278 The Arch-Druid : [SEPT. 



Scarcely had the Arch-Druid ceased, when a murmur arose at the 

 further end of the assembly, the clash of arms was heard, and presently 

 a spy burst through the throng, and after conversing apart for a few 

 minutes with the Arch-Druid, announced to those round the cromlech 

 that the Roman army was already encamped within four miles of the 

 forest, and then disappeared as suddenly as he had arrived. 



This intelligence seemed to take all parties by surprise ; but aware that 

 no time was to be lost, the Druids threw themselves into the body of their 

 countrymen, whom by look, gesture, and declamation, they excited to 

 the highest enthusiasm. As these priestly warriors moved to and fro 

 among their respective tribes, their appearance, heightened by the glare 

 of the torches, which fell with a sort of spectral radiance on their wild 

 and picturesque apparel, seemed more than mortal. The scene, too 

 and the hour and the solemn stillness of the vast patriarchal forest, 

 which was broken only at intervals by the savage yells of the Britons, 

 confirmed the spell of their influence ; and long before day-break, they 

 had arranged their plans, broken up their encampment, and the majo- 

 rity of them set forth, each at the head of his tribe, in the direction of 

 the Roman army. 



This last, on their parts, were equally desirous of bringing on a gene- 

 ral engagement. Aware that the Britons were assembled in vast num- 

 bers on the frontiers of the province, flushed with their late successes, 

 and confident of future triumphs, Sergius determined to await their 

 approach without the forest, well knowing that to attempt to penetrate 

 its recesses would almost ensure his destruction. Accordingly, at the 

 very hour when the Druids were busy offering up their sacrifices, he 

 commanded his troops to halt ; and having seen his directions scrupu- 

 lously fulfilled, the camp pitched at the outskirts of the broad plain of 

 Carrick-Sawthy, and the requisite preparations made for the morrow's 

 engagement, he retired alone to his tent. 



It was a calm night, the air was light and pleasant, and as Sergius sat 

 looking out towards the gloomy ridges of the Black Mountains, and the 

 Towy, which, tinselled by the star-light, wound like a silver thread 

 round the meadows at their base, he recognised the identical spot 

 where, but a short time before, he had seen Caradoc and Cartismancjua 

 brought captives to his tent. This recollection induced a train of no 

 very agreeable reflections. The uncertainty, too, which involved the 

 fate of the British prince, combined with the circumstance of 

 Sergius' s mysterious rencontre with Cartismandua at Rome, deepened 

 his pensive vein ; and he felt assured that while two such plotting 

 agents survived, his conquest of the Silures would be a task of no ordi- 

 nary difficulty. 



To escape these intrusive ideas, the soldier quitted his tent, and moved 

 towards an adjacent eminence, whence he could command a view of his 

 whole encampment. All there lay tranced in death-like slumber. The 

 watch-fires were burnt out; the unruffled standards drooped beside 

 the tents, and not a sound could be heard, but the measured tread of 

 the sentinel, as he paced to and fro along his post. After satisfying 

 himself that the outposts were properly secured, Sergius returned to 

 his tent, but had scarcely laid himself down to sleep when a slight 

 rustling was heard without ; the curtains were withdrawn, and Manlius 

 stood before him. There was an air of mingled sadness and determination 

 in his aspect that at once fixed the Dacian's notice. 



