Suetonius had not yet overcome 
 the final resistance of the Britons, and glad we were when 
 Petronius was sent out to take his place, and we heard that 
 gentler measures were to be used towards the Britons. 
 
 " Then, after a time, when we were in Syria, came the news
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 355 
 
 that Suetonius had returned, bringing with him Beric, the 
 British chief, with twenty of his followers, and my father at 
 once wrote to the emperor praying him that clemency might 
 be extended to him for his kind action in saving my life. 
 Then when you came out to Syria Beric's name again came up. 
 You had journeyed with him from Britain to Eome, and he had 
 become your friend. Then a few months afterwards a new-comer 
 from Rome brought us the story of how your cousin Ennia, 
 having turned Christian, had been condemned to the lions ; how 
 a British gladiator named Beric had sprung into the arena and 
 craved to fight the lion; how Nero had cruelly ordered him to 
 do so unarmed; and how he had, as it seemed by a miracle, over- 
 come the lion and bound him by strips torn from his mantle. 
 Then again we learned from one who came from Nero's court 
 that Beric stood high in favour with Caesar, that he was always 
 about his person, and that rumours said he kept guard over 
 him at night. 
 
 " Then again, when we returned to Eome, my father was at 
 once ordered to take command of an expedition against some 
 revolted gladiators, among whom were, it was said, the British 
 captives who had created a disturbance in Nero's palace, well- 
 nigh killed the emperor, and after slaying many of the Prae- 
 torians, escaped. After you and my father had left me at the 
 house of my uncle Lucius I made many inquiries, and found 
 that Beric had doubtless escaped with the other Britons, as he 
 had never been seen in the palace that night. I heard too that 
 it had been whispered by some of those who were present at 
 the supper, that the fault had aot been his. He had been 
 betrothed to your cousin JEmilia, and Nero, urged thereto by 
 Rufinus, a disappointed suitor, ordered Beric to bring her to 
 the orgy. Upon his refusal Rufinus attacked him, and Beric 
 slew him by dashing his head against a marble pillar. Then 
 Nero called upon the Praetorians, and the Britons ran in to the 
 aid of their chief, and, defeating the Praetorians, escaped. It 
 was the same night that your uncle died and ./Emilia was mis- 
 sing. It may be that she fled with Beric, knowing that she 
 would be sacrificed to the fury of Nero. Is it not strange, 
 Pollio, that this Briton should be so mixed up in both our 
 lives?" 
 
 " It is indeed, Berenice. There is no one to whom I owe BO
 
 356 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 much. First I owe your life to him, then I owe that of Ennia, 
 my cousin; for although she died afterwards, it was in her 
 father's house, and not a terrible and disgraceful death in the 
 arena. And now we have been fighting against him for months, 
 and though of course we made the best of matters, there is no 
 doubt that we had all the worst of it. We had twelve thousand 
 men against a thousand, and yet Beric kept us at bay and 
 inflicted some terrible blows upon us, for we lost a third of our 
 number. After the first battle there was no longer any doubt 
 that Beric was the leader of our opponents. Even had we not 
 heard them shout his name as they attacked us, we who had 
 fought against him in Britain would have recognized that he was 
 again our opponent, for he used the same tactics among the 
 mountains that he had done in the swamps. We know from 
 prisoners we have taken since that he was unharmed in the 
 struggle with us, and certainly neither he nor any of his Britons 
 have been among the raiding bands whom we have surprised 
 and destroyed. Indeed the Britons never joined in any of the 
 attacks upon the country people before we came hither. I have 
 questioned many of the sufferers by their depredations, and 
 none of them had seen among the plunderers any tall men with 
 light hair. The only time that they have been seen on the 
 plains was a fortnight before we landed, when they entered 
 Castanium and carried off all the arms. The Britons were 
 among that party, and a Briton commanded it; but from the 
 description it was not Beric, but was, I think, his principal 
 follower, a man with a British name which I forget." 
 
 "Was it Boduoc?" Berenice asked. "I have often heard 
 him speak of a friend of his with such a name, and indeed he 
 came once or twice to see him when he was with us." 
 
 " That was the name Boduoc," Pollio said. " They behaved 
 with the greatest gentleness, injuring no one and taking noth- 
 ing, neither jewels, nor ornaments, nor garments, but departing 
 quietly after taking possession of all the weapons in the town. 
 
 " Your father reported the fact to Rome, bringing into promi- 
 nence the fact that this was the first time the Britons had ever 
 descended from the mountains, and that the inhabitants of 
 Castanium were filled with gratitude and admiration for the 
 treatment they received. Last week he wrote to Rome saying 
 that so far as he could learn all the bands that had not been
 
 MOUNTAIN WARFARE. 357 
 
 destroyed had gone north, save one composed of Britons and 
 Gauls, about fourscore in number, commanded by the Briton 
 Beric, and suggested that as months might pass before they 
 could be captured, he should be authorized to treat with them, 
 and to offer them full pardon if they would lay down their arms, 
 especially as they had taken no part whatever in the misdeeds 
 of the other gladiators, and had injured no one either in person 
 or property. I know that it was a great disappointment to him, 
 as well as to us, when the letter came yesterday saying that 
 they were to be hunted down and destroyed, and that all not 
 killed in fighting were to be crucified. But we had better go 
 in, Berenice, the dew is beginning to fall." They entered the 
 villa. The general was alone in the atrium. 
 
 "Is anything the matter, father?" Berenice asked, as she saw 
 that he looked disturbed. 
 
 " Yes, Berenice, I have received news that as a Roman 
 general ought to delight me, but which, as Caius Muro, your 
 father and the father-in-law of Pollio, vexes me greatly." 
 
 "What is it, father?" 
 
 " A man arrived half an hour since saying that he had news 
 of importance to communicate. He was brought in here. He 
 told me he was a cultivator whose farm lay far up on the hill- 
 side. For upwards of a year he had, in fear of his life, as he 
 said, been compelled to sell food to the bandits in the moun- 
 tains. He acknowledged that he had been well paid, and that 
 he had no cause of complaint against them; but he now pro- 
 fessed a desire to do service to Rome, for which he evidently 
 expected a handsome reward. ]>told him I could not bargain 
 with him. He had aided the enemies of Rome, and by his own 
 account his life was forfeited, seeing that for a year he had been 
 trafficking with them, instead of doing his duty and reporting 
 their first visit to the authorities here. 
 
 " He said that he was not alone, and that most of the far- 
 mers high up on the hills had been compelled to do the same, 
 and had kept silence, knowing that the brigands would have 
 burned their houses and slain their wives and families had they 
 reported aught against them to the authorities, and that, 
 indeed, they were altogether ignorant of the position of the 
 camp of the outlaws beyond the fact that it was somewhere 
 among the mountains. ' What, then, have you to report?' I said
 
 358 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 angrily, for I hate to have to do with traitors. ' It is this,' he 
 said : ' for some months there has been living a lady, supposed 
 to be the wife of the chief of the outlaws, at a farm next to 
 mine, belonging to one Cornelius. The chief often visits her 
 and stays there; five of his followers live in an outhouse ad- 
 joining the farm, and one of these is always on guard night 
 and day. 
 
 " ' The chief himself is a very tall young man, and is called 
 Beric by his followers. Four of them are also of his race, tall 
 and very fair like him. There is also a youth who lives in the 
 house. He belongs to the band, but appears to be a native of 
 Rome. He sometimes comes down and makes purchases in 
 Rhegium. The house cannot be approached from below without 
 an alarm being given, owing to the strictness of the watch; but 
 I could lead a body of troops high up above it, so as to come 
 down upon the rear of the house and cut off all escape when 
 another band comes up from below.' I told him that his in- 
 formation was valuable, and that he was to come here to-morrow 
 evening at eight o'clock to lead a party of light-armed troops 
 up into the hills." 
 
 "And will you send them, father 1 ?" Berenice broke in; 
 "surely you will not take advantage of this treachery." 
 
 " I have no choice but to do so," the general said gravely. 
 "As a father I would give my right hand to save the man who 
 preserved your life; as a Koman soldier my duty is to capture 
 the outlaw, Beric, by any means possible. Pollio will tell you 
 the same." 
 
 Berenice looked at her husband, who stood in consternation 
 and grief at the news. "Do you say this too, Pollio 1" 
 
 Pollio did not answer, but the general spoke for him. " He 
 can say nothing else, Berenice. To a Roman soldier duty is 
 everything, and were he ordered to arrest his own father and 
 lead him to execution he could not hesitate." 
 
 " But I am not a soldier " Berenice began passionately. 
 
 The general held up his hand suddenly. " Hush, Berenice, 
 not a word farther 1 I am a Roman general. If you say one 
 word that would clash with my duty I should order you to 
 your chamber and place a soldier there on guard over you. Now 
 I will leave you with your husband;" and the general left the 
 room.
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 359 
 
 "What do you say, Pollio? Will you suffer this man, who 
 saved your wife, who risked his life for your cousin, and is, as 
 it seems, your cousin by marriage, to be foully captured and 
 crucified?" 
 
 "I am a soldier, Berenice; do not tempt me to break my 
 duty. You heard what your father said." 
 
 Berenice stamped her foot. "Does your duty go so far, 
 Pollio, that like my father you would place a guard at my door 
 if I said aught that would seem to run counter to your duty?" 
 
 " Not at all, Berenice," he said with a smile; " say aught you 
 like. I hear as a husband but not as a soldier." 
 
 "Well, that is something," Berenice said, mollified. "Well, 
 Pollio, if you will not warn Beric of his danger I will do so. 
 Have I your permission to act as I choose?" 
 
 "My full permission, dear. Do as you like; act as you 
 choose; you have beforehand my approval. If you fail and 
 harm comes of it I will stand by you and share your punish- 
 ment; but tell me nothing of what you would do beforehand. 
 I trust you wholly, but for my sake, if not for your own, be 
 not rash. Remember, if by any means it becomes known that 
 you aided Beric to escape, both our lives are surely forfeited." 
 
 "Thank you, Pollio," Berenice said, throwing her arms 
 round his neck, "that is spoken like my husband. You shall 
 know nothing, and I will save Beric.' 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 
 
 BERIC and Emilia were sitting on the following day in the 
 shade in front of the house, where Porus had erected a 
 verandah of boughs to keep off the sun, when they observed a 
 female peasant and an elderly man ascending the hill They 
 were still some distance down, and the man spoke to one of the 
 farm men who was on his way down the hill " They are com- 
 ing this way," ^Emilia said; "they have passed the point
 
 3GO BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 where the paths fork. She seems to find that basket she is 
 carrying heavy, and no wonder, for it is a steep climb under the 
 mid-day sun." 
 
 Stopping once or twice to get breath the two peasants 
 approached. 
 
 " She is a good-looking girl, Beric," ^Emilia said. 
 
 " Our host has two or three nieces down in the town," Beric 
 replied; " I expect it is one of them. Yes, she is certainly 
 pretty, and not so browned and sunburnt as most of these 
 peasant girls are." 
 
 As they came close the girl stopped and looked at the house, 
 and then, instead of going to the entrance, left her companion 
 and walked across to the verandah. A smile came across her 
 face. 
 
 " Shall I tell you your fortune?" she said abruptly to ^Emilia, 
 
 "It is told," ^Emilia said; "to be a farmer's wife. But 
 what do you know of fortunes'?" 
 
 " I can tell you the past if not the future," the young woman 
 said, setting down her basket. "May I do so?" 
 
 "You are a strange girl," ^Emilia said, "but tell me what 
 you can." 
 
 " I can see an amphitheatre," the girl went on, " a great 
 one, greater than that across at Messina, and it is crowded 
 with people. In the front row there sits a man past middle 
 age and a lady and a girl. In the centre of the arena is a 
 young girl in white." 
 
 "Hush, hush!" ^Emilia cried, leaping to her feet, "say no 
 more. You know me, though how I cannot guess." 
 
 " I see another scene," the girl went on without heeding her; 
 "it is a hut. It must belong to some savage people. It is 
 quite unlike our cottages. There is an old woman there and 
 a man and a young girl. The old woman does not speak to 
 them; she does not seem of the same race; the other two are 
 Romans. The mat at the door is pushed aside and there enters 
 a tall youth. Not so tall as this man, not so strong; and yet 
 like him, just as a boy might be to a man. 
 
 "The girl jumps up and exclaims 'Beric.'" 
 
 Beric had risen to his feet also now. " Is it possible," he 
 cried, "that as the boy has grown into the man, so has the 
 girl grown into " and he stopped.
 
 I CAN SEK AN AMPHITHEATRE," THE GIRL SAID.
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 361 
 
 " Into a young woman, Beric. Yes, don't you remember 
 me now 1 ?" 
 
 "It is Berenice!" he exclaimed. 
 
 " It is indeed, Beric, the child you saved from death. And 
 this is your wife ^Emilia, the daughter of Norbanus, who is the 
 uncle of my husband Pollio. And do you not know who that 
 is standing there?" 
 
 "Why, surely it is my tutor and friend Nepo;" and running 
 towards him he embraced him with heartiness and then led 
 him to the verandah, where Berenice was talking with ^Emilia. 
 " But why are you thus disguised, and how did you know that 
 ^Emilia and I were here?" 
 
 "We have come to warn you, Beric. You have been 
 betrayed, and to-night there will be troops ranged along above 
 the house to cut off your retreat, and a company of soldiers 
 will advance from below straight upon the house. My father 
 told me, I think, in order that I might save you, though as a 
 Roman general he could do nought save his duty. Pollio, too, 
 though he said he would willingly give his sanction, knows 
 not that I have come hither. He pretended that his duty as 
 a soldier prevented him from warning you, though I believe 
 that had not I been with him his friendship and gratitude 
 would have been too much for his duty. However, I was 
 with him, and he gave me permission to come; though, mind 
 you, I should have come whether he gave me permission or 
 not. You did not ask permission of anyone when you saved 
 me, and even if Pollio had threatened to divorce me if I 
 disobeyed him I would have come; but as I needed a disguise, 
 and did not like to trust any of the slaves, I took Nepo into 
 my confidence, and he managed everything." 
 
 " We are, indeed, grateful to you," ^Emilia cried, embrac- 
 ing Berenice warmly. "It was brave of you indeed to 
 come." 
 
 " It requires less bravery to come up here with a message, 
 Emilia, than to run away from Rome with an outlaw who had 
 just bearded Caesar in his palace." 
 
