by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XXI: OLD FRIENDS
Beric and Aemilia were sitting on the following day in the shadein front of the house, where Porus had erected a verandah of boughsto keep off the sun, when they observed a female peasant and anelderly 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 downthe hill.
"They are coming this way," Aemilia said; "they have passed thepoint where the paths fork. She seems to find that basket she iscarrying heavy, and no wonder, for it is a steep climb under themidday sun."
Stopping once or twice to get breath the two peasants approached.
"She is a good looking girl, Beric," Aemilia 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 notso browned and sunburnt as most of these peasant girls are."
As they came close the girl stopped and looked at the house, andthen, instead of going to the entrance, left her companion andwalked across to the verandah. A smile came across her face.
"Shall I tell you your fortune?" she said abruptly to Aemilia.
"It is told," Aemilia said; "to be a farmer's wife. But what doyou 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," Aemilia said, "but tell me what you can."
"I can see an amphitheatre," the girl went on, "a great one, greaterthan that across at Messina, and it is crowded with people. In thefront 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!" Aemilia 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; "itis a hut. It must belong to some savage people. It is quite unlikeour cottages. There is an old woman there and a man and a younggirl. The old woman does not speak to them; she does not seem ofthe same race; the other two are Romans. The mat at the door ispushed aside and there enters a tall youth. Not so tall as thisman, not so strong; and yet like him, just as a boy might be to aman.
"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.
"Into a young woman, Beric. Yes, don't you remember me now?"
"It is Berenice!" he exclaimed.
"It is indeed, Beric, the child you saved from death. And this isyour wife Aemilia, the daughter of Norbanus, who is the uncle ofmy husband Pollio. And do you not know who that is standing there?"
"Why, surely it is my tutor and friend Nepo;" and running towardshim he embraced him with heartiness and then led him to the verandah,where Berenice was talking with Aemilia.
"But why are you thus disguised, and how did you know that Aemiliaand I were here?"
"We have come to warn you, Beric. You have been betrayed, and tonightthere will be troops ranged along above the house to cut off yourretreat, and a company of soldiers will advance from below straightupon the house. My father told me, I think, in order that I mightsave 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 asoldier prevented him from warning you, though I believe that hadnot I been with him his friendship and gratitude would have beentoo much for his duty. However, I was with him, and he gave mepermission to come; though, mind you, I should have come whetherhe gave me permission or not. You did not ask permission of anyonewhen you saved me, and even if Pollio had threatened to divorce meif 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 myconfidence, and he managed everything."
"We are, indeed, grateful to you," Aemilia cried, embracing Berenicewarmly. "It was brave of you indeed to come."
"It requires less bravery to come up here with a message, Aemilia,than to run away from Rome with an outlaw who had just beardedCaesar 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 inRome, hidden in the Catacombs with the Christians, until Beric sentfor me to join him here; but come inside and take some refreshment,for you must be weary indeed with your long walk up the hill."
"No one else must see me," Berenice said. "There may be inquirieswhen they come tonight and find that you are gone, and I would notthat any should see me."
"No one will see you. The room is situated at the back of thehouse, 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 themsome needlework to do."
They were soon seated in Aemilia's room, and Beric brought in fruitand wine, goat's milk, cheese, and bread.
"There is no hurry for me to return," Berenice said. "The slavesbelieve that I have gone out to pay some visits, and I do not wishto get back until after sunset. There is so much for Beric to tellus.
"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 mefirst to Pollio was his praises of you. But before you begin thereis one thing I must tell you. My father has received private newsfrom Rome; there is a report there that the legions have proclaimedGalba emperor, and that ere long he will be in Rome. At present itis but a rumour, and of course at court all profess to disbelieveit, and Nero openly scoffs at the pretensions of Galba; but thefriend who wrote to my father says that he believes it true. Nowmy father is a great friend of Galba's. They were much togetheras young men, and served together both in Gaul and Syria; and hefeels sure that if Galba comes to the throne he will be able toobtain a pardon for you and those with you, since you have done noone 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 ofclemency. Now, as I have given you my news, Beric, do you tell us,while we are eating the fruit, everything that has happened to yousince 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 principalthing of all is, that I have taken a wife."
Berenice pouted. "It is lucky for you, Aemilia, that I was not atRome when Beric arrived, for I had as a girl always determined thatI should some day marry him and become a British chieftainess. Hehad not seen you then except at Massilia, and I should have hadhim all to myself at Rome, for you did not get there, Pollio tellsme, until months later."
Aemilia laughed. "I should not have entered the lists against you,Berenice. It was not until after he saved Ennia from the lion inthe arena that I came to love him."
"Well, I must put up with Pollio," Berenice said. "He is yourcousin, and I have nothing to say against him as a husband; he iskind 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 a giant, Berenice, whichwould have been much nearer the truth. And now I will tell you mystory;" and during the next two hours he gave her a sketch of allthat had passed since they had last parted in Britain.
