historic girls-第5章

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was　not。　The　misty　records　speak　of　her　determined　efforts；　and

though　it　is　hard　to　understand　how　a　girl　of　fifteen　can　do　any

thing　toward　successful　generalship；　much　can　be　granted　to　a

young　lady　who；　if　the　records　speak　truth；　was；　even　while　a

girl；　〃a　Minerva　in　wisdom；　and　not　deficient　in　statecraft。〃



So；　while　she　advised　with　her　father's　boldest　captains　and

strengthened　so　wisely　the　walls　of　ancient　Colchester；　or

Camalodunum；　that　traces　of　her　work　still　remain　as　proof　of　her

untiring　zeal；　she　still　cherished　the　hope　of　British　freedom

and　release　from　Rome。　And　the　loving　old　king；　deep　in　his

pleasures；　still　recognized　the　will　and　wisdom　of　his　valiant

daughter；　and　bade　his　artists　make　in　her　honor　a　memorial　that

should　ever　speak　of　her　valor。　And　this　memorial；　lately

unearthed；　and　known　as　the　Colchester　Sphinx；　perpetuates　the

lion…like　qualities　of　a　girl　in　her　teens；　who　dared　withstand

the　power　of　Imperial　Rome。



And　still　no　help　came　from　her　cousin；　the　admiral。　But　one　day

a　galley　speeding　up　the　Colne　brought　this　unsigned　message　to

King　Coel：



〃To　Coel；　Camalodunum；　Greeting：



〃Save　thyself。　Constantius　the　sallow…faced；　prefect　of　the

Western　praetorians；　is　even　now　on　his　way　from　Spain　to　crush

thy　revolt。　Save　thyself。　I　wait。　justice　will　come。〃



〃Thou　seest；　O　daughter；〃　said　King　Coel　as　Helena　read　the

craven　missive；　〃the　end　cometh　as　I　knew　it　would。　Well；　man　can

but　die。〃　And　with　this　philosophic　reflection　the　〃jolly　old

soul〃　only　dipped　his　red　nose　still　deeper　into　his　big　bowl；

and　bade　his　musicians　play　their　loudest　and　merriest。



But　Helena；　〃not　deficient　in　statecraft；〃　thought　for　both。　She

would　save　her　father；　her　country；　and　herself；　and　shame　her

disloyal　cousin。　Discretion　is　the　better　part　of　valor。　Let　us

see　how　discreet　a　little　lady　was　this　fair　young　Princess

Helena。



The　legions　came　to　Camalodunum。　Across　Gaul　and　over　the　choppy

channel　they　came；　borne　by　the　very　galleys　that　were　to　have

succored　the　British　king。　Up　through　the　mouth　of　Thames　they

sailed；　and　landing　at　Londinium；　marched　in　close　array　along

the　broad　Roman　road　that　led　straight　up　to　the　gates　of

Camalodunum。　Before　the　walls　of　Camalodunum　was　pitched　the

Roman　camp；　and　the　British　king　was　besieged　in　his　own

palace…town。



The　Roman　trumpets　sounded　before　the　gate　of　the　beleaguered

city；　and　the　herald　of　the　prefect；　standing　out　from　his　circle

of　guards；　cried　the　summons　to　surrender：



Coel　of　Britain；　traitor　to　the　Roman　people　and　to　thy　lord　the

Emperor；　hear　thou！　I　n　the　name　of　the　Senate　and　People　of

Rome；　I；　Constantius　the　prefect；　charge　thee　to　deliver　up　to

them　ere　this　day's　sun　shall　set；　this；　their　City　of

Camalodunum；　and　thine　own　rebel　body　as　well。　Which　done　they

will　in　mercy　pardon　the　crime　of　treason　to　the　city；　and　will

work　their　will　and　punishment　only　upon　theethe　chief　rebel。

And　if　this　be　not　done　within　the　appointed　time；　then　will　the

walls　of　this　their　town　of　Camalodunum　be　overthrown；　and　thou

and　all　thy　people　be　given　the　certain　death　of　traitors。〃



King　Coel　heard　the　summons；　and　some　spark　of　that　very

patriotism　that　had　inspired　and　incited　his　valiant　little

daughter　flamed　in　his　heart。　He　would　have　returned　an　answer　of

defiance。　〃I　can　at　least　die　with　my　people；〃　he　said；　but　young

Helena　interposed。



〃Leave　this　to　me；　my　father；〃　she　said。　〃As　I　have　been　the

cause；　so　let　me　be　the　end　of　trouble。　Say　to　the　prefect　that

in　three　hours'　time　the　British　envoy　will　come　to　his　camp　with

the　king's　answer　to　his　summons。〃



The　old　king　would　have　replied　otherwise；　but　his　daughter's

entreaties　and　the　counsels　of　his　captains　who　knew　the

hopelessness　of　resistance；　forced　him　to　assent；　and　his　herald

made　answer　accordingly。



Constantius　the　prefecta　manly；　pleasant。　looking　young

commander；　called　Chlorus　or　〃the　sallow；〃　from　his　pale

face；sat　in　his　tent　within　the　Roman　camp。　The　three　hours'