 " I did not do that, Berenice. It was not because I was 
 unwilling, but because Beric would not take me with him. I 
 stayed for months in Rome, hidden in the Catacombs with the 
 Christians, until Beric sent for me to join him here; but come
 
 362 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 inside and take some refreshment, for you must be weary in- 
 deed with your long walk up the hill." 
 
 " No one else must see me," Berenice said. " There may be 
 inquiries when they come to-night and find that you are gone, 
 and I would not that any should see me." 
 
 " No one will see you. The room is situated at the back of 
 the house, and though I shall take the slaves with us in our 
 flight, they shall not catch even a glimpse of your face. I will 
 set them some needle- work to do." 
 
 They were soon seated in ^Emilia's room, and Beric brought 
 in fruit and wine, goat's milk, cheese, and bread. 
 
 " There is no hurry for me to return," Berenice said. " The 
 slaves believe that I have gone out to pay some visits, and I 
 do not wish to get back until after sunset. There is so much 
 for Beric to tell us. 
 
 " You do not know, Beric, how often Nepo and I have talked 
 about it, and how we have longed to see you, and I believe that 
 what drew me first to Pollio was his praises of you. But before 
 you begin there is one thing I must tell you. My father has 
 received private news from Rome; there is a report there 
 that the legions have proclaimed Galba emperor, and that ere 
 long he will be in Rome. At present it is but a rumour, and 
 of course at court all profess to disbelieve it, and Nero openly 
 scoffs at the pretensions of Galba; but the friend who wrote to 
 my father says that he believes it true. Now my father is a 
 great friend of Galba's. They were much together as young 
 men, and served together both in Gaul and Syria; and he feels 
 sure that if Galba comes to the throne he will be able to obtain 
 a pardon for you and those with you, since you have done no 
 one harm save when attacked. He attempted to procure it 
 from Nero, but altogether without success; with Galba it will 
 be different, especially as a new emperor generally begins his 
 reign by acts of clemency. Now, as I have given you my news, 
 Beric, do you tell us, while we are eating the fruit, everything 
 that has happened to you since I last saw you at that hut." 
 
 "So much has happened that it will be impossible to tell 
 you all, Berenice; but I will give you the outline of it The 
 principal thing of all is, that I have taken a wife." 
 
 Berenice pouted. " It is lucky for you, ^Emilia, that I was 
 not at Rome when Beric arrived, for I had as a girl always
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 363 
 
 determined that I should some day marry him and become a 
 British chieftainess. He had not seen you then except at 
 Massilia, and I should have had him all to myself at Rome, 
 for you did not get there, Pollio tells me, until months later." 
 
 ^Emilia laughed. "I should not have entered the lists 
 against you, Berenice. It was not until after he saved Ennia 
 from the lion in the arena that I came to love him." 
 
 " Well, I must put up with Pollio," Berenice said. " He is 
 your cousin, and I have nothing to say against him as a hus- 
 band; he is kind and indulgent, and a brave soldier, and all 
 one could want; but he is not a hero like Beric." 
 
 Beric laughed. "You should have said agiant, Berenice, which 
 would have been much nearer the truth. And now I will tell 
 you my story;" and during the next two hours he gave her a 
 sketch of all that had passed since they had last parted in 
 Britain. 
 
 "There, Cneius Nepo," Berenice said when he had finished. 
 " You never thought for a moment that your pupil, who used 
 to pore with you over those parchments, till I often wished I 
 could throw them in the fire when I wanted him to play with 
 me, was to go through such adventures to match himself first 
 against Suetonius, and then against my father, both times with 
 honour; to be Nero's body-guard; to say nothing of fighting in 
 the arena, and getting up a revolt in the palace of Caesar." 
 
 "I expected great things of him," Nepo said; "but not like 
 these. I fancied he would become a great chief among the 
 British, and that he might perhaps induce them to adopt some- 
 thing of our civilization. I had fancied him as a wise ruler ; and, 
 seeing how fond he was of the exercise of arms, I had thought 
 long before the insurrection broke out that some day he might 
 lead his countrymen to battle against us, and that, benefiting by 
 his study of Csesar and other military writers, he would give far 
 more trouble to the Romans than even Caractacus had done. 
 But assuredly I never dreamt of him as fighting a lion bare- 
 handed in a Roman arena in defence of a Roman girl As to 
 marriages, I own that the thought crossed my mind that the 
 union of a great British chief with the daughter of a Roman of 
 rank like your father would be an augury of peace, and might 
 lead to better relations between the two countries." 
 
 "That dream must be given up," Berenice said seriously,
 
 364 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " there are two obstacles. But I have no doubt ^Emilia would 
 make quite as good a chieftainess as I should have done. 
 Some day, ^Emilia, if you return to Britain with Beric, as I hope 
 you will do, and Pollio becomes the commander of a legion, 
 I will get him to apply for service there. It is cold and foggy ; 
 but wood is a good deal more plentiful and cheaper than it is 
 at Rome, and with good fires one can exist anywhere. And now 
 it is time for us to be going. We will take another path in re- 
 turning down the hill, so that any one who noticed us coming 
 up will not see us as we descend. Nepo's toga and my stola are 
 hidden in a grove just outside the town, and it will be dusk by 
 the time we arrive there. Kiss me, Emilia; I am glad that I 
 know you, for I have heard much of you from Pollio. I am 
 glad that Beric has chosen so well Good-bye, Beric; 1 hope 
 we may meet again before long, and that without danger to 
 any of us. You may salute me if ^Emilia does not object I 
 told Pollio I should permit it;" and she laughingly lifted up 
 her face to him. " He never used to kiss me when I was a child," 
 she said to ^Emilia. " I always thought it very unkind, and 
 was greatly discontented at it. Now, Nepo, let us be going. " 
 
 Beric and his wife stood watching them until they were 
 far down the hill. "She makes light of it," Beric said; "but 
 it is no common risk she has run. Nero can punish women as 
 well as men, and were it to come to his ears that she has enabled 
 me to escape his vengeance, even the influence of her father 
 might not avail to save her." 
 
 " I shall remember her always in my prayers," ^Emilia said 
 earnestly, " and pray that she too may some day come to know 
 the truth." 
 
 Beric did not answer. ^Emilia had explained to him all that 
 she knew of her religion, but while admitting the beauty of its 
 teaching, and the loftiness of its morals, he had not yet been 
 able to bring himself to believe the great facts upon which it 
 was based. 
 
 " We must be moving," he said, and summoned Philo, who 
 had been much surprised at Beric's being so long in conversation 
 with strangers. 
 
 " Send Porus to me," he said, " and bid Cornelius also come 
 here." 
 
 The two men came round to the verandah together. " We
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 365 
 
 are betrayed, Porus," he said, " and the Romans will be here 
 this evening." 
 
 Porus grasped the handle of his dagger and looked menacingly 
 at the farmer. " Our good friend has nought to do with it, 
 Porus; it is some one from one of the other farms who has 
 taken down the news to Rhegium. Do you order the others 
 to be in readiness to start for the camp. But first strip down 
 the hangings of our room, roll them and the mats and all else 
 in seven bundles, with all my wife's clothing and belongings." 
 
 "We need leave little behind. We can take everything," 
 Porus said. " The six of us can carry well-nigh as much as 
 the same number of horses, and Philo can take something. 
 I will see about it immediately." 
 
 "Now, Cornelius," Beric went on when Porus had left, "you 
 must prepare your story, and see that your men and the rest 
 of the household stick to it. You will be sharply questioned. 
 You have only the truth to say, namely, that some of my band 
 came down here and threatened to burn your house and slay 
 all in it unless you agreed to sell us what things we required; 
 that, seeing no other way of preserving your lives, you agreed 
 to do so. After a time a young woman do not say lady 
 came with two attendants, and you were forced to provide her 
 with a room; and as five men were placed here constantly, you 
 still dared give no information to the authorities, because a 
 watch was also set on you, and your family would have been 
 slain long before any troops could arrive here. What you will 
 be the most closely questioned about is as to why we all left 
 you to-day. They will ask you if any one has been here. You 
 saw no one, did you?" 
 
 " No, my lord. I heard voices in your room, but it was no 
 business of mine who was with you." 
 
 " That is good," Beric said. " That is what you must say. 
 You know someone did come because you heard voices ; but you 
 saw nobody either coming or going, and know not how many 
 of them there were, nor what was their age. You only know 
 that I summoned you suddenly, and told you I had been be- 
 trayed, and that the Romans would soon be coming in search 
 of me, and therefore I was obliged to take to the mountains. 
 But go first and inquire among the household, and see if any 
 of them noticed persons coming here."
 
 366 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 " One of the men says that he saw an old peasant with a girl 
 who asked which was my farm." 
 
 "Then that man must go with us to the mountains. He 
 shall return safe and unharmed in a few days. The Romans 
 must not know of this. This is the one point on which you 
 must be silent; on all others speak freely. It is important to 
 me that it should not be known whether it was man or woman, 
 old or young, who warned me. 
 
 "I do not threaten you. I know that you are true and 
 honest; but, to ensure silence among your household, tell them 
 that I shall certainly find out if the Roman soldiers learn here 
 that it was an old man and a girl who visited me, and that I 
 will take dire vengeance on whomsoever tells this to the Ro- 
 mans. Discharge your man before we leave with him, so that 
 you may say truly that those the Romans find here are your 
 whole household, and maintain that not one of them saw who 
 it was who came to me to-day." 
 
 " I can promise that, my lord. You and the Lady ^Emilia 
 have been kind and good to us, and my wife, the female slave, 
 and the hired men would do anything for you. As for the 
 children, they were not present when Balbus said that he had 
 been questioned by the old man, and can tell nought, however 
 closely they may be questioned, save that Balbus was here and 
 has gone." 
 
 "I had not thought of that," Beric said. " Better, then, tell 
 the soldiers the truth : you had two serving-men, but we have 
 carried one away with us." 
 
 In half an hour all was ready for a start. The two female 
 slaves, although attached to their mistress, were terrified at the 
 thoughts of going away among the mountains, although ^Emilia 
 assured them that no harm could happen to them there. Then, 
 with a hearty adieu to the farmer and his wife, Beric and his 
 companions shouldered the loads, and with Balbus, Philo, 
 ^Emilia, and the two female slaves made their way up the 
 mountain. As soon as they started, Beric gave orders to Philo 
 to go on with all speed to the camp, and to tell Boduoc of the 
 coming of ^Emilia, and bid him order the men at once to pre- 
 pare a bower at some short distance from their camp. Accor- 
 dingly when the party arrived great fires were blazing, and the 
 outlaws received ^Emilia with shouts of welcome
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 367 
 
 " I thank you all," Beric said, " for my wife and myself. She 
 knows that in no place could she be so safe as here, guarded by 
 the brave men who have so faithfully followed her husband." 
 
 So heartily had the men laboured that in the hour and a half 
 that had elapsed since Philo had arrived a large hut had been 
 erected a hundred yards from the camp, with a small bower 
 beside it for the use of the female slaves. A great bonfire burnt 
 in front, and the interior was lighted by torches of resinous 
 wood. 
 
 " Thanks, my friends," Beric said. " You have indeed built 
 us a leafy palace. I need not exhort the guards to be watchful 
 to-night, for it may be that the traitor who will guide the 
 Romans to the house where we have been stopping may know 
 something of the mountains, and guessing the direction of our 
 camp may attempt to lead them to it. Therefore, Boduoc, let 
 the outposts be thrown out farther than usual, and let some be 
 placed fully three miles from here, in all the ravines by which 
 it is likely the enemy might make their way hither." 
 
 Three days later Philo went down to learn what had passed. 
 He was ordered not to approach the house, as some soldiers 
 might have been left there to seize upon any one who came down, 
 but to remain at a distance until he saw the farmer or one of 
 his household at work in the fields. He brought back news 
 that the Romans had arrived on the night they had left, had 
 searched the house and country round, had closely questioned 
 all there, even to the children, and had carried off the farmer 
 and his man. These had returned the next evening. They 
 had been questioned by the general, who had admonished the 
 farmer severely on his failure to report the presence of the 
 outlaws at whatever risk to his family and property; but on 
 their taking an oath that they were unable to give any infor- 
 mation whatever, either as to the outlaws' retreat or the persons 
 who had brought up the news of the intended attack by the 
 Romans, they were released. 
 
 Balbus was then sent back to the farm with presents for all 
 there, and it was agreed that the camp should be broken up. 
 The general would, in compliance with the orders of Nero, 
 make fresh efforts to hunt down the band; and as he knew now 
 the neighbourhood in which they were, and treachery might 
 again betray the spot, it was better to choose some other locality;
 
 368 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 there was, too, no longer any occasion for them to keep together. 
 They had the mountains to themselves now, and although the 
 wild animals had been considerably diminished, there were still 
 goats in the upper ranges, and swine and wild boar in the 
 thickest parts of the forests. It was also advisable to know 
 what was passing elsewhere, and to have warning of the ap- 
 proach of any body of troops from the camps round it. Accord- 
 ingly, while the Britons remained with Beric, who took up his 
 quarters in the forest at the foot of one of the loftiest crags, 
 whence a view could be obtained of the hills from lihegium 
 to Cosenza, the rest were broken up into parties of five. Signals 
 were arranged by which by smoke during day or fire at night 
 warning could be given of the approach of an enemy, and also 
 whether it was a mere scouting party or a strong column. 
 
 For another three months they lived among the hills. Their 
 life was rougher than it had been, for they had now to subsist 
 entirely upon the spoils of the chase, and bread made of ground 
 acorns and beech-nuts, mixed with a very small proportion of 
 flour. The latter was obtained from lonely cottages, for Beric 
 insisted that no villages should be entered. " There may be 
 soldiers in every hamlet on the hills, and I would have no risk 
 run of death or capture. Did a few of us fall into their hands 
 it would encourage them to continue their blockade, but as time 
 goes on, and it is found that their presence is entirely fruitless, 
 they may be recalled." 
 
 For the first few weeks, indeed, after the failure of the 
 attempt to entrap Beric, parties were sent up into the hills from 
 all the camps, for as the remaining band of gladiators was 
 known to number under a hundred men, it would be no longer 
 necessary for the assailants to move as an army; but after 
 marching hither and thither through the forests without find- 
 ing any signs of the fugitives the troops returned to their 
 camps, and a fortnight later the greater portion of them were 
 either transported to Sicily or sent north, a few hundred men 
 only remaining to watch for the reappearance of the band. 
 From time to time Philo went down to Rhegium to gathei 
 news of what was passing. As the farmer had not been troubled 
 since the visit of the troops, they renewed their relations with 
 him, except that they abstained from purchasing food of him 
 lest he should be again questioned. Nevertheless he occasion-
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 369 
 
 ally sent up by Philo a skin of wine as a present to Beric. " So 
 that I can swear that I have sold them nothing, and that they 
 have taken nothing, there is little chance of my ever being 
 asked if I made them a present," he said. 
 