"There, Cneius Nepo," Berenice said when he had finished. "Younever thought for a moment that your pupil, who used to pore withyou over those parchments, till I often wished I could throw themin the fire when I wanted him to play with me, was to go throughsuch adventures--to match himself first against Suetonius, and thenagainst my father, both times with honour; to be Nero's bodyguard;to say nothing of fighting in the arena, and getting up a revoltin 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 thathe might perhaps induce them to adopt something of our civilization.I had fancied him a
s a wise ruler; and, seeing how fond he was ofthe exercise of arms, I had thought long before the insurrectionbroke out that some day he might lead his countrymen to battleagainst us, and that, benefiting by his study of Caesar and othermilitary writers, he would give far more trouble to the Romans thaneven Caractacus had done. But assuredly I never dreamt of him asfighting a lion barehanded in a Roman arena in defence of a Romangirl. As to marriages, I own that the thought crossed my mind thatthe union of a great British chief with the daughter of a Roman ofrank like your father would be an augury of peace, and might leadto better relations between the two countries."
"That dream must be given up," Berenice said seriously, "there aretwo obstacles. But I have no doubt Aemilia would make quite as gooda chieftainess as I should have done. Some day, Aemilia, if youreturn to Britain with Beric, as I hope you will do, and Polliobecomes a commander of a legion, I will get him to apply forservice there. It is cold and foggy; but wood is a good deal moreplentiful and cheaper than it is at Rome, and with good fires onecan exist anywhere. And now it is time for us to be going. We willtake another path in returning down the hills, so that any one whonoticed us coming up will not see us as we descend. Nepo's toga andmy stola are hidden in a grove just outside the town, and it willbe dusk by the time we arrive there. Kiss me, Aemilia; I am gladthat I know you, for I have heard much of you from Pollio. I amglad that Beric has chosen so well. Goodbye, Beric; I hope we maymeet again before long, and that without danger to any of us. Youmay salute me if Aemilia does not object--I told Pollio I shouldpermit it;" and she laughingly lifted up her face to him. "He neverused to kiss me when I was a child," she said to Aemilia. "I alwaysthought 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 downthe hill. "She makes light of it," Beric said; "but it is no commonrisk she has run. Nero can punish women as well as men, and were itto 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," Aemilia said earnestly,"and pray that she too may some day come to know the truth."
Beric did not answer. Aemilia had explained to him all that she knewof her religion, but while admitting the beauty of its teaching,and the loftiness of its morals, he had not yet been able to bringhimself to believe the great facts upon which it was based.
"We must be moving," he said, and summoned Philo, who had been muchsurprised 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 are betrayed,Porus," he said, "and the Romans will be here this evening."
Porus grasped the handle of his dagger and looked menacingly atthe farmer. "Our good friend has nought to do with it, Porus; itis some one from one of the other farms who has taken down the newsto Rhegium. Do you order the others to be in readiness to startfor the camp. But first strip down the hangings of our room, rollthem and the mats and all else in seven bundles, with all my wife'sclothing 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 ofhorses, and Philo can take something. I will see about it immediately."
"Now, Cornelius," Beric went on when Porus had left, "you mustprepare your story, and see that your men and the rest of thehousehold stick to it. You will be sharply questioned. You haveonly the truth to say, namely, that some of my band came down hereand threatened to burn your house and slay all in it unless youagreed to sell us what things we required; that, seeing no otherway of preserving your lives, you agreed to do so. After a timea young woman--do not say lady--came with two attendants, andyou were forced to provide her with a room; and as five men wereplaced here constantly, you still dared give no information to theauthorities, because a watch was also set on you, and your familywould have been slain long before any troops could arrive here.What you will be most closely questioned about is as to why we allleft you today. They will ask you if any one has been here. Yousaw no one, did you?"
"No, my lord. I heard voices in your room, but it was no businessof mine who was with you."
"That is good," Beric said. "That is what you must say. You knowsomeone did come because you heard voices; but you saw nobodyeither 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 betrayed, and that the Romans would soonbe coming in search of me, and therefore I was obliged to take tothe mountains. But go first and inquire among the household, andsee if any of them noticed persons coming here."
"One of the men says that he saw an old peasant with a girl whoasked which was my farm."
"Then that man must go with us to the mountains. He shall returnsafe 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 othersspeak freely. It is important to me that it should not be knownwhether 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 shallcertainly find out if the Roman soldiers learn here that it wasan old man and a girl who visited me, and that I will take direvengeance on whomsoever tells this to the Romans. Discharge yourman before we leave with him, so that you may say truly that thosethe Romans find here are your whole household, and maintain thatnot one of them saw who it was who came to me today."
