The Count of the Saxon Shore; or The Villa in Vectis.<br />A Tale of the Departure of the Romans fro by Church and Putnam (the ebook reader txt) 📕

“And was Constantine himself ever there?” cried the girl, to whom the first Christian Emperor was the object of an admiration which we, knowing as we do more about him, can hardly share.

“I doubt it,” returned the Count. “Constantius made it and held it during his campaigns with Allectus. But, my child, I was thinking not of its past, but of its future. It will never be occupied again.”

“Why should it?” exclaimed the girl, almost forgetting in her excitement that she was speaking to a Roman. “Why should it? Why should not Britain be happy and safe and free without the legions? Forgive me, father,” she added, remembering herself again; “I am the last person in the world who should be ungrateful to Rome.”

“I don’t blame you,” said the Count, and as he looked at the maiden’s flashing eyes and remembered how bravely she had gone through terrors which would have driven most women out of their senses, he thought to himself—“Ah, if there were but a few thousand men who had half the spirit of this woman in them, the end might be different. My child,” he went on, “I would not discourage you, but there are dark days before this island. She has enemies by sea and land, and I doubt whether she has the [pg 184]strength to strike a sufficient blow for herself. I am thankful that you will be safely away before it comes.”

Carna was about to speak, but checked herself. It was not the time she felt to speak out her heart.

For some time after this little or nothing of interest occurred; but as the party approached within a few miles of Venta the scene underwent a remarkable change. The road had hitherto been almost entirely deserted; it was now thronged: but the face of every passenger was turned towards Venta, not a single traveller was going the other way. Every by-way and bridle-path and foot-path that touched the road contributed to swell the throng. In fact, the whole countryside was in motion. And the fugitives, for their manifest hurry and alarm proclaimed to be nothing less, carried all their property with them. Carts laden with rustic furniture, on the top of which women and children were perched, waggons loaded with the harvest of the year, droves of sheep and cattle helped to crowd the road till it was almost impassable. And still the hurrying pace, the fearful anxious glances cast behind showed that it was some terrible danger from which this timid multitude was flying. For some time, so stupified with fear were the fugitives, Ælius could get no rational answer to the questions which he put. “The Picts! The Picts! They are upon us!” at last said a man whom a sud[pg 185]den catastrophe that brought a great pile of household goods to the ground, had compelled to halt, and who was glad to get the help of the Count’s attendants to restore them, all help from neighbours being utterly out of the question when all were selfishly intent on saving their own lives and property. When his property had been set in its place again the man thanked the Count very heartily, and was collected enough to tell all he knew.

“There is no doubt that the Picts are not far off. I have not seen anything of them myself, thank heaven! but I could see the fires last night all along the sky to the north.”

“Have they ever been here before?”

“Never quite here. You see, sir, the camp at Calleva44 kept them in check. A party did slip by, I know, some little way to the westward, and I was glad to hear they got rather roughly handled. But, generally, they did not like to come anywhere near the camps. But now these are deserted, and there is nothing to keep them back.”

“But why don’t you defend yourselves?”

“Ah, sir, we have not the strength, nor even the arms. You are a Roman, I see, and, if I may judge, a man in authority, and you know that I am [pg 186]speaking the truth. You have not allowed us to do anything for ourselves, and how can we do it now at a few months’ notice?”

The Count made no answer; indeed, none was possible.

“And you expect to find shelter at Venta?”

“I don’t say that I expect it, but it is our only chance. The place has at least walls.”

“And any one to man them?”

“There should be some old soldiers, but how many I cannot say; anyhow, scarcely enough for a garrison.”

When the Count learned the situation he felt that his best course would be to press on with his party to Venta with all the speed possible. The chief authority of the town was in the hands of a native, who had the title of Head of the City.45 It was possible that this officer might be a man of courage and capacity; but it was far more likely that he would be quite unequal to the emergency. In either case the Count felt that his advice and personal influence might be of very great use. Even the twenty stout soldiers whom he had with him would be no inconsiderable addition to the fighting force of the place. Accordingly he gave orders to his followers to quicken their pace. Fortunately the greater part [pg 187]of the fugitives was behind them; still it was no easy task for the party to make its way through the struggling masses of human beings and cattle, and it