The Celtic Maiden: A Story of Ancient Britain

THE
CELTIC
MAIDEN. A
STORY
OF
ANCIENT
BRITAIN. BY
PROFESSOR
WILLARD DONE. CHAPTER III. As Claudius stood absorbed in silent reverie, he saw the wor- shipers disperse. He was astonished at the varied conditions of life represented in the little group. Though they were scarcely more than a score in number, there were among them patrician officers, plebeian soldiers, Roman attendants and alien slaves. He observed, also, that both sexes mingled together on terms of per- fect equality, and with the greatest respect. He saw the slave maiden, whom he had purchased five years before as a soulless chattel, treated with respect — almost with veneration — by Roman officers of higher rank than himself. Then a great light burst upon the soul of Claudius, and he began to see that there was something in the new creed, the religion of Christ — which gave to this maiden sanctity in his own eyes, and caused her to be re- garded not only as an equal, but with reverence by those whom paganism made her superiors. And now he understood why, in her presence, he himself had been subdued, and his tumultuous thoughts and feelings quelled. It was the soul of sanctity and ,purity, manifested in one of the kind that he had been taught to regard as soulless. As the young man stood in the moonlight, racked with con- flicting thoughts, the last of the worshipers dispersed, and the" only sound he heard was the shout of revelry and the drunken jest from the group he had left an hour before.
Under the influence

• THE CELTIC MAIDEN. 255 of the ribald noise, he experienced a revulsion of feeling, and was tempted to rush in among the revelers and drown his thoughts. He had commenced a rapid walk toward the festive house, when a startling thing happened and arrested his steps. The light of the moon fell full on the path which led into the dense wood. Across this interval of space and light, dark-robed, sombre figures were passing. Claudius was both startled and interested by the incident. He walked rapidly toward the spot, and peered anxiously into the dense undergrowth of timber whither the mysterious figures had gone.
He could not see them. He had no idea how to account for the strange occurrence, and yet he felt that it possessed some significance. Recklessly he plunged into the wood, guided by the sound of footsteps. In the meantime, the group which Claudius had left an hour before, was indulging deeply in the pleasures of wine. Under its influence they were fast becoming ripe for any adventure, inno- cent or criminal. Naturally, their thoughts and conversation turned on the quarrel between Claudius and Decius. Words rose higher and higher, his friends chafiing Decius, and bantering him to a deeper animosity toward Claudius. "A quarrel," said one, "over a mere piece of property, and its imaginary feelings and honor, is beneath you, my Decius." "But the quarrel did not begin there," said Decius. "He was ready to twit me with indulgence in wine; why not I him with the amours with women?" "And what women! What a range of choice, from the patri- cian to the slave!
But why was the slave alone defended?" Decius' answer was accompanied by a flippant shrug. "She is the newest — the present one ! The others are discarded for the time. Let him tire of her, and her safety or danger will be of no concern to him." He cares not for her safety now," said one of the group. "A test is easy, my comrades." As he spoke, he took from a closet a collection of masks. A shout of applause greeted the suggestive action. He threw the door open and peered out. Just at that moment, the singing which had attracted the attention of Claudius sounded sacredly through the still air.
But it had no softening