 He was surprised one day by a visit from a Koman, who 
 informed him that he was secretary to the general, and whom, 
 indeed, he had seen when brought before him. " Do you still 
 hear aught of the brigands, Cornelius?" he asked. The farmer 
 was taken aback by this question. 
 
 "No harm is intended you," Nepo said. "The general may 
 have reason for desiring to communicate with the band, whose 
 leader at one time stayed in your house, and which is now the 
 last remnant of the gladiators among the hills. The search for 
 them has been given up as vain, and probably he will receive 
 orders from Rome to withdraw the troops altogether and to 
 offer terms to the gladiators. At present he cannot communi- 
 cate with them, and he would be glad for you to renew your 
 connection with them, not to assist them by selling them food 
 or receiving them here, but that you should arrange some means 
 of communication with them." 
 
 " I might manage that," the farmer said. " It is true that 
 once or twice some of them have come down here. They have 
 taken nothing, and have come, I think, more to learn what is 
 passing without than for any other purpose; but it may be 
 some time before they come again." 
 
 " At any rate," Nepo said, " when they do come, do you ar- 
 range for a signal, such, for instance, as lighting two fires on 
 the crest above there, with plenty of green wood, that would 
 make a smoke which would be seen for many miles away. 
 This smoke will tell them that there is a message for them 
 from the general. I give you my word as a Roman that no 
 treachery is intended, and I myself, accompanied perhaps by 
 one officer, but no more, will bring it up here and be in wait- 
 ing to see their chief; so you see I should place myself much 
 more in his hands than he in mine." 
 
 It was but a few days before Beric received this message. 
 It filled him with hope, for remembering what Berenice had 
 said about the proclamation of Galba as emperor, it seemed to 
 him that this life as a fugitive might be approaching its end. 
 For himself he was perfectly happy. He and his Britons lived 
 
 9 A
 
 370 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 much as they had done at home. It required hard work to 
 keep the larder supplied, but this only gave a greater zest to the 
 chase. They sighed sometimes for the cool skies of Britain, 
 T)ut in other respects they were perfectly contented. 
 
 Since the soldiers had been withdrawn they had had no 
 difficulty in obtaining the two things they most required, flour 
 and wine, and, indeed, sometimes brought up sacks of grain 
 and jars of honey, from which they manufactured a sweet beer 
 such as they had drunk at home, and was to them far better 
 than wine. Beric, perhaps, was more anxious for a change 
 than any of his followers. ^Emilia seemed perfectly happy, her 
 spirits were as high now as when he had first known her as a 
 girl at Massilia. She was the life and soul of the little band, 
 and the Britons adored her; but Beric remembered that she had 
 been brought up in comfort and luxury, and longed to give her 
 similar surroundings. Although for luxuries he himself cared 
 nothing, he did sometimes feel an ardent desire again to associate 
 with men such as he had met with at the house of Norbanus, 
 to enjoy long talks on literary and other subjects, and to discuss 
 history and philosophy. 
 
 " It is good," he said one day to ^Emilia, " for a man who 
 lives among his fellows to have learned to enjoy study and to 
 find in enlightened conversation his chief pleasure, but if his 
 lot is thrown far from towns it were far better that he had 
 known nothing of these pleasures." 
 
 One morning Boduoc, who had gone up early to the summit 
 of the crag, brought down the news that he could make out 
 two columns of smoke rising from the hill over Rhegium. 
 
 " I hope to bring you back good news to-morrow, Emilia," 
 Beric said as he at once prepared to start. " I may find Nepo 
 at the farm when I get there and may possibly be back to-night, 
 but it is full six hours' journey, and as there is no moon I can 
 hardly travel after sundown." 
 
 " I shall not expect you till to-morrow, Beric. It were 
 best to arrange that, and then I shall not be looking for you. 
 Even if Nepo is there when you arrive, you will want a long 
 talk with him, and it is likely that Pollio will be with him, so 
 do not think of starting back till the morning." 
 
 It was just noon when Beric reached the farm. 
 
 " You are just to the time," Cornelius said. "I received an
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 371 
 
 order at daybreak this morning to light the fires and to tell 
 you if you came that the general's secretary would be here at 
 noon. See, there are two figures coming up the hill now." 
 The moment he saw that they had passed the fork of the paths 
 and were really coming to the house Beric rushed down to 
 meet them, and as he approached saw that they were indeed 
 Pollio and Nepo. He and Pollio embraced each other affec- 
 tionately. 
 
 " I am well pleased indeed," Pollio said, " that we meet here 
 for the first time, and that I did not encounter you in the 
 forests. By the gods, but you have grown into a veritable 
 giant Why, you must overtop the tallest of your band." 
 
 " By an inch or two, Pollio. And you have altered some- 
 what too." 
 
 " The cares of matrimony age a man rapidly," Pollio said 
 laughing, "though doubtless they sit lightly on your huge 
 shoulders. Why, you could let my little cousin sit on your 
 hand and hold her out at arm's-length. I always told her that 
 she would need a masterful husband to keep her in order, and 
 truly she is well suited. And now for my news, Beric. Nero 
 is dead. The news arrived last night." 
 
 Beric uttered an exclamation of surprise. "How died he?" 
 he asked. 
 
 "By his own hand. When the news came that other legions 
 had followed the example of those of Galba, all fell away from 
 Nero, and the Praetorians themselves, whom he had petted and 
 spoilt, having no inclination for a fight with Galba's legionaries, 
 proclaimed the latter emperor. Then Nero showed himself a 
 craven, flying in disguise to the house of Phaon. There he 
 remained in hiding, weeping and terrified, knowing that he 
 must die, but afraid to kill himself. He may well have thought 
 then of how many he had compelled to die, and how calmly 
 and fearlessly they had opened their veins. It was not until 
 he heard the trampling of the horsemen sent to seize him that 
 he nerved himself, and even then could not strike, but placing 
 the point of a dagger against his breast, bade a slave drive it 
 home. 
 
 " The senate proclaimed Galba emperor two days before the 
 death of Nero; but as yet all is uncertain. There are other 
 generals whose legions may dispute this point. Syria and
 
 372 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Egypt may choose Vespasian; the Transalpine legions, who 
 favoured Vindex, may pronounce for some other. The Prae- 
 torians themselves, with the sailors of the fleet, knowing that 
 Galba has the reputation of being close-fisted, may choose 
 someone who may flatter and feast them as Nero did. As yet 
 there is no saying what will be done, but at any rate your chief 
 enemy is dead. Muro bids me say that some months may yet 
 elapse before Galba comes to Rome; but that, as he has at 
 present no imperial master, and the senate will be far too busy 
 wrangling and persecuting the adherents of the man whom but 
 a short time since they declared to be a god, to trouble them- 
 selves about a handful of gladiators in Bruttium, he will at 
 once collect his troops at Rhegium, and you will be entirely 
 unmolested if you will promise that your band will in no way 
 ill-treat the people. I know that they have not hitherto done 
 so, and that they will not do so, but the fact that he has a 
 formal engagement with you to that effect will justify him in 
 withdrawing his troops. Indeed, he said that it would be 
 better, perhaps, that a document should be drawn up and signed, 
 in which you pledge yourself to peaceful courses, urging that 
 it was but the tyranny of Nero that forced you to become 
 fugitives, and craving that, as your band has never done any 
 harm to the people, an amnesty may be granted you. This 
 document will aid him when he meets Galba. He will not wait 
 until the latter comes to Rome, but will shortly ask permission 
 from the senate to quit his post for a time, all being quiet here, 
 and will at once take ship to Massilia and see Galba. The 
 new emperor is not, he says, a man bent on having his own 
 way, but always leans on friends for advice, and he feels sure 
 that his representations will suffice to obtain a free pardon for 
 your band, and permission for them to leave the mountains 
 and go wheresoever they will, so that in that case there will be 
 nought to prevent you and your followers returning to Britain." 
 
 "This is joyous news indeed, Pollio, and I cannot too 
 warmly thank the general for his kindness to me. As to 
 Berenice " 
 
 "There, there," Pollio said laughing, "let us hear nothing 
 about Berenice. She is a self-willed woman, and I am not 
 responsible for her doings, and want to hear nothing more of 
 them than she chooses to tell me."
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 373 
 
 By this time they had reached the farmhouse, where a meal 
 was speedily prepared, and they sat talking together until 
 evening, when Pollio and his companion returned to Rhegium. 
 
 Another three months passed. There was now no lack of food 
 among the outlaws. They still hunted, but it was for amuse- 
 ment, buying sheep and other animals from the villagers, 
 together with all else they required, the natives rejoicing in 
 finding good customers instead of dangerous neighbours among 
 the hills. 
 
 At last the signal smokes again ascended, and Beric, taking 
 ./Emilia with him, made his way to the farmhouse, where he 
 learned that Nepo had been there with a message that he 
 desired to see Beric in Rhegium. This was sufficient to show 
 that Muro's mission had been to some extent successful, and 
 after resting for an hour or two at the farmhouse they descended 
 the hill. Beric had purchased suitable garments to replace the 
 goat-skins which had for a long time previously been worn by 
 the outlaws, their rough work in the woods having speedily 
 reduced their garments to rags, and save that men looked up 
 and marvelled his size, he passed almost unnoticed through 
 the streets of Rhegium to the house of the general. Orders 
 had been given that he was to be admitted, for the sentries 
 passed him without question. As the slave at the door con- 
 ducted them into the atrium Muro advanced with outstretched 
 hands. 
 
 " Welcome ! thrice welcome, Beric ! Had I not heard from 
 Pollio how you had changed, I should not have recognized in 
 you the British lad I parted with six years ago in Britain. 
 And this is your wife 1 Pollio, spare your cousin to me 
 for a moment. I am glad to know you, ^Emilia. I never 
 met your father, though I have often heard of him as a 
 noble Roman, and I know that his daughter is worthy of 
 being the wife of Beric, not only from what I have heard 
 of you from my son-in-law, but from your readiness to share 
 the exile and perils of your husband. I see that Berenice 
 has greeted you as if she knew you. A month since I 
 should have said that that was impossible," and a smile passed 
 over his face, "but now I may admit that it may have 
 been. And now for my news. I have seen Galba, and have 
 strongly represented to him the whole facts of the case, and I
 
 374 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 have, under his hand, a free pardon for yourself and all your 
 followers, who are permitted to go wheresoever they please, 
 without molestation from any. But more than that, I have 
 represented to him how useful it would be that the Britons 
 of the east, where the great rising against Rome took place, 
 should be governed by one of their own chiefs, who, having a 
 knowledge of the might and power of Rome, would, more than 
 any other, be able to influence them in remaining peaceful and 
 adopting somewhat of our civilization. He has, therefore, filled 
 up an appointment creating you provincial governor of that 
 part of Britain lying north of the Thames as far as the northern 
 estuary, and bounded on the east by the region of swamps 
 the land of the Trinobantes, the Iceni, and a portion of the 
 Brigantes with full power over that country, and answerable 
 only to the propraetor himself. Moreover, he has written to 
 him on the subject, begging him to give you a free hand, and 
 to support you warmly against the minor Roman officials of the 
 district. I need not say that I answered for you fully, and 
 pledged myself that you would in all things be faithful to 
 Rome, and would use your influence to the utmost to reconcile 
 the people to our rule." 
 
 Beric was for a time too overcome to be able to thank Muro 
 for his kindness. 
 
 " I have repaid in a small way the debt that I and Pollio owe 
 you," he said. "The senate has not at present ratified the 
 appointment, but that is a mere form, and it will not be pre- 
 sented to them until Galba arrives. They are eagerly looking for 
 his coming to free them from the excesses and tyranny of the 
 Praetorian guard, led by Nymphidius the prefect, who has him- 
 self been scheming to succeed Nero, and they will ratify without 
 question all that Galba may request. In the meantime there 
 need be no delay. We can charter a ship to convey you and 
 your British and Gaulish followers to Massilia. Galba is 
 already supreme there, and thence you can travel as a Roman 
 official of high rank I will, of course, furnish you with means 
 to do so." 
 
 "In that respect I am still well provided," Beric said. 
 " Nero, with all his faults, was generous, and was, in addition 
 to my appointments, continually loading me with presents, 
 which I could not refuse. Even after paying for all that was
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 375 
 
 necessary for my band during the past year, I am a wealthy 
 man, and have ample to support ^Emilia in luxury to the end 
 of our lives." 
 
 "You will, of course, draw no pay until your arrival in 
 Britain ; but after that your appointment will be ample. How- 
 ever, I shall insist upon chartering the ship to convey you to 
 Massilia." 
 
 The beacon fires were lighted again next morning, and an hour 
 later Beric met Boduoc, whom he had, on leaving, directed to 
 follow with the Britons, and to post himself near the crest of 
 the hills. He returned with him to the band, who were trans- 
 ported with delight at hearing the news. Messengers were at 
 once sent off to the party under Gatho, and on the following 
 day the whole band reassembled, the joy of the Gauls being 
 no less than that of the Britons. 
 
 "You will have to take me with you, Beric," Porus said. 
 " I am fit for nothing here save the arena. I have been away 
 from Scy thia since I was a boy, and should find myself a stranger 
 there." ' 
 
 "I will gladly take you, Porus, and will find you a wife 
 among my countrywomen. You have shared in my perils, and 
 should share in my good fortunes. You must all remain here 
 among the hills till I send you up word that the ship is in readi- 
 ness. Boduoc will come down with me, and will send up to 
 the farm garments to replace your sheep-skins, for truly Ehegium 
 would be in an uproar did you descend in your present garb. 
 Boduoc will bring you instructions as to your coming down. 
 It were best that you came after nightfall, and in small parties, 
 and went direct on board the ship which he will point out to 
 you. We do not wish to attract attention or to cause a talk in the 
 town, as the news would be carried to Rome, and the senate 
 might question the right of Muro to act upon a document 
 which they have not yet ratified. Therefore we wish it kept 
 quiet until the arrival of Galba at Rome." 
 
 A week later the whole party stood on the deck of a ship in 
 the port of Rhegium. Beric had bidden farewell to Muro at 
 his house; Pollio and Berenice accompanied him and ^Emilia 
 on board. 
 
