there you would not come back again; and instead of being very
much grieved, as I thought he would, he seemed quite pleased at the
idea. Of course he said he was sorry, but he did not really seem
to be, and he says he thought it would be very much better for me.
I thought he was grateful, father, and liked us very much, and now
I am quite disappointed in him."

Caius was silent for a minute or two.

"I do not think Beric is ungrateful," he said, "and I am sure that
he likes us, Berenice."

"He said he did, father, that he cared for us more than anyone except
his mother; but if he cared for us, surely he would be very, very
sorry for us to go away."

"Beric is a Briton, my dear, and we are Romans. By this time he
must have thoroughly learned his people's feelings towards us. I
have never believed, as some do, that Britain is as yet completely
conquered, and that when we have finished with the Silures in the
west our work will be completely done.

"Beric, who knows his countrymen, may feel this even more strongly
than I do, and may know that, sooner or later, there will be another
great effort on the part of the Britons to drive us out. It may be
a year, and it may be twenty, but I believe myself that some day we
shall have a fierce struggle to maintain our hold here, and Beric,
who may see this also, and who knows the feeling of his countrymen,
may wish that we should be away before the storm comes.