Page:Celtic Stories by Edward Thomas.djvu/129

Immediately the Emperor set forth with his army, and as he galloped over the mountains or walked up and down the ship he knew what was the difference between a dream and what is not a dream. He recognized the island far off. He landed, and galloped forward until he saw again the castle at the river's mouth. The gate was open and he entered. There sat Helen, the maiden whom he had seen in his sleep, and he bowed before her, saying, 'Empress of Rome, all hail!' She became his bride, and he gave her as a gift the island of Britain and the three lesser islands, and three castles to be built where she commanded. The highest she had made at Arvon, and the others at Caerlleon and Caermarthen. From one castle to another she made roads over the mountains right across Wales, and these are called to this day the roads of Helen; nor would the men of Britain have made these great roads except for her. To the castle at Arvon men brought Roman earth, so that the Emperor might sleep and sit and walk on native soil. He stayed there seven years, and the men of Rome were tired of waiting and made a new emperor. This man wrote a letter to Maxen containing only these words: 'If thou comest, and if thou ever comest to Rome.' And Maxen sent a letter back containing these words: 'If I come to Rome, and if I come.' Following the letter he led an army to the gates of Rome, and the brothers of Helen, the young men with auburn hair, took possession of the city for Maxen. There he ruled with Helen. As to the brothers they set forth again with a host. They conquered lands and castles and cities, and when their heads were grey they returned to Britain, taking with them some of the beautiful women of the conquered, whose tongues they had cut out lest they should spoil the speech of Britain.