 "I do not mean this as a farewell for ever, Beric," Pollio 
 said. " I foresee that we are going to have troubled times in
 
 376 BERTC THE BRITON. 
 
 Rome. Nero was the last of his race, and no one now has 
 greater right than his fellows to be emperor. Now that they have 
 once begun these military insurrections, for the proclamation of 
 Galba was nothing else, I fear we shall have many more. The 
 throne is open now to any ambitious man who is strong enough 
 to grasp it. Generals will no longer think of defeating the 
 enemies of their country and of ruling provinces. As pro- 
 praetors they will seek to gain the love and vote of their sol- 
 diers; discipline will become relaxed, and the basest instead of 
 the noblest passions of the troops be appealed to. We may 
 have civil wars again, like those of Marius and Scylla, and 
 Anthony and Brutus. I hate the intrigues of Rome, and loathe 
 the arts of the demagogue, and to this our generals will descend. 
 Therefore I shall soon apply for service in Britain again. Muro 
 approves, and when I obtain an office there he will come out and 
 build another villa, and settle and end his days there. 
 
 "There is little chance of the troops in Britain dealing in 
 intrigues. They are too far away to make their voice heard, 
 too few to impose their will upon Rome. Therefore he agrees 
 with me that there is more chance of peace and contentment 
 there than anywhere. The Britons have given no trouble since 
 the Iceni surrendered, and I look to the time when we shall 
 raise our towns there and live surrounded by a contented people. 
 You may visit Muro at his house in Camalodunum once again, 
 Beric." 
 
 " It will be a happy day for us when you come, Pollio, 
 you and Berenice; and glad indeed shall I be to have her noble 
 father dwelling among us. Whatever troubles there may be in 
 other parts of Britain I cannot say, but I think I can answer 
 that in Eastern Britain there will never again be a rising." 
 
 " They are throwing off the ropes," Pollio said; " we must go 
 ashore. May the gods keep and bless you both!" 
 
 " And may my God, who has almost become Beric's God, 
 also bless you and Berenice and Muro ! " ^Emilia said. 
 
 Ten minutes later the ship had left port, and was making 
 her way up the Straits of Messina. The weather was fair with 
 a southerly wind, running before which the ship coasted along 
 inside the mountainous isle of Sardinia, passed through the 
 straits between that and Corsica, then shaped its course for Mas- 
 silia, where it arrived without adventure. There was some
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 377 
 
 surprise in the town at the appearance of Beric and his fol- 
 lowers, and they were escorted by the guard at the port to the 
 house of the chief magistrate. On Beric's presenting to him his 
 appointment, signed by Galba, and the safe-conduct for himself 
 and his comrades, the magistrate invited him and ^Emilia to 
 stay at his house. There were many officials to whom ^Emilia 
 was known when she dwelt there with her father, and for ten 
 days they stayed in the city. The Gauls of Beric's party pro 
 ceeded to their various destinations on the day after they 
 landed, Beric making a present to each to enable them to defray 
 the expenses of their travel to their respective homes, and 
 obtaining a separate safe-conduct for each from the chief magia 
 trate. Bidding adieu to their friends at Massilia the Britons 
 started north. 
 
 While in the town Beric obtained for his twenty followers a 
 dress which was a mixture of that of the Britons and Eomans, 
 having the trousers or leggings of the British and the short 
 Roman tunic. All were armed with sword, shield, and spear. 
 Emilia travelled in a carriage ; the two female slaves had been 
 given their freedom and left behind at Rhegium. Beric was 
 handsomely attired in a dress suitable to his rank, but, like his 
 followers, wore the British leggings. A horse was taken with 
 them for him to ride when they passed through towns, but 
 generally it was led by Philo, and Beric marched with his men. 
 They took long journeys, for the men were all eager to be 
 home, and, inured as they were to fatigue, thought nothing 
 of doing each day double the distance that was regarded as an 
 ordinary day's journey. 
 
 At the towns through which they passed the people gazed 
 with surprise at Beric and his body-guard, and warm sympathy 
 was shown by the Gauls for the Britons returning after their 
 captivity in Rome. On arriving at the north-westerly port of 
 Gaul, Beric learned that London, Verulamium, and Camalodunum 
 had been rebuilt, and that the propraetor had established him- 
 self in London as his chief place of residence. Beric therefore 
 hired a ship, which sailed across the straits to the mouth of the 
 Thames, ascended the river, and four days after putting out 
 anchored at London. Beric and his followers were surprised 
 at the change which had been effected in the six years which 
 had passed since they saw it a heap of ruins. A temple of
 
 378 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 Diana had been erected on the highest point of ground. Near 
 this was the palace of the propraetor, and numerous villas of 
 the Roman officials were scattered on the slopes. A strong wall 
 surrounded the Roman quarter, beyond which clustered the 
 houses of the traders, already forming a place of considerable 
 size. 
 
 Upon landing Beric proceeded, accompanied by Boduoc, to 
 the palace of the propraetor, to whom he presented Galba's 
 letter especially recommending him, and his own official appoint- 
 ment. Celsius, who had succeeded Petronius as propraetor, had 
 received Beric sitting; but upon reading the document rose 
 and greeted him cordially. 
 
 "I have heard much of you, Beric, since I came here," he 
 said, " and many have been the entreaties of your people to me 
 that I would write to Rome to pray Caesar to restore you to 
 them. I did so write to Nero, but received no reply; but my 
 friends keep me acquainted with what is passing there, and 
 the story of your combat with the lion in the arena, and of your 
 heading a revolt in Nero's palace reached me. As it was about 
 the time of the latter event that I wrote to Caesar, I wondered 
 not that I received no answer to my letter. After that I heard 
 that you had been giving terrible trouble in Bruttium to Caius 
 Muro, and little dreamed that my next news of you would be 
 that Galba had appointed you Governor of the Eastern Pro- 
 vince." 
 
 " It was upon the recommendation and by the good offices of 
 Muro," Beric said. " I had been brought up at his house at 
 Camalodunum, and had the good fortune to save his daughter's 
 life at the sack of that city. He knew that I had been driven 
 by the conduct of Nero into revolt, and that, even though in 
 arms against Rome, I and my band had injured and robbed no 
 Roman man or woman. He represented to Galba that, holding 
 in high respect the power of Rome, and being well regarded by 
 my people here, I should, more than any stranger, be able to 
 persuade them of the madness of any farther rising against the 
 imperial power, and to induce them to apply themselves to the 
 arts of agriculture, and to become, like the Gauls, a settled 
 people contented and prosperous. 
 
 "These arguments had weight with the emperor, who, as you 
 see, has been pleased to appoint me governor of the province
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 379 
 
 that my people occupied, together with that adjoining on the 
 south, formerly belonging to the Trinobantes, and on the north 
 occupied by a portion of the Brigantes." 
 
 "I think the emperor has done well, and I look for great 
 results from your appointment, Beric. I am convinced that it 
 is the best policy to content a conquered people by placing over 
 them men of their own race and tongue, instead of filling every 
 post by strangers who are ignorant of their ways and customs, 
 and whose presence and dress constantly remind them that they 
 are governed by their conquerors. Where do you think of 
 establishing yourself at Camalodunum?" 
 
 "No. Camalodunum is a Roman town; the people would 
 not so freely come to me there to arbitrate in their disputes. 
 I shall fix it at Norwich, which lies midway between Cama- 
 lodunum and the northern boundary of the province, and 
 through which, as I hear, one of your roads has now been 
 made." 
 
 After staying three days in London as the guest of Celsius, 
 Beric started for the seat of his government, attended by his 
 own body-guard and a centurion with a company of Roman 
 soldiers. The news that a British governor had been appointed 
 to the province spread rapidly, and at Verulamium, where he 
 stopped for two days, crowds of the country people assembled 
 and greeted him with shouts of welcome. Beric assured them 
 that he had been sent by the emperor Galba, who desired to see 
 peace and contentment reign in Britain, and had therefore ap- 
 pointed a countryman of their own as governor of their province, 
 and that, though he should make Norwich the place of his 
 government, he should journey about throughout the country, 
 listen to all complaints and grievances, and administer justice 
 against offenders, whatever their rank and station. 
 
 Above all he exhorted them to tranquillity and obedience. 
 " Rome wishes you well," he said, " and would fain see you as 
 contented beneath her sway as is Gaul, and as are the other 
 countries she has conquered and occupied. We form part 
 of the Roman Empire now, that is as fixed and irrevocable as 
 the rising and setting of the sun. To struggle against Rome 
 is as great a folly as for an infant to wrestle with a giant. 
 But once forming a part of the empire we shall share in its 
 greatness. Towns wUl rise over the land and wealth increase,
 
 380 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 and all will benefit by the civilization that Rome will bring to 
 us." He addressed similar speeches to the people at each 
 halting-place, and was everywhere applauded, for the Trino- 
 bantes had felt most heavily the power of Rome, and all thought 
 of resistance had faded out since the terrible slaughter that 
 followed the defeat of Boadicea. 
 
 Beric did not turn aside to enter Camalodunum, but kept his 
 course north. The news of his coming had preceded him, and 
 the Iceni flocked to meet him, and gave him an enthusiastic 
 welcome. They were proud of him as a national hero; he 
 alone of their chiefs had maintained resistance against the 
 Romans, and his successes had obliterated the humiliation of 
 their great defeat. Great numbers of those who came to meet 
 him owed their lives to the refuge he had provided for them in 
 the swamps, and they considered that it was to his influence 
 they owed it, that after his capture they were allowed to return 
 to their native villages, and to take up their life there un- 
 molested by the Romans. 
 
 The members of his band, too, found relations and friends 
 among the crowd, and it added to their enthusiasm that Beric 
 had brought back with him every one of his companions in 
 captivity. ^Emilia was much affected at the evidence of her 
 husband's popularity, and at the shouting crowd of great fair- 
 haired men and women who surged round the escort, and who, 
 when Beric took her by the hand and bidding her stand up in 
 the chariot presented her to the Iceni as his wife, shouted for 
 her almost as enthusiastically as they had done for him. 
 
 " What a little insignificant thing these tall British matrons 
 and maids must think me, Beric ! " she said. 
 
 "We all admire our opposites, ^Emilia, that is how it was 
 that you came to fall in love with me; these people can have 
 seen but few Roman ladies, and doubtless there is not one 
 among them who does not think as I do, that with your dark 
 hair and eyes, and the rich colour of your cheek, you are the 
 loveliest woman that they ever saw." 
 
 "If they knew what you were saying they would lose all 
 respect for you, Beric," she said laughing and colouring. "We 
 have been married nearly a year, sir a great deal too long for 
 you to pay me compliments." 
 
 " You must remember that you are in Britain now, ^Emilia,
 
 OLD FRIENDS. . 381 
 
 and though in Home men regard themselves as the lords and 
 masters of their wives it is not so here, where women are looked 
 upon as in every way equal to men. I expect that you will 
 quite change under the influence of British air, and that though 
 I am nominally governor it is you who will rule. You will see 
 that in a short time the people will come to you with their 
 petitions as readily as to me." 
 
 As soon as Beric established himself at Norwich he set about 
 the erection of a suitable abode; the funds were provided as was 
 usual from the treasury of the province a certain sum from 
 the taxes raised being set aside to pay the share of the national 
 tribute to Rome, while the rest was devoted to the payment of 
 officials, the construction of roads, public works, and buildings. 
 Long before the house was finished a child was born to Beric, 
 the event being celebrated with great festivity by the Iceni, 
 contrary to their own customs, for among themselves a birth 
 was regarded rather as an occasion of mourning than of 
 rejoicing. 
 
 Beric set vigorously to work to put the affairs of the province 
 in order; he appointed Boduoc to an important office under 
 him, and to act for him during his absences, which were at 
 first frequent, as he constantly travelled about the country 
 holding courts, redressing grievances, punishing and degrading 
 officials who had abused their position or ill-treated the people, 
 and appointing in many cases natives in their places. Bitter 
 complaints were made by the dispossessed Roman officials to 
 Celsius, who, however, declined in any way to interfere, saying 
 that Beric had received the fullest powers from Galba, and 
 that, moreover, did he interfere with him it was clear that 
 there would be another revolt of the Iceni. 
 
 Galba fell, and was succeeded by Otho, who was very shortly 
 afterwards followed by Vespasian, a just, though severe em- 
 peror. Complaints were laid before him by powerful families, 
 whose relations had been dismissed by Beric, and the latter 
 was ordered to furnish a full explanation of his conduct. Beric 
 replied by a long and full report of his government. Vespasian 
 was greatly struck alike by the firmness with which Beric de- 
 fended himself, and by the intelligence and activity with which, 
 as the report showed, he had conducted the affairs of his pro- 
 vince; he therefore issued an order for the disaffected officials
 
 382 BERIC THE BRITON. 
 
 to return at once to Rome, confirmed Beric in the powers 
 granted him by Galba, and gave him full authority to dismiss 
 even the highest Roman officials in the district should he see 
 occasion to do so. 
 
 Roman towns and stations had sprung up all over the island, 
 roads and bridges opened the way for trade. Now that the 
 tribal wars had ceased, and the whole people had become welded 
 into one, they turned their attention more and more to agri- 
 culture. The forest diminished rapidly in extent; the Roman 
 plough took the place of the rough hoe of the Briton, houses 
 of brick and stone that of rough huts; intermarriages became 
 frequent. The Roman legionaries became established as military 
 colonists and took British wives. The foreign traders and arti- 
 sans, who formed the bulk of the populations of the towns, did 
 the same; and although this in the end had the effect of dim- 
 inishing the physical proportions of the British, and lowering 
 the lofty stature and size that had struck the Romans on their 
 landing with astonishment, it introduced many characteristics 
 hitherto wanting in the race, and aided in their conversion 
 from tribes of fierce warriors into a settled and semi-civilized 
 people. 
 
 Among the many who came to Britain, were some Christians 
 who sought homes in the distant island to escape the persecu- 
 tions at Rome. There was soon a colony of these settled at 
 Norwich under the protection of ^Emilia. They brought with 
 them an eloquent priest, and in a short time Beric, already 
 strongly inclined to the Christian religion, openly accepted that 
 faith, which spread rapidly throughout his government. Porus 
 was not long in finding a British wife, and never regretted the 
 day when he left the ludus of Scopus and joined his fortunes 
 to those of Beric. Philo embraced Christianity, and became 
 a priest of that church. 
 