"I can promise that, my lord. You and the Lady Aemilia have beenkind and good to us, and my wife, the female slave, and the hiredmen would do anything for you. As for the children, they were notpresent when Balbus said that he had been questioned by the oldman, 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 thesoldiers the truth: you had two serving men, but we have carriedone 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 thoughtsof going away among the mountains, although Aemilia assured themthat no harm could happen to them there. Then, with a hearty adieuto the farmer and his wife, Beric and his companions shouldered theloads, and with Balbus, Philo, Aemilia, and the two female slavesmade their way up the mountain. As soon as they started, Beric gaveorders to Philo to go on with all speed to the camp, and to tellBoduoc of the coming of Aemilia, and bid him order the men atonce to prepare a bower at some short distance from their camp.Accordingly when the party arrived great fires were blazing, andthe outlaws received Aemilia with shouts of welcome.
"I thank you all," Beric said, "for my wife and myself. She knowsthat in no place could she be so safe as here, guarded by the bravemen who have so faithfully followed her husband."
So heartily had the men laboured that in the hour and a half thathad elapsed since Philo had arrived a large hut had been erected ahundred yards from the camp, with a small bower beside it for theuse of the female slaves. A great bonfire burnt in front, and theinterior was lighted by torches of resinous wood.
"Thanks, my friends," Beric said. "You have indeed built us a leafypalace. I need not exhort the guards to be watchful tonight, forit may be that the traitor who will guide the Romans to the housewhere we have been stopping may know something of the mountains,and guessing the direction of our camp may attempt to lead them toit. Therefore, Boduoc, let the outposts be thrown out farther thanusual, and let some be placed fully three miles from here, in allthe ravines by which it is likely the enemy might make their wayhither."
Three days later Philo went down to learn what had passed. He wasordered not to approach the house, as some soldiers might have beenleft there to seize upon any one who came down, but to remain ata distance until he saw the farmer or one of his household at workin the fields. He bro
ught back news that the Romans had arrived onthe night they had left, had searched the house and country round,had closely questioned all there, even to the children, and hadcarried off the farmer and his man. These had returned the nextevening. They had been questioned by the general, who had admonishedthe farmer severely on his failure to report the presence of theoutlaws at whatever risk to his family and property; but on theirtaking an oath that they were unable to give any informationwhatever, either as to the outlaws' retreat or the persons who hadbrought up the news of the intended attack by the Romans, they werereleased.
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 generalwould, in compliance with the orders of Nero, make fresh efforts tohunt down the band; and as he knew now the neighbourhood in whichthey were, and treachery might again betray the spot, it was betterto choose some other locality; there was, too, no longer any occasionfor them to keep together. They had the mountains to themselvesnow, and although the wild animals had been considerably diminished,there were still goats in the upper ranges, and swine and wildboar in the thickest parts of the forests. It was also advisableto know what was passing elsewhere, and to have warning of theapproach of any body of troops from the camps round it. Accordingly,while the Britons remained with Beric, who took up his quartersin the forest at the foot of one of the loftiest crags, whence aview could be obtained of the hills from Rhegium to Cosenza, therest were broken up into parties of five. Signals were arranged bywhich by smoke during day or fire at night warning could be givenof the approach of an enemy, and also whether it was a mere scoutingparty or a strong column.
For another three months they lived among the hills. Their lifewas rougher than it had been, for they had now to subsist entirelyupon the spoils of the chase, and bread made of ground acorns andbeechnuts, mixed with a very small portion of flour. The latter wasobtained from lonely cottages, for Beric insisted that no villagesshould be entered.
"There may be soldiers in every hamlet on the hills, and I wouldhave no risk run of death or capture. Did a few of us fall intotheir hands it would encourage them to continue their blockade, butas time goes on, and it is found that their presence is entirelyfruitless, they may be recalled."
For the first few weeks, indeed, after the failure of the attemptto entrap Beric, parties were sent up into the hills from all thecamps, for as the remaining band of gladiators was known to numberunder a hundred men, it would be no longer necessary for the assailantsto move as an army; but after marching hither and thither throughthe forests without finding any signs of the fugitives the troopsreturned to their camps, and a fortnight later the greater portionof them were either transported to Sicily or sent north, a fewhundred men only remaining to watch for the reappearance of theband. From time to time Philo went down to Rhegium to gather newsof what was passing. As the farmer had not been troubled sincethe visit of the troopers, they renewed their relations with him,except that they abstained from purchasing food of him lest heshould be again questioned. Nevertheless he occasionally sent upby Philo a skin of wine as a present to Beric.
"So that I can swear that I have sold them nothing, and that theyhave taken nothing, there is little chance of my ever being askedif I made them a present," he said.
