The Druid King Read Online Free PDF Page B

had been previously arranged. And Caesar gave him a prearranged scowl of annoyance.
    “What, Gisstus?” he demanded harshly.
    “In the first place, there are other tribes between the lands of the Edui and Gallia Narbonensis, who may not appreciate—”
    “Why not allow them the benefit of the same arrangement?” Diviacx interrupted hastily.
    “He’s right, Gisstus,” Caesar said. “You just heard our friend say that the law of the druids crosses tribal boundaries.”
    “Well, what about Ariovistus and the Teutons?” said Gisstus. “We can hardly send engineers to build roads through territory overrun by savage marauders.”
    “There
is
that . . .” mused Caesar.
    “The threat is highly exaggerated,” Diviacx said. Unconvincingly. “Our warriors will protect them.”
    “They haven’t been doing that well protecting your own people lately, now, have they?” Gisstus said dryly.
    Diviacx had no answer to that, and Caesar let the ensuing unhappy silence go on a while before he deemed it appropriate to display his spontaneous inspiration.
    “I have an idea!” he exclaimed.
    “You do?” said Gisstus.
    “I’ll dispatch a Roman legion or two to rid your lands of the Teutons once and for all, Diviacx! I’ll lead it myself! I personally guarantee that Roman troops will make short work of such marauding horse barbarians! And since it won’t take long, the cost to you will be modest.”
    “The cost. . . ?”
    “The Senate of Rome can hardly be expected to finance an expedition to rescue a foreign land from rapine and plunder.
Someone
has to pay for it.”
    “I don’t know about this, Caesar . . .” Diviacx said unhappily.
    “Believe me, Diviacx, getting the money out of the Senate is a political impossibility,” Caesar said, quite truthfully. Having gotten him safely out of Rome, the last thing his enemies were about to do was finance his raising of an army at whose head he could return in triumph.
    Once more, Caesar let a silence go on for a long moment, then brought the drama to its happy climax.
    “Of course!” he cried, whacking his forehead with the heel of his hand as if angered at his own stupidity. “We’ll do it at a
profit
! To both of us!”
    “We will?”
    Now Caesar locked eyes with the druid, and if he lacked the power to peer into Diviacx’s soul, he lacked not the power to grant him a vision.
    “Why think of the Teutons as a liability, when they are in fact a valuable and abundant commodity?” he purred. “Physically robust, not excessively intelligent—ideal slaves for quarries, galleys, farm labor, if not households. And the best of them will fetch great prices as gladiators. You will pay the expense of collection, and we will split the profits right down the middle.”
    “Sell the Teutons into slavery?”
    Caesar favored Diviacx with a vulpine smile. “Have they been so gentle in the process of pillaging your lands and raping your women that selling into slavery the ones we do not slay would not sit well on the conscience of your people?”
    “Hardly,” said Diviacx, and broke into a grin himself.
    And Caesar knew that the deal was sealed.

III
    THE SIXSCORE HORSEMEN in the Roman cavalry formation Tretreated down the valley in good order, standard held high, as if this were a triumphant parade. Yet less than a mile behind them and gaining was a horde of Teutons numbering at least a thousand.
    The valley broadened out into a grassy plain behind the Teutons, but here it narrowed into a defile between lightly wooded hills, and whereas the Romans galloped along six abreast down the center, the Teutons surged forward in a wide front across the valley floor, jostling and racing one another to gain the front rank.
    The Romans wore identical black-brush-crested helmets, leather breastplates, and brownish-red cloaks, and were equipped with identical swords, shields, and lances. The Teutons were armed with weapons of every sort, and each of them boasted his own taste in