 A year after Beric came to Britain he and Emilia were 
 delighted by the arrival of Pollio and Berenice with Caius 
 Muro. The former had at the accession of Otho, with whom 
 his family were connected, obtained a civil appointment in 
 Britain, and at Beric's request Celsius appointed him to the 
 control of the collection of taxes in his district, there being 
 constant complaints among the people of the rapacity and un- 
 f airness of the Roman official occupying this position. Pollio
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 383 
 
 therefore established himself also at Norwich, Muro, with whom 
 came Cneius Nepo, taking up his residence there with him, 
 and as many other Roman families were there, neither ^Emilia 
 nor Berenice ever regretted the loss of the society of Rome. 
 Pollio proved an excellent official, and ably seconded Beric in 
 his efforts to render the people contented. 
 
 Had Beric foreseen the time when the Romans would abandon 
 Britain, and leave it to the mercy of the savages of the north 
 and of the pirates of North Germany and Scandinavia, he would 
 have seen that the extinction of the martial qualities of the 
 British would lead to their ruin; but that Rome would decay 
 and fall to pieces and become the prey of barbarians, was a con- 
 tingency beyond human ken, and he and those who worked with 
 him thought that the greatest blessing they could bestow upon 
 their country was to render it a contented and prosperous pro- 
 vince of the Roman Empire. This he succeeded in doing in his 
 own government, and when, full of years and rich in the affec- 
 tion of his countrymen, he died, his son succeeded him in the 
 government, and for many generations the eastern division of 
 the island was governed by descendants of Beric the Briton. 
 
 THE END.
 
 "English boys owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Henty."- Athenautn 
 
 Blackie & Son's 
 Illustrated Story Books 
 
 HISTORICAL TALES BY 
 
 A Tale of the Thirty Years' 
 War. With 12 Illustrations 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 Won by the Sword: 
 
 by CHARLES M. SHELDON. 
 Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine 
 edges, 6s. 
 
 In this story Mr. Henty completes 
 the history of the Thirty Years' War, 
 the first part of which he described in 
 The Lion of the North. His hero 
 has s.mple opportunity for gratifying 
 his love of hazardous enterprizes and 
 adventures. 
 
 "As fascinating as ever came from Mr. 
 Henty 's pen." Westminster Gazette. 
 
 ' Full of sieges, of the smoke, the din 
 and the dust of battle." Standard. 
 
 - A Roving Commis- 
 
 cirm or ' Throu & h the Black 
 1Uil * Insurrection of Hayti. 
 
 With 12 page Illustrations by 
 WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I. Crown 8vo, 
 cloth elegant, olivine edges. 6s. 
 
 The hero of this story takes part in some 01 the principal engagements in 
 the revolt of the slaves of Hayti against their French masters at the end ol 
 last century, and is able to rescue many of the unfortunate French colonists 
 from the infuriated blacks. He also does good service against the pirates 
 who infested the West Indian seas at that period. 
 
 "A stirring tale, which may be confidently recommended to schoolboy readers. " 
 
 Guardian. 
 
 " A singularly lucky and attractive hero, for whom boy readers will have an intense 
 admiration." Standard. 
 
 Mr G ^ HENTY
 
 From A ROVING COMMISSION 
 By G. A. HENTY. 6s. 
 
 "HE FELL LIKE A LOG OVER THE PRECIPICE."
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 A. Tale of the Rising in La Vende*e. 
 With 8 page Illustrations by STANLEY 
 L. WOOD. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, 5-r. 
 
 This story tells of the heroic defence of La Vendee against the over- 
 whelming forces of i^e French Republic. The hero, a young Englishman, 
 joins the Vendeans and renders them invaluable services as leader of a 
 band of scouts. 
 
 "Vivid tale of manly struggle against oppression." The World. 
 
 " Crammed . . . with fighting, sieges, assaults, and escapes." Educational Times. 
 
 Both Sides the Border: ^ T f of " ot fP ur and 
 
 Glendower. With 12 page 
 Illustrations by RALPH PEACOCK. 6s. 
 
 The hero casts in his lot with the Percys and becomes esquire to Sir 
 Henry, the gallant Hotspur. He is sent on several dangerous and impor- 
 tant missions in which he acquits himself with great valour. 
 
 "With boys the story should rank among Mr. Henty's best." Standard. 
 " A vivid picture of that strange past . . . when England and Scotland . . . were 
 torn by faction and civil war." Onward. 
 
 - Through Russian Snows: f or ' Na {? leon ' s 
 
 o from Moscow. With 
 
 8 page illustrations by W. H. OVEREND. 5^. 
 
 Julian Wyatt becomes, quite innocently, mixed up with smugglers, who 
 carry him to France, and hand him over as a prisoner to the French. 
 He subsequently regains his freedom by joining Napoleon's army in the 
 campaign against Russia. 
 
 "The story of the campaign is very graphically told." St. James's Gazette. 
 "One of Mr. Henty's best books, which will be hailed with joy by his many eager 
 readers." Journal of Education. 
 
 " Is full of life and action." Journal of Education. 
 
 - The Yon no- Colonists- A Tale of the Zulu and 
 
 ng ^o L sts. BoerWars W i th6I] i us _ 
 
 trations by SlMON H. VEDDER. y- 6d. 
 
 The story of two English lads who serve the British force as guides 
 against Cetewayo, are present at the disaster of Isandula, help to defeat 
 the Zulus at Ulundi, and afterwards fight through the campaign against 
 the Boers. 
 
 " No boy can read this book without learning a great deal of South African history 
 at its most critical period." Standard. 
 
 (3)
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 Under Wellington's Command: y 
 
 sular War. With 12 page Illustrations by WAL PAGET. 6s. 
 
 In this stirring romance Mr. Henty gives us the further adventures of 
 Terence O'Connor, the hero of With Moore at Corunna. We are told 
 how, in alliance with a small force of Spanish guerillas, the gallant regiment 
 of Portuguese levies commanded by Terence keeps the whole of the French 
 army in check at a critical period of the war, rendering invaluable service 
 to the Iron Duke and his handful of British troops. 
 
 "Will be found extremely entertaining." Daily Telegraph. 
 
 " An admirable exposition of Mr. Henty's masterly method of c< 
 ith amusement." World. 
 
 "Humour, adventure, and hard fighting." Navy and Army. 
 
 At Aboukir and Acre: f Story f L Na t p w n l s 
 
 Invasion of Egypt. With 
 8 page Illustrations by WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I. 5-y. 
 
 Shortly before the battle of the Nile, Edgar Blagrove, the son of an 
 English merchant in Alexandria, saves the life of a young Bedouin chief. 
 The two boys become inseparable, and on the arrival of the French, Edgar 
 makes common cause with the Bedouins against the invader. He after- 
 wards enters the British navy as a midshipman, and as interpreter to Sir 
 Sydney Smith assists in the defence of Acre. 
 
 "The boys who are so fortunate as to get the book as a Christmas present will 
 enjoy many hours of supreme delight, and will learn almost unconsciously much that 
 is worth knowing." Manchester Guardian. 
 
 "A thoroughly patriotic story, with brisk action, and incidents crowding upon each 
 other." Tatler. 
 
 With Cochrane the Dauntless: Taie of 
 
 his Exploits. 
 With 12 page Illustrations by W. H. MARGETSON. 6s. 
 
 It would be hard to find, even in sensational fiction, a more daring leader 
 than Lord Cochrane, or a career which supplies so many thrilling exploits. 
 The manner in which, almost single-handed, he scattered the French fleet 
 in the Basque Roads is one of the greatest feats in English naval history. 
 
 " As rousing and interesting a book as boys could wish for." Saturday Review. 
 "This tale we specially recommend." St. James's Gazette. 
 
 " We honour the author of With Cochrane the Dauntless as the head of his pro- 
 fession." National Observer. 
 
 " Full of thrilling adventure, as well as of historical and biographical information." 
 
 Glasgow Herald. 
 
 (4)
 
 STORIES BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 On the Irrawaddy: * Story f / h 8 e first B " rmese 
 
 / War. With 8 page Illustra- 
 tions by W. H. OVEREND. 5-y. 
 
 Stanley Brooke is assistant to his uncle in Calcutta, who was a keen adven- 
 turous trader. When war broke out between England and Burma, the lad 
 was well skilled in river navigation, and his knowledge of the Burmese 
 language obtained for him a post on the general's staff. He served with 
 the British army all through the campaign, during which his love of 
 adventure, courage, and magnanimity were brilliantly displayed. 
 
 " Stanley Brooke's pluck is even greater than his luck, and he is precisely the boy 
 to hearten with emulation the boys who read his stirring story." Saturday Review. 
 
 " Altogether this is a capital story." Times. f 
 
 " Stanley Brooke is one of Mr. Henty's prize heroes." World. 
 
 By England's Aid: r ' e f 66 ^ ^ f w h l Nether " 
 
 / o lands (1585-1 604). With 10 page 
 
 Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE, and 4 Maps. 6s. 
 
 Two English lads go to Holland in the service of one of " the fighting 
 Veres". After many adventures one of the lads finds himself on board a 
 Spanish ship at the defeat of the Armada, and escapes from Spain only to 
 fall into the hands of the Corsairs. He is successful, however, in getting 
 back to Spain, and regains his native country after the capture of Cadiz. 
 
 " Boys know and love Mr. Henty's books of adventure, and will welcome his tale 
 of the freeing of the Netherlands." Athetueum. 
 
 " Mr. Henty can give you the sense of battle in the veins. "National Observer. 
 
 " Geoffrey's adventures will impart to the tale that element which lays hold of the 
 boy reader." Christian Leader. 
 
 By Right of Conquest: th Corto ;,i n f e t xica 
 
 J o T. With 10 page Illustrations 
 
 by W. S. STAGEY, and 2 Maps. 6s. 
 
 The conquest of Mexico, by a small band of resolute men under the 
 magnificent leadership of Cortez, is rightly ranked amongst the most romantic 
 exploits in history. With this as the groundwork of his story, Mr. Henty 
 has interwoven the adventures of an English youth, Roger Hawkshaw, the 
 sole survivor of the good ship Swan, which had sailed from a Devon port to 
 challenge the supremacy of the Spaniards in the New World. 
 
 " Mr. Henty's skill has never been more convincingly displayed than in this 
 admirable and ingenious story." Saturday Review. 
 
 "Cleverly written and wonderfully interesting." Birmingham Gazette. 
 
 "A volume full of interest and excitement, which cannot fail to charm its readers." 
 
 Journal of Education. 
 
 (5)
 
 From NO SURRENDER! 
 By G. A. HENTY. y. 
 
 "FOLLOW ME!" HE SHOUTED. "MAKE FOR THE GUN!"
 
 STORIES BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 A Knight of the White Cross: 
 
 D the Siege 
 
 of Rhodes. With 12 page Illustrations by RALPH PEACOCK. 6^. 
 
 Gervaise Tresham, the hero, who is determined to follow a military 
 career, is enabled to join the famous Order of the Knights of St. John. 
 Leaving England he proceeds to Rhodes. Subsequently, Gervaise is made 
 a Knight of the White Cross, and takes part in the splendid defence of 
 Rhodes, when it is besieged by the Turks. 
 
 "Most boys, and a good many girls, will read this story with delight." Academy. 
 " It is a fine spirited story of old-fashioned chivalry." Freeman's Journal. 
 "The story is one of continuous movement and unremitting interest." Glasgow 
 Herald. 
 
 "Dp-Jp fVip Rrifon * ^ Story of the Roman Invasion of 
 
 Britain. With 12 page Illustrations 
 by W. PARKINSON. 6.y. 
 
 Beric is a boy-chief of a British tribe which takes a prominent part in the 
 insurrection under Boadicea : and after the defeat of that heroic queen he 
 continues the struggle in the fen-country. Ultimately Beric is defeated and 
 carried captive .to Rome, where he succeeds in saving a Christian maid by 
 slaying a lion in the arena, and is rewarded by being made the personal 
 protector of Nero. Finally, he escapes and returns to Britain, where he 
 becomes a wise ruler of his own people. 
 
 " He is a hero of the most attractive kind. . . . One of the most spirited and well- 
 imagined stories Mr. Henty has written." Saturday Review. 
 
 " His conflict with a lion in the arena is a thrilling chapter." School Board 
 Chronicle. 
 
 " Full of every form of heroism and pluck." Christian World. 
 
 - The Dash for Khartoum: Ta H 1( ;. of ** Nile 
 
 Expedition. With 10 
 page Illustrations by JOHN SCHONBERG and J. NASH. 6s. 
 
 In the record of recent British history there is no more captivating page 
 for boys than the story of the Nile campaign, and the attempt to rescue 
 General Gordon. For, in the difficulties which the expedition encountered, 
 and in the perils which it overpassed, are found all the excitement of 
 romance, as well as the fascination which belongs to real events. 
 
 " The Dash for Khartoum is your ideal boys' book." Tablet. 
 " It is literally true that the narrative never flags a moment." Academy. 
 " The Dash for Khartoum will be appreciated even by those who don't ordinarily 
 care a dash for anything." Punch. 
 
 (7)
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 Bonnie Prince Charlie: p eof wT yand 
 
 Culloden. With 12 page 
 Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 6s. 
 
 The hero, brought up by a Glasgow bailie, is arrested for aiding a 
 Jacobite agent, escapes, but is wrecked on the French coast, reaches Paris, 
 and serves with the French army at Dettingen. He succeeds in obtaining, 
 through Marshal Saxe, the release from confinement of both his parents. 
 He kills his father's foe in a duel, and, escaping to the coast, shares the 
 adventures of Prince Charlie. 
 
 " Mr. Henty can tell a capital story; but here, for freshness of treatment and 
 variety of incident, he has surpassed himself." Spectator. 
 
 " The adventures and incidents throughout are of the most exciting kind, and the 
 interest is never for one moment allowed to flag." Literary World. 
 
 " Is most intensely thrilling. "Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 In the Heart of the Rockies: St ry of 
 
 Adventure m 
 Colorado. With 8 page Illustrations by G. C. HINDLEY. 5.5-. 
 
 The hero, Tom Wade, goes out to his uncle in Colorado, who is a hunter 
 and gold-digger. Going in quest of a gold mine, the little band is over- 
 whelmed by a snow-storm in the mountains, and compelled to winter there. 
 They build two canoes and paddle down the terrible gorges of the Rocky 
 Mountains, and after many perils they reach Fort Mojarve in safety. 
 
 " No book will please more than In the Heart of the Rockies." Spectator. 
 " It is a book to read and to recommend to boys and girls." The Observer. 
 
 "It is all life and go and vigour from beginning to end." The School Board 
 Chronicle. 
 
 Ta ^ e ^ ^ e White Hoods of Paris. 
 2 page Illustrations by W AL 
 
 PAGET. 6s. 
 