He was surprised one day by a visit from a Roman, who informed himthat he was secretary to the general, and whom, indeed, he had seenwhen 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 reasonfor desiring to communicate with the band, whose leader at onetime stayed in your house, and which is now the last remnant of thegladiators among the hills. The search for them has been given upas vain, and probably he will receive orders from Rome to withdrawthe troops altogether and to offer terms to the gladiators. Atpresent he cannot communicate with them, and he would be glad foryou to renew your connection with them, not to assist them by sellingthem food or receiving them here, but that you should arrange somemeans of communication with them."
"I might manage that," the farmer said. "It is true that once ortwice some of them have come down here. They have taken nothing,and have come, I think, more to learn what is passing without thanfor any other purpose; but it may be some time before they comeagain."
"At any rate," Nepo said, "when they do come, do you arrange fora signal, such, for instance, as lighting two fires on the crestabove there, with plenty of green wood, that would make a smoke whichwould be seen for many miles away. This smoke will tell them thatthere is a message for them from the general. I give you my wordas a Roman that no treachery is intended, and I myself, accompaniedperhaps by one officer, but no more, will bring it up here and bein waiting to see their chief; so you see I should place myselfmuch more in his hands than he in mine."
It was but a few days before Beric received this message. It filledhim with hope, for remembering what Berenice had said about theproclamation of Galba as emperor, it seemed to him that this lifeas a fugitive might be approaching its end. For himself he wasperfectly happy. He and his Britons lived much as they had done athome. It required hard work to keep the larder supplied, but thisonly gave a greater zest to the chase. They sighed sometimes forthe cool skies of Britain, but in other respects they were perfectlycontented.
Since the soldiers had been withdrawn they had had no difficulty inobtaining 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 drunkat home, and was to them far better than wine. Beric, perhaps, wasmore anxious for a change than any of his followers. Aemilia seemedperfectly happy, her spirits were as high now as when he had firstknown her as a girl at Massilia. She was the life and soul of thelittle band, and the Britons adored her; but Beric remembered thatshe had been brought up in comfort and luxury, and longed to giveher similar surroundings. Although for luxuries he himself carednothing, he did sometimes feel an ardent desire again to associatewith men such as he had met at the house of Norbanus, to enjoylong talks on literary and other subjects, and to discuss historyand philosophy.
"It is good," he said one day to Aemilia, "for a man who lives amonghis fellows to have learned to enjoy study and to find in enlightenedconversation his chief pleasure, but if his lot is thrown farfrom towns it were far better that he had known nothing of thesepleasures."
One morning Boduoc, who had gone up early to the summit of thecrag, brought down the news that he could make out two columns ofsmoke rising from the hill over Rhegium.
"I hope to bring you back good news tomorrow, Aemilia," Beric saidas he at once prepared to start. "I may find Nepo at the farm whenI get there and may possibly be back tonight, but it is full sixhours' journey, and as there is no moon I can hardly travel aftersundown."
"I shall not expect you till tomorrow, Beric. It were bestto arrange that, and then I shall not be looking for you. Even ifNepo 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 ofstarting back till the morning."
It was just noon when Beric reached the farm.
"You are just to the time," Cornelius said. "I received an orderat daybreak this morning to light the fires and to tell you ifyou 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 andwere really coming to the house Beric rushed down to meet them,and as he approached saw that they were indeed Pollio and Nepo. Heand Pollio embraced each other affectionately.
"I am well pleased indeed," Pollio said, "that we meet here forthe first time, and that I did not encounter you in the forests.By the gods, but you have grown into a veritable giant. Why, youmust overtop the tallest of your band."
"By an inch or two, Pollio. And you have altered somewhat too."
&n
bsp; "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 outat arm's length. I always told her that she would need a masterfulhusband to keep her in order, and truly she is well suited. Andnow 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 followedthe example of those of Galba, all fell away from Nero, and thePraetorians themselves, whom he had petted and spoilt, having noinclination for a fight with Galba's legionaries, proclaimed thelatter emperor. Then Nero showed himself a craven, flying in disguiseto the house of Phaon. There he remained in hiding, weeping andterrified, 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 wasnot until he heard the trampling of the horsemen sent to seize himthat he nerved himself, and even then could not strike, but placingthe point of a dagger against his breast, bade a slave drive ithome.