grace　allowed　had　scarcely　expired　when　his　sentry　announced　the

arrival　of　the　envoy　of　Coel　of　Britain。



〃Bid　him　enter；〃　said　the　prefect。　Then；　as　the　curtains　of　his

tent　were　drawn　aside；　the　prefect　started　in　surprise；　for　there

before　him　stood；　not　the　rugged　form　of　a　British　fighting　man；

but　a　fair　young　girl；　who　bent　her　graceful　head　in　reverent

obeisance　to　the　youthful　representative　of　the　Imperial　Caesars。



〃What　would'st　thou　with　me；　maiden？〃　asked　the　prefect。



〃I　am　the　daughter　of　Coel　of　Britain；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　I　am

come　to　sue　for　pardon　and　for　peace。〃



〃The　Roman　people　have　no　quarrel　with　the　girls　of　Britain；〃

said　the　prefect。　〃Hath　then　King　Coel　fallen　so　low　in　state

that　a　maiden　must　plead　for　him？〃



〃He　hath　not　fallen　at　all；　O　Prefect；〃　replied　the　girl　proudly；

〃the　king；　my　father；　would　withstand　thy　force　but　that　I；　his

daughter；　know　the　cause　of　this　unequal　strife；　and　seek　to　make

terms　with　the　victors。〃



The　girl's　fearlessness　pleased　the　prefect；　for　Constantius

Chlorus　was　a　humane　and　gentle　man；　fierce　enough　in　fight；　but

seeking　never　to　needlessly　wound　an　enemy　or　lose　a　friend。



〃And　what　are　thy　terms；　fair　envoy　of　Britain？〃　he　demanded。



〃These；　O　Prefect；〃　replied　Helena；　〃If　but　thou　wilt　remove　thy

cohorts　to　Londinium；　I　pledge　my　father's　faith　and　mine；　that

he　will；　within　five　days；　deliver　to　thee　as　hostage　for　his

fealty；　myself　and　twenty　children　of　his　councillors　and

captains。　And　further；　I；　Helena　the　princess；　will　bind　myself

to　deliver　up　to　thee；　with　the　hostages；　the　chief　rebel　in　this

revolt；　and　the　one　to　whose　counselling　this　strife　with　Rome　is

due。〃



Both　the　matter　and　the　manner　of　the　offered　terms　still　further

pleased　the　prefect；　and　he　said：　〃Be　it　so；　Princess。〃　Then

summoning　his　lieutenant；　he　said：　〃Conduct　the　envoy　of　Coel　of

Britain　with　all　courtesy　to　the　gates　of　the　the　city；〃　and　with

a　herald's　escort　the　girl　returned　to　her　father。



Again　the　old　king　rebelled　at　the　terms　his　daughter　had　made。



〃I　know　the　ways　of　Rome；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　what　their　mercy

