directly to some tents, which, as I learn from the Scythian, are occupied by the wives and children of the great king."

"What!" said Rutilius, "do the Orientals bring their women and children to look at the grisly face of war?"

"Such is their habit," replied his uncle; "in which I have a further reason than you think for being interested. In the Persian inroad which followed our defeat last year, many Romans were carried into a distant captivity, and among them a noble maiden, with whose fate is bound up my own happiness. For her sake it was that I volunteered to join this expedition, from which my services might have given me an exemption; and the report of the Scythian leads me to suspect that she is now in attendance on the wife of Narses. And now, young man, observe my words. In this attack all will be bent on plunder; for I expect that no effectual resistance will be made by the Persian army. Let me have your aid, therefore, in my attempt to penetrate directly to the tents of these Persian women, and to secure all whom it contains."

Rutilius readily promised his assistance, though he would gladly have known something more respecting the object of his uncle's solicitude, and was surprised at learning the existence of feelings of which he supposed the rugged soldier to be destitute. He received from Marcellus all the information which Mamgo had supplied respecting the situa

tion and distinguishing marks of the tents towards which their efforts were to be directed, and which Marcellus had fancied that he could dimly descry on the preceding evening. The description was no sooner given than they received the signal to advance in perfect silence, unbroken save by the occasional ringing of some legionary's sword as he stumbled against a projecting rock or tree, the Romans moved on in several columns. On their way they were joined by the small body of Scythians, who, on a signal from Mamgo, left the Persian lines. The column which Marcellus commanded was the first to appear upon the plain, and, after forming into line, to draw their swords and to clash with them upon their bucklers, as they rushed against the nearest portion of the enemy's encampment. The confusion which followed was what Xenophon has described as the result of a night-attack upon an Eastern army. The Persians hurried forth from their tents to caparison their horses, which were tethered at considerable intervals; and some time was lost in removing the shackles with which they were commonly secured. Before their work was completed, the assailants were at hand; and fortunate were those who could escape on foot. A small force in the immediate neighbourhood of the king's person was better prepared. A few elephants had been kept ready for instant service, and about two hundred men were drawn up in front of the royal tent. This delay saved the person of Narses from the attack of Marcellus and his

nephew. A few of their men held together, though many had already quitted the line during its advance, to seek plunder in the tents which they had overthrown. For a few minutes there was a hot struggle, in which Marcellus shewed the daring and coolness which had been well tried in the wars of the West. When the elephants were driven against his line, he called to his men to open and allow their passage, and then rushing forward, he slew, with his own hand, the leader of the royal body-guards. Rutilius seconded him bravely; and in a few moments their opponents were flying like the rest of the army,— though not till several persons had issued from the royal tent, and mounted upon horses which stood in readiness; one elephant also passed with a rapid and unwieldy pace in the same direction, and Rutilius fancied that he could descry some female figures in the tower upon its back. A moment, however, and all had disappeared in the darkness. The royal tent was fairly surrounded; but when it was on the point of being pillaged by the soldiery, Marcellus raised his voice, and with a commanding tone ordered his men to forbear. "This tent," he said, 66 must be kept till the Cæsar has declared his pleasure; seek elsewhere your booty." The order was readily obeyed; for spoils of incredible wealth were scattered on every side: every where might be seen common soldiers leading off the war-horses of the Persian nobility, loaded with sumptuous trappings. One man had met with a bag of pearls, which he was

pouring out, from ignorance of their value, that he might carry away the leather which contained them with more convenience. No one but had furnished hiinself with some valuable; Marcellus only and his nephew were anxiously guarding the royal tent, which they had their own reason for preferring to any other prize. When they had collected men enough to secure all its outlets, they proceeded to learn whom it contained. Their prisoners, they soon found, were of great value, being no less than the wives and children of the Persian king; but the countenance of Marcellus fell, when, after a most diligent search, he was compelled to abandon the hope that the ample precincts of the royal tent contained the captive maiden whom he was so desirous to rescue.

The Expedition.

The shepherd last appears,

And with him all his patrimony bears;
His house and household-gods, his trade of war,
His bow and quiver, and his trusty cur.

DRYDEN'S Virgil.

THE second day after the battle found the victorious army in motion towards the town of Nisibis, the strongest post which the Romans possessed in Mesopotamia, where Galerius expected to be joined by Dioclesian himself with the reserve. The object of the campaign was already answered. The Persians had fled across plains where it was impossible to pursue them; but in the wives and children of Narses, the Romans had the best hostages for his