by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XVIII: THE OUTBREAK
It was not long, indeed, before Beric found that hostile influenceswere at work. Nero was not less friendly in his manner, but he morethan once spoke to him about Aemilia.
"I hear," he said one day, "that your betrothed is very beautifulBeric."
"She is very fair, Caesar," Beric replied coldly.
"I know not how it is that I have not seen her at court," Nerocontinued.
"Her tastes are like those of her father," Beric said. "She goes butseldom abroad, and has long had the principal care of her father'shousehold."
"But you should bring her now," Nero persisted. "The wife of one ofthe officials of the palace should have a place at our entertainments."
"She is not at present my wife, Caesar, she is but my betrothed; andas you have yourself excused me from attendance at all entertainments,it would be unseemly for her, a Roman maiden, though betrothed tome, to appear there."
"There are plenty of other Roman maidens who appear there," Nerosaid pettishly. Beric made no reply, and the subject was not againalluded to at that time; but the emperor returned to it on otheroccasions, and Beric at last was driven to refuse point blank.
"I am your majesty's guard," he said. "I watch you at night as wellas by day, and, as I have told your majesty, I cannot perform myduties properly if I have to be present at your entertainments. Ishould not permit my wife or my betrothed to be present in publicunless I were by her side. Your majesty took me for what I was, asimple Briton, who could be relied upon as a guard, because I hadneither friends nor family in Rome, and was content to live a simpleand quiet life. I am willing to abstain from marriage in order thatI may still do my service as heretofore; but if I have to attendentertainments, you cannot rely upon my constant vigilance. It isfor you to choose, Caesar, whether you most require vigilant guards,who could be trusted as standing aloof from all, or the additionof two persons to the crowds you entertain. I am sure, Caesar," hewent on as the emperor made no reply, "it is not yourself who isnow speaking to me; it is Rufinus, formerly a suitor for the handof the daughter of Norbanus, who has been whispering into your earand abusing the favour you show him. He dare not show his animosityto me openly, for one who has conquered a lion would make but shortwork of him. Your majesty, I pray you, let not the word of men likethis 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 yourbetrothed, and though I would see if she were as fair as reportmakes her; but since you do not wish it to be so, it shall not bespoken of again."
But Beric knew enough of Nero to be aware that, like most weakmen, he was obstinate, and that Rufinus and his friends would notallow the matter to drop. Every preparation was therefore made forsudden flight. Aemilia was warned on no account to trust any messageshe might receive purporting to be from him, and the Britons in thepalace, who were heartily sick of their monotonous duty, were toldto hold themselves in readiness for action. Beric knew that he coulddepend 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 Bericdoubted not, had acted as a spy upon him. When it was found thatthere was nothing to discover this man had been removed for otherwork, and a slave boy of some seventeen years old had taken hisplace. To him Beric had behaved with great kindness, and the ladwas deeply attached to him. He had several times taken notes andmessages to the house of Norbanus, and Beric told Aemilia thatwhen it became necessary to send her the ring, he should probablyintrust it to him.
A week later Boduoc was on guard at ten in the evening. In the distantbanqueting hall he could hear sounds of laughter and revelry, andknowing the nature of these feasts he muttered angrily to himselfthat he, a Briton, should be standing there while such thingswere being done within. Suddenly he heard a step approaching thehangings. They were drawn back, and one of the court attendantssaid, "Caesar requires the attendance of Beric the Briton in thebanqueting hall."
"I will tell him," Boduoc said. "He will come directly." Beric wassitting reading when Boduoc entered and gave the message.
"This means mischief, Boduoc," he said. "I have never been sentfor before to one of these foul carousals. Philo, come hither!"
The lad, who was lying on a mat by the door, rose. "Philo, takethis ring. Follow me to the door of the banqueting room, and standbehind the hangings. If I say 'Run, Philo!' carry out the ordersthat I have before given you. Speed first to the room where theBritons sleep, and tell them to arm and come up by the privatestairs to my room instantly. They know the way. They are then topass on through the passage and the next room and wait behind thehangings, when Boduoc will give them orders. Directly you havegiven my message speed to the house of Norbanus, and demand in myname to see the lady Aemilia. If she has retired to her room shemust be roused. If the slaves make difficulty, appeal to Norbanushimself. He will fetch her down to you. Give her this ring, andsay 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 ifyou are speedy, you may be on the Alban road before me. Now followme. Boduoc, do you come as far as the hangings of the banquetingroom, and stand there with Philo. You will be able to hear whatpasses within. Do not enter unless I call you. Bring my sword withyou."
