nium, then, whence I shall sail for Gaul as soon as may be. We
will wait there, each for the other. If the barbarians sweep the country
widely, we may not at first be able to reach there."

"That is true," said Marius. "I have thought of that. Our best plan will
be to hold west from here, make a half circle and gain the Bibracte
road, and when the brutes are worrying the carcass here, return
eastward, passing them by the road, and so reach Londinium. The gods
grant that AEtius can spare me a legion!"

In the end they barely escaped. The slave on watch shouted warning; the
stewards flung themselves on their horses and made off. Varia ran into
the court, crying for Nerissa; without ado Marius lifted her into the
chariot, of which Wardo held the reins. The chariot of Eudemius, driven
by himself, was already rumbling through the gateway. There was a
terrified scurry of slaves from under his horses' feet. He swung into
the road and lashed the stallions to a gallop. Close at his heels Wardo
followed, his grays leaping in the traces, with Varia, white-faced,
crouched low in front of him. The hollow thunder of the wheels mingled
with the pounding of hoofs as they dashed into the oak-bordered road.
Marius swung himself to his horse's back as the beast reared with
excitement, found his stirrups, and galloped hard after, his sword
clapping against his greave. He did not see who followed through the
gate, for as he caught up with the flying chariots, the first of the
pursuers mounted the brow of the hill to the east of the house, not a
quarter of a mile away.

Some of them rode their horses into the courtyard; others took up the
trail of the fleeing Romans. But they were there for plunder; soon they
gave up the chase and galloped back to strive for their share with the
others. Those slaves who had been left behind or who were overtaken on
the road were slain; as the sun went down there began in the stately
halls an orgy which sounded to high heaven.

So when they had eaten and drunk until they could eat and drink no more,
they fought among themselves over the division of the spoils; and
between them all they killed their leader, Wulf the red son of Wulf.
Also, in their drunken frenzy, they tried to set the villa on fire. In
the midst of this, while they swept ravening through the rooms like
devouring flame, while every court held its knot of drunken brawlers,
who cursed and fought in darkness or under the flaring light of
cress