256 IMPROVEMENT ERA. effect on the debauchees. The door was closed amid a roar of de- risive laughter. But the leader of the carousers had caught sight of the awe- struck figure of Claudius standing at his tent door, and drinking the music into his soul. Turning to one of his slaves, he gave the command, "Keep Claudius in sight, but let him not know that he is watched." Then turning to his companions, "We separate into two parties; I lead one, you, Julius, the other. Decius comes with me. We sieze Claudius, you the girl. When the two are brought together in a remote portion of the wood, our course will be de- cided on. Remember, silence and caution. The prize is worth the game." Lest the silence should prove a warning to the intended vic- tims, the speaker broke into a roystering, boisterous song, in which the others joined with gusto. In the meanwhile the slave's vigilance was undiminished. At length he reported the dispers- ing of the group of worshipers, and, a few moments -later, the hurried departure of Claudius toward the dark wood. Immediately the men separated into two parties, and each started on its errand. As Claudius plunged from the lighted path into the dense darkness of the wood, the group of masked men followed at such an angle as to intercept him. Before he knew of their approach, they were almost upon him. He had time only to draw his sword and make one blind thrust into darkness, but that thrust disabled the leader of the attacking party. Decius sprang over the prostrate form of his leader, in whose fall Claudius' sword was entangled, and seconded by his companions, disarmed Claudius and held him prisoner. "I know your touch and your presence," exclaimed Claudius, "you are Decius !
You answer for this to the imperator." No reply was made; and soon, bound, blind-folded, and gagged, he was carried to the meeting place agreed upon. In the meantime, the other party had been intent upon its task. They were guided by the slave, who had followed the girl in her meditative walk after the service. Her head was bowed in grief, as she thought of her forlorn condition, as the slave of a man who, though noble in feeling and sentiment, was the victim of base companionship.
She
had - heard the sounds of
revelry

THE CELTIC MAIDEN. 257 which profaned the moonlit air; and she knew that such carousing was only one phase of the life of baseness into which a man of great native force and purity had been betrayed by the profligacy of the times. For must not the snow be tinged with stain when it falls through the blackened, smoke-laden air of a city, though it lies white and pure as cleansed wool on country lanes and desert wastes? So had the life of this young man fallen, amid blacken- ing, sin-stained customs of a decaying, profligate civilization; so had his soul partaken of that darkness. Even so, was it in need of the cleansing. Yet she remembered with pleasure, that in her ministering to him, she had seen the purest, brightest side of his character; and with a feeling of pardonable pride, she acknowl- edged to herself that, infinitely below him though she was in the artificial scale of social life, she was able at intervals to lift him up to higher ideals and to better thoughts. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by hurried footsteps, approaching from two directions. From the left, there suddenly loomed up before her, large, uncouth, black-robed figures, — men with long, white beards, and aspect at once fierce and venerable. Behind her were six young, lithe, active men, with faces whose masked portions gleamed with reckless dissipation. Rooted to the spot with fear, she uttered a silent prayer. One of the strange group seized her, and as the young men rushed toward him with drawn swords, the others flourishing swords and axes, formed a line of defense. The conflict was short, but fierce. Seven men fell beneath the blows of the suddenly sobered young Romans; but in compensation, all of these had been slain. And the helpless, shrieking girl was borne by the weird figures into the wood. Calmly, the moon shone down upon the stiflPening corpses — mute witnesses to the fate of the hapless maiden — but she herself was as if the earth had swallowed her. Long the men who held Claudius prisoner, waited in silence for their confederates. Then their complacency gave way to anx- iety, and this to a nameless dread. Three of the men were silently despatched to discover the cause of the delay. Half an hour later, they returned with blanched faces, and beckoned the others to follow. The moon was approaching the horizon, and only slanting rays shone on the
ghastly scene.
Anxiously
and

258 IMPROVEMENT ERA. hastily, the leaders turned the weird figures and faces to the moon- light. "Ye Gods! the Druids!"* The words were full of undefinable terror. Claudius, though sightless and voiceless, had heard. With the subtile sense which deep anxiety often develops, he associated his Christian slave witk the name of dread. He turned toward Decius, whose undisguised voice, in the involuntary exclamation, he had just heard. His attitude was one of intense questioning, Decius felt the force of the blind and dumb appeal and rebuke, but he made no sign. De- tailing two of the men to carry the prisoner to the scene of the night's revelry, he instructed the others to dispose of the dead bodies. As the last ghastly form disappeared beneath the newly turned sod, Decius turned away and sought his tent. The moon sank behind the forest trees, her light struggling fitfully through their majestic ranks, and the darkness and chill of the hour, before the dawn fell upon the camp. And chill, and dark, and gloomy were the spirits of the men who, a few brief hours before, caroused and sang and shouted. CHAPTER IV. The camp had become thoroughly alarmed over the events of the night, and an investigation was set on foot by the imperator. When Claudius was carried back, and Decius had returned, the former was at once released from his bonds, and both were placed under arrest and carried before their commander. Claudius was wild with impatience. He knew that his slave was in danger, but he did not fully know its nature or extent. He was not allowed to question Decius regarding the events of the night. * The Druids were heathen priests in ancient Gaul and Britain. They were regarded with great reverence by the Celtic races. The great stone altars and circles at Stonehenge, and other places in England and France, are supposed to have been temples of worship and sacrifice, erected by the Druids. The best authorities on the worship of this priestly class are of opinion that human sacrifice formed a part of their religious observances. The victims chosen for sacrifice were often the purest, noblest and most beautiful of their people.

