city atthe Hot Swamp, so that all who are sick may go to that beautiful countryand find health, as I did. And I want your help in this scheme."
"That is well, prince, but I see not how I can aid you. I am not anengineer, who could carry out your devices, nor an architect who couldplan your dwellings. And I am too old for manual labour--though, ofcourse, it is not for that you want me."
"You are right, Beniah. It is not for that. I have as many strong andwilling hands to work as I require, but I want wise heads, full of yearsand experience, which may aid me in council and guard me from theblunders of youth and inexperience. Besides, man was not, it seems tome, put into this world merely to enjoy himself. If he was, then arethe brutes his superiors, for they have no cares, no anxieties aboutfood or raiment, or housing, and they enjoy themselves to the full aslong as their little day lasts. There is surely some nobler end forman, and as you have given much study to the works and ways and reputedwords of the All-seeing One, I want you to aid me in helping men to lookupward--to soar like the eagle above the things of earth, as well as toconsider the interests of others, and so, as far as may be, unlearnselfishness. Will you join me for this end?"
"That will I, with joy," answered the Hebrew with kindling eye; "butyour ambition soars high, prince. Have you spoken to Branwen on thesesubjects?"
"Of course I have, and she, like a true woman, enters heartily into myplans. Like myself, she does not think that being wedded and happy isthe great end of life, but only the beginning of it. When the weddingis over, our minds will then be set free to devote ourselves to thegreat work before us."
"And what duties in the work will fall to the lot of Branwen?" askedBeniah, with an amused look.
"The duties of a wife, of course," returned the prince. "She will lenda sympathetic ear to all plans and proposals; her ingenious imaginationwill suggest ideas that might escape my grosser mind; her brilliantfancy will produce combinations that my duller brain would never thinkof; her hopeful spirit will encourage me to perseverance where accidentor disaster has a tendency to demoralise, and her loving spirit willcomfort me should failure, great or small, be permitted to overtake me.All this, I admit, sounds very selfish, but you asked me what partBranwen should play in regard to _my_ schemes. If you had asked me whatpart I am to play in her life and work, the picture might be inverted tosome extent--for our lives will be mutual--though, of course, I cannever be to her what she will be to me."
With this exalted idea of the married state, Prince Bladud lookedforward to his wedding. Whether Dromas was imbued with similar ideas wecannot tell; but of this we are sure, that he was equally devoted to theprincess--as far as outward appearance went--and he entered with keenestzest and appreciation into the plans and aspirations of his friend, withregard to the welfare of mankind in general, and the men of Albion inparticular.
Not many days after that there was a double wedding at Hudibras town,which created a tremendous sensation throughout all the land. For,although news travelled slowly in those days, the fame of Bladud and hiswonderful cure, and his great size and athletic powers, coupled with hisEastern learning, and warlike attainments and peaceful proclivities, notto mention the beauty and romantic adventures of his bride, had madesuch an impression on what may be styled the whole nation, that notedchiefs came from all parts far and near, to his wedding, bringing asmany of their distinguished followers with them as they deemed necessaryto safe travelling in an unsettled country. Some even came from thegreat western island called Erin, and others from the remote isle of thenorth which lay beyond Gadarn's country, and was at a later period namedUltima Thule.
"I wonder when they're going to stop coming," remarked Gadarn to KingHudibras, as the self-invited guests came pouring in.
"Let them come," replied the jovial king, with the air of a man ofunlimited means. "The more the merrier. There's room for all, and theforests are big."
"Some of them, I see," rejoined Gadarn, "are my mortal foes. We shallnow have a chance of becoming mortal friends."
It might be supposed that the assemblage of such a host from all pointsof the compass would, as it is sometimes expressed, eat King Hudibrasout of house and home; but this was not so, for it was the custom atthat time for visitors at royal courts to hunt for their victuals--to goin, as it were, for a grand picnic on a continuous basis, so that thepalace of our king, instead of being depleted, became surfeited withfood. As his preserves were extensive, and game of all kinds abundant,the expense attendant on this kind of hospitality was _nil_.
