A captive of the Roman eagles

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LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

PRESENTED

BY

D. N. DAVIDSON

by Google

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A CAPTIVE OF THE
ROMAN EAGLES

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A Captive of the
Roman Eagles

By Felix Dahn

Translated from the German by

Mary J. Safford

TRANSLATOR OF

"Aspasia," ''Cleopatra/' etc.

Chicago

A. C. McClurg & Co.

1902

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PT

I'D OR
C cspY> 1

COPYRIGHT

A. C. McCLURG & CO.

1902

PVBUIHKD Sept. 13, 1902

mrr

JUN2 5<5a

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TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

The author of the romance "A Captive of
the Roman Eagles" — published in Germany
under the title of "Bissula" — is one of the
most distinguished novelists of the present
day in his own country, and will doubtless be
equally appreciated by Americans.

Like Dr. Georg Ebers, he has based his
historical novels upon the solid foundation of
earnest study. The field he has chosen is
principally the period of the conflicts between
Germany and Rome, and the struggles for
supremacy of the various peoples in the terri-
tory now occupied by Germany, Switzerland,
and France, and he describes with vivid colors
and dramatic power the life of those far-off
days.

Professor Dahn is a native of Hamburg,
but spent his childhood in Munich, always a
centre of intellectual life, and, under the stim-
ulus of its circle of writers, his poetic talent
developed early. He studied law, philosophy.

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vi Translator's Preface

and history in Munich and Berlin. In 1862
he was made Professor in the University of
Wurzburg, in 1872 in Konigsberg, and in
1888 he was called to a chair in the University
of Breslau, where, in the intervals of his pro-
fessional duties, he has devoted himself to his
brilliant literary work.

The warm welcome accorded to my transla-
tions of the novels of Ebers, whose hold upon
the affections of American readers has proved
so enduring, inspires the hope that "A Cap-
tive of the Roman Eagles" may also receive a
cordial recognition from our public.

Mary J. Safford.

Washington y D. C, June 10, ig02.

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A CAPTIVE OF THE
ROMAN EAGLES

BOOK ONE

THE FREE WOMAN

CHAPTER I.

l^HOEVER has been at Friedrichshafen
on beautiful Lake Constance, on a clear
August day, and watched the sun setting in
splendor behind the tops of the beeches of
Manzell; whoever has seen the waves of the
lake and the snow-capped peaks of the Alps
from Sentis to the AUgau Mountains glow in
the crimson light, while the notes of the Ave
Maria float softly over forest, meadow, and
water, will treasure the memory of the peaceful
scene throughout his whole life. To this region
the story of little Bissula leads us.

But in that period — the year 378 — the
whole northern shore of the "Venetus Lacus"

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2 A CAPTIVE OF

(Lake Constance) looked somewhat desolate,
and often by no means peaceful. The low-
lands were covered with primeval forests and
fens — only here and there a few scattered set-
tlements appeared on patches of parched tilled
land.

At that time the lake covered a much more
extensive tract of country than now, and a still
larger space was occupied by a marshy territory
between the water and the meadow, which being
for the greater portion of the year a mere swamp
afforded at the same time refuge and food to
flocks of wild swans, herons, and countless
smaller water- fowl.

This region had already been a considera-
ble time in the possession of the Alemanni;
but on the southern shore of the lake Rome
still maintained her supremacy. This was with
the special object of controlling the import-
ant roads leading from Gaul by way of Augst
(Augusta Rauracorum) to Basle, Windisch
(Vindonissa) to Arbon (Arbor Felix), Bregenz
(Brigantium), and thence farther eastward, thus
preserving the connection between the West-
ern and Eastern portions of the Empire, and
facilitating the movements of the troops. The

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 3

men were sometimes forced to hasten from
the Rhine to the Danube to meet the Goths
in the East, and anon from the Danube to
the Rhine to contend with the Franks on the
lower, or the Alemanni on the upper portion
of the stream.

This year also such assistance seemed neces-
sary — this time in the eastern provinces, where
the Gothic tribes, especially the Visigoths, flee-
ing before the Huns, had found reftige on
Roman territory, but, driven to desperation by
the ill-treatment of the Roman governor, had
risen in arms.

True, Valens, the Emperor of the Eastern
Empire, hoped to cope successfully with them
alone; he would have been reluctant to share
the fame of victory with his young nephew
and fellow-ruler Gratianus, lord of the Western
portion. Yet, nevertheless, he had been com-
pelled to ask the latter to hold himself in readi-
ness to come to his uncle's assistance with his
Gallic legions in the territory bordering on the
Danube.

Gratianus, however, thought that he could
not leave Gaul and the Rhine until he had first
punished the Alemanni for their recent incur-

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4 A CAPTIVE OF

sions across the frontier, and — at least for a
while — deterred them from making new in-
roads. At the same time he desired, in case
the summons for help should arrive, to have
traversed a portion of the long distance and
thus be able to give his uncle aid more speedily.
So, toward the end of July, he left his resi-
dence, Trier, with the larger portion of his
troops, and marched by way of Zabern and
Strassburg to the left bank of the Rhine near
Augst and Basle. Here and at Windisch he
formed two camps and kept the main body of
his troops near him, busying himself in the re-
organization of the province and eagerly await-
ing news from the East.

The expedition against the Alemanni on the
northern shore of the lake was entrusted to ^fi^^
small band of troops which, being able to move
more swiftly, seemed better suited for the
marches through swamp and forest and, more-
over, amply sufficient in number; for the
attack was directed against only the Linzgau,
so called from the little river, which at the
present time is still known as the Linz, or
more frequently the Ach. This was the home
of the Lentian Alemanni, who lived on the

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 5

northern and western shores of the lake and,
during that very spring, had harried the Ro-
man frontier. The command of the expedition
had been entrusted to experienced generals who
had chosen their own force of foot and horse,
while a large baggage train conveyed the pro-
visions and the remainder of the luggage. In all,
there were probably more than three thousand
men.

According to the old victorious Roman strat-
egy — whose success was proved by the con-
quest of nearly half the world known at that day
— this small force was to assail the foe from
several directions at once, the same as in great
campaigns, as if seized by claws, a favorite com-
parison in Roman military literature. Part of
^the troops — the cavalry, several squadrons of
cataphractarii (mailed riders, who were com-
pletely sheathed in armor), cohorts of the
Twenty -Second Legion, picked German mer-
cenaries, Batavians (they were considered the
best of all the foreign soldiers), and lastly the
flower of the Imperial Guard, foot-soldiers,
mainly lUyrians and Thracians, were to march
northward from Windisch, cross the Rhine,
move along the old road to the north, then,

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6 A CAPTIVE OF

suddenly turning eastward, sldrt the western
shore of the lake to gain its northern side, thus
penetrating the whole Linzgau from the west
to the east, halting at an appointed place in the
heart of the enemy's country and awaiting the
second division. Meanwhile this second body
was to march along the great highway border-
ing the southern shore from Windisch to Arbon,
cross the lake in boats, land on the northern
shore, and pass through the Linzgau from east
to west till they reached the first division.

Thus the escape of the Barbarians, whose
tilled lands would all be laid waste, would be
cut off both eastward and westward. Those who
attempted flight southward in their boats across
the lake would be intercepted by the Roman
Bodensee* Fleet. Year after year, the last time
that very March, the most brilliant reports
of its strength and prowess had been sent to
Gaul. The remnant of the foe remaining after
the assault from two or three directions were to
be driven by the united bands as far as possible
into the inhospitable northern forests, or forced
into the Danube.

The place of meeting appointed for both

^he Gennan name for Lake Constance.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 7

divisions was the lofty hill, half a league north
of Friedrichshafen, whence at the present day
the church of Berg dominates the lowlands. At
that time it was known as the Idisenhang, —
the hill of the wood-goddesses. The Roman
ships, in crossing directly from Arbon, were
obliged to run into the bay of what we know as
Friedrichshafen. For the land forces the lead-
ers hoped to find a passable route along the
remains of an old military road, which formerly
— in Rome's better days — had extended also
around the northern shore of the lake. This
steep hill, affording an unimpeded view in every
direction and dominating the whole neighbor-
hood, was a model of the positions where the
Roman e^le was fain to alight for a brief rest
during its flights in quest of prey. Here a camp
was to be formed, whence the land of the Bar-
barians would be rav^ed by small bodies of
troops in every direction, while the strong for-
tified camp should maintain the connection with
the lake, the fleet, and the southern shore,
until the whole enterprise was completed and
the Romans could return to the Emperor at
Windisch.

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A CAPTIVE OF

CHAPTER IL

T^HE experienced commanders had executed
their tasks swiftly, skilfully, and success-
fully. Arbon, the strongly fortified station of
the great military road, had, it is true, been
repeatedly attacked, plundered, and set on fire
by the Alemanni in swift forays from the lake,
but never permanently occupied ; they did not
like to dwell in cities.

A few years previously Valentinian, Grati-
anus's warlike father and predecessor, had re-
paired and strengthened the old walls, increased
the garrison, filled the store -houses with pro-
visions, especially grain, and stationed in the
harbor a number of ships. These, though
neither so numerous nor so stately as those of
the Venetian Fleet in the prouder days of
Rome, were quite sufficient to prevent the Bar-
barians from an attack by water, nay, they con-
stantly threatened them with a landing on the
northern shore.

The commander of the division intended for

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 9

this fleet, the Comes of Britannia, Nannienus,
a man skilled in nautical matters and an excel-
lent officer, had reached the harbor fortification
with his troops very quickly by the excellent
road from Windisch. The other column needed
a much longer time for its wearisome march,
turning finally eastward before it again reached
the shore of the lake.

Caution was the first requisite during this
advance through the pathless land of the Bar-
barians ; and no measure of prudence was omit-
ted by the well -trained, circumspect leaders.
Natives of the country who were perfectly fa-
miliar with the region acted as guides ; though
the southern shore was inhabited exclusively by
Roman colonists, they guarded carefully against
treachery from that quarter. Horsemen, lightly
armed Celtic archers, the Keltae and Petulantes,
and Germans familiar with woodland warfare
— the Batavians — formed the van and rear-
guards. In the centre were the heavily armed
foot-soldiers of the Imperial Guard, protecting
the traders and sutlers, luggage, camp equipage,
and provisions. They moved along the ruinous
old road, as near the shore as the marshy ground
permitted, in order to keep in view of the lake.

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lo A CAPTIVE OF

that they might discover any attempt at an
attack by the Barbarians in their boats, and also
not lose sight of the opposite shore occupied by
the Romans.

The most difficult task was assigned to the
left wing which, at the north of the central
division and the old road, was to force a pas-
s^e through forest and morass in a line parallel
with that of the main body, and protect it from
any flank assault of the foe ; for should the
latter suddenly burst from an ambush in the
impenetrable woods and fall upon the column
extended in marching order, the whole body,
thus taken by surprise, might be scattered and
driven into the marshes and the lake.

But the resistance offered by forest and fen
to the progress of the troop seemed destined
to remain the sole opposition which the Ro-
mans were to encounter ; for the latter had not
met a single human being since they quitted
the southern shore of the lake and the stations
along the road there. There were no villages
of the Alemanni in this region: the ground
was occupied by farms, and the houses (called
"Schwaigen'*) were miles apart. The few lonely
dwellings which they passed during a march of

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THE ROMAN EAGLES ii

several days had been abandoned. A myste-
rious silence, boding destruction^ seemed to
brood over the empty wooden buildings.

Everywhere, just before the time of ripen-
ing, the grain — oats, barley, and spelt — had
been cut and partly burnt ; the latter mode was
the quicker, and the grain of the Alemanni
should not serve their foe even as fodder for
his horses. The cattle had been driven away ;
the kennels of the faithful farm watch, almost
always found at the gates, were also empty ; the
hay and straw were removed from the barns,
which were usually connected with the houses
and very often formed part of them.

Slowly, with frequent halts, advancing with
difficulty, the Romans assigned to the care of
the provisions in charge of the troops or the
sutlers and their wives struggled forward for
several days, each night carefully establishing a
well-fortified camp. From the western end of the
lake, where it ran into a stretch of marshy ground
densely overgrown by rushes, and meadows with
sedges waving in the wind, they marched to-
ward the east. Thus, by a toilsome march,
they had reached the foot of the steep hill now
crowned by the stately castle of Meersburg.

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12 A CAPTIVE OF

The long August day, during which frequent
showers of rain had fallen, though the sky had
not been always clouded, was drawing to a close.
Again the sun shone brilliantly through a rift,
gilding the whole chain of mountain peaks of
the Bernese Alps to the AUgau heights; the
Sentis glowed in crimson splendor, solemnly,
like a king of the mountain giants who had
drawn his radiant mantle around his proud
shoulders.

The Roman column halted cautiously at the
foot of the steep hill, whose rocky sides fell
abruptly to the lake and the valley on the west,
while the summit, at that time densely covered
with trees and bushes, presented a gloomy,
threatening aspect* The oak -leaves and pine-
needles were dripping with rain, and wherever
the sun did not shine on them, looked dark-
green, almost black.

Two officers, whose high rank was betok-
ened by the gold and silver ornaments on their
equipments, now flashing brightly in the rays
of the setting sun, rode slowly toward the hill.
Before them, bound by the right and left
arms respectively to the stirrups of two
mounted soldiers, walked a guide. A few

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 13

pioneers with axes and spades surrounded the
leaders, and a little band of Batavian spearmen
followed. One of the officers, a stately man
about thirty-five, now checked his heavy Span-
ish barb and bent forward, his clear-cut bronzed
features wearing a keenly watchfiil expression.

"If I have ever known and fought with
Germans," he said with a strong lUyrian ac-
cent, "they are hiding in the woods on yonder
hill -top, which is a natural fortress. Halt, I
beg. Prefect Praetor of Gaul. We'll go no far-
ther without reconnoitring. Forward, my
brave Batavians. Rignomer, take six men and
climb up among the underbrush. But be
wary ! And you, Brinno, trumpeter, give the
signal of warning the instant you discover the
foe."

The other officer, a man much his senior,
smiled as the order was executed. **You are
over- cautious, Saturninus. Always erring on
the side of prudence!"

"We cannot be over-cautious against this
foe, my noble friend. Had not the Barbarians
occupied this fortress erected by the gods of
their native land, all courage to offer resistance
must have deserted them."

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14 A CAPTIVE OF

"And It evidently has abandoned them. All
taste for war was thoroughly extirpated by the
departed hero, Valentinian, and our bold young
Emperor, his son. My pupil !" he added com-
placently. " I am quite sure that all danger to
the Empire from the Germans is over."

His companion silently shook his head.
Just at that moment a captain of the mailed
horsemen, a man numbering about five and
twenty years, dashed forward from the centre of
the Roman column. Tangled locks hung from
beneath his helmet, and his features were igno-
ble in form and disagreeable in expression.

"Must we cross that accursed cliff. Trib-
une?" he exclaimed, abruptly checking his
horse.

"We must," replied the Iliyrian quietly.
"I have just learned that our left wing has
again found the morass in the forest bottomless,
and is approaching along this, our only road.
And the waves of the lake are dashing at our

right."

The young man cast a doubtful glance at
the cliff. "H'm," he muttered, "it will cost
us many men. But that's no misfortune," he
added, "we have more than enough Barba-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 15

rians in our pay; if they fall fighting against
other Barbarians, there will simply be fewer of
the beasts."

"An abominable remark, nephew Hercula-
nus," replied the Prefect reprovingly.

" If the ascent be resisted," said the Tribune,
" it will consume much time, and we have none
to lose. We ought to have been on the bank
of the Ister long ago to fight the Goths. I am
anxious about the Emperor Valens. I have
a presentiment of evil."

"You are always boding evil," replied the
Prefect, smiling, "but the evil never comes, the
good fortune of eternal Rome always conquers.
Hark, it is the same now. The trumpeter is
^ving the signal: *A11 safe! Forward!' and
the Centurion of the Batavians, who climbed
the height first — what is his name? — Rigno-
mer, is beckoning to us to follow. Up, friends I
Was I not right, my brave Tribune? The
Barbarians will make no defence."

"You are right as usual, uncle!" said Her-
culanus with a smile intended to be pleasant,
but which made quite the opposite impression.

"If you only remain right, Ausonius!" said
the lUyrian hesitatingly. "Yet at the moment

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i6 A CAPTIVE OF

It really does appear so. Up, give the signal
with the tubas : Forward ! We will pitch our
camp for the night on that height, and the land
of the Alemanni will be defenceless before us."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 17

CHAPTER IIL

A S we have seen, the Romans were still ig-
norant whether the Barbarians were aware
of the bands approaching simultaneously from
several directions to menace the inhabitants of
the forest with destruction. Preparations had
been made so secretly that the commanders
believed it possible to take the foe completely
by surprise. For weeks not a German had been
allowed to pass the guards on the very outer-
most line of Roman territory, which, it is true,
had been greatly diminished in the course of the
last three or four generations. The right of
traffic at the stations on the southern shore had
been withdrawn a still longer time, on the
pretext of alleged violations of the conditions
of such intercourse. Roman traders had not
ventured recently within the precincts occupied
by neighbors who were justly irritated by such
severity.

The sentinels on the frontier reported that
nothing unusual could be seen from the watch

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i8 A CAPTIVE OF

towers. The people went about their work
in field and forest as usual, tended their nu-
merous flocks, hunted or fished; apparently
they thought neither of defence nor flight.

Once, it is true, one of the specula reported
that, late one night, a fire had suddenly blazed
upon a mountain peak probably several miles
from the lake and, after a short interval, as
suddenly vanished. The Alemanni called the
towering height, whose summit was visible for
many a mile, the Sacred Mountain, the Holy
Mountain, and Odin's Mountain, and the name
has clung to it tenaciously. True, in later times
the "sacred" related to Christian consecration;
but at the present day the stately castle on that
majestic height bears the title of Heiligenberg.
On the spot where Odin's ash -trees then rustled,
the breeze now sweeps across the flower-beds
of a beautiful garden.

The report was unheeded. Forest fires, even
at night, were not unusual among the Germans,
who in their labor of clearing the ground often
required, in the place of the axe, the aid of the
swifter flame. During the next few days also
everything remained quiet.

On the morning after that night — it was a

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 19

few days prior to the Romans' march across
the height of Meersburg, already described —
a youth emerged from the dense woods stretch-
ing for miles in a northwesterly direction toward
the Holy Mountain, a youth whose figure was
as straight, tall, and slender as a young pine.
The hood of lynx-skin fluttering from his
shoulders like a short cloak did not confine his
long fair locks, which fell in waves upon his
shoulders, waves with which the morning breeze
played caressingly, as the youth stopped on the
crest of a low grassy hill that aflForded a view
of the lake.

Resting his right arm upon the oak handle
of his spear, he leaned forward, shading his eyes
with his left hand from the glare of the sun-
beams on the smooth surface of the water, as
he gazed intently toward the southern shore.
It was an eagle glance, proud, bold, and keen,
and the color of the eye was a light golden
brown.

The red- tiled roofs of the Roman watch-
towers and citadels opposite in Arbon and the
other stations (Constantia, etc.) shone brightly
in the morning sunlight. The utmost repose
pervaded the whole scene. Neither sail nor

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20 A CAPTIVE OF

row-boat was visible: a huge kite, with an
occasional stroke of its broad pinions, was
soaring in wide circles above the shallows near
the shore.

The young German turned his eyes in the
direction of the gently rising ground before him
northwest of Friedrichshafen, now occupied by
the village of Jettenhausen. At that time the
land had been cleared and brought under cul-
tivation. The hill was crowned by a stately
wooden structure, surrounded by a fence built
breast-high for purposes of defence; a pair of
superb antlers adorned the ridge-pole. From
the main building itself and a small one adjoin-
ing it smoke circled upward through holes in
the roof: the inmates were doubtless preparing
the morning meal.

The youth made a movement in the direc-
tion of the hall, on which his eyes had rested
proudly, yet with an expression of almost sor-
rowful earnestness, then he paused suddenly,
saying to himself: "No ! I will go first to her^^
He hastened eastward through what was then
a tract of marshy woodland — now bearing the
name of Seewald — crossing it in the direc-
tion of the Tettnang forests. Often he was

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 21

forced to leap from rock to rock or from one
mossy hillock to another, that he might not
sink waist-deep in the morass. But the young
German seemed perfectly familiar with the
almost invisible path which, sometimes in the
form of a ford, sometimes as a bridge, led
through the bog and the dense underbrush.
Swinging himself with a daring leap, aided by
the handle of his spear, across a tolerably
wide stream which flowed through moss and
sedges to the lake — a startled red grouse flew
upward with a shrill cry — he soon saw before
him the nearest settlement to his own stately
dwelling: for he was the lord of the manor
he had left behind. In this region neighbors
lived more than a league apart ; it was not until
succeeding generations that the scattered free-
holds along the lake grew into villages.

The little house in the forest — it might
almost be called a hut — nestled modestly at
the foot of a low hill which sheltered it from
the northeast wind. The old roof was over-
grown with dark green moss, and the small
stable forming part of the dwelling afforded
room for only a few head of cattle. Yet every-
thing was neat and well-kept, especially the

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22 A CAPTIVE OF

little pasture in whose fenced inclosure stood
several fruit-trees, while the eye noted with
surprise the presence in this wilderness of sev-
eral ornamental plants belonging to Rome or
Southern Gaul 2 the yew and — carefully tended
— some fine roses. Across the top of the
ridge-pole was a four -pointed star, clumsily
carved from pine -wood, but unmistakable. Its
beauty, however, had not been increased by
its having been smeared with the red lead
used to color the house -mark cut in it — evi-
dently a recent act.

The youth's first glance as he came in sight
of the little house was unconsciously directed
toward the star on the roof. When he saw the
red paint a smile curled the well -cut mouth,
which was not yet wholly concealed by the
downy beard of early manhood. His second
look sought the top of the low hill, where an
ancient oak, now steeped in the golden sunshine,
was waving its gnarled branches in the morning
breeze ; long garlands of goat's beard, dangling
from the boughs, swayed to and fro. A circular
wooden bench surrounded the trunk, and on
the southern side a few large stones had been
arranged to form a sort of table.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 23

CHAPTER IV.

A N old woman, wrapped in a dark garment,
sat almost motionless upon the bench in
the warm sunshine. Thin locks of beautiful
white hair escaped from beneath the edge of
the brown cloak drawn oyer her head; her
hands alone stirred with a slight, regular
motion. When the youth's footsteps echoed
on the sandy slope of the hillock, she paused
in her work and bent forward to listen ; then
nodding, murmured under her breath : " That's
why she slipped away."

"Hail to you, Waldrun!" said the youth,
pausing before her. " Don't be frightened — it
is I—"

"Adalo, the young noble," interrupted the
old woman. "Only the evil-doers fear youJ^

" You recognize me ?"

"When the gods blind the eyes, they give
sight to the souL Though your light foot-
step rarely rings near me now, I know it well.
I often hear it as you hurry past our home.

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avoiding the house by taking a wide circuit.
No one save Bruna, your tame bear, comes to
us by daylight from the manor; for you have
doubtless forbidden even your fair-haired little
brother to visit our house. But brutes are
more loyal than human beings: often, very
often, Bruna seeks my little maid and Zercho
the bondman. When she brings us a wreath of
the child's favorite flowers wound around her
neck and growling, drags it off to her lap, we
know well that the boy Sippilo, not you, sent it.
By day you shun us ! But — " She bent forward
and lowered her voice to a whisper : the youth
glanced around in surprise; surely they were
still alone — "but by night you often approach
stealthily."

Adalo flushed crimson, and sought to divert
her thoughts. " Can you spin without seeing ? "

"The youngest of the three great Sisters —
who was born blind — spins the future of
the whole human race. And what I am spin-
ning is as familiar to my fingers as to my
thoughts."

"What is it?"

"My shroud. But I do not think that Adalo,
son of Adalger, came hither to question Wal-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 25

drun concerning her thoughts of death. Do
you seek my son? Suomar has not yet
returned from the Council."

"I do not seek him — he sends me. The
Council — last night on Odin's Mountain — re-
solved to destroy all the houses and harvests."
The youth's noble, handsome countenance
beamed with the fierce menacing joy of battle
as he added: ^^*The Romans are coming."

^^They will not tarry, long," said the old
woman, calmly going on with her spinning. "I
have often seen them dash forward in all the
pride of strength, and soon sink feebly back
again."

*^ You women, those unable to bear arms, the
slaves, and the cattle are to be received in two
fortresses far away from the lake — one on
Odin's Mountain in the west, the other among
the eastern marshes. We shall form two divi-
sions: one stationed in the east, the other in
the west. Your son is assigned to the eastern
band; he was sent directly from the council
to the swamps. The troop will go through the
fords there and strengthen the breastwork of
logs around the meadows to prevent the en-
trance of the Italians."

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"Then we must hasten eastward to the
morasses. We shall be nearer to him there."

Adalo hesitated. His face again crimsoned
and he cast a keen glance at the door of the
house ere he began: "That was his first idea
— and by the decree of the people the fugitives
were thus divided. But — some one else — a
friend — counselled him not to hide you in the
swamps, but — on the Holy Mountain.'*

"You belong to the western band — on the
mountain."

Adalo made no reply.

"You gave him that counsel, Adalo!"

"I do not deny it; you know that I mean
kindly. You will be better concealed on the
lofty wooded summit of Odin's Mountain than
in the marshes. Life in the fever- breeding
swamps is full of discomfort — the disease often
attacks the inhabitants — and it is not so safe.
The eastern band will not remain in your hid-
ing place : Suomar himself cannot protect you ;
concealment is your sole defence. But on Odin's
Mountain, far up within the stone fortress, the
gods of the land themselves will shield you.
And the life there in the woodland huts and
tents built of green branches will be more com-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES ay

fortable and pleasant. And — *' he spoke slowly
and modestly — "I myself will be there to de-
fend you. Follow me, — to-morrow it may be
too late, — follow me at once !"

Just at that moment two acorns fell rattling
on the top of the rude stone table and re-
bounded to the earth. Adalo looked up. "A
squirrel ?" he asked.

"Yes. A red one,'* added the old woman,
nodding. "It often plays its saucy pranks up
^ there. They are sometimes very spiteful."

"Indeed they are,'* replied Adalo, laughing.
"One which I once caught nearly bit through
my finger. There ! '*

Waldrun felt the fore -finger of his out-
stretched hand, then without releasing it, said:
"There is another scar close by. My naughty
granddaughter bit you years ago — do you re-
member? How did it happen?"

"It was at the spring festival. The west wind
was blowing furiously, like the very breath of
Odin. She ventured alone in your mouldering
boat — the old one hollowed from a log — to
cross the lake. The others jeered at her — I
pleaded. Every effort was vain. Springing into
the skiflF, she pushed off: if she passed beyond

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28 A CAPTIVE OF

the rushes into the open water she was lost. I
ran after her, waded, swam, and dragged her from
the boat, just as it upset. I carried her to the
shore, while she writhed and struggled, spitting
like an otter, and, by way of thanks, bit my
finger."

"And then," replied Waldrun reprovingly,
"some spiteful tongue uttered the saying,
" 'Sharp is the squirrel's scratch,
Bissula's bite is sharper.*

"The saying ran through the district, nay, all
the provinces by the lake. Wherever my grand-
daughter went, to pick berries in summer, to
comb the flax, to glean, to mow, to thresh —
everywhere the jeering couplet greeted her.
That was not kind. Or wise ! " she added in a
lower tone.

"Mother Waldrun, you are right: it was not
well done, but no harm was meant."

"Yes, yes, Odin placed the song in your
reckless lips and gave you the winged words,
the biting jest. You cannot help it ! Wherever
you see a tempting mark, the arrow of a mock-
ing speech whizzes from your mouth."

"But unvenomed, unbarbed. A blunt little
shaft like that with which we strike the pretty

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 29

red-breast, Donar's favorite, not to harm it,
nay, only to capture it unhurt and bear it home
to our hearths that it may sing sweetly to us
year after year."

"Beware! Everything that has the red hue
is passionate, swift to revenge, and slow to for-
give."

"Yes," replied the youth laughing. "How
runs another verse ?

** * Dost vex little Red Hair ?
I bid thee beware !
The fiur one fear.
She's false and spits her ire
Like the fox and the fire.' "

Scarcely was the last line uttered when, high
among the topmost boughs of the lofty tree, a
strange sound was heard. At the very sum-
mit the noise resembled spitting and rattling,
while below it was different, like something
sliding down the trunk. The first sounds un-
doubtedly came from a little squirrel, which,
startled by some disturbance, chattering and
hissing in fear or anger, sprang in a wide curve
yet with a sure leap from the topmost bough
of the tree to a neighboring oak which stood af
a considerable distance.

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CHAPTER V.

A DALO'S glance followed the little creature's
bound, which really resembled flying.
But meanwhile, from amid the dense foliage
in the centre of the tree a figure clad in the
dress of a girl slid nimbly down the trunk, and
as soon as she reached the ground, smoothed
her garments carefully from her knees to her
ankles. With her dainty, sparkling beauty, her
almost childlike delicacy of form, this apparition
looked less like a mortal maiden than a spirit
of light.

She wore no cloak. Her white linen robe,
with its cherry-red border and girdle of the
same hue a hand's breadth wide, left her neck
and arms bare ; her complexion, wherever any
portion of her almost too slenderly moulded
figure was visible, gleamed with the dazzling
whiteness of ivory ; the unusually heavy dark-
red eyebrows, which nearly met in the centre
but were beautifully arched, frowned threaten-
ingly, and her clear blue eyes were now flashing

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 31

with wrath. The vision attracted rather by the
vivacious charm of expression and the perfect
symmetry of her dainty figure than by regular
beauty. For it must be confessed, though the
charming inquisitive little nose did not actually
turn up — by no means — it was really a little
too short. And, as it sloped sharply away at the
end, the space between it and the upper lip
became too long, thereby giving the oval face
when in repose an expression half of alert sur-
prise, half of mischievous wilfulness.

Everything about this dainty dragon-fly was
so delicate that the young girl might easily have
been taken for a child, had not her rounded
bust revealed her womanhood. Wonderfully
charming was the little mouth, whose lips were so
full that they seemed to pout mirthfully, while
their hue rivalled the red border of her robe.
A dimple in the chin and a slight. tendency to a
double chin lent the face that innocent sweetness
without which woman's beauty fails to attract.

The most remarkable thing about this elfin
vision was her hair — hair whose bright red
hue was the very tint of flame — which rippled
around her brow and temples in a thousand
wilful little ringlets as if each individual one

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32 A CAPTIVE OF

curled separately. They seemed to frame the
face protectingly, as thorns cluster about a rose-
bud. The rest of her locks, after the Suabian
fashion, were combed upward toward the crown,
knotted there, and then flowed in magnificent
tawny waves, somewhat darker in tint, over her
dazzlingly white neck far below her waist.

The expression of saucy defiance, inquisitive
surprise, nay even superiority, enhanced by this
arrangement of the hair, was still further height-
ened by the little creature*s habit of raising her
heavy eyebrows as if in mingled astonishment
and reproof. In the charm of the contradic-
tion lay a temptation to smile which this
fragile elf, with her pert little nose and spark-
ling blue eyes, seemed to discover — and if nec-
essary instantly resent.

An extremely strong will, a hot, ungovern-
able temper, and the sweetness of a half un-
folded bud, were contrasts which provoked a
smile — nay, almost irresistibly awakened a de-
sire to try what the impetuous little thing would
do if her swift wrath were aroused. But when
she raised her eyes with a more gentle expres-
sion, they were so bewitchingly beautiful, so
pure, so tender, so soulful, that enthusiastic

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 33

admiration made the spectator forget the incli-
nation to tease her.

True, at this moment the elf looked by no
means angelic, but thoroughly evil, as, darting
only one swift glance of furious rage at the tall
young noble, she seized the old woman vio-
lently by the shoulder and in a low voice —
stifled by suppressed fury — cried: ** Grand-
mother ! — Away ! — To the marshes ! Zercho
the bondman must guide us. Away !"

"Gently, child, gently! Did not you hear?
It will be safer on the mountain."

"Safer perhaps for us; but not for those
whom we — no, whom /should then be near.
Go," she cried furiously to the youth, "save
yourself, I advise you, from the red- hair.
* False and spitting her ire like the fox and the
fire.' Was that the way it ran, you witty fel-
low ? As soon as the daughter of our neighbor
Ero, ^ggling with spiteful mirth, told me your
last jibe against me, I climbed the hay-ladder
to the ridge-pole of our house ahd painted our
white star up there red : painted it very thick
and bright, so that you could see it from the
edge of the forest and keep far away from the
evil color. Very far — do you hear?"
3

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CHAPTER VI.

A DALO had now recovered from his aston-
^ ishment.

"I knew," he said, smiling, "that the elves
of light dwell above our heads ; but I was not
aware that they had nests among the boughs
of the oaks."

"And why not? If you reproach me with
being an elf of light."

"It is no reproach, I should think. What says
the elf-song? * Fairest fair are not the ases, but
the elves.' "

"* Sharp is the bite of the squirrel, but Bis-
sula's is sharper still.' You yourself classed me
with the biting animals, so do not wonder that
I fled to my red, snarling, biting sisters when I
heard in the distance the haughty footfall of the
hated Adalo. ♦ I detected your approach even
sooner than the long- practised ear of my blind
grandmother. Hate is quick to hear."

"Do you hate me?" asked the youth. His
voice sounded low and sad.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 35

"Forgive her, Adalo ! She is but a child."

"No, grandmodier, I am a child no longer;
I shall see my eighteenth winter when the next
snow falls. The child tried to defend herself
against superior strength. She was too weak;
but now something within me struggles against
your arrogance — I know not what it is; it
glows here in my breast, and believe me, this
thing within is stronger than my hands once
were : you cannot conquer."

"I do not wish to conquer; I seek to protect
you and your grandmother."

"The head of our clan will protect us —
Suomar, her son, my uncle and guardian."

"Suomar thought that you would be safer
on Odin*s Mountain."

"Because my good uncle did not suspect
that you were only trying to win fresh renown
by new couplets. Something like this:

' Bitterly Htes Bissola! But back
Rq>entant she ran, in fear of the Romtiit ;
To Adalo, the Addiag! '

You hear — I too can make verses."

"Evil words," said Waldrun reprovingly,
"which were not given to you by Odin the
Wise, but by Loki ! Why do you scorn the

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protection your neighbor offers? You grew up
together like brother and sister, constant play-
fellows on the shore and the lake."

"Until the neighbor discovered that he was
the rich, strong young noble, skilled in song;
the * handsome' Adalo — as all the silly girls
whisper. He handsome? He is hideous. His
name is forever ringing in one's ears through-
out the whole region in every dwelling along
the lake. Who is the boldest hero in the Ro-
man war? The stoutest swimmer, the most
successful hunter? The victor in wrestling,
hurling stones, casting the spear? Who leaps
highest in the sword dance? To whom do
even the gray -beards listen in the Council ? ' At
whom do the maidens peep at the sun -festival?
Adalo ! Adalo ! Adalo ! — The arrogant fellow !
It is unbearable."

The angry maiden pressed both little clenched
hands over her eyes to shut out the sight of the
foe she so fervently hated.

"Would arrogance bring me here with this
entreaty?"

"Ay; sheer arrogance! When, during the
spinning in the winter and the hay-making in

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 37

the autumn, the girls talked about you, I said
little; I only listened. It was ramored that
Jetto, the rich lord of the manor, was begin-
ning — he took the first step — to treat with
Adalo concerning a marriage with his daughter,
Jettabei^. Jettaberga is the handsomest girl
in the lake region — '*

"That is not true," said Adalo earnestly.

"Her kinsmen, next to your own family,
have the largest number of spears and of cattle,
are the richest in shields and in lands."

"That is true," he answered, nodding assent
"But Adalo refused the offer as soon as it was
sufficiently well known in the neighborhood
that Jetto himself had proposed to give him
his daughter because both clans would have,
profited by the alliance — "

"Especially Jetto!" interrupted Waldrun.
"And because Jettaberga thought the young
nobleman was handsomer than any other
man."

"That is probably not true!" remarked the
latter, smiling pleasantly.

"Yes, it is true!" exclaimed Bissula vehe-
mently, "Don't deny it. She told me so."

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" I wish to hear nothing about it, Bissula —
chatterer ! " said the grandmother reproachfully.

The girl bit her lips.

"Pshaw, he knew it; or he believed he knew
it, as he believes it of all girls. And so it
must seem to him and his companions that
Bissula also (who, it is true, is neither rich nor
beautiful — only Bissula, who is defiant and
tameless), that I, too, instead of going to the
marshes would rather flee to the Holy Moun-
tain — to Adalo! But" — and now her eyes
blazed with an almost menacing light — "you
shall never boast of that!''

" But if I command ?" warned the old woman.

"Then Til run off to the swamps alone.
For^ve me, dear, dear grandmother ; but Suo-
mar is my guardian, not you. Did he com-
mand? Speak!"

"He only advised," replied Adalo reluctantly.

" Then I am free ! Advice may be followed
or not. But know this: If you had lied — "

Adalo's face blanched.

"Insolent girl!" said the grandmother re-
provingly.

"Oh, I know — he never lies; but it is not
from truthfulness, but pride. If you had pre-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 39

tended that my guardian had given a command
— I would rather have leaped into the deepest
part of the lake than have gone with you."

"What foplish defiance! He speaks only
fi"om anxiety."

" He speaks from arrogance. The vain fel-
low weaves a wreath composed of every flower
to deck his curly head : Bissula, the red heather-
blossom, must not be wanting."

" The red heather-blossom alone must adorn
my life," said the youth earnestly.

Bissula started : every tinge of color faded
from her face, and trembling violently she
clasped her grandmother's arm for support.

The latter, however, with a keenly intent
expression, turned her head toward Adalo.
" What words were those you dared to utter ?"

"Earnest ones. I am under no man's au-
thority. I am old enough to lead a wife to my
home, strong enough to protect her. Well
then, Bissula, playmate of my childhood, come
with me! I will give whatever Suomar de-
mands* I love you better than any one else
can do. Come with me to the Holy Mountain,
that I may protect you there — my betrothed
bride!"

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"I wis

CHAPTER VII.

XI

*HE young girl clung still closer to Wal-
drun, but the latter started up in alarm and
hastily pressed her hand upon Bissula's heart.

"How it throbs!" she murmured. Then,
raising her left hand, as if to keep the youth
back, her right drew the folds of her ample
cloak over the blushing girl's sweet face.
"Go," she said warningly. "Suspicion seizes
me also. It is ignoble for you to dare utter the
words of wooing to two defenceless women, con-
fusing the girl, and inspiring vain, idle thoughts.
That is not the honorable custom of our peo-
ple. If your suit was serious you ought first to
have spoken to Suomar, the guardian : he gives
my granddaughter's hand, not she herself.
Whoever means marriage deals with the guard-
ian ; whoever seeks mere amusement and dally-
ing coaxes the girl. Go ! I doubt you !"

Adalo laid his hand upon his breast with a
gesture of protest, but ere he could speak Bis-
sula glided from beneath the shelter of her

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 41

grandmother's cloak. Her cheeks were glowing;
her red locks fairly bristled ; it seemed as if one
could almost hear them crackle ; her angry eyes
blazed, and springing forward, she pushed the
youth with both hands, but had no power to
stir the tall figure.

"Yes, go ! '* she cried. " I do not doubt. Even
Waldrun, who always speaks in your behalf,
distrusts you, and she cannot see your arrogant
face, the victorious smile on your proud lips,
the light in your sparkling eyes! There — see
how the feigned expression of good-will van-
ishes from your features ; how resentfully you
rear your head ! Ay, that is the noble, the swift,
strong, handsome man, who believes that the
god of wishes must grant every whim, every
caprice of his favorite. Tou mate with a poor
girl ! you lead red-haired Bissula to your home !
Besides, I am called Bissula only by my friends ;
to strangers my name is Albfledis. Waldrun is
right: the blind woman has seen. Ifyouwerein
earnest you would have gone to the guardian.'*

She drew back and seized her grandmother's
arm. "Come! let us return to the house."

But Adalo, his tall figure drawn up to its full
height, barred their way. Grief and anger were

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42 A CAPTIVE OF

contending for the mastery in the expression
of his handsome face.

" I was in earnest, the deepest earnest. Freya
knows it. Soon Frigga will know also. I
did not speak to Suomar, because I did not
wish, like most men, to obtain the girl solely
by her guardian's command ; I desired not only
her hand and her person, but her heart, her
love. I was sure of Suomar."

"Do you hear his arrogance, grandmother?"

"It is not arrogance. What can your uncle
bring against me? Nothing! And we have
always been friendly neighbors. He would not
have refused me ; but I did not want you as a
gift from another, you defiant creature. I
wanted the playmate of my childhood to give
herself to me. Yes, I confess I hoped that she
retained from those childish days a little — just
a little aflfection." ^

" Presumptuous fellow ! "

"And now the hour and the danger loosed
my tongue. The Romans are approaching.
Who knows what they may bring us? But
you have repulsed me with undeserved sus-
picion, disdained my loyal aid. True," —
here his brow contracted with mingled grief

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 43

and anger, — "perhaps the foe will not injure
your

**What do you mean?" asked Waldrun.
Her tone expressed dread of some fresh cause
for contention between the two young people.
Bissula, without speaking, darted a flashing
glance at him.

"For years," Adalo went on with suppressed
indignation, "you have had friends among these
hated enemies — at least one friend. Per-
haps he will return hither with the cohorts
now threatening us — the wise, eloquent,
and wealthy Senator! Of course a German
noble, a 'Barbarian,' cannot vie with him in
gifts of jewels, rare fruit, and foreign flowers.
That I belong to your own people and he
to our mortal foes — what care you? You
need, nay perchance you desire, neither marsh
nor mountain as a defence against your —
friend!"

"Silence, Adalo ! She was then only thirteen.
The noble Roman might be her father, nay,
almost her grandfather."

"But he was so clever ! He understood how
to choose his words so skilfully that usually I
could not comprehend them at all. And Alb-

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44 A CAPTIVE OF

fledis was so fond of listening to the language
of the foe!"

"At least," the girl hastily retorted, "Au-
sonius never used the language of insolent
mockery to the child. And since you have
provoked me to It, I tell you : yes, if the noble,
kindly Roman should ever come again and wish,
as he did then, to take me with him as his child
to his beautiful country, his splendid pillared
mansion, — listen, — I would rather go with
him, his daughter, than listen to you and your
contemptuous suit."

"Stay, Albfledis," said the youth, drawing
himself up proudly. "Enough! My suit?
It is ended forever. Never will I repeat it —
I swear by this spear. You have scorned me
— have openly preferred the Roman. Hear my
vow, in the presence of your ancestress and the
all -seeing sun: Never again will Adalo woo
you. Though the ardent longing of my heart
should consume me, I will die ere I approach
you again with words of entreaty."

"Alas!" wailed the blind woman, "alas for
my dearest wish ! Is it never to be fulfilled?"

" If it should be. Mother Waldrun, Albfledis
must first come to me in my hall, and say:

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 45

'Adalo, here I am! Take me for your wife!'"
"Oh, what shameless insolence!" cried Bis-
sula, frantic with grief and rage. Seizing one of
the blocks of stone which formed the rude table
before the oak, she tried to hurl it at the hated
man. Her little hands tore at the jagged rock
without avail, till the fingers bled, but the heavy
block remained unmoved, and bursting into
tears of helpless rage, she flung herself upon
the ground.

The old woman bent over her, listening anx-
iously to her sobs, but Adalo had neither seen
nor heard aught of these things. Even as he
uttered the last words, he turned his back
upon the women, his face dark with pride and
anger, and throwing his spear over his shoulder,
leaped down the slope so swiftly that his yellow
locks floated wildly around his handsome head.

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CHAPTER VIII.

T^AYS had passed since the incident related
in the last chapter. The Romans had en-
tered the country without encountering the
slightest resistance. After encamping on the
summit of Meersburg and resting during the
following day, they had set forth again and,
turning somewhat inland from the lake and its
swampy shores, reached the Idisenhang.

Finding this commanding position unde-
fended, they had formed a permanent camp
here at the spot agreed upon with the troops
which had embarked on the fleet. As soon as
this seemed sufficiently fortified to be defended
by a small garrison left behind, and their com-
rades in Arbon had the fleet ready, the latter
were to cross, land, and begin the pursuit of
the invisible Barbarians.

But scarcely had Nannienus seen from Ar-
bon on the opposite shore that the column
sent by land had reached the spot appointed
and established a camp, when he despatched by

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 47

a swift fisher-boat tidings which threatened to
defer the progress of the enterprise for an
indefinite time. As soon as the experienced
commander reached the Roman post he dis-
covered that the equipment of the necessary
vessels would require far more time than had
been expected.

The reports of the magistrates and oflicers to
the distant Emperor, which represented a con-
siderable portion of the old Roman fleet as still
in existence and, moreover, strengthened by
newly built ships, proved false and shamefully
exaggerated:' these unprincipled men, corrupt,
like nearly all the oflSicials in the Empire, had
concealed their numerous defeats in which the
Barbarians had gradually destroyed these ships ;
they had then appropriated the money fur-
nished to build new ones, and reported them
completed.

This was the discovery made by the Comes
of Britannia, who announced with fierce indig-
nation — he had sent the treacherous quaestors
and nauarchs in chains to the Emperor at Vin-
donissa — that though he had ordered work to
be carried on in the little dockyard night and
day, the intended landing must be deferred to

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a considerably later period. Energetic Saturni-
nus was incensed by this enforced idleness : but
he could do nothing save vituperate the cor-
ruption of the magistracy, the Empire, the
whole age, and — wait .

The richly decorated tent intended for the
Prefect of Gaul was pitched upon the very
summit of the height which is now occupied
by the cemetery of the village of Berg. Soft
rugs, piled one above another, covered the
ground ; a couch was placed against the back
of the leather tent, and beside it stood a table
adorned with costly drinking-vessels. An old
freedman, a slave, and the cup-bearer were en-
gaged in giving the last touches. There were
places for three on the horseshoe -shaped couch,
and a row of goblets stood on the table ; for,
though the coena had been served in the Tri-
bune's tent, the Prefect had invited him and
his nephew to take some chojce wine after the
meal in the Praetorian one.

While the servants were busied in preparing
the table, the loose leather at the poles in the
rear of the tent was repeatedly raised noiselessly
and then dropped again. No one observed it.
Two of the men qow went out, but the cup-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 49

bearer still lingered to wipe again and i^n the
inside of a magnificent silver goblet, which,
supported by three graceful female figures, bore
the inscription: "The graces to their favorite,
Ausonius."

"Not ready yet, Davus?" the old freedman
had asked in a tone of vexation, as he turned
away.

"No, Prosper. You know our master will
drink only from this cup, the Emperor's gift,
and he is so particular about it."

The slave was scarcely alone when the leather
flap of the tent was again raised, a watchful face
was thrust cautiously in. "Alone at last!** a
voice whispered.

"I was waiting for you, my lord."

"Well? To-day? At the nocturnal carouse?"

"No. I dare not attempt it yet. Your uncle
is as well as he was at home in Burdigala. Let
him first sicken under this Barbarian sky, the
unwonted fetigues of camp life in the rain and
swamps; then it will be easier. But now — in
perfect health? No, no! Have patience. Wait
a little longer."

"I cannot. My creditors, the usurers, are
hounding me to the death; have followed me
4

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50 A CAPTIVE OF

here to the camp. And this region, this neigh-
borhood, as you know, is more perilous to me
than any other spot in the whole world. So
hasten!"

"As soon as he begins to ail a little TU do it
at once. But I must confess — "

"What?"

"The vial of poison you gave me, I — "

."Lost? You blockhead!"

"No, it is broken. During the steep ascent
of the mountain recently I slipped, struck my
breast against a boulder, and crushed the little
bottle, whose contents all poured out."

"Alas, then where else — "

"Have no fear, my lord. I've seen hemlock
enough growing in these marshy meadows to
poison our whole army. I have already begun
to gather and dry it. Do you the same, and as
soon — "

Loud voices and the clank of weapons were
heard ; the face vanished, and the slave passed
through the doorway of the tent into the open
air.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 51

CHAPTER IX.

T^IRECTLY after, Ausonius and Saturninus
entered the Praefectorian tent from the
Via Principalis yVf\ii\t Herculanus, coming from
the rear, passed in with them. The host
shared his seat on the couch with his two
guests.

He was a man of fifty-two, but his stately
figure showed few signs of approaching age, and
hi$ noble face lacked none of the characteristics
of the patrician Roman in the modelling of
the forehead, nose, and finely arched brows.