 Sir Eustace de Villeroy, in journeying from Hampshire to his castle in 
 France, made young Guy Aylmer one of his escort. Soon thereafter the 
 castle was attacked, and the English youth displayed such valour that his 
 liege-lord made him commander of a special mission to Paris. This he 
 accomplished, returning in time to take part in the campaign against the 
 French which ended in the glorious victory for England at Agincourt. 
 
 " Is one of Mr. Henty's best." Standard. 
 
 "There is not a better book for boys in Mr. Henty's extensive repertory." 
 
 Scotsman. 
 
 " Cannot fail to commend itself to boys of all ages." Manchester Courier. 
 (81
 
 "Young readers have no better friends than Blackie & Son." Westminster Gazette 
 
 Blackie & Son's 
 Story Books for Boys 
 
 G. MANVILLE FENN 
 
 T3rV 
 
 / 
 
 <s ^ ^ a ^ e ^ ^ e North Shore. With 12 page 
 * Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 6s. 
 
 The scene is laid on the picturesque rocky coast of North Devon, where 
 the three lads pass through many perils both afloat and ashore. Fishermen, 
 smugglers, naval officers, and a stern old country surgeon play their parts 
 in the story, which is one of honest adventure with the mastering of diffi- 
 culties in a wholesome manly way, mingled with sufficient excitement to 
 satisfy the most exacting reader. 
 
 "An admirable story, as remarkable for the individuality of its heroes as for the 
 excellent descriptions of coast scenery and life in North Devon. One of the best 
 books we have seen this season." AtAerueum. 
 
 Nat the Naturalist: A Boy's Adventures in the Eastern 
 
 Seas. With 8 page Pictures by 
 GORDON BROWNE. $s. 
 
 The boy Nat and his uncle go on a voyage to the islands of the Eastern 
 seas to seek specimens in natural history, and their adventures there are full 
 of interest and excitement. The descriptions of Mr. Ebony, their black 
 comrade, and of the scenes of savage life sparkle with genuine humour. 
 
 "This book encourages independence of character, develops resource, and teaches 
 a boy to keep his eyes open." Saturday Review. 
 
 - Yussuf the Guide: S "" J ' 
 
 A lad who has been almost given over by the doctors, but who rapidly 
 recovers heakh and strength in a journey through Asia Minor with his 
 guardians and Yussuf as their guide. Their adventures culminate in their 
 being snowed up for the winter in the mountains, from which they escape 
 while their captors are waiting for the ransom that does not come. 
 
 " This story is told with such real freshness and vigour that the reader feels he is 
 actually one of the party, sharing in the fun and facing the dangers w.th them." 
 
 Pall Mall Gazettt. 
 
 [46] (0)
 
 From ALL HANDS ON DECK 
 By W. CHARLES METCALFE. 3^. 6d. 
 
 - Oa 
 
 <i^H 
 
 "WITHOUT HESITATION i SPRANG FROM THE RIGGING,"
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 GORDON STABLES 
 
 For Life and Liberty. w U h \ / age Illustl ' ations 
 
 J and a Map. 5.5-. 
 
 When war was declared in America between the North and South, 
 Osmond Lloyd ran away from school in England with his chum, Kenneth 
 Reid, and the two made their way to America. Osmond joined the 
 Southern army, while Kenneth entered the navy. 
 
 " The story is lively and spirited, with abundance of blockade-running, hard fight- 
 ing, narrow escapes, and introductions to some of the most distinguished generals on 
 both sides." The Times. 
 
 - Kidnapped by Cannibals: 
 
 lustrations by J. FINNEMORE. y. 6d. 
 
 Thinking his father harsh and himself aggrieved, Willie runs away to 
 sea with his friend Harry Blessington. There is a terrible mutiny on 
 board, stirred up by foreign sailors, and in a group of hitherto unknown 
 cannibal islands in the southern seas the boys are cast away. Their 
 strange, wild life and adventures for years among these cannibals are told 
 in most graphic style. 
 
 " Exciting and interesting from beginning to end." Punch. 
 
 " Full of exciting adventure, and told with spirit." Globe. 
 
 G. NORWAY 
 
 Hussein the Hostage: r ' A Bo ^ s fl ff entur ' s , in 
 
 o Persia. With 6 page Illus- 
 trations by JOHN SCHONBERG. 3-r. 
 
 The narrative of the adventures of Prince Hussein and his follower Askar 
 in their endeavour to free their oppressed tribe from the Persian yoke. 
 Hussein is held captive, and Askar, in his attempt to rescue him, is himself 
 kidnapped and sold to a showman. They at length unite their followers, 
 and succeed in holding their post until the dispersal of the Persian forces. 
 
 "The lad who gets Hussein the Hostage will have^a real prize, for it is one of the 
 best and most original boys' books of recent seasons." Graphic. 
 
 SHEILA E. BRAINE 
 The Turkish Automaton. 
 
 RAINEY, R.I. y. 6d. 
 
 One of the most extraordinary mechanical marvels of the eighteenth 
 century was the "automaton" chess-player, invented by the Hungarian 
 mechanician de Kempelen. It is believed that the figure was constructed 
 to enable a disabled Polish officer to escape from Russia. On this sub- 
 stratum of historical fact the author has constructed a highly ingenious 
 romance. 
 
 " The Turkish Automaton creates from the first a desire to look at the end. . . . 
 It certainly deserves to be the boys' book of the year. 1 ' Court Circular.
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 ROBERT LEIGHTON 
 
 Olaf the Glorious: * Hist . c * f ory of ' he 
 
 Age. With 8 page Illustrations 
 by RALPH PEACOCK. 5.5-. 
 
 Olaf, rescued from slavery, spends a romantic youth in the court of King 
 Valdemar of Russia, has many adventures as a viking, and is converted 
 to Christianity. He returns to pagan Norway, is accepted as king, and 
 converts his people to the Christian faith. The story closes with the great 
 battle of Svold, when Olaf, defeated, jumps overboard, and is last seen with 
 the sunlight shining on the glittering cross upon his shield. 
 
 " Is as good as anything of the kind we have met with. Mr. Leighton more than 
 holds his own with Rider Haggard and Baring-Gould." Times. 
 
 - The Thirsty Sword: 
 
 J of Scotland 
 
 6 page Illustrations by A. PEARSE. New Edition. $$. 
 
 The story tells how Roderic MacAlpin, the sea-rover, came to the Isle of 
 Bute ; how he slew both his brother, Earl Hamish, and the earl's eldest son, 
 Alpin : how young Kenric became King of Bute, met the sea - rover on 
 Garroch Head, and ended their feud. 
 
 " One of the most fascinating stories for boys that it has ever been our pleasure to 
 read. From first to last the interest never flags." Schoolmaster. 
 
 KIRK MUNROE 
 
 At War with Pontiac: >. e 8 Totem ^ th t e Bean 
 
 With 8 page Illustrations 
 by J. FINNEMORE. 5-r. 
 
 Donald Hester, a young English officer, goes in search of his sister Edith, 
 who had been captured by the redskins. Strange and terrible are his 
 experiences; he is wounded and taken prisoner, but contrives to escape. 
 In all his adventures he finds a magic talisman in the Totem of the Bear, 
 which was tattooed on his arm in childhood by a friendly Indian. In the 
 end there is peace, and Donald marries the great chiefs daughter. 
 
 " Is in the best manner of Cooper. There is a character who is the parallel of 
 Hawkeye, as the Chingachgooks have likewise their counterparts." The Times. 
 
 Col. J. PERCY-GROVES 
 
 The War of the Axe: ^ St 7 of s ut j Af 5;, can 
 
 Adventure. Fully Illus- 
 trated. 2s. 6d. 
 
 Tom Flinders, late of Rugby, sails to rejoin his parents in Cape Colony, 
 goes up country, meets with many experiences, gets mauled by a Cape lion, 
 and finally joins the Cape Mounted Rifles. He falls into the hands of the 
 Caffres, but after a strange escape succeeds in rejoining his friends. 
 
 "The story is well and brilliantly told, and the illustrations are especially good and 
 effective." Literary World.
 
 BLACKIE & SON'S BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 Wynport College: * Story of Sch o1 Life - with 
 
 J r 08 paee I 
 
 FRED. HARRISON 
 
 A 
 
 8 page Illustrations by HAROLD 
 COPPING. 5-y. 
 
 The hero and his chums differ as widely in character as in personal appear- 
 ance. We have Patrick O'Fflahertie, the good-natured Irish boy; Jack 
 Brookes, the irrepressible humorist ; Davie Jackson, the true-hearted little 
 lad, on whose haps and mishaps the plot to a great extent turns ; and the 
 hero himself, whose experiences at Wynport College the story relates. 
 "Crammed with happy incident." Truth. 
 " Full of life and adventure." Standard. 
 
 W. C. METCALFE 
 
 All RanrU nn Derk ! with 6 Illustrations by W. 
 
 AU uecK! RAINEY>RI y6d 
 
 The story begins with the experiences of eight of the crew and a young 
 lady passenger in an open boat. After many privations they are picked 
 up by the ship Ariadne. By a rare combination of circumstances the hero 
 is compelled to assume the command of the Ariadne, and navigates the ship 
 safely to Hong Kong, where many happy surprises await him. 
 
 " Is such a graphic sea story that the reader almost sniffs the salt breeze of mid- 
 ocean." Literary World. 
 
 J. CHALMERS 
 
 Fighting the Matabele: A * V- f Ad wT* 
 
 O o m Rhodesia. With 6 
 
 page Illustrations by STANLEY L. WOOD. y. 6d. 
 
 A story of the great Matabele rising of 1896. The hero and his friends 
 are surprised by the revolted natives in the heart of the Matopo mountains, 
 and after many stirring adventures they succeed in making their way back 
 to Buluwayo. The hero subsequently joins the Afrikander Corps, and dis- 
 tinguishes himself in the operations by which the insurrection is crushed. 
 
 "The stormy times of the recent insurrection in Matabeleland are described with 
 a piquantness which will ensure the book becoming a favourite." Liverpool Courier. 
 
 CAPTAIN BRERETON 
 
 With Shield and Assegai: * V^ mS 
 
 trations by STANLEY L. WOOD. 3^. 6d. 
 
 The hero runs away from school, enlists in the British army, and is sent 
 to Africa. There he learns that his sister and a friend are in the hands of 
 Cetewayo. Disguised as a Zulu he rescues the two girls, having many 
 thrilling adventures. 
 
 " Boys will enjoy this book, it is so delightfully real, and overflows with movement 
 and excitement." Public Opinion. 
 
 (13)
 
 BLACKIE & SON'S BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 W. O'BYRNE 
 A Land of Heroes: w 0i ; eS A T f n Early - Iris \ Hi T tory> 
 
 With 6 Illustrations by JOHN 
 H. BACON. 2s. 6d. 
 
 Many a pleasant hour is in store for the happy recipients of this book. 
 The author takes us back to the golden age in Irish history, when Kings of 
 Erin ruled at Tara some two thousand years ago. The stories are written 
 in a style calculated to interest young people, and Mr. Bacon's illustrations 
 add not a little to the attractiveness of the volume. 
 
 " There is not a page in the book that does not sketch some vivid picture or paint 
 some thrilling scene." Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 S. BARING-GOULD 
 
 Grettir the Outlaw: A f ? ory v [. Icelan w>K^ e days 
 
 of the Vikings. With 6 page 
 Illustrations by M. ZENO DlEMER. 4^. 
 
 A narrative of adventure of the most romantic kind. No boy will be 
 able to withstand the magic of such scenes as the fight of Grettir with the 
 twelve bearserks, the wrestle with Karr the Old in the chamber of the dead, 
 the combat with the spirit of Glam the thrall, and the defence of the dying 
 Grettir by his younger brother. 
 
 " Is the boys' book of its year. That is, of course, as much as to say that it will do 
 for men grown as well as juniors. It is told in simple, straightforward English, as all 
 stories should be, and it has a freshness, a freedom, a sense of sun and wind and the 
 open air, which make it irresistible. " National Observer. 
 
 C. J. CUTCLIFFE HYNE 
 
 The Captured Cruiser: . ?? Ycars 1 5 I " L t and 
 
 l With 6 page Illustrations 
 
 by F. BRANGWYN. New Edition, y. 6d. 
 
 The central incidents deal with the capture, during the war between Chili 
 and Peru, of an armed cruiser. The heroes and their companions break 
 from prison in Valparaiso, board this warship in the night, overpower the 
 watch, escape to sea under the fire of the forts, and finally, after marvellous 
 adventures, lose the cruiser among the icebergs near Cape Horn. 
 
 " The two lads and the two skippers are admirably drawn. Mr. Hyne has now 
 secured a position in the first rank of writers of fiction for boys." Spectator. 
 
 - $Hm son's Rppf With 4 P a e "lustrations by W. S. 
 OUIllbUn b IVCCI. STACEY New Edition. *s.6d. 
 
 This is the extended log of a cutter which sailed from the Clyde to the 
 Amazon in search of a gold reef. It relates how they discovered the 
 bucaneer's treasure in the Spanish Main, fought the Indians, turned aside 
 the river Jamary by blasting, and so laid bare the gold of Stimsort s Reef. 
 
 " Few stories come within hailing distance of Stimson's Reef'm startling incidents 
 and hairbreadth "scapes. It may almost vie with Mr. R. L. Stevenson's Treasure 
 Island. " Guardian. 
 
 (14)
 
 From WITH SHIELD AND ASSEGAI 
 By CAPTAIN BRERETON. y. 6d. 
 
 DROPPING THE KEINS UPON HIS HORSE'S NECK, HE GRASPED 
 A REVOLVER IN EACH HAND.
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 ASCOTT R. HOPE 
 
 Stories of Old Renown: Tales of Knights and 
 
 Heroes. With 100 
 Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. y. 6d. 
 
 A series of the best of the Stories of Noble Knighthood and Old Romance, 
 told in refined and simple language, and adapted to Young Readers. A 
 book possessing remarkable attractions for boys. 
 
 " One of the choicest volumes the seekers after a present could desire. There are 
 nine famous stories so told as to give real delight to boys of every age." John Bull. 
 
 HARRY COLLINGWOOD 
 
 The Log of a Privateersman. Wlth I2 pa j e 
 
 O Illustrations by 
 
 W. RAINEY, R.I. 6s. 
 
 After various bold exploits in home waters, the Dolphin leaves for the 
 West Indies, where the hero becomes a castaway ; is captured by pirates ; 
 outwits his captors and seizes their ship; cuts out a Spanish gold-ship from 
 under the walls of Cartagena; and finally, as a reward for his services, 
 receives a lieutenant's commission in His Majesty's Navy. 
 