meaneth。　Thou　shalt　never　go　as　hostage　for　my　faith；　O　daughter；

nor　carry　out　this　hazardous　plan。〃



〃I　have　pledged　my　word　and　thine；　O　King；〃　said　Helena。　〃Surely

a　Briton's　pledge　should　be　as　binding　as　a　Roman's。〃



So　she　carried　her　point；　and；　in　five　days'　time；　she；　with

twenty　of　the　boys　and　girls　of　Camalodunum；　went　as　hostages　to

the　Roman　camp　in　London。



〃Here　be　thy　hostages；　fair　Princess；〃　said　Constantius　the

prefect　as　he　received　the　children；　〃and　this　is　well。　But

remember　the　rest　of　thy　compact。　Deliver　to　me　now；　according　to

thy　promise；　the　chief　rebel　against　Rome。〃



〃She　is　here；　O　Prefect；〃said　the　intrepid　girl。　I　am　that

rebelHelena　of　Britain！〃



The　smile　upon　the　prefect's　face　changed　to　sudden　sternness。



〃Trifle　not　with　Roman　justice；　girl；〃　he　said；　〃I　demand　the

keeping　of　thy　word。〃



〃It　is　kept；〃　replied　the　princess。　〃Helena　of　Britain　is　the

cause　and　motive　of　this　revolt　against　Rome。　If　it　be　rebellion

for　a　free　prince　to　claim　his　own；　if　it　be　rebellion　for　a

prince　to　withstand　for　the　sake　of　his　people　the　unjust　demands

of　the　conqueror；　if　it　be　rebellion　for　one　who　loveth　her

father　to　urge　that　father　to　valiant　deeds　in　defence　of　the

liberties　of　the　land　over　which　he　ruleth　as　king；　then　am　I　a

rebel；　for　I　have　done　all　these；　and　only　because　of　my　words

did　the　king；　my　father；　take　up　arms　against　the　might　and　power

of　Rome。　I　am　the　chief　rebel。　Do　with　me　as　thou　wilt。〃



And　now　the　prefect　saw　that　the　girl　spoke　the　truth；　and　that

she　had　indeed　kept　her　pledge。



〃Thy　father　and　his　city　are　pardoned；〃　he　announced　after　a　few

moments　of　deliberation。　〃Remain　thou　here；　thou　and　thy

companions；　as　hostages　for　Britain；　until　such　time　as　I　shall

determine　upon　the　punishment　due　to　one　who　is　so　fierce　a　rebel

against　the　power　of　Rome。〃



So　the　siege　of　Camalodunum　was　raised；　and　the　bloodless

rebellion　ended。　Constantius　the　prefect　took　up　his　residence

for　a　while　within　King　Coel's　city；　and　at　last　returned　to　his

command　in　Gaul　and　Spain；　well　pleased　with　the　spirit　of　the

little　maiden　whom；　so　he　claimed；　he　still　held　in　his　power　as

the　prisoner　of　Rome。



Constantius　the　prefect　came　again　to　Britain；　and　with　a　greater

following；　fully　ten　years　after　King　Coel's　revolt；　for　now；

again；　rebellion　was　afoot　in　the　island　province。



Carausius　the　admiral；　biding　his　time；　sought　at　last　to　carry

out　his　scheme　of　sole　supremacy。　Sailing　with　his　entire

war…fleet　to　Britain；　he　won　the　legions　to　his　side；　proclaimed

himself　Emperor　of　Britain；　and　defied　the　power　of　Rome。



So　daring　and　successful　was　his　move　that　Rome　for　a　time　was

powerless。　Carausius　was　recognized　as　〃associate〃　emperor　by

Rome；　until　such　time　as　she　should　be　ready　to　punish　his

rebellion；　and　for　seven　years　he　reigned　as　emperor　of　Britain。



But　ere　this　came　to　pass；　Helena　the　princess　had　gone　over　to

Gaul；　and　had　become　the　wife　of　Constantius　the　prefect；〃Since

only　thus；〃　said　he；　〃may　I　keep　in　safe　custody　this　prisoner　of

Rome。〃



The　imperial　power　of　Carausius　was　but　short…lived。　Crafty

himself；　he　fell　a　victim　to　the　craft　of　others；　and　the　sword

of　Allectus；　his　chief　minister　and　most　trusted　confidant；　ended

his　life　when　once　again　the　power　of　Rome　seemed　closing　about

the　little　kingdom　of　Britain。



Constantius　became　governor　of　Britain；　and　finally　caesar　and

emperor。　But；　long　before　that　day　arrived；　the　Princess　Helena

had　grown　into　a　loyal　Roman　wife　and　mother；　dearly　loving　her

little　son　Constantine；　who；　in　after　years；　became　the　first　and

greatest　Christian　emperor　of　Rome。



She　bestowed　much　loving　care　upon　her　native　province　of

Britain。　She　became　a　Christian　even　before　her　renowned　son　had

his　historic　vision　of　the　flaming　cross。　When　more　than　eighty

years　old　she　made　a　pilgrimage　to　the　Holy　Land。　There　she　did

many　good　and　kindly　deeds；　erected　temples　above　the　Sepulchre

of　the　Saviour；　at　his　birthplace　at　Bethlehem；　and　on　the　Mount

of　Olives。　She　is　said；　also；　to　have　discovered　upon　Calvary　the

cross；　upon　which　had　suffered　and　died　the　Saviour　she　had

learned　to　worship。



Beloved　throughout　her　long　and　useful　life　she　was　canonized

after　her　death；　and　is　now　recognized　one　of　the　saints　of　the

Romish　church。



To…day　in　the　city　of　London　you　may　see　the　memorial　church

reared　to　her　memorythe　Church　of　Great　St。　Helena；　in

Bishopgate。　A　loving；　noble；　wonderful；　and　zealous　woman；　she　is

a　type　of　the　brave　young　girlhood　of　the　long　ago；　and；　howev