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A CAPTIVE OF THE 
 ROMAN EAGLES 
 
v-^rjt-^SM 
 
A Captive of the ^^^ 
 Roman Eagles ^'/!l^tf/l 
 
 By Felix Dahn 
 
 Translated from the German by 
 
 Mary Jt^FFORD 
 
 TRANSLATOR OF 
 
 "Aspasia," "Cleopatra," etc. 
 
 Chicago 
 
 A. C. McClurg & Co. 
 
 190Z 
 
 T 
 
 ■'</.• 
 

 
 1.0% 
 
 COPYRIGHT 
 A. C. McCLURG & CO. 
 
 1902 
 Published Sept. 13, 190* 
 
 'l7| 
 
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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. 
 
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, D. C, June 10, ig02. 
 
A CAPTIVE OF THE 
 ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 BOOK ONE 
 
 THE FREE WOMAN 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Vy'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 Allgau 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" 
 
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 
 
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 refuge 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- 
 
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 a 
 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 
 
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. 
 
6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 suddenly turning eastward, skirt 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 
 
 *The German name for Lake Constance . 
 
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 eagle 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 ravaged 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. 
 
A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 npHE 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 sufKcient 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 foi 
 
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. 
 
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- 
 sage 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 
 
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. 
 
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 
 
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 watchful expression. 
 
 "If I have ever known and fought with 
 Germans," he said with a strong Illyrian 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 hot the Barbarians 
 occupied this fortress erected by the gods of 
 their native land, all courage to offer resistance 
 must have deserted them." 
 
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 lUyrian 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- 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 15 
 
 nans 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 
 giving the signal: 'All 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 ! 
 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 
 
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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 17 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 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 
 
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 
 
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 afforded 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 
 
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 
 
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 
 
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 : 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. 
 
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 over 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 joa." 
 
 "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, 
 
24 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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- 
 
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." 
 
0.6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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 tlie 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 Hfe there in the woodland huts and 
 tents built of green branches will be more com- 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 27 
 
 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 skiff, she pushed off: If she passed beyond 
 
28 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 the rushes into the open water she was lost. 1 
 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 
 
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 ybuth laughing. "How 
 runs another verse ? 
 
 " • Dost vex little Red Hair i 
 I bid thee beware ! 
 The fair 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 at 
 a considerable distance. 
 
30 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A DALO'S glance followed the little creature's 
 bound, which really resembled flying. 
 
 But meanwhile, from amid the denso^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 
 
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 
 
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 
 dq,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 
 
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, giggling with spiteful mirth, told me your 
 last jibe against me, I climbed the hay-ladder 
 to the ridge-pole of our house and 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 
 
34 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 25 
 
 "Forgive her, Adalo! She is but a child." 
 
 "No, grandmother, 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 bites Bissula ! But back 
 Repentant she ran, in fear of the Romans ; 
 To Adalo, the Adeling! ' 
 
 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 
 
36 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 37 
 
 the autumn, the girls talked about you, I said 
 little; I only listened. It was rumored 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, 
 Jettaberga. 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." 
 
38 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " 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 I'll run off to the swamps alone. 
 Forgive 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- 
 
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 foolish defiance ! He speaks only 
 from 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 
 b;-ide!" 
 
40 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 
 'TPHE 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 
 
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. You 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 
 
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 affection." 
 
 " 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 43, 
 
 and anger, — "perhaps the foe will not injure 
 you." 
 
 "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- 
 
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: 
 
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. 
 
46 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 "p\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 
 
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 officers 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 officials 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 
 
48 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 choice 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 now went out, but the cup- 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 49 
 
 bearer still lingered to wipe again and again the 
 inside of a magnificent silver goblet, which, 
 supported by three gracefiil 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 fatigues 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 
 
so 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 I'll 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 5» 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 T^IRECTLY after, Ausonius and Saturninus 
 entered the Praefectorian tent from the 
 Via Principalis, while 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 
 his 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 
 
52 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 fragments 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 face : 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 — and especially 
 
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, — 
 far 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 Prosper: take for yourself — and 
 give to the others — the better wine from Rho- 
 danus; you know it. I saw how hard it was 
 to drag the skins up 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, 
 
S4 ACAPTIVEOF 
 
 SaturninuSj 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 Trlbunej 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 1 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 old gods?" 
 
 "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, — r"you 
 are speaking of the greatest Roman writer!" 
 
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 Il- 
 ly rian, 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." 
 
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 
 if I did that." 
 
 "As a reward I'll 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, "I 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 57 
 
 " Barbarian ! " exclaimed the poet. 
 " But in my dreams I saw before me the most 
 delicious fish; the salm — " 
 
 " ' Thee, too, I praise, O salmon, with thy roseate flesh ! " ' 
 
 Ausonius quoted. 
 "The trout." 
 
 " 'Then the trout, its back besprinkled with tiny crimson 
 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 laughed and drained his goblet. 
 