 "The narrative is breezy, vivid, and full of incidents, faithful in nautical colouring, 
 and altogether delightful." Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 FLORENCE COOMBE 
 
 Boys of the Priory School. J^" 
 
 Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2s. 6d. 
 
 The interest centres in the relations of Raymond and Hal Wentworth, and 
 the process by which Raymond, the hero of the school, learns that in the 
 person of his ridiculed cousin there beats a heart more heroic than his own. 
 "We congratulate Miss Coombe upon a brightly-written story." Lancet. 
 " It is an excellent work of its class, cleverly illustrated with ' real boys ' by Mr. 
 Harold Copping." Literature. 
 
 JANE H. SPETTIGUE 
 
 APo \ T f^f TK ^t-r With 4 Illustrations by PAUL HARDY. 
 J. cLLL Ul J. 11C111. .^ , , , ,, 
 
 Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2s. 6d. 
 
 The chief actors are two brothers, who are left free to choose their 
 own amusements, and this absence of control leads them into numer- 
 ous adventures, some of which are merely comical and ludicrous, while 
 others have a somewhat serious issue. Both Will and Miles are sturdy, 
 self-reliant, and thoroughly likeable youngsters, and are certain to be highly 
 popular alike with boy and girl readers. 
 
 " Should be a favourite book for boys and girls as I have no doubt it will be." 
 
 Whitehall Review. 
 
 "The 'pair' are a couple of youngsters whose escapades are described in a bright 
 and attractive fashion by an able story-teller." Observer, 
 (16)
 
 Blackie & Son's 
 Story Books for Girls 
 
 KATHARINE TYNAN 
 The Handsome 
 
 Miss KATHARINE TYNAN 
 
 Brandons: wi * h I2 
 
 Illustrations by 
 G. DEMAIN HAMMOND, R.I. 6s. 
 
 A delightful story of an ancient Irish 
 family. Every one of the nine young 
 Brandons was handsome, and every 
 one was spirited and lovable. The 
 story ends happily for "The Hand- 
 some Brandons" with the re-establish- 
 ment of the family fortunes. 
 
 "A really excellent piece of work . . . 
 
 the literary quality of Miss Tynan's work 
 
 is its chief distinction." Spectator. 
 
 ELIZA POLLARD 
 
 The King's Signet: 
 
 The Story of a Huguenot Family. 
 With 6 IllustrationsbyG. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3,?. 6d. 
 
 This story relates the adventures of a noble Huguenot family, driven 
 out of their chateau by the dragoons after the Revocation of the Edict of 
 Nantes. 
 
 "The story is splendidly told, and never drags." Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 CAROLINE AUSTIN 
 
 Coil sin OenfFrev anH I With 6 page Illustrations 
 
 .rey ana i. by w . PARKINSON . ^ 
 
 The only daughter of a country gentleman finds herself unprovided for at 
 her father's death, and for some time lives as a dependant upon her kins- 
 man. Life is kept from being unbearable to her by her young cousin 
 Geoffrey, who at length meets with a serious accident for which she is held 
 responsible. She makes a brave attempt to earn her own livelihood, until 
 a startling event brings her cousin Geoffrey and herself together again. 
 
 " Miss Austin's story is bright, clever, and well developed." Saturday Review. 
 [46] (17)
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 A Queen among Girls. with 6 Illustrations 
 
 ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS 
 
 With 6 Illustrat 
 by HAROLD COPPING. 
 Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, y. 6d. 
 
 Augusta Pembroke is the head of her school, the favourite of her teachers 
 and fellow-pupils, who are attracted by her fearless and independent nature, 
 and her queenly bearing. She dreams of a distinguished professional 
 career; but the course of her life is changed suddenly by pity for her 
 timid little brother Adrian, the victim of his guardian-uncle's harshness. 
 The story describes the daring means adopted by Augusta for Adrian's relief. 
 "An interesting and well-written narrative, in which humour and a keen eye for 
 character unite to produce a book happily adapted for modern maidens." Globe. 
 
 - A Girl of To-Day. * * page lllustrations >y 
 
 / G. D. HAMMOND, R.I. 3.5-. 6d. 
 
 " What are Altruists?" humbly asks a small boy. " They are only people 
 who try to help others," replies the Girl of To-Day. To help their poorer 
 neighbours, the boys and girls of Woodend band themselves together into 
 the Society of Altruists. That they have plenty of fun is seen in the 
 shopping expedition and in the successful Christmas entertainment. 
 
 " It is a spirited story. The characters are true to nature and carefully developed. 
 Such a book as this is exactly what is needed to give a school-girl an interest in the 
 development of character." Educational Times. 
 
 FRANCES ARMSTRONG 
 
 A Fair Claimant. T he St r , y of a . Girl ! s ^ ife n with 
 
 6 page Illustrations by G. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. New Edition. 3.5-. 
 
 The heroine, when a child, is found deserted in an attic. She is adopted 
 by a wealthy lady, and resides abroad until the death of her benefactress. 
 Thereafter, Olive Bethune comes to England as a governess, and then 
 begins to learn her own strange history. It is a tale of surprising vicissi- 
 tude, but in the end all the wrongs are pleasantly righted. 
 
 "There is a fascination about this story. The splendid character of the heroine, 
 together with the happy manner in which the interest is sustained to the end, combine 
 to make this one of the most acceptable gift-books of the season." Church Review. 
 
 G. NORWAY 
 
 A True Cornish Maid. 
 
 The heroine of the tale is sister to a young fellow who gets into trouble 
 in landing a contraband cargo on the Cornish coast. In his extremity the 
 girl stands by her brother bravely, and by means of her daring scheme he 
 manages to escape. 
 
 " The success of the year has fallen, we think, to Mrs. Norway, whose True 
 Cornish Maid is really an admirable piece of work." Review of Reviews, 
 (18)
 
 From A QUEEN AMONG GIRLS 
 By ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS. y. (>d. 
 
 "TRY TO TELL THE STORY IN A SENSIBLE FASHION!'
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 ROSA MULHOLLAND (LADY GILBERT) 
 
 Banshee Castle. * I2 pag " Illustrations b y J HN 
 
 H. BACON. 6s. 
 
 This story deals with the adventures of three girls who, with an old 
 governess, migrate from Kensington to the West of Ireland. They are made 
 heartily welcome in the cabins of the peasantry, where they learn many 
 weird and curious tales from the folk-lore of the district. 
 
 " Is told with grace, and brightened by a knowledge of Irish folk-lore, making it 
 a perfect present for a girl in her teens." Truth. 
 
 - Hetty Gray, with illustrations. 25. &/. 
 
 The story of a girl who was adopted by a rich widow. On the death 
 of her adoptive mother, Hetty is taken by the relatives to be educated as 
 a governess, an event which is prevented by a rather remarkable discovery. 
 
 "A charming story. Hetty is a delightful creature piquant, tender, and true 
 and her varying fortunes are perfectly realistic." World. 
 
 ANNIE E. ARMSTRONG 
 Violet Vereker's Vanity. th ? pa r ge " lustra - 
 
 J tions by G. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. y. 6d. 
 
 The heroine was an excellent girl in most respects. But she had one 
 small weakness, which expressed itself in a snobbish dislike of her neigh- 
 bours the Sugdens, whose social position she deemed beneath her own. In 
 the end, however, the girl acknowledged her folly, with results which are 
 sure to delight the reader. 
 
 " A book for girls that we can heartily recommend, for it is bright, sensible, and 
 with a right tone of thought and feeling." Sheffield Independent. 
 
 ALICE CORKRAN 
 
 Margery Merton's Girlhood. 
 
 GORDON BROWNE. y. 6d. 
 
 The experiences of an orphan girl who in infancy is left by her father an 
 officer in India to the care of an elderly aunt residing near Paris. The 
 accounts of the various persons who have an after influence on the story are 
 singularly vivid. 
 
 " Margery Merton's Girlhood is a piece of true literature, as dainty as it is deli- 
 cate, and as sweet as it is simple." Woman's World. 
 (ao)
 
 BLACK1&S BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 MRS. R. H. READ 
 
 . or, A Girl without a Home. With 6 page Illustrations 
 by PAUL HARDY, y. 6d. 
 
 The story of an orphan girl, who is placed as pupil-teacher at the school 
 in which she was educated, but is suddenly removed by hard and selfish 
 relatives, who employ her as a menial as well as a governess. Through a 
 series of exciting adventures she makes discoveries respecting a large pro- 
 perty which is restored to its rightful owners, and at the same time she 
 secures her own escape. 
 
 " Dora, is one of the most pleasing stories for young people that we have met with 
 of late years. There is in it a freshness, simplicity, and naturalness very engaging." 
 
 Harpers Magazine. 
 
 MRS. E. J. LYSAGHT 
 
 Brother and Sister- with 6 page Illustrations b y 
 uuici dim oibici. GoRDON BROWNE y 6d 
 
 A story showing, by the narrative of the vicissitudes and struggles of a 
 family which has " come down in the world ", and of the brave endeavours 
 of its two younger members, how the pressure of adversity is mitigated by 
 domestic affection, mutual confidence, and hopeful honest effort. 
 
 "A pretty story, and well told. The plot is cleverly constructed, and the moral is 
 excellent." A theneeum. 
 
 BESSIE MARCHANT 
 
 The Girl Captives: ^ ory of the I 1 ?* a t n Y . ronti ^ 
 
 1 With 4 page Illustrations by 
 
 WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2s. 6ct. 
 
 The ladies and children of an Indian frontier town are carried off by 
 border tribesmen, but through a tribesman to whom the heroine, the 
 daughter of an English officer, had formerly done an act of kindness, they 
 make their escape after many stirring adventures. 
 
 "Altogether a capital little book." Saturday Review, 
 
 SARAH TYTLER 
 
 A T rival T it-tie A/fair! With 4 page Illustrations by 
 
 A i^oyai little iviaia. PAUL HARDY 2s M 
 
 This pretty story is founded on a romantic episode of Mar's rebellion. 
 A little girl has information which concerns the safety of her father in hid- 
 ing, and this she firmly refuses to divulge to a king's officer. She is lodged 
 in the tolbooth, where she finds a boy champion, whom in future years she 
 rescues in Paris, from the lettre de cachet which would bury him in the Bastille. 
 
 " Has evidently been a pleasure to write, and makes very enjoyable reading." 
 
 Literature.
 
 From THE FOUR MISS WH I TTINGTONS 
 By GERALDINE MOCKLER. 5^ 
 
 "NANCE RELINQUISHED THE TOASTING-FORK WITHOUT ANY DEMUR.
 
 BLACKI&S BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 GERALDINE MOCKLER 
 
 The Four Miss Whittingtons: ^. f tory ,, 
 
 o Girls. V 
 
 for 
 With 
 
 8 Illustrations by CHARLES M. SHELDON. Crown 8vo, cloth 
 elegant, olivine edges, %s. 
 
 This story tells how four sisters, left alone in the world, went to London 
 to seek their fortunes. They had between them ^400, and this they 
 resolved to spend on training themselves for the different careers for which 
 they were severally most fitted. On the limited means at their disposal 
 this was hard work, but, as the result showed, their courageous experiment 
 was on the whole very successful. 
 
 "A story of endeavour, industry, and independence of spirit. ' World. 
 
 ANNE BEALE 
 The Heiress of Courtleroy, 
 
 CASTLE. 5^-. 
 
 Mimica, the heroine, comes to England as an orphan, and is coldly 
 received by her uncle. The girl has a brave nature, however, and succeeds 
 in saving the estate from ruin and in reclaiming her uncle from the misan- 
 thropical disregard of his duties as a landlord. 
 
 " We can speak highly of the grace with which Miss Beale relates how the young 
 ' Heiress of Courtleroy' had such good influence over her uncle as to win him from 
 his intensely selfish ways." Guardian. 
 
 A. HUTCHISON STIRLING, M.A. 
 
 The Reirrn nf Prinre<;<; NTaska Withoverso 
 
 ne .Keign < xasKa. Illustrations 
 
 by PAUL HARDY. 2s. 6d. 
 
 The story tells in beautiful language how the child-ruler of Tsarkovia 
 suddenly discovers that injustice is being committed in her name, and deter- 
 mines that at all costs right shall be done. This noble resolve brings her 
 into conflict with all the great officers of state, and although the little Princess 
 yielded her life in the struggle against wrong, her short reign was not in vain. 
 "We can thoroughly recommend this little book." Atkenaum. 
 
 VIOLET G. FINNEY 
 
 A Daughter of Erin. With Illustrations, ar. 6d. 
 
 The heroine of this story is a true-hearted Irish girl who finds it hard 
 to accept a dependent position in the castle, brought about by the sudden 
 death of her father. She rebels against the new heir, but in the end 
 Love, the reconciler, steps in, and a strange new way of escape from the 
 trouble is found. 
 
 " A book we can thoroughly recommend, not only to girls, but to all who like a 
 well- written, healthy- toned story." St. James's Gazette.
 
 BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 J. K. H. DENNY 
 
 The Clever Miss Follett. with " p * ge " lustra - 
 
 tions by G. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. 6s. 
 
 The Folletts are a middle-class family who suddenly find themselves in the 
 possession of immense wealth, and the interest of the story is obtained by 
 showing what effect this change has upon their various characters. With 
 fine subtlety the author depicts the disappointments which follow the 
 Folletts in their efforts to get into society and make aristocratic marriages. 
 
 "One of the most entertaining stories of the season, full of vigorous action and 
 strong in character-painting." The Teachers Aid. 
 
 SARAH DOUDNEY 
 
 Under False Colours: A . Story w f ^ Two ^j rls ' 
 
 Lives. With 6 page Illus- 
 trations by G. G. KlLBURNE. 4s. 
 
 A story which will attract readers of all ages and of either sex. The 
 incidents of the plot, arising from the thoughtless indulgence of a deceptive 
 freak, are exceedingly natural, and the keen interest of the narrative is sus- 
 tained from beginning to end. Under False Colours is a book which will 
 rivet the attention, amuse the fancy, and touch the heart. 
 
 "This is a charming story, abounding in delicate touches of sentiment and pathos. 
 Its plot is skilfully contrived. It will be read with a warm interest by every girl who 
 takes it up." Scotsman. 
 