THE CELTIC MAIDEN. 259 and his impatience
was
increased
by
the
vagueness
of
his knowledge. At length he and Decius stood before the imperator. Thither also, witnesses of the night's events had been summoned. The questioning was brief, but the facts brought out were like hot irons to the soul of Claudius. When the discovery of the bodies of the Druids was mentioned, Claudius started to his feet, and con- fronted Decius. "And you kept me blind and dumb and helpless when you knew that my slave was exposed to nameless danger?" Decius' sole answer was a supercilious, indifferent smile. Mastering his anger, and turning respectfully to the imper- ator, Claudius said, "I crave but one favor, I care not what is decided against me, nor against him who has so wronged me. I ask only permission to take a small command and rescue the maiden. When I return, the question of this man's punishment, or mine, can be decided. I ask that she be saved from her peril first-, and without delay." The imperator had seen and heard enough to determine his decision. He turned to Claudius and told him he was exonerated, and at liberty to attempt the rescue of the girl. "But," he said, in a deprecating tone, "do you think it worth the effort? She is but a slave, and surely she can be replaced with no danger and but little cost— " "She can never be replaced," Claudius interrupted almost angrily. "Eheu!" drawled Decius,
in a
mocking voice.
"My poor Claudius is no
longer master
even
of himself.
This beautifu slave is his owner, not he hers." "Enough!" said the im.perator, sternly interrupting Claudius' angry rejoinder. Still more sternly he continued: "Decius, you have inspired rebellion in the camp. For the sake of a personal quarrel, you have endangered the lives of my soldiers. You have broken your oath, as an officer, to preserve discipline and respect order! You are placed under arrest, so to remain during my pleasure.
Guards, secure him !" No one knew just how it happened, the thing was so quickly done. Decius sprang to his feet and felled with his fist the fore- most guard.
The
advance of the others was checked for
one

250 IMPROVEMENT ERA. instant, and that delay gave Decius his freedom. Darting like lightning to the door, he reached the open space without. Seizing sword and shield from a startled soldier, he rushed into the forests near the camp. As he disappeared from view, these words were flung back to the imperator's tent: "Let Claudius seek his slave- mistress, and his friend Decius ; for, by Jupiter, he will find us close together!" They knew that immediate pursuit was useless, for the forests were full of malcontents who had long since deserted from the Roman standard, and would gladly welcome and protect such a leader as Decius. Claudius at once left the imperator's tent, and organized his party of rescu«rs; and before the sun had risen, weary though he was, he had commenced the march. In the meantime, the captors of the unfortunate girl were making a hurried march toward their forest fastnesses. They offered her no violence. Indeed, their manner toward her was most respectful — almost reverential. They apparently knew that she was of the same race with themselves. They would as soon think of defiling one of their sanctuaries in the ancient woods, as of offering insult to such a one. And yet the girl's soul was possessed by a sickening dread. She knew something of the mystic rituals the Druids performed i» secret places, and the very reverence shown her was a confirmation of her fears. She walked with bowed head, but occasionally she raised her eyes toward heaven, in mute appeal for succor. As they plunged farther and farther into the woods, they slackened their speed, and occasionally stopped to rest. By a process known only to men accustomed to life in the forest, they carefully obliterated their trail, thus securing themselves from danger of immediate pursuit. To the girl, the sight of the stately forests from which she had been carried to Rome six years before, brought back vivid memories. She recalled her father; she thought of the anguish it caused him when wife and children were torn from him by the ruthless hand of Rome. She thought of the mother and brother from whom she had been dragged by her Roman owner. Then she thought of the playmate who had wan- dered with
her through those woods, his springtime heart over-