58 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 (tT AM generous," replied Ausonius. "It 
 pleases me to discover in this way a 
 favorite dish of my usually Spartan friend. I 
 will 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 
 
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!" 
 
6o A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 uncle 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. 
 
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 graybeard on this 
 side of the Alps ! " he added. 
 
 "Yes, that is it," said Ausonius bitterly. 
 "Herculanus 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 their daughters, nay, how these girls 
 themselves, almost before they have laid aside 
 their dolls, instantly look out for 'a good 
 catch'! 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 — " 
 
 The Tribune was about to answer, but only 
 laughed and drank his wine. 
 
6i 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 Illyrian 
 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 I 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 thought of the dead Euronius's 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 63 
 
 colic, and escaped unwedded. I don't imagine 
 in all 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 fra;ik. 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. 
 
64 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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 'Mosella'; but the verses 
 about the fish are to be cut out by way of 
 punishment." 
 
 He quaffed his wine, pleased with his own 
 jest. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 65 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 4t'V7"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." 
 S 
 
66 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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 week 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 67 
 
 the lakes and springs here in the country, — 
 but she gave them different 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 
 
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 
 
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 from a warm, 
 bright, beautiful world, into which, as it were, I 
 peeped, standing on tiptoe, over a curtain.' 
 
7o A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " 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 I 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 71 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 tcTJUT 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 can 
 no longer be had. In former wars they were 
 
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 1 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 
 
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. 
 
74 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 will 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 
 
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?" 
 
 "Attains." 
 
 " Adalo 1 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." 
 
76 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 full of 
 fury 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 thoughtfully, "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 
 
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 
 Illyrian 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 Illyrian, "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 
 
78 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 79 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 4C OH, 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 hke the second step 
 your pupil took last year in Rome." 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 "He removed from the council-hall of the 
 Senate the altar of the goddess of victory, 
 where sacrifices were offered before the open- 
 ing of debates." 
 
 " Cohstatitine 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." 
 
8o A Captive of* 
 
 "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?" 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 8i 
 
 "You forget. I 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 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. 
 
82 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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. 
 
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 itself. I have long sought the clue to the 
 
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 I'll sacrifice in return for 
 them all the Latin poets, dead and livings 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! 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 
 
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." 
 
86 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A T 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 
 
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 
 stones 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 
 brpad- 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. 
 
88 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 sufRxsed 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 fruit-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!" 
 
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 illuster, the Tribune sends word. 
 And we are to ask you — 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?" 
 
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. I'll 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 the left across the tilled land and mead- 
 ows surrounding the dwelling to the entrance 
 of the neighboring wood, where the helmets and 
 
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- 
 
9i A CAPTIVE 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 staff, 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!" 
 
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. 
 
94 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 'T'HE 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- 
 
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 
 
S6 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 
 moment 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 
 struggling figures were now standing. "Mur- 
 derer!" cried a deep voice; and Herculanus, 
 receiving a severe blow on the breast, staggered 
 
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 grasp of a much stronger 
 hand, and looked up 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 no reply, but she looked 
 up trustfully into the Illyrian'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 
 
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 reproachful 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- 
 
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, carefully 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 Illyrian'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." 
 
BOOK TWO 
 
 THE SLAVE 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 TOURING those days the vicinity of the 
 Holy Mountain, where a large number 
 of fugitives had taken 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 bafHed 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 
 lake. 
 
 lOI 
 
102 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 rivulet 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- 
 
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. 
 
I04 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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, and the blows of the ram seemed 
 equally ineffectual. 
 
 Each 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 stories 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 enemy. 
 The fugitives rested at night in huts built of 
 thick green foliage, often with the skin of some 
 
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, especially 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. 
 
io6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 high cheek bones and snub nose denoted that 
 he was not of German lineage. Suomar had 
 bought him many years before in Vindo- 
 nissa; cheap enough, for Valentinian — 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. Mirthfulness 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 107 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 tt npELL 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 
 
io8 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 1 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 
 
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. 
 
no A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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?" 
 
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." 
 
112 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "Ausonius will protect her from the 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, 
 even 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 for Zercho'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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 113 
 
 faithful 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 Sarmatlan. 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 
 
 hex," he added bitterly. " But the army Is under 
 8 
 
114 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 the sole command of my cousin Hariowald, the 
 Duke. I cannot — " 
 
 Here a low growl interrupted him : he turned 
 and saw a singular spectacle. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 115 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 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 
 
ii6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 1 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 117 
 
 again, never hear her sweet, elfish, mocking 
 laugh." 
 
 "Oh, the smoke! How it stings!" cried 
 the lad, wiping the tears from his eyes. 
 
 "Perhaps she went with the Italians will- 
 ingly," said Adalo, torturing himself savagely — 
 "with the clever Ausonius !" 
 