But the mouth had smiled so often — prob-
ably far too often in self complacency — ^^that
it had forgotten how to close with firm decision ;
it was much too weak for a man. And the
light-brown eyes, so pleasant and kindly, so
content with everything and everybody — and
not least with Ausonius — betrayed more plainly
than any other feature the approach of age;
their glance had lost the fire of youth. They
seemed weary, not of life but of reading ; for

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Ausonius had been professor, rhetorician, tutor
of princes, and poet. In those days that
meant a man who read an immense amount
and, in default of elevating thoughts of his
own, extracted with the industry of a bee the
ideas of the writers of four centuries, tore them
asunder, and put them together again in such
tiny fr^ments that his readers and himself
believed them to be new ones of his own and
would have found it very difficult to separate
the mosaic into its borrowed portions. Pas-
sions had never furrowed this smooth fece : the
lines around the eyes were not graven by pain,
but by the passage of the years.

This kindly natured man, who himself saw
everything on its best side, thought the whole
world most admirably arranged. He believed
seriously that all men who had not committed
great crimes, and therefore deserved punish-
ment, fared just as well as the very, very
wealthy, benevolent, and much praised Deci-
mus Magnus Ausonius of Burdigala (Bor-
deaux), the delightful city of villas; that they
fared as well as Ausonius, who was petted
by all who surrounded him, and who in the
opinion of his contemporaries — an4 especially

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 53

his own — was the greatest poet of his age.
Even had this been true, it certainly would not
have meant much.

This really amiable, kindly man, whose only
fault was a little undue self-satisfaction, was
now playing the part which best suited him, —
for better than that of poet or statesman, — the
part of the host who, comfortable himself,
desires to make all his guests equally so* His
pleasant, cheery, friendly kindness of heart,
which would fain see everybody happy, though
of course without too much self-sacrifice, found
in this role its fullest expression.

"There! now go, slaves." He waved his
hand to those who had again entered. "Look
after yourselves — as we are doing. Go,, too,
my faithful PrcEspcr: take for yourself — and
give to the others — the better wine fi-om Rho-
danus ; you know\it. : 1 saw how hard it was
to drag the skins lip the steep hill. Go: we
will serve ourselves." He stretched himself
comfortably on the lectus, thrusting under his
head a soft downy pillow filled with the feath-
ers of German geese. "Give yonder amethyst
goblet to the Tribune, my dear nephew, for
our lUyrian Hercules must drink deeply ! No,

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54 A CAPTIVE OF

Saturninus, don't take the mixing vessel ! The
first cup — unmixed. To the genius of the Em-
peror Gratianus ! "

" It's lucky that the Emperor himself doesn't
hear you," cried the Tribune, laughing, as he
put down the empty goblet. "I am neither
Christian nor pagan, only a soldier, and no-
body asks about my faith. But you ! Gratianus's
teacher! The Emperor is zealous in the true
religion. And you drink to his genius, as
though we were living in the reign of Diocle-
tian ! Are you a pagan. Prefect of Gaul ?"

Ausonius glanced around to see that no slave
was within hearing. Then he smiled. " If I
were a pagan, that is, if I had not been bap-
tized, I certainly should not be Prefect of Gaul.
The dignity is probably worth a few drops of
water. They did not penetrate my skin. How
could a poet forget the ald^jfods?"

"Yes, yes, if the learned mythological allu-
sions should be effaced from your verses, the
brightest of the borrowed foreign feathers would
be plucked from Ausonius's raven."

"Tribune!" cried the nephew angrily, — he
shouted much louder than was necessary, — "you
are speaking of the greatest Roman writer!"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 55

"No, no," said the man thus lauded, very
seriously, "there are probably two or three
greater ones.'*

"Forgive me, Ausonius," said Saturninus.
" I understand battles, not verses. Probably it
is my own fault that yours don't suit me."

"You know too few of them," replied Her-
culanus reprovingly,

"I'm not of your opinion!" retorted the II-
lyrian, laughing. " I've never had much time
for reading. But I sometimes ride beside your
uncle through the olive woods of Aquitania,
the vineyards of the Mosella, or the marshy
forests of the Alemanni : he has an inexhaus-
tible memory and can repeat his verses for
miles."

"Yes," the poet assented complacently, "my
memory must supply the place of imagination."

"Wouldn't it be better if you had imagina-
tion, and your readers took pleasure in remem-
bering what it created?" asked the soldier.

"My uncle can repeat the whole of Virgil."

"Yes, that is evident — in his verses! The
reader often doesn't know where Virgil and Ovid
end and Ausonius begins. But Ausonius pre-
fers to recite his own poetry."

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56 A CAPTIVE OF

* The latter nodded pleasantly.

"That's the best thing about you. Prefect;
though a little vain, like all verse-writers, your
heart is in the right place : a warm, kind heart
which never takes offence at a friend's jest."

"I should be both stupid and contemptible
ifl did that."

"As a reward Til tell you now that I owe an
exquisite night to one of your poems — or a
portion of it."

The poet, much pleased, raised himself on
thelectus: "What poem?"

"Your^Mosella.'"

"Yes^ yes," replied Ausonius smiling,"! like
it very much, too."

"It is divine!" Herculanus protested.

"I'm no theologian," said Saturninus, laugh-
ing, " to understand divine things. But the most
beautiful part of the poem is the description
of the various kinds of fish in the river."

"Yes, yes," observed the author, smiling as
he slowly sipped his wine, "verses eighty-two to
one hundred and forty-nine: they are very
pretty, especially the euphony."

"Oh, never mind the euphony. I read it in
the evening, and fell asleep."

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57

"Barbarian!" exclaimed the poet.
"But in my dreams I saw before me the most
delicious fish; the salm — "

• « « Thee, too, I pnase, O salmOn, with thy roseate fleth ! ' "

Ausonius quoted.
"The trout."

** 'Then the trout, its back besprinkled with tinjr crimsoB
stars.'

"That^s what I call a fine line."
"The grayling."

<'<And the swift grayling, escaping from the eye with
rapid leaps !' "

"Yes> but not as you describe them, alive in
the Mosella — there is nothing I enjoy eating
more than a fine fish ! No, I saw them before
me on silver dishes, baked, broiled, and in
dainty stews; and in my dream I tasted them
all. When I woke, I licked my lips and blessed
Ausonius : no poet has ever given me so much
pleasure."

He Ifti^hed and drained his goblet

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CHAPTER X.

44 T AM generous," replied Ausomus. "It
pleases me to discover in this way a
favorite dish of my usually Spartan friend. I
wUl avenge myself by placing before you, if
possible, the delicious fish this lake contains;
for in its green depths are balche and trout of
the most delicate flavor. They are even better
than those of the Mosella : I could surely have
supplied you with them if the Barbarians had
not all fled from the shore before our troops.
When, five years ago, I spent several months
on the opposite side in Arbor Felix, to investi-
gate the condition of the frontiers, what mag-
nificent fish I had ! " Then, as if lost in reverie,
he sighed : "Ah, those were happy days ! My
dear wife, my gentle Sabina, was living."

"Hail to thy memory, Attusia Lucana Sa-
bina!" said the nephew.

"And my dear children! Then my beau-
tiful, spacious house in the city, and the
charming villa outside the Garumna gate were

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 59

not empty and desolate. How gaily the songs
of the young girls echoed through the country
during the season when the vine blossoms
poured forth their fragrance ! Then I still saw
around me the beloved faces of my kindred,
did not stand alone, poor with all my wealth,
as now — "

** Uncle!" interrupted Herculanus, trying to
assume a tone of most tender reproach, in
which, however, he was not entirely successful.
"Stand alone? Have you not me, who love
you so tenderly?"

The Tribune gazed coldly at the over-zealous
nephew.

But Ausonius replied kindly: "Certainly,
my dear fellow, you are left to me, but you
alone out of the whole circle of my family
swept away in a single year by the pestilence :
my Sabina, my three children, my two sisters
and two sweet young nieces. Can you alone
fill the places of all ? I often feel so lonely.
And you are a man. My gentle wife, my
daughters, my sisters, my nieces, how I miss
them! I confess it: I need the melody of
women's voices, their graceful movements
around me. I miss something!"

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The young Roman, excited, hastily seized
the goblet* The Tribune looked him keenly
in the face and, without averting his eyes from
the nephew, suddenly said to the unde in a
very loud tone: "You must marry again!"
Then the lUyrian turned away from Hercu-
lanus : he seemed to have seen enough.

**Yes," said Ausonius slowly, almost sol-
emnly, ** I have often thought of it* It is a
serious, a very serious matter — at my age."

"At any age,"said Saturninus. *^ Years will not
stand in your way. You are perhaps fifty ?"

"Fifty-two," sighed the Prefect. "And my
hair is gray!"

"Not very yet! Besides, mine is too. In
my case from the weight of the helmet. And
it is becoming. You are a — "

"Handsome old man, you are going to say,"
replied Ausonius smiling. "That is not exactly
what pleases maidens."

"Well, you need not choose a girl of sixteen."

"But not one much older!'* said the poet
quickly. "No, my friend! I want youth and
charm near me."

"That you may have too," said the lUyrian.
"You can select from your whole province, nay.

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•THE ROMAN EAGLES 61

the whole Empire, You, the highest official in
Gaul, the Emperor's tutor and favorite, the
celebrated poet and — "

"And the richest match in the whole West,"
interrupted the nephew sharply. Hitherto he
had remained persistently silent, his eyes cast
down and the expression of his mouth covered
by his hand. "The richest gray beard on this
side of the Alps !" he added.

"Yes, that is it," said Ausonius bitterly.
**Herculanu8 only says openly and frankly
what has secretly tortured me so much all these
years, nay, what has alone deterred me. You
know, my friend, — or rather, you blunt Tri-
bune of the camp, you do not know, —
for what reasons parents in our large cities
marry then' daughters, nay, how these girls
themselves, almost before they have laid aside
their dolls, instantly look out for ^a good
catch M In sooth, neither Eros nor Anteros,
but Hermes and Plutus unite couples now."

"Yes, they marry only for money!" cried
Herculanus wrathfuUy, "I am poor; the girls
all shun me -7-"

The Tribune was about to answer, but only
laughed and drank his wine.

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62 A CAPTIVE OF

"Although I am nearly thirty years younger
than my uncle! Fathers, mothers, guardians,
nay, even the forward girls themselves, all ca-
jole him, till I can scarcely warn and guard
enough."

** That's the way the bee - keeper guards the
honey from the mice," growled the lUyrian
under his breath.

" My nephew is perfectly right. A friend of
mine, Erminiscius, a rich merchant who deals
in gems, fifty years old, married a girl of twenty.
A week after, she disappeared with all his an-
tique jewels and — his youngest freedman. An-
other, Euronius, a large owner of vineyards,
somewhat older, married a young widow of
twenty-five; that is — he was married by her;
for she did not rest until she had him. Even
before the wedding he was obliged to make his
will ; she dictated it to him word for word. He
died at the next kalends — violent colic. I did
not like it at all ; I hate colic ! And so many
wild cherries grew close by his garden ! You
ought to see how much this double widow en-
joys life now. She once paid me a visit — she
is very beautiful and was bewitchingly amiable
to me ; but I thQught of the dead Euronius's

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 63

colic, and escaped unwedded, I don't imagine
in ail cases an elopement or a wild-cherry cake ;
every one is neither a Helena nor a Locusta.
Suspicion is not usually one of my faults,"

" Rather the contrary," observed Saturninus.

" But, I confess it, my gray hairs make me
distrustful. I should be so unhappy — Apol-
lo's richest laurels would not heal the wound
— if I were forced to believe that I had been
married only for the sake of my wealth. I do
not deserve it."

"No indeed, you do not," cried the Tribune,
pressing his hand warmly. "Your heart is
tender, kind, and frank. Whoever feigned
love for the sake of your money would be
contemptible. And I hope that you may yet
see a band of children playing around your
knees in the beautiful villa gardens on the
flowery shores of your beloved Garumna."

Ausonius smiled. The picture seemed to
please him. Then his eye met the glance of
his nephew, who seemed to be gazing into the
distance less complacently. "Don't be uneasy,
Herculanus," he said. " Even if it should be so,
my will would not forget you. And your cred-
itors," he added, smiling compassionately.

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"Will! What an ill-omened word! Far
be it," cried the young Roman.

"Well, people don't die from making wills,
or I should have left the living long ago. A
Roman citizen sets his house in order for every
emergency, death included. So, though Her-
culanus according to the law would now be
my sole heir, I made my will before the magis-
trate in Burdigala before joining the army, form-
ally naming him my heir: a few little legacies
and the liberation of some faithful slaves still
remain. To you, Saturninus," he added, laugh-
ing, "I shall bequeath after my return, in a
codicil, a valuable memento of this evening."

"Well?"

"A copy of the *MoselIa'; but the verses
about the fish are to be cut out by way of
punishment."

He quaflfed his wine, pleased with his own
jest.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 6s

CHAPTER XL

^^^V'OU must and will survive me, my noble
friend! The Tribune will soon lie
where he belongs : on his shield. But you still
belong to Burdigala, in your tasteful house filled
with rare works of art (what hospitality I en-
joyed there the last time I was wounded !), or
to Rome, in the Senate; not here, in the
marshy forests of these Alemanni, Why (you
always liked to accompany the Emperor to
Vindonissa) — why did you, a man of peace and
of leisure, join this military campaign ? It has
no attraction for you ! What have you to ob-
tain on the Barbarian shores of this lake?"

"I ? I am seeking for something here," re-
plied Ausonius^ after some little hesitation,
"Laurels of Mars to add to those of Apollo ?"
"Not at all; only — a memory!"
Herculanus cast a sharp glance full of mean-
ing at his uncle.

**Or, if you prefer it, a dream, the fulfilment
of a dream, I believe in dreams."
5

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"Of course," said the Tribune, smiling, "like
all poets ! I care more for waking thoughts."

"When I reached the army over yonder in
Vindonissa, a lovely charming memory of a
child rose vividly before me; a child equally
bewitching in mind and person, whom I knew
and loved here several years ago."

"A boy?"

"No, a girl."

"Ho, ho, pedagogue of the Emperor !" cried
the Tribune, laughing.

Herculanus did not enter into the jest; he
was silently watching Ausonius's every look.

"Oh, calm yourself! Bissula is a girl about
twelve years old — that is — she was in those
days. She and a Sarmatian boy brought to Arbor
every we^k the fish her uncle had caught on
the northern shore of the lake. And how de-
lightfully she talked! Even her Barbarian Latin
sounded sweetly from her cherry-red lips. We
became the best of friends. 1 gave her — she
would accept neither; money nor costly jewels
— trifling articles, especially seeds of fine Gallic
fruit and flowers from Garumna for her little
garden. She told me strange stories of the
gods and fauns in the woods, the nymphs in

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 67

the lakes and springs here in the country, —
but she gave them diflFerent names, — and the
mountain giants opposite, whose white heads
glittered in the sunset light. And I — I — "

"You read the'Mosella' to her, of course!"
laughed Saturninus.

"Certainly. And the little Barbarian girl
showed a better appreciation of it than the great
Roman general. It was not the fish that pleased
her best — "

** I can easily believe it : she had better ones
herself, you said just now."

". But the descriptions of the vineyards and
villas along the river. And when I told her
that in my home on the Garumna were far, far
handsomer and richer houses, full of marble,
gold, bronze, and ivory, adorned with brightly
painted walls and mosaics ; that I myself owned
the most beautiful palaces and magnificent gar-
dens full of leaping water, foreign stags and
deer, and birds with sweet songs or brilliant
plumage; when I spoke of the deep blue of
the sky and the golden light of the sun in the
glorious land of Aquitania where almost per-
petual summer reigned, she could not hear
enough In prose and verse of the splendor of

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68 A CAPTIVE OF

our country and the magnificence and art of
our life. Once she clapped her little hands in
surprise and delight, exclaiming : * Oh, father,
I should like to see that too. Just one day ! *
But I had grown so fond of the gay, sweet child
that, with a thrill of joy at the thought, I an-
swered: *Come, my little daughter, not for a
day — forever. If your guardian will consent,
I will adopt you as my child and take you to
Burdigala. How gladly my wife will welcome
you! My daughters will treat you as a dear
sister. You shall become a Roman maiden!'
*^But, like a frightened deer, she sprang from
my lap, ran off, leaped into her boat, rowed
swiftly across the lake, and did not return for
many days. I was full of anxiety lest I had
driven her away forever. At last — it was a
time of complete peace — I had myself rowed
across the lake to its northern shore and guided
to her hut in the forest. But she had scarcely
caught sight of me when, with a loud cry of
terror, she climbed into a huge oak as nimbly
as a woodpecker and hid herself among the
branches. She would not come down again
until I had solemnly promised, in the presence
of her uncle and her grandmother, not to take

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 69

her away and never even to say a word about
it : * For/ she said, with tears in her eyes, ^ in
that hot country I should die of homesickness
for my own family, the neighbors, nay, even for
the mountain, the meadow, and lake, like the
forest flowers transplanted from the marshy
soil into dry sand/ "

"A sensible child," remarked the Tribune
thoughtfully, stroking his beautiful brown
beard. "So she is pretty?"

"I think so!" cried Herculanus: the voice
sounded almost savage.

"Why, nephew, you have never seen her."

"But you have described her to us often
enough ! I could paint her, with her bright red
locks."

"And her name is Bissula?" Saturninus
added.

"Yes, *the little one,*" replied Ausonius, "for
she is very slender and delicate of limb. I then
saw her regularly again, but kept my promise
not to ask her to go with me. When I bade her
farewell, she wept with a child's loving tears.
*With you,' she said ^I part fi-om a warm,
bright, beautiful world, into which, as it were, I
peeped, standing on tiptoe, over a curtain.'

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"Recently, on reaching Vindonissa — during
my journey through the country I had thought
much of the charming child — I saw her before
me in a dream the first night, encircled by a
poisonous serpent. Her eyes were raised to
mine, imploring help. I woke with a cry, and
my heart grew heavy at the thought of what
might befall the lovely girl — for she must
have become beautiful — if our cohorts bring
all the horrors of war into the forests along the
shore of the lake. And 1 confess, it was prin-
cipally to see that child again— perhaps to
protect her until the war should be over — that
I entreated the Emperor to permit me to join
this expedition."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 71

CHAPTER Xn.

ii"DUT I suppose you did not think your

uncle's life would be sufficiently safe

under my protection, Herculanus, since you

were so eager to join us?" asked the Tribune.

Before the nephew could answer, Ausonius
interrupted: "But — thank the gods — our
campaign will be bloodless: the Barbarians
have abandoned the country. Where can they
have gone? What have you learned through
your spies of the movements of the enemy ?"

"Nothing. That is the mysterious part of it.
It seems as though the earth had swallowed
them. They are said to have numerous subter-
ranean passages and cellars, in which they con-
ceal their provisions and themselves in times
of danger. We found it very difficult to obtain
spies among our colonists on the southern shore.
They know very well that we Romans come and
go ; the Alemanni remain in the country, and
they fear their vengeance. And deserters pan
no longer be had. In former wars they were

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72 A CAPTIVE OF

often mentioned. But the fact that there are no
renegades shows that self-reliance is increasing
and the dread or hope of Rome is declining. I
could get only two volunteers — for a large sum
of money — to venture upon a reconnoitring
expedition ; the one who went to the East re-
turned without having seen a sign of the foe ;
the one dispatched to the North has not yet
appeared. And unfortunately we have not taken
even one prisoner. Not a sign of a human foot-
print have we seen on the whole march along
the lake. Once, it is true, I thought I saw a
light column of smoke rising from the dense
growth of rushes which stretches for leagues into
the lake, and ordered the troops to halt; but
the tiny cloud instantly vanished."

"I can understand the strategy of our admir-
able General only by crediting him with an al-
most offensive degree of caution," sneered the
commander of the mailed horsemen. "By Her-
cules ! Wherever they may hide, the Barbar-
ians cannot be a day's march from us."

**Yes," Ausonius assented. "Yet I should
think we might be strong enough to seek them
and drive them from their hiding places."

Saturninus frowned slightly. "Your nephew's

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 73

opinion of my courage gives me no concern.
But you. Prefect, have again forgotten that, by
the Emperor's orders, we are not to disperse
the Barbarians, but to surround them and force
them to submission. We are too weak for this
encircling, and must wait for the ships. Unless
our fleet should block the lake, they will again
escape, as they have often done, in their boats.
Stick to your hexameters, my Pierian friend,
and leave the Barbarians to me : it will be better
for all concerned."

** Except the Barbarians!" replied Ausonius
smiling, extending his hand to his friend.

"Who are probably the leaders of the
enemy?"

"The Romans on the southern shore men-
tion two names. The rest of the Alemanni
provinces are mainly ruled by kings."

"So far do Germans carry royalty," nodded
the learned Prefect. " May they always continue
to be divided into numberless provinces under
their hedge kings and village magistrates, whom
each man obeys as much as he chooses."

"It seems that this state of things has
changed. Many provinces are united in leagues,
which hold together in peace as well as in war.

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The men of Linzgau have no king now, it
appears, only an aged count. But he must be
a man of powerful intellect, since the gray-
haired Hariowald has been chosen commander-
in-chief of all the provinces leagued against us.
True, we have not to deal solely with the
Lentienses. After centuries of folly these
Barbarians are beginning to discover that
liberty,* that is, the privilege of doing what
each man pleases without regard to his neighbor,
is, though a delightful, a somewhat dangerous
pleasure, and that with such liberty' they will
be forever our bondmen, so long as one prov-
ince looks on with malicious pleasure while we
subjugate another with which it has had a
quarrel — till its own turn comes. Formerly
they preferred to place their surplus of young
men at our disposal rather than have them obey
the commands of one of their own people, but
for some time there has been a change; even
those splendid soldiers, my Batavians, no longer
wish to remain with me, and -^ill not renew
their oath of service. We no longer hear the
names of numberless small peoples : five or six
great leagues fill the whole country from the
Ister to the Suabian Sea. It has long made

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 75

me uneasy. That old man is now the com-
mander-in-chief of all the Germans allied
against us."

"Commander-in-chief of the Alemanni!"

"Don't laugh at them, Ausonius! Ay, this
leadership of the woodland war has cost us
much blood and many a dear-bought victory,
since the days of that Quinctilius Varus. As
the white-beard is said to be the head, a young
relative of his is called the arm, the sword, the
fire-brand of the conflict."

"What is his name ?"

"Attalus."

"Adalo! That was one of Bissula*s play-
mates. She often mentioned him. I saw him
frequently ; he looked at me defiantly enough.
Could it be he?"

"The women and men at our stations along
the lake cannot say enough in praise of his
beauty and strength."

"Well, hitherto neither the warlike wisdom of
the old man nor the warlike zeal of the young
one has showed itself," sneered Herculanus.

"Yes," laughed, Ausonius. "Their wisdom
is the resolve to run away, and their zeal the
energy with which they execute the decision."

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But the Tribune, with frowning brow, cried :
"Such speeches drive away the goddess of
victory and summon the avenger of foolhardi-
ness. Jeer after we have conquered — and
even then, it is wiser not to do it. Nemesis
sleeps lightly."

"If you cannot discover where the Barba-
rians are hiding, what will you do?"

"Seek them until I do find them and bring
them to a halt."

" But then," cried Herculanus, " let there be
no treaties, no mercy, nothing save extermina-
tion. How often these faithless people have
broken the peace! Our legions are foil of
fory against the Barbarians who, year after
year, compel them to march through these
horrible marshy forests. Only the extirpation
of the last German will give peace to the
Roman Empire." He clenched his fist threat-
eningly.

" You have perhaps uttered words of proph-
ecy," said Saturninus thoughtfoUy, "but in a
different sense from what you intended."

"He has uttered abominable words!" cried
Ausonius, filling his goblet. "And they are
utterly groundless. Ay, more than a century

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 77

ago it looked as if the Persians and Germans
under Gallienus would flood the Eastern and
the Western Empire. But since that time Eter-
nal Rome has grown young once more. Your
brave countrymen, my Saturninus, the heroic
lUyrian emperors, have curbed the barbarians
on the Euphrates, the Rhine, and the Ister.
Diocletian has remodelled the internal affairs of
the Empire; and so I might adapt to Rome's
mastery of the world the proud words of my
colleague Horace : 'He did not lack talent, but
he possessed little learning/"

"Do they belong to poetry?" asked Satur-
ninus doubtfully.

But the eager speaker, without hearing his
words, continued: "What he said concerning
the permanence and spread of his own renown
I will apply to the glory of Rome: it will in-
crease and grow, so long as the priest ascends
the hill to the Capitol with the silent Virgin.
The Vestal," he added in explanation.

" H'm," observed the lUyrian, "only it's a
pity that the hypothesis is no longer apt."

"What? How so?"

"The pious Constantine, of murderous mem-
ory ( I hear they want to canonize the assassin

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of his mother and his wife) prohibited or re-
stricted the offering of sacrifices at the Capitol,
and your pupil and patron, Gratianus, recently
abolished the Vestals."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 79

CHAPTER Xni.

44 r^H, that must not be taken so literally/'
Ausonius remarked.

"I am not superstitious. I rely possibly too
much upon my sword and too little upon
heaven; and I care nothing about the Vestal
virgins. But I do not like the second step
your pupil took last year in Rome."

"What do you mean?"

"He removed from the coundl-hall of the
Senate the altar of the goddess of victory,
where sacrifices were offered before the open-
ing of debates."

"Constantine had removed it previously."

"But Julian, the mighty conqueror of the
Alemanni, restored it. And, by Jupiter ! — par-
don me, by God! — with good success. The
priests called him * the apostate,* but the god-
dess of victory was not unfaithful to him.
Now men fight stoutly, with or without the
goddess of victory. But — I am a Roman —
I dread the omen."

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" You see the matter in too dark colors."

"You see It in too rosy a light. Your kind
heart wishes good to all."

"Yes, even to the Barbarians!" Ausonius
nodded, raising his goblet. " They are human
beings, too. And as the Stoa, not the Galilean,
first taught, all men >are brothers."

" But there are too many of these yellow-
maned brothers."

"And I believe in a deity — call him by
whatever name you choose — that directs all
things well. Therefore I believe that these
Barbarians will listen to reason and soon offer
you their submission."

"Perhaps the little girl — what is her name?
Bissula — will also surrender to Ausonius," said
the Tribune in a jesting tone.

"Oh, the dear child! If I could only see
her again."

"Do not wish it. Prefect."

"Why?"

'* Perhaps she will conquer you ! She would
not be the first Barbarian. Was it Pipa — or
Pipara — that the girl of the Marcomanni was
called, with whom even an emperor fell des-
perately and hopelessly in love?"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 8i

"You forget. 1 wanted her for a daughter,
not a wife."

"At that time. Now she is no longer a
child — and you are a widower."

"Alas! she probably fled with her people
long ago. And yet, I am so ready to believe
what I desire!"

"Yes, that is one of your most amiable
weaknesses."

"Am I to hope for what I fear?"

"No, but to think what we do not desire
more probable than what we wish — that is my
wisdom."

"No, no I I will not allow myself to be rob-
bed of the hope that I shall again^see the little
nymph of these forests."

" But if I catch her," cried the Tribune, laugh-
ing, "she will be mine according to the laws of
war."

A sudden change of expression — like a flash
of lightning — ^^ flickered across Herculanus's
haggard visage. The Tribune did not see ; his
eyes were fixed upon Ausonius's face, wonder-
ing that his features should pale with fear.

"Can this feeling be so deep-seated in
my worthy friend?" he thought.
6

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"Uncle, surely you know that the Tribune
IS jesting/* cried Herculanus, as if to comfort
him.

The lUyrian turned toward him with a threat-
ening bearing, saying in a stern, grave tone:
"Who tells you so?"

Ausonius cast a hasty, anxious glance at the
handsome, stately man ; then he tried to smile,
but the attempt was not very successful. " Your
jest brought before me the possibility of a ter-
rible earnest. If the charming, innocent child
should fall into the hands of one of our pitiless
centurions ! Horrible ! "

"It has been the fate of thousands — pshaw,
what am I saying — of many hundred thous-
sands, since we Romans bore our eagles over
the world. You poets — even you, my soft-
hearted friend — are fond of singing the praises
of war. I tell you, he who knows and directs
it rarely lauds it. War is necessary. I laugh at
the foolish weaklings who, like the worthy
stoics, or the monks, imagine that some day
there will be a kingdom of eternal peace. War*
is grand ; death for one's native land is the most
powerful feeling that rules mankind ; but war is
horrible ! To me it does not matter,"' he added.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 83

laughing, as he drained his goblet. ^^I need
only make war, not answer for it, and above
all, I need not sing its praises. I am neither an-
vil nor lyre ; I am hammer, and woe to the van-
quished ! For a thousand years we have carried
the terrors of our victories to all nations : an
unprecedented loyalty on the part of Fortuna.
But now — I hope I shall not witness it — now
her wheel is gradually rolling backward — toward
us — over us!"

"Never!" cried the poet. "What can these
half- naked Barbarians do against us? So long
as we have warriors like you and, for the service
of the Muses, minds — "

"like Ausonius's, do you mean? Enviable
self-reliance! I tell you, I consider myself —
and far better soldiers than I — incapable of
resisting this ever-advancing ocean which is
called ^Germans/ I have gone through many
a campaign against them — against these very
Alemanni. I think they know my name! But
there is something mysterious under this surg-
ing multitude — I know not what — a motive
power unintelligible to us all, which can no
more be resisted with sword and spear than the
sea itselfv I have long sought the clue to the

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84 A CAPTIVE OF

secret, yet cannot find it. But so far as the ser-
vice of the Muses is concerned — pardon a rude
soldier — we need peasants, not poets. There
are only millionaires, beggars, and slaves. Give
me a hundred thousand free peasants of the an-
cient Latin stock, and Til sacrifice in return for
them all the Latin poets, dead and living, and
once more believe in the future of Rome. As
things are — but it is already late," he cried,
starting up. "Let us seek our couches. We
shall not be able to end this old conflict of
ours; coming generations will decide it, but
not with words. Good -night I Dream of Bis-
sula — that we may find her: you believe in
dreams. For to-morrow — Nannienus has at
least completed a couple of ships which he will
send to cruise along the northern shore — we
will make a little expedition eastward."

He raised the curtain and strode in his clank-
ing armor out into the darkness ; he could not
help thinking constantly of the beautiful wood-
nymph. Herculanus also took his leave, but he
was scarcely outside the tent when he shook
his clenched fist threateningly toward the east,
muttering through his set teeth: "Wait, Bar-
barian witch ! " But Ausonius stretched himself

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 85

on his camp bed, put out the light, and mur-
mured : "Sleep peacefully, my Bissula, wherever
you may be; to-morrow perhaps I shall once
more see those never-to-be-forgotten eyes."

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86 A CAPTIVE OF

CHAPTER XIV.

AT daybreak the tuba sounded through the
Roman camp, summoning to departure the
bands who were to share the expedition.

"Where is my nephew?" asked Ausonius,
mounting the beautiful gray Cantabrian stal-
lion, whose stirrup was held by old Prosper.
"He is usually the first at my bedside to greet
me."

"He hastened on with his mailed riders long
ago. He started even before the Tribune."

"What zeal! I like that," said the uncle,
patting the neck of his noble steed. "At home
in Burdigala he devoted his time solely to — "

"To spending your money, O patron!"
growled the old man.

" Pshaw, never mind, gray beard! My money
— it will soon be his money."

"May the Olympians — forgive me, the
saints — forbid!"

"Put no restraint on yourself on my account.
I prefer them too. They have the advantage

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 87

of suiting the metre better, at least most of
them. Where is Saturninus?"

"Gone already. He left word that you
might follow : you could not miss the way. See,
there are the helmets of the last men in his
rear-guard. His countryman Decius com-
mands them."

"I see. Forward! How beautifully the
morning light smiles upon us. Help me,
unconquered sun -god ! "

He put spurs to his horse and, followed by
a brilliant train of mounted men, dashed down
the hill and through the Porta Principalis
Dextra eastward, toward the sun. A guide had
sought the best path at the earliest dawn,
marking it by placing at certain spaces small
scones carried in bags by the pioneers who
accompanied and watched him. The Prefect of
Gaul soon reached the path trodden by Adalo
a few days before, which led to Suomar's lonely
forest dwelling. With a throbbing heart he
recognized the familiar spot : the little hill, the
broad-branched oak, the neighboring spring:
nothing had changed in the few years, except
that another piece of tilled land had been wrested
by fire from the primeval forest.

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At the fence which inclosed the court-yard
he sprang from his horse ; he had ordered his
escort to halt at the oak-tree. The blood
suffused his face, so intense was his anxiety.
The narrow gate in the palisade stood ajar.
Entering the yard, he uttered a cry of joyful
astonishment: a little flower garden had been
laid out beside the door of the house ; he recog-
nized with emotion in the gay blossoms, now
in the full bloom of summer, the seeds and
slips which he had given the child in Arbor,
nay, even ordered from Gaul. Italian and Gallic
flowers and shrubs, evidently tended by loving
hands, splendid roses and evergreen yews greeted
him in thick beds, and also small fixiit-trees.
Pontine cherries, Picentinian apples, Aquitan-
ian pears, had grown as high as the door.

"Yes, yes," said Ausonius, smiling, "how
everything has grown and blossomed in five
years!" Then something whirred over his
head; from openings in the stable- roof a whole
flock of dainty little blue-gray doves flew across
the garden to the neighboring field of oats.
"See," cried Ausonius, looking after them.
"My Lycian rock -doves from Burdigala!
How that one pair has multiplied!"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 89

He hesitated to enter the house. Doubtless
he told himself that the hope of finding her he
sought was faint, nay futile. But here every-
thing seemed to bear witness to her presence;
there on the bench before the dwelling lay — he
knew them well — the delicate garden shears
which he had sent to her from Vindonissa. He
did not wish to cross the threshold and rob
himself of every hope.

The clank of armor came from the open door :
a centurion belonging to Herculanus's troop
approached, bowing respectfully. "Everything
is empty, vir illustery the Tribune sends word.
And we are to ask yqu — we are burning all
the Barbarians' houses — whether this too — "

"Let it remain uninjured."

The man nodded with a look of pleasure.
"I am glad to obey the order. It would have
been a hard task to destroy this home. Um-
brian roses, Picentinian mallows, like those
which grow around my parents' house in Spo-
letium, in the midst of the Barbarians' marshes !
Who can have wrought this miracle?"

"A poet," replied Ausonius, smiling, "and
the fourth, the youngest, of the Graces. So
Saturninus was here himself?"

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90 A CAPTIVE OF

"Yes, but even before him your nephew,
with me. Herculanus searched everywhere care-
fully, nay, greedily. He forbade my accom-
panying him. I was obliged to wait at the
entrance."

"The good fellow ! He wanted to bring her
to me himself, to surprise me — "

"Directly after Herculanus left, Saturninus
dashed up."

"Where did the troop go from here?"

"Yonder into the forest, keeping to the
left, steadily to the left, away from the lake.
Otherwise horses and men would sink in the
morass. You will find sentinels posted in the
woods every three hundred paces. I, with
three men, form the commencement of the
chain here."

"See that the yard and garden are not in-
jured. rU promise in return a jug of the best
wine."

With these words he turned away, mounted
his horse and, followed by his escort, rode
toward tlie left across the tilled land and mead-
ows surrounding the dwelling to the entrance
of the neighboring wood, where the helmets and

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 91

spears of the next sentinels glittered brightly in
the sunshine.

But Herculanus had not been content with
thoroughly searching the deserted house. He
had also carefully examined the neighborhood
for some trace of the vanished girl. He was
soon unable to ride farther through the tangled
underbrush ; so, leaping from his horse, he gave
his Mauritanian roan charger into the care of
the only man he had permitted to accompany
him, and glided on foot through the thicket.
A sort of path which he had discovered with
much difficulty and followed for some distance
suddenly ended.

While vainly searching for the stones and
bits of wood which hitherto, though at long
distances, had marked the direction of the way,
he saw plainly in the marshy ground of the for-
est the imprint of human footsteps. And the
people who had passed here were not Romans :
the troops had never yet pressed so far east-
ward. Besides, the prints were not like those
made by the seeker's own heavy Roman march-
ing shoes: he intentionally trod lightly close
beside the marks he had found, but how difFer-

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92 A CAPTiyE OF

ent was the track! His deep footprints in-
stantly filled with the reddish-yellow marsh -
water, which oozed from the ground at the least
pressure. But within a short time some one
had walked by here barefooted with a lighter
tread. Indeed, not one person, but several.
For besides one mark which seemed to be-
long to a child, always one step behind was a
somewhat heavier and broader impression, and
invariably at the right of it a narrow but deep
little hole filled with water, as if made by the
sharp end of a staflF, while partly at the left,
partly two paces in advance, a man's heavier
tread seemed unmistakable.

The Roman followed the footprints with
eager zeal ; if he did not find those whom he
sought, he would have the credit of being the
first to discover the direction -in which the
Barbarians had fled. Suddenly the traces
appeared to vanish, in front of a large haw-
thorn bush which barred the way. From
beneath the hand thrusting the thorns aside a
little brown bird with a red breast flew up startled.
Bending forward, the Roman peered into the
bush, then a cry of glad surprise escaped his lips:
"Aha! She passed here ! She herself!"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 93

Slowly, slowly he drew through his hand a
shining red-gold hair which had caught on a
thorn : it was at least an ell long. And beyond
the thorn -bush the footprints were again visi-
ble, even more distinctly than- before, on a
patch of damp sand. What seemed a child's
footprints were made by her steps.

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A CAPTIVE OF

CHAPTER XV,

npHE underbrush grew thinner, evidently
removed by human hands; a few steps
more and the pursuer stood in an open space
in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
Here stood a little hut, very roughly built
of unhewn logs : instead of doors two low nar-
row holes were opposite each other. Such
buildings were used by hunters for stations, by
shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for
a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of
hay which could not be dragged to the distant
barns. That was the case here ; heaps of the
grass piled in stacks could be seen through the
holes.

Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an
indistinct sound reached his ear from the right,
the shore of the lake. He drew his sword
and stopped, listening intently. There it came
again! Was it a cry? It seemed like the
shout with which Romans on guard gave warn-
ing of the presence of a foe. Directly after-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 95

wards he heard another noise : it was like the
whirring of the string in bending and releasing
the wood of the bow, then came a heavy fall
or plunge into the water, and all was still
again. Nothing but the metallic tapping of
the woodpecker broke the silence of the
forest.

Cautiously raising his shield to his eyes and
looking watchfully toward the right, the Ro-
man, with his thin figure drawn to its full height,
waited several seconds longer : nothing stirred.

He now sprang in two bounds across the
open ground to the hut of hay, stooped and
entered through the northern hole. Something
rustled under the thick grass, which seemed to
be alive: something glided beneath it — was it
a weasel ? — toward the opposite hole : only the
waving motion of the bundles of hay betrayed
the direction.

Herculanus hastily grasped with his shield
arm at the creature making the rustling and
lifted the broad short sword in his right for a
death -stroke. He seized something warm and
drew it upward from the hay, which fell on the
right and left as he dragged forward a girl whose
face was covered with tangled red locks and

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96 A CAPTIVE OF

blades of grass, through which she gazed in
mortal terror and fiery wrath at her assailant.

So strange, so bewitchingly beautiful was the
young creature that Herculanus uttered a fierce
cry of pleasure. He had vowed that the first
ittoment he had the dangerous Barbarian alone
within reach of his sword, should be her last;
and even now he did not really waver in the
resolve. Neither pity nor passion could in-
fluence a mind fixed solely on his uncle*s wealth,
yet so much youthful beauty awakened a fleet-
ing desire for it : before he stabbed the foe, he
Would have one kiss from those red lips. So,
reserving his right hand for the death-blow,
he drew her closer to him with the left. The
girl struggled with the strength of despair.
Turning her head as far as possible from him,
she uttered a cry of terror, like a dying fawn.
It was only a moment's delay of the assassin's
thrust, but It saved her.

Before Herculanus could press his lips on
her averted face a shadow fell from outside
upon the opening toward the lake, where the
strug^ihg figures were now standing. "Mur-
derer!'* cried a deep voice; and Herculanus,
receiving a severe blow on the breast, staggered

^

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 97

back, loosing his hold upon his captive. Swiftly
as the trout glides away, the girl tried to slip
through the opening; but she felt her arm
seized in the iron gfasp of a much stronger
hand, and looked \ip at another helmeted Ro-
man.

"Is it you. Tribune?" stammered Hercu-
lanus, hastily thrusting his sword into the
sheath.

The latter did not vouchsafe him a single
word. "You are Bissula, little one, are you
not?" he asked, gazing with wondering eyes at
the strange vision. A sweet rapture ran through
his veins as he saw the lovely little face, the
delicate, graceful limbs, the bare white feet, and
felt the pulsing of the young life through the
round arm his hand held so firmly.

The prisoner made ho reply, but she looked
up trustfully into the lUyrian's handsome, manly
face. Then she cast a strange glance, as if seek-
ing for some one, back into the hut, — Saturni-
nus had dragged her from the doorway into
the open air, — and seemed to be listening anx-
iously.

"Yes, it is Bissula," said Herculanus, now
also coming out. **What made you imagine

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98 A CAPTIVE OF

that I wanted to kill her ? I have been search-
ing for her since the earliest dawn."

"So I thought"

" Not for myself; I was* only holding her
firmly to prevent her escape."

" With a quivering sword uplifted to strike ?"

" Only to frighten her."

But Bissula cast a reproachftil glance at him.

" However that may be," the lUyrian con-
tinued, "she is my captive." His glowing eyes
rested on her ; the girl lowered her long lashes
in embarrassment.

" No, no ! I discovered her."

" But before you seized her a second time —
for she was free again — I captured her. Dare
to contradict it, you murderer of girls !" and he
advanced threateningly toward him.

The sound of a tuba rang from the forest.

"We must return. The tuba gives a sign
of warning," said Saturninus. "The first trace
of the foe has been found — not only the
child — a man."

Bissula looked up anxiously.

**He lay covered with skins," the other
added, as they moved forward, "hidden among
the rushes so that he could not be distin-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 99

guished from a fallen tree. Before we could
seize him — "

Bissula uttered a sigh of relief.

"He had vanished in the sedges. A Bata-
vian archer shot an arrow after him. Hark !
the Prefect is giving the signal again. Come
without fear, child."

He led her by the wrist, careftiUy trying not
to hurt her; but she often stopped, glancing
back at the hut, and once also at the lake.
After a few steps they heard the neighing of
a horse and soon entered an opening in the
forest, where Ausonius had halted his mounted
escort.

"Father Ausonius!" cried the captive joy-
ously, struggling to release herself to rush to
him.

But the lUyrian's grasp on her arm became
like iron. Approaching the Prefect, who held
out both arms to Bissula, he made a military
salute, saying sternly: "The first encounter
with the enemy ! A man has escaped: a girl —
this one — became my prisoner: my slave."

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BOOK TWO

THE SLAVE

CHAPTER XVI.

TOURING those days the vicinity of the
Holy Mountain, where a large number
of fugitives had t^en refuge, was full of busy
life, and from the north, the quarter not threat*
ened by the Romans, reinforcements were con*
stantly arriving from other provinces.

The Tribune's efforts to discover the retreat
of the fugitives had been baffled hitherto ; nei-
ther those in the marshes nor on Odin's Moun-^
tain had been overtaken by the spies and re*
connoitring parties of the Roman General,
Marshes and impenetrable primeval forests
surrounded the Roman camp on the Idisenhang
on every side except southward toward the
Uke,

lOI

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In the last few days, after a tremendous
thunder storm, a southwest wind had sprung
up, bringing on its dripping wings pouring tor-
rents of rain ; then the forests became absolutely
impassable for the heavy tread of the legions:
the few fords were buried in marshes or over-
flowed ; the tiniest riviilet became a raging river.
Sulky and shivering, the intruders, principally
natives of the south, remained in the camp
under plank roofs and leather tents, fanning
day and night the flames of huge fires which,
however, as all the wood was wet, diffused more
smoke than warmth.

For long distances from the foot of the
mountain the few and narrow openings which
led to the interior of the immense forests were
blocked and barricaded by felled trees. Huge
oaks, ashes, and pine-trees had been felled and
piled one above another more than the height
of a man, strengthened by earth and turf, and
held together at regular distances by enormous
posts driven into the ground or by trees which
had been left standing. Thus an almost insur-
mountable breastwork was formed, on whose
summit, and in the tops of the trees towering
above it, the best archers were stationed. Simi-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 103

lar lines of defence were repeated, one behind
another, wherever the locality permitted. The
legions would have needed many more days
than the brief time still remaining before the end
of August — they always finished their short
summer campaigns in Germany before the com-
mencement of the autumn rains — to storm all
these fortifications ; they could scarcely find it
possible to make a circuit of them, on account
of the marshes. But even if they succeeded in
penetrating all the barricades to the foot of the
mountain, they would then be forced to begin
the inexpressibly toilsome siege of this natural
fortress.

All the entrances were covered by several
tiers of logs ; while, on the mountain itself,
rising one behind another, was a whole system
of "ring walls." These extremely powerful
and extensive fortifications dated principally
from Celtic times, but had been considerably
strengthened and enlarged in scope by the
Alemanni during their occupation of the coun-
try for more than the past century : they had
been forced to seek refuge here from the Ro-
man troops often enough.

These walls were made of heaped up earth.

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turf, palisades, and so called Cyclopean walls ;
that IS, rocks, so closely joined together with-
out mortar or bricks, by a skilful use of their
points, edges, and fissures that fire, tearing
asunder, ajid the blows of the ram seemed
equally inefFecttialw

Eaqh one of these rings, which rose in
stories^ like terraces, required to be stormed as
a separate fortress. Each lower one was pro-
tected not only by its own garrison, but by all
those above, since they were so constructed
that stones, logs, spears> and arrows from all
the upper walls could strike the enemy without
injuring the combatants on the one beneath.
Seven such defences girdled the mountain, the
topmost one surrounding the summit, which
concealed Odin's altar in the heart of an ash
forest.

Those unable to fight, the women, children,
old men, and slaves, were scattered through all
the stores of the mountain fortress. The herds
had been driven to the rear on the northern
side, where their lowing, neighing, and bleating
would be as far as possible from the eneniy.
The fugitives rested at night in huts built of
thick green foliage, often with the skin of SQine

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 105

animal fastened among the branches, which the
Alemanni had great skill in constructing. Nor
was there any lack of cellarlike subterranean
passages where stores of grain and valuables
were concealed.

The fighting men garrisoned all the entrances,
reconnoitred in small bands, espedally at night,
beyond the barricades close to the neighbor-
hood of the Roman, camp. They spent the
day in feats of arms or drilling, impatiently
enduring the long delay in giving battle, and
grumbling at the incomprehensible procrasti-
nation of their white-haired Duke. For the
latter, Adalo, and other leaders, huts of leaves
had been built on the summit of the mountain
with the tents of their followers scattered around
them.

Before one of these huts (a stag's antlers had
been cut on the central post for a house mark)
on the day after Bissula's capture, a bright fire
was burning late in the evening, fed with pine
cones which had been protected from the wet
under the stone closing the opening of a cellar.
It was supplied by a man about forty years old,
whose cropped hair showed that he was a slave ;
while the shape of his short face, his dark eyes.

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high cheek bones and snub nose denoted that
he was not of German lines^c. Suomar had
bought him many years before in Vindo-
nissa; cheap enough, for Vaientinian — or the
slave dealer — had brought countless captives
from the Jazyge war.

In front of the fire, sheltered from the wind
and smoke, old Waldrun lay on a bearskin, her
feet covered with another. Adalo was kneeling
beside her. Mirthfiilness and wrath had van-
ished ; deep sorrow clouded his handsome face.
He gave the blind woman some wine to drink
from a silver goblet. Both beaker and wine
were booty wrested from the Roman.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 107

CHAPTER XVn.

44 'TPELL me everything once more, Zercho,"
he said earnestly, "until Waldrun has
recovered and can add what you did not see.
I have not yet clearly understood the one thing
upon which all depends."

The bondman was now crouching beside the
fire, trying to keep the smoke from the white-
haired woman with the wolf-skin he wore for a
cloak. It did not annoy her at all, but it
helped him to avert his eyes from the youth's
searching gaze.

"It happened in this way, handsome neighbor.
Directly after you leaped down the slope in
anger, — I saw it from the stable, — the little
red sprite ordered me to bury the master's coins
(alas, there are very few of them !) and the brass
vessels and broken -handled jug which he
obtained three winters ago at Brigantium. I
had already driven the cow, the sheep, and the
goats into the alder thicket.

