Valerius had in truth no wish to spy upon the people as they feared, nor did he try to use his authority unjustly. Yet the people grumbled, and grew restless and suspicious, until at length the Consul heard that he had displeased them. Valerius was not angry with the foolish citizens, but he resolved to make them ashamed of their groundless suspicions. So one evening, when it was dark, he sent for workmen and ordered them to pull his beautiful house to pieces. When morning dawned, the people, gazing upward from the Forum to the Consul’s house, were startled. What could have happened? There was no longer any house to be seen. It was not for some time that they learned that it was their foolish suspicions that had caused the Consul to destroy his house. Then, fickle as the Roman crowd always was, it changed its mind and hung its head, ashamed of the destruction it had caused. But Valerius not only made the citizens ashamed of their suspicions, he made them love him for his humility. When he came into the Forum, the Consul now ordered his lictors to carry the rods and axes in two separate bundles, while the axes were from this time always lowered when he entered the Senate-house, or stood before the assembly of the people. Valerius also made a law that pleased the Romans well. When a Roman was condemned to death by a magistrate, the Consul decreed that he should have the right to appeal to the people against the sentence. This, you remember, was what Horatius had done when he was condemned to death for slaying his sister. So completely had the Consul endeared himself to the Romans that they now called him Poplicola, or the Lover of the People. Meanwhile, Tarquin the Proud had enlisted the aid of a powerful king, named Lars Porsenna. This king now sent to Rome, bidding the people open their gates to Tarquin. When they refused, he at once marched against the city with a great army. The Romans increased the guard and strengthened the forts on the Janiculum hill. At all costs the enemy must be prevented from crossing the Tiber by the wooden bridge that joined the hill to the city itself. Slaves, cattle, goods--all were brought from the surrounding country, either within the walls of the city, or into forts without. But in spite of all the Romans could do, Lars Porsenna reached the Janiculum, and storming the heights, drove the Roman soldiers down the hill toward the river. His men pursued the fugitives, who seemed to think of nothing save their own safety. If the enemy was not to enter the city, the bridge must be defended until the Roman soldiers on the other side of the river had cut through the beams that supported it. Then, as the enemy drew near and ever nearer to the bank of the river, a brave Roman, named Horatius Cocles, or Horatius the One-Eyed, whose country was dearer to him than life itself, cried to the Consul right manfully:--