Beric passed through two or three large apartments and then enteredthe banqueting room. It was ablaze with lights. A dozen men and asmany women, in the scantiest costumes, lay on couches along eachside of the table. All were crowned with chaplets of flowers, andwere half covered with roses, of which showers had fallen fromabove upon them. Nero lay on a couch at the end of the table; hisfeatures were flushed with wine. Beric repressed the exclamationof indignant disgust that rose to his lips, and walking calmly upto Nero said coldly, "I am told that you want me, Caesar."
"I do, my fighter of lions," Nero said unsteadily. "I would seethis paragon of whom Rufinus tells me, whom you guard so jealouslyfrom my eyes. Send and fetch her hither. She will be a worthy queenof our revels."
"It is an honour to me to obey your majesty's commands in all mattersthat regard myself," Beric said; "but in regard to my promisedwife, no! This is no place for a Roman lady; and even at the riskof your displeasure, Caesar, I refuse to dishonour her by bringingher into such an assembly."
"I told you he would refuse, Caesar," Rufinus, who was lying onthe couch next to Nero, laughed.
Nero was speechless with surprise and anger at Beric's calm refusalto obey his orders. "Do I understand," he said at last, "that yourefuse to obey me?"
"I do, Caesar. It is not a lawful command, and I distinctly refuseto obey it."
"Then, by the gods, your life is forfeit!" Nero said, rising tohis feet.
"You may thank your gods, Caesar, that I have more sense of honourthan 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 haveeaten your bread and taken your wages am doubly bound not to liftmy 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. Rufinus,who had shown bravery in the wars, drew a dagger from beneath histoga and sprang at Beric. The latter caught his uplifted wrist, andwith a sharp wrench forced him to drop the weapon; then he seizedhim in his grasp. "You shall do no more mischief, Rufinus," hesaid, and raising him in his arms hurled him with tremendous forceagainst a marble pillar, where he fell inert and lifeless, hisskull 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 Praetorianguards, with drawn swords, ran in on the other side of the chamber."Boduoc!" Beric shouted; and in a moment his follower stood besidehim and handed him his sword and buckler.
"Kill him!" Nero shouted frantically. "The traitor would have
slainme."
Beric and Boduoc stepped back to the door by which they hadentered, and awaited the onset of the Praetorians. For a momentthese 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, andshoulder to shoulder they rushed forward to the attack. Two fellinstantly, 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 successwas temporary, for now a great body of the guard poured into theroom.
"Step back through the doorway, Boduoc," Beric said; "their numberswill not avail them then."
The doors were ten feet in width. This gave room to but three mento enter at once and use their arms to advantage, and for two orthree minutes the Britons kept the Praetorians at bay, eight ofthem having fallen beneath their blows; then there was a shout,and the Roman soldiers came running in at a door at the end of thechamber. "Fall back to the next door," Beric said; but as he spokethere was a rush behind, and nineteen Britons ran into the room,and uttering the war cry of the Iceni flung themselves upon theRoman soldiers. These, taken by surprise at the sudden appearanceof these tall warriors, and ignorant of what further reinforcementsmight be coming up, gave ground, and were speedily beaten back, ascore of them falling beneath the Britons' swords.
"Now retreat!" Beric cried as the room was cleared; "retreat atfull speed. Show them the way, Boduoc, by the staircase down intothe garden. Quick! there is not a moment to lose. I will guard therear."
They ran down the passage, through Beric's room, down a longcorridor, and then by stairs leading thence into the garden, whichwas indeed a park of considerable size, with lakes, shrubberies,and winding walks. The uproar in the palace was no longer heard bythe time they were halfway across the park; but they ran at fullspeed until they reached a door in the wall. Of this Beric hadsome time before obtained a key from the head gardener, and alwayscarried this about with him. As they stopped they looked backtowards the palace. Distant shouts could be heard, and the lightsof numbers of torches could be seen spreading out in all directions.
Beric opened the door and locked it behind him when all had passedout. "Now," he said to his companions, "make your way down to theroad leading out to the Alban Hills. Break up and go singly, sothat you may not be noticed. It will be a good half hour before thenews of what has occurred is known beyond the palace. Do not passthrough the frequented streets, but move along the dark lanes asmuch as possible. When half a mile beyond the city we will reunite."