 "Is he here again?" cried Sippilo, "I'll 
 run him through like a fat carp that is sunning 
 itself in shallow water. Oh, I used to wish 
 he might fall under the curse of Odin and the 
 sun. Whenever I went to get frogs for fishing 
 or to play ball, she had always rowed over 
 to him or would not leave the long rolls of 
 runes over which she racked her brains. He 
 had given them to her. If only I could catch 
 him!" 
 
 "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 liberate the naughty 
 child. I am no prophetess, but I have had 
 strange dreams since I grew blind — which often 
 come to pass: I saw you to-night wounded, 
 
ii8 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 beautiful 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 
 
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. 
 
I20 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 fur-covered high seat, with his back 
 resting against the main column of the tent, sat 
 
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, clad 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 his sixty-five winters could not be called old, 
 an air of mysterious majesty. 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 
 open, the flash that blazed from it was fairly 
 
122 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 blinding. The expression of the mouth was 
 concealed by the magnificent silvery -white 
 beard, 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 against 
 the tent-pole, 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- 
 
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. 
 
124 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 unheard by the others, murmured, "Mighty- 
 Odin, do not avenge the words." But Ebar- 
 bold 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 huge 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 125 
 
 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 Caesar is a god on earth." 
 
 "Do not hear it. Mighty One!" 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; "from 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." 
 
126 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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. 'All 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 
 
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 youth, 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 
 loijg 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- 
 
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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 129 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 "CpBARBOLD 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 
 
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 again, 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 said : " Even if we should conquer 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES i.-^t 
 
 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." 
 
132 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "We will rebuild them," cried Adalo, 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 Caesar's battles. We 
 have more than we can feed. In return they 
 will give us red gold." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 133 
 
 "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 ! " 
 
 "What! 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 
 
134 ACAPTIVE 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 135 
 
 reprovingly. "I do not. Not yet," he cor- 
 rected himself. 
 
 " Lead us to the attack on the Roman camp ! 
 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 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." 
 
136 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "Thanks! Thanks!" 
 
 "I," cried Ebarbold wrathfuUy, "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 battle 
 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 137 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 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 I. 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 favorite." 
 
 "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 countless throngs of Goths 
 
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 
 
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." 
 
HO 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 to 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 
 
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 
 
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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 143 
 
 the handle of his spear : "Are you a dog, that 
 you want to Hck 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- 
 
i44 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 had a 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." 
 
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 
 
146 ACAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 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 
 raised 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 
 
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 
 first 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 Illyrian, 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 
 
148 ACAPTIVEOF 
 
 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 error. 
 
 On returning to the ca:mp 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 
 
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 powerful 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. 
 
I50 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 Illyrian 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 
 
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 poems, 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. 
 
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 
 
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 with charms which the greatest 
 
 of artists 
 Vainly to picture would strive. Doubtless to fiill 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 
 
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- 
 
THE ROMAN 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 1 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 oiE- 
 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 of whose possession hitherto we can 
 boast; but there we "victors" met with small 
 success, as you may guess. 
 
156 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "Where are your heroes hiding?" I asked 
 once laughingj 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 157 
 
 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 I 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 1 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 averse of Alcasus, 
 but he knows how to arrange a camp accord- 
 ing to the demands and advantages of the loca- 
 
158 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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- 
 gage, and camp followers. 
 
 ni. BEFORE THE KALENDS OF SEPTEMBER. 
 
 And why should you not see it ? For what 
 purpose has Athene or 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 
 
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 
 
i6o A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 suspiciously, almost jealously, as sharply as a 
 father— r- 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 oiFer 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 
 *hink 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES i6i 
 
 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 itj 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 scoff? Aha, are these lines so 
 barbaric ? 
 
 "Incarnate joy! Caressing bliss! O thou embodiment of 
 sportive grace! 
 How the Barbarian maid the fair ones of Latium 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 
 
i62 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 
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 difl5culty, — 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 the ground by my side, though she looked 
 graver than usual. 
 
 "What do you want?" I asked. 
 
i64 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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. 
 
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 
 child; 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 : 
 
i66 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "Bissula, fair maid born and reared in, the cold land beyond 
 the Rhine, 
 
 Bissula, who bloomed ^o 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 bereft, ne'er hast thou suffered a mis- 
 tress: 
 
 When thou a captive wast made, a mistress thou didst 
 become. 
 
 Though thou by Roman favor, O German, wast thus 
 transformed. 
 
 Still hast thou thine eyes' deep azure, still 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. 
 
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 
 the 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 face. 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- 
 culanus 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 Capitol : the leaders will be stran- 
 
i68 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 : Disgrace 
 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 : 
 
 "Woe to the Latins ! 
 Vengeance on Romans ! 
 Break down their castles. 
 Shatter their strongholds. 
 
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 from the young 
 Roman checked his thoughtless speech. 
 
 "You must appease her. Now leave me ; I 
 
I70 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 ? " 
 
 "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 Illyrians. 
 
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 
 against 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! About the poison — in the two 
 little vials — we'll say more later; you know 
 where and when. First we'll wait to see 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 praetorium — 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 
 
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! 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?" 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 173 
 
 Bissula remained silent a short time. Her 
 face was deeply flushed. 
 
 "Where? To the place where you ialways 
 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 suffering 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 off^ended 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- 
 
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 tranip 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 usedi 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 from the lake 
 — from — from my people ? No, no, no ! " 
 
 "Yes, yes, yes ! This is not tyrannical nor 
 cruel, as you think now." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 175 
 
 "Who will compel me to go away?" 
 
 "I. We compel children whom we are edu- 
 cating to do what we desire, for their own good. 
 You do not understand 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. 
 
 Saturninus stepped between them. With a 
 firm hand he held Bissula, who had turned, 
 reeled as though giddy, and tried again to scale 
 the wall. "Do not forget that, Ausonius." 
 
 Angered 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 as 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- 
 
17^ A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 picjon, 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 177 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 "pVER 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 
 Sentis 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 
 
lyS 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 the northern gate of 
 the camp, the Porta Praetoria, 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 nation." 
 
 "Ha, Rignomer," laughed another in the 
 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 are conquering; that is, the peoples who 
 are fighting against Rome, not we German 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 179 
 
 mercenaries, who battle for the Csesar. 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 East. 
 So our forefathers teach us ; so the harpers 
 sing. And everywhere, on the Rhine and the 
 
i8o A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES i8i 
 
 "What?" asked Brinno, half incredulously, 
 half timidly: "//<f— 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! 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 
 
i82 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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's 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 different dialects 
 around the watchfire. With great exertion it 
 had now been rekindled, for it was growing 
 very dark. Suddenly, from the forest path by 
 which the envoys had come, a strange growl- 
 ing was heard which drew nearer and nearer. 
 The whole group, including the two Alemanni, 
 started up in surprise. 
 
 "A bear?" 
 
 "So 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. " Look, comrades ! A 
 
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 
 
i84 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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. , «,,: 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 185 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 ' I ^ O 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, gating 
 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. 
 
i86 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 Nothing was to be seen except arms and papy- 
 rus rolls. 
 
 "You understand the language of Rome, 
 since you have coftie 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- 
 nus. 
 
 But Saturninus wrathfuUy motioned to him 
 to keep silence, and then asked very quietly: 
 "Are we surrounded ?" 
 
 "Nbt 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 187 
 
 do not fear battle, 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 the Alemanni 
 wishes to end forever by 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 Saturni- 
 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 armistice, 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 
 
188 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 ofiicials. In defiance of the treaty they 
 build citadels on our free land, and the supplies 
 which, 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- 
 
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. 
 
I90 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 powerful 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 191 
 
 CHAPTER XXVni. 
 
 ' I 'HE words uttered by Adalo, evidently from 
 sincere belief, and with warm feeling, pro- 
 duced a deep impression. Herculanus shrugged 
 his shoulders scornfully. Saturnlnus, 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. 
 
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 
 
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 
 lea.ders, with loud shouts. 
 
 "Before I go," said the youth, — he struggled 
 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- 
 fuUy. " Neither her kinsman nor her betrothed 
 lover. I am commissioned — I have already 
 said so — to ransom her. Name the price." 
 
 Ausonius was about to utter a refusal, but 
 Saturninus hastily anticipated him. 
 '3 
 
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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 195 
 
 But Saturninus, 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- 
 
196 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 fury in the brief words, 
 did not fail 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 
 Saturninus 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!' Seize him — and the war 
 is over ! 
 
 Before Ausonius could answer, Saturninus, 
 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 
 
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 lips of the kind-hearted noble: "I have 
 long been displeased with you, nephew Her- 
 culanus. 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. 
 
198 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 TyjEANWHILE the Batavians, Adalo's two 
 companions, and the bear-leader had lain 
 chattering peaceably together around the camp- 
 fire. 
 
 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. 
 
 So the Roman bronze vessel, filled 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 199 
 
 not been expected — would have been reluctant 
 to do without liquor during the long hours 
 consumed on the journey there, the waiting, 
 and the return. 
 
 The Sarmatian, 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 
 
200 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES aoi 
 
 He whispered in the ear of the animal which, 
 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 laid 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." 
 
ao2 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 He spoke as if the battle 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? I'm going home soon. Hark ye, fel- 
 low, the clever fortune-teller pleases me. Will 
 you sell her?" 
 
 The Sarmatian looked thoughtful. The ques- 
 tion was 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 I'd 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." 
 
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 £0 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. I'll 
 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. 
 
204 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "That won't do! You jugglers and animal 
 tamers are regarded as professional spies." 
 
 "The 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 Brinno. "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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 205 
 
 Steps echoed from the camp : Adalo was be- 
 ing escorted back. 
 
 "Zizais, where are you? We must go!" 
 called the Sarmatian, turning toward the bushes 
 to search for the boy, 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 
 
2o6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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: I'll soon come for you." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 207 
 
 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 General's return a Batavian 
 came to his tent, and asked to see him alone. 
 
