historic girls-第8章

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empress；　were　dead；　and　in　the　great　palace　at　Constantinople；　in

this　year　of　grace；　413；　Theodosius；　the　boy　emperor；　and　his

three　sisters；　Pulcheria；　Marina；　and　Arcadia；　alone　were　left　to

uphold　the　tottering　dignity　and　the　empty　name　of　the　once

mighty　Empire　of　the　East；　which　their　great　ancestors；

Constantine　and　Theodosius；　had　established　and　strengthened。



And　now　there　was　confusion　in　the　imperial　palace；　for　word　came

in　haste　from　the　Dacian　border　that　Ruas；　king　of　the　Huns；

sweeping　down　from　the　east；　was　ravaging　the　lands　along　the

Upper　Danube；　and　with　his　host　of　barbarous　warriors　was

defeating　the　legions　and　devastating　the　lands　of　the　empire。



The　wise　Anthemius；　prefect　of　the　east；　and　governor　or　guardian

of　the　young　emperor；　was　greatly　disturbed　by　the　tidings　of

this　new　invasion。　Already　he　had　repelled　at　great　cost　the

first　advance　of　these　terrible　Huns；　and　had　quelled　into　a　sort

of　half　submission　the　less　ferocious　followers　of　Ulpin　the

Thracian；　but　now　he　knew　that　his　armies　along　the　Danube　were

in　no　condition　to　withstand　the　hordes　of　Huns；　that；　pouring　in

from　distant　Siberia；　were　following　the　lead　of　Ruas；　their

king；　for　plunder　and　booty；　and　were　even　now　encamped　scarce

two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　from　the　seven　gates　and　the　triple