It would have been very much the reverse had it been necessary to supplydrink, but the art of producing liquids which fuddle, stupefy, andmadden, had not yet been learnt in this country. Consequently there wasno fighting or bloodshed at those jovial festivities, though there was acertain amount of quarrelling--as might be expected amongst independentmen who held different opinions on many subjects, although politics andtheology had not yet been invented.
Great were the rejoicings when it was discovered, by each band as itarrived, that there was to be a double wedding; that the PrincessHafrydda was to be one of the brides, and that the fortunate man who hadwon her was a famous warrior of the mysterious East, and one of thevictors at the great games of that part of the world.
How the ceremony of marriage was performed we have not, after the mostpainstaking research, been able to ascertain; but that it was performedsomehow, and to the satisfaction of all concerned, we are absolutelycertain, from the fact that Bladud and Branwen, Dromas and Hafrydda,lived happily together as man and wife for many years afterwards, andbrought up large families of stalwart sons and daughters to strengthenthe power and increase the prestige of Old Albion.
This, however, by the way. Of course the chief amusement of the guestswas games, followed by songs and dancing in the evenings. And one ofthe favourite amusements at the games was scientific boxing, for thatwas an entirely new art to the warriors, alike of Albion, Erin, andUltima Thule.
It first burst upon their senses as a new and grand idea when Bladud andDromas, at the urgent request of their friends, stepped into the arenaand gave a specimen of the manner in which the art was practised inHellas. Of course they did not use what we call knuckle-dusters, nordid they even double their fists, except when moving round each other,and as "gloves" were unknown, they struck out with the hands half open,for they had no wish to bleed each other's noses or black each other'seyes for mere amusement.
At the beginning it was thought that Dromas was no match at all for thegigantic Bladud, but when the wonderful agility of the former was seen--the ease with which he ducked and turned aside his head to evade blows,and the lightning speed with which he countered, giving a touch on theforehead or a dig in the ribs, smiling all the time as if to say, "Howd'ye like it?" men's minds changed with shouts of surprise andsatisfaction. And they highly approved of the way in which thechampions smilingly shook hands after the bout was over--as they haddone before it began.
They did not, however, perceive the full value of the art until anambitious young chief from Ultima Thule--a man of immense size andrugged mould with red hair--insisted on Dromas giving him a lesson. Theman from Hellas declined at first, but the man from Thule was urgent,and there seemed to be a feeling among the warriors that the youngHellene was afraid.
"It is so difficult," he explained, "to hit lightly and swiftly thatsometimes an unintentionally hard blow is given, and men are apt to losetheir tempers."
This was received with a loud laugh by the Thuler.
"What! _I_ lose my temper on account of a friendly buffet! Besides, Ishall take care not to hit hard--you need not fear."
"As you will," returned Dromas, with a good-humoured smile.
The Thuler stood up and allowed his instructor to put him in the correctattitude. Then the latter faced him and said, "Now, guard yourself."
Next moment his left hand shot out and gently touched his opponent'snose. The Thuler received the touch with what he deemed an orthodoxsmile and trie
d to guard it after it had been delivered.
Then he struck out with his left--being an apt pupil--but Dromas drewback and the blow did not reach him. Then he struck out smartly withhis right, but the Hellene put his head to one side and let it pass.Again he struck out rapidly, one hand after the other, without much carewhether the blows were light or heavy. Dromas evaded both withoutguarding, and, in reply, gave the Thuler a smartish touch on hisunfortunate nose.
This was received by the assemblage with a wild shout of surprise anddelight, and the Thuler became grave; collected himself as if for realbusiness, and suddenly let out a shower of blows which, had they takeneffect, would soon have ended the match, but his blows only fell on air,for Dromas evaded them with ease, returning every now and then a tap onthe old spot or a touch on the forehead. At last, seeing
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