"The senate proclaimed Galba emperor two days before the death ofNero; but as yet all is uncertain. There are other generals whoselegions may dispute this point. Syria and Egypt may choose Vespasian;the Transalpine legions, who favoured Vindex, may pronounce for someother. The Praetorians themselves, with the sailors of the fleet,knowing that Galba has the reputation of being close fisted, maychoose someone who may flatter and feast them as Nero did. As yetthere is no saying what will be done, but at any rate your chiefenemy is dead. Muro bids me say that some months may yet elapsebefore Galba comes to Rome; but that, as he has at present noimperial master, and the senate will be far too busy wrangling andpersecuting the adherents of the man whom but a short time sincethey declared to be a god, to trouble themselves about a handfulof gladiators in Bruttium, he will at once collect his troops atRhegium, and you will be entirely unmolested if you promise thatyour band will in no way ill treat the people. I know that theyhave not hitherto done so, and that they will not do so, but thefact that he has a formal engagement with you to that effect willjustify him in withdrawing his troops. Indeed, he said that itwould be better, perhaps, that a document should be drawn up andsigned, in which you pledge yourself to peaceful courses, urgingthat it was but the tyranny of Nero that forced you to becomefugitives, and craving that, as your band has never done any harmto the people, an amnesty may be granted you. This document willaid him when he meets Galba. He will not wait until the lattercomes to Rome, but will shortly ask permission from the senate toquit his post for a time, all being quiet here, and will at oncetake ship to Massilia and see Galba. The new emperor is not, hesays, a man bent on having his own way, but always leans on friendsfor advice, and he feels sure that his representations will sufficeto obtain a free pardon for your band, and permission for them toleave the mountains and go wheresoever they will, so that in thatcase there will be nought to prevent you and your followers returningto Britain."
"This is joyous news indeed, Pollio, and I cannot too warmly thankthe general for his kindness to me. As to Berenice--"
"There, there," Pollio said laughing, "let us hear nothing aboutBerenice. She is a self willed woman, and I am not responsible forher doings, and want to hear nothing more of them than she choosesto tell me."
By this time they had reached the farmhouse, where a meal wasspeedily 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 amongthe outlaws. They still hunted, but it was for amusement, buyingsheep and other animals from the villagers, together with all elsethey required, the natives rejoicing in finding good customersinstead of dangerous neighbours among the hills.
At last the signal smokes again ascended, and Beric, taking Aemiliawith him, made his way to the farmhouse, where he learned thatNepo had been there with a message that he desired to see Beric inRhegium. This was sufficient to show that Muro's mission had beento some extent successful, and after resting for an hour or two atthe farmhouse they descended the hill. Beric had purchased suitablegarments to replace the goatskins which had for a long timepreviously been worn by the outlaws, their rough work in the woodshaving speedily reduced their garments to rags, and save thatmen looked up and marvelled his size, he passed almost unnoticedthrough the streets of Rhegium to the house of the general. Ordershad been given that he was to be admitted, for the sentries passedhim without question. As the slave at the door conducted them intothe atrium Muro advanced with outstretched hands.
"Welcome! thrice welcome, Beric! Had I not heard from Pollio howyou had changed, I should not have recognized in you the Britishlad I parted with six years ago in Britain. And this is your wife?Pollio, spare your cousin to me for a moment. I am glad to knowyou, Aemilia. I never met your father, though I have often heardof him as a noble Roman, and I know that his daughter is worthy ofbeing the wife of Beric, not only from what I have heard of youfrom my son in law, but from your readiness to share the exileand perils of your husband. I see that Berenice has greeted you asif she knew you. A month since I should have said that that wasimpossible," and a smile passed over his face, "but now I may admitthat it may have been. And now for my news. I have seen Galba, andhave strongly represented to him the whole facts of the case, andI have, under his hand, a free pardon for yourself and all yourfollowers, who are permitted to go wheresoever they please, withoutmolestation from any. But more than that, I have represented tohim how useful it would be that the Britons of the east, where thegreat rising against Rome took place, should be governed by one oftheir own chiefs, who, having a knowledge of the might and powerof Rome, would, more than any other, be able to influence them inremaining peaceful and adopting somewhat of our civilization. Hehas, therefore, filled up an appointment creating you provincialgovernor of that part of Britain lying north of the Thames as faras the northern estuary, and bounded on the east by the region ofswamps--the land of the Trinobantes, the Iceni, and a portion ofthe Brigantes--with full power over that country, and answerableonly to the propraetor himself. Moreover, he has written to him onthe subject, begging him to give you a free hand, and to supportyou warmly against the minor Roman officials of the district. Ineed not say that I answered for you fully, and pledged myself thatyou would in all things be faithful to Rome, and would use yourinfluence to the utmost to reconcile the people to our rule."
Beric was for a time too overcome to be able to thank Muro for hiskindness.
"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 presented to them untilGalba arrives. They are eagerly looking for his coming to freethem from the excesses and tyranny of the Praetorian guard, led byNymphidius the prefect, who has himself been scheming to succeedNero, and they will ratify without question all that Galba mayrequest. In the meantime there need be no delay. We can chartera ship to convey you and your British and Gaulish followers toMassilia. Galba is already supreme there, and thence you can travelas a Roman official of high rank. I will, of course, furnish youwith 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 myappointments, continually loading me with presents, which I couldnot refuse. Even after paying for all that was necessary for myband during the past year, I am a wealthy man, and have ample tosupport Aemilia 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. However, I shallinsist upon chartering the ship to convey you to Massilia."