"The next day I was to take the young

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mistress and her grandmother into the marshes
to Suomar^ the master. But alas, the hot and
cold cat, which invisibly shakes the body like
a mouse, often springs upon the good old
mistress. So it was the next day. The sufferer
could hardly stir her aged limbs from the couch;
her strength was as feeble as a dying torch; I
almost had to carry her. But I could do this
only on solid ground: in the forest marshes I
should have sunk with my burden — strong
bones weigh heavily. So, in the forest, the blind
woman was obliged to walk by herself, leaning
on her staff and guided by the little elf, while I
jumped from stone to stone in advance, seeking
the best path. But just before we reached the
hay hut, the grandmother fell; she could no
longer stand or walk. We carried her in. You
know the entrance to the old cave is just beside
the left corner post. Down below there it was
safe, warm, and for her no darker than above.
We spent the rest of the day and the night in it.
Bissula, in spite of every warning, would not
leave the old woman and go on with me.

" She had brought some milk in a goat - skin,
and rye bread. I watched outside near the hut.
In the gray dawn I stole back westward toward

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 109

the edge of the forest to watch for the helmeted
Romans. Soon I saw a small band of mounted
men dash straight to Suomar's dwelling. I had
hidden our old log boat and the oars among
the thickest rushes and meant to row it through
the marsh as near the hut as possible, carry the
sick woman to it, and then try to take my two
mistresses to Suomar by way of the lake. But
when I reached the shore I saw several ships
— their lofty prows and triangular sails marked
them as Roman galleys -^moving from Arbor
on the opposite side toward our shore. They
would soon be very near. The way by the
water was barred; but at the right, from the
west, I already heard the trampling of horses
through the marshes and meadows close beside
me.

"Two men with arrows and long bows in
their right hands dashed by, not a spear's length
distant. I crouched among the rushes, nay in
the swamp to my lips ; but in doing so I startled
the great egret that always fishes there. As,
screaming loudly* — silly bird— he soared up-
ward over the rushes, he attracted the atten-
tion of the riders to himself and, unluckily, to
me too. They saw my head* A bow whirred.

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an arrow whizzed through my otter cap and
grazed my head* The wound wasn't deep;
Zercho's skull is hard, Suomar often says so,
and this time, it was a good thing. I now
swam out into the lake, diving like a duck as
long as I could hold my breath.

"When I was forced to rise, the men had dis-
appeared. Cautiously as the fox stealing after
the mouse, I crept on all fours through the
thickest rushes nearer to the land, in the direc-
tion of the hut, but making a wide circuit. Then
I saw two Romans in glittering armor step into
the clearing in the forest : one was leading the
young mistress by the arm — "

Adalo heard this for the second time, but he
again sighed deeply.

"A horse neighed behind us, and on it sat
the clever old man who a few winters ago read
to the little one in Arbor from many, many
parchments, oh, such a long, horribly long time
— while I was obliged to wait to row her back
across the lake."

**Are you perfectly sure," asked Adalo, seiz-
ing the bondman by the shoulder and forcing
him to turn his averted face, "that this horse-
man was the old Roman?"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES iii

"Well, he isn't so very old," replied the
Sarmatian evasively, "though he has grown
somewhat grayer since that summer."

"Answer," cried Adalo angrily. "Can you
swear that the rider was Ausonius?"

"Ausonius! Yes, yes, that is what she al-
ways called him. Father Ausonius. And that's
what she cried out yesterday when she saw
him: * Father Ausonius!' she shrieked."

He broke off abruptly and began to rub his
head (the wound suddenly seemed to pain him)
muttering meanwhile in his Sarmatian dialect,
which Adalo did not understand.

"So it was really he," sighed Adalo. "And
I must thank the gods for having led her to
him."

"Freya will reward you for it," said the blind
woman suddenly, raising herself on her left arm
and groping with her right hand in the direction
of the voice until she reached the youth's head
and stroked his long locks. "The dwellers in
Asgard will repay you for such thoughts."

"Must I not cherish them, Mother? Oh, if
you could only sit up again !"

"Your drink, the Romans' drink, cheers
the weary soul."

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"Ausonius will protect her from thie others.
But," Adalo went on angrily, "who will defend
her from Ausonius ? She was tenderly attached
to him."

"As a child to its father."

"Be it so — at that time. But now the
maiden will owe him gratitude for everything,
«ven the highest boon."

During this conversation Zercho had repeat-
edly looked thoughtfully at both; now he
scratched himself behind the ear and was about
to make some remark, but changed his mind
and remained silent.

"Against my warning," said the old woman,
continuing the bondman's story, "the child
had glided away from my side out of the cellar
into the hut. She grew tired of waiting in the
dark hole forZercho's return. Suddenly I heard
a man's heavy step above me; then a shriek
from the little one, which made me tremble.
But by the time I had groped my way to the
stone slab and lifted it, all was still. I vainly
called her name. Soon Zercho came with the
news that he had seen her led away captive.
We sorrowfully waited for the darkness. My
fever had left me; I could walk slowly, but

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 113

fidthful Zercho sought our cow and found her
among the tall reeds in the swamp, lifted me
upon her and, by a wide circuit through the for-
est, brought me here."

"For I had seen Italian galleys between the
forest hut and Suomar in the eastern marshes,"
remarked the Sarmatian. The enemy was re-
connoitring there, so I tried to reach the moun-
tain, as my mistress preferred."

"Yes; for since Suomar, my son, cannot be
reached, it is you, Adalo, of all the men of our
people, our kind neighbor, the playfellow of
her childhood, to whom I must lament. The
dear one is a captive: help — rescue — liberate
her."

The youth passed his hand sadly over his

beautifully arched eyebrows. "Yes," he thought>

with bitter grief, "a captive through the fault

of her own defiance and obstinacy." But he

said nothing, only thinking: "It will be a

difficult task. If it depended upon me — from

the moment I heard it I would haVe stormed

the Idisenhang so constantly and fiercely that

the Italians would have had neither inclination

nor leisure to torment the child. Or to win

her," he added bitterly. " But the army ii under
8

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the sole command of my cousin Hariowald, the
Duke. I cannot — "

Here a low growl interrupted him : he turned
and saw a singular spectacle.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 115

CHAPTER XVni.

A HANDSOME boy about fourteen, whose
strong resemblance to Adalo marked him
as his brother — only his curling locks were
light yellow, almost white — was dragging by
the ear a huge she-bear, which, growling, strug-
gling, but yielding, allowed herself to be drawn
nearer and nearer to the fire.

"Down, Bruna!" cried the lad, forcing the
huge animal to lie prostrate. "You dearly
loved the merry, dancing girl too. Look, you
growling brown giantess, that's only the grand-
mother, and Zercho, who always brought you
so much wild-honey from the bee-wood. But
she is missing; our Bissula is gone. Ah, if
you had been there, you would have defended
her savagely; for you haven't forgotten that
she and Adalo saved you, dragged you out of
the torrent. When you were scarcely bigger
than a kitten the cloud-burst swept you away
from your mother, and you cried piteously as
you were drowning. And her busy hands fed

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you even more eagerly than ours, with rich milk,
rye bread, and dainty wild berries. Since you
first opened your blinking eyes, which now look
as though you knew as much as a human being,
you have recognized her as your best friend.
Oh, if you had been with her, no one would
have dared to seize her. O brother, strong
brother, you hero and shield of the whole
province, bring her back ! Alas, if the little
one, with her dainty hands, should be forced
to heat the bath-water for the hated foe and
wash his feet, as I often saw their maid -ser-
vants do in Arbor ! Why don't we rush down
on the wings of the storm and hew her out of
the high- walled camp citadel?"

He swung his little wolf spear: the fire
blazed up brightly as he stood in the light of
the flames, a handsome boyish figure, in his
light- blue linen robe bordered with white swan's
down.

"Yes, my Sippilo," said the older brother
with ill-repressed sorrow, "you loved her too,"

The boy looked up startled, but Adalo con-
tinued:

"Yes, yes. Perhaps she is dead ^-* to us, to
our people. Perhaps we shall never see her

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 117

again, never hear her sweet, elfish, mocking
laugh."

"Oh, the smoke 1 How it stings I" cried
the lad, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Perhaps she went with the Italians will-
ir^ly," said Adalo, torturing himself savagely —
"with the clever Ausonius !"

"Is he here again?*' cried Sippilo. "I'll
run him through like a ht carp that is sunning
itself in shallow water. Oh, I used to wish
be might fall under the curse of Odin and the
sun. Whenever I went to get frogs for fishing
or to pky ball, she had always rowed over
to him or would not leave the long rolls of
mn€8 over which she racked her brains. He
had given them to her. If only I could catch
himr

"If we only had her back again! My heart
is consumed with anxiety."

"Guard yourself from consuming anxiety,
my son," said the old woman in a warning tone.
"It will paralyze your thoughts and arm; and
you will need both to Hberate the naughty
cldkl. I am no proph^eas, but I have had
strange dreams since I grew blind — which oitcQ
ccmie to pasa: I saw yoan to-night woum^ed.

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severely wounded. Guard your life. If she
should be rescued, and no longer find you — "

"Then her vengeful wish would be fulfilled.
She hates me. She shouted it loudly enough."

Sippilo laughed. "You? Hate you? She
loves you better than a sister. How I always
had to tell her about you, everything you were
doing, — your prizes of honor in the contests;
the gifts of neighboring princes; your last verses;
whom they praised! When I met her on the
lake quite lately, she asked if Jettaburga and
her father did not often visit the Stag Hall.
When I said that they no longer came there, for
sheer delight she loosed from her own waist the
beautiftil blue girdle she always wore, and gave
it to me. See, there it is. I always carry it
hidden in my blouse. And, Bruna, didn't she
once kiss you between the eyes, when I told
her how you had sprung to Adalo's assistance
in the chase and torn the furious wild bull
which was goring his horse ? Yes, Bruna, you
are faithful to her too. You have trotted after
us for hours when we were gathering berries
and mushrooms, and watched our noonday
nap."

Just at that moment a long-drawn blast of a

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 119

horn echoed from the summit of the mountain.
Adalo started up.

"The Duke is calling. We are to consult
about what is to be proposed in the people's
council. Zercho, come with me. He wishes
to question you about the number of the
enemy's mounted men. You, Sippilo, take
care of Mother Waldrun ; that is all you can
do for your Bissula."

"For the present," said the boy looking after
his brother. "But I will take part in storming
the camp fortress where the scoundrels hold
captive the prettiest little bird — little gold-
crested wren, no, little redbreast — in the land
of the Alemanni." He raised his clenched fist
threateningly.

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CHAPTER XIX.

QUTSIDE of the Duke's tent also a huge
fire was blazing, fed by slaves who were
roasting on the ends of poles the haunches and
back of a freshly killed stag. Adalo passed by,
motioning to Zercho to wait, parted the sail-
cloth stretched over the wooden frame of the
tent, and entered.

The roof was formed of interwoven pine
branches ; against the poles of the light timber-
work hung and rested everywhere weapons of
all kinds. Skins covered the turf floor which,
opposite to the entrance, was raised until it
formed a high seat; a curtain of heavy linen
hung behind it, dividing from the front of the
tent a small space used for a sleeping room.
In the centre stood an iron tripod, running to
a point at the top, into which was screwed a
burning pine -torch that diffused a dim, flicker-
ing red light.

On the for- covered high seat, with his back
resting against the main column of the tent, sat

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 121

Duke Hariowald. He greeted his young kins-
man only by a glance and seemed to heed noth-
ing except the eager words of another guest, a
man about forty years old, who, ckd in a boar-
skin and wearing on his head a ^'boar helm"
with the animal's tusks, sat at his right.

The old Duke, a giant in height, towering
nearly a head above Adalo's tall figure, was a
man of singular appearance. The immense
framework of his body appeared to belong
to a much older race of men. His deep-set
gray eye — the left one had been destroyed by
a stone from a Balearican sling long before, and
the empty socket had a sinister expression—
was under a bushy, prominent arched brow;
its fire was by no means dimmed, but curbed
by the long habit of self-control. This ever
perceptible rule of passions blazing fiercely in
his breast gave the mighty man, who in spite
of hia sixty-five winters could not be called old,
%n atr of mysterious msgesty. His people
looked up to him with reverence, with timid
expectation, nay, with a slight fear of what he
was planning in rigid secrecy. His eagle eye
was inscrutable when he half closed it ; when
o|)a»> the flash that blamed from it was fairly

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blinding. The expression of the mouth was
concealed by the magnificent silvery-white
beardy sweeping over the breast-plate to the
bronze belt, which framed the cheeks and min-
gled with the thick locks of hair of the same
hue.

Like the eye, the strong, deep, resonant voice
revealed, no matter how quietly the mighty
man spoke, the sense of power held in check.
He rarely moved his muscular limbs, and all
his gestures had a calmness which was the result
of long training. So he sat without a helmet,
with his ample blue cloak floating from his
shoulders, his bearing one of dignified compo-
sure. The majestic beauty of his finely formed
head was plainly visible as he rested it agdnst
the tent- pole j listening intently. An immense
spear rested in the curve of his right arm, its
brass top rising above his shoulder, as the end
touched the floor ; he often stroked with a gen-
tle, almost loving touch of the hand the runes
of victory inscribed on the back of the ash
handle.

'^I am usually glad to greet you, son of
Adalger," said the Duke's other guest, with
a frowning brow, **but now I am most unwill-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 123

ing. I pleaded for peace — " The Duke re-
mained silent. "Now you come and you — I
know it — dream of nothing day and night save
war with Rome."

Adalo measured him with a wrathful glance.
"The ancient foe of our people is in the coun-
try, and a king of the Alemanni counsels peace ?
Ebarbold, son of Ebur, fear was alien to your
kinsmen — "

The other laid his hand on the curved knife
in his belt. Adalo did not see it : he was under
the spell of Hariowald's eye. A warning glance
from the old man, and the youth hastily added,
"and is unknown to you, hero of the wild-
boar's courage."

The guest loosened his grip of the dagger
and leaned back proudly.

"But Roman gold does not ensnare you,"
Adalo continued ; "so some magic blinds you."

"Or you and all our crazy youths. The red
drink of Zio, the war-god, has intoxicated you.
Or," he added in a lower, almost timid tone,
"He, Odin the Val-father, wishes again to peo-
ple his Valhalla with slaughtered heroes."

A change of expression flashed over the
Duke's face. He gently raised his spear and.

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unheard by the others, murmured, ** Mighty
Odin, do not avenge the words." But Ebar-
Ijold went on :

"No matter about the boys ! Their only art
IS war, and they have little sense ; but that you,
who have seen sixty winters and almost as many
victories of the men with the high helmets —
that you too should desire war ! My friends,
I went to Rome; I climbed to the citadel on
the towering rock. It glitters with gold and
marble. I served in the great Valentinian's
army. I have seen for years the countless
thousands of Roman warriors with their finest
weapons, against which ours are like children's
toys."

The Duke, unnoticed, pressed his spear
closer to his breast.

" And the military engines, the Inige galleys
with three banks of oars one above another,
the treasures of coined and uncoined gold and
silver! The whole extent of the land, all
Mittelgard, as far as men live — white, brown,
and black — I've seen them painted on a long,
long strip of hide. The rising and the setting
of the sun serve Rome. In his golden house

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 115

on one of the seven hills of the Tiber the Im-
perator has placed a gold ball: all the provinces
are copied on it. It is the work of a magician.
If a foe crosses the boundary in the farthest
north or south, the gold ball echoes and trem-
bles in that spot ; the Imperator hears it, looks,
and sends the legions. We will not defy him.
The Csesar is a god on earth."

"Do not hear it. Mighty One I*' the old
Duke murmured, stroking the runes on his
spear soothingly.

Adalo was about to make a vehement reply,
but he involuntarily looked at the silent man,
and controlled himself.

"We have learned that long enough, I think,"
Ebarbold continued; "frqm generation to gen-
eration, when each province still fought inde-
pendently, long before this name and league of
the Alemanni were heard and invented!"

"You don't like this league?" the Duke now
asked suddenly.

The King started. The voice, hitherto mute,
sounded so loud and powerful. Glancing up
timidly, he shrugged his shoulders: "Whether
I like it or not, I can no longer dissolve it."

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"No, you cannot," said Hariowald very
calmly, stroking his long beard; but his gray
eye darted a glance which boded evil.

"You don't like the name of Alemanni
either?" asked Adalo indignantly.

"No, Adeling. *A11 men together!' Ha,
our forefathers prided themselves on standing
alone, province by province; nay, in the old
days family by family, not leaning on others,
and also not bound by them, not subject to the
will of the majority."

"Yes, that's it!" said the old Duke with a
fierce smile. "You were in the citadel of Rome
— so was I. But I perceived with my one eye
what you have not seen. You noticed the glit-
tering lustre of their magnificence; it dazzled
you : I saw through the glitter to the decay, the
decline beneath. And one thing more," he ad-
ded mysteriously, lowering his voice — "for
several generations they have had no more luck
with their own gods — with the new ones, I
mean. Ay, the old one whom they formerly
had — " he now spoke with a certain timidity,
even reverence — "I mean the one with the
thunderbolts and the eagle — he was a god of
battles, almost like our own. Often his eagle

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 127

on their shields seemed to me to flap its wings,
and the lightning to glow redly. Often and of-
ten have I seen them conquer under that hand-
some bearded god and his sons. Mars and
Hercules. But now they have chosen for their
god a youths gentle and nobly wise, but no
warrior. His own priests say he never held a
sword in his hand. He did not descend from a
line of gods ; he was the son of a laborer. And
this man — a carpenter — belonged to a race
long in bondage to Rome, a people many of
whom have wandered to us with packs on their
bent backs, mere traders in spices. Not many
of them are seen in the ranks of the legions.
Since the Romans chose for their god that gen-
tle teacher who would not even defend his own
life, victory has deserted their standards. But
what (besides their Jupiter in the clouds) for-
merly secured to them for centuries conquest
on earth I also learned ; the god whom I most
honor showed it to me: one will controlled
them all. They were already united men- — all
for one, and one for all, through many hundred
winters ; while we, according to the wish of your
heart, fought province by province, each for
himself, and — succumbed. This is your free-

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128 A CAPTIVE OF

dom — the freedom of discord and consequent
destruction!"

The glowing wrath of enthusiastic conviction
transfigured the old Duke's noble face.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 129

CHAPTER XX.

T^BARBOLD wished to cast a venomous
glance at him, but was forced to lower his
eyes in the presence of such lofty dignity. His
lips curled bitterly as he replied :

"Beware, Hariowald. Your title is Duke,
not King ; and your reign ends when this war is
over. According to your desire, it seems, one
man must rule the Alemanni. From the
earliest days we have had kings and counts of
the provinces; but woe betide us if all the
districts ever become the slaves of one king of
the people."

"Are the gods slaves because one rules them
as king?" The old Duke's voice sounded
threatening.

Ebarbold answered evasively: "But here on
earth we Alemanni have equal rights. And
rather than — "

"Why do you hesitate ?" asked Adalo angrily.

"He hesitates because he shrinks from utter-
ing his thoughts. But the Lofty One gave me
9

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I30 A CAPTIVE OF

the power to read the minds of men upon their
brows like explained runes/'

Flushing and paling, Ebarbold started up.

"This son of Ebur thinks," the Duke con-
tinued, "that rather than obey a king of the
Alemanni he would serve the Caesar."

Now Adalo sprang from his seat

"And suppose it were so," cried Ebarbold,
"would you prevent it? In a few weeks, when
the leaves fall, your command of the army will
end. But meanwhile — "

"Meanwhile I counsel you to obey."

"You?"

"Not me," the old man answered, with
immovable composure, "but the Council which
rules all the provinces — even yours, the Eber-
gau and its King. But sit down agdn, hot-
tempered hero! And Adalo, hand him from
the wall of the tent where it hangs, the mead
horn. The heron of forgetfulness will rustle
over our heads, bearing away on its wings the
words of wrath and discord."

The two young men took their seats again.
While the wild bull's horn, tipped at both
ends with bronze, was passing around the circle,
Ebarbold sdd: "Even if we should conquer

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 131

this time and drive this band of Romans from
the country — we have learned the lesson often
enough — others will come to avenge those
who are defeated. So it has been for many
generations."

"But so it will be no longer," the Duke
answered slowly. ^^That is provided for.
The evil she-wolf is surrounded by too many
dogs at once. She can no longer raise her left
paw to aid her right: the Goth is holding it
firmly on the Danube, and she is still scarcely
able to escape the bite of the Franconians on
the Rhine."

"The Goths ?" said Ebarbold. "Who knows
whether they will be in the field this year?"

"I do," replied the Duke quietly.

"Can you see from here to Thrace ?" sneered
Ebarbold: "I cannot."

"But there is One who, from his throne in
the clouds, overlooks all countries: and he
revealed it to me.**

"But I see the misery the Romans have
wrought around us in our own land," the King
continued. " My people have suffered heavily.
The cohorts in passing through burned all the
dwellings. My own hall too."

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13^ A CAPTIVE OF

"We will rebuild them," cried Adsilo, laugh-
ing, as he hung the horn on the wall. "The
forest will not refuse trees to its people. My
home below on the hillock beside the lake" —
his face now grew grave — "is dear to me;
sacred the hearth beside which I sat in my dear
mother's lap while my father, skilled in the
music of the harp, sung of the gods and the
deeds of our own ancestors. The Centurion
will probably soon hurl the torch into the an-
cient dwelling of my family with the rune of
the stag's antlers. Never more can I hope to
mount the high seat where I was so often
allowed to fill my father's drinking horn. But
though through all the future years I should
have no other shelter for this head than the
waving boughs of the woods, never will I yield
to the Italians."

"Yield? The purpose is only to confirm
a treaty such as we have often made."

"And the Romans as often broken," said
Adalo."

" Or we ourselves. What is asked of us ?
Young men to fight the Csesar's battles. We
have more than we can feed. In return they
will give us red gold."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 13J

"May Hel swallow up this gold and these
treaties!" cried Hariowald. "For generations
they have sold to our ancient foe our heart's
blood and our young heroes, who were used
against ourselves and our neighbors. If the
hundreds of thousands who fell for Rome had
banded together against Rome, we should have
watered .our long-maned horses long ago in the
Gallic sea. But we will not cast aside your words,
Ebarbold. Perhaps I may even consent to send
an envoy to the Roman camp for peace I"

"What I Is that your wish?" cried Adalo
impetuously.

" My wish will appear."

"To offer peace? Let them retire? With
their booty?"

"It will not be hard to carry." Here a smile
which lent the old Duke's lips a wonderful
charm hovered around them. "Six pots in
Iburninga and a broken mead vessel in Maris-
wik ; so two old women complained to me."

"And the prisoners!" Adalo reminded him.

"They have only one, I hear," Ebarbold
remarked, "the child of a small farmer."

"No matter, she is a free maiden, a daugh-
ter of our race," cried Adalo, with blazing

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134 A CAPTIVE OF

eyes. "She has a right to the protection of
her people."

" Protection? A captive ! What can we — "

"Release her with the sword — or avenge
her."

" Commence, for the sake of one woman,
the conflict which will destroy the people?"

"You are right," said the Duke slowly.
** Women as well as men must be sacrificed for
the welfare of the nation. Let her stay where
she is — little Bissula."

"What, Bissula?" asked Ebarbold, startled.
"Albfledis, whom they call Bissula? The
beautiful red elf?"

"You know her?" Adalo asked.

"Who has not heard of her? She is talked
of along the whole shore of the lake, and in
such a way that the listener is anxious to see
her. I too grew curious and tried to get a
look at her lately, at the last sun -festival. It is
a pity about her. By Freya's eyes, a great pity !
But peace is worth more."

"Certainly," said Hariowald, "and victory
still more."

"Victory is certain," exclaimed Adalo.

"Do you think so?" replied the old man

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 135

reprovingly. "I do not. Not yet," he cor-
^ rected himself.

^' Lead us to the attack on the Roman camp 1
Our men are pouring here in dense throngs
since you sent the blood-red arrow from house
to house."

"There are not yet enough. The army still
lacks many men from distant provinces situated
far away toward the north and the east : Alpgau,
Albwins-Bar, Wisentgau, and Draggau."

" Do not calculate ! Dare I "

"I am doing so; but I also consider the
firmness of the Roman camp."

"But meanwhile our foes are strengthening
themselves too. Their proud galleys already
lie anchored opposite in Arbor ; they will soon
bring fresh cohorts over."

"Let them do so." The old Duke laughed
softly; his look expressed a grim, mysterious
joy. "Meanwhile," he added after a pause, "I
will send an envoy to the foe to-morrow."

"Send me!" exclaimed Ebarbold eagerly.

"No. Adalo, you will go."

"He ! He will not bring back peace."

" No, but keen scrutiny, and — " he whispered
to the youth — "perhaps Bissula."

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136 A CAPTIVE OF

"Thanks! Thanks!"

"I," cried Ebarbold wrathfully, "would
surely bring home to our people — "

"Subjection!" said the Duke. "That is just
what you must not do. If the Italians reject
fair proposals, then I will ask the Council of the
people, the whole army, for its decision — "

"I know in advance," Ebarbold angrily in-
terrupted, "what they will determine, guided by
you, you disciple of Odin, you giver of victims
to Zio! But your decision is one thing; it is
another — "

He checked the word on his tongue and
hesitated.

"That you will do, you wish to say, King of
the Ebergau ! I warn you, Ebarbold. Your
father was a gallant hero: he fell by my side
twenty winters ago in the murderous battie
against Julian. Remembering him, I once
more warn you : beware !"

"Look to yourself," cried Ebarbold angrily.
"You are not my guardian !"

Springing up, he rushed out of the tent

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 137

CHAPTER XXL

A DALO, too, rose hastily. "Will you let
him go in this threatening mood ? Shall I
follow?"

But the Duke remained unmoved. "I fear
no danger from this man." A shudder ran
through the youth's limbs and he started, as
the old chief, lightly raising the spear, added:
"He is dedicated to Odin."

"You will—?"

"Not L He will — must sacrifice himself*
Do not wonder. Wait."

"And the news about the Goths, Duke?
Were you in earnest ? Or did you merely wish
to encourage the faint-hearted Ebarbold?"

"Aha, do you credit me with such craft in
the good work?" asked the old man, smiling?

"You are Odin's fiivorite."

"It is as I said. One of the men in our
ranks has been serving in the army of the other
Emperor; he came home on leave of absence,
and said that such counties throngs of Goths

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138 A CAPTIVE OF

had crossed the Danube and were assailing that
Emperor so closely that he certainly could not
march here to his young nephew's assistance.
Nay, the nephew's whole army will perhaps be
compelled to hasten to the uncle's relief. Be-
cause I knew this I permitted, nay, commanded
our young leaders to cross the frontier early
this spring to renew the war. But do you keep
silence about it. And open your eyes wide in
the Roman camp to-morrow : do not think only
of the child, much as I hope you may see her,
perhaps ransom her, or save her by stratagem.
For, by Frigga's girdle, she is lovely! and I
would fain see the fairest ornament of our land
at liberty again."

Adalo clasped the Duke's right hand; but
the latter withdrew it, adding sternly :

*'Note carefully the height of the wall, the
depth of the ditch, the position of the gates,
the number of the tents, the direction of the
paths between them, so that you can report
everything accurately to me. Now go, and send
Zercho the bondman. No, do not ask what I
want with him. Obey !"

Adalo left the tent. His heart was throbbing
violently. "I shall see her; ransom her! I

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 139

will give all my property ; nay, if necessary, my
estate, the land I have inherited — or sell it.
But will she desire to be ransomed ? Will she
not prefer to go with the clever-tongued Italian
to his sunny home? And what if he will not
release her ? Well, then there will at least be
one way to bring her forth, known only to the
Duke and my father's oldest son."

Fiercely agitated by such thoughts, he sent
the bondman, who was crouching beside the fire,
to the tent. The slave stood timidly before the
mighty soldier.

"How long is it since Suomar bought you ?"

** That's hard for Zercho to say. I can hardly
count beyond the fingers of both hands, and
there are more years than fingers. The little
elf was very small then. My master got me
cheap, for the Romans had dragged many,
many of us as prisoners from the beautiful pas-
tures of the Tibiscus. He exchanged a horse
and a net full of fish for me with the dealer over
in Vindonissa."

"Suomar has praised you to me. He has
never been obliged to flog you/'

Zercho made a wry face and rubbed his ear.
"Yes, my lord — once."

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I40 A CAPTIVE OF

**And why was that?"

"When I first saw the little elf — she was
then a child about seven years old — I thought
she was the wood maiden, red Vila, threw my-
self on the ground and shut my eyes; for who-
ever sees her is blinded. Then he shouted a
word in your language which I have often heard
since, — it means an animal with horns, — and
struck me. But never afterwards." The slave
had uttered all this very rapidly ; he was afraid
of the Duke, and kept on talking to deaden his
fear.

"You are faithful to the young girl?"

"I would be cut to pieces with the plough-
share for her."

"You plucked me by the cloak when you
made your report in the presence of the Adel-
ing and the old woman. You wished to tell
me something that they ought not t6 know."

"That is true, great Father! How did you
discover — ?"

**That was not hard to guess. But I suspect
more — the girl did not become the captive of
the kindhearted chatterer, Ausonius, but of
another Roman."

The slave looked up at him in fright. " Did

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 141

your Odin, your terrible god who knows all
things, reveal this to you?"

^'No, he only gave me the power of reading
men's eyes. So she is another's prisoner; I
suspected it. And you did not wish to plunge
into still deeper grief both the old grand-
mother and the Adeling; for he loves the
child ardently."

"You know that too?"

"One doesn't need Odin's assistance for it,"
replied the Duke, smiling. "I was young once
too. You wished to spare the youth?"

"Yes, great Father. He would wear himself
out with rage and grief Yet he can do nothing
to save her."

**He would only destroy himself, and perhaps
our best hope of victory, by some desperate
deed. I am pleased with you, slave. Keep
silence as before. But Ausonius was there
too?"

"Yes, the foreigner who stayed so long in
Arbor several years ago. But he didn't seize
the child ; it was another, younger man."

"Did you not hear his name? Was it any-
thing like Saturninus?"

"My lord, his name was not spoken, or I

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142 A CAPTIVE OF

did not hear it. He was a fine-looking man in
glittering armor."

**But he took his prisoner to Ausonius?"

"Yes. Yet he did not lift her on Ausonius's
white horse, as the latter seemed to ask, but
swung the struggling girl upon another —
a black one — perhaps, yes, probably his
own."

The Duke remained silent and thoughtful.
At last he said: "The Adeling is not to reach
the Roman camp until twilight is closing in to-
morrow. Before he rides forth he will receive
some directions from me. Tell him so. And"
— here he lowered his voice to a whisper, much
to the surprise of the slave, since there was no
one in the tent — "if a faithful and cunning
man should venture to introduce himself or
some one else in disguise into the hostile camp
and tell me what he saw there, — for I fear they
will not give Adalo much chance to look about
him, — and this man should be a slave, I would
buy his freedom."

"Great Father!" exclaimed the Sarmatian,
throwing himself prostrate before the Duke and
trying to kiss his feet.

The old man angrily thrust him back with

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 143

the handle of his spear: "Are you a dog, that
you want to lick my feet?"

"Zercho is a Jazyge," said the bondman,
rising and rubbing his bruised shins. "Thus
my people honor one who is worthy of honor."

"But we sons of the Ases do not bend the
knee even to the mighty King of Asgard when
we call upon him and desire to honor him.
Now go. Perhaps it will be well that Adalo
should not know what is to happen."

"He must not hear of it until after it has
succeeded, for he would not let the others
whom I must have go with me."

"I do not wish to know in advance how the
work is to be done. Say outside that no one
is to enter till I strike the shield."

The slave had scarcely gone when the Duke
drew back the linen curtain whose folds fell to
the ground behind him, shutting off the rear of
the tent, used as a sleeping-room.

A man with long gray hair, scarcely younger
than Hariowald, came forward glancing cau-
tiously around him.

"We are alone, Ebarvin. Repeat your
King's words exactly again. For consider, you
must repeat them to his face, on oath, be-

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144 A CAPTIVE OF

fore the assembly of the people, if he deny
them/'

**He will not deny them," said the gray-
beard sorrowfully. "He is too proud to sub-
mit to you, but he is also too proud to lie/'

" It is a pity,*' replied the Duke, curtly. " He
was a fearless man/'

"You speak as if he were numbered with the
dead!" cried the other, shuddering.

"I do not see how he can survive. Or, do
you believe he will change his choice?"

Ebarvin silently shook his head.

"How long have you borne his shield?"

"Ever since he hadvi shield. I carried his
father's, too," sighed the man.

"I know it, Ebarvin. And," he asked craft-
ily, as if in reproach, while his gray eye blazed
with a searching light, "and yet you betrayed
him?"

The man gripped his short sword angrily.

"Betray? I accuse him openly, after I have
often warned him loyally, after threatening that
I would tell you all. He laughed at it; he
would not believe me."

"And why do you do it? You have loved him."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 145

"Why? And you ask that — you, who
taught it to me, to us all ? True, it was not
you alone — first necessity! Why? Because
only this league of the Alemanni can save us
from ruin, from the shame of bondage. Why ?
Oh, Duke, the oaths with which you bound us
years ago, before the ash of Odin, are terrible.
Ebarvin will not forswear himself; I will not,
a perjured man, drift through endless nights
down the horrible river of Hel among corpses,
serpents, and swords. And I have learned
through a long life that we must stand together,
or the Romans will destroy us province by
province. Oh, I would slay my own son if,
disobedient to the Duke and the Council of the
people, he tried to burst our league asunder."

Up sprang the old chieftain ; his eye flashed
with delight. Raising the spear aloft with his
left hand, he struck the right one on the clans-
man^s shoulder : " I thank you for those words,
Ebarvin ! And I thank thee, thou Mighty One
in the clouds ! If such a spirit lives in the Ale-
manni, the league will never be sundered."
10

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CHAPTER XXIL

TT was really as Zercho the bondman had
believed: Bissula had become the captive,
not of Ausonius, but another ; and his captive
she remained. To the extreme surprise, nay,
barely repressed indignation of the Prefect of
Gaul, the younger man had asserted his claim
according to the rights of war. Ausonius had
no claims whatever to the prisoner; that was
clear. His nephew undoubtedly might have
rdsed them, and at first he did make the at-
tempt. But he grew strangely silent when the
Tribune — scarcely in absolute harmony with
the truth — said in his uncle's presence: "The
girl had escaped again. I was the first to catch
her finally. Shall I call her, that she may tell
you the whole story herself?"

Herculanus, with a venomous glance, left
the tent.

But Ausonius did not understand the imperi-
ous rudeness of the brave soldier who was usu-
ally so devoted to him. When the Tribune

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 147

curtly appealed to the right of war, Ausonius,
deeply offended, pondered over all the reasons
which, as he thought, must induce his friend not
to yield his legal right in this instance to him.
The poet, seeking motives for the act, of course
iirst grasped the nearest: all the men in the
camp gazed at the peculiar beauty of the child
with unconcealed admiration. It was no won-
der then that the lUyrian, in the full vigor of
manhood, should also be seized with ardent
love for the beautiful creature who had fallen
into his hands and, without really having any
evil design, wanted to keep her in his power
until either from affection or obedience the
captive should yield to her master.

But this anxiety, which at first had weighed
heavily upon him, was soon relieved. With
the keen distrust of jealousy, he watched his
rival sharply at every meeting ; but even sus-
picion could discover nothing that would have
warranted this conjecture. Quiet, unmoved,
and steadfast as ever was the Tribune's bear-
ing in her presence, which he neither shunned
nor sought, but treated with indifference. He
looked into the wonderful eyes no more fre-
quently than occasion required, and his glance

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148 A CAPTIVE OF

was calm, his voice did not tremble. So Au-
sonius regarded his friend's act as a soldier's
strange whim, and did not doubt that he would
soon give it up. But this proved an erron

On returning to the camp Ausonius entreated
his friend, without renouncing his right of pos-
session, to place the young girl in the tent next
to the Prefect's, now occupied by slaves and
freedwomen, whom he would remove. But Sat-
urninus insisted that Bissula should be lodged
among the wives of the freedmen and female
slaves who occupied some tents a long distance
from the Prefect's. The young girl herself paid
little heed to the discussion between the two
Romans, whose meaning she scarcely under-
stood.

Released by the Tribune from the fear of
death, and soothed by the presence of her hon-
ored friend, her young cheerful heart soon ac-
commodated itself to the new condition of
affairs, — not through recklessness, but through
childish ignorance of the perils which possibly
threatened her. Her grandmother was not
discovered; her faithful servant had not been
captured ; she herself was certainly secure in the
presence and under the eyes of her friend, the

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 149

most aristocratic man in the Roman camp. He
would not let a hair of her head be harmed, she
knew.

True, the thought weighed heavily upon her
heart as soon as she was captured that she herself
was solely to blame for her misfortune. If she
had obeyed the well-meant counsel — she was
on the verge of tears; experience had taught
the value of the advice — she would now have
been safe and sheltered with her grandmother,
though also with Adalo. And owing him a
debt of gratitude ! She crushed the tears on her
long lashes. No, she would not admit that he
was right. Now she owed the haughty Ade-
ling nothing : that was certainly an advantage.
"And" — she shook her waving locks back
defiantly — "they won't eat me here! Only
don*t be afraid, Bissula," she said to herself;
"and don't submit to anything !"

She had trembled only a moment after her
escape from Herculanus, when her powerftil de-
liverer measured her whole dainty figure with
a look under which she lowered her eyes in
confusion. But when she again raised those
innocent child -eyes, the expression had van-
ished. And it never returned.

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Her master allowed her to spend the whole
day with her "Father Ausonius" : only when it
grew dark he appeared, with inexorable firm-
ness, to take her away; and he went with her
himself to the tent assigned to her, before which
he stationed one of his lUyrian countrymen as
a sentinel all night.

Bissula never saw her friend's nephew, whom
she feared, alone. She confidently expected
the restoration of her liberty when the camp
should be broken up and the Romans should
withdraw from the country. There would be
no fighting, Ausonius repeatedly told her. So
the light-hearted girl regarded her captivity,
which had lost all its terrors, as an adventure
that afforded her an opportunity for the con-
versations with her friend which she had missed
so long.

Many of her young playmates had lived as
hostages and probably as captives in Roman
camps and in the fortresses on the southern
shore, and been restored to liberty uninjured
when truce or peace was declared. That she
could be detained or carried away against her
will she did not fear : the most powerful man
in the camp was her protector. Yet this peril

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 151

constantly threatened her more and more
closely.

Ausonius kept a sort of diary, in which
before going to sleep he recorded events, im-
pressions, sketches of poemis, and short bits of
verse — a custom whose regular observance he
scarcely omitted even in camp. A touch of
pedantry was one of his characteristics. Yet the
diary was not a monologue, rather a sort of
dialogue; for he addressed it in the form of a
letter to his oldest and most intimate friend,
Arius Paulus of Bigerri, rhetorician, but also
an old soldier. Every three months he col-
lected what he had written and forwarded it to
him to receive his criticisms and answers on the
margin of the manuscript when returned.

So, during these days of involuntary leisure
he wrote.

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152 A CAPTIVE OF

CHAPTER XXIII.

v. BEFORE THE KALENDS OF SEPTEMBER.

A USONIUS sends greetings to his Paulus.
I wrote to you yesterday about the charm-
ing Barbarian child. Child? She is one no
longer. The delicate, yet lovely outlines of her
form have developed into exquisite roundness.
And Barbarian ? If she ever was one she has
ceased to be so, since Ausonius taught her the
pomp of the Latin language. How shall I de-
scribe her to you without drawing, no, painting
her? For it is precisely the charm of her color-
ing that is so peerless. If only I had brought
with me Paralos, my Ionian slave, who painted
the nymphs so exquisitely — you know — in my
little dining hall yonder, in the villa in the Pro-
vince Noverus! And the expression — the vi-
vacity — in those ever varying features, now full
of mischievous wrath, now mirth, now jest, and
anon of a sorrowful yearning which to me is full
of mystery.

And the dainty figure ! Recently her leather

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 153

sandals stuck fast In the mire outside the camp
ditch. How white and charming were the little
feet ! How can they even support the figure,
lightly as it floats along ? The muse which so
long has shunned me has again returned in the
form of this Suabian girl : a fairer metamorpho-
sis than ever Ovid dreamed. Verses well up in
my mind ceaselessly. Just listen !

'< Nature had dowered Bissula withjcharms which the greatest

of artists
Vainly to picture would strive. Doubtless to full many another
Justice he might do by use of the pigments of red and of white

lead:
Coloring like hers, alas! will forever escape him, unless he

should paint
Her face with a lily's lustre, on which the breath of a rose

hath rested.'*

Ah, my friend, with the feelings that come
to me, I am often ashamed of the half century I
bear with me. Fain would I sacrifice something
to Anteros — most willingly my gray hairs !

A short time ago the little maid amazed us
all (Saturninus was even more surprised than I ;
for I am already beginning to believe her al-
most supernatural) by showing strategic insight.
It was mentioned that while making a tour on

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154 A CAPTIVE OF

the southwestern wall I had saved her little
hut from burning, while our cohorts usually
flung the torch with eager zeal into the wooden
houses of the Barbarians. Then Saturninus
remarked that by accident another building had
been spared, a house with a lofty gable roof
rising on a hill farther toward the southwest.
None of our reconnoitring parties had marched
in that direction. My nephew called one of his
men and ordered two of them to ride over the
next day and burn the dwelling down.

Suddenly the girl, with flashing eyes, cried :
"How stupid!" and laughed. Courtesy is not
her favorite virtue, and she and my nephew
waste little love on each other. " How stupid ! "
she repeated. "The building is very solid,
the fence inclosing it very high ; it is almost a
citadel like your camp here ; and it is between
you and the lake — to which you must fly if
my people come. You could fortify yourselves
there again, if you are forced to leave here as
the fox darts from its burrow."

Herculanus laughed sneeringly; but Satur-
ninus cast a glance from the top of the wall to
that hill and the lofty building, and said in the
quiet tone which quells contradiction: "I my-

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THE RaMAN EAGLES 155

self had resolved to have the dwelling burned
to-morrow* But the child is right. The solid
house will not be burned, but perhaps, later,
occupied — when the ships arrive."

If those ships would only come ! The eager
Tribune is fairly consumed with impatience for
action. Already he has gone across the lake
repeatedly in a wretched rotting boat belonging
to the Barbarians, which we found hidden
among the thickest growth of rushes near Bis-
sula's hut, and urged Nannienus to hasten. But
the latter might truthfully say with Homer:
**Why dost thou urge one who is willing?"
We cannot make up in days for the neglect of
months. The Emperor's own miserable offi-
cials do him more harm than the Barbarians.
And we do not even know where these strange
defenders of the country have vanished.

Ah, that reminds me of another anecdote of
the little maid. How constantly she steals into
my thoughts! Of course — in jest and earnest
— we have tried to obtain information about
the hiding-places of the enemy from the only
captive oC whose possession hitherto we can
bogst; but there we "victors" met with small
success, as you may guess.

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"Where are your heroes hiding?" I asked
once laughing, toward the end of a meal in my
tent. "Truly, their heroism is as hard to find
as themselves."

"They will hardly have told this little maid,"
replied Saturninus. *'For Barbarian women
can probably keep secrets no better than Ro-
man ones. She does not know."

*'Yes, she does!" cried the rogue, pouting
defiantly.

"Indeed? Then we'll question you," I cried,
"on the rack."

**That isn*t necessary. I am willing to tell."

"Well, where are they?'* asked the Tribune
seriously.

She glided out of the tent, thrust her head
saucily through the opening, and laughed mis-
chievously: "They dwell with Odin and the
nixie in the lake. Search for them there your-
self!" And she vanished.

Her favorite resting-place is at the foot of a
huge pine-tree; it is sacred, dedicated to a
German goddess who, according to the descrip-
tion, probably corresponds with Isis. I have
repeatedly found her there. Once she was
swinging among the branches like a little bird.

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She begged me not to betray her hiding-place
to the others — the Tribune and my nephew.
She often liked to dream there all alone. Well,
I certainly shall not betray her. If / know
where to look for her, the others shall not find
her against her will.

IV. BEFORE THE KALENDS OF SEPTEMBER.

I regretted the artist's absence a short time
since, and cannot get him to come here. But
perhaps Bissula will go later to the artist, to
Burdigala. How I wished it long ago ! Oh,
Paulus, if only I could show her to you ! The
more I write of her and think of her, the more
she pleases me. Or perhaps the contrary is the
case. I will write and think of her no more.

You will not believe, my dear friend, how
much I enjoy the military life I have not wit-
nessed for so long. I understand little about it,
but the pomp and pride and power of war stir
me very strongly.

It is a pleasure to see the rule of a man like
Saturninus. He cannot scan a verse of Alcaeus,
but he knows how to arrange a camp accord-
ing to the demands and advantages of the loca-

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tion, better than I can write an Alcsean strophe.
Here, on this steep hillside in the midst of the
Barbarian forests, he had applied Frontinus's
rules to the given space most admirably. It
would please an old soldier like you to see our
camp, the strength of wall and moat, the
arrangement of the spaces between the tents,
the distribution of horse and foot-soldiers, lug-
gs^e, and camp followers.

III. BEFORE THE KALENDS OF SEPTEMBER.

And why should you not see it? For what
purpose has Athene pr the clever Phoenicians
taught us the art of writing? I begged Satur-
ninus to dictate to his fat slave scribe a sketch
of our whole camp, with all the points impor-
tant for defence and the distribution of our
troops. I will put it on the papyrus.

How stately is the entrance! Four squadrons
of mailed warriors at the Porta Decumana, and
all the baggage also piled up there. The wall
eight feet high ; the ditch five feet deep. The
weakest point is the northwest corner, so the
best troops are there : Batavian and spearmen
of the Emperor's Thracian Guard : etc.

I will not repeat here in detail what the

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 159

inclosure will contain ; but the paper is not yet
finished. He has taken it away to make the
drawing more accurate.

II. BEFORE THE KALENDS OF SEPTEMBER.

Ah, what avails dissimulation, playing hide
and seek with myself? If you drive her out
with a pitchfork. Nature will always return,
says the Bandusian fellow. I am trying to
make you — and myself — believe that my
thoughts are on ditch and wall and mailed
soldiers. It is not true. I think only of the
little maid. Her image alone hovers before
my eyes day and night. It is already half de-
cided that you shall see her.

When this expedition is over, I at any rate
shall return to Gaul, perhaps the whole army ;
for the Emperor Valens seems to be able to
deal with the Goths without needing our aid ;
he does not ask for us. Then I can take the
little maid as my guest for a short visit to
Burdigala.

True, she is still considered the Tribune's
slave. It is an odd caprice of the valiant soldier.
No, no, my Paulus ! It is not what you sup-
pose that influences him. I have watched him

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suspiciously, almost jealously, as sharply as a
father — or can it be a lover? But I did him
injustice — or too much honor? He has noth-
ing in his head except those invisible Alemanni
and our ships, still delayed at Arbor.

• ••••••

Yet why only for a visit ? Why should she
not remain in my house always to beautify my
advancing years with the roseate dawn of her
youth ?

Yes. Eos, Aurora : it is a fitting symbol for
her. So young, so full of the dewy freshness
of the morning, with her ruddy curling locks
floating saucily around her.

Perhaps, now that she has grown more sen-
sible, she will joyfully accept the offer I made
when she was a child : to go with me as my
adopted daughter. — Daughter? That is not
the right word ; no longer the right word : she
has blossomed into womanhood ; I should not
think of lifting her on my knee, as I did years
ago. She has become too mature.

And I am still too young to regard her only
as a daughter. — Rather as a brother, her loving
brother who rejoices in her beauty. No, it will
not do.

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A short time ago her round arm brushed me
(the German women go with bare arms); a fiery
thrill darted through my veins. I can scarcely
doubt it, I —

My feelings for her do not concern other
people. I might at any rate first take her with
me — and then adopt her? No matter what
the legal form may be, I am determined to keep
her near me always.

I can no longer do without her charming
presence; everything would grow dark and
cold. Already I shiver at the thought of again
living alone with the icy- hearted Herculanus.

She has become my muse! A barbarian
one, do you scoflF? Aha, are these lines so
barbaric ?

«« Incarnate joy! Caressing bliss! O thou embodiment of
sportive grace!
How the Barbarian maid the £m ones of Loitium hath

vanquished!
Bissula! Plebeian her name may sound in the ears of

aliens:
But to Ausonius it echoes with harmonies sweet and be-
witching.'*
II

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CHAPTER XXIV.

TT IS useless to conceal it from myself any

longer, and what I admit to myself must also
be confessed to you, my Paulus, my second self,
at the same moment. Alas, I fear you read it
long ago from these words in prose and verse.

I beseech you not to shake your cool, cautious
head as usual over your "too youthful" Auso-
nius : I hope my heart will throb warmly till it
ceases to beat.

I know all you will say — of course against
it. For you would speak in favor only if you
had seen her. Yet I rejoice that you are not
here : I have no desire to be warned.

True, it is one thing to- toy with the sweet
illusion within my own breast and to the friend
who will keep my secret; and quite another to
transfer it to practical reality.

My thoughts are contradictory. I am fifty —
ah no; fifty -two years old ! But what happiness
it will be for the young girl to share not only
my wealth but the whole Latin civilization with

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 163

me ! She is a pagan. Pshaw ! The baptismal
water will no more wash away her charm than
it has driven the pagan Muses from me. She
can believe after baptism precisely what she
believed before. And she shall offer sacrifices
to golden Aphrodite and to Hymen !

I hesitate. She is very fond of me, but I
often find, her dreaming, gazing out with yearn-
ing eyes beyond the walls of the camp : strangely
enough, it is not eastward in the direction of
her home, but always toward the northwest
At that point the wall rises almost to the height
of her huge pine tree, whose branches reach the
ground : I again found her hidden among them
yesterday. She climbs so far up among the
boughs that she can look over the wall to the
distant hills, and hides among the dense foliage
like a martin.

I discovered her with much difliculty, — twi-
light was gathering, — and when at my call she
slipped down I thought I saw tears in her eyes.
But the crimson glow of sunset had probably
dazzled me ; I did not see them when she stood
on die ground by my side, though she looked
graver than usual.

^'What do you want?" I asked.

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"Liberty," was her swift answer.

Perhaps I looked perplexed or angry, for
she went on hastily: "Forgive me! I was
foolish. I know that if you set me free now,
before the close of the war, I might fall into
the hands of other Romans before reaching my
people. And I am not ungrateful. How kind
you are to me ! Yet I often feel so homesick —
for — for — oh, I don't know myself!'*

Then I said in jest, — for never before, and
even now not seriously, had the idea entered
my mind, — "For a lover?"

She started back like a little red serpent. I
have never seen her so angry, though the hot
temper of the little creature boils over often
enough. She stamped her tiny foot, the blood
crimsoned her cheeks, and she vehemently ex-
claimed :

"A lover? The 'red biting cat'? I have no
heart ! How should / love ? "

Then turning her back on me defiantly she
ran off to her tent and did not appear again
that evening. But I am glad to learn from her
own lips that no bond of affection will hold
her fast in this Barbarian land, if I really decide
to take her with me to Burdigala.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 165

This possible obstacle to my wishes entered
my thoughts rather late, you will tell me. But
it was because I considered her a child so long.
Later I daily felt in my own heart the feeling
within growing stronger. No, no, this girl is a
child no longer, but a maiden ready for her
bridal.

The sweet wish — I scarcely repress it — is
rapidly maturing. And with this dear girl I
shall be sure of one thing : she will not marry
me for my wealth, which I anxiously fear from
our Gallic maidens. As to the widows, I feel
gripes in my stomach whenever I think of them.

I will be cautious not to startle the timid
clfild; for how can the Barbarian maiden dream
of such an honor as even being invited as my
guest to Burdigala? It is inconceivable that she
should refuse: now that she has grown to
womanhood. If she does, then — But no,
surely it will not be necessary. And when she
has once tasted the rich, beautiful life there, she
will no longer desire to return to this wilderness.
Then ere long I can read aloud to her these
verses which now I dare entrust only to my
friend:

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<<BiMula^ fkir maid bom and reared in the cold knd beyond
the Rhine^

Bistula, who bloomed so near the source of the Danube:

Captive of war, thou hast, when released from bondage,
made captive

Thy conqueror: his heart became the prisoner's booty.

Of a mother's care htrek, ne'er hast thou sufiered a mis-
tress:

When thou a captive wast made, a mistress thou didst
become.

Though thou by Roman favor, O German, wast dius
transformed.

Still hast thou diine eyes' deep aeure, «tin hast thou thy
hair's red gold.

Dual thou seemest now, and with dual charms adorn

Latium's tongue thy mind, and Suabia's grace thy form."

How do you like them, my dear friend ? I
hope they are not bad. At least they please me
extremely, and you know I am not vain.

Now imagine how these melodious lines must
gratify her — her who is their inspiration.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 167

CHAPTER XXV.

TpHE morning after Ausonius had made this
last entry in his diary, Bissula, as usual,
shared the first meal in his tent with the uncle
and nephew. The Prefect of Gaul was in excel-
lent spirits, often jested, talked a great deal,
had his goblet repeatedly filled by the slave
who was his cup-bearer, and remarked again
that the campaign would soon be over. "When
die ships come," he added in conclusion, "the
Barbarians will sue for peace." Glancing up
merrily his eyes chanced to rest on the young
girl's fiice. To his surprise a mocking, nay,
angry smile was hovering around lips pouting
in defiance; her brow was frowning, and she
made no reply. The conversation flagged. Her-
cuianus watched the rising cloud sharply, and
eagerly fanned the flame.

"What?" he cried. "Peace? Bondage;
extirpation! The Caesar will soon drag the
last remaining Alemanni before his triumphal
chariot to the Cs4>itol: the leaders will be stran-

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gled, the rest sold cheap: a German for a
cabbage."

Tears of rage filled Bissula's eyes. She
could find no words; fury choked her voice.
She searched her thoughts, her memory, for
aid and defence. Adalo was the only name
which came to her. "Yes, Adalo, if you were
here, or if I had your swift speech, whis-
pered by Odin! Stay — his verse — his verse
of defiance. How did it run ? " She closed
her eyes to think, resting her elbows on the
table, with both little clenched hands pressed
against her throbbing brow.

"I will offer a toast," Herculanus went on,
raising his goblet ; "pledge me. You, the pupil
of Ausonius, are surely one of us : Dbgrace
and death to the Alemanni!" Bissula sprang
up. Her blue eyes were blazing; her red
tresses fluttered around her head ; a blow from
her clenched fist sent the silver goblet rattling
on the floor ; and, in the language of her peo-
ple, she cried loudly :

**Woc to the Littins !
Vengeance on Romans !
Break down their castles.
Shatter their strongholds.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 169

Swing ye the sword

Till the base robbers flee !

All this region

Hath Odin given

To his sons of victory —

To us, the Alemanni !

"Oh, I thank you, I thank you, Adalo!"
And she rushed out of the tent.

"How foolish !" Ausonius said reproachfully
to his nephew. "How inhospitable! How
could you so incense our guest?"

"Guest? Our, that is, the lUyrian's, slave-
girl. But forgive me, uncle. It shall not hap-
pen again. How little a Barbarian woman suits
the society of Romans! Our thoughts, our
wishes — she is implacably hostile to all. And
Adalo ? I have already heard the name. Isn't
it—?"

"No matter who it is," thundered the uncle.
"But you are my nephew, and have insulted,
roused the lovely girl to furious rage at my
table, in my tent. How would you in Bur-
digala— "

A gloomy, significant glance fi-om the young
Roman checked his thoughtless speech.

"You must appease her. Now leave me ; I

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don't wish to see you again to-day. Or stay —
I will follow her myself. Poor little thing!"

Ausonius rose excitedly from the couch and
hurried out. Herculanus and the slave who
acted as cup-bearer remained alone in the tent.

"Is it so already?'* muttered the former an-
grily through his set teeth. "Does the childish
infatuated old fool reveal his plans so openly?
To work, Davus! Well or ill — to work!
Have you the hemlock? Have you enough?"

"I think it will do. If it fail the first time,
you still have some in the other little vial?"
Herculanus nodded. The slave went on:

"He complained yesterday of all sorts of
bad feelings. I'll risk it soon, before he gets
well again. But — one thing more — the Bar-
barian girl will sleep alone to-night.'*

"What ? Not in the tent with the teamsters'
wives r

"No; a contagious eruption broke out there
last night: I heard Saturninus give the order
to pitch another tent at once on the opposite
side for the prisoner."

"But he will have her closely guarded."

"To-night he is going on a reconnoitring
expedition with all his incorruptible lUyrians.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 171

Batavians are to be on duty : they are fond of
drinking; perhaps — **

"Silence! This ring as a reward for the
news. We don't yet know whether the plot
^inst the old man will succeed, so we'll have
two strings ready for our bow. And I hate
her. I don't hate him; only I must have my
inheritance quickly. So to-night! Hush, Pros-
per is coming 1 About the poison — in the two
little vials — we'll say more later; you know
where and when. First we'll wait to sec what
this night will bring forth."

• •••••

Meanwhile kind-hearted Ausonius had vainly
Sought the angry fugitive. He looked eagerly
down the long wide streets of the camp which
crossed in a square at the prsetorium — in vain.
Now he hoped to find her in her favorite
hiding-place, the secluded spot with the tall
fir-tree; but it was empty. Nor was she
perched among the branches : he scanned them
carefully.

Shaking his head he walked on still farther
toward the northwest, to the wall itself. Here
he heard voices raised as if disputing, a soldier's
and Bissula's. Now he saw Rignomer, the

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172 A CAPTIVE OF

Batavian sentry, with lowered spear forcing back
the slowly retreating girl. The man spoke half
in German, half in vulgar Latin ; for at that
time the Batavians and Alemanni, though both
Germans, found it as hard to understand one
another as the sailors of the Lower Rhine and
the peasants of Lake Constance do at the present
day.

" Back, you red elf, you beautiful Idise, you
nymph, and never try it again ! It would be
a pity to hurt yourself. The wall is too high
and the ditch too deep — '* Then the soldier
recognized the Prefect, saluted him, and went
back to the top of the wall.

Bissula, noticing the respectful salute, had
turned and, still violently agitated, rushed to
Ausonius, exclaiming: "Father, set me free at
once I at once!"

Ausonius shook his head. "Consider — "

"If you really catch defenceless girls and
threaten to kill them by the sword, you glori-
ous Romans, as your nephew — **

"When did he do that?"

"Never mind! Send me with a safe escort,
with a letter from you beyond your outposts."

"Where shall I send you?"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 173

Bissula remained silent a short time. Her
face was deeply flushed.

"Where? To the place where you always
gaze in your reveries ? Out yonder ? "

"No/* she replied, setting her teeth; "east-
ward, to my home. Then I will take care of
myself."

"Child, you must stay till the war is over."

**No, I must go," she answered. "I belong
to my people, not to you. It is not right, it is
abominable, for me to sleep safe here in your
protection, drink Roman wine from golden
goblets, while my kindred are suflFering want
and danger. Let me go ! " She raised her hand.
The gesture was meant to be an entreaty, but it
resembled a threat

"Cease this folly, little one," Ausonius now
said, more seriously. " My nephew's idle, un-
seemly words oflFended you; I reproved him
for them; he will beg your pardon, ' — Bissula
made a contemptuous movement, — "and every-
thing will be forgotten."

"Shall I forget my people?"

"Forget? No; but gradually become alien-
ated from them. You look amazed. Well,
let this trivial incident hasten the important dis-

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174 A CAPTIVE OF

closure I have to make. Are you thinking
of leaving me? Give it up, sweet girl!" He
controlled himself and went on more calmly :
" My little daughter, you will never leave me
again."

Bissula opened her eyes in the utmost aston-
ishment, gazing at the Roman with the expres-
sion of a captured deer. The iron tramp of a
marching cohort was heard close at hand, but
the tents still concealed it from their gaze.

"What do you mean?" she stammered.

**I will tell you," said Ausonius in a firmer,
sterner tone than he had ever used. The
opposition he now suspected irritated him, and
he was determined to execute his will. "I
will tell you that I have resolved to fulfil my
former plan. I shall take you as my guest for
an indefinite time. As my little daughter," he
added cautiously, **with me to Burdigala."

"Never!" cried Bissula, raising both arms in
the wildest terror.

"Yes, most certainly."

"But I will not go. I — away fix>m the lake
— from — from my people? No, no, no!"

"Yes, yes, yes ! This is not tyrannical nor
cruel, as you think now."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 175

"Who will compel me to go away?"

"I. We compel children whom we are ed\i-
cati^g to 4p what we desire, for their own good.
You do not unders^nd your real welfare : I will
force you to do so."

" But I am no child ; I am — " She advanced
toward him defiantly.

"You are a captive. Do not forget that.
You must obey your master, and he — "

"Is here," said a deep voice.

Saturiiiftus stepped between them. With g
6rm hand he held 3issula> who had tuyrned^
reeled as though giddy, and tried again to scale
the wall. "Do not forget that, Ausonius."

Altered by the interruption, perplexed, and
half ashamed, the other drew back. "What are
you doing?"

"I am protecting my captive."

"Against whom?"

"Against every threat: against wiles ^ well
as compulsion — even though well meant."

Both gazed at him in silence, but the girl's
gratitude was blended with a slight thrill of fear
— fear of this protector too.

Ausonius was the first to find words. In
tones which revealed wrath, jealousy, and sus-

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176 A CAPTIVE OF

pidon^ he exclaimed : ** And who will protect
her against you ?*'

"Nothing and no one, except my own will/*

"Oh, set me free!" cried Bissula, raising her
clasped hands despairingly to the Tribune.

"That you may tell the Barbarians all you
have seen and heard in our camp ? No, little
maid. You will stay — perhaps forever. Have
no thought of escape! Here, countryman!"
He beckoned to a soldier. "Take her to the
new tent; keep guard there until I leave to-
night; then Rignomer the Batavian will re-
lieve you. And listen: tell my scribe that
during the day he must see that she — ** The
rest was whispered in the ear of the lUyrian,
who led the wondering, bewildered girl away
by the arm.

Ausonius and Saturninus parted without
exchanging a single word: the latter saluted
respectfully ; but the angry Prefect did not, or
would not, see.the farewell.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 177

CHAPTER XXVI.

rj^VER since the preceding day the rain
clouds, which had so long densely veiled
the mountain peaks and hung in gray curtains
to the shore of the lake, had grown lighter and
lighter. Scattered fragments still floated over
the forest ; but the mists were dispersing from
Sends and Todi. And before the sun of that
day sank behind the wooded heights of the
western shore, it burst through the cloud rack
for the first time in a long while, illumining lake
and country for a few minutes with a blood -red
glow. The fishes leaped greedily after the flies
which were sunning themselves in the beams
and flew feebly, with damp wings, close to the
surface of the water: then the radiant ball dis-
appeared behind the long cloud curtain.

The herons flew screaming from the rushes
toward the land. The wind seemed to be rising.
The clouds swept across the sky, sometimes
in one direction, sometimes in another. The

waves of the lake, obeying the former course
12

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178 A CAPTIVE OF

of the wind, rolled in a direction opposite to
the clouds above them.

The Batavian mercenaries of the Lower Rhine
were encamped outside of die northern gate of
the camp, the Porta Prsetoria, but a little toward
the west. The centurion, a man about forty
years old, long in the service of Rome, who was
adorned with neck-chains and various badges
of honor on his breast-plate bestowed for gal-
lant deeds, was fanning the smoking fire, which
they were loath to have die out in the cold damp
woods.

"There!" he muttered, "there it goes. I
invoked both gods, Vulcan and Loki, in vain.
Vulcan won't help me, because I am a Barba-
rian ; Loki because I serve the Romans. We
mercenaries no longer have any gods to aid us,
because we belong to no natioil."

"Ha, Rignomer," laughed another in die
group, a youth whose downy red beard was
just beginning to grow, **I care for only one
god among them all — the god of victory."

"And he, Odin, is the very one who has
deserted us, Brinno. Everywhere the Ger-
mans arc conquering ; that is, the peoples who
are fighting against Rome, not we German

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 179

mercenaries, who battle for the Caesar. And in
every conflict the men who bleed are we mer-
cenaries."

" Because these cunning Romans always put us
in the place which is most severely threatened/*
Brinno cried angrily.

"Because Odin is hostile to us/* whispered
the centurion. "We must no longer fight for
Rome against the other Germans. He no longer
wills it.*

"What do you mean by Germans? That's a
word like Barbarians. The Romans invented it,
not we. What do I care for these Alemanni?
I am a Batavian ; a Frank, if you prefer the
name.**

"Yes, I do prefer it.**

"It's newer.**

**But stronger, because it is larger.**

"What do I care, I ask again, for these thick-
skulled Suabians? I can hardly understand
what they say.**

"But all we blue-eyed, yellow-haired men
are sons of the dwellers in Asgard. We have
all come here to the great waters from the Eadt.
80 our forefathers teach us; so the harpers
sing. And everywhere, on the Rhine and the

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Danube, the districts and peoples who formerly
had such bitter feuds are gathering. This is
Odin's work. He is summoning the descend-
ants of Asgard to war against Rome. This is
my last campaign under the dragon standard.
In a few days my time of service will expire;
then I shall go home and till my land on the
Issala, where my mother and my brother and
sisters live ; till it with a better plough, a Roman
one. And if I must fight again, I will fight for
my land, against Rome. We Franks have too
little room down there in the swamps of the
Rhine ; we must go into beautiful Gaul."

"Well, this war of the Romans will soon be
over. A bloodless victory."

**Who knows?" Here the centurion threw
himself on the ground beside Brinno and
whispered: "A man from my district, who
formerly fought under the Emperor Valentinian
by this lake against the Alemanni, told me
why in fear and horror he suddenly gave up
the service and lost his pay: In a battle the
Romans were vanquished. One against whom
no man can lift his hand without forfeiting sal-
vation forever dashed forward on a gray charger
at the head of the Alemanni wedge."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES i8i

"What?" asked Brinno, half incredulously,
half timidly: "i/^— he— himself?"

Rignomer nodded significantly: "In the
form of a white-haired Duke; so runs the
legend. When sore peril threatens the dwellers
by the lake he descends from the heavenly
heights, warns them, conceals them from the
eyes of the foe with his dark mantle of clouds ;
teaches them runes of victory on inaccessible
mountains, and bears them suddenly away on
the eagle wings of the tempest. Against him I
will not fight. I vowed to serve the Imperator
against men only. But hark ! a tuba signal from
our outposts. Whom are our mounted men
bringing in?"

"A messenger from the Alemanni, it seems."

"Yes, a leader and two attendants. What a
youth ! Halt, young hero : if you wish to go
into the camp to the General, — only one is per-
mitted to ride in, — I must first cover your eyes.
Dismount I You will not? Well then, turn
back again."

This was a severe blow to Adalo*s hopes.
He would so gladly have gazed keenly about
him in the Roman camp, scanned ditches,
walls, gates, and — two persons within that

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frowning palisade. He sullenly dismounted.
A thick woollen blanket was thrown in loose
folds over his head like a huge sack and fast-
ened under his chin: Rignomer took him by
the hand and guided him to the gate, where a
centurion of the Thracians received the Barbar-
ians' envoy.

Adalo'st two companions also dismounted,
tied the three horses to the nearest trees, and
soon lay chatting with the Batavians. The bad
Latin of the frontier, it is true, often had to aid
the understanding of the diflFerent dialects
around the watchfire. With great exertion it
had now been rekindled, fot it was growing
very dark. Suddenly, from the forest path by
which the envoys had come, a strange growl-
ing Wats heard which drew nearer and nearer.
The whole group, including the two Alemanni,
started tip in surprise.

**A bear?"

^^S6 near the fire?*'

*' Slipped through our outposts?"

They seized the spears which stood stacked
together. Then a Batavian, laughing loudly,
came around the bend of the narrow path,
pointing behind him. **Lbok, comrades! A

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 183

Sarmatian juggler with a tame she -bear! She
dances to his big flute ! It's very comical."

A cry of surprise escaped the lips of one of
the Alemanni, whose eyes and mouth opened
in astonishment : ** That's surely — "

But his companion gave him a violent dig
in the ribs with his elbow: "A she -bear!
Yes. Didn't you ever see one?"

A man in the Sarmatian costume — black
sheepskin with the wool turned inside — now
stepped into the firelight, leading by a leather
thong a large she -bear. Behind him, also clad
in sheepskin, limped his boy, probably carry-
ing in his bundle provisions for their journey;
he was a poor cripple, who made his way for-
ward slowly with the help of a crutch, and
doubtless found it hard either to stand or to
walk; for when the third Batavian, shoving
him with the handle of his spear, invited him
to come nearer to the fire, the poor lad, with a
low cry, fell on the grass.

The soldiers, with Roman and German
taunts, asked what he could do. He did not
stir.

"You can talk to him a long while," said
his master, laughing. "The boy is deaf, and

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he is sick with fever. He is afraid of people.
Let him lie there!"

The lad crept under the thickest underbrush,
far away from the flames. He could scarcely
be seen from the watchfire ; all that was visible
was his coal-black curly hair. Taking out a
little earthen pot, he poured a few drops of
some liquid on his lame foot and rubbed it
with his hand.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 185

CHAPTER XXVII.

npO Adalo's impatience the time seemed very
long — in his wrath he believed the delay
intentional — during which he was led through
the spacious camp till at last his guide stopped
and removed the muffler from his head. He
found himself in the Prefect's tent. Ausonius,
Bissula's friend, he instantly recognized, with
a thrill of anger. A number of other army
leaders were standing and sitting around him.
They had had plenty of time to assemble while
the Barbarian was being guided in bewildering
zigzag lines through the streets of tents.

He silently saluted Ausonius (it did not
escape his eyes that his foe looked admiringly
at him), who motioned to him to sit down on
a camp stool. But the youth, with a defiant
bearing, remained standing. In vain, gazing
around the richly decorated space, Adalo endeav-
ored to discover some trace, not of Bissula
herself — that was beyond his hopes — but of
some garment or article that belonged to her.

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Nothing was to be seen except arms and papy-
rus rolls.

"You understand the language of Rome,
since you hare come without an interpreter?"
Ausonius began.

Adalo nodded.

"Be welcome! We expected such a mes-
senger. You desire peace?"

The young hero angrily flung back his hand-
some head so that his long locks rested on his
shoulders, and answered with flashing eyes:
"I offer to let you depart unmolested.'*

"Ha, insolent Barbarian!" cried Hercula-
iius.

But Saturninus wrathfaUy motioned to him
to keep silence, and then asked very quietly :
"Are we surrounded?"

**Not yet; but only because we did not
desire it."

Saturninus cast a significant glance at the
Prefect.

"Boasting!" replied the latter in Greek.

"And why haven't you destroyed us yet?"
sneered Herculanus.

"The result, Roman, is in the hands of the
gods. We have not attacked because we, who

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 187

do not fear batde, but rather — you know well
— love it, this time desire peace; or our wise
leaders, who think further than my comrades^
desire it. The great league of rfie Alemanni
wishes to end forever hy a treaty not only this
campaign but the whole war with you, which
for generations has been burning or at least
smouldering: we wish not a truce, but peace
with Rome."

"Is this your idea, youth?" asked Satumi-
nus, searchingly.

*'I have already said it is the choice of our
wise leaders, among whom I am not numbered.
But I, too, perceive that intercourse with you
across the frontiers, when the spears are leaning
in the hall, will bring to our people many ben-
efits. We have already learned much from
watching you ; we must learn still more."

*'But why," interposed Ausonius, "if you
perceive this, have you for centuries broken
every arnfiistice, every treaty? You Germans
boast of fidelity as one of the virtues of your
race, and we must praise the loyal service of
your mercenaries under our standards. Why,
here on the frontiers, are all your tribes of
many names, Alemanni and Franks, Goths

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and Quadi and Marcomanni^ the same in this
unfaithfulness ? Why, year after year, do you
continually break peace and compact? Our
cohorts, constantly compelled to wade through
your forest marshes, upbraid you with fierce
hatred as the falsest of the peoples. Why do
you continually break over our frontiers, like a
forest stream?"

**Like a forest stream ! You have uttered the
right words, though probably without knowing
it. I will not answer that often we are not the
breakers of the treaties, but, perhaps against
the Emperor's will, your army leaders, your
frontier officials. In defiance of the treaty they
build citadels on our free land, and the supplies
^yhich, according to the treaties, you owe us,
are withheld : especially the grain."

"Why," asked Saturninus eagerly, rising
from his seat, **do you not raise for yourselves
the grain you need?'

<«We cannot. There is not land enough for
our increasing population. The gods multiply
our numbers wonderfully : it must be their will
that we should grow and overflow our bound-
aries. Hundreds, nay, thousands of our young
men emigrate every year to serve you as mer-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 189

cenaries and frontier guards. We often send
forth a third of our young people, chosen by
lot, to seek a new home where the flight of the
birds and the will of the gods directs them : but
all this does not avail."

"Then," Saturninus questioned, speaking
more to himself than to the envoy, **it is not
mere wantonness?"

"Do you think that mere wantonness would
have driven, from the days of our earliest
ancestors (the legends have treasured it loyally,
sadly, and proudly) our almost naked heroes
upon the spears of your mailed legions ? Nay,
had it been we youths only, we would always
rather win what we need by blood — the foe's
or our own — than by toiling with the plough.
But do you believe that, from mere wantonness,
whole nations, with their women and children,
their men and maid -servants, their herds and
wagons, would constantly press across your
frontiers southward and westward ; not as a war-
like band on a foray in quest of booty, but on
a weary pilgrimage, pressing forward because
pressed by others, pushing because being pushed
from the south and the east by other Germans
and by Sarmatians ; not quitting the old home.

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but maintaining it by those left behind till they
too were obliged to yield— do you believe
that mere wantonness has so often lured these
hundreds of thousands to and beyond your
frontiers, usually to certain destruction? Oh,
no. It is not wantonness that impels us, but the
most powerftd of all the goddesses — Necessity.
A man utters her name unwillingly ; for the wo-
man with the iron girdle is the only inexorable
deity; she is the mother of the three Fates,
who also revere her, and she often . strangles
with her iron girdle the mortals who mention
her carelessly. Beware, Romans! Before our
faces stands only your Empire, one mighty in
military power, it is true, but behind us threatens
and urges the terrible mother of the Norns.
We have no choice. The country has become
too narrow ; we must, come what may, pour out
of the old bed in roaring torrents. Therefore,
clever Roman, you speak aptly of a forest
stream. Believe me : we shall continually break
over your frontiers, no matter how strongly
they may be guarded with men and walls, until
either all we countless German tribes are de-
stroyed or until we have gained land enough to
live upon. Not until then will there be peace.**

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 191

CHAPTER XXVni.

'TPHE words uttered by Adalo, evidently from
sincere belief, and with warm feeling, pro-
duced a deep impression. Herculanus shrugged
his shoulders scornfully. Saturninus, with a
grave face, gazed silently into vacancy — into
the future. After a long pause, Ausonius found
words:

**I have never seen that side of the question.
Is this your wisdom?"

"I say once more, it is the wisdom of our
wise men; Duke Hariowald taught me. But
the necessity of our people cries so loudly that
even an inexperienced youth must understand its
call : Land or destruction ! So, in the name of
our whole league of peoples, I ask (we Alemanni
yield in courage to no race on earth), do you wish
to gain us, our spears, forever against all your
enemies, especially the false Franks, our evil
neighbors and yours? Do you desire that?"

The Romans listened intently ; no one inter-
rupted him in his appeal.

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192 A CAPTIVE OF

"Well, there is a way, but only one." He
paused.

"Speak," urged Saturninus eagerly.

"Vacate all the land which you still occupy
but can hold only by constant fighting, the
country northward between this lake and the
right bank of the Rhine to where the Main
empties into it beneath your stronghold of Mo-
gontiacum, and all the region south of the lake
to the chain of the Cisalpine region."

"Insolent fellow ! " shouted Herculanus. The
other army leaders also did not spare words of
wrath. "Not bad!" said Ausonius, smiling.
Saturninus alone was silent; he was thinking
how the great military hero, Aurelian, had given
up, in a manner very similar to the way asked
here, Trajan's proud conquest, Dacia, and
thereby, for a long time, pacified the Goths on
the Danube.

But Adalo continued: "Do it, do it half
voluntarily; do it for the most valuable com-
pensation ; for I tell you, it must be done very
soon. Then it will be exacted without compen-
sation in return. Do it willingly ; for there is
a proud prediction current among our people :
the Alemanni will some day pasture their

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 193

horses from the snows of the Alps to the woods
of the Vosges."

Ausonius rose indignantly. *'Not another
word ! For our sole answer take to your peo-
ple the old Roman war-cry, *Woe to the Bar-
barians!'"

" Woe to the Barbarians ! " repeated the army
leaders, with loud shouts.

"Before I go," said the youth, — he strutted
fiercely to subdue the agitation, the terrible
anxiety which now sent a tremor through every
limb, — "listen to another message. You have
captured a daughter of our people." Six eyes
were bent upon him with the keenest attention.
"I am commissioned to ransom her." In spite
of every effort to appear calm and cold his voice
trembled.

"Are you Bissula's relative? She has no
brother," said Ausonius suspiciously.

"Or her lover?" asked Herculanus.

The youth's face flamed^ his brow knit wrath-
fully. "Neither her kinsman nor her betrothed
lover. I am commissioned — ^.I have already
sjud so — to ransom her. Name the price."

Ausonius was about to utter a refusal, but
Saturninus hastily anticipated him.
13

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194 A CAPTIVE OF

"You would pay any price as ransom?"

"Any."

"Is she a princess or a noble's daughter, that
your people set so high a value upon her liberty?"

"She is a free maiden of our people, and has
as much right to our protection as a queen."

"Well, your protection has been of little ser-
vice to her," cried Herculanus, laughing.

**I will give her weight in silver, nay, if need-
ful, in gold — her full weight."

"Pshaw!" replied Ausonius, smiling, "that
isn't saying much. The little one doesn't weigh
heavily. Don't trouble yourself: I will not
release her."

"Pardon me. Prefect," said Saturninus quiet-
ly, yet without averting his eyes an instant from
Adalo, "I must again remind you that the
Barbarian girl is not your slave, but mine."

"What? O ye gods!" cried Adalo, wild
with grief and horror.

He hastily advanced two paces toward the
Roman. "Is it possible ? Is it true ? Say no,
Ausonius." The voice of the usually defiant
youth now sounded almost pleading.

"Unfortunately it is true," replied the Pre-
fect sullenly.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 195

But Satuminus, who now knew what he
wished to learn, answered calmly: "The
captive is my property. And she cannot be
bought with gold. But I will release her, if
you — '* he rose, approached Adalo and whis-
pered into his ear.

The youth burst forth angrily : "The location
of our fortification and the strength of our
force? Come into the woods, Roman: you
will learn there."

Saturninus stepped back coldly. "As you
choose. Never will the red-haired maiden see
her people."

"And consider. Barbarian," hissed Hercula-i
nus, "we need not use the rack to torture a
maiden."

Adalo, with a fierce cry, gripped the hilt of
the short sword at his side. But he controlled
himself and only cast a look at Herculanus,
who, unable to endure it, blinked and turned
his eyes away.

Adalo, tortured by deep anguish, gazed
inquiringly, searching into the characters and
dispositions of the two men ; first into Saturni-
nus's stern, handsome face, then his glance
scanned Ausonius's features, kindly in expres-

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196 A CAPTIVE OlP

sion, but wholly lacking the impress of a firm
will. He sighed heavily. But, conscious that
the eyes of all were fixed intently upon him,
he summoned his whole strength, and said
quietly: "If any harm should befall her, her
people will take terrible vengeance." The firmly
repressed, yet intense fiiry in the brief words,
did not fiul to make an impression.

Adalo, without any gesture of farewell,
turned to leave the tent, and was already stand-
ing under the curtains at the entrance, when
Satuminus cried: "And what name has the
envoy of the Alemanni?"

The youth turned quickly and, comprehend-
ing the whole group in a single glance,
exclaimed: "Adalo, son of Adalger. You
shall remember it." He passed outside the
tent as he spoke.

"Uncle," cried Herculanus, "wasn't that
the fellow's name ? Yes, yes, it is he : the ^ Mars
of the Alemanni r Seize him — and the war
IS over 1

Before Ausonius could answer, Satuminus,
hurrying out of the tent, said: ^'Beware, Au-
sonius ! Nothing in heaven or on earth seems
to be sacred to this nephew of yours. But

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 197

that Barbarian's eyes must be quickly bandaged
again; their glance is like an eagle's/* He
hastened after the envoy.

Ausonius, vexed by many things, said very
irritably, in a tone almost never heard from
the iips of the kind-hearted noble: "I have
long been displeased with you, nephew Her-
tnilanus. I am very much displeased. Very!
Extremely!"

He passed him with a hasty step, harshly
thrusting aside the arms which Herculanus
stretched toward him with a soothing gesture.
The nephew's eyes followed him with a glance
that boded evil.

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198 A CAPTIVE OF

CHAPTER XXIX.

jyjE AN WHILE the Batavians, Adalo's two
companions, and the bear-leader had lain
chattering neaceably together around the camp-
fire. hr.

There was, in general, so total a lack of any
feeling of unity among the various German
tribes that the Alemanni did not think of
openly reproaching the Batavians, or even
cherishing any secret resentment because they
were fighting under Roman standards against
other Germans: Alemanni mercenaries also
fought against the German, as well as against
the other foes of Rome. j/.

So the Roman bronze vessel, fukd with dark
red Rhaetian wine, was passed to the two Ale-
manni also, and the Batavians gladly drank the
mead which Adalo's companions had brought
in long wooden vessels fastened on their backs.
For in those days the thirst of the Ale-
manni was great and frequent, and the brave
fellows — hospitality in the enemy's camp had

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 199

not been expected — would have been reluctant
to do without liquor during the long hours
consumed on the journey there^^e waiting,
and the return. ]y^

The Sarmadan, with laudable impartiality,
drank wine and mead by turns. He, too, at a
sign from Rignomer, had taken his seat by the
fire. The bear lay stretched at full length at
his side, while he began to throw sharp knives
into the air and nimbly catch them again, to
the astonishment of the Batavians, who gave
him small copper coins. His lame companion
was lying under the bushes, sleeping so soundly
that he snored.

"Ah," cried Rignomer, wiping his chin with
his bare arm and returning the little cask to
the Alemanni, "may Fro reward you for the
drink! Nothing has tasted so good since I
turned my back on the Issala and my mother's
earth-cellar. She brews it even stronger."

"Wine tastes still better," said his country-
man.

"Better in the mouth, Brinno; but mead
and ale taste better in the heart: it's home
drink. And the best part is not the moist wave
that runs down the throat, but the memory of

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many a happy hour of former drinks, which
hovers over it like the rustling of a heron's
wings. Well, Alemanni, when will it come to
fighting? And will you seek us, or must we
hunt for you ?"

"As the Duke chooses," replied the other,
draining his cup — "and all -ruling Odin."

The Batavian's face changed.

"Don't name him to me! I fear him; you
wearers of hair I don't. I've seized many a
man of you with the left hand by his Suabian
tail, and thrust the short Roman sword into
his throat with my right. But I fear the
wearer of the mantle! He is hostile to us
mercenaries. It seems to me as though he
were hovering in the air opposing us, wherever
we fight. There, Juggler, drink again. And
then show (we've seen your tricks) what your
bear has learned. Ought not your boy in the
bushes yonder, the lame fellow, to have some-
thing too ? But where is he ?"

*^Ho, Zizais, dog of a cripple, are you deaf as
well as dumb? Where are you hiding? Look,
there he lies over by the spring, nearer to the
ditch : he has a fever, and went for water. Now
stir yourself, my brown dancing maid."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES aoi

He whispered in the ear of the animal whidi,
growling, rose on its hind legs; the juggler
put his long staff in its fore-paws, and now
the clumsy creature turned slowly in a circle,
keeping time to a monotonous melancholy
tune which he first played on his huge flute
and then sang, beating time on a bronze cup
with a knife-blade. The Romans laughed loudly
at the clumsy dancer.

"What is the dainty damsel's name?" asked
Rignomer.

** Bruna. She can prophesy too. Take heed !
Ask what you choose."

Taking the staff from the bear's paws as he
spoke, he lud his hand on her head. The
animal now dropped down on her fore-paws
and looked up intelligently at her master, who
thrust some bread into her mouth*

"Well, you wise Wala," laughed Rignomer,
"will the Romans conquer in the next battle?"

The Sarmatian lightly stroked the animal's
head against the hair: the bear, growling
angrily, shook her head.

The Batavian started, the laugh died on his
lips. "She is Donar's friend," he said deject-
edly. "He speaks through her. I thought so."

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202 A CAPTIVE OF

He spoke as if the batde had already been
fought and lost.

"Well," said the juggler consolingly, "I'll
question her for you. Bruna, clever wood spirit,
look sharply at this hero: Will he come out
of this war safe and go back to his mother who
brews the good mead?"

He lightly stroked the bear from the forehead
down toward the tail : Bruna nodded assent.

"I thank thee, Donar," cried Rignomer
cheerily. "What do I care for the Romans'
victory? Fm going home soon. Hark ye, fel-.
low, the clever fortune-teller pleases me. Will
you sell her?"

The Sarmatian looked thoughtful. The ques-
tion w^ evidently unexpected. "Not willingly
— not cheaply — " he said hesitatingly, wishing
to gain time for reflection. "I live by her tricks
even more than by my own."

** You are right, Rignomer," Brinno observed.
"It*s often very dull in camp when we*re not
on duty. She would amuse us."

"And rd like to startle the Romans, the
proud legionaries who look down scornfully
upon us auxiliaries, but always send us to the
bloodiest posts in battle."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 203

**I suppose the creature came from these
forests?" asked Brinno.

The juggler nodded.

"Aha," cried Rignomer, laughing, "then we
must have her. We'll take her to little Bissula :
the brown German to the red one."

"Who is Bissula?" drawled the juggler.

"The most charming girl I ever saw," cried
Brinno quickly.

"Yes! Every one who sees her is fond of
her," Rignomer went on.

"Especially we Germans!"

"So are the Romans, I think; at any rate,
most of them. But she often sits gazing so
sadly toward the woods, as if longing for some-
thing. Her countrywoman will amuse her. Til
buy the animal from you."

"No, no! I don't want to part with her.
But," — his eyes sparkled — "I'll tell you.
Take me, the bear, and — " (he was going to say
my boy, but as he no longer saw him lying be-
side the spring, nor in his former place, he
checked himself) "into the camp for a few days,
till you are tired of the toy."

But both mercenaries shook their heads.

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"That won't do ! You ju^lers and animal
tamers are regarded as professional spies."

**Thc Tribune would have us flogged if we
even let you pass through the gate of the camp."

"Well," replied the bear-leader, "I won't
sell her, but I'll leave the creature with you a
few days; I'll soon come back for her."

"Without pay? That's suspicious!" said
Brinno.

"Not without pay!" the other interposed
quickly. "Not on any account ! I earn my liv-
ing by her. You must pay me."

"Very well. But listen : is the beast perfectly
tame?"

"Perfectly. If she gets a little unruly, you
need only buckle the broad collar here — do
you see? — a little tighter."

"I see."

"Don't neglect to tell everybody who has
anything to do with the animal," warned the
Sarmatian.

"Especially the little one," said Brinnou "It
would be a pity to have a hair of her head
harmed."

"If only people do nothing to injure her,
this clever countrywoman won't bite them."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 205

Steps echoed from the camp : Adalo was be*
ing escorted back.

"Zizais, where are you? We must goT*
called the Sarmatian, turning toward the bushes
to search for the bdy, who came limping slowly
out of the thicket.

The woollen blanket was now removed from
the envoy's head ; with a gloomy face he swung
himself upon his horse, his two companions did
the same, and all three soon vanished in the
darkness of the forest

The clank of weapons sounded at the gate:
the Thracian spearmen were, coming to relieve
the Batavians. At the same moment the bear-
leader and the cripple emerged from the thicket
at the left ; the former gave the animal to Rig-
nomer, who tried to drag it with him by the
leather collar toward the camp. But the bear
resisted, growling and bracing herself on her
hind paws, as she looked beseechingly with her
intelligent eyes at her master.

**Come, come, Bruna," urged the latter —
"they are good people (he stooped and whis-
pered in her ear) won't you go yet? Didn't
you understand?"

He scratched his head in perplexity. Then

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the cripple limped forward, took from his mole-
skin knapsack a narrow long blue kerchief, — it
looked like a girdle, — and handed it to his
master. The latter, laughing, gave it to the
Batavian.

"Yes, yes. That will help. Hold it before
the animal. No ! Not in front of her eyes :
her nose; There! See how she sniffs? She
is getting the scent. Are you surprised ? Yes,
the cloth belonged to Bruna's dearest play-
fellow. Go on slowly. You see, she is follow-
ing like a lamb. Well, greet the Roman camp
for me, Bruna: FU soon come for you."

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CHAPTER XXX.

TOURING the following night Saturninus
made a little reconnoitring expedition
northward and, as far as it was possible to ven-
ture into the swamps without trustworthy guides,
towards the east. But he was compelled to re-
turn to camp about noon without success.

"They are evidently hiding in the north-
west," he said angrily to his best officer, Decius,
as they rode side by side. " But none of the
guides will go in that direction, and we can-
not penetrate into those forest-clad mountains
by force until Nannienus arrives. If we had
only brought his troops with us by land ! It is
almost useless, it seems to me, to build galleys
to blockade the lake."

"Yes," Decius assented. "The Barbarians
must have burned all their boats, or carried
them inland : not one Is to be seen."

Directly after the GeneraFs return a Batavian
came to his tent, and asked to see him alone.

"What do you desire, brave Rignomer?"

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**To report myself for punishment. I drank
too much wine."

"When?"

"Last night."

" How ? While on guard outside the camp ? "

"No, after Iwas relieved."

"The trader will be scourged. Who sold it
to you?"

"No one. That was just it! I shouldn't
have drunk so much if I had bought it. But
given! A present of Massican wine! Who
can resist it?"

**No German, it seems. And you report for
punishment? Of your own free will? Highly
improbable. You were probably detected and
wish to anticipate?"

"No: no one discovered me. When I was
relieved, I had been completely sobered by
fright."

"Why?"

"My lord," — bespoke hesitatingly, — "it is
about the Idise."

"Who is that?"

"Why, the red-haired wood nymph."

"What of her?" asked the lUyrian eagerly,
now keenly intent.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 209

" My lord, I wish her well ! As — as we all
do."

"As we all do?"

"Yes, yes," replied the German, smiling,
"even you. General; I've noticed it. Well,
I report for punishment, and will tell the whole
story because — because I'm afraid the little
one's life is in danger."

"Tell your story," Saturninus commanded,
evidently startled. "Who gave you the wine?"

"Davus, the Prefect's slave."

"Ah — and what happened then?"

**Then it happened that I drank too much,
and when I mounted guard outside of the little
one's tent, I soon fell asleep on the soft turf.
A terrible growling roused me. The she -bear
owned by a juggler, a Sarmatian, which I
brought into camp yesterday and carried to the
captive girl, acted exactly as though she were a
human being, that is, a man ; for she followed
the red elf everywhere."

"Suspicious! Did Bissula know the animal?
Did she call it by any name?"

"No. But she was very much pleased when
she saw the she-bear; her face flushed and
paled. So much pleased that I asked, as you

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did just now: ^Bissula, do you know each
other? How does it happen that the beast will
have nothing to do with anybody except you ?
Hark I how friendly her growl sounds: why
doesn't she treat us the same?'

"*Oh/ replied Bissula, laughing, 'she comes
from our country and she knows that I am the
only one who understands her Alemanni lan-
guage. Don't you believe me ? Well, then ask
her,' she added, still laughing, shaking back her
curling locks, * maybe she will tell you.'

"In short, the monster would not leave her
side, and followed her into the tent when she
went to bed. So the bear's growling waked me.
I started up and saw by the light of the camp-
fire a man, running at frill speed, vanish around
the corner of the nearest tent.

" I rushed in. The young girl had seen noth-
ing — she had fallen asleep. She was trying to
soothe the fririous animal, which, bleeding from
a dagger thrust in its right fore -paw, was angrily
crunching in its jaws a piece of brown cloth. At
last Bissula, while washing the wound, coaxed
it away. Here it is."

He gave it to Saturninus. The Roman
General examined it closely.

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**This is certainly — but stay ! Do you speak
first, Rignomer. What do you think it is?"

"A fragment fi-om the hem of a mantle."

"What kind of a mantle?"

"A Roman one: a sagum."

"Who wear brown mantles — the only
ones?"

"The Thracian spearmen and the mailed
riders."

"Right. Say nothing of this matter to any
one ; and go."

"And my punishment?"

"You are pardoned. But drink gift wine
cautiously in future."

"Indeed I will. General."

"In the inspection I am about to make you
will act shrewdly and prudently, as I order.
And listen: one thing more. You owe the
young girl some atonement: do you perceive
it?"

"Unfortunately."

"Will you make it?"

"Gladly.

"Then mark me. She has complained that
I have her watched continually, even during
the day. Thrax, my fat scribe, to whom I

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gave the secret commission, has acted very
awkwardly; she found him out long ago. I
promised to rid her of him. But she must not
remain unguarded."

"Certainly not."

"After this attack less than ever. You,
Rignomer, — I will relieve you meanwhile from
any other duty, — must henceforth follow the
young girl : but unnoticed."

"I thank you. General. TU make amends
for my fault. She shall neither escape nor
come to any harm. And she shall not dis-
cover that she is constantly watched and
guarded."

Directly afterwards the tubas gave the sig-
nal through the streets of the camp for a
general inspection of the troops, in marching
equipments, with mantles. The foot- soldiers
were to occupy the wide space on both sides of
the Praetorium in the Forum and the Quaesto-
rium, and the cross streets intersecting the
camp from east to west, the Via Principalis
and the Via Quintana ; but the horsemen were
to remain directly in front of their rows of
tents, near the southern gate facing the lake,
the Porta Decumana.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 213

The Tribune mounted his horse and rode
along the front. When he had inspected the
Batavians, he ordered a body of them to follow
him and station themselves behind the mailed
riders, at the same time making a sign to Rig-
nomer. The Tribune first rode at a walk down
the lines of the mailed cavalry, then he ordered
them to wheel and pass before him.

"You look pale, O Herculanus!" he called
to their commander. " Have you been up all
night? Did you sacrifice to Bacchus after the
evening banquet?"

"A little."

Saturninus now closed the inspection. Turn-
ing the corner of the Via Media, which inter-
sected the camp from north to south, he
motioned to Rignomer, dismounted, and gave
him his horse.

"Who had a piece missing from his mantle?"

"No one. But one had a new piece of
cloth sewed into the hem — the color did not
match, it had not yet been faded by the sun —
exactly the size of that scrap/*

"An officer?"

"Yes."

"It was he: it was Herculanus."

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"But my lord, you saw the horsemen only
from the front."

"Yet I know it. Be watchftil. Guard the
little one."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 215

CHAPTER XXXI.

A DALO had retraced the road to the Holy
Mountain with a heavy heart, and with deep
pain he made his report in the Duke's tent at
daybreak.

"I have gained nothing,*' were his closing
words, "seen nothing of the camp, and not a
sign of — of her. What is to be done?"

"Wait,** replied the Duke, stroking his long
beard and half closing his eye.

**WaitI it is easy for you to say that."

"Harder than for you, who still have thrice
as many years before you as I."

"But Bissula! Surely I have told you that
she does not belong to the old man, her friend.
When will you lead us to the assault?"

"When it is time."

"When will it at last be time?"

"Not before the moon has vanished from
the sky."

"Have the wise women read that to you in
the runes of destiny?" asked Adalo wrathfuUy.

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" I do not consult old women, when I am to
fight; but neither will I risk the victory for
young ones. The moon must not shine; the
night must be dark. And another thing: the
torrents of rain were a great help, they kept
the Romans in their camp, shut them out of
the marshes and forests. But now everything
must get dry again, that it may burn merrily.
The god of wishes has already sent the right
wind. Only have patience a short time. Some-
thing else, too, must firs^; be accomplished."

"Then at least let me try to inform her by a
secret messenger how she can surely escape."

"No, by my wrath ! Before we storm, I will
show you why it is impossible for her to escape
by the way of which you are thinking. It would
lead her into the very midst of the guards out-
side the camp and betray everything to them.
But, did you not meet Zercho on the way
back?"

**^No ; but my companions told me. So you
sent him?"

"Sent him ? No ; he went without my orders.
But hark — voices — there he is, and some one
with him."