THE CELTIC MAIDEN. *
261 flowing with devotion, his boyish hands always ready to help her. She was surprised at the clearness with which these memories came back to her, and the feelings they inspired. She was pos- sessed with a sense almost of serene content, like the feeling of a long absent traveler returning to his native woods. After several days of journeying, during which time they stopped for occasional rest and refreshment in British villages, they reached a plain. Here were strange stone structures, hidden from the outer world by a circular wall formed of immense stones set on one end and surmounted by stone caps. Within this outer cir- cle was a smaller one, surrounding two ovals and a large, flat stone. The solemnity of the demeanor of the m.aiden's venerable con- ductors was intensified, as they came in view of the cairn, and joined a concourse which had already assembled there. They were performing mystic rites, which were awe-inspiring in their weird- ness. Stately figures, robed in white, formed in procession, and marched around the outer circle, chanting solemnly and burning incense. The reverent figures, the solemn incantations, the light of torches, and the smoke of the incense, added to the stateliness of the stone structure, produced a feeling of profound awe in the hearts of spectators. These things the maiden saw as she was led toward the chant- ing priests. The secret rites were new and strange to her. Al- though they produced in her a feeling of awe, appealing to her sense of the mystical and sublime, yet to her Christian soul they were revolting, pagan mummery. She stood there drinking in all the beauty of the scene, and trying to fathom its meaning. Soon the ceremonies were concluded, and the participants approached the girl's escorts and held an earnest consultation with them. Then they retired to their tents for the night. The maiden was given some female attendants, who led her to one of the most luxurious tents, bathed and anointed her, gave her of their choicest food, and bade her go to rest. Lying on the downy couch provided for her, she thought of the strange events of the preceding days, unt i lulled by the slow singing of her attendants, she fell into a dream- less sleep. Long before dawn, she was awakened
by the bustling move-

i462 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ments of her attendants. From the scraps of conversation, she was able to understand, she learned that they were at a general ren- dezvous of the Dniidical priests, where they had gathered to par- ticipate in mystic rites. Those who had captured her were from a distant part of the island. They had found her while on their way to the gathering place. Why they had brought her — what part they expected her to take in the mysterious ceremonies — her at- tendants did not say. When they saw that she was avv'ake, they approached her with the greatest deference, and anticipated her every wish. As the day broke, she heard joyous chantings from the wood which bordered the plain. Looking in that direction, she saw a proces- sion of white-robed priests, emerging from the wood. They bore branches of mistletoe which they had cut from oaks with golden . sickles at midnight. With reverent, joyous songs, they bore the sacred plant toward the cairn. The girl was quickly dressed, and again choice food was pro- vided for her repast. Then a white robe was placed on her, and she was escorted without the tent, where the priests bearing the mistletoe received her. Bowing before her repeatedly, they crowned her with wreaths of mistletoe, and led her toward the cairn. Wonderingly she followed. The outer and the inner circle were passed, and they stopped before a large, flat stone. (to be continued). A MISSIONARY'S FAREWELL TO MARGUERITE. {Por the Improvement Era.) Farewell, ray Marguerite, for I must leave thee now — A last fond look within thy sad, dark eyes, Reflecting glories rare of Paradise — Then love's soft, clinging kisses on thy fair, white brow. It is so hard to part, my own, my Marguerite — There, lay thy head once more upon my breast. That e'er shall be thine own safe place of rest, When, after years of parting, we shall meet.