The beacon fires were lighted again next morning, and an hour laterBeric met Boduoc, whom he had, on leaving, directed to follow withthe Britons, and to post himself near the crest of the hills. Hereturned with him to
the band, who were transported with delightat hearing the news. Messengers were at once sent off to the partyunder 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 fitfor nothing here save the arena. I have been away from Scythiasince I was a boy, and should find myself a stranger there."
"I will gladly take you, Porus, and will find you a wife among mycountrywomen. You have shared in my perils, and should share inmy good fortunes. You must all remain here among the hills till Isend you up word that the ship is in readiness. Boduoc will comedown with me, and will send up to the farm garments to replaceyour sheepskins, for truly Rhegium would be in an uproar did youdescend in your present garb. Boduoc will bring you instructionsas to your coming down. It were best that you came after nightfall,and in small parties, and went direct on board the ship which hewill point out to you. We do not wish to attract attention or tocause a talk in the town, as the news would be carried to Rome, andthe senate might question the right of Muro to act upon a documentwhich they have not yet ratified. Therefore we wish it kept quietuntil the arrival of Galba at Rome."
A week later the whole party stood on the deck of a ship in theport of Rhegium. Beric had bidden farewell to Muro at his house;Pollio and Berenice accompanied him and Aemilia 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 Rome. Nerowas the last of his race, and no one now has greater right than hisfellows to be emperor. Now that they have once begun these militaryinsurrections, for the proclamation of Galba was nothing else, Ifear we shall have many more. The throne is open now to any ambitiousman who is strong enough to grasp it. Generals will no longer thinkof defeating the enemies of their country and of ruling provinces.As propraetors they will seek to gain the love and vote of theirsoldiers; discipline will become relaxed, and the basest insteadof the noblest passions of the troops be appealed to. We may havecivil wars again, like those of Marius and Scylla, and Anthony andBrutus. I hate the intrigues of Rome, and loathe the arts of thedemagogue, and to this our generals will descend. Therefore I shallsoon apply for service in Britain again. Muro approves, and whenI 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 imposetheir will upon Rome. Therefore he agrees with me that there is morechance of peace and contentment there than anywhere. The Britonshave given no trouble since the Iceni surrendered, and I look tothe time when we shall raise our towns there and live surrounded bya contented people. You may visit Muro at his house in Camalodunumonce 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 amongus. Whatever troubles there may be in other parts of Britain Icannot say, but I think I can answer that in Eastern Britain therewill 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 youand Berenice and Muro!" Aemilia said.
Ten minutes later the ship had left port, and was making her wayup the Straits of Messina. The weather was fair with a southerlywind, running before which the ship coasted along inside themountainous isle of Sardinia, passed through the straits betweenthat and Corsica, then shaped its course for Massilia, where itarrived without adventure. There was some surprise in the town atthe appearance of Beric and his followers, and they were escortedby the guard at the port to the house of the chief magistrate. OnBeric's presenting to him his appointment, signed by Galba, and thesafe conduct for himself and his comrades, the magistrate invitedhim and Aemilia to stay at his house. There were many officials towhom Aemilia was known when she dwelt there with her father, andfor ten days they stayed in the city. The Gauls of Beric's partyproceeded to their various destinations on the day after theylanded, Beric making a present to each to enable them to defray theexpenses of their travel to their respective homes, and obtaininga separate safe conduct for each from the chief magistrate. Biddingadieu to their friends at Massilia the Britons started north.
While in the town Beric obtained for his twenty followers a dresswhich was a mixture of that of the Britons and Romans, having thetrousers or leggings of the British and the short Roman tunic. Allwere armed with sword, shield, and spear. Aemilia travelled in acarriage; the two female slaves had been given their freedom andleft behind at Rhegium. Beric was handsomely attired in a dresssuitable to his rank, but, like his followers, wore the Britishleggings. A horse was taken with them for him to ride when theypassed through towns, but generally it was led by Philo, and Bericmarched with his men. They took long journeys, for the men wereall eager to be home, and, inured as they were to fatigue, thoughtnothing of doing each day double the distance that was regarded asan ordinary day's journey.
At the towns through which they passed the people gazed withsurprise at Beric and his bodyguard, and warm sympathy was shownby the Gauls for the Britons returning after their captivity inRome. On arriving at the northwesterly port of Gaul, Beric learnedthat London, Verulamium, and Camalodunum had been rebuilt, andthat the propraetor had established himself in London as his chiefplace of residence. Beric therefore hired a ship, which sailedacross the straits to the mouth of the Thames, ascended the river,and four days after putting out anchored at London. Beric and hisfollowers were surprised at the change which had been effected inthe six years which had passed since they saw it a heap of ruins.A temple of Diana had been erected on the highest point of ground.Near this was the palace of the propraetor, and numerous villasof the Roman officials were scattered on the slopes. A strong wallsurrounded the Roman quarter, beyond which clustered the houses ofthe traders, already forming a place of considerable size.