An hour later the whole party were gathered beyond the city. Allwere delighted to escape from what they considered slavery, andthe fact that they had again bucklers on their arms and swords bytheir sides made them feel as if their freedom were already obtained.
"This puts one in mind of old times," Boduoc said joyously; "onemight 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 noneof our strength. Where go we now, Beric?"
"First to the ludus of Scopus; I learned a week since that he hadtaken his band out again to the Alban Hills for the hot season. Ibelieve that most of his men will join us, if not all. As soon asthe 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 arehundreds who would, if the standard of revolt were raised, preferdying fighting in the open to being slain to gratify a Roman mob."
"Ay, that there are," put in another of the band. "I have neverceased to lament that I did not fall that day on our island in thefens."
"Think you there will be pursuit, Beric?" another asked.
"No; the first thought of Nero will be to assemble all thePraetorians for his protection; they will search the palace andthe park, expecting attack rather than thinking of pursuit. In themorning, when they find that all is quiet, and that it is indeedonly us with whom there is trouble, they will doubtless send partiesof searchers over the country; but long before that we shall be aday's march ahead. My wish is to gain the mountains. I do not wantto head a great rebellion against Rome--disaster would surelycome of it at last, and I should have only led men to their death.A hundred men is the outside number I will take. With that numberwe may live as outlaws among the mountains to the south; we couldmove so rapidly that large forces could not follow us, and bestrong enough to repulse small ones. There is plenty of game amongthe hills, and we should live as we did at home, chiefly by hunting."
Just as they were approaching the hills a quick step was heardbehind them, and the lad Philo ran up.
"Ah, you have overtaken us, Philo! 'tis well, lad, for your lifewould have been forfeited had you stayed in Rome.
"Well," he asked, drawing him aside, "you saw the lady Aemilia.What said she?"
"She said, 'Tell my lord that I obey, but that I pray him to letme join him and share his dangers if it be possible; but be ittomorrow or five years hence, he will find me waiting for him atthe place he knows of.' Norbanus was present when she spoke. I toldhim what I had heard in the banqueting room, and he said 'Berichas 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 dothe meanest slaves, and that I thank him for having thus defendedmy daughter against indignity.' He was glad, he said, that his lifewould 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 shouldhave no farther need for it, and that, leaving in such haste, youwould not have time to furnish yourself with money. It is heavy,"the boy said. "I should have caught you some time earlier, buttwenty or more pounds' weight makes a deal of difference in a longrun."
On arriving at the house of Scopus Beric bade the others waitwithout, and stepping over the slaves lying at the entrance, hewent quietly to the sleeping chamber of the lanista.
"Who is this?" 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 allshould know that I have been here."
"In trouble?" Scopus asked as they left the house. "Ay, lad, Iexpected it, and knew that sooner or later it would come. What isit?"
"Nero ordered me to fetch Aemilia to his foul carousal. I refused.Rufinus, at whose instigation he acted, attacked me. I hurled himagainst a pillar, and methinks he was killed, and then Nero, in alarmfor his life, called in the Praetorians. Boduoc and my countrymenjoined me, and we slew some thirty of them, and then made ourescape, and are taking to the mountains."
"And you have come to ask my gladiators to join?" Scopus saidshortly.
"No," Beric replied; "when I started I thought of so doing, but asI 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 lossof their services I could make up to you; but if it were known thatwe had been here, and that some of your band had joined me, Nero'svengeance would fall on you all."
"I thank you, Beric; if some went I must go myself, for I dare notremain, and though I wish you well, and hate the tyrant, I am welloff and comfortable, and have no desire to throw away my life."
"There is one I should like to take with me--Porus; we were goodfriends when I was here, and I know that he hates this life andlongs to be free from it. He would have run away and joined thegladiators when they rose at Praeneste had I not dissuaded him. Hecould leave without the others knowing it, and in the morning youmight affect a belief that he has run away, and give notice to themagistrate here and have him sought for. In that way there wouldbe no suspicion of his having joined us. I know that he is valuableto you, being, I think, the best of your troop, but I will pay youwhatever price you place his services at."
"No, no," Scopus said, "I will give him to you, Beric, for the sakeof our friendship, and for your consideration for me in not takingthe rest with you. I have done well
by you and him. Stay here andI will fetch him out to you; it may be that many will desert bothfrom me and the other lanistae when they hear that you have takento the mountains, but for that I cannot be blamed. You have comefar out of your way to come hither."
