39^ STUDIES OF NATURE. 



fi iehds and vaflals moved folemnly around it, and, 

 from time to time, rent the air with fearful ci ies. 

 One of his kindred crofTed the river in a boar, and 

 addrefl'cd the King in thefe words: " Blood calls 

 *' for blood ; the Egyptian muft be put to death !'* 

 The King made no reply to this perfon ; but as 

 foon as he had retired, accofted me in thefe words : 

 " Your defence of yourfelf was perfedlly warrant- 

 *' able and legal ; but were this my perfonal quar- 

 ** rel, I iliould be under the neceflity of withdraw- 

 " ing from the confequences. If you remain, you 

 *' will be obliged, by the Laws, to fight, one after 

 " another, with all the kindred of Tor/fan^ who are 

 '' very numerous, and fooner or later fail you muft.. 

 " On the other hand, if I defend you againft them, 

 •* as I mean to do, this rifing city mufi: be in- 

 *' volved in your deftru(5lion; for the relations, the 

 *' friends, and the vaffals of Torjlan^ will afluredly 

 " come and lay fiege to it ; and they will be joined 

 *' by multitudes of the Gauls whom the Druids, ir- 

 *' ritated as they are againft you, are already excit- 

 *' ing to vengeance. Neverthelefs, be confident of 

 " this, you will here find men determined not to 

 " abandon you, be the danger ever fo threatening,'* 



He immediately iflued his orders to provide for 

 the fecurity of the city ; and inftantly the inhabi- 

 tants were feen in motion along the ramparts, re- 

 folved, to a man, to ftand a fiege in my defence. 



Here 