Upon landing Beric proceeded, accompanied by Boduoc, to the palaceof the propraetor, to whom he presented Galba's letter especiallyrecommending him, and his own official appointment. Celsius, whohad 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, "andmany have been the entreaties of your people to me that I wouldwrite to Rome to pray Caesar to restore you to them. I did so writeto Nero, but received no reply; but my friends keep me acquaintedwith what is passing there, and the story of your combat with thelion in the arena, and of your heading a revolt in Nero's palacereached me. As it was about the time of the latter event thatI wrote to Caesar, I wondered not that I received no answer to myletter. After that I heard that you had been giving terrible troublein Bruttium to Caius Muro, and little dreamed that my next news ofyou would be that Galba had appointed you Governor of the EasternProvince."
"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 sackof that city. He knew that I had been driven by the conduct of Nerointo revolt, and that, even though in arms against Rome, I and myband had injured and robbed no Roman man or woman. He representedto Galba that, holding in high respect the power of Rome, and beingwell regarded by my people here, I should, more than any stranger,be able to persuade them of the madness of any further rising againstthe imperial power, and to induce them to apply themselves to thearts of agriculture, and to become, like the Gauls, a settled peoplecontented and prosperous.
"These arguments had weight with the emperor, who, as you see, hasbeen pleased to appoint me governor of the province that my peopleoccupied, together with that adjoining on the south, formerly belongingto the Trinobantes, and on the north occupied by a portion of theBrigantes."
"I think the emperor has done well, and I look for great resultsfrom your
appointment, Beric. I am convinced that it is the bestpolicy to content a conquered people by placing over them men oftheir own race and tongue, instead of filling every post by strangerswho are ignorant of their ways and customs, and whose presenceand dress constantly remind them that they are governed by theirconquerors. Where do you think of establishing yourself--atCamalodunum?"
"No. Camalodunum is a Roman town; the people would not so freelycome to me there to arbitrate in their disputes. I shall fix itat Norwich, which lies midway between Camalodunum and the northernboundary of the province, and through which, as I hear, one of yourroads has now been made."
After staying three days in London as the guest of Celsius, Bericstarted for the seat of his government, attended by his own bodyguardand a centurion with a company of Roman soldiers. The news that aBritish governor had been appointed to the province spread rapidly,and at Verulamium, where he stopped for two days, crowds of thecountry 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 hadtherefore appointed a countryman of their own as governor of theirprovince, and that, though he should make Norwich the place of hisgovernment, he should journey about throughout the country, listento all complaints and grievances, and administer justice againstoffenders, whatever their rank and station.
Above all he exhorted them to tranquillity and obedience. "Romewishes you well," he said, "and would fain see you as contentedbeneath her sway as is Gaul, and as are the other countries shehas conquered and occupied. We form part of the Roman Empire now,that is as fixed and irrevocable as the rising and setting of thesun. To struggle against Rome is as great a folly as for an infantto wrestle with a giant. But once forming a part of the empire weshall share in its greatness. Towns will rise over the land andwealth increase, and all will benefit by the civilization that Romewill bring to us."
He addressed similar speeches to the people at each haltingplace, and was everywhere applauded, for the Trinobantes had feltmost heavily the power of Rome, and all thought of resistance hadfaded out since the terrible slaughter that followed the defeat ofBoadicea.
Beric did not turn aside to enter Camalodunum, but kept his coursenorth. The news of his coming had preceded him, and the Iceni flockedto meet him, and gave him an enthusiastic welcome. They were proudof him as a national hero; he alone of their chiefs had maintainedresistance against the Romans, and his successes had obliteratedthe humiliation of their great defeat. Great numbers of those whocame to meet him owed their lives to the refuge he had providedfor them in the swamps, and they considered that it was to hisinfluence they owed it, that after his capture they were allowedto return to their native villages, and to take up their life thereunmolested by the Romans.
The members of his band, too, found relations and friends amongthe crowd, and it added to their enthusiasm that Beric had broughtback with him every one of his companions in captivity. Aemilia wasmuch affected at the evidence of her husband's popularity, and atthe shouting crowd of great fair haired men and women who surgedround the escort, and who, when Beric took her by the hand andbidding her stand up in the chariot presented her to the Iceni ashis wife, shouted for her almost as enthusiastically as they haddone for him.
"What a little insignificant thing these tall British matrons andmaids must think me, Beric!" she said.