"Yes, 'tis a long detour, but it will matter little. We shallskirt round the foot of the hills, cross the Lyris below Praeneste,and then make straight to the mountains. They will not search forus in that direction, and we will take shelter in a wood when daybreaks, and gain the mountains tomorrow night. Once there we shallbe safe, and shall move farther south to the wild hills betweenApulia and Campania, or if it is too hot for us there, down intoBruttium, whence we can, if it be needed, cross into Sicily. I amnot thinking of making war with Rome. We intend to live and die asfree men, and methinks that in the mountains we may laugh at thewhole strength of Rome."
"You will find plenty of others in the same condition there, Beric;escaped slaves and gladiators constantly make for the hills, andthere have been many expeditions against the bands there, who areoften strong enough to be a danger to the towns near the foot ofthe mountains."
"We are not going to turn brigands," Beric said; "there is game onthe hills, and we are all hunters, and I have money enough to payfor all else we require did we live there for years. But fetch mePorus. We must be far from here by daylight."
Porus soon came out, much surprised at being suddenly roused fromsleep, and silently brought out of the house by Scopus. As soon asBeric explained to him what had happened, he joyfully agreed tojoin him, and stole in and fetched his arms. Then with a heartyadieu to Scopus Beric placed himself at the head of his band andstruck off by the road to Praeneste. Walking fast they arrivedat the bank of the Lyris before daybreak, crossed the river ina fisherman's boat they found on the bank, and just as daylightshowed in the sky entered an extensive grove, having walked overforty miles since leaving Rome. They slept during the day, takingit by turns to watch at the edge of the wood, and when it was againdark started afresh, and were, when morning broke, high up on theslopes of the Apennines.
"I feel a free man again now," Boduoc said. "It does not seem tome that I have drawn a breath of fresh air since I entered Rome;but fresh air, good as it is, Beric, is not altogether satisfying,and I begin to feel that I have eaten nothing since I supped theday before yesterday."
"We will push on for another hour," Beric said, "and then we shallbe fairly beyond the range of cultivation. At the last house wecome to we will go in and purchase food. Flour is the principalthing we need; we shall have no difficulty in getting goats fromthe herdsmen who pasture their animals among the hills."
An hour later Beric, with Boduoc and two of his followers, went upto 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 notbrigands, but honest men, who desire to pay for what we need."
Somewhat reassured, the farmer came out. "What does my lord require?"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 isthe price of it?"
The farmer had three sacks of flour. "I will take them all," Bericsaid, "and three skins of wine if you have them. I would also buytwo sheep if you name me a fair price for the whole."
The farmer named a price not much above that which he would haveobtained in the market, and Beric also bought of him a number ofsmall bags capable of containing some fifteen or twenty pounds offlour each. Then one of the men fetched up the rest of the band;the flour was divided and packed in the small bags; the sheep werekilled and cut up; three of the men lifted the wine skins on totheir shoulders; the rest took the flour and meat, and they marchedaway, leaving the farmer and his family astounded at the appearanceof these strange men with fair hair and blue eyes, and of staturethat appeared to them gigantic.
Still ascending the mountain the band halted in a forest. Wood wassoon collected and a fire lighted. The contents of one of the bagswas made into dough at a stream hard by, divided into cakes andplaced on red hot ashes, while the meat was cut up and hung overthe fire.
"We have forgotten drinking horns," Beric said, "but your steelcap, Porus, will serve us for a drinking cup for today."
After a hearty meal they lay down for some hours to sleep, and thenresumed their march. They were getting well into the heart of themountains 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 Rome," Beric replied. "Wemean harm to no man, but those who would meddle with us are likelyto 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 momentlater a party of fifteen men appeared on the crag and began todescend into the ravine up which Beric's band were making theirway.
"It is the Britons," the leader exclaimed as he neared them. "Why,Beric, is it you, tired already of the dignities of Rome? How faresit 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 thetwo bands met. Most of the newcomers were Gauls, and, like theirleader, escaped gladiators, and as Beric's name was well known toall they saluted him with acclamations. Both parties were pleasedat the meeting, for, akin by race and speaking dialects of the samelanguage, 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 gildedchains. How do you fare here, Gatho?"
"There are plenty of wild boars among the mountains, and we canalways get a goat when they are lacking. There are plenty of themwild all over the hills, escaped captives like ourselves. As forwine 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 buywhat we require; and if we set the villagers against us, sooner orlater they will lead the troops after us up the mountains."
