Soon after the slave insurrection had been quelled in the manner above
described, two Germans walked through the Porta Vindelica on to the
great military road, in the direction of the Mercurius Hill.
"See, the evening twilight is fading and the stars are already
appearing," said the one, and, balancing his spear on his shoulder, he
raised both hands to heaven. "I greet you, ye watchers of Asgard, ye
all-seeing eyes. Send me happiness! I divine that _you_ know," added he
in low tones, "what happiness my heart desires. It aches, this heart--I
think because it is empty."
He then again seized his spear and stepped forwards, his eyes directed
into the mist-veiled distance, as if searching and longing: his white
mantle floating in the wind. He was very handsome, the young son of the
king; and this dreaming manner gave to his noble, serious features a
heart-winning charm.
"If the stars wish to show _me_ what is most pleasing," grumbled his
companion, throwing back his wolfs skin, "let them show me quickly a
wine-shop. It is long, long since I had what I wanted. My throat
smarts, because it is empty, I think. Vestralp and his men, they hit it
off well. Some Christians were in their troop, and, I suppose as a
reward for their faith, the brave Christian Baldur took them into his
church; there, or close by, they found and drank a whole flood of wine,
as if they had been in the halls of Thor. But I have only swallowed a
few drops in a deserted house, where the meal had just been served as
the Bajuvaren forced their way into the town. Listen, their Duke is
right: it is too strict, the way thou dost carry out thy vow."
"Can one interpret a vow, a duty, too strictly, old man? Thou thyself
hast taught me better."
"Truly, thy father made thee swear never to sleep a night in a Roman
town, snaring-pits spread over with nets for noble game the king calls
them--but Juvavum, as Garibrand justly said, is now a town of the
Bajuvaren."
"King Liutbert himself can alone permit me so to interpret the vow. But
be comforted: thou shalt soon drink wine, as much as thou wilt."
"Where?"
"In the house where we will now seek hospitality."
"But in which?"
"For my sake in the nearest, in order to quench thy thirst. Look there,
on the right of the road stands a hill with a house upon it; one can
see the white statues of the gods on the roof, gleaming through the
bushes."
"But down there, to the left of the road, lies another; it seems
larger, more stately, more promising."
"It is all one to me."
"Then we will choose the larger--that on the left."
"But look, there shot a star from heaven! and it fell immediately on
the roof of the house to the right, on the hill. That is a hint from
the gods. I will gladly follow the star. We will go to the house on the
right."
He thereupon sprang from the high road on to the little foot-path that
led to the stonemason's house.
"We shall also come short at the division of the booty, because of thy
foolish strictness," grumbled the old man, following him.
"No," cried Liuthari, "Duke Garibrand will summon me thereto early in
the morning; he promised me that, when he bade us farewell at the
Vindelician gate. Besides, the chief gain of this victory to us is not
a few gold vessels or a tract of land, but that henceforth we have for
our trusty frontier neighbours on the east, instead of the Romans, the
faithful Bajuvaren. It has become too narrow and shut in for them in
Bajuhemum and along the Danube, since the East-Goths increased so
powerfully, so they have spread out towards the north and west.
Agilolf, another of their dukes, related to Garibrand, set out, when
the latter started for Juvavum, through the Bojer forest against Regina
Castra, the strong Roman fortress on the Danube, where it reaches the
most northern point of its course. I wonder if he has yet taken it?"
"The news of victory cannot be delayed much longer; and with this
message comes also another, which closely concerns thee, Liuthari." The
young man blushed, and silently drooped his head. "Duke Agilolf's
daughter Adalagardis is the most beautiful young woman I have ever
seen," continued the old man eagerly. "Her father and King Liutbert
have long thought to unite you; but it seems that the proud Bajuvaren
will not ally himself by marriage with a king's house till he can do so
as an equal. Therefore he sent me home from my wooing journey with the
words: 'From the conquered Roman fortress I will send an answer.' And I
think it is time for thee, my boy! Thou standest in the fulness of thy
youth, and thou hast blood, not water, in thy veins."