 E. EVERETT-GREEN 
 
 Miriam's Ambition, with illustrations. 2 S .6d 
 
 Miriam's ambition is to make someone happy, and her endeavour carries 
 with it a train of incident, solving a mystery which had thrown a shadow 
 over several lives. A charming foil to her grave elder sister is to be found 
 in Miss Babs, a small coquette of five, whose humorous child-talk is so 
 attractive. 
 
 " Miss Everett-Green's children are real British boys and girls, not small men and 
 women. Babs is a charming little one." Liverpool Mercury. 
 
 EMMA LESLIE 
 
 p- A Tale of Saxon England. With 
 C - Illustrations. 2s.6d. 
 
 We get a glimpse of the stirring events taking place at that period ; and 
 both boys and girls will delight to read of the home life of Hilda and 
 Gytha, and of the brave deeds of the impulsive Gurth and the faithful 
 Leofric. 
 
 " This is a charmingly told story. It is the sort of book that all girls and some 
 boys like, and can only get good from." Journal of Education.
 
 Blackie & Son's 
 
 Finely Illustrated Books for 
 
 Children 
 
 SHEILA E. BRAINE 
 
 The Princess of Hearts. & Fr ntis pife in 
 
 colour and 70 Illustra- 
 tions by ALICE B. WOODWARD. F'cap 410, cloth elegant, gilt 
 edges, 6s. 
 
 Take a Princess, a mysterious Duchess, frog and fairy combined, an 
 Ogre -Mugwump by name, malevolent by nature, a Palace inhabited by 
 the Royal Family of Hearts, and a marsh gay with " Winking Marybuds", 
 and alive with Queer Folk. Add a Contradicter and a peppery Scullery- 
 maid, and we have the essential ingredients of this delightful fairy tale. 
 
 " A valuable addition to fairy-tale lore, worthily illustrated by Alice B. Woodward." 
 
 Queen. 
 
 CARTON MOORE PARK 
 
 A Book of Birds. with 26 /""-P a ^ Plate ^ 
 
 tions, and Cover Design by 
 MOORE PARK. Demy 4to (13 inches by 10 inches), price 5-r. 
 
 This season Mr. Carton Moore Park follows up his remarkable Alphabet 
 of Animals with an equally notable series of bird studies. Generous as 
 was the welcome accorded to his animal pictures, it may safely be prophesied 
 that A Book of Birds will meet with even warmer appreciation. It is char- 
 acterized by the same extraordinary vigour of treatment and originality of 
 design as marked its predecessor as the artistic gift-book of last season. 
 
 " His collection is one that will appeal as much to the artistic eye as to the child." 
 
 St. James's Budget. 
 
 MRS. PERCY DEARMER 
 
 Roundabout Rhymes, with > fon-page iiiustia- 
 
 J tions in colour by Mrs. 
 
 PERCY DEARMER. Imperial 8vo, cloth extra, 2s. 6d. 
 
 A charming volume of verses and colour pictures for little folk rhymes 
 and pictures about most of the everyday events of nursery life. 
 
 " The best verses written for children since Stevenson's Child's Garden. Alto- 
 gether we commend this book as a very charming piece of design, and more 
 especially as verse, touched with a great deal of insight and humour, yet perfectly 
 simple and amusing." The Guardian. 
 [46] (as)
 
 BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 MABEL E. WOTTON 
 
 The Little BrOWnS. With Frontispiece in colour and 
 
 more than 80 Illustrations by 
 H. M. BROCK. F'cap 410, cloth elegant, gilt edges, 6s. 
 
 The little Browns are a delightful set of youngsters whom the upbringing 
 of an inert mother and faddist father has rendered more than usually 
 individual and self-reliant. During their parents' absence they extend 
 hospitality to a stranger under the belief that he is their unknown and long- 
 expected uncle from Australia. Two of the little girls make the discovery 
 that the supposed uncle is really a burglar who is in league with the new 
 man-servant, and by their courage and childish resource outwit him. 
 
 "Young readers will find The Little Browns irresistibly attractive." Observer. 
 
 BEATRICE HARRADEN 
 
 tions by JOHN H. 
 
 Things Will Take a Turn, wuh 
 
 o 
 
 BACON. 2s. 6d. 
 
 A happy creation this by the author of Ships that Pass in the Night. 
 One cannot help loving the sunny-hearted child who assists her grand- 
 dad in his dusty second-hand book-shop, she is so gay, so engaging, so 
 natural. And to love Rosebud is to love all her friends, and enter 
 sympathetically into the good fortune she brought them. The charm of 
 this tale, as of all Miss Harraden's work, is a delicate, wistful sympathy. 
 
 "One of the most pathetic and touching stories for children that we have ever 
 met with. The whole moral tone of this book is so good that we would advise all 
 parents to read it to their children." Court Circular. 
 
 HAMISH HENDRY 
 
 Red Apple and Silver Bells: f A B r ^ ofVe ; S n 
 
 rl for Children of all 
 
 Ages. With over 150 charming Illustrations by ALICE B. WOOD- 
 WARD. New Edition. Square 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, 
 y. 6d. 
 
 These are verses for children, not merely about them ; for their subjects 
 are the facts of child-life, the thoughts are children's thoughts, and the 
 language largely children's language. Miss Woodward's beautiful decora- 
 tions and pictures will delight children by their actuality and real human 
 interest. 
 
 " Mr. Hendry sees the world as children see it, and he writes charmingly about it. 
 Miss Woodward's designs are just what the verses require." Athen&um. 
 (26)
 
 From THE LITTLE BROWNS 
 By MABEL E. WOTTON. 6s. 
 
 J^l c/uz^ni^ Lcttle &-u-p
 
 BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 A. B. ROMNEY 
 
 Little Village Folk. with 37 Illustrations b y ROBERT 
 
 O ' HOPE. Crown 8vo, cloth ele- 
 
 gant, 2s. 6d. 
 
 A series of delightful stories of Irish village children. Miss Romney 
 opens up a new field in these beautiful little tales, which have the twofold 
 charm of humour and poetic feeling. 
 
 "A story book that will be welcomed wherever it makes its way." Literary World- 
 
 ALICE TALWIN MORRIS 
 
 The Elephant's Apology. with ?; er 3 A Illustr *' 
 
 r oy t;ons by ALICE B. 
 
 WOODWARD. Square 8vo, decorated cloth, 2s. 6d. 
 
 Why it was very necessary and how his Worship the Mayor was graciously 
 pleased to accept the apology is set forth in pleasant words and pictures. 
 Other animal stories follow, but it would take more than a page to tell 
 of half the delights to be found in these pretty tales both by children 
 and by their elders. 
 
 "We have not seen a more charming or dainty book for children." Pall Mall 
 Gazette. 
 
 ALICE CORKRAN 
 
 Down the Snow Stairs: ^ ^ rom Good ^^ 
 
 Good-morning. With oo 
 Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 3,5-. 6d. 
 
 A story full of vivid fancy and quaint originality. It carries with it a 
 strong sense of reality, and derives a singular attraction from that combina- 
 tion of simplicity, originality, and subtle humour which is so much appre- 
 ciated by lively and thoughtful children. 
 
 "This book stands ovA. facile princeps a gem of the first water, bearing upon every 
 page the signet-mark of genius." Christian Leader. 
 
 JENNIE CHAPPELL 
 
 Mignonne: or, Miss Patricia's Pet. 
 
 With a Frontispiece and 20 Illustrations in the Text by PAUL 
 HARDY. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2s. 
 
 Miss Patricia has long desired in vain to adopt the child, who is left 
 in her charge. A severe illness deprives the little girl of all recollection 
 of the past, and causes a report of her death to be sent to her father, who is 
 abroad. Mignonne's eventual restoration, with recovered memory, to her 
 family, brings the story to a happy end. 
 
 "There can be no more desirable book for schoolroom or fireside." Whitehall 
 Review.
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 STORIES BY GEORGE MAC DONALD 
 
 (NEW AND UNIFORM EDITION) 
 
 A Rough Shaking. th I2 P a ^ e "^rations by w. 
 
 o PARKINSON. "Crown 8vo, cloth 
 elegant, 3^. 6d. 
 
 'Clare, the hero of the story, is a boy whose mother is killed at his side by 
 the fall of a church during an earthquake. The kindly clergyman and his 
 wife, who adopt him, die while he is still very young, and he is thrown upon 
 the world a second time. The narrative of his wanderings is full of interest 
 and novelty, the boy's unswerving honesty and his passion for children and 
 animals leading him into all sorts of adventures. He works on a farm, sup- 
 ports a baby in an old deserted house, finds employment in a menagerie, 
 becomes a bank clerk, is kidnapped, and ultimately discovers his father on 
 board the ship to which he has been conveyed. 
 
 At the Back of the North Wind. th75 
 
 Illustra- 
 
 tions by ARTHUR HUGHES, and a Frontispiece by LAURENCE Hous- 
 MAN. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3^. 6d. 
 
 "In At the Back of the North Wind we stand with one foot in fairyland and one on 
 common earth. The story is thoroughly original, full of fancy and pathos." The Times. 
 
 Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood, wui^ni 
 
 J trations by 
 
 ARTHUR HUGHES. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, y. 6d. 
 
 " Dr. Mac Donald has a real understanding of boy nature, and he has in consequence 
 written a capital story, judged from their stand-point, with a true ring all through which 
 ensures its success." The Spectator. 
 
 The Princess and the Goblin. th K 3 A Illustra - 
 
 tions by ARTHUR 
 
 HUGHES, and a Frontispiece by LAURENCE HOUSMAN. Crown 8vo, 
 cloth elegant, y. 6d. 
 
 In the sphere of fantasy George Mac Donald has very few equals, and his 
 rare touch of many aspects of life invariably gives to his stories a deeper mean- 
 ing of the highest value. His Princess and Goblin exemplifies both gifts. A 
 fine thread of allegory runs through the narrative of the adventures of the 
 young miner, who, amongst other marvellous experiences, finds his way into 
 the caverns of the gnomes, and achieves a final victory over them. 
 
 The Princess and Curdie. with Frontispiece and 
 
 30 Illustrations by 
 HELEN STRATTON. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3-r. 6d. 
 
 A sequel to The Princess and the Goblin, tracing the history of the young 
 miner and the princess after the return of the latter to her father's court, where 
 more terrible foes have to be encountered than the grotesque ^rth-dwellers.
 
 From LITTLE VILLAGE FOLK 
 By A. B. ROMNEY. 2s, 6d, 
 
 "POLLY STOOD IN A DREAM OF DELIGHT."
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 * 
 
 SPECIAL attention has been devoted to the production of a new 
 series of illustrated story-books in which both language and 
 ideas are well within the understanding of little folk. 
 
 No child of six or seven should have any difficulty in reading and 
 understanding unaided the pretty stories in the 6d. series. In the gd. 
 series the language used is slightly more advanced, but is well within 
 the capacity of children of seven and upwards, while the is. series is 
 designed for little folk of somewhat greater attainments. If the stories 
 are read to and not by children, it will be found that the 6d. gd. and is. 
 series are equally suitable for little folk of all ages. 
 
 Each book has a pretty frontispiece in colours, and several black- 
 and-white illustrations in the text. The type has been carefully selected 
 to accord with the general scheme of the three series, and in the 6d. 
 series is particularly large and bold. 
 
 "GRADUATED" STORIES AT A SHILLING 
 
 Crown 8vo, cloth extra . With coloured frontispiece and black-and-white illustrations. 
 
 THE CHOIR SCHOOL. By FREDERICK HARRISON. 
 
 THE SKIPPER. By E. CUTHELL. 
 
 WHAT MOTHER SAID. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. 
 
 LITTLE MISS VANITY. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE. 
 
 TWO GIRLS AND A DOG. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. 
 
 MISS MARY'S LITTLE MAID. By ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS. 
 
 "GRADUATED" STORIES AT NINEPENCE 
 
 F'cap 8vo, cloth extra. With coloured frontispiece and black-and-white illustrations. 
 
 PUT TO THE PROOF. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE. 
 
 TEDDY'S SHIP. By A. B. ROMNEY. 
 
 IRMA'S ZITHER. By EDITH KING HALL. 
 
 THE ISLAND OF REFUGE. By MABEL MACKNESS. 
 
 "GRADUATED" STORIES AT SIXPENCE 
 
 F'cap 8vo, cloth extra. With coloured frontispiece and black-and-white illustrations. 
 
 SAHIB'S BIRTHDAY. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. 
 THE SECRET IN THE LOFT. By MABEL MACKNESS. 
 TWO LITTLE FRIENDS. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. 
 TONY'S PETS. By A. B. ROMNEY. 
 ANDY'S TRUST. By EDITH KING HALL. 
 
 (31)
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 NEW CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS 
 
 IN DOORS AND OUT 
 
 Pictures and Stories for Little Folk. With 38 colour pages, over 
 40 full-page black-and-white Illustrations, and a large number of 
 Vignettes. Quarto, 10^ inches by 7^ inches, cloth elegant, is. 6d. 
 
 A MOST attractive book of stories, rhymes, and pictures for little readers. 
 There is no double page without a picture, and the many colour pages in 
 bright tints will prove specially acceptable to young folk. Santa Claus could 
 bring no more welcome gift than this pretty volume. 
 
 ONE SHILLING SERIES 
 
 Quarto, io^j inches by "]% inches. 
 
 My Very Best Book. 
 Arm-chair Stories. 
 
 My Very Own Picture Book. 
 Cosy Corner Stories. 
 
 15 RIGHT and amusing picture books for the little folk. Each volume 
 contains over twenty full-page drawings by eminent artists, and a large 
 number of smaller illustrations. The cover, and no fewer than twenty 
 pages, are printed in colour. 
 
 SIXPENNY SERIES 
 
 Quarto, lo^ inches by 7^ inches. 
 
 Smiles and Dimples. 
 
 Little Bright-Eyes. 
 
 For Kittie and Me. 
 
 As Nice as Nice Can Be. 
 
 Round the Mulberry Bush. 
 
 Little Rosebud. 
 
 For My Little Darling. 
 For Dolly and Me. 
 My Own Story Book. 
 Play-time Pictures. 
 Bed-time Stories. 
 For Little Chicks. 
 
 TT may confidently he said that these are the most attractive picture books 
 ever published at the price. Each book contains an average of six full-page 
 illustrations, a large number of vignettes, and seven pages in colour. The 
 cover designs, also in colour, are extremely attractive, the text is printed in 
 bold type, and the stories and rhymes that form the letterpress are bright and 
 humorous.
 
 University of California 
 
 SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 
 
 Return this material to the library 
 
 from which it was borrowed. 
 
 UNIV. OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS