ten in the evening
When it was found that there was nothing to discover this man had been removed for other work , and a slave boy of some seventeen years old had taken his place . To him Beric had behaved with great kindness , and the lad was deeply attached to him . He had several times taken notes and messages to the house of Norbanus , and Beric told Aemilia that when it became necessary to send her the ring , he should probably intrust it to him . A week later Boduoc was on guard at ten in the evening . In the distant banqueting hall he could hear sounds of laughter and revelry , and knowing the nature of these feasts he muttered angrily to himself that he , a Briton , should be standing there while such things were being done within . Suddenly he heard a step approaching the hangings . They were drawn back , and one of the court attendants said , `` Caesar requires the attendance of Beric the Briton in the banqueting hall . ''