historic girls-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



or　tribute；　to　meet　the　necessary　expenses　of　the　new　Emperor

Diocletian。



Something　else　had　happened　to　increase　his　ill　temper。　His

〃jolly　old　soul；〃　vexed　by　the　numerous　crosses　of　the　day；　was

thrown　into　still　greater　perplexity　by　the　arrival；　just　as　he

stood　fretful　and　chafing　on　the　shore　at　Wivanloe；　of　one　who

even　now　was　with　him　on　the　trireme；　bearing　him　company　back　to

his　palace　at　CamolodunumCarausius　the　admiral。



This　Carausius；　the　admiral；　was　an　especially　vigorous；

valorous；　and　fiery　young　fellow　of　twenty…one。　He　was　cousin　to

the　Princess　Helena　and　a　prince　of　the　blood　royal　of　ancient

Britain。　Educated　under　the　strict　military　system　of　Rome；　he

had　risen　to　distinction　in　the　naval　force　of　the　Empire；　and

was　now　the　commanding　officer　in　the　northern　fleet　that　had　its

central　station　at　Gessoriacum；　now　Boulogne；　on　the　northern

coast　of　France。　He　had　chased　and　scattered　the　German　pirates

who　had　so　long　ravaged　the　northern　seas；　had　been　named　by　the

Emperor　admiral　of　the　north；　and　was　the　especial　pride；　as　he

was　the　dashing　young　leader；　of　the　Roman　sailors　along　the

English　Channel　and　the　German　shores。



The　light　barge　of　the　princess　approached　the　heavier　boat　of

the　king；　her　father。　At　her　signal　the　oarsmen　drew　up

alongside；　and；　scarce　waiting　for　either　boat　to　more　than

slacken　speed；　the　nimble…footed　girl　sprang　lightly　to　the　deck

of　her　father's　galley。　Then　bidding　the　obedient　Cleon　take　her

own　barge　back　to　the　palace；　she　hurried　at　once；　and　without

question；　like　the　petted　only　child　she　was；　into　the

high…raised　cabin　at　the　stern；　where　beneath　the　Roman　standards

sat　her　father　the　king。



Helena　entered　the　apartment　at　a　most　exciting　moment。　For

there；　facing　her　portly　old　father；　whose　clouded　face　bespoke

his　troubled　mind；　stood　her　trimly…built　young　cousin　Carausius

the　admiral；　bronzed　with　his　long　exposure　to　the　sea…blasts；　a

handsome　young　viking；　and；　in　the　eyes　of　the　hero…loving　Helen；

very　much　of　a　hero　because　of　his　acknowledged　daring　and　his

valorous　deeds。



Neither　man　seemed　to　have　noticed　the　sudden　entrance　of　the

girl；　so　deep　were　they　in　talk。



〃I　tell　thee；　uncle；〃　the　hot…headed　admiral　was　saying；　〃it　is

beyond　longer　bearing。　This　new　emperorthis　Diocletianwho　is

he　to　dare　to　dictate　to　a　prince　of　Britain？　A　foot…soldier　of

Illyria；　the　son　of　slaves；　and　the　client　of　three　coward

emperors；　an　assassin；　so　it　hath　been　said；　who　from　chief　of

the　domestics；　hath　become　by　his　own　cunning　Emperor　of　Rome；

And　now　hath　he　dared　to　accuse　meme；　a　free　Briton　and　a　Roman

citizen　as　well；　a　prince　and　the　son　of　princes；　with　having

taken　bribes　from　these　German　pirates　whom　I　have　vanquished。　He

hath　openly　said　that　I；　Carausius　the　admiral；　have　filled　mine

own　coffers　while　neglecting　the　revenues　of　the　state。　I　will

not　bear　it。　I　am　a　better　king　than　he；　did　I　but　have　my　own

just　rights；　and　even　though　he　be　Diocletian　the　Emperor；　he

needeth　to　think　twice　before　he　dare　accuse　a　prince　of　Britain

with　bribe…taking　and　perjury。〃



〃True　enough；　good　nephew；〃　said　King　Coel；　as　the　admiral　strode

up　and　down　before　him；　angrily　playing　with　the　hilt　of　his

short　Roman　sword；　〃true　enough；　and　I　too　have　little　cause　to

love　this　low…born　emperor。　He　hath　taken　from　me　both　my　players

and　my　gold；　when　I　can　illy　spare　either　from　my　comfort　or　my

necessities。　'T　is　a　sad　pass　for　Britain。　But　Rome　is　mistress

now。　What　may　we　hope　to　do？〃



The　Princess　Helena　sprang　to　her　father's　side；　her　young　face

flushed；　her　small　hand　raised　in　emphasis。　〃Do！〃　cried　she；　and

the　look　of　defiance　flamed　on　her　fair　young　face。　〃Do！　Is　it

thou；　my　father；　thou；　my　cousin；　princes　of　Britain　both；　that

ask　so　weak　a　question？　O　that　I　were　a　man！　What　did　that　brave

enemy　of　our　house；　Cassivellaunus；　do？　what　Caractacus？　what　the

brave　queen　Boadicea？　When　the　Roman　drove　them　to　despair　they

raised　the　standard　of　revolt；　sounded　their　battle　cries；　and

showed　the　Roman　that　British　freemen　could　fight　to　the　death

for　their　country　and　their　home。　And　thus　should　we　do；　without

fear　or　question；　and　see　here　again　in　Britain　a　victorious

kingdom　ruled　once　more　by　British　kings。〃



〃Nay；　nay；　my　daughter；〃　said　cautious　King　Coel；　〃your　words　are

those　of　an　unthinking　girl。　The　power　of　Rome〃