"I would gladly do that too, but the means are lacking. We owe thepeasants no ill will, but one must live, you know."
"Have you any place you make your headquarters?"
"An hour's march from hence; I will lead you to it."
The united bands continued to climb the hills, and on emerging fromthe ravine Gatho led them for some distance along the upper edgeof a forest, and then turned up a narrow gorge in the hillside witha little rivulet running down it. The ravine widened out as theywent up it, till they reached a spot where it formed a circulararea of some hundred and fifty feet in diameter, surrounded on allsides by perpendicular rocks, with a tiny cascade a hundred feetin height falling into it at the farther end. Some rough huts ofboughs 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 entranceyou would be caught in a trap."
"We have only been here ten days," Gatho said, "and never stop longin one place; but it has the disadvantage you speak of. However,we have always one or two men posted lower down, at points wherethey can see any bodies of men ascending the hills. They broughtus notice of your coming when you were far below, so you see weare not likely to be taken by surprise, and the Roman soldiers arenot fond of night marches among the mountains."
As it was some hours since the Britons had partaken of their mealthey were quite ready to join the Gauls in another, and the carcassof a wild boar hanging up near the huts was soon cut up and roastingover a fire, the Britons contributing wine and flour to the meal.After it was over there was a long talk, and after consultingtogether Gatho and his band unanimously agreed in asking Beric totake command of the whole party.
"We all know you, Beric,
" Gatho said. "None could like you havefought a lion barehanded, and I know that there was no one in theludus who was your match with the sword, while Boduoc and the otherfive were infinitely superior to any of us in strength. Besides,you are well versed in Roman ways, and have led an army againstthem, therefore we all are ready to accept you as our leader andto obey your orders if you will take us."
"I will do so willingly, Gatho. I do not wish to have more thanfifty men with me, for it would be difficult to find subsistencefor a larger number. A hundred is the outside number, and doubtlesswe shall be able to gather other recruits should we choose to raisethe band to that number; but all who follow me must obey me asimplicitly as did my own tribesmen in our struggle with the Romans,and must swear to do no harm to innocent people, and to abstainfrom all violence and robbery. I am ready to be a leader of outlawsbut not of brigands. I desire only to live a free life among themountains. 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 inexchange for such things as we may require. But with the peasantswe will make friends, and if we treat them well they will bring usnews of any expeditions that may be on foot for our capture. As Isaid I have money enough to buy everything we want at present, andcan obtain more if necessary, so that there is no reason for usto rob these poor people of their goods. Here we are too near Romefor them to be disaffected, but further south we shall find themnot unwilling to aid us, for the provinces are ground into the dustby the exactions necessary to pay for the cost of the rebuildingof Rome and to support the extravagance of Nero."
The Gauls cheerfully took the required oath.
"You, Gatho, will continue to act as my lieutenant with yourGauls, Boduoc commands the Britons under me. It may be necessaryat times for the band to divide, as when game is scarce we may finda difficulty in keeping together, especially if we recruit our bandup to a hundred. I am determined to have no malefactors who havefled from justice nor riotous men among us. I should prefer thatthey should be chiefly your countrymen, but we will not refusegladiators of other nations who have been captured as prisoners ofwar. We want no escaped slaves among us. A man who has once beena 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 themountains, injuring none, but determined to fight and die in defenceof that freedom."
These sentiments were warmly welcomed by the Gauls. The next day thenumber of men on the lookout was increased, and the band, breakingup into small parties, scattered among the mountains in pursuit ofwild boars and goats. Some were to return, successful or not, atnight to the encampment, and on the following day to take the placeof those on watch, and relays were provided so that during the weekeach would take a turn at that duty.
Never did men enjoy a week's hunting with greater zest thanthe Britons. To them life seemed to begin anew, and although theskies were bluer and the mountains higher and rougher than thoseof Britain, it seemed to them that they were once again enjoyingtheir native air, and of an evening rude chants of Gaul and Britainechoed among the rocks.
Porus, the Syrian, stood somewhat apart from the rest, notunderstanding the tongue of the others, and he therefore becamenaturally the special companion of Beric; for having been six yearsin Rome he spoke Latin fluently.