walls　of　splendid　Constantinople。



Turbaned　Turks；　mosques　and　minarets；　muftis　and　cadis；　veiled

eastern　ladies；　Mohammedains　and　muezzins；　Arabian　Nights　and

attar　of　roses；　bazars；　dogs；　and　donkeysthese；　I　suppose；　are

what　Constantinople　suggests　whenever　its　name　is　mentioned　to

any　girl　or　boy　of　to…day；the　capital　of　modern　Turkey；　the

city　of　the　Sublime　Porte。　But　the　greatest　glory　of

Constantinople　was　away　back　in　the　early　days　before　the　time　of

Mohammed；　or　of　the　Crusaders；　when　it　was　the　centre　of　the

Christian　religion；　the　chief　and　gorgeous　capital　of　a　Christian

empire；　and　the　residence　of　Christian　emperors；from　the　days

of　Constantine　the　conqueror　to　those　of　Justinian　the　law…giver

and　of　Irene　the　empress。　It　was　the　metropolis　of　the　eastern

half　of　the　great　Roman　Empire；　and　during　this　period　of　over

five　hundred　years　all　the　wealth　and　treasure　of　the　east　poured

into　Constantinople；　while　all　the　glories　of　the　empire；　even

the　treasures　of　old　Rome　itself；　were　drawn　upon　to　adorn　and

beautify　this　rival　city　by　the　Golden　Horn。　And　so　in　the　days

of　Theodosius　the　Little；　the　court　of　Constantinople；　although

troubled　with　fear　of　a　barbarian　invasion　and　attack；　glittered

with　all　the　gorgeousness　and　display　of　the　most　magnificent

empire　in　the　world。



In　the　great　daphne；　or　central　space　of　the　imperial　palace；　the

prefect　Anthemius；　with　the　young　emperor；　the　three　princesses；

and　their　gorgeously　arrayed　nobles　and　attendants；　awaited；　one

day；　the　envoys　of　Ruas　the　Hun；　who　sought　lands　and　power

within　the　limits　of　the　empire。



They　came；　at　last；great；　fierce…looking　fellows；　not　at　all

pleasant　to　contemplatebig…boned　broad…shouldered；　flat…nosed；

swarthy；　and　small…eyed；　with　war…cloaks　of　shaggy　skins；

leathern　armor；　wolf…crowned　helmets；　and　barbaric　decorations；

and　the　royal　children　shrunk　from　them　in　terror；　even　as　they

watched　them　with　wondering　curiosity。　Imperial　guards；　gleaming

in　golden　armor；　accompanied　them；　while　with　the　envoys　came

also　as　escort　a　small　retinue　of　Hunnish　spearmen。　And　in　the

company　of　these；　the　Princess　Pulcheria　noted　a　lad　of　ten　or

twelve　yearsshort；　swarthy；　big…headed；　and　flat…nosed；　like

his　brother　barbarians；　but　with　an　air　of　open　and　hostile

superiority　that　would　not　be　moved　even　by　all　the　glow　and

glitter　of　an　imperial　court。



Then　Eslaw；　the　chief　of　the　envoys　of　King　Ruas　the　Hun；　made

known　his　master's　demands　So　much　land；　so　much　treasure；　so

much　in　the　way　of　concession　and　power　over　the　lands　along　the

Danube；　or　Ruas　the　king　would　sweep　down　with　his　warriors；　and

lay　waste　the　cities　and　lands　of　the　empire。



〃These　be　bold　words；〃　said　Anthemius　the　prefect。　〃And　what　if

our　lord　the　emperor　shall　say　thee　nay？〃



But　ere　the　chief　of　the　envoys　could　reply；　the　lad　whose

presence　in　the　escort　the　Princess　Pulcheria　had　noted；　sprang

into　the　circle　before　the　throne；　brandishing　his　long　spear　in

hot　defiance。



〃Dogs　and　children　of　dogs；　ye　dare　not　say　us　nay！〃　he　cried

harshly。　〃Except　we　be　made　the　friends　and　allies　of　the

emperor；　and　are　given　full　store　of　southern　gold　and　treasure；

Ruas　the　king　shall　overturn　these　your　palaces；　and　make　you　all

captives　and　slaves。　It　shall　be　war　between　you　and　us　forever。

Thus　saith　my　spear！〃



And　as　he　spoke　he　dashed　his　long　spear　upon　the　floor；　until

the　mosaic　pavement　rang　again。



Boy　emperor　and　princesses；　prefect　and　nobles　and　imperial

guards；　sprang　to　their　feet　as　the　spear　clashed　on　the

pavement；　and　even　the　barbarian　envoys；　while　they　smiled　grimly

at　their　young　comrade's　energy；　pulled　him　hastily　back。



But　ere　the　prefect　Anthemius　could　sufficiently　master　his

astonishment　to　reply；　the　young　Princess　Pulcheria　faced　the

savage　envoys；　and　pointing　to　the　cause　of　the　disturbance；

asked　calmly：



〃Who　is　this　brawling　boy；　and　what　doth　he　here　in　the　palace　of

the　emperor？〃



And　the　boy　made　instant　and　defiant　answer：



〃I　am　Attila；　the　son　of　Mundzuk；　kinsman　to　Ruas　the　king；　and

deadly　foe　to　Rome。〃



〃Good　Anthemius；〃　said　the　clear；　calm　voice　of　the　unterrified

girl；　〃were　it　not　wise　to　tell　this　wild　young　prince　from　the

northern　forest　that　the　great　emperor　hath　gold　for　his　friends；

but　only　iron　for　his　foes？　'T　is　ever　better　to　be　friend　than

foe。　Bid；　I　pray；　that　the　arras　of　the　Hippodrome　be　parted；　and

let　our　guests　see　the　might　and　power　of　our　arms。〃



With　a　look　of　pleased　surprise　at　this　bold　stroke　of　the

Princess；　the　prefect　clapped　his　hands　in　command；　and　the

heavily　brocaded　curtain　that　screened　the　gilded　columns　parted

as　if　by　unseen　hands；　and　the　Hunnish　envoys；　with　a　gaze　of

stolid　wonder；　looked　down　upon　the　great　Hippodrome　of

Constantinople。



It　was　a　vast　enclosure；　spacious　enough　for　the　marshalling　of

an　army。　Around　its　sides　ran　tiers　of　marble　seats；　and　all

about　it　rose　gleaming　statues　of　marble；　of　bronze；　of　silver；

and　of　goldAugustus　and　the　emperors；　gods　and　goddesses　of　the

old　pagan　days；　heroes　of　the　eastern　and　western　empires。　The

bright　oriental　sun　streamed　down　upon　it；　and　as　the　trumpets

sounded　from　beneath　the　imperial　balcony；　there　filed　into　the

arena　the　glittering　troops　of　the　empire；　gorgeous　in　color　and

appointments；　with　lofty　crests　and　gleaming　armor；　with

shimmering　spear…tips；　prancing　horses；　towering　elephants；　and

mighty　engines　of　war　and　siege；　with　archers　and　spearmen；　with

sounding　trumpets　and　swaying　standards　and；　high　over　all；　the

purple　labarum；　woven　in　gold　and　jewels；the　sacred　banner　of

Constantine。　Marching　and　counter…marching；　around　and　around；

and　in　and　out；　until　it　seemed　wellnigh　endless；　the　martial

procession　passed　before　the　eyes　of　the　northern　barbarians；

watchful　of　every　movement；　eager　as　children　to　witness　this

royal　review。



〃These　are　but　as　a　handful　of　dust　amid　the　sands　of　the　sea　to

the　troops　of　the　empire；〃　said　the　prefect　Anthemius；　when　the

glittering　rear…guard　had　passed　from　the　Hippodrome。　And　the

Princess　Pulcheria　added；　〃And　these；　O　men　from　the　north；　are

to　help　and　succor　the　friends　of　the　great　emperor；　even　as　they

are　for　the　terror　and　destruction　of　his　foes。　Bid　the

messengers　from　Ruas　the　king　consider；　good　Anthemius；　whether

it　were　not　wiser　for　their　master　to　be　the　friend　rather　than

the　foe　of　the　emperor。　Ask　him　whether　it　would　not　be　in

keeping　with　his　valor　and　his　might　to　be　made　one　of　the　great

captains　of　the　empire；　wi