1830.] a Tale of the Ancient Britons. 271 



even dispatched one of his favourite pages in person, with a request that 

 he would attend the next morning at his levee a request that infused 

 new life into the no less astonished than delighted Dacian. 



Punctual to the hour appointed, he set out for the imperial palace, 

 towards which a vast crowd were hastening. Sergius moved onwards 

 with the rest, but on entering the hall of audience, took his station 

 near the door at which the emperor was expected to enter. In a few 

 minutes he was joined by Aulus Didius, a veteran companion in arms, 

 with whom he had made his first campaign in Pannonia. 



" I can guess," said the latter with a smile, " what brings you here, 

 Sergius. You have heard of the late rising of the Druids, and have 

 come to volunteer your services. I trust you may be successful." 



" I have every reason to hope so. I attend here by order of the 

 emperor himself." 



" I surmised as much. Claudius, it is well known, is particularly 

 sensitive on the subject of Britain. It is the only object he pursues with 

 any thing like animation. Ever since his own expedition into that country, 

 he has fancied it wholly subdued. His late impolitic truce, however, 

 with the Silures, and some neighbouring tribes, has led them to ima- 

 gine that his resources are exhausted ; their chiefs and Druids have 

 carefully kept alive this impression ; so that the conquest of at least the 

 west of Britain is again to be achieved." 



The conversation was here interrupted by a loud laugh, which pro- 

 ceeded from the further end of the hall. On turning his eyes in that 

 direction, Sergius beheld a pale, slender, effeminate young man, appa- 

 rently between sixteen and seventeen years of age, busily engaged in 

 conversation with a group of officers. While the rest of the cour- 

 tiers conversed in an under tone, and with a visible air of restraint, this 

 youth seemed wholly at his ease, jesting with the gay throng that sur- 

 rounded him as though he were their acknowledged lord and master. 

 His countenance, of a Grecian cast, was far from displeasing j and 

 there was a mixed air of affectation and modesty in his manner that 

 rendered it peculiarly, if not amusingly, striking. 



Sergius directed the eyes of his neighbour towards him. 



" That is young Nero," replied Aulus, " the adopted son of Claudius. 

 He is a vain, dissipated, chicken-hearted youth, fond of music, poetry, 

 dancing, horse-racing, and so forth. I know no other harm of him as yet. 

 Time, however, may effect great changes with him, as with all others, 

 for the worse." 



While he yet spoke, shouts were heard outside the palace; and 

 presently the emperor entered the hall of audience, magnificently attired 

 in the royal purple, and preceded and followed by a splendid train of 

 the Praetorian guards. The appearance of this prince was far from 

 unimpressive. He seemed about fifty years of age, was of the average 

 height in point of stature, though his stately carriage gave him the ap- 

 pearance of being taller than he really was. The general expression 

 of his countenance was mildness and dignity : the upper part, especially 

 the high and ample fortaead, gave evidence of superior intellect ; but 

 the lower half was of a more questionable character. The mouth 

 expressed indecision and feebleness, and the thick lip and round full 

 chin betrayed the animal passions of the voluptuary. At times, when 

 he spoke on any subject that interested him, his head would shake 

 as if affected with palsy, and a slight foam the consequence, it was 