 "What do you desire, brave Rignomer?" 
 
2o8 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "To report myself for punishment. I drank 
 too much wine." 
 
 "When?" 
 
 "Last night." 
 
 " How ? While on guard outside the camp ? " 
 
 "No, after I was 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," — he spoke hesitatingly, — "it is 
 about the Idise." 
 
 "Who is that?" 
 
 "Why, the red-haired wood nymph." 
 
 "What of her?" asked the Illyrian eagerly, 
 now keenly intent. 
 
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 
 14 
 
2IO A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 ! 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 full 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 furious 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 211 
 
 "This is certainly — but stay ! Do you speak 
 first, Rignomer. What do you think it is?" 
 
 "A fragment from 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 
 
212 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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. I'll 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 Prsetorium 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 21,3 
 
 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 Herculanusl" 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 Rignom.er, 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." 
 
214 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "But my lord, you saw the horsemen only 
 from the front." 
 
 "Yet I know it. Be watchful. Guard the 
 little one." 
 
 
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. 
 
 "Wait! 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. 
 
2i6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " 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 first 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 217 
 
 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 wrathfully. 
 "How you look!" 
 
 " Like an elf of darkness ; but the soot rubs 
 off easily. See!" 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 well! 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 
 
2i8 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 wall on the opposite side. I dared not risk 
 going to the top, some one would have seen 
 me there. I'm 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, close 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 219 
 
 could imitate it the more closely; 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, looked 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 flashed over Adalo's 
 handsome face. "She does not love him; she 
 wants to return!" his 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 me!"' 
 
 Adalo groaned and clutched the nearest tent 
 pole to support himself: his brain was reeling. 
 
 "Go 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. 
 
220 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 slave? Why do you follow at my heels? 
 Leave me ! ' 
 
 "'By command of my lord the Tribune.' 
 
 " ' I ndeed ? ' 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES lii 
 
 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." 
 
222 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 T' 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 'HE 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 
 
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 page I hold victory. Go now, 
 Zercho : your reward shall be paid. As I prom- 
 ised, I will buy your freedom, 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 ! 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. 
 
124 A CAPTIVE OF, 
 
 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 with 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 
 
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 
 IS 
 
226 ACAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 two 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 227 
 
 Zercho's death hour 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 
 wm. 
 
228 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 Sippilo rushed to the old Commander-in- 
 chief and clasped both his hands : "You di- 
 viner and fulfiller 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 
 spring 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 vehetjiently, "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' was her 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." 
 
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." 
 
230 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 231 
 
 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 
 
232 ACAPTIVE 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 eifort," he said to him- 
 self. "Nothing is left now except death — 
 death in battle, not to save her, alas ! only her 
 corpse : for if shame be inflicted on her, she 
 will not survive it." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 233 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 T? 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 Geerebuhl, 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 
 
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 far 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 
 
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 
 staffs in their hands, and wearing smaller horns 
 hung by leather thongs over their shoulders, 
 hurried down from the summit in every direc- 
 
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, fully 
 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 
 fe, 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 
 
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. 
 
238 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 : 
 
 "I, the 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 239 
 
 Cattle and chattels. 
 
 Money and lands. 
 
 Peace and liberty. 
 
 Body and life ? 
 
 Point out, ye men of knowledge. 
 
 The law 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." 
 
Ho 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. First 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 : 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 241 
 
 "The assembly knows Adalo, the Adeling, 
 as a free man of unblemished reputation: his 
 estate is In the Linzgau : it would cover any 
 charge 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 
 16 
 
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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 243 
 
 I 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? 
 
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 aad 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 245 
 
 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 top. 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 
 
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. "All J 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 1 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." 
 
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. 
 
248 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 "A JOYFUL duty now awaits you," the 
 Duke began again: "a boy of noble 
 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 face which could 
 look so wrathful and threatening. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 249 
 
 "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 the 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 chajr. Hariowald 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 breast. 
 Dearer than thine own body and life. 
 
250 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 The noble Alemanni 
 
 Land and nadon. 
 
 Shield runes, and nines 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, foil lightly. 
 From thy faithfol hand 
 When, white -bearded, thou dost win 
 On thy shield the battle death 
 'Mid blissfol victory — 
 Then, from thy faithfol 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 251 
 
 Lastly, 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 faithless 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." 
 
2^2 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 The boy 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 Adding, 
 by his wish, will speak and act for him. Bring 
 the bondman." 
 
 Then Zercho, who had been waiting outside 
 the body of freemen, 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, saying : " 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 breed, twenty 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 253 
 
 sheep, a bronze armlet seven times 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 you. 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- 
 
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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 255 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 A FROWN darkened the Duke's brow. 
 "Now for the last judgment of the as- 
 sembly 1 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 I 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 
 
256 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 I 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; 
 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 men 
 in our district ; and when we refused, he tried 
 to command us by virtue of his authority as 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 257 
 
 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 
 furiously ; 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 1 Whoever wields them again in the place 
 of the assembly, the place of the army, shall be 
 punished 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 confusion. 
 
