The largest galley, an old war ship which still bore the figure of
Amphitrite on its prow, displayed a purple streamer, and the smallest
foresail was of the same color; for she carried the Commander of the
squadron.
"At last!" the able officer exclaimed as, the first man in the whole
armada, he leaped from his galley into the boat which lay rocking at
its bowsprit. He ran across the whole line of small vessels to the
shore, and sprang with one impatient leap from the last boat across the
marshy ground to the solid land to meet the Illyrian, who received him
with outstretched arms.
"At last, my friend, I bring ships and men. It has been a long delay."
"I know it was no fault of yours."
"The Caesar has already sent the guilty men to the mines. Where is the
Prefect?"
"Up above, in the camp. He is not well."
"I have letters for him from the Emperor."
"Has no news come from the Emperor Valens yet?" asked Saturninus
anxiously.
"Yes, very late news."
"How do matters stand between him and the Goths?"
"Well for him and badly for the Barbarians. They are suffering terribly
from hunger. His last letter declines, and right arrogantly, any
assistance from Gratianus and our army."
"He doesn't wish to share the fame of the victory with his nephew,"
said the Tribune, mounting his horse and inviting his friend to ride up
the mountain on the beautiful charger brought for his use. Nannienus
swung himself into the saddle, and continued:
"A decisive battle is impending, Valens writes. He is marching upon
Adrianople, where the Goths are encamped. Why, the horse is sinking
here! Are there marshes so far up?"
"Yes, it is the ancient bottom of the lake. So, the die has probably
already fallen yonder on the Ister! Well, our little campaign will
probably soon be over too. How many helmets do you bring?"
"Thirteen hundred."
"More than enough. Early to-morrow morning we will divide our forces.
Five hundred men will remain in the camp: You will march with the rest
toward the northeast, I to the northwest, until we at last find and
scatter these incomprehensible foes. Did you see nothing suspicious on
your voyage across the lake?"
"Nothing at all. Not a sail, far or near."
"Now that we have ships, we can also search the two tracts of marshland
overgrown with rushes, which stretch for leagues on the right and left.
We once thought we saw a column of smoke rising in the western marsh."
"That shall be done to-morrow, before we march. A naval battle on Lake
Venetia! It has scarcely happened since the days of Tiberius."
"But I am glad to know that you are here on land with your men: Welcome
once more to the Barbarian country and to my camp."
With these words the two commanders, followed by a glittering train of
Nannienus's officers and the Tribune's mailed riders, passed through
the Porta Decumana, which now stood wide open; for the Tribune's men
were pouring out, down the mountain side and through the damp meadows
and bogs of the half league of country to the shore, to greet their
comrades on the fleet.
Bissula had crouched and made herself as small as possible, that she
might slip out unseen like a little mouse from her hiding-place east of
the lake gate. But the Illyrian guards were rigidly trained: two
gigantic Thracians--one on each side of the threshold--held their
spears crossed before the opening, and scanned sharply every one who
went in or out. The young girl had crept successfully between the
outstretched legs of one, when she struck her head against the shaft of
the other's spear. The man's attention was attracted; he recognized her
and pushed her gently but irresistibly back.
"No, no!" he said, laughing. "You mustn't go out, you little red
serpent! I should get a double drubbing--from the Tribune on the right
and the Prefect on the left. Stay inside."
Bissula, her eyes brimming with tears of impotent rage, was obliged to
go back: and there, outside the gate, liberty was beckoning; there
laughed (she saw it again, for the first time through the open gate) in
its azure splendor her beloved lake; there on the right rustled the
trees which surrounded Adalo's hall, and there flew a gull, screaming
loudly with delight in life and joy in its free movement, across the
rushes of the marshy shore. Alas! and she must go back into the camp,
to an uncertain fate. To-morrow she was to leave the country, to
go--whither?
"Oh, Adalo, help soon!"
Since the night before she had constantly whispered his name, again and
again, as though it were a protecting spell.
On reaching her tent, she untied the bear, which was becoming wildly
excited by the noise of the soldiers, and dragged it by the collar
inside of the inclosure, where she remained all day. She was not
disturbed. Prosper brought wine and food, and told her that his
master's whole time was claimed by Nannienus and the other guests; but
early the next morning she must be ready to take ship for Constantia,
then to go to the Emperor at Vindonissa, and lastly, to his beautiful
home. Bissula made no answer.
Leaving the viands untouched, she crouched like some captured wild
beast in the corner of her tent farthest from the entrance, with her
eyes fixed intently upon it, listening with anxiety and dread to every
sound which drew nearer to her tent from the streets of the camp.
Faithful Bruna lay across the threshold; she was the girl's only
comfort.