Zercho and Sippilo came hurrying into the

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tent. The young noble was amazed to see his
fair- haired brother in such a disguise,

"Boy, what have you dared to do? You
went with him as a spy?" he cried wrathfuUy.
"How you look!"

"Like an elf of darkness; but the soot rubs
off easily. Seel" Laughing merrily, he threw
his arms around Adalo's neck and pressed his
curly black head against his brother's cheek.

"Don't scold him until you know all — if
you can do it then," pleaded Zercho.

" Make your report," the Duke commanded.

"My lord, much — almost all is welll Yet
not everything. Unfortunately I could not get
into the camp. But Bruna did," he added,
grinning, as he turned to Adalo, "and she'll
find the little mistress."

"Can the she -bear fly out again and bring us
information about the camp?" said Hariowald
angrily.

"Not she, but perhaps this paper can,"
replied Sippilo, laughing, as he drew a roll of
papyrus from his breast. "While Zercho and
Bruna were making the sentries laugh and stare,
I succeeded, unnoticed, in reaching the ditch,
slipped down, and climbed part way up the

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218 A CAPTIVE OP

wall on the opposite side. I dared not risk
going to the top, some one would have seen
me there. Fm as slender and supple as an eel.
Part of the earth in the wall had been washed
away by the rain between the palisades in many
places ; I squeezed into one and got my head
and one arm through, but could go no farther,
my shoulders were too broad. Then for a while
I was very uncomfortable; I couldn*t move
forward and did not want to go back without
having seen something ; besides, the cramping
hurt. Suddenly I heard voices, footsteps, and
saw hurrying toward me along the inner path
of the camp, dose to the wall — Bissula."

Adalo uttered a cry of joy, and the Duke,
too, looked at the bold lad with surprise and
pleasure.

** Several paces behind her a fat, very fat man
came waddling along. She didn't see me, for
she was looking straight in front of her, and
her face was not merry as usual, but very sor-
rowful. I risked the chance that the panting
fellow would hear me. But I didn't trust my-
self to call with a human voice ; I began the
warbling notes of the chaffinch. Often and
often we had practised together to try which

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 219

could imitntc it the more clpsely; but I did
better and lured the little male bird in a fit of
furious jealousy to my hiding-place among the
leaves. Bissula started, loolced toward the gap
in the palisades where the bird — so late in the
season — was singing, saw and instantly recog-
nized me; she could probably see only my
eyes, not my disfiguring sooty hair. Stooping
as if to look for the finch, she whispered : * Save
me quickly/ "

An expression of delight fiashed over Adalo's
handsome face. '^She does not love him; she
wants to return!" hid heart cried exultingly.
Sippilo noticed it and guessed the cause of his
joy. His youhg face grew very grave as he
went on: "But alas, she added: 'Terrible
danger, the greatest, threatens meT"

Adalo groaned and clutched the nearest tent
pole to support himself: his brain was reeling.

"Gq on," said the Duke.

"She could say no more, for the fat man was
now close behind her : I saw some long yel-
lowish-white thing sticking out of the front of
his mantle.

"'This is unbearable!' she cried furiously,
turning upon him. 'Are you my shadow.

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slave? Why do you follow at my heels?
Leave me!*

"*By command of my lord the Tribune/

*' ^Indeed ?* she cried, half mischievously, half
angrily. *Then — by command of your lord,
the Tribune, you shall run and sweat well.
Can you catch the roe of the lake forest ?'

"And she darted off as swiftly as the merlin
shoots down the mountain stream. The fat
man, panting and swearing, followed. At the
end of the road along the wall she turned,
glided nimbly past the breathless slave, and
again ran toward me : she probably wanted to
tell me something, but I understood only the
one word, * hasten !'

"Then she was gone; for her companion,
pursuing her, now approached me. When
directly opposite he raised his cloak, which was
hanging around his legs, and the yellowish -
white thing dropped from his breast. He
puffed along, and it rolled close to the two
posts in the sides of my hole. I hastily snatched
it. I wanted to wait for Bissula to pass again,
but I saw several splendidly armed Romans
stop her, and all went into the inner camp.
Then I drew myself backward from between

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 221

the posts (it wasn't easy; a little skin and hair
were left sticking there in remembrance of Sip-
pilo), slid down the wall, climbed the other
side of the ditch, entered the bushes, crept back
to my former place, and came just as Zercho
gave the she-bear to the guards and left the
camp."

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CHAPTER XXXII.

npHE Duke had already taken the roll of
papyrus from the boy's hand and spread
it open on the table. His eye sparkled with
the joy of victory.

"What do I read here ? 'Four squadrons of
mailed horsemen at the Porta Decumana, all
the baggage also piled at the Porta Decumana.

" 'The wall eight feet high.

"'The ditch five feet deep.

"'The weakest point the corner in the
northwest* — and so it continues for a long
time!

*' Thanks to thee, god of wishes. Thou
hast sent this, no one else, to thy sons. Look
here! A plan of the entire camp! Exact; all
the measurements. And here, marked on
the margin, the strength of all the troops —
horsemen, foot-soldiers, carters; and their dis-
tribution in the camp. Look here, Adalo!
Even the great pine, the tree of the earth -
goddess, is noted. What is this beside the

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 223

tree? What stands there above the stones of
sacrifice which cover the turf near the tree?
A tent, empty, without soldiers, filled with
provisions !

"In this ps^e I hold victory. Go now,
2^rcho : your reward shall be paid. As I prom-
ised, I will buy your fi-eedom, whatever sum
your master, Suomar, may ask : he cannot give
it to you, his lands are not large, and you are
his most valuable property."

"O mighty, generous lord, I thank you !"

'*Then you can return, a free, man, to your
own people, to Sarmatia. That will be your
wish?"

But Zercho shook his unkempt head. Tears
filled his eyes: "No," he said. "I will stay
here, my lord, if Suomar will let me keep the
little patch of ground I have always tilled —
I had to give him only the twelfth sheaf from
it — and the hut of woven willow branches by
the lake. I would rather stay."

"Strange 1 Do you feel no longing for your
home, your own people?"

"Home! We Sarmatians have none like
yours, you patient, plough -guiding men, which
you occupy beside the immovable hearthstone.

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rooted to the earth. Our home is the steppe,
the broad, free steppe, which can be measured
neither by the eye nor the steed. Ah! it is
beautiful." The man's eyes sparkled, and sud-
denly Zercho, usually so dull and taciturn, was
overwhelmed by an enthusiasm which, to the
listeners* astonishment, gave his words wings.
"Yes, it is more beautiful, more magnificent
than all the Roman and German lands I have
ever seen. When, in the spring, the sun has
kissed away the last snow; when the moor
laughs; when the steppe blossoms; when by
day hundreds of hawks scream at once in the
blue air, and the wild stallions, which have never
borne a rider, neigh so terribly and dash so
furiously past the tents, trampling over every-
thing in their path as they pursue the trembling
mares, till the heart of the boldest man might
quiver ^th fear and yet also with joy at sight
of such fierce, uncurbed strength ! And oh, the
nights, when the thousands and thousands of
heavenly spirits look down from above, far,
far more star-gods, shining far more brightly
than here with you ; and when, in the darkness,
the cranes and wild-swans pass like thick clouds
— for there are so many that they cast shadows

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 225

in the moonlight — like resonant, clanging
clouds high in the air !

*' Doubtless the steppes of Sarmatia are more
beautiful than any other lands and the lives of
the Jazyges on their swift steeds are freer than
other lives. But Zercho — Zercho no longer
suits the steppe. I am like the bird, the wild
bird of the moor, which boys keep for years in a
small cage where it cannot spread its wings. If
it is set free, nay, flung into the air, it drops
down and lies still ; it can no longer fly, it has
forgotten how. So, toiling with the plough for
many years and staying in one place has fettered
me. Zercho can no longer ride as the Jazyges
ride, vying with the wind ; Zercho can no longer
sleep every night on a different patch of earth
and, if there be nothing better to eat, catch
locusts and lizards. I am used to grain and
bread, the fruit of the lands I have ploughed
myself. I have no wish to leave them. And
my family? I .saw them all — all six — die be-
fore my eyes in one night, the terrible night
when the faithless Romans — those slayers of
the people, those murderous wolves! — sud-
denly attacked our encampment with the round,
straw-thatched huts, by the Tibiscus, during an
15

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armistice. The bright blaze of the hurdles
lighted them well in their work of slaughter.
My father killed, my mother hurled into the
flames of the straw tent, my t^o sisters — oh,
horrible! — tortured to death, my two brothers
leaping into the stream which flowed red with
blood ! And I — I saw it all, stretched before
the hut, my head cleft by a sword stroke, de-
fenceless, motionless. So I lay the whole star-
lit night, asking the thousand gods above there:
'Why ? Why ? Why ? ' But, when day dawned,
the slave dealers who, like the ravens of the
air and the wolves of the steppe marshes, follow
the Romans on every battle-field, came and
trod on all the Jazyges who lay there, to learn
whether they were still alive. I quivered under
their feet, was flung into a cart, and carried with
them many, many days and weeks. At last the
kind-hearted Suomar bought and rescued me.
For never, though I was a bondman, did he
call me *dog,* like the dealers. He treated me
like — like a human Being. And when the
little mistress grew up, Suomar's farm became
my home. And I will stay down in the willow
hut beside the lake as a free man, so long as I
live, if I am allowed to do so. And when

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 227

Zercho*s death hcmr comes, the little red sprite
(for we must rescue her. Adding, and we will)
shall close my eyes with her hand, and then
they shall bury me in the open country, in the
pastures by the lake. The cranes will pass over
me at night with rustling wings and clanging
cries, high in the air, and I shall hear it under
the thin covering of turf and, in my death sleep,
dream that I am lying in the blossoming, fra-
grant steppe grass,"

He stopped. His cheeks were flushed ; his
ugly face was transfigured ; never in his whole
life had he uttered so many words at once.

The Duke held out his hand, saying: "No,
Zercho, you are no dog. You have a heart,
almost like the Alemanni's. Different, it is
true, but not evil."

Adalo said nothing, but he clasped the bond-
man's other hand and pressed it warmly. Sip-
pilo turned away: he did not want to let any
one see his eyes.

"You have a lucky hand, boy," cried the
Duke. "I can read your wishes in your eyes.
Yes, you shall share the battle for the victory
which your bold artifice has done so much to
win."

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Sippilo rashed to the old Commander-in-
chief and clasped both his hands : "You di-
viner and folfiller of wishes ! I can imagine
Odin like you! Last autumn Adalo refused
me the sword, because" — he hung his head —
"because I could not pierce with my spear the
willow-woven Hermunduri shield in our hall.
Pshaw, I was only a child then; but at the
spri^ festival I pierced the old Roman shield
which Suomar gave me for a target."

"I had bored six holes in it and stopped
them up again," Zercho whispered to the Duke ;
"but let him go. I'll protect him."

Hariowald dismissed the bondman and the
lad.

"Well," urged Adalo vehemently, "in this
sheet you hold in your hands the victory, — you
said so yourself, — so let us fight at last."

But the Duke silently shook his head.

"Consider. 'Hasten* washer last word! To-
night?"

"No. What is one girl in comparison to a
whole nation?"

"I beseech you! I implore you! You are
my friend — my kinsman."

"I am Duke of the Alemanni."

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^THE ROMAN EAGLES 229

"Well then," cried Adalo, deeply incensed,
"delay. I will save her — I alone ! There is a
way, known only to myself and to you. I will
use it."

He turned to rush from the tent, but quickly,
with a threatening look, the old noble barred
his way. "Stop, boy! Do not stir from this
place. Will you rob your people of certain
victory for the sake of a pair of blue eyes?"

" I will not rob them of it ! I will only ap-
pear to-night in the Roman camp, — I alone,
— and bear her out of it in these arms, or leave
my life there."

"Whether you live or die, the secret will be
discovered — the surest way to victory in our
attack."

"You will conquer, with or without Adalo,
in other ways. I will save the girl I love be-
fore it is too late."

He tried to force himself past the Duke, but
the old man seized him by both shoulders with
an iron grasp and forced him to stand.

"And I will accuse you before the popular
assembly, like that treacherous king; I will
have you hung between two wolves to a bough
of the accursed withered yew."

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" Do what you choose after I have saved her
or died with her," cried the frantic youth,
wrenching himself free. But, with unexpected
strength, the old Duke flung him, reeling, back
into the tent.

"I will have you bound hand and foot like
a madman. You are mad. Freya has bewitched
you. Hear it, Adalger, high in Valhalla : Adalo,
your son, no longer heeds a hero's duty or
manly honor. He must be bound with willow
withes, with ropes, that he may not become base
and destroy his people for a woman's sake."

Agitated, overpowered, crushed, Adalo sank
prostrate, his hands clenched in his long locks,
moaning : ^^ Bissula — lost — lost ! "

The Duke, unobserved, cast a keen sympa-
thizing glance at the youth. He saw that he
had convinced and conquered him.

Adalo went out, grave and thoughtful, to be
alone with his grief.

In the course of the day a messenger secretly
conveyed to the Roman camp a letter from
Adalo, addressed to Saturninus and Ausonius.
The young chieftain, on the pretext of in-
specting the farthest outposts, had gone with

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 131

his envoy from the top of the Holy Mountain
^through the whole seven fortifications encircling
it to the last one at the foot, and then ridden
with him into the forest which stretched between
it and the Roman camp. Here he awaited the
answer, his noble face pale and disfigured by the
long mental conflict through which he had
passed. When he heard in the distance the
hoof- beats of the returning horse (evening had
come, and the mountain peaks on the opposite
side of the lake were glowing with crimson
light), he ran breathless to meet it.

"Well," he cried, "where is the answer to
the letter?"

"They gave me no answer. Both the Roman
generals — for I had them both called, as you
ordered — read your letter before me with great,
great astonishment. They talked together, with
loud exclamations, in words I did not under-
stand, not Roman ones. Then both turned to
me, the older one, who was formerly in the
country, speaking first: *Tell your master the
answer is: "Never.*" And the younger man
added: *Not even for this price.*"

Then Adalo suddenly fell prone like a young
pine whose last prop above the last root has

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232 A CAPTIVE OF

been cut by the axe. He had dropped face
forward. The faithful attendant sprang from
his horse, sat down on the grass, and took the
senseless youth's head in his lap. Adalo lay
unconscious a long time, fairly stupefied by
grief. The stars were already shining in the
sky, and the bats darting through the trees,
when, panting for breath, he climbed the
mountain.

"That was the last effort," he said to him-
self. "Nothing is left now except death —
death in battle, hot to save her, alas ! only her
corpse : for if shame be inflicted on her, she
will not survive it."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 233

CHAPTER XXXni.

TJ UT, eagerly as Saturninus watched for the
galleys expected from Arbor, another was
to learn their anticipated departure long before
he knew of it. This was Duke Hariowald,

On a wooded hill, the hill of Zio, named
the Geerebiihl, east of the Holy Mountain,
almost directly opposite to Arbor, a little band
of Alemanni spies watched night and day, one,
relieved every hour, gazing steadily across the
lake at the Hill of Mercury, the nearest height
south of Arbor on the southern shore of the
lake.

The region around this harbor fortress,
which was wholly under Roman rule, was
inhabited by colonists of various tribes : among
them many Alemanni whom capture, or volun-
tary surrender and removal, had led to the
better- tilled, more richly cultivated southern
shore.

At noon on the day of Adalo's secret mes-
sage a slender, almost invisible column of smoke

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234 A CAPTIVE OF

rose from the Hill of Mercury on the southern
shore: instantly a thick grayish -black cloud of
smoke ascended from the Geerebiihl on the
north shore. This was clearly seen from the
eastern side of the summit of the Holy Moun-
tain, — the Hill of Mercury was not visible from
it, — and one of the guards who constantly
watched the Geerebiihl, instantly rushed into
the Duke's tent. "Smoke is rising on Zio*s
Mountain ! A high column of smoke."

Hariowald came out of his tent in full armor
(during the past week he had scarcely removed
it night or day), with his battle helmet on his
noble head. This helmet was a very strange
one: whoever unexpectedly saw it gleam before
him might well be startled.

In those days, as well as now, the great white
owl was a rare visitor to Lake Constance.
Scarcely once in a decade did this stranger from
the far north go so ht southwest in its migra-
tory flight as the neighborhood of the Alps.
Early in the winter of the previous year Adalo
had brought down with his arrow a magnificent
specimen of the superb bird of prey from a tall
fir-tree in the forest by the lake, and given
the huge bird with its gleaming snow-white

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 235

plumage, marked only with a few rusty brown
feathers in undulating lines on the breast, to
his white-haired cousin as a splendid ornament
for his helmet.

The owl now spread above the bronze
head -piece its huge pinions which, though not
stretched to their full width, extended more
than three feet. It was not mounted as eagle
and swan wings usually were, with the tips of
the feathers toward the back of the helmet,
but in the opposite way, turned forward, start-
ling and confusing the spectator by the threat-
ening attitude — a true helmet of terror, such
as Odin wears when he rushes into battle at
the head of his troops.

* With this helmet and clad in full armor, the
Duke came out of his tent and motioned to
one of the heralds, who always waited his
orders here. The man seized the long crooked
horn of the aurochs, which hung ready on one
of the posts of the tent, and sounded it three
times. The summons echoed far and wide.
Instantly the other heralds, carrying white-ash
staflFs in their hands, and wearing smaller horns
hung by leather thongs over their shoulders,
hurried down from the summit in every direc^

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236 A CAPTIVE OF

tion, through all the lines of the fortifications,
bearing the Duke^s summons to the most
distant outpost

The warriors flocked from all sides, folly
armed, swiftly climbing the mountain ; only the
guards needed to protect the fords across the
swamps, the barricades, and the narrow entrances
to the ring walls remained behind. All pressed
up the mountain and, as soon as they reached
the summit, surged toward a giant ash-tree
which, from the top of the loftiest mountain
peak, thrust its branches into the clouds.

Close to its trunk a sort of judge*s tribunal
had been built of large stones ; an oblong one
rested like a back against the tree ; another of
the same height, laid across two blocks sunk in
the earth, formed the seat.

Several stone steps led up to the high seat,
and on them lay various weapons, among them
one very plain shield and spear, with the rune
yj?, corresponding to the Latin F. Then came a
costly boar helmet, a richly ornamented bronze
shield, covered with a boar's hide and, like the
helmet, decorated with two boar's tusks out-
stretched defiantly; a sword in a costly sheath
of polished linden wood, richly mounted with

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 237

bronze; a sharp battle axe and a spear, the
handles of both adorned and strengthened by
gilded nails: these weapons bore as a house-
mark drawings of two boar tusks. Last of all
were a small, very light round shield, a short
spear, and a dainty sword with a white leather
belt painted with red lead : each of the three
weapons bore as house -mark a stag's antlers.

The Duke had not yet taken his seat. Stand-
ing erect on the horizontal Stone, with his spear
in his right hand, he scanned the warriors flock-
ing from every direction. A huge oblong shield,
almost the height of a man, painted red, with
black runes inscribed upon it, hung above his
head on a bough of the ash.

The whole top of the peak around the tree
was inclosed and girdled by "cords and staves";
that is, by hazel wands and spears, which — the
latter with the iron points uppermost — stood
thrust into the earth at distances of seven feet
apart, and were bound together by linen bands
almost a hand's breadth wide, knotted around
the middle of the staffs, the red hue of the
bands proclaiming that the popular assembly
was to judge matters of life and death.

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CHAPTER XXXIV.

A FTER the surging to and fro of the men
pressing forward into the circle, the loud
voices, and the clank of weapons had somewhat
died away, the Duke raised his spear and struck
with it three solemn strokes on the bronze
shield. Instantly deep silence reigned- *^The
assembly is opened!" said Hariowald, and
slowly took his seat, crossing one foot over the
other.

Throwing back the long, full, dark-blue man-
tle, fastened by a clasp on the left shoulder, he
rested his spear like a staff on his right shoulder,
and raising his left hand with the fingers ex-
tended, said slowly :

**l, th« Judge, I ask you for the law!
I ask you» ye free men:
Is this the hour and the place.
To have and to hold
A judgment righteous
Upon noble Alemanni,
The sons of victory —
House and estate.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 239

Cattle and chattels.

Money and lands.

Peace and liberty.

Body and life ?

Point out, ye men of knowledge,

Thelaw to the Judge.'*

Two elderly men stepped forward, drew their
swords, raised them toward heaven, and said
with long pauses, the words of one always blend-
ing with those of the other :

** We will point out, as we know it.
To thee. Judge, the law :
This is the hour and the place
For judgment righteous:
On the conquered and inherited
Ancient soil of the Alemanni,
By the all-conquering sun's
Clear, shining, ascending.
Radiant light.
Beneath the ancient
Ash of our fathers.
In Odin's temple.
On cattle and chattels.
Money and lands.
Peace and liberty.
Body and life.
Justly we judge
And find, we free men.
Sentence righteous."

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140 A CAPTIVE OF

Both withdrew into the circle.

"Before we march forth to the battle against
the foe," the Duke now broke the silence, "and
we shall set out soon, very soon — "

Loud shouts of joy and rattling of weapons
burst forth, which the old noble allowed to die
away ; then he continued :

"The popular assembly must first pronounce
judgment and decide questions of justice and
law, Ffrst on Fiskulf, the fisherman, from
Rohr-Mos, the rush marshes. Where is the
accuser?"

Adalo stepped forward hesitatingly.

"Here: I, Adalo, son of Adalger."

" Step to the right. Where is the defendant ? "

"Here!" said a man in plain garments; he
wore an old fishing net for a girdle. With head
bent sorrowfully he came forward, lowering his
eyes.

"What is your complaint?" asked the judge.

"Breaking the oath of military duty."

"That is a matter of life and death. Tell me
the law : may Adalo, son of Adalger, make such
a charge here ?"

One of the two old men stepped forward
again, and said :

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 141

"The assembly knows Adalo, the Adeling,
as a free man of unblemished reputation : his
estate is in the Linzgau : it would cover any
chaqge of false accusation : he may make com-
plaint in a matter of life and death."

At a sign from the judge the young noble
began :

"I make the complaint reluctantly, — against

my wish and will, — but my oath requires it.

For when I took command of the men of the

western shore of the lake, I was obliged to

swear on the Duke's hand to denounce before

the assembly any breach of his orders that

might occur in my troop. So speak I must,

for I fear to break the oath. You all know

that the Duke forbade, on pain of death, the

lighting of a fire by day or night in any of the

boats where the fugitives from the country at

first lay concealed among the rushes on the

western shore : if the Romans, while passing,

discovered by smoke or flame that there were

people living in the wide marshy forests, all

who were hidden there might be lost. When

I set out, I repeated the Duke's command to

all my men ; Fiskulf was standing on my shield

side. And yet, while the foe was passing along
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242 A CAPTIVE OF

the shore he lighted a fire on the Pike Stone
which .rises above the reeds. True, it was day-
light, but the smoke was visible. The nearest
cohort had halted and was preparing to look
for the fire, which I with difficulty put out in
time to lull their suspicions. I must now accuse
Fiskulf of this breach of orders."

He paused and drew back a step. A mur-
mur of indignation ran through the ranks,
blended with many a loud cry of anger and
reproach.

"Silence, all! Silence in the circle, until I
ask your judgment," shouted the Duke from
his lofty stone seat, raising his spear aloft.
" I forbid reproaches ; I command peace. You,
Fiskulf, what say you to the charge ? Denial,
or confession?"

*^ Confession," replied the fisherman sorrow-
fully. "It is as the Adding said."

"You knew the command?"

"I knew it."

"You broke the command?"

"I broke it. Alas, I am so deeply ashamed-
It was from hunger — but not to satisfy my
own. We had lain hidden in the marshland
forest for many nights ; the stock of dried fish

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 243

t had brought in the boat was exhausted. I
repressed my hunger and chewed the tops of
the young reeds. I would not have done it
for myself; but my boy, who was with me (he
had just recovered from the fever that lurks in
the swamps, and he is only seven years old),
cried so bitterly with hunger, begging and
pleading: 'Father, father, give me something
to eat!' It cut me to the heart! I speared a
large pike that was sunning itself near the
stone, cut it in pieces, and meant to give it
to the child to eat. But loathing choked him:
he only cried quietly and no longer entreated
me. Then I rubbed two dry sticks together
till I kindled a fire, broiled the fish on the
top of the stone, and gave it to the boy to eat.
I ate some myself, too."

"I was forced to accuse him," said Adalo.
"But I entreat the assembly not to punish the
man. No harm came from his act. A father — "

"Silence, Accuser," the judge interrupted.
"You have made the complaint; he has con-
fessed : you have nothing more to do here
except to listen to the sentence. I ask : what
may follow breaking an order given to the
troops when the enemy is in the country?

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244 A CAPTIVE OF

What? You are silent? The disobedience
might destroy the whole nation. What ? You
refuse to point out the law," the old man went
on indignantly. "Or do you gray-beards no
longer know what the boys learn? Answer!
Point out the law, — " he rose threateningly, —
"or I will tear the shield of the assembly from
the ash and complain to the gods: The Ale-
manni have forgotten the laws of their people !
What is the punishment of treason and break-
ing the oath of service ?'*

"Death!" now rang forth in many voices.

"I knew it," said the fisherman quietly.
"Farewell, countrymen. I wish you victory
and prosperity."

But the Duke continued :

**What death must he die? By the willow-
withe? By water? By the red stroke of the knife?
Or by the red flame of burning branches?"

One of the two old men stepped forward
again, saying: "By his deed he has offended
Zio the war-god and Odin the giver of victory.
Zio demands blood upon the stone of sacrifice;
Odin*s will is that he shall blow in the wind.
Odin is the greater god and the father of Zio :
the lesser yields to the greater ; the son to the

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 145

father. Odin's right is first: the oath-breaker
is consecrated to Odin. He shall be hung by
willow ropes under the chin, with his face
toward the north, from the withered yew, a
wolf at his right hand and a wolf at his left —
the oldest symbols of quarrelsome, reckless law-
breakers."

"He is consecrated to Odin," the judge re-
peated solemnly — "if Odin desires him. We
will ask the god."

All gazed in astonishment, the fisherman
with a faint thrill of hope, at the old man, who
now continued :

"It is dishonorable and shameful for the man
to swing among the branches, between the sky
and the mountain tof^ And hitherto he has
been brave — only he could not be strong
enough to bear the weeping of his child. He
will die useless to his people, if he hang high
aloft on the tree. Well then, we will ask Odin
if, perchance, he will forgive him. You all, like
the accuser himself, at first wished to let the act
pass unpunished. That will not do. To the
Lofty One we must offer his right; but — per-
haps — he will not take it. I advise that Fis-
kulf shall venture upon a deed in which, for

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246 A CAPTIVE OF

his people's welfare, he will fall, inevitably fall,
unless Odin himself take pity on him and bear
him away in his floating mantle.'*

"Speak, speak ! What may I do ?" cried the
fisherman, with sparkling eyes. "AUl All!
Gladly will I die by the spear. Only not the
rope of shame!"

"You shall be the first, in advance of all the
others, to leap on the proudest Roman galley
and — you understand how to kindle flames so
well — set fire to its sails."

"Yes, yes! That he shall! Hail to the
Duke!" shouted thousands of voices.

Fiskulf sprang forward to the judge's chair,
lifted both hands to him, and cried: "I thank
thee, Duke! Ay, thou knowest the will of
Odin ! The proudest Roman galley — the Gen-
eral's vessel in Arbor, is it not? Well: I do
not yet know how I am to reach the ship on
the other side of the lake ; but I will die, or
accomplish it."

"I will provide for that," said the Duke.
"You need not go to the ship: Odin will bring
the galley to you ! Then do as I have told
you."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 247

"Gladly! Gladly! Oh, give me back my
weapons!"

At a sign from the judge the heralds restored
to him the spear and shield marked F, which
lay on the stone steps, and he returned to the
circle of his comrades, many of whom clasped
his hand.

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CHAPTER XXXV.

H A JOYFUL duty now gw^its you," the
Duke began again: "a boy of i^oble
family asks the bestowal of the sword, the first
weapon granted. Many of us know him, and
all who do, wish him well. True, the young
hero is not very large; but I take my oath
that I saw him yesterday pierce with his spear,
at fifteen paces, a moderately thick linden-wood
shield. And great was his courage, bold his
daring when, dauntlessly risking his life and
liberty, he scaled the wall of the Roman camp,
brought back most important information and
placed it in the Duke's hand."

** Who is it ? Who is it ?" asked many voices.

Adalo stepped forward, leading his brother by
the hand: "Sippilo, my brave little brother."

Then the Duke spoke :

"I ask the assembly: Shall he receive the
weapons? Is the young falcon fledged?" A
pleasant smile illumined the fece which could
look so wrathful and threatening.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES a^g

"Hail to him ! Hail to the Adding ! Hail
to the boy ! Give him the weapons."

Sippilo flushed like a young girl, but the
blush was very becoming.

"Will you grant him the favor of bestow-
ing the weapons yourself, O Duke?" pleaded
Adalo. "Then, when he grasps sword or
spear, he must always remember the hero to
whom he first owed them, and prove himself
worthy of th^ giver.**

"I will," said the judge, rising and beckoning
to the boy.

Sippilo ascended the first of the steps lead-
ing to the Duke's chair. Hwow^ld took the
little round shield lying before him and gave it
to the lad, who seized it eagerly, passing his
left arm under the upper bar of the shield and
clasping the lower one with his hand. "I, Har-
iowald, son of Hariomar, Count of Linzgau,
chosen by all the Alemanni Duke for this sum-
mer's Roman war, say to you, Sippilo, son of
Adalger, of age to use weapons and worthy to
receive them :

"With the shield I give, protect, •
Better than thine own brcMt,
Dearer than thine own body mi lifoi

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A CAPTIVE OF

The noble Alemanni

Land and nation.

Shield runes, and runes of defence.

Deep burned thy brother

Its solid framework within;

They will hold and keep

The shield's shelter for thee

So long as thou thyself

Dost hold and stand

Fast by thy people."

Then he handed him the spear, saying:

"Runes of victory I, sure of triumph.
Carved for thee myself
On the sharp spear's handle.
To mortal man never
Lower it vanquished.
Nor let its shaft be shattered.
Some day, fiill lightly.
From thy faithfiil hand
When, white -bearded, thou dost win
On thy shield the battle death
*Mid blissful victory —
Then, from thy faithfui hand,
lightly will take it

On swan -wings downward to thee floating.
Shining in beauty,
Valhalla's fairest Valkyria,
And bear thee, loyal one.
Upward to Odin."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 251

Lasdy, he put on the belt from which the
sword hung in its sheath, saying :

"As the belt now girdles thee.
So, as its own doth hold thee
The Alemanni army.
As the belt is for thee
Ornament and defence, .
So art thou, as one link.
Ornament and defence
To us, the Alemanni.'*

Then Sippilo drew the short sword from its
sheath, held the hilt toward the shining sun,
and said :

"This bright sword will I wield
For my free nation.
For its rights, its renown.
And for Sippilo' s kinsmen!
Should I e'er do aught else.
May the keen, shining edge.
The sharp blade, the wise blade —
For this oath it knoweth —
Deal my fidthless heart a death-blow!
Sun, thou dost see it;
The Lofty One heard it.
And Zio is witness.
With the Alemanni' s
High^crested army."

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The bdy now leaped joyously down the
steps and, proud of his new weapons, took his
place beside his brother amid loud shouts of
applause from the multitude, especially his
kinsmen and those who had the stag's antlers
inscribed on their shields.

"Now the next act of justice* One who is
absent wishes to free his bondman in the as-
sembly. Suomar, son of Suobert, who is on
guard in the eastern marshes, liberates his slave
Zercho* I have bought his freedom for the
sake of good service rendered to the army; his
master, to whom a messenger was sent, is will-
ing to set him free ; and Adalo, the Adeling,
by his wish, will speak and act for him. Bring
the bondman."

Then Zercho, who had been waiting outside
the body of freenien, was led before the stone
seat by two heralds. His eyes were sparkling
with joy.

Adalo, holding in his hand a bow and arrow,
stepped forward, aaying : ** As the representative
of Suomar, your master, I announce in the open
assembly that he has received from Hariowald,
Count of* the Linzgau, a faultless stallion four
years old, two cows of Roman breeds twenty

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THE ROMAN EAGLES ^53

sheep, a bronze armlet seven tmies twisted, and
a silver solidus ; in exchange for which he frees
you, Zercho, the Jazyge whom he bought as a
prisoner of war from a dealer in Vindonissa. By
my hahd and word he liberates you : take the last
blow which you have to bear as a slave/' He
gave him a light stroke on the cheek. "And
see, look, all ye freemen : as I shoot this arrow,
so free and far, unrestrained and unfettered,
Suomar, who hitherto has been your master,
leaves ydu* You may go forth as free as this
arrow flies— free and restrained by no one!"

As he spoke he sent the arrow, winged with
heron feathers, high into the air. The missile
whirred from the long bow, whose string struck
echoing against the beautifully polished wood.
Zercho watched the arrow. High, high up it
flew, till it vanished in the blue sky. But he
did not see clearly ; his eyes were swimming in
tears; it was hard to force back a loud sob.
From long years of custom, he was about to
throw himself prostrate on the ground and,
clasping the Adeling's feet, kiss his hands in
token of gratitude. But the latter quickly
stopped him, and the Duke said :

"You are free now, Zercho! Rejoice, free-

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254 A CAPTIVE OF

man! For, though your master's hand was
gentle, bondage is pitiable and withers strength
and courage. Only the life of the free is life :
the slave breathes, but he does not live/*

Adalo handed him the bow, saying: "Here
is this weapon, which proves your freedom be-
fore the whole people. Let it be the first one
you carry in the army and for the people of the
Alemanni, which has now become your nation
too."

With radiant eyes and head erect the freed-
man now entered the ranks of the free.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 255

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A FROWN darkened the Duke*s brow,
"Now for the last judgment of the as-
sembly ! Other gods are drawing near, unlike
those which have just viewlessly hovered above
the boy's fair locks — terrible gods ! Complaint
is made against one of the district kings of the
Alemanni/*

"Ebarbold! Traitor! Rebel! Destroyer of
the army! Oath-breaker!'* So threatening voices
rose from the throng.

" Peace 1 Silence in the assembly ! " the judge
commanded. "Where is the accuser?"

The King's weapon-bearer stepped forward,
drew his sword, and said :

"I, Ebarvin, son of Erlafrid. For, like all the
men of our league of peoples, I have sworn a
terrible oath by all the gods and by the terrors
of Hel to resist, denounce, and avenge rebellion
and treachery against the league and the Duke
of the Alemanni, wherever, however, and when-
ever I can. Well ! For twenty winters I bore

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the shield of King Ebarbold's father, and for as
many more the shield of this Ebarbold himself
Every word I utter against him falls heavily
upon my heart; but still more heavily weighs
the oath I swore to the Duke for the league of
the Alemanni. Well then, I accuse King Ebar-
bold of oath-breaking, rebellion, and treason.
Thrice have I warned him, thrice have 1 openly
threatened to reveal his conduct to the Duke
and to the whole people. He laughed at the
threat ; he would not believe it. He said : *The
skin lies nearer to your heart than the cloak j
the Ebergau is dearer to you than the nation ;
your own lord is more to you than the Duke.*
He was mistaken. So it was in former days, so
it was for a long, long time ; but this wrought
woe to us all.

"We have learned the lesson at last: the
Romans taught us with iron rods. We have
learned it in bloody straits: the people, the
league of the people, is the highest thing, for it
alone protects all: the hand is more precious
than the finger. But he wanted to persuade me
and all his followers, nay, all the fighting meft
in our district ; and when we refused, he tried
to command us by virtue of his authority as

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King. He said that, if the popular assembly-
decided to wage war and the Duke set out on
the march, we must not obey, but withdraw
from the Holy Mountain, force our way if
necessary, and induce the Romans to spare our
district by giving hostages and submission."

A terrible roar rose from the ranks ; weapons
clashed ; the wrath of the people burst forth
fririously ; several young men, brandishing their
swords threateningly, sprang toward the accused,
who stood, silent but defiant, directly before the
judge's seat.

"Hold,** cried the Duke, "down with your
arms ! Whoever wields them again in the place
of the assembly, the place of the army, shall be
{mnished at once."

He had started up, and now, from the upper
step, he held his long dark mantle protectingly
over the head of the threatened man. The
tumult instantly subsided : the most hot-headed
retreated into the circle in conftision.

**I ask you,'* the judge now began, "King
Ebarbold, son — "

"Spare your words. Count of the Linzgau,"
interrupted the other, with a gloomy, but fear-
less glance. "It is all true. Kill me: you have
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258 A CAPTIVE OF

the power to do so, therefore you have the
right. I do not wish to live ! Had that been
my desire, believe me, I might have fled into
my own district or to the Roman camp long
before you deprived me, by your men, of the
royal insignia of my race or watched my every
step, while you merely disarmed the insigni-
ficant fisherman. True, according to the new
law of the league, you might have had me
bound — me, the son of many kings, the de-
scendant of a god ! Since I have learned the dis-
loyalty of my most faithful follower, my own
old shield- bearer, I feel a loathing for the times.
I no longer wish to live among a people,
according to a law, which permits the horrible
thing to happen that the native of a district
values its King, the follower his lord, less than
the empty sound of the word 'league,' the
brief authority of a Duke from another district.
I am too old and too proud to learn this new
law. You, old man, with your greed for power,
long ago, in your bloody thoughts, dedicated
me to your savage Odin."

"Not I, you yourself, son of Ebor."

"Well then— slay me."

"Not I. You yourself have separated your-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 259

self from your people by such doctrines. Yes, it
is better for such men as you to die than to live :
the district kings, if they offer defiance, must be
sacrificed to Odin, who, as King of the people,
is above all our gods and all our peoples."

"My family,'* said the King proudly, "runs
back through a hundred ancestors to the gods :
not to that crafty one, whose secret wiles you
are imitating, who scatters runes of discord
among peoples and princes. We descend from
the god of peace. Fro, who bestows fertility.
He has set his golden -bristled boar for a sign
upon the shields and helmets of us, his sons.
I have ever honored him and peace above all."

"Aha, the god Fro," replied the old Duke,
now incensed, for he could ill brook hearing his
Odin upbraided, "the god Fro will have little
cause to rejoice, when he looks down on his de-
scendant dangling from the withered yew, like
the long-billed snipe that is caught in a snare.
For I ask the assembly, — his own words are
the most open expression of guilt, — with what
does the law threaten him?"

"The rope — the willow rope ! " rang from a
thousand voices. "The tree of shame ! Hang
him ! Hang him up at once !"

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" But between two dogs : wolves are too good
for him."

A look of keen anguish flitted over the
King's proud, bold face. He did not fear death,
but disgrace. He shuddered slightly. The Duke
had watched him intently.

"I, the judge,'* he now began slowly, "ought
not to oppose tliis sentence, and the guilty man
cannot. But consider, spearmen ! It will bring
little renown to our name among the other peo-
ples, when the rumor spreads among them : a
King of the Alemanni is swinging between the
clouds and water for treason to the army. You
have offered the humble fisherman the straw of
hope that the Lofty One might save him from
the death of shame, bear him to himself in Val-
halla, or even — almost against possibility —
after the fulfillment of the deed which you have
assigned to him, spare his life.

"Well then, this King's guilt, it is true, is
fer greater than that caused by the father's love
for his child ; but honor in him the descendant
of the god of harvests ! Do not rouse Fro to
vengeance, lest for many years he should blast
our crops. The god of the boar with golden

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 261

bristles is easily angered ! And remember, too,
with gratitude this man's father."

"A brave hero V ran from lip to lip.

" He fell in the bloody battle of Strataburg, at
the head of the wedge of his district. Fighting
gallantly in the van of his people, he at last
sank — fell backward on his shield, with mj^ny
wounds in his breast ; for he, the man who had
the wild-boar's courage, would not turn his
back to the foe. This hero is now lopking
down from Valhalla upon us ; his heart is throb-
bing anxiously at this impending sentence of
disgrace. Alemanni, do not let him behold hk
son hanging between dogs. Grant the King, as
well as the fisherman, a deed of ransom!''

Ebarbold looked up with a grateful glance to
the man whom he had so bitterly hated. The
people were still silent : their wrath was fierce.

Then: "Suppose he should run away?"

"Suppose he should desert to the Romans
In the midst of the battle?"

Two men uttered the questions at the same
moment. A deep groan escaped the lips of
the defiant King: "No one feared that from
the fisherman ! They ought not to deem me so

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262 A CAPTIVE OF

base." He struck his brow with his clenched
hand.

Then Ebarvin, his accuser, stepped forward,
saying :

"These questions were hard and undeserve.d.
Few among our people will suspect that from
the King of the Ebergau. He spoke truly :
he might have fled long ago, but he would not
escape. I believe him. I have known him
ever since he learned to speak: he has never
lied. He wants to die, from resentment against
the people's league, and perhaps also from
remorse and shame."

The King, deeply moved, hastily turned
away from the speaker and closed his eyes, but
instantly opened them again with a defiant look.

"Well then, I, a free man of unblemished
reputation, with broad lands in the Ebergau —
I answer for him with life and limb, property
and honor. I will swear for him that any
deed of arms imposed by the people to ransom
him from the rope King Ebarbold will perform,
or he will fall upon his shield in doing it.**

"I thank you, Ebarvin," said the tortured
man, drawing himself up to his full height : this
confidence was balm to his inmost soul.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 263

"So be it! So be it!" shouted the multitude
before the judge could put the question. "The
Duke shall choose the deed ! "

"Well then," said the latter without hesita-
tion, "it is chosen I In the Roman camp is a
hero who is its head and its whole strength ;
if he fall, all their military power will be broken.
Name the man!"

"Saturninus!" echoed from many voices.
For the Tribune had repeatedly commanded
the Roman troops in Germany, and many of
the men now assembled on the Holy Moun-
tain had formerly served beneath the Roman
eagles.

"Ebarbold, bring us from the battle the head
of Saturninus — and your guilt is pardoned.
Will you do this, hero of the boar?"

"I will," replied the latter, with a deep sigh
of relief. "Give me my sword; give me my
weapons again." The shield -bearer handed
him the sheathed sword. Tearing the blade
from the scabbard, he held its point toward
the sun, saying: "I swear by this blade, the
sacred symbol of the one-armed god of war,
that, in the next battle, I will slay the Tribune,
or fall by his sword."

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Loud shouts of applause now burst forth.
All, even those whose resentment at first had
been most bitter, were heartily glad that, in-
stead of a disgraceful punishment, an honor-
able deed of ransom had b^n found for the
proud King.

The Duke gazed down at the surging throng
with satisfaction.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 265

CHAPTER XXXVn.

A FTER allowing the excitement of the mul-
titude time to find vent, the old Duke gave
the twelve heralds a sign, and they hurried into
the thick grove of oaks rustling behind the ash-
tree. Then he struck the shield, saying : "Justice
has now been done according to righteous law
and the noble will of the people.

**The judge his done his work: now listen
to your Duke, army of the AlemanniT'

Deep silence instantly followed: all eyes
rested intently upon Hariowald, who sprang up,
took the shield from the tree, slipped it on his
left arm, and grasping the spear with his right
hand, said from the high stone step, his voice,
now in a totally diflferent tone, ringing out with
mighty resonance over the people :

•'Many of you, I know, — and not the worst
speannen,~*have silently dissented or openly
grumbled because I have so long delayed lead-
ing you to battle. The foe was in the land, and
we shrank into the forests; he was burning

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halls and huts, and we were watching the smoke
and flames rise at a distance and remaining
inactive. Gradually, even from the farthest
districts, the men faithful to the league and
obedient to the oath joined us : still the Duke
delayed. And meanwhile the enemy was fortify-
ing his camp. Yes, we knew it — any morning
from the fortress on the opposite side of the
lake the proud galleys might bring almost as
many warriors as the camp already contained.
Why did the old man still delay ? When would
he fight?"

"Yes, yes, why delay? When shall we go to
battle?" Many voices impatiently repeated.

"He delayed," the Duke went on, his voice
rising in tones of thunder, "because he did not
wish to strike part, not even half, but all, all, as
many as could be reached, — all the murderers,
the burners of homes, whom the boy in the
imperial purple has again sent from across the
lake to attack our free people !

"To-morrow (faithful men reported it tome
before the news reached the Roman General),
early to-morrow morning the proud galleys
will sail across the lake and anchor off the
shore close to the camp ; and to-morrow, after

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 267

midnight, old Hariowald will lead you to storm
the camp and the ships at the same time !"

Then the long-repressed battle fury broke
out in a terrible tumult ; frantic shouts and wild
clanking of weapons echoed through the air.

"Look," Hariowald continued, "the heralds
arc already bearing from the sacred grove of the
gods of our country, from the mysterious gloom
of the forest darkness, never illumined by a
sunbeam, the victorious badges of our tribes
and districts which they have taken from the
ancient oaks."

A shout of joy, somewhat subdued by rever-
ence, greeted the procession of twelve heralds,
who now, in pairs, with measured tread, came
from beyond the ash-tree and gave the badges
to the representatives of the various districts
and clans, who stepped forward from the circle
to receive them.

Ebarvin seized the symbol of the Ebergau :
the boar's head with threatening tusks fastened
to a cross -pole on a lofty spear. Adalo grasped
a similar shaft, which supported a pair of huge
stag's antlers. Almost all the monsters of the
primeval forest and the animals sacred to the
gods were used in a similar way. Beside the

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huge horns of the aurochs and the Uson rose
the broad antlers of the elk. Odin's wolf, Do-
nar's bear, and Loki's fox opened their jaws
threateningly. Zio's sword, pointing straight
upward, surmounted a shaft painted blood-red;
another had Donar's hammer between two 2ig-
zag red lightnings foiled from iron; three lances
bore each a horse's head and neck, and from
the necks the manes — respectively black, red,
and brown — still fluttered. On other poles die
bald eagle, the golden eagle, and the Alpine
vulture spread their wings and extended their
talons in attitudes of menace. A winged dragon
carved from wood had been covered with the
skins of the ring adder and the copper adder,
which rustled in the wind. And as^ like the
manes of the horses, the hair of the wild beasts
had been left hanging in a strip from the head
to the tail, and long red, yellow, and blue
streamers fluttered from the cross -poles, there
was no lack of the rustling, waving motion, to
which we modems are accustomed in banners.
Under these streamers was also many a
trophy, — a fragment cut from a captured dragon
standard, or a scrap of a purple pennon which
the Roman squadrons and cohorts had loi^

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 1169

earned under the labarum or standard of die
eross^ for they had abjured the pagan eagies.

Whcii the representatives of the distiicts and
femilics had received their beloved and honored
emWems and returned to the ranks^ the Duke
weilt on:

"Hail to you, ancient symbols of conflict
and witnesses of victory ! Hail and greeting,
ye emblems consecrated to the gods ! In your
presente, lookilig into the foture, seized by the
power of the ^ods invisibly hovering around
you, I will vMiture to utter a prophecy :

"Cdmrades in arms, Alemannil do not
doubt this timce that vict<My will be ours. You
kstow that it is not the custom of old Hario-
wakl to boa^t before acting: but this time I
predict to you certain, complete, glorious, joy-
bus victory.

"All our gods will unite to aid us to-mor-
row. Not lewt erf" them Loki, the flame- crea-
tor. Tents and ships will vanish in fire. The
lake nymph will drag many hundreds down in
her net. The terrible earth -goddess will open
heJr mysterious bosom, on which the insolent
aliens have trodden with iron feet: she will
pour forth the avengers, the sons of her coun-

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try. Into the midst of the enemy's strongest
fortress! For the Lofty One blinded the
hated foe, so that they chose in our whole dis-
trict the spot for their camp most fatal to them.
And when they fly from the tents to the gal-
leys, amid the terrors of the night, by the flick-
ering glare of their burning fortifications —
they will find on the lake the same destruction
in fire and blood.

"If the last of the flying ships, with masts
and prows half burned, pursued and harried by
our swift boats, should really succeed in reach-
ing the southern shore and the harbor fortress
from which they sailed forth so victoriously,
who knows — I will not say more — who
knows whether they may not find there an
unexpected doom ?

"No! Silence still! Hear me to the end.

"Before I dissolve the assembly and send
you all to prepare your weapons in the best
way, to polish the points and blades, and to
eat and drink enough, — not over much, —
then afterwards — do you hear — to seek sleep
soon, very soon, for you will have no slumber
to-morrow night — hear one thing more : you
must make one resolve before this battle!

