'No. I went to my Father, and said I should like to enter the Dacian
Horse (I had seen some at Aquae Sulis); but he said I had better begin
service in a regular Legion from Rome. Now, like many of our
youngsters, I was not too fond of anything Roman. The Roman-born
officers and magistrates looked down on us British-born as though we
were barbarians. I told my Father so.

"'I know they do," he said; "but remember, after all, we are the people
of the Old Stock, and our duty is to the Empire."

"'To which Empire?" I asked. "We split the Eagle before I was born."

"'What thieves' talk is that?" said my Father. He hated slang.

"'Well, sir," I said, "we've one Emperor in Rome, and I don't know how
many Emperors the outlying Provinces have set up from time to time.
Which am I to follow?"

"'Gratian," said he. "At least he's a sportsman."

"'He's all that," I said. "Hasn't he turned himself into a
raw-beef-eating Scythian?"

"'Where did you hear of it?" said the Pater.

"'At Aquae Sulis," I said. It was perfectly true. This precious
Emperor Gratian of ours had a bodyguard of fur-cloaked Scythians, and
he was so crazy about them that he dressed like them. In Rome of all
places in the world! It was as bad as if my own Father had painted
himself blue!

"'No matter for the clothes," said the Pater. "They are only the
fringe of the trouble. It began before your time or mine. Rome has
forsaken her Gods, and must be punished. The great war with the
Painted People broke out in the very year the temples of our Gods were
destroyed. We beat the Painted People in the very year our temples
were rebuilt. Go back further still." He went back to the time of
Diocletian; and to listen to him you would have thought Eternal Rome
herself was on the edge of destruction, just because a few people had
become a little large-minded.

'I knew nothing about it. Aglaia never taught us the history of our
own country. She was so full of her ancient Greeks.

"'There is no hope for Rome," said the Pater, at last. "She has
forsaken her Gods, but if the Gods forgive us here, we may save
Britain. To do that, we must keep the Painted People back. Therefore,
I tell you, Parnesius, as a Father, that if your heart is set on
service, your place is among men on the Wall--and not with women among
the cities."'

'What Wall?' asked Dan and Una at once.

'Father meant the one we call Hadrian's Wall. I'll tell you about it
later.