"I often think fire burns therein," said the young man quietly, as if
ashamed.
"Dost thou think that I did not see, in the conquered Juvavum, with
what eyes thou didst gaze at every Roman maiden who looked at thee?
Many of them, I think, would not have struggled much in thy arms."
"What, Haduwalt! Force! Force towards a woman!"
"Eh! by Berahta and Holda! it would not need _much_ force. But these
black-haired, yellow-skinned, lean cats are nothing to my king's son;
they would ruin the whole race. But, Adalagardis! prosperity to thee
and to us if she becomes thy wife. I should imagine the shield-maidens
of Wotan to be like her! Hardly a finger's breadth shorter than thou,
fair hair floating around her to the ankles, like a king's golden
mantle, arms round, full and white as Alpine snow, joyful, sparkling
eyes, clear as the sky in spring, and a proudly-arched, heaving bosom.
By Fulla, the exuberantly strong and beautiful! that is the right
king's wife for the Alemanni! Why didst thou not go long ere this and
woo her?"
"Thou forgettest; I have never seen her. Her father said: 'I will
invite thee when I hold my court at Regina Castra.' Yet she may be the
happiness, uncertain and yet ardently longed for, the Saelde that I
seek. Stop! Here we are at our goal. This is the entrance.--But what is
this? This house seems inhospitable. The entrance is barricaded with
slabs of stone."
"Ha, now," laughed the old man. "I cannot blame them, the house-folk,
for shutting out such guests as Haduwalt and his thirst. But they are
not to be kept back so easily. Not Haduwalt, Hadumar's son--and still
less his thirst. Down with the stones!"
And he had already seized with a strong hand one of the piled-up marble
slabs, to throw them inwards.
"Stay!" cried Liuthari, "look!--on the topmost slab of the barricade
there is something written; perhaps the name of the house. I think I
can yet see to read it."
"I could not read it," laughed the other, "even if the sun stood high
at noon. What do the Runes say?"
And Liuthari read--slowly, laboriously, deciphering letter by letter:
"Hic--habitat--felicitas--nihil--mali intret."
Struck with surprise, motionless, the young man was silent for a while.
His heart beat--the blood rose throbbing in his temples.
"How strange!" said he then to himself. "Here dwells happiness--the
happiness that I am seeking? And the shooting star--did it on that
account guide here my steps?"
"Now, by the wondering Wotan," said Haduwalt, "have the Runes enchanted
thee?"
"Why, yes; this may indeed have been engraved to direct me to a
blessing, protecting enchantment."
The old man hastily seized the king's son by the shoulder and wished to
draw him away.
"Then let us retire," whispered he anxiously. "I would rather force my
way through two lines of Romans than through a magic spell. See,
already thou seemest spell-bound before the entrance. What is the
meaning of the Runes?"
"How can I explain it to thee? Now, something like this: 'The
wishing-god and Saelde herself live here. May malicious beings never
approach!' This Lady Saelde who lives here, I will see," said Liuthari
with decision; and, with the help of shield and knee, he pushed the
middle slabs inwards, so that the whole erection of stone fell with a
loud crash into the garden.
The young man stepped quickly across the threshold.
"This is no spell that scares away; it invites and entices in. Here
dwells happiness. The god of wishes himself has led me here. And _we
dare_ to approach--for we certainly are not malicious creatures."
"Who knows whether the master of the house may not think us so?" said
the old man thoughtfully, shouldering his spear, and following his
young friend, who impetuously, as if driven by a god, stepped towards
the inner door of the house, behind which--it was only closed by a dark
yellow curtain which fluttered in the wind--a faint glimmer of red
light seemed to beckon one in. Yet, in spite of all his haste, Liuthari
noticed a rose-bush, which, loosened from its support, lay helpless on
the sanded path. He carefully put it back in its place, remarking, "it
would be a pity if it were trodden down."