historic girls-第5章

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influences　of　Rome；　always　following　the　course　of　her　conquering

eagles；　had　planted　schools　and　colleges　throughout　the　land；　and

laid　the　foundation　for　that　native　learning　which　in　later　years

was　to　make　the　English　nation　so　great　and　powerful。



And　what　a　mighty　empire　must　have　been　that　of　Rome　that；　in

those　far…off　days；　when　rapid　transit　was　unknown；　and　steam　and

electricity　both　lay　dormant；　could　have　entered　into　the　lives

of　two　bright　young　maidens　so　many　leagues　removed　from　one

anotherZenobia；　the　dusky　Palmyrean　of　the　East；　and　Helena；

the　fresh…faced　English　girl　of　the　West。



But　to　such　distant　and　widely　separated　confines　had　this　power

of　the　vast　Empire　extended；　and　to　this　thoughtful　young

princess；　drifting　down　the　winding　English　river；　the　sense　of

Roman　supremacy　and　power　would　come　again　and　again。



For　this　charming　young　girlsaid；　later；　to　have　been　the　most

beautiful　woman　of　her　time　in　Englandthough　reared　to　Roman

ways　and　Roman　speech；　had　too　well　furnished　a　mind　not　to　think

for　herself。　〃She　spake；〃　so　says　the　record；　〃many　tongues　and

was　replete　with　piety。〃　The　only　child　of　King　Coel；　her　doting

old　father　had　given　her　the　finest　education　that　Rome　could

offer。　She　was；　even　before　she　grew　to　womanhood；　so　we　are

told；　a　fine　musician；　a　marvellous　worker　in　tapestry；　in

hammered　brass　and　pottery；　and　was　altogether　as　wise　and

wonderful　a　young　woman　as　even　these　later　centuries　can　show。



But；　for　all　this　grand　education；　she　loved　to　hear　the　legends

and　stories　of　her　people　that　in　various　ways　would　come　to　her

ears；　either　as　the　simple　tales　of　her　British　nurse；　or　in　the

wild　songs　of　the　wandering　bards；　or　singers。



As　she　listened　to　these　she　thought　less　of　those　crude　and

barbaric　ways　of　her　ancestors　that　Rome　had　so　vastly　bettered

than　of　their　national　independence　and　freedom　from　the　galling

yoke　of　Rome；　and；　as　was　natural；　she　cherished　the　memory　of

Boadicea；　the　warrior　queen；　and　made　a　hero　of　the　fiery　young

Caractacus。



It　is　always　so；　you　know。　Every　bright　young　imagination　is　apt

to　find　greater　glories　in　the　misty　past；　or　grander

possibilities　in　a　still　more　misty　future　than　in　the　too

practical　and　prosaic　present　in　which　both　duty　and　destiny　lie。

And　so　Helena　the　princess；　Leaning　against　the　soft　cushions　of

her　gilded　barge；　had　sighed　for　the　days　of　the　old…time　British

valor　and　freedom；　and；　even　as　she　looked　off　toward　the

approaching　triareme；　she　was　wondering　how　she　could　awake　to

thoughts　of　British　glory　her　rather　heavy…witted　father；　Coel

the　Kingan　hereditary　prince　of　that　ancient　Britain　in　which

he　was　now；　alas；　but　a　tributary　prince　of　the　all　too　powerful

Rome。



Now；　〃old　King　Cole；〃　as　Mother　Goose　tells　usfor　young

Helena's　father　was　none　other　than　the　veritable　〃old　King　Cole〃

of　our　nursery　jinglewas　a　〃jolly　old　soul；〃　and　a　jolly　old

soul　is　very　rarely　an　independent　or　ambitious　one。　So　long　as

he　could　have　〃his　pipe　and　his　bowl〃　not；　of　course；　his　long

pipe　of　tobacco　that　all　the　Mother　Goose　artists　insist　upon

giving　himbut　the　reed　pipe　upon　which　his　musicians　playedso

long；　in　other　words；　as　he　could　live　in　ease　and　comfort；

undisturbed　in　his　enjoyment　of　the　good　things　of　life　by　his

Roman　over…lords；　he　cared　for　no　change。　Rome　took　the

responsibility　and　he　took　things　easily。　But　this　very　day；

while　his　daughter　Helena　was　floating　down　the　river　to　meet　him

on　the　strand　at　Wivanloe；　he　was　returning　from　an　unsuccessful

boar…hunt　in　the　Essex　woods；　very　much　out　of　sortscross

because　he　had　not　captured　the　big　boar　he　had　hoped　to　kill；

cross　because　his　favorite　musicians　had　been　〃confiscated〃　by

the　Roman　governor　or　propraetor　at　Londinium　（as　London　was　then

called）；　and　still　more　cross　because　he　had　that　day　received

dispatches　from　Rome　demanding　a　special　and　unexpected　tax　levy；

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　Boad