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^'Remember, men, how from generation to
generation these Romans have sinned against
our people; how s^ain and again they have
broken faith and treaty; how they will not
even grant us the poor land we have wrested
from the marsh and the primeval forest ; how,
in violation of treaties, they have pushed their
fortresses farther and £uther into our bounda-
ries ; how they forced thousands of our ances-
tors to fight naked and unarmed with wild
beasts on the blood-stained sand of their arenas
in the city by the Tiber, gloating, safe in their
high seats, over the death-agonies of our kins-
men under the paws and rent by the teeth of
roaring monsters; how they forced thousands of
our young men into their cohorts and made them
shed theiir blood, often far beyond the salt sea 1

"Ha, Alemanni of the Black Forest, do you
still know how they invited your King Widi-
gab to a banquet and murdered him over the
wine -cup ? Have you forgotten^ Alemanni of
the Ebergau, who submitted to them on con-
dition that you should live according to your
own laws, how on the smallest pretext, they
had your free men scourged by their lictors?
Do you still recollect, Alemanni from the

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Breisgau, how they asked a peaceful passage
through your country, and then encamped near
the sacred grove of the goddess Ostara, asked
permission to visit the aged priest of eighty
and his great-granddaughter, the girl of six-
teen, in the grove ( it was a General and one
of their shaven priests, with a hundred war-
riors), and inquired what was your most sacred
thing ? And when the maiden unsuspiciously
showed the sacred bronze vessels which the
gracious goddess had once sent down to you
on the rainbow, how they suddenly seized
both, and the Christian priest, before the eyes
of the unarmed people, shamefully profaned
the sacred vessel ; how the General slew the ven-
erable priest and dragged the young priestess
away to captivity and disgrace, and how their
warriors set fire to the sacred grove ?

**Do you still remember, men of the Alpgau,
how, in the midst of peace, a centurion dis-
honored your Count's young wife by her own
hearthstone, so that she hanged herself by her
girdle ?

"Have you forgotten how often they have
bound our girls together, yes and our boys,
too, like beasts of burden, by their long locks.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 273

and driven them forth to a life of disgrace from
which the pure gods of Asgard turn their faces,
crimson with shame and wrath ?

"You have not forgotten these things! I
hear it! I see it! Well then, do as I advise:
^ake no prisoners! Kill them all! Do not
spare one ; disdain all ransom. Let the whole
army, — leaders, horse and foot, — be dedicated
to Odin and to Zio. You will : I see it ! Then
repeat the words after me and swear :

*«To thee, Odin, doomed.
And to wrathful Zio,
Be all who live within the camp
And on the rocking galleys.
Soon will ye bathe in blood,
O gods so mighty.
From ankle to knee!"

Swinging their weapons in frantic excitement
the gathered thousands repeated the terrible
oath.

"I will dismiss the army at once; only hear

one thing more — your Duke's vow. The

many thousand mailed men who broke into the

peaceful districts captured one single prisoner,

a defenceless woman, a merry little maiden.

Many of you, I think, know her."
18

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^'Bissula! The litde one! The fair one!
The red-elf, Suobert's child!" So shouted
hundreds of voices.

"Yes, Bissula, Suobert's daughter. Well then :
whoever releases her, whoever brings her to me
from the Roman camp after the battle, shall
receive the Duke's whole share of the booty."

A grateful but s(HTowful glance from Adalo
rested upon him: the young noble no longer
dared to hope.

"The circle is dissolved, the assembly is
over," the old commander continued ; he then
turned the upright stone resting against the
trunk of the tree and descended the steps.

The bands, with loud acclamations for the
Duke, instantly scattered in all directions down
the sides of the mountain, each division follow-
ing the symbols borne in front of its own district
and tribe.

Adalo was going too ; but the Duke motioned
to him to remain, took from his hand the stog
standard and gave it to Sippilo, who bore it
proudly down the Holy Mountain*

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 275

CHAPTER XXXVni.

44CTAY/* said Hariowald, when the heralds,
last of all, had left the place of assembly,
"you must know how this battle is to be fought,
according to my plan and wish. For, if the
Lofty One should call me up to him before the
victoiy is won, you must complete it. Therefore
you must now learn all (far more than the men
in the army) that for weeks I have been pre-
paring during sleepless nights, and have secretly
accomplished in the past few days.

"Come, sit down by me ; we will spread out
on this stone the plan of the Roman camp,
which we owe to your brave little brother.

"It has been of the greatest service to me.
I told you yesterday how the men of the dis-
tricts were to attack the four sides and gates of
the camp at the same time."

"Yes : but you did not say where you would
fight with your bands, and where I was to go."

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"I? I shall take the shortest way — from
beneath."

"No! No! Leave it to me. It is the —
most dangerous one."

"Yes, yes," cried the old man, laughing.
**And you have no suspicion how dangerous it
is. Know then: the ascent cannot be made,
as we hoped, first of all and unexpectedly, tak-
ing them by surprise ; it cannot be made until
after the foe, alarmed by the assault on the
northern wall, stands ready in ftill armor."

"Then it will be impossible! But why?"

"Because, as I first learned night before last,
the Romans, in digging out the northern ditch,
filled up the extreme northern end of the
subterranean passage; or else the earth has
fallen in, from the jarring. When I entered
this passage from the forest outside of the
camp — "

"What? you yourself?"

"Yes, I myself; night before last. I ad-
vanced only a few steps before I found a heap
of earth which had fallen from above, and I
was obliged to return. But I stole, on the
surface of the earth, so near the ditch that I
could look into it from a tree. The whole

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 277

ditch — it is now dry again — was brightly
lighted by their camp fires. Then I saw that
the earth -goddess of our land had blinded the
strangers' eyes. They perceived nothing sus-
picious in the large boulder that bars the con-
tinuation of the passage from the ditch into
their camp, and they did not roll it away. True,
it has not been moved from the spot for de-
cades ; for the secret, bequeathed from genera-
tion to generation, is known to but two men
of the race who bear the emblem of the stag's
antlers, and there is rarely an occasion which
demands its use. So they did not perceive that
the rock had been rolled there by human
hands, and they planted one of their banners
on the turf which covers it. They have no
suspicion of the passage. For look! The
plan of the camp shows it; close beside the
Nerthus pine, above the altar stones of the
Idise, they have pitched a tent filled with pro-
visions and weapons. You see, here ! "

"Yes, indeed. The tent is placed exactly
over the mouth of the passage. But outside
there, in the northern ditch, numerous senti-
nels are posted — Thracian spearmen alterna-
ting with Batavians."

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''Yes, that's just it. They must be drivem
away before I can roll the rock aside and make
my way up."

"That will cost blood; it will also require
time. The Thracians^ and espedally the Ba-
tavians, are their very best troops. Alas, tf it
happen to be the turn of the Batavians. They
arc not inferior to us in heroic courage."

"No matter! They must fall before the
badger can enter the old burrow."

"And then — after the battle has summoned
all our foes to arms — then you will? Let me
go in your place ! "

"Obey ! You will find woit enough at the
southern gate, the lake gate. When we have
stormed the camp, the whole flood of those wino
still remain^alive will pour to the ships through
the southern gate. They must not be allowed
to reach the lake in close order, to turn the tide
of battle against us there at the last. You will
meet them as they burst through the southern
gate, and drive them back into the burning
camp, 'or scatter them. They must not be
allowed to reach the lake from the camp as re-
inforcements to the defenders of the galleys,
but to increase their alarm. This is your task:

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 279

SatuminuS) if he live, will make it hard enough
for you."

"So my post will be at the southern gate?"

"Yes ; and to it I have sent, if by any means
she can reach it — Bissula ! "

"Thanks!"

"Do not thank me! For I forbid you to
fight for the girl; you must fight solely for
victory. Yet have no anxiety. If she is still
alive, she will be rescued. I have relieved
Zercho and Sippilo from every other duty, and
given them only one charge — to find and pro-
tect the young girl. But you I need for higher
work. I fear one man only in the whole army,"
he added in a lower tone — "Saturninus. He
is like the old leado^ they had in their better
days, the days of whidi my grandfather and
&ther told me with horror, when it was almost
impossible for the most heroic coun^e to defeat
a Roman army. Who knows whether Ebar-
bold will strike hkn down ? We must let the
King have the first chance; he has the prior
claim : but if the Roman should be the one who
survives and I do not reach and kill him dfter
the King's fall, before you (I shall make every
effort to do it), do you, son of Adalger, provide

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that Saturnmus shall not lead his army in closed
ranks down to the lake : detain him as long as
you can stand."

"As long as I can ! But I wondered when
you set the fisherman his task. If the Roman
galleys cross the lake here, how can you know
whether he will be able to reach them from the
shore ? They will anchor, not come to the land.
How is Fiskulf to get from the storming of the
Roman camp here?"

*'He will not share the assault," replied
Hariowald, laughing, as he stroked his beard
complacently. "And he will not go by land to
the galley, but by the lake."

"Swimming?"

"No, rowing. Know what no one has yet
learned ; for crowds are garrulous. Besides the
most. distant Alemanni districts, I have secretly
won as allies the Hermunduri, who drink the
water of the Main, and induced them to send us
reinforcements for this war. You supposed that
the boats in the two forest-covered swamps on
the east and west of the Idisenhang were filled
solely with people unable to bear arms, after I
had brought most of the men here ? No, my
friend ! The boats, almost three hundred, in the

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 281

two marshes are not empty of men. The women
and children are to be put ashore to-night;
more than two thousand Alemanni and Her-
munduri will leap into the boats. From left and
right, from east and west, they will float in the
stillness and darkness of the night against the
high-decked galleys, and as soon as the first
torch is hurled into the Roman camp on the
Idisenhang, our boats will attack the Roman
ships from the open lake and from left and
right. Aha, do you think our fishing boats will
be like nutshells against those giants ? Probably :
but have you never seen a flock of brave little
swallows put a sparrow hawk to flight? Our
skiffs are small, it is true ; but more than two
hundred against sixty. And the pitch and resin
of the pine-trees in the forests by the lake,
blazing in a thousand faggots of dry twigs, will
burn merrily in the linen sails and the rigging
of the triremes."

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CHAPTER XXXIX.

ii^VrOU have planned all this alone?" asked
the young noble.

"Ha, more, far more than this! Like the
wolf of hell, this Rome opens her jaws to
swallow all Mittelgard. What? They are not
willing to grant us land enough on the nordiern
shore of the lake to feed our growing popu-
lation ? Well, let us see whether, in punishment
to the insatiable robbers for new and old crimes,
the gods will not deprive them even of the
districts they have hitherto held by force, — the
northern shore!"

Adalo's astonishment was increasing.

"Their proud giant ships will float agunst us
from Arbor to-morrow; those which escape the
midnight conflagration will not, I hope, be
received again, when they fly homeward, in the
eyrie whence these birds of prey went forth."

"What! Arbor?"

"I have long tried to persuade our eastern
districts also to make common cause with us;

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THE RQMAN EAGLES 283

dxey did not refuse remforeemeitts to the leagete,
as people here suppose because they did not see
the men of the eastern provinces. Beside,"—
he smiled craftily,-— ^^ most of the easternr (fis^
tricts have kings. It was not necessary to have
all these kings here, when Ebarbold's fate was
to he decided. Meanwhile, they will help where
I sent them : on the southern shore. But not
they alone.

"We wished to free the brothers of dur
race still enslaved by Rome. For a long time
the Alemanni and the other colonists — more
slaves than fi^e men-— have borne, grinding
their teeth, the yoke which every year pressed
heavier. But they were held in check by the
fortresses on the other side^ from the Linden
Island behind Brigantium, beyond Arbor and
Constanda. They had long been ready to fig^t,
but the lake fortresses seemed to be too strongly
garrisoned. They dread these fortifications from
long experience. They required to have aid
from us.

"Well : least of all now, with the Emperor so
near and a Roman army on the northern shore,
least of all now, do the tyrants fear an attack
upon their fortresses in the south. To-morrow

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nearly all the soldiers who usually guard Arbor
will come across on the ships to share the gay
expedition for booty ; only a small guard will be
left behind. But as soon as the camp on the
Idisenhang is burning, — a magnificent torch,
kindled by Zio himself, — the infuriated colonists
will attack Arbor from the land side. Thousands
of free Alemanni from the eastern districts will
aid; they have stolen in small parties through the
mountain passes from &r, &r beyond Brigan-
tium, and remained hidden in the forests and
farm-houses of the colonists for the last two
days. At the same time our men from the
eastern marshes (Suomar commands them) in
thirty boats, under cover of the darkness (this is
why I could not move while the moon -goddess
was in the sky), will go to Arbor, burst the
chains of the harbor, and unless the Christian
God should descend from the clouds to save the
fortress, the morning sun will see the free and
the enslaved Alemanni on the walls of Arbor.
"Many times already we have won it, plun-
dered it, half burned it, and then left it, so that
the Romans could establish themselves there
again: we will be so foolish no longer. If we
conquer this time, we will remain there for-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 285

ever ! Then one link of the iron chain will be
broken, and we shall find it easier to subdue
the other fortresses at the left and the right,
from Brigantium to Constantia.

"I shall not live to see the day, but you
will, young warrior, the day when the southern
shore of the lake and the country for, far into
the lofty mountains whose peaks are crowned
with eternal snows, will be the possession of the
free Alemanni : then think of this hour and old
Hariowald."

He started up, intensely moved, his white
hair and silver beard waving proudly in the
breeze.

"My Duke," cried Adalo enthusiastically,
"this is magnificent! Speak, when to-morrow
we have won this great victory according to
your plans, will you not then, instead of Count,
bear the name of King of the Linzgau and the
Ebergau, if Ebarbold fall?"

"No," replied the old man quietly, "that
would not be wise. I have reflected upon it a
long time. Odin's will, I think, is different for
our people. Ebarbold has no descendants:
after his death I will propose that they shall
not elect another king.

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"That will be well; for the time is close at
hand» though, it is true, not yet fiilly here,
when one king, a single on^ will gather all the
districts of the Alemanni under his rule. The
path will be more open, easier for this universal
king to traverse,, the fewer kings and the more
counts rule the districts. We two will smooth,
not block, the path for the future king of the
people. No, no! And, besides^ the men of
the Ebergaa must not say: ^Ebarbold was
forced to fall because Hariowald wished to be
called King/

"That king of the people is coming ! Then,
it is true, the nation will scarcely remember me
or you. Only perhaps some harper, in the hall
of the One King, will sing how Hariowald, the
old chief and Adalo^ the young one, defeated
the Romans three times in a single night. But
we, Adaloy shall then look down upon the free
land of the Alemanni, stretching from the Alps
to the Vosges. We shall look down from
Odin's table. And I may probably expect that,
when I cross the threshold of Valhalla, the
Lofty One will rise from his throne and come
to meet me, with the drinking-horn in his hand.
For many men — far more through my counsel.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 287

which always advised war, than by my spear —
have I sent up to him by the red death in the
last fifty years, to fill his hall and increase his
army. Yes, my Adalo, we shall then look down
upon the glory of our people and say, laughing
joyously: *We two also helped to build it that
night on the Idisenhang/

"So, Adalo, so I praise you: your cheek is
glowing, your eye is flashing ! That is the right
spirit, Odin's spirit, which is now taking pos-
session of you. And that alone, that ardor for
battle, will also give you the most ardent desire
of your heart ; not the dull despair of the last
few days, in which, unhappy youth, you sent
that secret message to the two Roman Generals !

"Hush! Of course I knew it. It was not
diflicult to guess the contents of the letter you
forwarded after they had disdained everything
else you had to give. But I also knew posi-
tively that they would refuse you too. That
is the sole reason I allowed your messenger to
pass through the barricades, as you thought,
undetected. I too would gladly see her at
liberty, the wild red rosebud of the hillside by
the lake, the red flower in our people's garland
of oak-leaves. But your Bissula is yonder, with

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288 A CAPTIVE OF

victory, in the Roman camp. If you want her,
hew her out at the same hour with conquest
and the salvation of your people.

"No, do not thank me; do not talk! Go
now ! I must be alone."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 289

CHAPTER XL.

"[^"EANWH I LE, incidents of grave moment
had occurred in the Roman camp.

The friendly feeling between the two Roman
Generals had become strained, and Bissula's
ingenuousness toward both was transformed into
fear and distrust. The two friends, once so
intimately associated, avoided each other and
confined their intercourse and conversation
solely to matters absolutely required by the
service. At the same time the prisoner, now
suspiciously watchful, perceived in Ausonius a
resentful bitterness toward the Tribune, very
alien to his usual good- nature. The latter, on
the other hand, evidently was not angry ; even
in his cool reserve he seemed to spare his older
friend, nay, to treat him with a sort of com-
passion.

The little maid herself was very unhappy.

Her careless unconsciousness was completely

destroyed, and she did not know which of the

two men whose friendship seemed to be broken,
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if not by her, on her account, she ought to
avoid with the greater fear. This feeling grieved
the kind-hearted girl. She was also burdened
by anxiety about the future, by dread of the un-
known, by rebelliousness — when she was
powerless and folly aware of it — against the
restraint imposed by the will of strangers upon
her obstinacy, all threatening her immediately.
For, however the two Romans differed in every-
thing else concerning the prisoner, they seemed
to unite in one thing : Bissula should never again
be free, never return to the forest hut by the
lake, to the familiar scenes of the neighborhood.
At these thoughts tears filled the eyes once
so saucy or so proud. How sadly she admitted
to herself that her own folly and defiance were
the sole causes which had brought all this mis-
fortune upon her! How kind, how prudent,
how loyal Adalo's advice had been I Yet these
tears, burning, bitter tears of remorse, nay,
yearning, were a relief. Even now, in the
trouble for which she alone was to blame, he had
not abandoned her! The first greeting that
reached her from her people had come from
him; he had sent the young brother whom
he loved so fondly, and whom therefore she

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 291

loved for his sake, and Bruna too, her old
playfellow.

She had dissembled craftily before the soldiers,
and wondered loudly at the animal's "friend-
liness." But, as soon as she was alone in her
tent with the faithful beast, she clasped the huge
head tenderly with both white arms, kissed the
broad forehead and lovingly patted the neck of
the bear, who growled affectionately in reply.
Then she slipped her hand through the collar,
felt a depression in it, drew it up from the
shaggy skin to the light of the Roman lamp,
perceived characters scrawled on it, and read:
'"Through the gate to the lake."

Her heart throbbed warmly. So her friends
had already consulted about her escape ! They
were giving her the safest direction, the part of
the camp where her companions would wait for
her. But they could not possibly mean that she
should try to make her way now, without further
delay, through the lake gate, that is, through
the ** Porta Decumana," so closely guarded day
and night. Not now ! But when ?

Evidently as soon as something happened
which would render escape possible; then she
was to choose that direction. But what was to

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happen? An attack of the Alemanni? Ausonius
laughed at it. Even cautious Saturninus had
said : ** Unless they fly over it like the swallows
that are now preparing for departure, they will
not come into this solid camp."

So she racked her little brains, pondering over
all sorts of possibilities which might bring her
liberty against or with the will of the Romans.
Should she appeal to Ausonius again ? No !

A strange timidity had taken possession of
her ever since her last interview with him. She
had never cherished any affection for the clever,
eloquent man except the feeling a daughter has
for a father; but recently, in making the pro-
posal to take her with him, his eyes had rested
on her so strangely. Never had he looked at
her so before. It was like the gaze Saturninus
fixed upon her when he seized her outside of the
forest hut — but never again, not even when he
told her that she belonged to him and he would
not release her.

So it happened that the sensitive girl, alarmed
by the suddenly discovered ardor of the older
man, felt safer and more at ease with the
younger but undemonstrative one. She avoided
Ausonius; she almost sought Saturninus, to

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 293

whom, at the beginning and during the whole
course of her captivity, she had learned to be
grateful as to a watchful guardian.

Often and often, since reading Bruna's mes-
sage, she walked toward the lake gate, with-
out hoping to find it unwatched or carelessly
guarded, — the Tribune kept too strict a rule,
too sharp an oversight for that, — but to im-
press upon her mind the exact locality of the
streets and tents which might afford a hiding-
place near the gate where she might await, close
at hand, the most favorable moment.

She had soon chosen for this purpose a tower-
ing heap of beams, gabions, and boards piled
one above another, which had not been used in
building the camp and had been left here : it
rose high above her head, and when behind it,
she was concealed from the view of those at the
gate or in the street between the tents. But
she never lingered long at the spot, lest she
might arouse suspicion,

Bissula sought from preference the opposite
side of the camp, facing the north, where the
lofty pine-tree of the earth-goddess rose beside
the broad sacrificial stones of the altar, spread-
ing out its mighty branches, and from above

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the wall the eye could rove freely over the for-
ests to the distant peaks where, veiled by mists,
the Holy Mountain towered. Her thoughts
always flew thither, not to the eastern marshes,
not to Suomar. She was often anxious about
hef grandmother, but Zercho had certainly con-
cealed her; and now that "the obstinate red-
head" could no longer say no, probably on the
Holy Mountain.

"Therefore" — this was the excuse she will-
ingly made to herself — ^^ therefore I cannot help
thinking constantly of the Holy Mountain.
Oh no! That isn't true. It is not for my
grandmother's sake. Adalo, Adalo, help !"

So she had called aloud the evening after the
refusal to set her at liberty, perched high among
the branches of the pine-tree into which she
liked to climb to dream alone, and at the same
moment stretched her beautiful arms, with a
gesture of longing entreaty, toward the north-
west, where lightning was flashing over the
mountain peaks.

On the evening after the inspection (it was
the day of the assembly on the Holy Moun-
tain) she walked through the streets of the
camp, thinking and dreaming of her liberation.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 295

also of her liberator. She had tied faithful Bruna
firmly to the poles of her tent ; for there had
repeatedly been serious trouble when she took
the animal with her: boys belonging to the
camp followers pelted her with stones, from
safe hiding-places, till she was greatly infuri-
ated.

To Ausonius's nephew, especially, the bear
showed intense antipathy, rising on her hind
legs and growling furiously whenever she saw
him, though he anxiously kept out of her way
and never teased her. Only with the utmost
difficulty, by clasping her arms around the ani-
mal, had she prevented Bruna from attacking
him.

"Your she-bear understands Latin," said
Saturninus, who had sprung to help her, smil-
ing. "She knew what Herculanus said when
he swore that some day she should pay in the
amphitheatre at Rome, under the teeth of his
Thessalian dogs, for the mischief she meant to
do him here."

"Bruna in Rome?" the girl cried defiantly.
" No more — than Bissula in Burdigala ! " But as
she spoke she almost wept from rage, hate, and fear.

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CHAPTER XLI.

/^PPRESSED by sad yearning and anxiety,
the usually light-hearted child had again
walked this evening from her tent to the lake
gate, and thence, driven back by the shouts of
the Thracian sentries, wandered through the
whole camp to her beloved pine-tree, which
had begun to supply the place of the oak beside
her forest home : for the tree of the earth-god-
dess also afforded a convenient ascent like a
stairway on its broad branches drooping to the
sacrificial stones, while on the central trunk was
a hiding-place invisible from below, with a
comfortable back, and the beloved view over
the Roman fortifications to the mountain peaks
rising in the distance.

The sun had set long before, and darkness
gathered quickly in that region as soon as the
glowing ball had vanished behind the wooded
western shores of the lake* There was no
moon ; only a few stars were in the sky.

The wind bore to her ears from the distance

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 297

scattered sounds : the neighing of a horse, the
rattle of a weapon, the shout of a sentinel at
the gate. Oh, those guards, who also watched
her here in her spacious prison, prevented her
escape, her return to her people — for how
much longer? Sorrow overpowered her, and
she felt that tears were about to flow. But her
tyrants should not see them ; she would weep
her fill, up above there !

Bissula glided lightly up and sat so still in
her hiding-place among the boughs that a
belated bird — a blackbird — perched for the
night, without seeing her, a few branches above
her head.

Then the girl saw two men step cautiously
from behind corner tents, each at the end of a
street running in opposite directions across the
camp; they made signs to each other, gazed
carefully behind and sideways, then hurried for-
ward and met directly under the pine-tree on
its northern side, so that the huge trunk com-
pletely concealed them from the camp.

Bissula bent softly, softly downward : it was a
man with a helmet and one unarmed ; she could
not distinguish their features. They began to
talk, in whispers, it is true, but the listener

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understood many words, and she now recog-
nized the speakers by their voices.

''But I tell you, it must be this very day!
He has ordered the scribe to come early to-
morrow morning, with the seal. He means to
change his will — to add a codicil. What good
will his death do me, if he first throws the best
part of his riches into that wench's lap?"

The other made some reply which the girl
did not hear.

''Ha! — she — she can't be reached!" an-
swered the first speaker. "That red-haired
witch is under the protection of the fiends of
hell."

"How so?"

"Why, one night lately — a deadly terror has •
seized me ever since when I see the brown
beast — the monster's hot, loathsome breath
was steaming from her open jaws into my face !
She was within a hair's breadth of clutching and
squeezing me to death ! This very evening —
just now — at supper — "

"Hark, what was that," asked the other
startled, "up above in the pine-tree? Didn't
you hear anything ?"

" Pshaw ! The night-breeze in the branches ! "

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 299

"No, no! It was— "

"Well, it was that bird ! There it flies !"

The startled blackbird, loudly uttering its
cry of fear and warning, flew upward ; the list-
ener, in her horror, had pressed her hand upon
her throbbing heart and, by the slight move-
ment, frightened the bird perched so near her.

"Well then, by Tartarus, I will risk it! He
complained again to-day, before many witnesses,
of fever and all sorts of pains. Have you hem-
lock enough? Shall I give you my vial? I
brought it with me. Here, I always carry it in
my breast/'

"Enough for six uncles!"

"But the stuff must have a suspicious taste:
sharp, bitter. Suppose he should notice it too
soon?'*

"That's why I mixed the other half with
honey. But take good care of your store.
Perhaps Prosper, in case he has any suspicion,
must also — "

"Or the Barbarian girl, if the will has al-
ready—"

"Let us go," the other interrupted.

"Put it in the Emperor's goblet ! He drinks
from no other. — Quick: I go to the left."

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"And I go to the right/'

The voices died away, and the footsteps
echoed fron^i two directions.

Horrified, almost paralyzed with terror, Bis-
sula slipped down from the tree. On reach-
ing the ground she staggered, clinging to the
trunk for support, and for a moment wondered
whether she had not fallen asleep and dreamed.
She could not realize, could not believe that
such a deed was possible. His own nephew —
that kind-hearted man I

And yet it was true. Haste was necessary.
The hour for the meal had already come, and
Ausonius always began by drinking from the
Emperor's goblet, with the three beautiful fe-
male figures, to the health of the Emperor
Gratianus.

Those two men had the start, too, and it was
a considerable distance fi-om this extreme north-
western corner of the camp to the Pnetorium
in the south. Turning, she ran as swiftly as
she could, but had only reached the comer of
the nearest street of tents when she shrieked
aloud in terror. An iron hand grasped her arm.

"Help !" she screamed despairingly. "Help !
Help for Ausonius!"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 301

** Why are you shrieking like a dying leveret,
little one?'* replied a deep voice. "Where are
you going so fast?"

"Let me go, whoever you may be! The
Prefect's life is in danger! Who are you?"

" I am Rignomer. I followed you unnoticed
till you climbed the tree. You wouldn't have
seen me now, if you hadn't dashed away as
though you were driven by the elves. Where
are you going?"

"To the Prefect! They want to murder
him!"

"Oh, nonsense, what are you talking about?
Who?"

"Don't ask! Come with me! Hurry! Alas,
perhaps even now it is too late."

The Batavian yielded to this unmistakable
despair. Without removing his hand from her
arm, he ran beside her.

"Where is the Tribune?" asked Bissula.

"With the Prefect: some news has come
from Arbor."

"The gods be thanked. He is the only one
who can help!"

On they ran through the streets of the camp,
now perfectly dark except where fires were glim-

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mering at the corners* Suddenly Bissula fell.
The German dragged her up.

"A tent rope ! You must keep more in the
middle. But you are limping I Did you hurt
yourself?"

"A little. Keep on."

But she reeled ; her feet refused to carry her.

"Now it's lucky that I caught you," said the
soldier, swinging her on his arm like a child.
And Bissula, who usually so fiercely resisted
every touch, willingly permitted it.

"Throw your arms around my neck, little
one! There. Now hold fast! It won't be
long" ("unfortunately" he thought, but took
good care not to say it), "we shall reach there
directly." And he pressed on swiftly and stur-
dily with his light, beautiful burden.

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303

CHAPTER XLII.

A SLENDER bluish flame, burning in a
marble vessel supported by a bronze
pedestal of exquisite Corinthian workmanship,
diffused both light and perfume through the
Prefect's sumptuously furnished and richly
decorated tent. Ausonius was lying on the
low couch: before him stood the Tribune.
Prosper, the old freedman, was pushing for-
ward the citrus wood dining- table, which ran
on rollers.

Herculanus entered, greeted all present
pleasantly and took his place on the second
couch, opposite to Ausonius. ** Where is Da-
vus?" he asked the freedman impatiently. "I
am thirsty!"

"He ought to have been here long ago,"
replied Prosper. "He often wanders about
needlessly, nobody knows where. You must
have him put in the block again, patronus."
). "What," cried Ausonius laughing, "have
you actually dragged the block here, you rigid

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304 A CAPTIVE OF

skve-overseer, all the way from Vindonissa?**

"Three fine ones, patronus. If you take
bad slaves with you, I must take good blocks."

Satuminus was about to go : "The business
of the service is over for to-day. Prefect. Per-
haps Nannienus may arrive with the galleys
to-morrow. He sent a swift galley across the
lake to-day: he will arrive very soon. Then,
at last, we can begin our work without delay.
But," he added in a kindly tone, advancing a
step nearer to the lectus, "Will you permit me
to utter a word of warning. Prefect Praetor of
Gaul? Yesterday, and to-day still more, you
complained of illness ; chills followed by short
attacks of fever: will you not remain here in
the camp to-morrow ( Bissula shall nurse you),
instead of marching with us into the swampy
forests? I fear you already have the marsh
fever."

Just at that moment Davus entered, bring-
ing the beautiful mixing-vessel, filled, and sev-
eral empty goblets.

"Davus, you lazy hound!" shouted Hercu-
lanus. " Quick ! I am thirsty ! Wine ! "

But Saturninus, bending anxiously over the
reclining figure, went on : "Acid old Caecubian

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 305

is said to be a good remedy for this fever.
May I send you some from my store. Prefect?"

But Ausonius still remained silent. Contra-
dictory feelings had been struggling for mas-
tery in his soul since the lUyrian's last words.
On the one hand his resentment was very
vehement against the obstinate soldier who, for
some incomprehensible whim, opposed the
dearest wish of his heart. But even during
these days of constraint Saturninus had treated
him so respectfully, while he himself had been
very harsh to his old friend. And he loved
the gallant General so warmly ! And now this
touching, unfeigned solicitude for his health
conquered the kind heart of Ausonius.

"Saturninus ! Your affection does me good.
My nephew thinks only of one disease — his
own thirst ! The business of the service. Tri-
bune, is probably over; but I entreat you to
stay as my guest. Let us forget what briefly
estranged us, and remember our beautiful old
friendship."

Saturninus quickly grasped the outstretched

hand and pressed it warmly : "There your heart

spoke, Ausonius ! I thank you. I will stay

gladly." He took his place on the third lectus,
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3o6 A CAPTIVE OF

which was at the rear of the tent opposite
to the entrance and at the right of the two
others. "You ought to have known long ago
that my sole wish is your welfare, your real
happiness."

Just at that moment Davus came from the
table beside the entrance, where the wine was
poured, toward his masten He walked very
slowly, for he carried three goblets, all filled :
two small ones on a silver salver in his right
hand, and the large imperial beaker in his left.
With his face turned to the entrance and his
back to Saturninus, he had poured the wine
from the small amphora at the table and then
added spring water from the mixing-vessel.

Herculanus hastily started up, snatched one
of the goblets from the salver and emptied it at
one draught. His uncle cast a look of disappro-
val at him, saying, "Could you not wait for my
toast?*' Then he took the Emperor's goblet
with the three graces. Davus carried the last cup
to the lUyrian and set the silver salver on the
table.

"The first draught," said Ausonius, "is usu-
ally to the noble Emperor, to whom I owe this
beautiftil gift. But to-day Gratianus may wait;

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 307

to-day I drink first to our friendship, my Sat-
urninus ! '*

"And all that your heart most ardently de-
sires/' added the latter smiling.

Ausonius raised the goblet.

Just at that moment the curtain at the door
of the tent was dragged violently back from the
outside : Bissula, her face corpselike in its pal-
lor, her hair fluttering wildly around her, and
blood streaming from her bare right arm, rushed
in, shrieking :

"Poison! Do not drink, Ausonius!" She
fell forward headlong on the Prefect's couch.

Herculanus sprang up with the speed of
lightning, to snatch the cup from his uncle's
hand and pour its contents on the ground.
But, before he reached him, the Tribune, who
had dropped his own goblet, clutched him with
a grasp of iron. In spite of his violent strug-
gles, Herculanus could not move forward an
inch. Davus, the old freedman running at
his heels, darted toward the entrance. Prosper
shouted loudly, but Davus went no farther
than the door; for here he encountered the
Batavian, Rignomer, who seized him by the
throat and held him fast.

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Ausonius, horrified and bewildered, had set
the goblet on the table before him, and now
raised Bissula's head. "Poison?" he asked
sorrowfully. " Poison me ? Who ? "

"The dog of a slave, of course 1" cried Her-
culanus, struggling furiously in the Illyrian's
hold. "Are you in league with Davus, Tri-
bune ? Why do you prevent me from punish-
ing the scoundrel?" And now he actually
succeeded in releasing his right hand and grip-
ping the dagger In his belt.

"Don't let him go," shrieked Bissula, who
had now recovered her senses. "He is the in-
stigator!"

Just at that moment, summoned by Prosper,
who had rushed out screaming for help, two
Thracians on guard before the Prefect's tent,
and two lUyrians who chanced to be passing,
came in and, by the Tribune's orders, seized
Herculanus and the slave, who, pale and trem-
bling, could scarcely stand.

Ausonius, groaning aloud, sank back on his
pillows.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 309

CHAPTER XLHI.

OATURNINUS, no longer occupied with
his prisoner, stepped forward into the centre
of the tent, saying: "In the name of the Em-
peror Gratianus ! As General and Commander
of this camp I open the investigation. Speak,
girl ! You, a slave, a captive Barbarian, are mak-
ing a terrible chaise against a Roman leader.
Weigh your words! Death is the penalty for
false accusation of such a deed."

But Bissula did not shrink. She had now
recovered her strength and calmness, and gave
no thought to herself; her mind was occupied
solely with the old friend who lay sighing on
his cushions, and who had never been so dear
to her as in the helplessness of his anguish.
Briefly, clearly, and simply she related the
conversation between the two men, to which, in
the boughs of the pine-tree, she had been an
involuntary listener.

"Miserable lies," shrieked Herculanus,
stamping his foot "The wench wants to become

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my uncle's wanton and ruin his nephew, the
heir. The whole story is an invention, — the
entire tale of hiding in the tree ! When I
came in here she stood watching beside the
tent."

"That is a base falsehood," said Rignomer,
stepping forward. "I swear that she has just
come down from the tree : I had been following
her — unseen — for half an hour."

"Aha, do you hear, uncle? Another lover!"
sneered Herculanus.

"No," said the Tribune, "it was done by my
order."

But Rignomer had flushed crimson with rage
and shame. Shaking his clenched fist at Her-
culanus, he said, laughing grimly: "Just wait
— you fellow with your patched mantle. The
child came down from the tree before my eyes.
I was standing, hidden by the tent, six paces
opposite to it. Two men came from the right
and left, glided under the pine, whispered
together, and then separated."

Davus grew even paler than before; he tottered
and would have fallen but for the hands which
grasped him. But Herculanus asked defiantly :
"Did you recognize the two men in the dark?

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 311

Or^ at six paces distance, understand their
whispers?"

** Neither. But the child slid down the tree
directly after in the most frantic terror, called
'Murder! They will poison Ausonius!' and
ran with me here. The last part of the way I
carried her."

"So the two Barbarians conspired against
me!** cried Herculanus.

Saturninus went up to the slave, who hung
with shaking knees between the two Thra-
cians. "You know what terrible tortures threat-
en the slave who tries to murder his own
master?'*

Davus sank to the ground; the two men
could scarcely drag him up again.

"Well then! What matters your miserable
body ! I will secure your safety of life and limb
— in the Emperor's name — you shall merely
go to the lead mines, if you confess at once."

"Thank you, my lord, a thousand thanks,"
groaned the slave. "Yes, yes. It is all as they
say. For a year he has been tempting and
urging ! The demon of gold blinded me. It
is all true!"

"Ha," shouted Herculanus, struggling against

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312 A CAPTIVE OF

his guards, "so the slave, too, is in the conspir-
acy against me?**

"Give the wine in the Emperor's goblet to a
dog, and see how long it will live," said Davus.
"It is hemlock! In my tunic — feel there — I
have a small vial which contains the rest."

"I don't doubt it: poison in the goblet —
the same poison in the vial. Of course," cried
Herculanus with an angry laugh, "the slave
put it into both. But Ausonius will not die
until he has altered his will and disinherited his
nephew ; for the Barbarian girl appeared just at
the right moment as a deliverer."

Meanwhile the Tribune had taken from the
slave's breast a little amber vial and placed it on
the table beside the goblet. Ausonius glanced
at it mournfully ; he seemed to recognize it.

"And what he put in there," Herculanus
went on, "is to convict me?"

"No," cried Davus, now angered, "you shall
convict yourself. Tribune, feel in his tunic too ;
he has the same poison, in a similar vial, hidden
there. Could I force him to do it ? Or could
I conjure it there by magic?*'

Herculanus turned pale. Defiance, the hope
of life, deserted him and, gnashing his teeth, he

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 313

struggled fiercely in the Illyrians' grasp. But
the latter held him firmly while their country-
man, Saturninus, took from his tunic a similar
amber vial and placed it beside the first one.

"Then go to Orcus together! I wish you
all had poison in you!" shrieked Herculanus.

But Ausonius tore his gray locks, wailing :
"Alas ! alas 1 I know them well. I gave them
myself, both vials, to my dear sister, his mother.
Alas, my own sister's son! To murder me!
For miserable money ! I had left it all to him.
Only I should have been glad to live a few
years longer."

Weeping aloud, he covered his face. Bissula,
kneeling before him, stroked his hands com-
passionately.

"No doubt is possible," said Saturninus,
"even without the confession made by his fury."

"Oh! The son of my dearest sister, my
Melania!" moaned the Prefect.

"I had long suspected him," the Tribune
said. "But the scoundrel did not desire to
murder you alone ; he wanted to kill this child
too, to whom all are attached."

"What? What?" cried Ausonius. Bissula
also started.

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"That is why he hastened in advance of us
all, alone, to her dwelling, on her track. He
had raised his sword for a deadly blow when I
caught his arm/*

"What ? Horrible ! " cried Ausonius.

**Yes, that is true; but," the girl went on
kindly and truthfully, "but then he had not
yet recognized me as his uncle's friend."

"Yes, yes," groaned the Prefect. "He told
me himself that a red hair had put him on your
track. How often I had described you to him !
And, as soon as he saw you he recognized you
instantly. He wanted to bring you to me ; and
he—"

"And yesterday night," Rignomer put in
wrathfuUy, "he stole into her tent with an un-
sheathed dagger. Unfortunately one who should
have guarded it was sleeping, but the she-bear
was awake, and" — he swiftly spread the fiill man-
tle open — "she tore out a piece here as he fled."

"T'A/i piece," said Saturninus, drawing it
from his girdle and laying it on the fresh patch ;
"you see it fits exactly."

"The Furies' curse on you all!" screamed
Herculanus.

"Away with them both!" the Tribune com-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 315

manded. "Prosper, two of your slave -blocks!
It won't do to leave them guarded in an open
tent. That is always unsafe and requires the
constant presence of trustworthy men, whom
we cannot spare, Rignomer, you will lock them
in — both feet — apart from each other. Your
life will answer for it if they escape on the
way."

"They shall not," growled the Batavian, who
had been inexpressibly enraged by the fling at
his love for Bissula, though he did not know
why. "Forward!"

Led by Rignomer, the four guards and
Prosper thrust the prisoners out of the tent.

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CHAPTER XLIV,

'TpHE curtains had scarcely dropped behind
them when Ausonius exclaimed: "He must
not die ! My Melania's son ! He must fly into
exile!"

"The Emperor will decide. But you, friend
Ausonius, praise Heaven, which sent you this
child. You owe your life solely to her."

The Prefect drew the young girl to the couch
by his side and kissed her hands and brow. She
submitted, for she was weeping. He would fain
have kissed her lips too, but he forebore. The
usually defiant creature was so childlike, so help-
less from sheer emotion over his escape. So he
only stroked her beautiful head with his hand
and said, deeply moved himself: *'The Chris-
tians have a superstition which I have often de-
rided, of a guardian angel which God gives to
mortals. I shall never do so again. You, Bis-
sula, are my guardian angel!"

"But angels ought not to be slaves," remarked
the lUyrian with a smile which well became his

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 317

manly face. ^'^I give you this child, Ausonius;
she is your slave now. Do with her as you
choose."

**I set her free, this moment. Bissula, you
are free!*'

"Oh, thanks, thanks, thanks!" cried the
young girl exultantly, springing from the couch.
"Now away, — away at once to my people, — to
my grandmother, — to — "

"Not so fast, little one," interposed Saturni-
nus. "Even the faithful, grateful freedwoman
(the legal form of the act is still lacking) must
obey the will of the patronus. I doubt whether
he will let you fly away, you lovely little wild
bird."

Bissula fixed her wonderful eyes beseechingly,
imploringly, upon Ausonius, but the latter did
not see it ; he was gazing, rigid with amazement,
at the Tribune.

"My friend — I don't understand you.
Why do you so suddenly — I almost thought
that you yourself — "

" Let us spare the child. I will say only this
much; she can hear it without flushing too
deeply, and sudden blushes are so becoming to
her ! A man need not be a poet, my Ausonius,

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3i8 A CAPTIVE OF

to find our — pardon me, your — little maid
very,very charming. I don't deny it ; the first
time I saw hfer — well, she certainly would dis-
please no one ! But I soon told myself what
the duty of friendship commanded, and remem-
bered that my life belongs wholly to the god
of war. I ordered my heart to calm my blood.
They belong to a soldier, and instantly obeyed.*'

At these words Bissula, in spite of the warn-
ing, or perhaps on account of it, had flushed
crimson and glided away from the two men.
She was just slipping out of the tent; but
Saturninus gently caught her by the hair, held
her firmly, laughing merrily, and said : " Stay,
little one. The worst is over now, at any rate
from me.''

"But why," Ausonius went on, "have you
all this time — Even yesterday — "

"Because I suspected your nephew's mur-
derous designs, though only against her. I
could protect her solely as her master. If she
had remained, as you desired, in your tent, he
could have killed the unguarded girl at any
hour of the day or night. I watched her for
you! Now it is no longer necessary. Obey
your heart. I will leave you alone."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 319

"Yes, but what more is to be done?'* asked
Bissula plaintively, holding the Tribune — she
did not know why — firmly by the arm. "I
am so tired!" she added, "Let me go to sleep
now. And to-morrow, away! Back to my
people ! **

"Yes, my noble friend," said Ausonius,
with a certain solemnity, slowly rising from his
couch, *^stay ! I myself desire it. You shall
be the first witness : my resolution is formed,
unalterable! Bissula, I owe my life to you:
in return there is but one reward — this life,
my life itself."

The girl drew back in terror. She did not
understand him.

"A slave was of course impossible. To wed
even his own freedwoman is against the law for
a Senator; but I shall undoubtedly receive a
dispensation from the Emperor, and I care
nothing for the jests of my colleagues/'

"What do you want to do with me?" asked
the young girl anxiously.

"Except the Caesar," Ausonius went on
thoughtfully, "no man in the Western Empire
stands above me ; only two are of equal rank.
I am Praefectus Praetorio of Gaul. Nay, more.

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— no one knows it yet, not even you, my Satur-
ninus, — the Emperor has promised me next
year the highest honor in the Roman State.
This coming year will take its name from me."

"You are to be Consul?" cried the Tribune,
reverently.

"What is it? What does it mean?" asked
the poor girl, now thoroughly frightened. The
solemnity, and the numerous Roman names of
dignities were becoming more and more mys-
terious.

But Ausonius, nodding complacently, con-
tinued: "And no living poet is my peer.
Bissula, you shall share all this with me. To-
morrow you shall go with me to Vindonissa to
the Emperor. Yes, yes, don't shake your
defiant little head, you shall be with me all my
life, for I, Ausonius, Ausonius of Burdigala,
will make you my wife !"

He now drew himself up to his full height,
stretching both arms to her. With glowing
cheeks, throbbing heart, and eyes flashing with
shame and fear and wrath, Bissula, crimsoning
more and more deeply, had listened to the last
words and gazed in horror at the approaching

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 321

Roman. Now she uttered a loud shriek : "No !
No! Never!"

Wrenching herself from Saturninus, who tried
to hold her, she sprang out of the tent. Out-
side, panting for breath, she ran as fast as her
little feet would carry her, through the dark
silent camp, reached her tent, unfastened Bruna,
led her in, pressed her down on the ground,
flung herself beside her and, bursting into a
torrent of tears, buried her face in the soft
thick for.

The faithfol, intelligent animal doubtless

knew that something was wrong. Licking

the girl's fingers, the bear growled, a low, soft,

tender growl, like a mother soothing her sick

child. The monotonous, droning tone produced

a drowsy influence like a lullaby. So, under the

protection of the bear, though often sobbing

vehemently, Bissula at last fell asleep.
21

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BOOK THREE

THE FREEDWOMAN

CHAPTER XLV.

A USONIUS was deeply grateful to his pre-
server, certainly; and he had wished to
bestow a transcendent reward. Yet he was
very keenly exasperated by this rude, fierce,
foolish, nay, ungrateful disdain. And before
the Tribune, too — the younger man.

This exasperation took full possession of
him even amidst his deep grief for his nephew's
crime. From the day of his birth neither the
fates nor men had often denied any wish of
this spoiled favorite of Fortune. Even the
desire for poetic talent had been granted by
the Muses, and, as he believed, in lavish
abundance; while his contemporaries denied
him no recognition, but lavished on him every

323

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honor for which he longed in any department.
His imperial pupil loaded him with the highest
dignities and honors in the gift of the State;
he was one of the richest, most highly educated
men in the Western Empire ; he was agreeable,
vivacious, well-bred, almost handsome in feat-
ure, and not yet very old. Thousands of the
most aristocratic Roman women would have
considered themselves fortunate if —

And this Barbarian girl refused him ! It was
incomprehensible, and he determined not to
tolerate this "folly."

As she did not appear at breakfast at the
usual hour, he sent Prosper for her. The old
man returned without having accomplished his
errand. Bissula was not in her tent, and could
not be found anywhere in the camp.

Ausonius was startled. Then he said to
himself: "Oh, nonsense. She cannot possi-
bly escape from a walled Roman camp which
is guarded by a Saturninus.'* Yet he finished
his early meal hurriedly and anxiously, and
went out to look for her, alone. He wished
to spare his future wife, which Bissula certainly
was, the mortification of being dragged by
fi-eedmen or slaves from some hiding-place into

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 325

which her silly, childish obstinacy might have
led her. First he hastened to the pine-tree:
in vain. She was not concealed there; now,
in broad daylight, one could see through the
branches distinctly. He went to her tent
and entered: it was empty. But as he was
leaving it again he saw the broad foot- prints
of the bear, and followed the trail: it led
southward, to the lake gate, the Porta Decu-
mana. He had nearly reached it, when he
met Saturninus.

" Turn back, I beg of you,*' said the latter
kindly.

"Isn't she there?"

"Yes ! I discovered her by accident, looking
down from the wall. She has hidden herself
behind beams and rubbish near the Porta De-
cumana, like a sick birdling which creeps into
some corner to die alone with its head under
its wing. Give her time! Perhaps she will
submit to it."

Ausonius yielded reluctantly as the Tribune,
with gende force, took his arm, turned him in
the opposite direction, and led him back- He
was thoroughly angry, and besides, felt ashamed
in Saturninus's presence.

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"Soon, I hope," he said angrily.

"Yes," replied the Tribune slowly. " Unless
— unless some one else has won her heart."

"That she positively denied. She was en-
r^ed at the mere question; and falsehood is
the perverse little thing's smallest fault. She
is still scarcely more than a child. You see how
she behaves. Only a child, an untutored child,
could be led into such conduct."