 "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 
 17 
 
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- 
 
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," rephed 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 !" 
 
26o A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " 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 this 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 
 far 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 261 
 
 bristles is easily angered ! And remember, too, 
 with gratitude this man's father." 
 
 "A brave hero !" 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 many 
 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 looking 
 down from Valhalla upon us ; his heart is throb- 
 bing anxiously at this impending sentence of 
 disgrace. Alemanni, do not let him behold his 
 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 
 
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 undeserved. 
 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. 
 
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 ! 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." 
 
264 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 been found for the 
 proud King. 
 
 -The Duke gazed down at the surging throng 
 with satisfaction. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 265 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 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 has done his work: now listen 
 to your Duke, army of the Alemanni !" 
 
 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 different tone, ringing out with 
 mighty resonance over the people : 
 
 " Many of you, I know, — and not the worst 
 spearmen, — 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 
 
266 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 
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 
 are 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 
 
268 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 huge horns of the aurochs and the bison 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 hairimer between two zig- 
 zag red lightnings forged 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 the 
 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 moderns 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 long 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 269 
 
 carried under the labarum or standard of the 
 cross, for they had abjured the pagan eagles. 
 
 When the representatives of the districts and 
 families had received their beloved and honored 
 emblems and returned to the ranks, the Duke 
 went on : 
 
 "Hail to you, ancient symbols of conflict 
 and witnesses of victory ! Hail and greeting, 
 ye emblems consecrated to the gods ! In your 
 presence, looking into the future, seized by the 
 power of the gods invisibly hovering around 
 you, I will venture to utter a prophecy : 
 
 " Comrades in arms, Alemanni ! do not 
 doubt this time that victory will be ours. You 
 know that it is not the custom of old Hario- 
 wald to boast before acting: but this time I 
 predict to you certain, complete, glorious, joy- 
 ous victory. 
 
 "All our gods will unite to aid us to-mor- 
 row. Not least of 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 
 her mysterious bosom, on which the insolent 
 aliens have trodden with iron feet: she will 
 pour forth the avengers, the sons of her coun- 
 
270 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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! 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES ayi 
 
 "Remember, men, how from generation to 
 generation these Romans have sinned against 
 our people; how again and again they have 
 broken faith and treaty; how they will not 
 even grant us the poor land we ha:ve Wrested 
 from the marsh and the primeval forest ; how, 
 in violation of treaties, they have pushed their 
 fortresses farther and farther 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 their blood, often far beyond the salt sea ! 
 
 "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 
 
272 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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. 
 
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." 
 
274 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "Bissula! The little 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 sorrowful 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 stag 
 standard and gave it to Sippilo, who bore it 
 proudly down the Holy Mountain. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 275 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 (( CTAY," 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 
 victory 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." 
 
276 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " 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 caninot be made until 
 after the foe, alarmed by the assault on the 
 northern wall, stands ready in full 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 
 
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." 
 
278 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "Yes, that's just it. They must be driven 
 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 especially the Ba- 
 tavians, are their very best troops. Alas, if it 
 happen to be the turn of the Batavians. They 
 are 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 work enough at the 
 southern gate, the lake gate. When we have 
 stormed the camp, the whole flood of those who 
 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: 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 279 
 
 Saturninus, 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 leaders they had in their better 
 days, the days of which my grandfather and 
 father told me with horror, when it was almost 
 impossible for the most heroic courage to defeat 
 a Roman army. Who knows whether Ebar- 
 bold will strike him 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 after 
 the King's fall, before you (I shall make every 
 effort to do it), do you, son of Adalger, provide 
 
28o A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 that Saturninus 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 1 The boats, almost three hundred, in the 
 
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." 
 
282 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 tc'VT'OU 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 northern 
 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 against 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; 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 283 
 
 they did not refuse reinforcements to the league, 
 as people here suppose because they did not see 
 the men of the eastern provinces. Besides," — 
 he smiled craftily, — "most of the eastern dis- 
 tricts have kings. It was not necessary to have 
 all these kings here, when Ebarbold's fate was 
 to be decided. Meanwhile, they will help where 
 I sent them : on the southern shore. But not 
 they alone. 
 
 "We wished to free the brothers of our 
 race still enslaved by Rome. For a long time 
 the Alemanni and the other colonists — more 
 slaves than free 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 
 Constantia. They had long been ready to fight, 
 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 
 
284 ACAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 far, far 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- 
 
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 far, 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 diff^erent for 
 our people. Ebarbold has no descendants: 
 after his death I will propose that they shall 
 not elect another king. 
 