"It is I who must go down to get you news, Beric," he said oneday. "You Britons could not disguise yourselves, for even if youstained your cheeks and dyed your hair your blue eyes and yourheight would betray you at once. The Gauls, too, though shorterthan you, are still much taller and broader men than the Romans,and there are none of them who speak the language well enough toask a question without their foreign tongue being detected. I amabout the height of the Romans, and am swarthier than the Gauls,and could, if I borrowed the dress of one of the goatherds, passamong them without notice. It would certainly be well, as you weresaying, to know what is being done below, and whether there is anyidea of sending troops up into the mountains to search for us.
"You may be sure that after the scare you gave Nero, and the defeatof his guards, the matter will not be allowed to drop, and thatthey will search all Italy for you. I should think that, at first,they will seek for you in the north, thinking that you would belikely, after taking to the hills--which you would be sure to do,for such a party could never hope to traverse the plains unnoticed--tokeep along the chain to the north, cross the Cisalpine plains,and try the passage of the great mountains."
"At any rate it will be well, Porus, to know what they are doing.If they are at present confining their search to the northernrange we can stay where we are with confidence. I should be sorryto move, for we are well placed here; there is good water and gameis abundant. We certainly shall soon lack wine, but for everythingelse we can manage. We have meat in abundance, and have flour tolast 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 acornsand beechnuts and make a sort of bread of them."
"Very well, Beric, I will go down tomorrow."
Early in the morning, however, two of the men on sentry came inand said that they observed the glitter of the sun on spearheadand armour far down the hillside.
"If they are after us," Beric said, "as I expect they are, theyhave doubtless learned that we are somewhere in this part of themountains from the man of whom we bought the wine and flour. Idon't suppose he intended to do us harm, but when he went down topurchase fresh supplies he may well have mentioned that a party ofstrong men of unusual height, and with fair hair, had bought uphis stock, paying for it honestly, which would perhaps surprisehim more than anything. If the news had come to the ears of any ofthe officials, they, knowing the hue and cry which was being madefor us, would have sent word at once to Praeneste or Rome. We mustat once recall those who are away. Philo, take a couple of brandsand go and light the signal fire."
A pile of dry wood had been placed in readiness upon a projectingrock a mile away and standing in position where it was visible froma considerable extent of the hillside. It had been settled thatthe parties of hunters who did not return at nightfall shouldoccasionally send one of their number to a point whence he couldget a view of the beacon.
"Directly the pile is well alight, Philo, pluck up green bushesand tufts of grass and throw upon it, so as to make as much smokeas 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 startedwith the brands Beric and Porus set out with the two scouts.
"That was where we saw them," one of them said, pointing far downthe hillside, "but by this time they will no doubt have enteredthe wooded belt."
"We must find out something about their numbers," Beric said. "Notthat I wish to fight; for were we to inflict losses upon them theywould more than ever make efforts to overtake us. Still, it willbe as well to know what force they may think sufficient to captureus."
"I will go down through the forest," Porus said, "doubtless theywill have some light armed troops with the spearmen; but they mustbe fleet indeed if they overtake me after all my training."
"Do not let them see you if you can help it, Porus, or they willfollow close behind you, although they might not overtake you, andthat might bring on a fight."
"I will be careful;" and leaving his buckler behind him, Porusstarted 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 andslingers."
"They have come in strength," Beric said; "it shows that they donot 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 returnedto the huts. Boduoc, with a party of ten men, had already come in,and said that they had seen Gatho's party making their way downfrom a point high up in the mountains.
"We will paus
e no longer," Beric said, "we shall meet them as theydescend; take the flour and what little wine remains, and let usbe going. Scatter the fire and extinguish the brands; unless theyhave found some goatherd who has marked us coming and going, theymay not find this place. I hope they will not do so, as it wouldencourage them by the thought that they had nearly captured us."
The party had ascended the mountain half a mile when they met Gathoreturning.
"I like not to retreat without fighting," he said, when he hadheard from Beric of the coming of the Romans and their force; "butI agree with you that it is better not to anger them farther."
"I want three of the fleetest footed of your men, Gatho, to staybehind with Porus and watch them, themselves unseen. We will crossover the crest of the hills to the eastern side, Porus. Do you markthat 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 whetherthe Romans, after spending the day searching the hills, go backthrough the forest, or whether they encamp here. In the one case wecan return, in the other it will be better to move south at once.We could laugh at their heavy armed spearmen, but their archersand slingers carry no more weight than we do, and would harass ussorely with their missiles, which we have no means of returning."
As soon as the men to remain with Porus were chosen, the rest ofthe band proceeded on their way.