A Captive of the Roman Eagles Part 20

"When?"

"Last night."

"How? While on guard outside the camp?"

"No, after I was relieved."

"The trader will be scourged. Who sold it to you?"

"No one. That was just it! I shouldn't have drunk so much if I had bought it. But given! A present of Ma.s.sican wine! Who can resist it?"

"No German, it seems. And you report for punishment? Of your own free will? Highly improbable. You were probably detected and wish to antic.i.p.ate?"

"No: no one discovered me. When I was relieved, I had been completely sobered by fright."

"Why?"

"My lord,"--he spoke hesitatingly,--"it is about the Idise."

"Who is that?"

"Why, the red-haired wood nymph."

"What of her?" asked the Illyrian eagerly, now keenly intent.

"My lord, I wish her well! As--as we all do."

"As we all do?"

"Yes, yes," replied the German, smiling, "even you. General; I've noticed it. Well, I report for punishment, and will tell the whole story because--because I'm afraid the little one's life is in danger."

"Tell your story," Saturninus commanded, evidently startled. "Who gave you the wine?"

"Davus, the Prefect's slave."

"Ah--and what happened then?"

"Then it happened that I drank too much, and when I mounted guard outside of the little one's tent, I soon fell asleep on the soft turf. A terrible growling roused me. The she-bear owned by a juggler, a Sarmatian, which I brought into camp yesterday and carried to the captive girl, acted exactly as though she were a human being, that is, a man; for she followed the red elf everywhere."

"Suspicious! Did Bissula know the animal? Did she call it by any name?"

"No. But she was very much pleased when she saw the she-bear; her face flushed and paled. So much pleased that I asked, as you did just now: 'Bissula, do you know each other? How does it happen that the beast will have nothing to do with anybody except you? Hark! how friendly her growl sounds: why doesn't she treat us the same?'

"'Oh,' replied Bissula, laughing, 'she comes from our country and she knows that I am the only one who understands her Alemanni language.

Don't you believe me? Well, then ask her,' she added, still laughing, shaking back her curling locks, 'maybe she will tell you.'

"In short, the monster would not leave her side, and followed her into the tent when she went to bed. So the bear's growling waked me. I started up and saw by the light of the campfire a man, running at full speed, vanish around the corner of the nearest tent.

"I rushed in. The young girl had seen nothing--she had fallen asleep.

She was trying to soothe the furious animal, which, bleeding from a dagger thrust in its right fore-paw, was angrily crunching in its jaws a piece of brown cloth. At last Bissula, while washing the wound, coaxed it away. Here it is."

He gave it to Saturninus. The Roman General examined it closely.

"This is certainly--but stay! Do you speak first, Rignomer. What do you think it is?"

"A fragment from the hem of a mantle."

"What kind of a mantle?"

"A Roman one: a sagum,"

"Who wear brown mantles--the only ones?"

"The Thracian spearmen and the mailed riders."

"Right. Say nothing of this matter to any one; and go."

"And my punishment?"

"You are pardoned. But drink gift wine cautiously in future."

"Indeed I will, General."

"In the inspection I am about to make you will act shrewdly and prudently, as I order. And listen: one thing more. You owe the young girl some atonement: do you perceive it?"

"Unfortunately."

"Will you make it?"

"Gladly."

"Then mark me. She has complained that I have her watched continually, even during the day. Thrax, my fat scribe, to whom I gave the secret commission, has acted very awkwardly; she found him out long ago. I promised to rid her of him. But she must not remain unguarded."

"Certainly not."

"After this attack less than ever. You, Rignomer,--I will relieve you meanwhile from any other duty,--must henceforth follow the young girl: but unnoticed."

"I thank you, General. I'll make amends for my fault. She shall neither escape nor come to any harm. And she shall not discover that she is constantly watched and guarded."

Directly afterwards the tubas gave the signal through the streets of the camp for a general inspection of the troops, in marching equipments, with mantles. The foot-soldiers were to occupy the wide s.p.a.ce on both sides of the Praetorium in the Forum and the Quaestorium, and the cross streets intersecting the camp from east to west, the Via Princ.i.p.alis and the Via Quintana; but the hors.e.m.e.n were to remain directly in front of their rows of tents, near the southern gate facing the lake, the Porta Dec.u.mana.

The Tribune mounted his horse and rode along the front. When he had inspected the Batavians, he ordered a body of them to follow him and station themselves behind the mailed riders, at the same time making a sign to Rignomer. The Tribune first rode at a walk down the lines of the mailed cavalry, then he ordered them to wheel and pa.s.s before him.

"You look pale, O Hercula.n.u.s!" he called to their commander. "Have you been up all night? Did you sacrifice to Bacchus after the evening banquet?"

"A little."

Saturninus now closed the inspection. Turning the corner of the Via Media, which intersected the camp from north to south, he motioned to Rignomer, dismounted, and gave him his horse.