But the Roman General shru^ed his shoul-
ders. "Let us wait. I would far rather see
her yours than a Barbarian's. But think of
the offer made by that Adalus! That can
only—"

"Certainly. But it doesn't prove that she
loves him."

He opposed with angry obstinacy a conjec-
ture which might forever frustrate his wishes,
and rejected the suggestion of his friend the
more vehemently, the more persistently this
fear, though repressed, constantly returned to
his mind.

"By the way," he asked the Tribune, to
change the conversation, "what do you mean to
do with the prisoners ? Let them both escape ?"

" Impossible ! My duty — "

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THE ROMAN feAGLES 327

"But my nephew must not die."

"It would be the best thing that could hap-
pen," growled the lUyrian, "for himself and
his opposite men (for this selfish fellow has no
fellow mortals). But I feared that it would be
the result of your indulgence. Well, comfort
yourself. As I promised life to the slave, the
mere tool, the Caesar can send the instigator to
the mines too. But you are paying no heed to
my words. Where are your thoughts?"

Ausonius had suddenly stopped. Thrusting
the staff he carried violently into the earth he
exclaimed : " Listen ! Suppose I should go to
her now — at once? Explain everything, per-
suade her ? Last evening, in her excitement, she
probably did not hear or understand. Just think
of it— Consul!"

But his companion smiled and drew his re-
luctant friend forward: "Let her alone, Au-
sonius. You will only frighten her more.
Perhaps a German fisher-lad is dearer to her
heart than a Roman Consul."

"Inconceivable!"

"Yes, yes ! Very intelligible. I will confess
to you that she vehemently entreated me — "

"What, what!— when?"-

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"Just now, when I climbed down the wall to
her and tried to speak for you. She besought
me to protect her — from your wooing."

" Ungrateful girl ! '* exclaimed Ausonius wrath-
fully. This appeal to the Tribune against him
wounded him most bitterly ; he had the feeling :
Youth naturally combines against age.

"Beware," replied the Tribune earnestly,
"lest you should yourself be very ungrateful."
But this did not suit the Roman's deeply of-
fended vanity.

"Since you have now suddenly become —
what shall I call it ? — her guardian or defender
against me — "

"I did not seek the position."

"Nor did you decline it. Then tell your
ward my firm, resolute will : She must go with
me to-morrow in one of Nannienus's galleys to
the Emperor at Vindonissa, then to Burdigala.
I will follow your advice : I will not go into the .
forests with you ; grief, anger, too much excite-
ment of many kinds, are making me ill — I feel
it. First of all, I must obtain the dispensation
from the Emperor to permit me, a Senator, to
marry my freedwoman. That is now the thing
nearest to my heart. And please see that it is

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 329

clear to her, perfectly clear, that she has ob-
tained no legal right whatever from my words
spoken yesterday about liberation. You re-
marked at the time, very justly, that my words
did not make her free : the form required by law
was lacking. The words were merely a prom-
isq. If I choose, she is still my slave, but no
longer yours, tell her that. In Burdigala, after
she has tasted Roman life, let her choose which
she would prefer : to become the Consul's wife,
or be his slave and a she-bear's, playmate. I
cannot force her to wed me, but tell her that I
will never permit her to return to her Barbarian
land."

Saturninus would have tried to soothe the
excited man, but a loud signal from the tubas
summoned both leaders to the wall.

The Roman trumpets were joyously greeting
the galleys under the command of Nannienus
which, with all their canvas spread to catch the
southeast wind, came swiftly nearer and nearer.
It was a proud and imposing spectacle.

After the gallant Comes of Britannia, himself
a Breton skilled in sailing, had discovered the
culpable neglect of the ships and the fraud of
the guilty ma^strates in Arbor, he had toiled

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night and day, ceaselessly and untiringly, that he
might take to his friend and comrade, Saturni-
nus, the ships and reenforcements on which his
whole plan for the encircling and destruction or
unconditional surrender of the Alemanni was
based. So, in the course of these few days and
nights, he had actually succeeded in putting the
dilapidated ships into seaworthy condition ; and,
besides old trading vessels and fisher boats of
the largest size, he had a number of new galleys
built which, though by no means to be com-
pared with the proud fleet of the Venetian or
Brigandnian lake which, a century and a half
before, had ruled these shores and waters, could
yet render sufficient service in seeking out the
hiding-places of the Barbarians along all three
sides of the land, and intercepting any flight
they might attempt across the lake from the
Tribune.

Nannienus*s twenty high-decked ships of
war, when not lying at anchor but fighting at
full speed, would sink, by the mere weight of
their shock, when driven by oars and sails,
whole swarms of the litdc Barbarian boats, if
they had the temerity to attack them. And to
each of these lai^ ships he had assigned two

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 331

or three smaller flat-decked, shallow boats, to
land provisions and troops and facilitate inter-
course between the biremes (which required
considerable depth of water when they lay at
anchor) and the shore, often bordered for a con-
siderable distance by marshes.

Probably more than sixty sail now appeared,
in the full radiance of the most brilliant Sep-
tember sunshine, opposite to the Idisenhang,
some at anchor, some in an unbroken chain
forming a sort of bridge of boats from the place
of anchorage to the shore.

The various forms of the sails (for in the
pressure of haste all sorts of Barbarian ones
had been added to the triangular Latin form of
the Romans — ancient Celtic used on the lake
from primeval days, and Alemannic) and their
motley colors, principally dazzlingly white, but
many deep yellow, gleaming' in the sunlight,
swelled by the fresh breeze ; the surging, swarm-
ing life of the soldiers thronging from the ships
to the shore, and from the shore to the ships ;
the greetings of old comrades ; the joyful recog-
nition of what had been accomplished in Arbor ;
the threatening outcries against the Barbarians,

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who must now be thoroughly extirpated — the
whole presented a scene full of splendor, life,
movement, and warlike uproar*

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 333

CHAPTER XLVI.

npHE largest galley, an old war ship which
still bore the figure of Amphitrite on its
prow, displayed a purple streamer, and the
smallest foresail was of the same color ; for she
carried the Commander of the squadron.

"At last!" the able officer exclaimed as, the
first man in the whole armada, he leaped
from his galley into the boat which lay rocking
at its bowsprit. He ran across the whole line
of small vessels to the shore, and sprang with
one Impatient leap from the last boat across the
marshy ground to the solid land to meet the
lUyrian, who received him with outstretched
arms.

"At last, my fiiend, I bring ships and men.
It has been a long delay."

"I know it was no fault of yours."
"The Caesar has already sent the guilty men
to the mines. Where is the Prefect?"

"Up above, in the camp. He is not well."
'*I have letters for him from the Emperor."

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" Has no news come from the Emperor Va-
lens yet?" asked Saturninus anxiously.

"Yes, very late news."

"How do matters stand bttween him and
the Goths?"

**Well for him and badly for the Barbarians.
They are suffering terribly from hunger. His
last letter declines, and right arrogantly, any
assistance from Gratianus and our army."

"He doesn't wish to share the fame of the
victory with his nephew," said the Tribune,
mounting his horse and inviting his friend to
ride up the moimtain on the beautiful charger
brought for his use. Nannienus swung him-
self into the saddle, and continued:

"A decisive battle is impending, Valens
writes. He is marching upon Adrianople, where
the Goths are encamped. Why, the horse is
sinking here ! Are there marshes so far up ? "

**Yes, it is the ancient bottom of the lake.
So, the die has probably already fallen yonder
on the Ister! Well, our little campaign will
probably soon be over too. How many hel-
mets do you bring ? "

"Thirteen hundred."

" More than enough. Early to-morrow morn-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 335

ing we will divide our forces* Five hundred
men will remain in the camp : You will march
with the rest toward the northeast, I to the
northwest, until we at last find and scatter these
incomprehensible foes. Did you see nothing
suspicious on your voyage across the lake?"

"Nothing at all. Not a sail, far or near.'*

"Now that we have ships, we can also search
the two tracts of marshland overgrown with
rushes, which stretch for leagues on the right
and left. We once thought we saw a column
of smoke rising in the western marsh."

"That shall be done to-morrow, before we
march. A naval battle on Lake Venetia! It
has scarcely happened since the days of Ti-
berius."

"But I am glad to know that you are here
on land with your men : Welcome once more
to the Barbarian country and to my camp."

With these words the two commanders, fol-
lowed by a glittering train of Nannienus's
officers and the Tribune's mailed riders, passed
through the Porta Decumana, which now stood
wide open ; for the Tribune's men were pour-
ing out, down the mountain side and through
the damp meadows and bogs of the half league

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336 A CAPTIVE OF

of country to the shore, to greet their com-
rades on the fleet.

Bissula had crouched and made herself as
small as possible, that she might slip out unseen,
like a little' mouse from her hiding-place east
of the lake gate. But the lUyrian guards were
rigidly trained: two ^gantic Thracians — one
on each side of the threshold — held their spears
crossed before the opening, and scanned sharply
every one who went in or out. The young girl
had crept successfully between the outstretched
legs of one, when she struck her head agdnst
the shaft of the other's spear. The man's at-
tention was attracted; he recognized her and
pushed her gently but irresistibly back,

"No, no!" he said, laughing. "You mustn't
go out, you little red serpent ! I should get a
double drubbing — from the Tribune on the
right and the Prefect on the left. Stay inside."

Bissula, her eyes brimming with tears of im-
potent rage, was obliged to go back : and there,
outside the gate, liberty was beckoning ; there
laughed (she saw it again, for the first time
through the open gate) in its azure splendor
her beloved lake; there on the right rustled
the trees which surrounded Adalo's hall, and

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 337

there flew a gull, screaming loudly with delight
in life and joy in its free movement, across the
rushes of the marshy shore. Alas ! and she must
go back into the camp, to an uncertain fate.
To-morrow she was to leave the country, to
go — whither?

"Oh, Adalo, help soon!"

Since the night before she had constantly
whispered his name, again and again, as though
it were a protecting spell.

On reaching her tent, she untied the bear,
which was becoming wildly excited by the
noise of the soldiers, and dragged it by the
collar inside of the inclosure, where she remained
all day. She was not disturbed. Prosper brought
wine and food, and told her that his master*s
whole time was claimed by Nannienus and
the other guests; but early the next morning
she must be ready to take ship for Constantia,
then to go to the Emperor at Vindonissa, and
lastly, to his beautiful home. Bissula made no
answer.

Leaving the viands untouched, she crouched

like some captured wild beast in the corner of

her tent farthest from the entrance, with her

eyes fixed intently upon it, listening with anxiety
22

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338 A CAPTIVE OF

and dread to every sound which drew nearer to
her tent from the streets of the camp. Faithful
Bruna lay across the threshold; she was the
girl's only comfort.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 339

CHAPTER XLVn.

CO the hours of the day had passed. The sun
had sunk majestically into the lake; dark-
ness had gathered quickly ; there was no moon.
The Comes of Britannia had left Ausonius's
table early, the hospitable host had vainly tried
to induce him to empty one more goblet.

"As many as you please, after the victory,
Ausonius. But a sailor must keep sober. Be-
sides, his place is on the water, not on forest-
clad heights. I feel here, away from my ships,
like a whale left stranded by the tide and lying
gasping on the shore. Truly, the only right
kind of water is salt water — "

"Because we can*t drink it," remarked Au-
sonius, filling his goblet again.

"But, when one can't have the sea, this long
stretch of lake isn't bad. Remember me to
your nephew, Herculanus ; perhaps by to-mor-
row he will have recovered from his illness
enough for me to seek him in his tent. And at
the earliest dawn of morning, Satuminus, I will

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340 A CAPTIVE OF

search the two reedy lakes for you. If there are
no Alemanni, there will be plenty of rare water-
fowl to hunt."

He went out with his officers and rode with
them, guided by torch -bearers, down the moun-
tain back to the ship-camp: for one-half of the
newcomers slept on shore in the tents they had
brought with them ; the other half on the ves-
sels.

As soon as Nannienus went on bo^d he
asked the watch at the helm, a trustworthy
Breton countryman, whether he had anything
to report.

"Nothing from here, my lord. Only behind
Arbor a fire seems to be burning on the Hill
of Mercury ; or they are celebrating one of their
Easter festivals. Look yonder ! "

"Yes, that is in one of the farms of the Ale-
mannic settlers. Hark ! What was that ? "

"Wild swans, my lord. They must have
hundreds of nests in the reedy forests. They
call and answer one another very often."

"Then surely no men can be hidden there;
the noble birds are very shy and wary. Who is
coming to relieve you?"

"I, Albinus, the veteran from Arbor."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 341

(€4

^Good: you will watch the first and second
hours after midnight. Wake me before the gray
of dawn."

.....

The sentries in the camp above on the
Idisenhang, and below in the tents brought
from the ships, had shouted the hour of mid-
night without the occurrence of anything to
disturb the sleepers, who were lying in the deep-
est repose, except that for a long time the noble
dogs which the Tribune, a keen sportsman, had
brought from Vindonissa and kept in an empty
tent near the northern gate, had barked vio-
lently. They were costly animals of the purest
British breed, which, trained in the arena at
Rome to fight the aurochs, were now to test
their skill and courage in the primeval forests.
They could not be quieted, whether the guards
patted or flogged them, and their loud, angry
baying was hwrd in the ditch before the north
gate, where the whole Batavian cohort was on
duty. The bright flames and thick columns of
smoke from their watch-fire rose from the
ditch, now dry once more.

Beyond it, on the north, about a hundred
paces from the wall, Rignomer, with Brinno

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342 A CAPTIVE OF

and two more of his countrymen, had been
stationed as an outpost.

"Do you hear the dogs?" asked Rignomer.

"Tm not deaf/' growled Brinno.

"When they keep on incessantly, it means
something ! " the other continued mysteriously.

"Of course it does. They are hungry. Or
they have the little one's she-bear at bay."

"She- bear? Nonsense! She's sleeping where
others would like to sleep. No, no I Dogs— ^
don't you know that? — can see spirits and
hear gods. There is something abroad. Be-
tween midnight and dawn the night hunts-
man rides over the tree- tops. I thought just
now that I heard a horse neigh above me,
beyond that distant hill — in the air."

"Oh, pshaw! I never saw a horse fly yet!"

"But He flies on his eight- hoofed gray steed
through the clouds and over the wind-swept
forests, when he drives the woman of the woods
before him. Hark, what was that? At the
right!"

"The hoot of an owl ! Very near us !"

"And there — one at the left."

"Hark," cried a third soldier, "didn't that

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 343

sound like metal on metal — the clanking of
arms — close in front of us?"

"No," said the fourth, "but I hear the faint
trampling of a horse's hoofs. Hark ! There
are several. Now it comes again, nearer still !
The foe!"

"Yes, it is the foe!" said Rignomer, seizing
the signal horn to raise it to his lips — but he
had no power to do so. Horror, paralyzing
terror, awe which shook every limb, seized upon
the brave man. His hair bristled; voice and
hand refused their service. Rigid with fear, he
stared at the wooded height before and above
him, which suddenly seemed alive.

A warrior sprang from behind every tree;
every bush ; yet it was not these hundreds of
Alemanni that terrified the battle-tried Batavian,
but another spectacle. Sometimes in a full glare
of light, sometimes dimly seen by the flame of
two blazing torches, swung in circles by two
horsemen riding at his right and left, a powerful
figure of superhuman stature on a grayish-white
horse came dashing down from the height to-
ward him. White hair and a floating beard
waved around a fierce but majestic countenance.

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344 A CAPTIVE OF

above which a bird-monster, whose like Rig-
nomer had never seen, seemed to flap its white
wings threateningly against the mercenary as
the vision rushed onward in silence, a huge
spear thrust before him, a long dark cloak flow-
ing back from his shoulders like a cloud ; then,
when close at hand, the horseman shouted:
"Odin! Odin has you all!"

The German flung down spear and shield
and, with the cry: "Odin is upon us! Odin
is leading them ! All is lost," ran back to the
ditch at full speed. Two of his comrades fol-
lowed his example, and all three leaped into the
ditch shouting: "All is lost ! Odin is upon us !
Fly!"

Rignomer was considered the bravest of his
race, so even the Batavians, who were too far
off^ to understand his words, were infected by
his example ; for they saw their leader unarmed,
running with every sign of the utmost terror
from the ditch toward the northern gate to tear
it open and vanish in the camp.

"Fly! Fly! All is lost!"

Most of the men had understood this and,
with the same shouts, they now climbed up the
wall or poured through the open gate.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 345

Brinno alone had not fled from the post : at
Rignomer's cry, also greatly alarmed, he had
leaped behind the nearest tree, but here, look-
ing sharply at the terrible horseman, he re-
covered his composure: "Nonsense !" he called
after his flying comrades. "His horse has only
four feet, not eight. That is not heV He
stepped forward bravely with levelled spear,
but the next instant was thrown down by the
Duke*s charger and, directly after, about thirty
mounted men leaped into the ditch, which was
now no longer defended, and dashed to the
right and left in pursuit of the fugitives who
were running along the bottom. The space
around the gate was almost empty, swept clean
in an instant.

Hariowald himself had ridden straight to-
ward the gate, but just before he reached it, it
was flung back from within, shutting out sever-
al ftigitives who were trying to enter. The
Duke sprang from his horse; the intelligent
animal instantly stood motionless. He beck-
oned to his mounted men and to a small band
who, meanwhile, had reached the ditch on foot,
to follow him to the left of the gate, where rose
a huge stone. A large number of other foot-

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346 A CAPTIVE OF

soldiers now also reached the gate and, mount-
ing ladders they had brought with them (which,
strangely enough, were exactly the length re-
quired to reach from the bottom of the ditch
to the wall), or even climbing on one another's
backs, endeavored to scale the wall or to break
down the gate with axes.

But here they now encountered vigorous
resistance. Arrows, spears, beams, stones flew
down upon them : a battle was impending ;
the attempt to enter the gate with the fugitives
had failed. Saturninus had closed it and shot
the huge iron bolt with his own strong hand.
Awakened by the furious baying of his dogs,
he had made the round of the camp to test
the watchfulness of the sentries, and was now
directing the defence from the walls. His own
hand flung down the first ladder raised.

But the battle was already raging at the
same time on the other three sides of the
camp.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 347

CHAPTER XLVHL

15 ISSULA, too, on whose burning eyes sleep
had not descended, had soon perceived
what was happening. She heard with joyous
terror the battle cry of the Alemanni, the war
horns of her people.

"There they are! They are coming!" she
exclaimed exultingly. "Now to meet them!"
With the words she ran out of her tent, leading
her faithful companion by the collar. She was
determined to seize the first opportunity, no
matter how dangerous it might be, to escape
from the precincts of the camp.

But this was far more difficult than Bissula
had expected. She experienced the utmost
trouble even in gaining the vicinity of the lake
gate to which she was summoned. The regu-
lar squares of the Roman camp, intersected at
right angles by the streets of tents, rendered
the task still more arduous ; for at all the streets
and squares stood, in dense masses, the reserve
troops not engaged in fighting on the walls. No

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348 A CAPTIVE OF

matter whether their faces or their backs were
turned toward her, those ranks could not be
penetrated.

Her friend Bruna impeded instead of aiding
her. The animal was so wildly excited by the
noise of thousands of men shouting, weapons
clashing, horses dashing by, and flames blazing
on all sides, that the young girl had great diffi-
culty in restraining the daughter of the Ale-
mannic forests from mingling in the battle and
furiously attacking the legionaries. So for a
long time she could make little progress toward
the gate she desired to reach.

But now a gap was suddenly made in the
ranks of the soldiers standihg before her. A
troop of mailed riders came dashing down the
street of the camp from the north toward the
gate, and the lUyrians before her opened their
ranks to let the cavalry pass. Bissula fear-
lessly seized the tail of one of the horses and,
without loosing her hold of Bruna, let herself
be dragged along. In this way she success-
fully reached the Via Principalis, but here, feel-
ing her arm seized, she released the horse,
which now kicked violently. The girl looked
around angrily. It was old Prosper.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 349

"Halt," he commanded, "you must stay
with me, Bissula. That is the order of the
patronus ; he sent me to you, supposing that
you would be in the midst of the uproar. I
am to keep strict watch of you, till the attack
is repulsed."

"Let me go," she cried angrily, trying to
release herself.

" No, you shall not. I must answer for you.
Follow me."

They now began to struggle violently ; but
the man was stronger than the girl. She could
not escape his hold. Then Bruna, growling
furiously, rose on her hind legs and struck with
her huge paws at her mistress's foe. With a
cry of terror the freedman, releasing the girl,
sprang back, and the next instant Bissula, by
creeping between the horses' legs, slipped
through the ranks of the mailed riders, who,
facing south, were now the only obstacle between
her and the lake gate.

She fairly flew down the long, narrow cen-
tral street, the Via Media, in whose tents the
luggage was sheltered. There she saw Hercula-
nus and, somewhat farther down, Davus, each
in a heavy oak-block, sunk into the earth.

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3SO A CAPTIVE OF

with both feet thrust through holes and fettered
to the blocks with heavy cross chains. Bissula
ran farther in terror. Now, for the first time,
she looked around for Bruna. The bear
had not followed her; her growling came
from beyond the ranks of the horsemen, and
at the same time Bissula saw a pack of huge
dogs, barking furiously, leaping on the angry
beast. One of the animals was hurled aside by
the terrible paw, yelping with agony. But the
girl could wait no longer, far less turn back.
She hurried on ; already she saw before her the
goal of her longing, the Decumanian Gate.

Already the blows of axes were thundering
ceaselessly outside upon the groaning oak planks
and iron bars. Those were her own people, her
deliverers, her liberators! But the solid gate
held out firmly, and missiles rained from the
top of the wall upon the unprotected assailants.
She pressed forward as near the gate as she
could. Only a single rank of soldiers separated
her from It. Then Bissula heard outside a ring-
ing voice which sent a thrill of rapture through
every vein. She knew those tones.

"Set fire to the gate ! Bring all the torches !"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 351

Foi^etting all caution, she sprang through
the rank of soldiers, pushing two of them aside,
put her face to the gate and called with her
utmost strength, " Adalo ! Help ! Adalo !"

"BissulaT* rose a voice without, and a ter-
rible blow — the first which had penetrated —
cleft a yawning gash in the right wing of the
double gate, so that the splinters flew, inside.

At the same time Bissula heard two voices
call her name from the wall above. Looking
up she saw Zercho and Sippilo who, in advance
of all the others, had scaled the wall at the right
of the gate.

"Here, little one!" shouted the Sarmatian,
letting a rope slide down the inside, while he
wound the other end around the ladder rising
above the wall.

"Where are you, Bissula?** called Sippilo,
leaning far over and holding a torch down.
"Alas ! I can't see her anywhere !"

The girl, standing at the left of the gate,
could not make her way through the soldiers
to the right; she was obliged to see a strong
Thracian on the top of the wall seize a heavy
pole, which he held crosswise with both hands.

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35^ A CAPTIVE OF

and springing forward hurl both the over- bold
assailants (they were still standing alone) back-
ward at a single thrust.

"Oho, Sippilo," shouted Adalo outside,
"what was that?*'

"A somersault r* replied the boy laughing,
and jumping up again* "But you, Zercho!
Alas! you cannot stand?"

"Unfortunately! My foot — I think it is
broken!"

"Take him, men, two of you, and carry him
out of the fight," Adalo ordered.

"Where?"

"To my own hall; it is still standing."

Bissula uttered a cry when she saw her two
fiiend^ fall backward; but the next instant
her senses felled. A soldier whom she had re-
peatedly tried to thrust aside turned angrily :
he meant to strike his troublesome comrade, as
he supposed the person to be. Then he recog-
nized the young girl, and his wrath instantly
vanished.

" Go back, little one ! " he exclaimed. "You'll
get killed here!"

And, with kindly intent, he flung her toward
the left ; but the clumsy fellow exerted too much

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 353

strength, or the weight of the dainty figure was

too light; she struck her head so violently

against one of the beams of her old hiding-place

that she lay stunned and senseless where she

had fallen.

"Bissula!" Adalo called again through the

gaping cleft in the door. But he received no

answer,
23

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354 A CAPTIVE OF

CHAPTER XLIX.

TPHE Adding and his followers would prob-
ably soon have forced their way through
this gate, one of whose wings had already caught
fire and was beginning to glow and smoke more
and more, while the other was splitting wider
and wider under the heavy blows of the axe, had
not the battle on the opposite side of the camp
taken a turn which was also to prove decisive
for the conflict around the Porta Decumana.
Scarcely had Bissula fallen unconscious, when
down every street in the camp that led from the
north toward this southern gate, riders, rider-
less horses, foot-soldiers, and slaves came rush-
ing in a wild flight with frantic cries.

"Fly," cried a warrior in scale armor, dash-
ing past Herculanus and Davus. "The Bar-
barians are upon us !"

"The camp is taken!" shouted a Celt, hur-
rying out of a side street.

"They have climbed over the wall at the
Praetorian Gate."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 355

" No, the earth opened. Orcus spewed the
Barbarians into the middle of the camp!"

"Fly!" shrieked a camp-foUower^s wife, "I
saw Saturninus run down by his own men ! All
is lost!" And in truth it seemed so.

Ausonius had been waked by Prosper, and
while he was arming, Decius, a gallant officer,
appeared and in the Tribune's name invited
him to undertake the defence of the Porta
Principalis Dextra with a cohort of the Twenty -
second Legion, which had already been ordered
there.

"I will accompany you," said he.

"What is the matter? The Barbarians? Are
they attacking?"

"Don't you hear them?"

"Yes, of course I do! On which side?"

"On all sides!"

"I will hasten/' With these words Auso-
nius, putting on his helmet, left the tent.

"What is the Tribune's decision?" he asked
as they turned to the -right into the nearest
street. "To make a sally?"

"No! To remain in the camp. It will be
defended to the last. There is too great a su-
periority in the force outside." With these

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356 A CAPTIVE OF

words the two officers reached the legionaries
and, followed by them, soon gained the eastern
gate of the camp. From here Ausonius sent
Prosper to protect Bissula, but also to watch
that she did not escape.

Meanwhile Saturninus had convinced him-
self that, for the moment, no pressing danger
threatened the northern or Praetorian Gate,
and hurrying down the steps inside the wall, he
exchanged his part of warrior for that of Com-
mander. Gathering his officers about him in
the open space at the foot of the wall, about a
hundred paces north of the pine-tree of the
earth -goddess, he curtly issued swift commands.
" Let all the horsemen dismount and fight on
the walls, except the first squadron of mailed
riders ; but these are not to dismount — do you
hear? — on pain of death, under any pretext.
All the riderless horses must be led to the Porta
Decumana; for if a sally should be made, or"
— he added in a lower tone so that only his
officers could hear — "if it should be necessary
to leave the camp, we shall go to the south to
aid Nannienus. If he be not attacked himself,
he will instantly assail the Barbarians in the
rear at that gate."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 357

"Help at the Porta Principalis Sinistra!**
entreated a horseman dashing from the west.

Saturninus turned to speak to the messenger
and, in doing so, turned his back to the pine-
tree ; but he had scarcely addressed a few words
to the man, when a centurion standing behind
the General uttered a cry of terror and seized
him by the arm : "Look around you. Tribune !
There! By the pine-tree! The earth is trem-
bling; the abyss is opening; the altar stones
have sprung apart!"

Just at that moment the Barbarians* war-
cry: "Odin! Odin! Alemanni!" rang out in
the midst of the camp, and Saturninus's face
blanched as he saw a gigantic figure in a white
helmet, near the pine-tree, strike down with
his long spear a Celtic archer, who, shrieking,
tried to escape. Three, six, eight, twelve Bar-
barians had risen from the earth. With a cry
of savage fiiry the brave Roman rushed toward
the giant. But he could not reach him, his
own soldiers threw him down.

It was a body of the Celts, hot-blooded,
brave in assault, but easily disheartened after an
unfavorable turn. They saw the foe in the
midst of the camp; only a few had noticed

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358 A CAPTIVE OF

whence they came or how small at first was
their number. Seized with panic, many throw-
ing away their weapons, they fled in frantic
terror.

** Treason ! Treason ! The enemy is in the
camp ! " With these shouts a whole troop of fugi-
tives had flung themselves between the Duke
and the Roman General. The latter instantly
sprang to his feet again.

"Halt, you cowards," shouted the fearless
Tribune, again trying to check with flashing
sword, the mad rush of the fugitives. ** Look
around you. There is only a handful of the
enemy. And where will you fly ? Outside of
the camp ? Among the greatly superior num-
ber of the foe? Only these walls can save
you!"

**To the ships ! To Nannienus ! Across the
lake! To Arbor!"

"Then die, you coward!" he cried fiercely,
striking down the nearest shouter, a standard
bearer of the Celts ; and tearing from the falling
man the dragon standard, with its fluttering
purple streamers, he swung it aloft, crying,
"Roma! Roma!" and pressed forward.

For a moment he really succeeded in check-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 359

ing the fugitives. And now the bold little band
of intruders was in the utmost peril; then
Saturninus's attention was suddenly diverted to
the top of the wall.

Many, many of its defenders had turned at
the noise behind them, seen German helmets
in the midst of the camp, heard the cries of ter-
ror from the Celts, and noticed their General
himself rush into the midst of the fugitives.
They believed that the camp had been taken
from the opposite direction, and feared every
• moment that they would be attacked from the
rear. So they leaped from the top of the wall
in large numbers or came rushing down the
stairs. The besiegers outside, hitherto held in
check by a heavy shower of missies, suddenly
saw whole ranks of the defenders vanish, whole
stretches of the wall left empty and, with wild
shouts, they climbed boldly and confidently up
the ladders. When the Tribune looked up, the
assailants were already springing from the wall
in dense masses, hewing down the few Romans
who had gathered around him, while the fierce
giant's terrible spear struck down one after
another.

Saturninus cast one more glance at the top

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36o A CAPTIVE OF

of the wall : countless bands of Barbarians were
appearing on it. Then, in a voice whose tones
rang above the din of battle, he shouted the or-
der: "Leave the camp! Follow this standard!
To the Porta Decumana ! Close ranks ! If you
open them, you will be lost ! "

These words had their eflFect. Often had
these soldiers proved that this solid closing of
their ranks was the best, nay, the only means
of repelling the assault of the Germans. The
hope of reaching their comrades on the ships
revived their courage; retreating toward the
south, fighting as they marched, they followed
their trusted leader.

The pursuers from the north and east pressed
hotly upon them; but the Romans moving
southward received considerable re'enforcements
from the east and the west, where the cross
streets from both sides ran into the one extend-
ing from north to south — the Via Media.
Meanwhile the troops defending the eastern
and western gates had heard the war-cry of the
Alemanni within the camp and the shouts of
their own fugitives, and giving up the hopeless
resistance, they thronged, according to a stand-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 361

ing rule in the camp, into the long central street
which led to the Porta Decumana, the gate as-
signed for the Roman line of retreat.

True, the troops from the western gate,
where the assailants had already made consider-
able progress, poured down in great confusion ;
but Decius and Ausonius led the legionaries of
the Twenty-second Cohort from the eastern
gate in good order. Saturninus saw the two
leaders from the distance, but separated by the
whole flood of marching men, they could not
meet. So the columns, overtaken and pressed
by the Barbarians only in the rear, gradually
reached in better order the spot where the Via
Principalis, near the Decumanian Gate, inter-
sected the long central street leading to it.
Here all the baggage, with many hundred carts
and wagons, was piled together. Such a barri-
cade, a valuable defence to German bands on
the migrations, was the most dangerous obstacle
and interruption to the Roman order of march-
ing and fighting; for no matter whether the
attempt to pass was made by going around or
climbing over it, in either case the firmly
closed ranks were broken into little groups.

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362 A CAPTIVE OF

nay sometimes even separated into individual
warriors, who were forced to press forward or
climb over the wagons one behind another.

But the old Duke had not studied the plan
of the camp in vain: he had noted accurately
where the baggage, the carts and wagons were
placed, and eagerly distributed all the bands
of his men who poured toward him. They
came from the three gates north, west, and
east, which they had long since forced open,
and they passed through the streets of the
camp in such a manner, as they pressed for-
ward in pursuit, that they pushed from all sides
down the long and the cross streets upon the
fugitives, just at this exact point

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 363

CHAPTER L.

TN the midst of the intoxication of victory
another joy filled the old leader's heart: de-
light in the progress which, within a single gen-
eration, the training in obedience had made in
the subjection of his Alemanni to the military
authority of their Duke.

The traditions of their forefathers and his
own youthful experience contained many an
instance in which Germans had lost a victory
already won, because the conquerors, against
their leader's commands, began, in unbridled
lust for booty, to plunder the captured camp.
They would scatter themselves through tents
and baggage wagons, each vying with his com-
rades, so that the Romans, little disturbed by
pursuit, found the opportunity to assemble
again and, with closed ranks, could wrest from the
dispersed pillagers both camp and victory. So
the old Commander could say to himself with
proud delight : " They have learned something,
through me — under me — ay, for love of me ! "

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364 A CAPTIVE OF

Before the commencement of the assault he
had proposed, for he could not command:
"The camp and all its contents shall belong to
the whole army, after the victory is won. When
the morning sun shines down upon it, a divi-
sion shall be made according to districts, families,
and individuals. Whoever takes, in advance,
even a vessel or a weapon shall be regarded as
a thief who has robbed his people, and shall be
hanged."

The bands had assented, and they loyally
kept their word : not a man turned from the
battle, or left the ranks to plunder, or even
stooped to pick up the costly gold and silver
articles which the slaves, flying from Auso-
nius*s tent, had tried to hide, or perhaps steal.
The slaves had soon thrown down these arti-
cles that they might not be hampered in their
flight.

Obedient to Hariowald's orders, the Ale-
manni drove the fugitives from all directions
toward the central street of the camp ; so the
confused torrent which, hitherto, had poured
through many separate channels southward,
was dammed by this obstacle and checked.

The first men, still running at full speed

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 365

down the narrow side paths at the right and
left, squeezed past the wide rows of carts, or,
if not too much crowded by their neighbors,
climbed over them ; but both plans soon be-
came possible only by the most violent strug-
gles for precedence on the part of the fugitives,
as the hundreds driven here and there by the
Duke's followers rushed upon the closed ranks
of the two leaders' orderly columns. These
fugitives pressed forward with the strength
of desp«r, especially after they perceived, with
horror, that throwing down their weapons and
surrendering did not save them fi-om death.

"Woe, they are killing every one! Make
way! Let us pass! They are murdering the
prisoners!"

"No!" shouted the Duke to the nearest
shrieker, "they are not murdering the prison-
ers, for they have none !" and struck him down.

Then the ranks which had remsuned closed
began to waver. Saturninus succeeded in crowd-
ing past the wagons on the right and hastened
onward toward the gate. The scene was brightly
lighted by many blazing tents, into which the
victors had flung faggots smeared with pitch
and resin. At the corner of one of the cross

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366 A CAPTIVE OF

streets Saturninus saw two of his beautiful large
dogs, with torn bodies, lying one above the
other, while he heard the others barking furi-
ously, and at intervals the sound of fierce growl-
ing. The next instant he was pushed far forward
by the men crowding behind him. He looked
around for Ausonius, who had been mounted,
and saw him on foot trying to climb over the
barricade of wagons. He was making slow
progress, and already, close upon this band of
fugitives, the war-cry of the pursuers sounded
nearer and nearer.

The Tribune ordered several pioneers whom
he met to break a passage with their axes
through the carts for Ausonius and the left
column. The men did not obey willingly ; they
were reluctant to turn back, with the Decuma-
nian Gate in sight, to meet the furious attack of
the foe; but Roman military discipline and the
habit of obedience to their honored General
again conquered, so they went to meet Auso-
nius, while the Tribune hastened onward.

The rising flames, the echoing blows of the
axes, accompanied by the ominous crash of
splintering wood, urged the Tribune to still
greater speed; this gate must not be opened

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 367

fi-om the outside if his last attempt to escape
was not to fail. But scarcely had he reached
the open space before it, when fresh cries of
despair rose from the column at the left com-
manded by Ausonius. Before the pioneers had
broken a passage to the Prefect, his men had
been reached by the arrows and spears of the
pursuers, and he himself, falling between two
wagons, suddenly vanished from their eyes.
Loud lamentations from his followers burst
forth.

Then the pioneers turned and fled in the op-
posite direction ; the Barbarians were threaten-
ing on the left, so they ran down one of the
cross streets at the right which intersected the
central one.

"Fly,*' called the foremost one, running di-
rectly past Herculanus, who was making des-
perate but fruitless efforts to tear with his
unchained hands the solid oak-block from the
earth or to release his feet from the small holes
and iron clamps. "Fly! Ausonius has fallen!'*

"Ausonius is dead!" shouted the second;
throwing away his heavy axe, which impeded
his flight. It fell near the prisoner, who, with-
out heeding the violent pain which the move-

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368 A CAPTIVE OF

ment caused to his strained feet and bruised
ankles, stretched both arms toward it. Triumph !
He could reach it. At least he could touch the
handle with the tips of his fingers, draw it
slowly nearer, then at last seize and drag it to
his side.

One of Ausonius's slaves, who had been
wounded by an arrow, limped along more
slowly. "Oh, my kind master, Ausonius!
He has fallen. He is dead."

"Dead?" cried Herculanus, "are you sure he
is dead?"

But the fugitive had not heard, or did not
wish to hear him — he had already moved on
to Davus.

"Help me!" wailed the latter. "Don't leave
me here to bum-. — or to fall into the hands of
the Barbarians!"

"Miserable murderer!" was the only an-
swer. The fugitive had already disappeared
around the corner.

Meanwhile Herculanus, seizing the sharp
axe with both hands and bending downward,
dealt blows with all his strength upon the oak-
block which held his feet, just between the two

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 369

holes pierced from the top to the bottom. At
last the solid wood parted, breaking open the
holes; twp more blows severed the shackles
which bound his feet to the two halves. The
prisoner was free. Yet it was only with diffi-
culty and severe pain that he could use his legs,
stiffened by sitting still so many hours and
swollen by the pressure on the bones. But the
desire to live, the hope of escape, conquered the
pain: he walked, at first very slowly, toward
Davus, who had watched him enviously.

*'Help me out too. You, you alone, have
brought me to this."

"Yes, traitor, I'll help you out," cried the
other, with an angry laugh. Cleaving the slave's
skull with the axe, he ran on more quickly,
his limbs becoming more supple at every step,
toward the western end of th^ cross street;
for the noise from the east grew louder and
louder.

The conflagration did not extend to this part
of the camp. He glided into a tent and hid
himself, for he still had cause to fear his own
countrymen almost as much as the Barbarians.
Here he found a short dagger, like those worn
24.

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370 A CAPTIVE OF

by the Thracians, which he thrust into his belt;
he then put down the long-handled heavy axe,
which h^d burdened him while running.

Ausonius dead! Perhaps all who knew of
that incident were dead too! He could not
shake off the thought while peering cautiously
between two folds of the tent, watching for
a way of escape between Romans and Bar-
barians.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 371

CHAPTER LI.

IIJERCULANUS was mistaken: Ausonius
was not slain. In the attempt to leap
from one cart to another he had fallen between
them and slightly hurt his foot. But Decius
and some legionaries of the Twenty -second
Cohort had helped him up again and taken
him at once to the Decumanian Gate. Here,
meanwhile, the Tribune had quickly made his
arrangements, gathering the fugitives arriving
singly around a body of his lUyrians, to whom
he also entrusted the standard.

"Where is the ala of mailed riders whom
I ordered here, forbidding them to dis-
mount? We need them now at the head of
the sortie."

"Alas, Tribune, in the turmoil, in the pres-
sure on the gate and the walls, we all dismounted
and fought on foot. Our horses are gone ; they
dashed down the side streets.'*

"This is Herculanus's discipline of his men !
So — we have no horsemen. Well then, the

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372 A CAPTIVE OF

spears to the front ! The wounded in the centre !
Here, Ausonius, behind my troop! There.
Draw back the bolts; throw the gate open.
We will fight our way through to the ships.
Forward! On!"

Then the gate, hitherto so firmly defended,
its right wing half shattered, the left half
burned, opened from within, and the Romans,
summoning their last strength, led by their able
General in person, and stimulated to a final
supreme effort by his example and the prospect
of safety, burst out of the camp. The shock
was terrible, and the effect of the unexpected
attack upon the Barbarians was very great.
All who had been standing on the narrow strip
of ground between the gate and the ditch were
hurled into it. Adalo was not among the num-
ber ; he had gone back for a moment to direct
the preparation of a bridge of logs which was
to lead directly to the gate ; then he intended to
have his men run across with beams to batter
the already weakened timbers and break it down
completely. So he escaped the fall into the ditch,
which Sippilo shared, but as in the plunge from
the wall, uninjured. The boy climbed nimbly

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 373

up the southern side. He had lost the helmet
in his first tumble, but held fast to his spear
and shield this time too.

For a moment, it is true, it seemed as if the
Romans, as soon as they had passed through
the gate and obtained a view of the lake, would
disperse again in fresh terror; for meanwhile
the attack on the ships and the camp below
had apparently succeeded.

Hitherto the defenders on the walls had
waited longingly for Nannienus, and looked in
vain over the Barbarians and their flaring pitch
torches toward the lake. But now that they
had reached the open country outside the camp,
they saw a vast conflagration on the shore.
Surrounded by the tumult of the battle raging
immediately about them, they had been unable
to hear the noise of the conflict which had com-
menced below half an hour before ; but they
now perceived all that Saturninus had long since
concluded by the absence of his brave friend:
the fleet itself was being most hotly assailed.

"The ships are burning! The camp is in
flames! Our last refuge is gone!" With these
shouts, many sprang from the closed ranks.

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374 A CAPTIVE OF

fled, and were instantly overtaken by the Ger-
mans and struck down before their comrades'
eyes.

"You see how fugitives fare!" cried Satur-
ninus. " Keep your ranks closed if you want to
save your lives. March in close order to the
lake, and we shall save ourselves and our
friends."

This was a ray of encouragement, and the
whole body followed their brave leader, who
was the first man to climb up the southern
side of the ditch. As soon as he reached the
top his own name, shouted Idudly from the
ranks of the Barbarians, fell upon his ear.

"Where is Saturninus, the General of the
Romans?" called a voice in Latin.

Brightly illumined by the flames of the burn-
ing camp, a leader of the Germans, in the richest
armor, pressed forward before his men. A boar-
helmet covered his head ; a gray-bearded attend-
ant held before him a long shield on which
he caught two well-aimed Roman spears at
once.

"Where is Saturninus ? I must find him ! " re-
peated the German, springing forward again and
felling the nearest Thracian with his battle axe.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 375

"Here," answered the Tribune. "But this
is no time to negotiate."

"No, but to die!" shouted Ebarbold, his
battle axe crashing upon the huge curved shield
of the Roman. It entered it without injury
to the bearer.

The King vainly struggled to draw out the
weapon, it remained motionless, and already
the Roman's short, murderous broad sword
was quivering for the fatal stroke, when the
gray-haired shield-bearer sprang between them
and threw the shield before his master.

But the Norian iron penetrated the boar
hide and the wooden frame of the shield to the
old man's left breast. He fell on his back,
borne down by the weight of the blow.

Meanwhile Ebarbold had dropped the han-
dle of the battle axe, drawn the long unwieldy
sword at his side, and swung it above the proud
crest of the Roman General's helmet ; but be-
fore it fell, the short Roman sword, red with
the blood of the shield-bearer, pierced his
throat and he sank dying by the old man's side.
"You — with me — for me!" he could say no
more.

"Did you think I would desert you? The

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376 A CAPTIVE OF

King of the Ebei^u must not enter Odin*s
hall unattended. You shall not enter the door
of Valhalla unattended like some man of low
degree. We — have — both — kept our word
— and together — with the honor of heroes —
we will go to Valhalla."

Ebarvin's head sank on the shoulder of his
King. Both were silent in death.

The lUyrian had sprung forward over the
bodies of the two Germans — first hewing off
with his sword the handle of the battle axe still
sticking in his shield — amid the wild, exulting
shouts of his countrymen who had witnessed
the stru^le. But the men of the Ebergau \jrere
dismayed by their leader's fall ; they hesitated
— stopped — yielded.

"Forward, down to the lake!'* shouted the
Tribune. "You see they are giving way." It
was a dangerous moment ; for, confused by the
retreat of the Ebergau njen, the band next be-
hind them was wavering.

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377

CHAPTER LH.

44OTAND, men of the linzgau!'* shouted
a clear, resonant voice, and a youth with
golden-brown locks fluttering around his hand-
some head forced a passage through the Ale-
manni and Romans toward the Tribune.

But the Romans had neither the inclination
nor the habit of letting their General fight single
combats with the Barbarian princes. A gigantic
lUyrian stepped from the left of the ranks in
front of his leader and aimed his spear at the
youth's face. But the weapon did not fly ; be-
fore he could hurl it a German boy leaped
from below against the warrior, and thrust his
little spear into the arm -pit, now unprotected
by his suit of maiL He fell with a loud cry.

"I thank you, little brother!" exclaimed
Adalo and now, pressing close upon Saturninus,
he called to him in Latin : "Where is Bissula?'*

But the Roman General had no thought to
give to a Barbarian girl ; the recollection of the
captive had darted only once through his brain

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378 A CAPTIVE OF

with the speed of lightning, when he heard her
she-bear growling in the camp. He made no
reply, except to wave the sword still dripping
with Ebarbold's blood.

The Adeling's spear flew ; Saturninus caught
it on his shield ; but being burdened by the long
lance, this was now so difficult to manage that
he let it fall, and sprang with a well-aimed
sword thrust toward the youth, who had in-
stantly drawn his short battle-axe from his
girdle. Each was so furiously resolved to fell
the other, that neither thought of his own de-
fence. So both struck, and both fell.

With his utmost strength — and it was gre^t
— the German had aimed at his adversary's
forehead: the latter involuntarily bowed his
head, putting the helmet forward, but the ter-
rible stroke cleft this best work of the Roman
armorers at Trier, and pierced through the
bronze and the double leather of the lining to
the skull. The helmet was found afterwards;
and this "Suabian stroke" was long celebrated
in the hall of the stag's antlers. Bat the lord of
the hall seemed destined never to return to it,
but to follow Ebarbold and Ebarvin ; for, at the
same time, the Roman's sword had penetrated

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 379

the wooden shield of the German and cut deep
into his left shoulder.

Sippilo caught his brother^s drooping head ;
several attendants grasped his feet, and thus
they bore him swiftly out of the battle.

Decius, springing from Ausonius's side, now
took command of the Romans. But he could
no longer maintain order in the ranks. At
their leader^s fall under Adalo^s terrible blow
the column scattered in a wild flight down
the hillside. The foremost ones, who had wit-
nessed the duel, dispersed to the right and left.
The rear ranks still held firm, but now they
received an attack from behind, from the camp,
and all was over. This attack was led by Duke
Hariowaldw At last — far too late for his battle
fury — he, too, had crossed the camp and
reached the Porta Decumana.

The greatest obstacle to the pursuit was now
what had formerly been the principal cause of
the hesitation, confusion, and dispersion of the
retreating Roman troops : namely, the luggage,
the barricade of wagons. Behind it, that is, be-
tween it and the lake gate, numerous Romans,
especially the German mercenaries, the Ba-
tavians, who were accustomed to such methods

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of fighting, had again made a stand; and
much time was consumed before the Duke, by
means of fire, axe-blows, and bloodshed, forced a
passage through it. He had at once sent bodies
of his men through the cross streets leading
to the right and left ; to go round the obstacle
and attack the defenders on both flanks. Her-
culanus had watched, in mortal terror, from his
hiding-place in the tent, the Alemanni dashing
down these cross streets. Many rows of tents
were already blazing ; others were blocked with
piles of luggage and tent equipage left behind.
It was long before the Duke and his men,
breaking their way through the citadel of
wagons and driving its last defenders before
them, reached the Decumanian Gate ; but then
with his whole body of troops, intoxicated by
their victory, he fell upon the rear of the
Romans commanded by Decius.

All was lost. Decius succeeded in holding
together only one very small band of lUyrians,
scarcely twenty men. These, with their wounded
General and Ausonius in their midst, burst
through the ranks of the Linzgau men, who for
some time were occupied with the care of
Adalo, and fled directly south toward the lake.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 381

It was evident that the only hope of escape
was by the ships, for swift destruction was over-
taking all the fugitives, who scattered and fled
to the right and left, the east and west. With-
out leadership or direction, only keeping in
general toward the lake, they ran singly, in
pairs, and in groups. Most of them, in the
darkness of the night, floundered into the
marshes, where, ignorant of the fords or the
few higher portions, they sank, and were either
drowned or cut down by their pursuers.

