The Story of the Odyssey

provision for the safe custody of prisoners; and the problem of keeping a man under lock and key, without a quite

is quite impossible to keep him unless we chain him hand and foot, or set half a dozen men to guard him; and even then he is such

rd the Count's determination, but she

And anyhow, whatever else she may induce him to worship, he seems ready, from what I have seen, to worship her. And besides, what harm can he do

Will you stand surety for this young pagan? Or shall I make h

send him to the camp, where, I fear, they

ts for the present, and I will give the bailiff orders to give

ot almost as much a great warrior's business to make a good sword as to wield it well when it was made? So the young man, whose mighty shoulders and muscular arms were regarded with respect and even astonishment by his British fellow-workmen, laboured with a will, showing himself no mean craftsman in the blacksmith's art. Sometimes, as he plied the hammer, he would chant to himself, in a low voice, what sounded like a war-song. Otherwise he remained absolutely silent, not even attempting to pick up the few comm

at th

uspicion on the visits of civilized strangers; but, on the other hand, the profits were considerable. Amber, in pieces of a size and clearness seldom matched on the coasts of Gaul and Britain, and beautiful furs, as of the seal and the sea-otter, could be bought at very low prices from these unsophisticated tribes, and sold again to the wealthy ladies of Lutetia19 and Lugdunum20 at a very considerable advantage. In these wanderings Antrix-for that was the peddler's name-had acquired a good knowledge of the language-substantially the same, though divided into several dialects-spoken by the German tribes; and, indeed, without such knowledge his t

was not very difficult to persuade him to make his home in the villa for two or three months till the severity of the season should have passed. Every one was pleased at the arrangement. Antrix was an admirable teller of tales, and his had been an adventurous life, full of incident, with which he knew how to make the winter night

able to pick up in their expeditions to richer countries and more temperate climates. On this point the young Saxon was perfectly frank. The idea that there was anything of which a warrior could possibly be ashamed in taking what he could by the strong hand had evidently never crossed his mind. To rob a neighbour or fellow-tribesman he counted shameful-so much could be gathered from expressions that he let drop; as to others, his simple morality was this-to keep what you had, to take what others could not keep. [pg 63]The Count found him curiously well informed on what may be called the politics of Europe. He was well aware of the decay of the Roman power. Kinsmen and neighbours of his own had made their way south to get the

the young chief, with the absolute unconsciousness of wrong with which a hunter might relate his exploits; "took two merchantmen that had good cargoes on board, and had a right royal fight with the people of a town on the Gallic coast. We killed thirty of them; and only five of our warriors went to the Walhalla. Then we turned homeward, but our ship struck on a rock near some islands far to the west,22 and had almost gone to the bot

that though there was no danger of an overpowering [pg 65]migration from this quarter such as Western and Southern Europe had suffered from in former times, these sea-faring tribes of the East would be an increasing danger to Britain as years went on. Personally the prospect did not concern him greatly; his fortunes were not bound up with the island. Still

Stilicho's camp. Here again the peddler's services as an interpreter were put in requisition, and though the old man's Latin, which went little beyond his practical wants as a trader, fell lamentably short of what was wanted, enough was heard to interest the villa family, which had a lite

his task as interpreter. Carna used the dialect of South Britain, with which he was far more familiar than he was with Latin-it differed indeed but little from his native speech. Th

whom he could worship should be. He was a soldier, and he could scarcely conceive of anything great or good that was outside a soldier's virtues. The gods of his own [pg 67]heaven, Odin and Thor and Balder, were great conquerors, armed with armour which no mortal blow could pierce, wielders of sword and hammer which were too heavy for any mortal arm to wield. He could bow down to them because they were greater, immeasurably greater than himself, in the qualities and gifts which he most honoured. Now he was called upon to receive a quite differ

ne so, why He should not have led His twelve legions of angels against the wicked, swept them off from the face of the earth, and established by force of arms a kingdom of justice. [pg 68]Still the idea of so much having been given, so much endured for his sake touched him, especially

d away from them, as naturally she sometimes did, she was not so successfu

if He is infinitely good to those who love Him, H

with them?" asked

em to suffer in

n drives cowards, and oath-breakers, and such as are false to their friends. But they sa

orment, and it is kept not only for the wicked

thither all who do not own Him as their

le a thing it would be if

you are so anxiou

es

t my brother when you could not ma

think he should pass away w

hrist has sent him to that pla

hat it mu

because I have lived longer? No-I will be with

in on this subject. Carna was greatly troubled; but she began to thin

g