"We all admire our opposites, Aemilia, that is how it was that youcame to fall in love with me; these people can have seen but fewRoman ladies, and doubtless there is not one among them who doesnot think as I do, that with your dark hair and eyes, and the richcolour of your cheek, you are the loveliest woman that they eversaw."
"If they knew what you were saying they would lose all respect foryou, Beric," she said laughing and colouring. "We have been marriednearly a year, sir--a great deal too long for you to pay mecompliments."
"You must remember that you are in Britain now, Aemilia, and thoughin Rome men regard themselves as the lords and masters of theirwives it is not so here, where women are looked upon as in everyway equal to men. I expect that you will quite change under theinfluence of British air, and that though I am nominally governorit is you who will rule. You will see that in a short time thepeople will come to you with their petitions as readily as to me."
As soon as Beric established himself at Norwich he set about theerection of a suitable abode; the funds were provided as was usualfrom the treasury of the province--a certain sum from the taxesraised being set aside to pay the share of the national tribute toRome, while the rest was devoted to the payment of officials, theconstruction of roads, public works, and buildings. Long beforethe house was finished a child was born to Beric, the event beingcelebrated with great festivity by the Iceni, contrary to theirown customs, for among themselves a birth was regarded rather asan occasion of mourning than of rejoicing.
Beric set vigorously to work to put the affairs of the province inorder; he appointed Boduoc to an important office under him, andto 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 hadabused their position or ill treated the people, and appointing inmany cases natives in their places. Bitter complaints were made bythe dispossessed Roman officials to Celsius, who, however, declinedin any way to interfere, saying that Beric had received the fullestpowers from Galba, and that, moreover, did he interfere with himit was clear that there would be another revolt of the Iceni.
Galba fell, and was succeeded by Otho, who was very shortly afterwardsfollowed by Vespasian, a just, though severe emperor. Complaintswere laid before him by powerful families, whose relations hadbeen dismissed by Beric, and the latter was ordered to furnish afull explanation of his conduct. Beric replied by a long and fullreport of his government. Vespasian was greatly struck alike by thefirmness with which Beric defended himself, and by the intelligenceand activity with which, as the report showed, he had conductedthe affairs of his province; he therefore issued an order for thedisaffected officials to return at once to Rome, confirmed Bericin the powers granted him by Galba, and gave him full authority todismiss even the highest Roman officials in the district should hesee occasion to do so.
Roman towns and stations had sprung up all over the island, roadsand bridges opened the way for trade. Now that the tribal warshad ceased, and the whole people had become welded into one, theyturned their attention more and more to agriculture. The forestdiminished rapidly in extent; the Roman plough took the placeof the rough hoe of the Briton, houses of brick and stone that ofrough huts; intermarriages became frequent. The Roman legionariesbecame established as military colonists and took British wives.The foreign traders and artisans, who formed the bulk of thepopulations of the towns, did the same; and although this in theend had the effect of diminishing the physical proportions of theBritish, and lowering the lofty stature and size that had struckthe Romans on their landing with astonishment, it introduced manycharacteristics hitherto wanting in the race, and aided in theirconversion from tribes of fierce warriors into a settled andsemi-civilized people.
Among the many who came to Britain, were some Christians whosought homes in the distant island to escape the persecutions atRome. There was soon a colony of these settled at Norwich under theprotection of Aemilia. They brought with them an eloquent priest,and in a short time Beric, already strongly inclined to the Christianreligion, openly accepted that faith, which spread rapidly throughouthis government. Porus was not long in finding a British wife, andnever regretted the day when he left the ludus of Scopus and joinedhis fortunes to those of Beric. Philo embraced Christianity, andbecame a priest of that church.
A year after Beric came to Britain he and Aemilia were delightedby the arrival of Pollio and Berenice with Caius Muro. The formerhad at the accession of Otho, with whom his family were connected,obtained a civil appointment in Britain, and at Beric's requestCelsius appointed him to the control of
the collection of taxes inhis district, there being constant complaints among the people ofthe rapacity and unfairness of the Roman official occupying thisposition. Pollio therefore established himself also at Norwich;Muro, with whom came Cneius Nepo, taking up his residence there withhim, and as many other Roman families were there, neither Aemilianor Berenice ever regretted the loss of the society of Rome. Pollioproved an excellent official, and ably seconded Beric in his effortsto 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 thepirates of North Germany and Scandinavia, he would have seen thatthe extinction of the martial qualities of the British would leadto their ruin; but that Rome would decay and fall to pieces andbecome the prey of barbarians, was a contingency beyond human ken,and he and those who worked with him thought that the greatestblessing they could bestow upon their country was to render ita contented and prosperous province of the Roman Empire. This hesucceeded in doing in his own government, and when, full of years andrich in the affection of his countrymen, he died, his son succeededhim in the government, and for many generations the eastern divisionof the island was governed by descendants of Beric the Briton.
THE END