As soon as Hariowald reached the open
ground he heard of the King's fall, to which he
listened with a silent nod, and — from Sippilo's
lips — of the Adeling's wound.

"Severe?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"In the shoulder; cut completely through."

"H'm! — Was he carried to his hall?"

"Yes."

"Take the blind old dame Waldrun to him
at once from the Holy Mountain. She knows
the strongest herbs, and she also knows when
and how they must be gathered, without im-
patience or rough handling."

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"She is already waiting at his hall."

"How did that happen ? "

"She dreamed last night that this battle would
end in victory, but that she nursed my brother,
who lay in her lap, sorely wounded. She in-
sisted that the Sarmatian should lead her to
our hall before the battle began. *I will wait
there for the wounded man,' she said."

" But you are bleeding, too, my lad ; there,
in the arm."

"A spear grazed me. It isn't much."

"Enough for the first time ! You arc surely
tottering."

"An arrow — in the calf of my leg — but it
didn't go deep."

"You can scarcely stand. Go home at once,
do you hear? I command it by the oath of
loyalty to the Duke. Waldrun will have a
healing herb for you, too. Go !"

Assuming the direct leadership of the bands
formerly commanded by Ebarbold and Adalo,
the Duke spread his whole force into the widest
possible front, to inclose the fugitives, and
gave only one order: "Drive them into the
lake!" The command was received with
shouts of exultation, and faithfully obeyed.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 383

Hariowald had swung himself upon one of the
numerous riderless horses dashing through and
around the camp ; his men eagerly followed his
example, and thus the pursuit became a wild
chase on horseback and on foot down the
descent from the heights to the lake.

The blazing camp behind, and the blazing
ships before them, cast a terribly beautiful,
flickering light over the savage, warlike scene.
But already, though still very dim, another
light was stealing where the red glare of the
torches and the burning tents did not penetrate.
The night was no longer perfectly dark. Far
away, in the extreme east, dawn was glimmer-
ing ; for more than two, almost three hours of
the September night had passed in the battle
around the camp since the criers had an-
nounced the second hour after twelve.

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CHAPTER LIII.

T^E AN WHILE Bissula had recovered con-
sciousness. The loud summons of the
tubas, giving the signal for the sally of the
Romans, had roused her. Raising herself in
her hiding-place behind the beams and planks
which, piled one above another to the height
of a man, completely concealed her, she peered
through the openings between them. Her
heart throbbed with joy as she saw the lake
gate, hitherto so impenetrably and inexorably
closed against her, now standing wide open.
Cautiously, crouching like a kitten that tries to
escape the hand outstretched to seize it, she
glided to the western corner of her hiding-
place and looked out at the gate.

Yet, ardently as she longed for liberty, and
familiar as was the fearless daughter of the
forest by the lake with all the perils and hor-
rors of the primeval woods and the waves, she
was but a girl, and had never before witnessed
the terrors of murderous battles. But now Bis-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 385

sula saw the bloody scenes, of which, hitherto,
she had only heard from her uncle or some
bard at a feast celebrating a victory : she saw,
and trembled.

By the light of the two wings of the gate,
now blazing furiously, the torches of the Ro-
mans, and the bundles of faggots hurled among
the tents by the Alemanni, she saw close at
hand, beyond the ditch, the bloody, murderous
conflict. She saw the meeting between the
Romansj as they burst from the camp, and the
assailing bands of her own people ; saw things
which sent a thrill of horror through every vein.

Trembling in every limb she sank down, as
though paralyzed, on a pile of lumber behind her,
and gazed with dilated eyes, through the gate at
the terrible spectacle, from which, with all its
horrors, she could not avert her gaze, or even
lower her eyelids. Suddenly she saw Satur-
ninus, then he vanished, hidden by his lUyrians,
then reappeared, far in the van. She recognized
the King of the Ebergau, — he had given her a
clasp at the last spring festival, — then she saw
him fall backward without rising again. The
little figure at his side, with fair curls floating
around his uncovered head, was Sippilo. So
25

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386 A CAPTIVE OF

the plunge from the wall had not injured him.

Then a gigantic lUyrian, swinging a blazing
torch, — a terrible weapon, — approached him
from the side. The boy did not see the brand
uplifted above him ; Bissula, forgetting all dan-
ger to herself, shrieked loudly. Then the soldier
sank. For an instant she saw, by the glare of the
torch, Adalo, who had rescued his brother, and
she rejoiced at the spectacle, but the torch went
out as its bearer fell. The brothers vanished
from her sight. Directly afterwards she heard
in loud, wailing tones the cry of many voices :
"Adalo! alas for Adalo ! alas for the Adding!"

Horror and anxiety for her friend made her
heart sink : she could get no further glimpse of
him. And, from the camp behind her, a fresh
uproar arose, which swiftly drew nearer. It was
Hariowald, now with his men driving the last
Batavians (Bissula recognized Rignomer) from
the fortress of wagons, and the scattered Ro-
mans flying down all the streets through the
Decumanian Gate. She attempted to join the
pursuing Alemanni, but their arrows and spears
flew close about her ; a stone from a sling fell
crashing against a beam above her head and,
terrified, she threw herself face downward on

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 387

the ground and let the dangerous stream of foe
and friend roar past her into the distance.

The camp soon became still, absolutely still.
Outside the gate, too, the din of battle swept
very swiftly down the hill toward the lake. Bis-
sula rose again and looked through the gate.
In the distance she saw, though indistinctly, the
surging ranks pour down the slope ; she could
scarcely distinguish the figures, but her people's
shouts of victory rang loudly in her ears. A
rush of joy filled her heart and she cried ex-
ultingly: "Victory! Liberty! Hurrah!" But
the next instant she said to herself reproach-
fully: "And Ausonius! And brave Saturni-
nus ! Alas ! and Adalo ! "

Her grief, her terrible anxiety for her lover
drove her from her hiding-place even more
powerfully than the longing for her liberation,
and she resolved to venture across the dreaded
battlefield, lately so full of uproar, now so hor-
ribly silent. The camp was deserted. At least it
seemed so, as Bissula, stealing cautiously around
the corner of the barricade, looked in every
direction. She thought, too, of the faithful
bear: "Bruna! Here, Bruna!" she called up
the streets of the camp as loudly as she could ;

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but no Bruna came. Though the burning tents
still gave light enough, she saw no upright
figure near, either of friend or foe. Only on
the ground, here and there, some movement
still remained.

A dead Celt lay directly across one of the
streets, his helmet on his head and the spear
still in his rigid hand. With horror — she had
never before witnessed death, being only a few
years old when she lost her parents — she cau-
tiously stepped over the broad mailed breast,
holding up her garments that they might not
brush against the corpse. "Three bounds," she
thought, "and I shall reach the gate." She had
already raised her foot for a swift run, when a
groan behind her reached her ear. Involun-
tarily, though shaken by fresh fear, she looked
around. Terrible things exert a strange com-
pulsion which at the same time attracts and
repels. A Roman severely wounded lay a few
steps behind her, his head resting on a tent-
pole, his right arm propped on the ground,
and his left pressed against the gaping wound
in his breast. He must have seen the girl,
for, instead of moaning, he now called, in
Latin« "Water, oh, pray give me some water!"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 389

Bissula shrank in fear ; besides, she dreaded
to turn from the liberty beckoning outside the
gate to go back into the camp. But her woman's
heart conquered the terror, and she glanced
around her to see if she could find means to
quench the sufferer's thirst. Then her eyes fell
on one of the huge tuns which, according to
Roman camp regulations, always stood filled
with water beside each gate. It was so high
that she could scarcely look into it, but she
pulled herself to the top with both hands and
saw that there was plenty of water inside. But
where was she to find a cup? All sorts of
utensils lay scattered around, but neither goblet
nor vessel.

Then a thought flashed through her mind
which at first made her shudder. But she
bravely conquered the girlish fright, went to the
dead Celt, loosed, with trembling fingers, the
iron band which fastened the helmet under his
chin, drew it carefully, tenderly, as if the dead
could feel, from his head, then hastened to the
cask, half filled it, and carried it with both
hands, the long horse -hair of the crest trailing
on the ground. She walked slowly, that she
might not spill too much, to the groaning man.

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who watched her movements with glassy eyes
and opened his mouth eagerly. Kneeling by
his side, she held the helmet sideways to his
bearded lips. He drained it to the last drop,
and with a long sigh of relief, laid his head
back on the pole and said, with an effort :

"Are you a Christian?"

The girl shook back her red locks defiantly :
"Freya and Frigga protect me/'

" No matter," replied the dying man, " Christ,
the Saviour, girl, will reward you for this drink!"

Bissula rose slowly, her glance rested upon
the nearest street of tents to the left and, with
a sharp cry of terror, she dropped the helmet
and ran as swiftly as she could, toward the gate.
For, down that street, brightly illumined by
the blaze of the burning tents, she saw, stealing
toward her, crouching like a beast of prey, with
a dagger in his hand, — Herculanus.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 391

CHAPTER LIV.

pXITHERTO Hcrculanus had remained
concealed from both Romans and Ger-
mans in the tent on the cross street where he
had sought refuge. Now everything around
had become so still that he might have sup-
posed the camp to be deserted, but the cautious
fugitive probably would not have left the tent
yet if the fire, and still more the smoke, of the
consuming leather had not driven him away.
Peering timidly between the folds, he glided
out, and his first glance fell upon the hated girl
to whom he believed he owed his downfall.
With a short, half stifled cry of savage delight
in vengeance, he sprang toward her, the quiver-
ing dagger uplifted, when he saw that he was dis-
covered. But Bissula had a good start ; he was
obliged to pass the fifty paces of the cross street
before reaching the corner tent where she had just
been kneeling, and his aching feet would not
permit him to follow as fast as his hate desired.
Meanwhile Bissula fled like a hunted deer

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392 A CAPTIVE OF

down the central street to the gate; there she
glanced back. Alas, he must have guessed the
direction of her flight, for he also ran toward
the gate and saw her pass out into the open
country. He followed.

At first hate and revenge urged him reck-
lessly on. But now, after obeying these im-
pulses, he said to himself while running :

"Ausonius is dead; I am his heir. And per-
haps the few others who knew of the incident
died, too, in this hour, like Davus ; only the
Barbarian girl lives. Has he, meantime, made
her his heiress ? Hardly ! And even if it were
so, the will has probably burned with the other
things in the camp ; and even if it should be
saved, what harm can it do, if the person named
as heiress also perishes during this night of
universal slaughter ? However that may be, she
shall not — must not live."

He too had reached the gate. The gray
dawn of day was already diffusing sufficient pale
light for him speedily to discover the flying
figure on the opposite side of the ditch ; her
white garments and fluttering red locks betrayed
her when the wind bore the glare from the
burning camp in her direction.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 393

Herculanus leaped into the ditch, but uttered
a cry of pain, and fell : his feet were too lame.
Climbing and dragging himself up with his
hands, with great difficulty and keen suffering
he succeeded in reaching the southern side of
the trench. The fugitive had gained a longer
distance in advance. The Roman perceived
this with furious rage and, battling with the
pain, forcing his reluctant feet to bear him on-
ward, he redoubled his efforts to overtake her.

Bissula was doubtless greatly terrified when,
after passing through the gate into the open
country, she again saw flames rising before, as
well as behind her, and heard the din of the
raging battle. She had learned from Prosper
the arrival of the ships and the camp made by
the lake, so she understood that the conflict
was probably now roaring around the galleys.
Yet she unhesitatingly obeyed the impulse
which led her away from Herculanus straight
down to the lake; there, though she would
once more encounter the horrors of war, she
would surely find her own people.

So she ran directly down the hill, always watch-
ing sharply to see if she could not distinguish
one of the Alemanni on her way. But the men

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whom she met were not Alemanni ; they were
Romans, and lay dead or dying on the earth.
Once she was startled by a horse that dashed
across her path; trembling, she hid herself behind
a clump of bushes ; but the steed bore no rider.
Two, four, six masterless animals followed the
first, but neither Romans nor Alemanni, who
might have threatened or protected her, were
visible far or near : flight and pursuit had long
since swept down to the lake. A furious strug-
gle was still raging below.

She was forced to stop a moment, her heart
was beating so violently. Looking back from
the bushes, she saw a dark figure, now plainly
visible in the light of morning, still swiftly
chasing her ; nay, it seemed as though, behind
the first, a second pursuer had rushed from the
camp or risen from the ground.

Again she ran forward, confidently hoping
to reach her people by the lake before she was
overtaken; for the child of the forest was
skilled in running and had a considerable start.
But, after a few steps, fresh terror seized her:
she again heard, this time directly behind her,
the hoofbeats of a horse. At first she hoped it
was another riderless charger, but it followed

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 395

directly upon her track, and she now heard,
in the language of the foe, all sorts of cries
urging the animal on. A frightful thought
darted through her brain. At any cost, she
must turn to see whether —

Yes, her fears were verified. Herculanus
had caught one of the horses that crossed his
path, thrown himself upon it, and was now
pursuing the girl, who was using the last rem-
nant of her strength to fly. She distinctly
heard the heavy feet splash through the marshy
pools of the meadow land ; heard, alas ! louder
and louder, therefore nearer and nearer, the
fierce shouts of the rider and the trampling of
hoofs winged by his excitement. The space
which separated them grew shorter and shorter
very rapidly. Mortal terror overwhelmed Bis-
sula; she remembered how the cruel Roman
had tried to kill her in the forest hut like an
animal slain for sacrifice.

In this approach of death one name, one only
sprang to her lips. "Adalo!" she shrieked,
"Adalo! Help, save me, save Bissula!"

Vain appeal ! No human being was visible
far or near. No answer came.

There was no fighting on the strip of shore

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toward which she was running, only far out on
the lake blazing Roman galleys were floating,
pursued by the little boats of the Alemanni.

The terrible horse was already very near.
She could hear the snorting of the animal as it
was urged forward with blows of the heels,
shaking of the bridle, and shouts, to more and
more frantic speed. Then — oh, rescue ! — she
saw in the gray light of morning, close to the
shore, hidden among the rushes, two boats of
the Alemanni side by side. Those were cer-
tainly no Roman vessels: there was neither
triangular sail nor lofty prow. Bissula even
fancied that she distinguished on one the six-
teen -branched antlers, Adalo's house -mark.
Yes, yes, there it was ; it was his fishing boat,
and several men were bending to the oars.
She called loudly several times: "Help, Ale-
manni, help for Bissula!"

Oh, joy ! They had heard her voice. The
men were rowing with all their might; both
boats were flying toward the shore to meet her.
And then, more joy : she heard behind her a
loud cry and a dull, heavy fall with a splashing
noise. She could not help looking back.

Yes, the horse, urged beyond its strength by

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 397

the pitiless rider, had fallen ; it lay on its side,
lashing out savagely with its hoofs. But alas !
Bissula had rejoiced too soon. The rider had
sprung up unhurt and was now running toward
her — only a few steps away, brandishing his
dagger. The second pursuer appeared from be-
hind the horse. And the boat was still several
ship's lengths out upon the lake. Without hes-
itation the girl leaped into the water, waded as
long as she could touch the bottom, then with a
strong push from the ground, spread out her
powerful white arms, well practised in the art,
and swam toward the nearest boat.

No girl on the northern shore excelled Bis-
sula in swimming ; but the long flowing folds
of her robe hampered her, winding about her
feet as soon as they were wet and preventing
her from aiding the strokes of her arms with
those of the lower limbs. And, horror ! splashes
behind her announced that her pursuer, or two
of them, had followed her into the lake, for she
thought she twice heard a plunge or a heavy
fall. This fear paralyzed the last remnant of
her strength ; her arms also refused to obey her
will ; she sank with her face low in the water.

Once more she raised herself from it ; then

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she felt her pursuer seize her long robe and
drag her toward the land; but at the same
instant his grasp relaxed ; a shrill death -cry fell
upon her ear, followed by a low, angry growl.
Turning her head, she saw Herculanus sink-
ing in the arms of a huge blackish -brown beast.

"Bruna!" she called again; then her senses
seemed to fail. There was a strange roaring in
her ears ; the water filled her nose, mouth, and
ears, and she sank.

Just at that moment four strong arms seized
her by the shoulders, and the white hands flung
high out of the waves for the last time. With
great, but tender strength she was lifted into the
boat. Then she opened her eyes: Ausonius
and Saturninus stood before her. She shrieked
aloud in the anguish of the keenest disappoint-
ment ; her eyelids closed, her senses failed, and
faintness overwhelmed her.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 399

CHAPTER LV.

rj^VEN the reenforcements of Saturninus's
troops could not have changed the result
of the battle around the ships and the camp
on the lake -shore : the die had fallen long be-
fore, nay, almost at the moment the conflict
began ; for the surprise here had been almost
more complete than in the assault upon the
Idisenhang.

In spite of the chill of the September night,
the brave Commander, Nannienus, had had
his couch prepared on the high quarter-deck,
above the second bank of oars of his bireme ;
a very simple bed, consisting of a woolen blan-
ket spread over the planks, a coil of rope
under his neck and his Breton cloak for a cov-
erlet. In reply to the warning of the colonist
from Arbor, who now relieved the helmsman,
against the nocturnal coolness of the lake, he
had said, smiling :

"Oh, how often I have crossed at night, no
more warmly wrapped, between Britain and

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400 A CAPTIVE OF

Gaul ! Is the German ocean to be shamed by
this fresh water pond? There is no better
sleeping potion than the rocking ship beneath
me and the stars above! Unfortunately, to-
night there is no moon and there are few stars.
Strange, this constant calling of the swans. I
never supposed there could be so many!"

While thinking of the swan notes, he fell
asleep, but they haunted his dreams. He saw
countless white, brown, and black swans com-
ing from both sides of the marshy forest against
his squadron, raising their wings threateningly
as if to strike.

After a long sleep he awoke : gradually, as is
natural after healthy slumber, not all at once,
his thoughts began to clear. Was he still dream-
ing? It seemed as if the calling and singing of
the swans on both sides actually came nearer,
accompanied by a peculiar low whistling, hum-
ming, rippling, with now and then a louder
splash in the water. Still half asleep he asked
the man at the helm : "What is that humming
among the rushes?"

"The swans, my lord, the wild swans," re-
plied the helmsman, the old Roman colonist
from Arbor. He was a retired member of the

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 401

Twenty-second Legion, faithful to the Caesar.
"I know it well! I have often seen them at
sunset going by thousands to the marshy forests
of this lake. They are preparing to migrate."

"No," cried the Breton starting up. "Those
are no water birds, the splashing is too loud."
Lifting the helmet from his head, he gazed out
keenly.

"The night is black as pitch, but look, some-
thing is swimming out from the rushes yonder :
Swans ? No, no ! " He tore his sword from its
sheath. — "Those are boats! To arms! Raise
the anchor ! The foe ! "

At the same moment a bright light flamed
on the Idisenhang, red torches blazed in the
camp on the shore ; a bundle of burning straw
flew over Nannienus's helmet into the half-
reefed sail, remained there caught by the folds,
while tongues of fire, fanned by the north
wind, crept up the sail, the rigging, the mast.
Already dark forms were climbing up the sides
of the galley from all directions, and wild cries
from men, attacked and mortally wounded
while sleeping, rang from all the ships and the
camp on the lake shore.

Nannienus sprang with flashing sword toward
26

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402 A CAPTIVE OF

the first man who boarded the galley. But the
desperate fellow did not seem to care for his
own life. Without heeding or attempting to
parry the blow, which came within a hair's
breadth of his unprotected head, he thrust a
sort of harpoon (that is, a spear eight feet
long with a sharp point and a hook curving
backward, such as the men threw through holes
in the ice on the lake in winter to catch the
largest sheatfish) into the Roman's bronze belt,
jerked him forward with tremendous force and
hurled him overboard.

Nannienus fell into one of the boats of the
Alemanni, at the starboard side of his bireme,
and striking his head against a thwart, lay
stunned for a considerable time. The skiff
was empty, all its occupants had boarded the
galley. When he regained consciousness, he
saw his own ship and most of the other vessels
in flames; while his camp on the shore, and
even that of Saturninus, high up on the Idi-
senhang, were burning. Then he perceived
that all was lost. Everywhere the remnant of
his armada which had escaped the flames was
in full flight, pursued by the Barbarians.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 403

He resolved to make his escape to Arbor,
and hastily unbuckled the Roman armor that
would have betrayed him ; his helmet he had
lost in his fall. Then, seeing a German mantle
lying among the rubbish in the boat, he threw
it on, placed himself at the helm (these boats
were rowed and steered standing), trimmed the
coarse square sail to catch the wind, and was
soon flying, unnoticed by the Germans, who
recognized the boat as one of their own, across
the lake toward Arbor.

Once only, the utmost peril threatened him.
He had overtaken a lofty Roman ship whose
sails were partly burned, but the fire was evi-
dently being extinguished by the crew. He
was on the point of hailing it and ordering the
men to take him on board when, to his horror,
he perceived that the galley was filled with Ale-
manni. As he had taken possession of the Ger-
man boat, they were pursuing on the captured
bireme other Roman ships that were flying to
Arbor.

He hastily rowed the skiff away from the
great vessel, and now perceived that in Arbor,
too, a terrible conflagration was rising toward

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404 A CAPTIVE OF

heaven. It was the funeral pyre of Roman rule
in the fortress on the lake. Nannienus saw it
with terror, turned his boat west southwest, and
tried to gain, instead of the lost Arbor, the dis-
tant but safe harbor citadel of Constantia.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 405

CHAPTER LVI.

T^HE camp on tne lake shore had been taken,
with great loss of life to the Romans.

A camp wall and ditch had been hurriedly
made in the few hours after their arrival, merely
for form's sake, because the good old Roman
custom prescribed it, and Nannienus insisted
upon its observance. But the Commander him-
self closed his eyes to the carelessness of the
work. This camp was to be abandoned at
dawn on the following morning and its men
sent to garrison the one on the Idisenhang and
to march in pursuit of the Barbarians. So the
ditch was dug only a few feet deep, the wall
erected only a few feet high, and other fortifi-
cations were omitted. The Alemanni instantly
poured from all directions into the fortress,
whose inmates were overcome by sleep and
wine.

The old Duke had given them counsel taken
from the songs of a wandering bard, who had
sung in his own hall, to the music of his harp.

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4o6 A CAPTIVE OF

ancient tales of his race. The man was a Bata-
vian and bore the names, an odd medley, Julius
Claudius Civilis Chlodomer. He went from
tribe to tribe as far as they understood his lan-
guage, singing and telling the old songs and
legends. So he related how, three centuries be-
fore, his people, skilled in the use of arms, and
led by his ancestor who, though a German, had
the same Roman names as his distant descend-
ant, fought furiously against the Roman yoke
and won many a victory. Inspired by Veleda, a
maiden prophetess of the Bructeri.

And he sang how once, one moonless, star-
less night, they attacked a Roman ship camp
on the Rhine : the galleys were anchored in the
river ; on the shore were many tents. The Bata-
vians first cut the main ropes, which wound
around the poles stretching the tents ; and the
sleepers, buried, entangled, and held beneath
them, were easily overpowered while thus de-
fenceless :

"Like plump fish captured

In nets by night.

They struggled, shouting

Their tents beneath.'*

The old Duke had firmly impressed upon

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 407

his mind these lines of the Batavians ; they had
seemed to him the best of all, and he now used
what he had learned.

The Romans were wakened first by the tents
falling in upon them, by the glare of flames on
all sides, and then by the Germans' shouts of
victory. They scattered without offering the
least resistance; saw the ships, their nearest ref-
uge, also burning ; tried to climb to the camp
on the height, but beheld fire blazing there also,
and fled, without aim or plan, to the right and
left along the shore of the lake. They were
pursued by few of the victors, who preferred,
first of all, to seize the small Roman vessels
and in these aid their comrades to board the
proud biremes. These vessels would contain
more men, and their higher decks were far bet-
ter suited to climb the sides of the large war
galleys than the low fishing boats of the Ale-
manni. So it happened that many German
boats drifted to the shore empty, their crews
having abandoned them to pursue in the smal-
ler Roman vessels, the Roman galleys, or hav-
ing already boarded them.

When Decius, with the little band of lUy-
rians, whom he had held together around the

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wounded General and Ausonius, reached the
burning camp, even Saturninus, with the
biremes blazing before his eyes, recognized re-
luctantly that here, too, all was lost, and any
continuation of the battle impossible. He con-
sented, hesitatingly, to think only of flight.
Rignomer, who had joined the General at the
lake gate, was the first to discover, as he gazed
watchfully to and fro, several deserted boats
of the Alemanni drifting near them.

Leaping into the water, sometimes wading,
sometimes swimming, he reached the first,
climbed in, found the oars, rowed to the three
skiffs nearest, tied them together with the ropes
tangled near the steering oar, and soon brought
his little fleet so close to the shore that the
wounded Commander could be placed in the
largest one, while the whole band of fugitives
— five or six in each — entered the others.
By his advice they all removed the high Ro-
man helmets, which could be recognized at a
long distance, and the glittering Roman armor.
At his suggestion, too, they separated. Even
Decius willingly followed the counsel of the
Batavian, an expert in sailing, in order not to
attract the enemy's attention so easily: thus

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 409

they hoped to reach Arbor, on the southern
shore, singly and undetected.

When Hariowald and his followers arrived,
they found nothing to do except to take pos-
session of all the Roman and German vessels
which still lay unused near the land, and con-
tinue the pursuit of the war galleys on the lake.
Springing into a Roman transport boat, he
ordered his men to row him to Nannienus's
galley, where the boarders, after overpowering
the crew, had extinguished the flames. A man
standing on the lofty deck flung a rope ladder
into the boat and gave Hariowald his hand
to help him on board. It was now dawn;
the Duke recognized Fiskulf, the fisher-
man.

" What !" cried the old Commander In aston-
ishment. "Did Odin really save you? Then
he is even more powerful and more gracious
than I expected."

"It must be so," replied the man, with a
happy laugh. "I was the first on deck, flung
, the first brand into the main sail, and swung
the Italian lord overboard like a lake salmon
out of an ice-hole. But then I saved the beau-
tiful ship by putting out the flames. I thought :

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4IO A CAPTIVE OF

*It is better to capture than to burn/ Did I
keep my word?"

"You have surpassed it. And are you un-
injured?"

"Not entirely: henceforth I shall have one
ear less. It must be owned that the short
swords of these Italians slice sharply, and they
deal powerful blows. Look, not even the
mother who bore me with two ears would be-
lieve that one ever peered out under my hair
here — he shaved it off so smoothly."

The Duke held out his hand: "You shall
be one of my followers, Fiskulf ! You have
learned to hear and to obey me."

"Yes, my lord, even with one ear ! When I
miss the second, I shall always tell myself why
I lost it."

"And how the Lofty One gave you back the
life forfeited to him: never forget that. But
now we will pursue the Italians across the lake
to Arbor on their own splendid galley. Spread
every sail!"

"Where shall we get them, my lord? They
are all burned."

"Then stretch your mantles for sails. The
north wind will help to fill them ; a fresh west

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 411

northwest breeze will spring up at sunrise. See
how the waves are rippling already. The first
red ray of morning is breaking through yonder
clouds. Quick, men, seize the Roman oars ; the
morning sun must greet us on the southern
shore. Ha, do you behold it over yonder?
Smoke and flames are rising in Arbor. Our
eastern men, the Hermunduri, and our kins-
men, now free, though hitherto under the
foreign yoke, have kept their promise. Up ! On
to Arbor to celebrate the third victory of one
night!"

He seized the helm himself. The proud
galley of the Romans turned her prow away
from the northern shore, and being now rowed
by the conquerors, moved majestically across
the lake. The mantles of the Alemanni, brown,
blue, yellow, and red, filled in the fresh north-
western breeze, and the well-built ship darted
swiftly through the water, which reflected the
clear sky in the increasing brightness of the
morning and shone with a wonderful azure hue.
The waves broke in foam before the bow, toss-
ing their white spray high into the air; little
rosy clouds were floating in the eastern sky and
were mirrored in the lake.

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411 A CAPTIVE OF

With the folds of his dark mantle around
him, his white locks fluttering, his head crowned
with a shining white helmet, Hariowald's tall
figure stood forth in strong relief against the
sky, as he remained at the helm erect and mo-
tionless, his spear flung over his shoulder. So
the ship and her helmsman gradually vanished
beyond the sight of the eyes watching them in-
tently from the northern shore.

Rignomer, peering from behind his sail, also
saw and recognized him. "They can upbraid
me as much as they please," he muttered.
"Where is Brinno, who tried to oppose him?
They can say what they choose. Even though
in human form, it is still he!'*

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 413

CHAPTER LVn.

13 UT the Batavian was suddenly startled from
his mythological studies. He heard from
the east a shout in German : " Romans ! Ro-
mans! On them!" and saw a boat filled with
Alemanni steer toward them.

"Quick! Disperse in every direction!" he
called, and the boats containing the fugitives
scattered. He soon lost sight of two, which
attracted the attention of the pursuers and were
driven by the Germans out upon the lake
toward the south. He himself steered and
rowed at the same time, assisted by several sol-
diers, close in to the shore westward, where by
good fortune he reached a small patch of rushes,
among which he hid the boat ; the second one,
containing Decius^ soon joined him.

From this place Ausonius, who by Satur-
ninus's order was watching the shore to see if
they could rescue any fugitive Romans, per-
ceived by the dim light of morning the figure
of a girl in a gleaming white robe, who was

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414 A CAPTIVE OF

running at her utmost speed straight toward
the boats. He already thought he recognized
Bissula when her cry fell upon his ear : " Adalo,
Alemanni, help Bissula !" He also saw a horse-
man dashing in furious pursuit down the hill.
He ordered the men to row quickly shoreward.
Prosper, even Rignomer, hesitated.

**My lord," the latter warned him, "they
will murder us all !"

" No matter ! Bissula ! It is for Bissula ! "

Then Rignomer instantly obeyed. Hidden
behind his sail he had not seen the young girl,
and could not hear her ; but now he turned the
helm, and sent the boat with the speed of light-
ning toward the shore, at the same time urging
the soldiers to row with all their might. The
rest of the men now recognized the fugitive,
and so the rescuers came just in time to save
her from sinking.

Bissula, whose strength was completely ex-
hausted, lay unconscious in the bottom of the
boat for a long, long time. Rignomer had
rolled into a bundle a fishing net which he
found in the bow and put it under her head for
a pillow. Ausonius, sitting on a thwart, sup-
ported her lovely little head and gazed anx-

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 415

lously down into her face, while the Batavian
rubbed her cold hands.

Meanwhile the two boats left their hiding-
place among the rushes, rowed first directly
southward out upon the lake, and then by mak-
ing a wide circuit to avoid pursuit, intended to
turn toward Arbor. But they did not go far.

"What have you determined, General?"
asked Decius, calling from the second boat as
they rowed side by side.

"To take vengeance," replied Saturninus
savagely; "vengeance for this unprecedented
disgrace. As soon as I reach Arbor, I shall
beseech the Caesar, if ever Saturninus deserved
favor from the Empire, to give me three legions.
The Barbarians shall be repaid this very night."

"Stay," cried Rignomer. "I have long seen
a Roman galley coming toward us."

"Where? Whence?" asked Decius. "It
probably contains Barbarians."

"No, no! It is coming from the southwest.
Look yonder — from Constantia!"

"Yes," exclaimed Decius. "That is the
Emperor's swiftest ship; I recognize it. It
bears the great purple flag, so the Emperor
himself is on board."

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"Or a Magister Militum sent by the Caesar,"
remarked Saturninus.

The two boats remained motionless; the
swift galley swept forward. It must at first
have been supposed that the boats were filled
with Barbarians, but the crew soon discovered
that the men were Romans ; and now the ship
reached them. On her deck, beside a richly
armed oflicer, stood Nannienus. "O my friend,"
cried Saturninus, raising his head, "that we
should meet again thus! And you, Andra-
gathes, what do you bring? I hope help,
reinforcements. We are defeated: army and
ships are lost." He groaned aloud.

"I know it, my Saturninus," replied the
imperial envoy. "Nannienus, whom I took on
board, here on the lake, flying in a Barba- '
nan boat, has told me all that he had himself *
experienced and what he feared for you. Alas !
What is this little defeat ? What are these two or
three thousand men, compared to the terrible
blow which has fallen upon us?"

"What has happened?" asked the Roman
leader, startled.

"A second Cannae, Gratianus says."

"Oh, what a dreadful word is that J"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 417

"The Emperor Valens and his whole army
are defeated, put to rout by the Goths at Adri-
anople. Forty thousand Romans lie dead upon
their shields, thirty thousand are prisoners.
The Emperor Valens while wounded was burned
during his flight, in a peasant's house. All the
Eastern Provinces are overrun by the Goths;
even Constantinople is threatened. Gratianus
has appointed you, Saturninus, commander-in-
chief of the whole trembling, orphaned Eastern
Empire. He commands you to hasten at once
to Vindonissa, to lead his whole army thence
against the Goths on the Danube. You are his
last hope, and the Empire's, 'Saturninus alone
can still save us,' he ordered me to tell you."

"And this Saturninus is a bungler," groaned
the Illyrian, "and a wounded man, too. At-
tacked and disgracefully defeated by Suabian
robbers — beaten in every sense!" He laughed
grimly.

"Ha!" replied Nannienus mournfully, "that
is nothing compared to my fate. An imperial
fleet, under my command, captured and burned
by miserable fishing boats."

"Alas," Saturninus continued, "and now I

cannot even avenge myself and my honor as a

27

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4i8 A CAPTIVE OF

General on these miscreants. But the Empire
— the Emperor's command overrules every-
thing else. I obey. Turn the helm. We will
go to Constantia, thence to Vindonissa. Come
with me at once, Ausonius. Do you not hear?"
"Directly," replied the latter. "She is open-
ing her eyes."

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 419

CHAPTER LVni.

'T^HE imperial galley was preparing to tow
Saturninus's boat. This plan jleemed best
for the wounded General, who could not easily
be lifted upon the lofty deck of the ship.
Engaged in this task, the other Romans did
not notice the young girl, who now sat up.
Her first glance rested on the Prefect. "Au-
sonius!" she said feebly. "Again captured by
you."

"Saved by me — by us Romans," he an-
swered, more sternly than he was accustomed
to speak, especially to her.

Strange changes had taken place in the
character of the variable man. He was not
yet absolutely sure of his own feelings — how
everything ought to end between him and
Bissula.

"True, you did not call my name or appeal
to us for aid. You had another deliverer in
your mind. Yet you were not saved by the
Alemanni, but by us Romans."

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420 A CAPTIVE OF

"From your own nephew, he alone pursued
me ! " she answered vehemently.

"Punishment has overtaken him/' replied
the Prefect, shuddering. " Let these thoughts
pass. I saved you ; I first recognized you and
ordered the boat to turn back, merely to rescue
you. Thus I risked life and liberty, for your
wolfish people are certainly wild beasts and
murderers. So : life for life. There we are
equal. But," he went on gravely, earnestly,
and kindly, yet with a stern, strange tone, as if
testing her, "but we have not yet done with each
other, little maid. You wounded me deeply, very
deeply by your fierce, rude, childish refusal.
Almost as deeply as the poisoning plan of —
the dead man. The terrible events of the past
night first taught me how I love you : I thought
constantly of you, your fate, your safety.
Duty called me, but I sent you my most
faithful "

"To prevent my escape!"

"To protect you, ungrateful girl. When I
fell from the wagon under the missiles of the
Barbarians and thought death would come the
next moment, even then I thought only of you.
I have proved it by the most terrible test ; my

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 421

love for you is genuine, no mere caprice ; it will
end only with my life. And so once more, not
as a reward for your act of rescue (I have repaid
that), not as a favor or a gift — if the word
offended you — once more, for the last time
in life (and consider well, I will never set you
free again) I ask you: will you be my ser-
vant, or my wife? I beseech you — do you
hear ? I, Ausonius, beseech you : become my
wife!"

"Never ! Never ! " cried the girl starting up.

"Insolent!" replied the rejected lover, of-
fended and deeply incensed : "You forget you
are again my captive — again in my power."

A glance from Bissula into the waves of the
lake, here very deep, was her only reply. Au-
sonius continued, without understanding the
meaning of the look, "Now I know the cause
of this defiant, senseless refusal. You deceived
me when you said you had no lover."

"I have no one who loves me," she answered
with the deepest sadness ; tears filled her eyes
as she gazed fixedly into vacancy.

"You lie !" cried Ausonius. "That Adalo 1"
Bissula started. "He must love you madly."

Bissula listened intently, gazing at him in

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422 A CAPTIVE OF

astonishment ; glowing shame and happy terror
filled her heart.

But the Roman went on: "Or would he, a
free Prince of the Alemanni, have solemnly
made the proposal to Saturninus and me : * Let
the maiden go unhurt. Adalo will take her
place as captive/ Do you know what that
means? A slave for life?"

"He — he did that ? For me ? " Passionate
delight flashed from her eyes, her soul.

Ausonius gazed silently into her face. Then
he said : "How he loves you, this offer shows :
how you love him, your radiant eyes betray.
But," he added, slowly and searchingly, "know
this. He will no longer separate us. You can
become mine without breaking faith with him,
for — " he clasped her hand.

"What is it? What has happened to him?
Speak!"

" He is dead." *

"Oh!" shrieked Bissula, and, before Au-
sonius could stop her, she had wrenched her-
self from his hold, sprung on the thwart of the
boat and, clasping her hands above her head
with a gesture of silent anguish, flung herself
forward toward the water.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 423

A strong arm caught her ; it was Rignomer's.

"Stay, hot- hearted child!" he exclaimed
kindly. But the girl struggled furiously in his
grasp, she was resolved to plunge into the deep
lake ; the light boat rocked dangerously.

"Calm yourself," said Ausonius gravely and
sorrowfully. " He lives."

"Oh, how cruelly you have played with me,"
cried the girl. The Batavian now drew her
gently down upon the thwart, and she burst
into a flood of tears; but they were tears of
joy.

^*It was no play, only a test. I see with grief
that you really love the fair- haired boy so
fondly. If he had fallen, you would rather have
followed him to death than lived as my wife in
splendor and happiness? O Bissula, this is
hard!"

"Father! Dear Father! Don't be angry. I
cannot help it. But is it certain ? Does he live ?"

"Yes. You cannot help it ! That is true ; I
see it now. Be comforted. He is alive. I saw
him carried off the field by his followers. Sat-
urninus and he exchanged blows."

"Yes. Be calm, little one," the Tribune in-
terposed good humoredly. "His stroke was

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414 A CAPTIVE OF

really no harder than mine. I am still alive, so
he will doubtless live too."

"Oh, Ausonius!" pleaded Bissula, raising
both hands beseechingly. But he did not let her
finish the sentence. Passing his hand across his
eyes he murmured unheard by the others: "It
is over. This hour has made me an old man."
Then he asked: "Where do you wish to be
put on shore? Opposite to Suomar's forest
hut?"

"Thank you, my warmest thanks ! But not
there, farther to the left from here; yonder
under the willows, where a nobleman's hall
stands on the height."

"His!" exclaimed Ausonius.

"Which you saved for him," added Saturni-
nus. "All very beautiful and noble — almost
touching!" the Tribune continued, trying to
seem unmoved, yet at the same time kindly
stroking the hand of the young girl, in whose
eyes the dancing light of joy mingled with tears
like May rain. "Only I will not permit the
Prefect Praetor of Gaul to return to that shore
full of murderous wolves. No, indeed I will
not. Neither will I risk the life of any Roman
soldier. Who is to take her to the land?"

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 425

"I will go myself alone!" cried the eager girl,

"That some Roman murderous wolf may
follow you again on your way to the hall ; they
are still worse !" cried the voice of some one, in
German. "No, illustrious Tribune," it con-
tinued in Latin, "I will take the child to her
friends."

Rignomer now stepped from behind the sail
which had concealed him. His appearance was
totally transformed : he had removed the Roman
helmet long before ; now he had unbuckled the
coat of mail and thrown around him a brown
Alemannic mantle which he had found in the
boat. Instead of the Roman weapons he carried
over his shoulder a long iron-shod pole, used
for pushing and guiding boats while it could
touch the bottom.

"You?" asked Saturninus. "You too will be
a dead man if they catch you — a warrior in the
Roman service."

"Pardon me; I am one no longer. My time
of service expired at midnight — the last of the
long seven years: what I did since — "

"It was " replied Saturninus.

"Was done voluntarily. I shall not renew my
oath of service. No, no ! I have had enough —

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426 A CAPTIVE OF

>

more than enough of it. The Emperor still
owes my pay for the last month. I will let it
go. I shall return to my mother, on the Issala.
But first I will take this runaway child to her
people."

As he spoke he grasped her hand. "Jump
over, little one. See, the other boat is empty :
they have all climbed up into the galley. Jump
over ! Happily, we are going home !"

"So be it!" said Ausonius, without resent-
ment but gravely: "Farewell, Bissula! We
part never to meet again."

He turned away. Bissula threw herself on
his breast and, amid flowing tears, kissed his
noble brow. His face had never been so hand-
some. " Ausonius, farewell ! * '

She sprang into the second boat, where Rig-
nomer was already standing; then she turned
again toward the other one. This had been
fastened by a rope to the galley and now began
to follow it as, propelled by many oars, it swept
toward the southwest.

"Father Ausonius, I thank you !" she called.
But he did not hear. With his face averted from
his young friend, and his gray head pressed
against the mast, he was weeping bitterly.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 427

The ship, dragging the boat in its wake, flew
swiftly away.

• • » • •

The Batavian wielded the oars sturdily, and
the light boat rapidly approached the shore.

Bissula no longer watched the disappear-
ing Roman galley, but with a throbbing heart
sprang into the bow of the boat, where Adalo's
house -mark, the sixteen -branched antlers, rose
proudly; she could not help stroking it ten-
derly. The next instant she turned, laughing
and clapping her hands joyously, and exclaimed:
"Now, Rignomer, you shall see for once what
rowing means. We are moving far too slowly
forme!"

Lifting two oars from the bottom of the light
boat she put them skilfully into the willow
holders, seized them with both hands and,
standing erect, her face turned toward the shore,
rowed with such strength and skill that Rigno-
mer exclaimed in wonder: "By Freya's eyes,
girl, you might become a boatman on the Issala
any day ! YoU can do this too ? A pity that
you are not going with me to my mother!"
The^boat shot to the land among the marshes.
Bissula reached the ground with a long leap

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428 A CAPTIVE OF

before the Batavian could help her. The
steersman had kept a straight course for the
nobleman's hall : they saw the stately wooden
mansion towering directly above them on the
hill.

"Oh, Donar be thanked," cried the girl joy-
ously. "He has saved his favorite beast, as the
she-bear saved me."

"What? What are you looking at in the
mire?"

"See! Bear tracks; very fresh ones! She
was not drowned ; she ran yonder to the right
along the shore on the old path where Sippilo
and I always went to fish."

"Who is Sippilo?" asked the Batavian. "An-
other Adalo?"

"Oh, nonsense! A child. And just see;
from here the tracks go directly to the hall.
Come! Don't walk! Leap! Spring up the hill !"

"No, little one," said the Batavian gravely.
"You can run; I will not go with you. You
seem to know the way, to know it very well.
There is no human being in sight far or near.
You can reach the hall safe without me. Aha,
there too, a huge stag's antlers tower from the
roof. That is the reason you were so pleased

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 429

with the one on the boat's prow. Farewell, lit-
tle one! I won't go to the meeting — I mean
yours with Adalo and all the rest who belong
to his clan."

"They would thank you for having done so
much for me."

"Never mind the thanks. I did not do it
for them."

"Where are you going?"

"Home. To the north and west. No, have
no fear for me ; I shall make my way through.
Here in my breast, little one, I carry the pay
and the price of the booty won in seven years ;
and on my shoulder is this pole. One can go
far with these two assistants. Farewell ! And,"
— he whispered in her ear — "heed my words:
never defy the man you call your Duke ; for he
IS— her

He patted her hair and her pretty round
head with rough tenderness as he spoke, and
then sprang toward the west along the lake
shore. Once he stopped to look after her — he
wanted to wave another farewell. But Bissula
did not see him. She was running, with glowing
cheeks, up the hill.

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CHAPTER LIX.

TT was now broad daylight. The sun was
shining radiantly on the mountain and the
lake. Light clouds which hitherto had hung
like a veil thrown over a long spear about the
peak of Sentis floated swiftly down into the
valley. During the night a light snow had
fallen upon Sentis and Todi and the other top-
most peaks in the chain, and lay there glitter-
ing like sparkling crystal. It was very peace-
ful. The war — thanks to Bissula-^had not
brought its destruction here. Hoar frost flashed
on every blade of grass.

The child of the forest, so long shut out
from lake, meadow, and field, rejoiced in the
freedom of nature. She inhaled long draughts
of the pure air; nay, in spite of her impatience,
she even turned once and, standing still, gazed
out over the shining azure lake and the peaks
of the mountains radiant in white and gold.

"I do not know how to call you all by name,
ye beloved gods, who have guided everything

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 431

so happily for me, aided me upon land and
water, and are now shining in the sunlight and
the glory of the mountains ! And Adalo lives :
that is the best, the very best of all that ye
have done. Yc gods, I do not know you all,
but I thank every one of you !"

She stretched her arms toward the sun.
Then, that the goddess of the lake and Donar,
the King of the mountains, whose throne was
on Sentis, might not be angry, she saluted the
water and the mountains, with both hands,
raising and lowering them as one waves a greet-
ing to a friend recognized at a distance. Again
she ran impatiently up the hill side. Most
of the singing birds had left the lake long
before; but one little robin which always re-
mained there all winter recognized the friendly
being who often scattered food for it on the
snow, and, greeting her with a light chirping,
flew a few paces in front of her until she
reached the door of the hall

• • • . •

Within the great central room Adalo lay on
the floor upon a pile of soft skins, his head
toward the steps of the master's lofty seat, his
feet toward the entrance. His head rested in

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432 A CAPTIVE OF

the lap of gray -haired Waldrun; his eyes were
closed. At his left lay Zercho, but placed in
the opposite direction, with his head toward the
door and a huge goblet of mead beside him. At
his right stood Sippilo, gazing down anxiously
at his brother's face. Beside the wounded man
was Bruna, the she -bear, growling softly as
she licked his hand. She was the first to move,
raising her head as light footsteps were heard
on the sand outside the door.

The blind woman said, in a low tone that
the wounded man might not hear: "That is
Bissula's tread."

The girl appeared in the doorway. Sippilo
started, Zercho raised his head, but she mo-
tioned to them all to keep silence, and noise-
lessly advancing with bare feet to Adalo's couch,
she laid her little hand on his head.

"Bissula?" asked the Adeling.

She bent over him, her red locks falling on
his pale face.

" Is it you, little one ? No, no ! The fairest
of the Valkyrias has come to bear me upward
— do you see her swan wings? — ^up to Val-
halla's shining heights." Bissula's white robe
was floating around her shoulders.

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THE ROMAN EAGLES 433

The girl cast a glance of agonized terror at
Waldrun.

"Be comforted," said the old dame firmly,
"he will live. And everything will be as I have
said."

"You must stay with us always now," cried
Sippilo, seizing her garments as if to hold her
by force.

Bruna, growling joyfully, had risen and put
one paw on her knee, looking up at her with
intelligent eyes. Bissula gratefully patted the
animal's head and held out her hand to Zercho,
who kissed it humbly. Laughing, yet with
tears in his eyes, he cried: "O little sprite, lit-
tle red sprite ! "

But now the girl bent down again, exclaim-
ing:

" No, Adalo, it is no Valkyria, it is Bissula,
little red Bissula, who is so wicked, so wicked !
Adalo, — hush, don't speak, — I know all. I
know, too, what you wanted to do for me, what
you oflFered. That was wrong in you. Hush,
hush ! It was certainly what you — you only —
are of all the people in the world. Hush, dear-
est — don't move. Yes, yes, I will stay here,

your nurse, your maid -servant, as long as you
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need me. Ah! I beg you so earnestly — I en-
treat you — take me! No, no! Do not move
your arm ! Not yet to your breast ! But I will
do everything all my life — will be as blindly
obedient as you desire : only let me stay with
you — your own ! "

Her little head sank on his breast. The
wounded man raised himself, kissed her flowing
red hair, the red lips, now smiling again, and
the eyes still wet with tears, exclaiming rap-
turously :

"O Bissula — you dear one — you wicked
elf — my beloved bride!"

THE END.

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