But　the　Prince　Carausius；　as　the　girl's　brave　words　rang　out；

gave　her　an　admiring　glance；　and；　crossing　to　where　she　stood；

laid　his　hand　approvingly　upon　her　shoulder。



〃The　girl　is　right；　uncle；〃　he　said；　breaking　in　upon　the　king's

cautious　speech。　〃Too　long　have　we　bowed　the　neck　to　Roman

tyranny。　We；　free　princes　of　Britain　that　we　are；　have　it　even

now　in　our　power　to　stand　once　again　as　altogether　free。　The

fleet　is　mine；　the　people　are　yours；　if　you　will　but　amuse　them。

Our　brothers　are　groaning　under　the　load　of　Roman　tribute；　and

are　ripe　to　strike。　Raise　the　cry　at　Camalodunum；　my　uncle；　cry：

'Havoc　and　death　to　Rome！'　My　fleet　shall　pour　its　victorious

sailors　upon　the　coast；　the　legions；　even　now　full　of　British

fighters；　shall　flock　to　out　united　standards；　and　we　shall

ruleEmperors　in　the　North；　even　as　do　the　Roman　conquerors　rule

Emperors　in　the　South。〃



Young　blood　often　sways　and　leads　in　council　and　in　action；

especially　when　older　minds　are　over…cautious　or　sluggish　in

decision。　The　words　of　Carausius　and　Helena　carried　the　day　with

Coel　the　king；　already　smarting　under　a　sense　of　ill…treatment　by

his　Roman　over…lords。



The　standard　of　revolt　was　raised　in　Camalodunum。　The　young

admiral　hurried　back　to　France　to　make　ready　his　fleet；　while

Coel　the　king；　spurred　on　to　action　by　the　patriotic　Helena；　who

saw　herself　another　Boadiceathough；　in　truth；　a　younger　and

much　fairer　onegathered　a　hasty　following；　won　over　to　his

cause　the　British…filled　legion　in　his　palace…town；　and；

descending　upon　the　nearest　Roman　camps　and　stations；　surprised；

captured；　scattered；　or　brought　over　their　soldiers；　and

proclaimed　himself　free　from　the　yoke　of　Rome　and　supreme　prince

of　Britain。



Ambition　is　always　selfish。　Even　when　striving　for　the　general

good　there　lies；　too　often；　beneath　this　noble　motive　the　still

deeper　one　of　selfishness。　Carausius　the　admiral；　though

determined　upon　kingly　power；　had　no　desire　for　a　divided

supremacy。　He　was　determined　to　be　sole　emperor；　or　none。　Crafty

and　unscrupulous；　although　brave　and　high…spirited；　he　deemed　it

wisest　to　delay　his　part　of　the　compact　until　he　should　see　how

it　fared　with　his　uncle；　the　king；　and　then；　upon　his　defeat；　to

climb　to　certain　victory。



He　therefore　sent　to　his　uncle　promises　instead　of　men；　and　when

summoned　by　the　Roman　governor　to　assist　in　putting　down　the

revolt；　he　returned　loyal　answers；　but　sent　his　aid　to　neither

party。



King　Coel　after　his　first　successes　knew　that；　unaided；　he　could

not　hope　to　withstand　the　Roman　force　that　must　finally　be

brought　against　him。　Though　urged　to　constant　action　by　his　wise

young　daughter；　he　preferred　to　do　nothing；　and；　satisfied　with

the　acknowledgment　of　his　power　in　and　about　his　little　kingdom

on　the　Colne；　he　spent　his　time　in　his　palace　with　the　musicians

that　he　loved　so　well；　and　the　big　bowl　of　liquor　that　he　loved；

it　is　to　be　feared；　quite　as　dearly。



The　musiciansthe　pipers　and　the　harperssang　his　praises；　and

told　of　his　mighty　deeds；　and；　no　doubt；　their　refrain　was　very

much　the　same　as　the　one　that　has　been　preserved　for　us　in　the

jingle　of　Mother　Goose：



　　　　　〃O；　none　so　rare　as　can　compare

　　　　　　With　King　Cole　and　his　fiddlers　three。〃





But　if　the　pleasure…loving　old　king　was　listless；　young　Helena

was　not。　The　misty　records　speak　of　her　determined　efforts；　and

though　it　is　hard　to　understand　how　a　girl　of　fifteen　can　do　any

thing　toward　successful　generalship；　much　can　be　granted　to　a

young　lady　who；　if　the　records　speak　truth；　was；　even　while　a

girl；　〃a　Minerva　in　wisdom；　and　not　deficient　in　statecraft。〃



So；　while　she　advised　with　her　father's　boldest　captains　and

strengthened　so　wisely　the　walls　of　ancient　Colchester；　or

Camalodunum；　that　traces　of　her　work　still　remain　as　proof　of　her

untiring　zeal；　she　still　cherished　the　hope　of　British　freedom

and　release　from　Rome。　And　the　loving　old　king；　deep　in　his

pleasures；　still　recognized　the　will　and　wisdom　of　his　valiant

daughter；　and　bade　his　artists　make　in　her　honor　a　memorial　that

should　ever　speak　of　her　valor。　And　this　memorial；　lately

unearthed；　and　known　as　the　Colchester　Sphinx；　perpetuates　the

lion…like　qualities　of　a　girl　in　her　teens；　who　dared　withstand

the　power　of　Imperial　Rome。



And　still　no　help　came　from　her　cousin；　the　admiral。　But　one　day

a　galley　speeding　up　the　Colne　brought　this　unsigned　message　to

King　Coel：



〃To　Co