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Page 58
'We asked not who was dead. We knew! We raced before the driving snow to
Hunno, thinking perhaps Allo might be there. We found him already at our
stables, and he saw by our faces what we had heard.
'"It was in a tent by the sea," he stammered. "He was beheaded by
Theodosius. He sent a letter to you, written while he waited to be
slain. The Winged Hats met the ship and took it. The news is running
through the heather like fire. Blame me not! I cannot hold back my young
men any more."
'"I would we could say as much for our men," said Pertinax, laughing.
"But, Gods be praised, they cannot run away."
'"What do you do?" said Allo. "I bring an order--a message--from the
Winged Hats that you join them with your men, and march South to plunder
Britain."
'"It grieves me," said Pertinax, "but we are stationed here to stop that
thing."
'"If I carry back such an answer they will kill me," said Allo. "I
always promised the Winged Hats that you would rise when Maximus fell.
I--I did not think he could fall."
'"Alas! my poor barbarian," said Pertinax, still laughing. "Well, you
have sold us too many good ponies to be thrown back to your friends. We
will make you a prisoner, although you are an ambassador."
'"Yes, that will be best," said Allo, holding out a halter. We bound him
lightly, for he was an old man.
'"Presently the Winged Hats may come to look for you, and that will give
us more time. See how the habit of playing for time sticks to a man!"
said Pertinax, as he tied the rope.
'"No," I said. "Time may help. If Maximus wrote us a letter while he was
a prisoner, Theodosius must have sent the ship that brought it. If he
can send ships, he can send men."
'"How will that profit us?" said Pertinax. "We serve Maximus, not
Theodosius. Even if by some miracle of the Gods Theodosius down South
sent and saved the Wall, we could not expect more than the death Maximus
died."
'"It concerns us to defend the Wall, no matter what Emperor dies, or
makes die," I said.
'"That is worthy of your brother the philosopher," said Pertinax.
"Myself I am without hope, so I do not say solemn and stupid things!
Rouse the Wall!"
'We armed the Wall from end to end; we told the officers that there was
a rumour of Maximus's death which might bring down the Winged Hats, but
we were sure, even if it were true, that Theodosius, for the sake of
Britain, would send us help. Therefore, we must stand fast. ... My
friends, it is above all things strange to see how men bear ill news!
Often the strongest till then become the weakest, while the weakest, as
it were, reach up and steal strength from the Gods. So it was with us.
Yet my Pertinax by his jests and his courtesy and his labours had put
heart and training into our poor numbers during the past years--more
than I should have thought possible. Even our Libyan Cohort--the
Third--stood up in their padded cuirasses and did not whimper.
'In three days came seven chiefs and elders of the Winged Hats. Among
them was that tall young man, Amal, whom I had met on the beach, and he
smiled when he saw my necklace. We made them welcome, for they were
ambassadors. We showed them Allo, alive but bound. They thought we had
killed him, and I saw it would not have vexed them if we had. Allo saw
it too, and it vexed him. Then in our quarters at Hunno we came to
Council.
'They said that Rome was falling, and that we must join them. They
offered me all South Britain to govern after they had taken a tribute
out of it.
'I answered, "Patience. This Wall is not weighed off like plunder. Give
me proof that my General is dead."
'"Nay," said one elder, "prove to us that he lives"; and another said
cunningly, "What will you give us if we read you his last words?"
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