Beric the Briton

its mosaic pavement, on which was the word of welcome, "Salve!" Beric entered the atrium, the principal apartment in the house. From each side, at a hei

marble tank, called the impluvium, below the level of the floor, which was paved with squares of coloured marble. On eit

tting 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

n 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 the 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

man, who was reading a roll o

eric!" he s

!" the lad replied.

you before, and Berenice has been con

away from home again. Now I must speak to Caius." He crossed the apartment, and stood a

though I am sorry to observe that you have abandone

ence with the tribe had I not laid aside my Roman dress. As it is, t

ort says that you speak well of us, and are al

eived 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 peop

t 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 Rome. But that would be expecting too much from human nature, and even among you there are plenty ready

while I blame many officials and soldiers for the harshness with which they strive to wring all their possessions from my coun

ishment, 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

ast, 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 opposing 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 mi

ecause you promised me; but you have

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

go out to see a

"the woods are thick and tangled, and we have

to the town, and I heard that s

vage beasts, and are great trouble and no 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 atta

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

Berenice, say they wish the Roma

ome. 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 shoul

tter for you to be back in Rome, where you would have 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 ta

would be quite sorry

ch 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

lity of her going away with equanimity, and she very shortly went off to her own apartment; while a few minutes late

to her father, "I was angry

child? wh

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

lent for a m

teful," he said, "and I am sur

an anyone except his mother; but if he cared for us,

ple's feelings towards us. I have never believed, as some do, that Britain is as yet completely conq

he 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 mai

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 distance 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 h

m 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

r, and you told me you had heard that he was te

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 as he knows our strength, and that in the end we must conquer, his influence will always be on the

nd's breadth above that hill. Here are your spear and sword where you hid them, though why you

aused 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

ou not eat

hort time to stop and did not wish it to seem as

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 unused by them, as the Iceni had paid their tribute regularly, and held aloof from all hostile movements against them. Prasutagus was always profuse

midnight," Beric said

may not," Bodu

o prevent

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

rouble of that kind while we

packs they are formidable 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 shall have to make a gener

ot that anything should occur to prevent

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 shoul

cts 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 Roman town had impaired Beric's nocturnal vision; an

our head presentl

remember we are travelling in the dark, and although I can make out the trunks

ould call a light ni

clouds that were rising when the sun went down have overspr

about half a mile on, and get a couple of torches. If you were to

exclaimed as a distant

oman," Boduoc said. "Or maybe i

oc! it was the cry of a woman; it came from ahead. Maybe some woman returning late has been attacke

e said in a short time

es may be dull, Boduoc, but they are not so dull as your ears.

," Beric said. "Her first cry would have been her last had they done so. She must b

ady for them; but sword and spear are of no avail against the spirits of the

r 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 o

said, "and a score or more round the hut. At present

o, and bidding the woman stand in readiness to unbar the door. They will be scared for a mo

n to shout, Beric. They may run back a few p

irty yards of the hut Boduoc raised his voice in a wild yell, Beric adding hi

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 th

ave been over with me and my children. See, one has already made his way through the roof, a

said, "and hastened forwa

ed you would be returning about this hour, and it was in hopes you might hear me that

ur husband?"

eadiness to begin the war against the wolves at daybreak. There is no other house within a mile, and even had the

o 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 the

make them out so well, but at least we can use our spears better than we coul

at had fallen through as the wolves made the holes and p

nly one by which they can come down at present. Do you

erhead, followed almost imm

n said. "It is against that side of the

poles laid at short distances apart, and above these were small branches, on which was a sort of thatch 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

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,

nd the position became more and more critical. At least twenty of the wolves were slain; but as the attack w

s to fire the hut, and then, each taking a child, to make a rush across to the trees and climb them. Th

s it, think

gon carried out my instructions help ought to be near at

ointing to the corner of the hut. "My hu

llow blast upon it. There was a sudden pa

Blow again, Boduoc; if we can but gai

horn rose, but the wolves speedily recovere

d. "Get a brand from the fire." At this moment there was a sudden scuffle overhead, and the three defenders

round the hut; then he threw the door open as a score of men with lighted torches ca

e welcome than yours. You were just in time, as you may see by looking at the roof. We were

g 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 le

urn after we have gone. When our hunt is over I will send so

esterday, and drove in all the cattle from the forests, and collected great quantities

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 t

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 s

th, raised a foot above the rest of the floor. This was thickly strewn with fresh rushes, and there was

ild 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