286 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "That will be well ; for the time is close at 
 hand, though, it is true, not yet fully here, 
 when one king, a single one, 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 Ebergau 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, Adalo, 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, 
 
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 
 difficult 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 
 
288 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 victory, in the Roman camp. If you want her, 
 h(e^^v 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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 289 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 "VTEANWH 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, 
 
 19 
 
29° A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 fully 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 ! 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 
 
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 aflFectionately 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 
 
292 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 
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 aiFord 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 sa,crificial stones of the altar, spread- 
 ing out its mighty branches, and from above 
 
294 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 her 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, 
 
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 Bissulain Burdigala!" But as 
 shespokeshealmostweptfromrage,hate,andfear. 
 
296 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 
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 
 
298 ACAPTIVEOF 
 
 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 qodicil. 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 orotection of the fiends of 
 hell." 
 
 "How so?" 
 
 "Why, one night lately — a deadly terror has 
 seized me ever since when I see the brown 
 beasts — 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 ! " 
 
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 
 
 "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." 
 
300 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " And I go to the right." 
 
 The voices died away, and the footsteps 
 echoed from 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 ! 
 
 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 from this extreme north- 
 western corner of the camp to the Prstorium 
 in the south. Turning, she ran as swiftly as 
 she could, but had only reached the corner 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 !" 
 
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- 
 
302 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 1 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 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 
 
304 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 slave -overseer, all the way from Vindonissa?" 
 
 "Three fine ones, patronus. If you take 
 bad slaves with you, I must take good blocks." 
 
 Saturninus 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 Csecubian 
 
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 Illyrian'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 1 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. 
 
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 master. 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 Illyrian 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 
 beautiful gift. But to-day Gratianus may wait; 
 
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. 
 
30.8 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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!" 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 BissuU, 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 309 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 CATURNINUS, 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 charge 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 
 
3IO A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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? 
 
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 Idrd, 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 
 
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 
 
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 ! I know them well. I gave them 
 myself, both vials, to my dear sister, his mother; 
 Alas, my own sister's son I To murder me ! 
 For miserable money 1 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. 
 
314 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " 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 
 wrathfully, "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 full man- 
 tle open — "she tore out a piece here as he fled." 
 
 ""This 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- 
 
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. 
 
3i6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 npHE 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 
 
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, 
 
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 her — 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." 
 
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 1 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. 
 
320 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 — no one knows it yet, not even you, my Satur- 
 nlnus, — 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 
 
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 fur. 
 
 The faithful, 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 
 
BOOK THREE 
 
 THE FREEDWOMAN 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 AUSONIUS 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 
 
324 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 freedmen or slaves from some hiding-place into 
 
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 gentle 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. 
 
326 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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- 
 raged 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 shrugged 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 — " 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 327 
 
 "But my nephew must not die." 
 
 "It would be the best thing that could hap- 
 pen," growled the Illyrian, "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?" 
 
328 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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 
 
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- 
 ise. 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 magistrates in Arbor, he had toiled 
 
330 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 Brigantinian 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 little Barbarian boats, if 
 they had the temerity -to attack them. And to 
 each of these large ships he had assigned two 
 
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 accomphshed in Arbor ; 
 the threatening outcries against the Barbarians, 
 
33^ A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 who must now be thoroughly extirpated — the 
 whole presented a scene full of splendor, life, 
 movement, and warlike uproar. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 333 
 
 CHAPTER XLVI. 
 
 'T'HE largest galley, an old war ship which 
 still bore the figure of Amphltrite 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 
 Illyrian, who received him with outstretched 
 arms. 
 
 "At last, my friend, 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." 
 
334 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 " Has no news come from the Emperor Va- 
 lens yet?" asked Saturninus anxiously. 
 
 "Yes, very late news." 
 
 "How do matters stand between 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 mountain 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- 
 
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 
 
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 Illyrian guards were 
 rigidly trained : two gigantic 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 against 
 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 
 
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 
 
33^ 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 339 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII. 
 
 CO the hours of the day had passed. The sun 
 had sunk majestically into the lake; dark- 
 ness had gathei'ed 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, Saturninus, I will 
 
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 board 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," 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 341 
 
 " 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 heard 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 
 
342 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 and two more of his countrymen, had been 
 stationed as an outpost. 
 
 "Do you hear the dogs?" asked Rignomer. 
 
 "I'm 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 ! 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 
 
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. 
 
344 ACAPTIVE 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. 
 
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 hel" 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 fugitives 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- 
 
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 ba,ttle 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 347 
 
 CHAPTER XLVIII. 
 
 "DISSULA, 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 
 
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 9. gap was suddenly made in the 
 ranks of the soldiers standing before her. A 
 troop of mailed riders came dashing down the 
 street of the camp from the north toward the 
 gate, and the Illyrians 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. 
 
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, 
 
350 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 1 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 !" 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 351 
 
 Forgetting 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!" 
 
 "Bissula!" 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. 
 
552 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!" 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 
 friends fall backward; but the next instant 
 her senses failed. 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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 
 
 3 S3 
 
 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 
 
354 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XLIX. 
 
 npHE 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. 
 
 "Thev have climbed over the wall at the 
 Praetorian Gate." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 355 
 
 "No, the earth opened. Orcus spewed the 
 Barbarians into the middle of the camp!" 
 
 "Fly!" shrieked a camp-follower'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 
 
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." 
 
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 fury 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 
 
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 fiigi- 
 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- 
 
THE ROMA >f' 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 
 
36o ACAPTIVE 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 effect. 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 reenforcements 
 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- 
 
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. 
 
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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES :i63 
 
 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 ! ' ' 
 
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 
 
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 despair, especially after they perceived, with 
 horror, that throwing down their weapons and 
 surrendering did not save them from death. 
 
 "Woe, they are killing every one ! Make 
 way 1 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 remained 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 
 
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 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 367 
 
 from 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- 
 
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 heardj 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 burn — or to fall into the hands of 
 the^arbarians !" 
 
 "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 vsrhich held his feet, just between the two 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 2^9 
 
 holes pierced from the top to the bottom. At 
 last the solid wood parted, breaking open the 
 holes ; two 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 the 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 
 
370 ACAPTIVEOF 
 
 by the Thracians, which he thrust into his belt ; 
 he then put down the long-handled heavy axe, 
 which had 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 371 
 
 CHAPTER LI. 
 
 T-TERCULANUS 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 Illyrians, 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 
 
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 
 
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. 
 
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 loudly 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. 
 
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 
 
376 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 King of the Ebergau 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 struggle. But the men of the Ebergau were 
 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 men, the band next be- 
 hind them was wavering. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 377 
 
 CHAPTER LII. 
 
 CCCTAND, 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 
 Illyrian 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 maih 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 
 
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 great 
 — 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 
 
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 
 Hariowald. 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 
 
38o A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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. 
 
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." 
 
382 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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 are 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. 
 
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. 
 
3^4 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 CHAPTER LIII. 
 
 TV/TE 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- 
 
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 
 Romans, 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 Illyrians, 
 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 
 
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 ; Bissulk, 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 
 
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 I and Adalo ! " 
 
 Her grief, her terrible anxiety for her lover 
 drove het 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 
 seerned 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 ; 
 
388 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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!" 
 
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. 
 
390 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 eifort : 
 
 "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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 391 
 
 CHAPTER LIV. 
 
 tJITHERTO Herculanus 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 
 
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 difRising 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. 
 
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 
 
394 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 whom she met were not Alemannl ; 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 
 
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 
 pvirsuing 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 Bissulal" 
 
 Vain appeal ! No human being was visible 
 far or near. No answer came. 
 
 There was no fighting on the strip of shore 
 
396 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 
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 
 
398 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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. 
 
 "Bruha!" 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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 299 
 
 CHAPTER LV. 
 
 T^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 warijily wrapped, between Britain and 
 
4oo 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 
 
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 I Raise 
 the anchor 1 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 
 
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. 
 
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 skiflf away from the 
 great vessel, and now perceived that in Arbor, 
 too, a terrible conflagration was rising toward 
 
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. 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 405 
 
 CHAPTER LVI. 
 
 'TpHE 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. 
 
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 Bructerl. 
 
 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 
 
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 
 
4o8 ACAPTIVEOF 
 
 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 
 
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 : 
 
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 
 
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. 
 
412 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!" 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 413 
 
 CHAPTER LVII. 
 
 "D 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 
 
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- 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 415 
 
 iously 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." 
 
4i6 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 "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 officer, 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, 
 reenforcements. 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- 
 rian 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 " 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 417 
 
 "The Emperor Valens and his whole army 
 are defeated, put to rout by the Goths at Adrl- 
 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 lUyrian, "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 
 
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." 
 
THE ROMAN EAGLES 419 
 
 CHAPTER LVIII. 
 
 HP HE imperial galley was preparing to tow 
 Saturninus's boat. This plan seemed 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." 
 
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 
 
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 !" 
 Bissula started. "He must love you madly." 
 
 Bissula listened intently, gazing at him in 
 
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? Forme?" 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. 
 
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 
 
424 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 murniured 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- 
 ntis. "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 Preetor 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 ? " 
 
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 — 
 
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. 
 
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 excfaimed: 
 "Now, Rignomer, you shall see for once what 
 rowing means. We are moving far too slowly 
 for me!" 
 
 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 
 
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 
 
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 
 h—he!" 
 
 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. 
 
430 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 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 
 
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. Ye 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 
 
432 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 the lap of gray -haired Waldrun; his eyes were 
 closed. At his left lay Zereho, 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, Zereho 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 Adding. 
 
 She bent over him, her red locks falling on 
 his pale face. 
 
 "Is it you, little one? No, no 1 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. 
 
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 
 saJd." 
 
 "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 offered. 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 
 z8 
 
434 A CAPTIVE OF 
 
 need me. Ah ! I beg you so earnestly — I en- 
 treat you — take me! No, no! Do not move 
 your arm 1 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.