O, for my Sigurd
I shall have death,
Or my fair, my lovely
Laid in mine arms.
LAY OF SIGURD.
At a sign from their earl the vikings opened their ranks for the Frank
lords, who came pushing to the front, followed by the curious maidens.
As Olvir made a place for Rothada's litter close in the rear of her
father, Vali Kasim rode forward in advance of his band, with
half-a-dozen attendants.
"Look, Lord Olvir!" exclaimed the girl. "What strange, gay warriors;
and the beautiful horses! The chief's is like your Zora."
"Her blood-kin,--the swiftest breed in all Arabia," replied Olvir, his
eyes fixed upon Kasim Ibn Yusuf.
But the Franks were more interested in the vali's attendants. In their
midst the Berbers led three mules, two of which were burdened with
packs, while the third bore an unarmed greybeard, whose yellow gown
marked him out as a leech.
At a dozen paces from the great Karolah the vali and his followers
sprang off and salaamed to the dust; and Kasim, advancing, cried out in
broken Frankish: "Blessed be the day that I behold the mighty Karolah!
The mountains shake at the tread of his coming; all men rejoice to see
his glorious face!"
"We fail to hear them," replied Karl, dryly; and he glanced up at the
silent folk on the battlements of the burg.
The edge of Kasim's green turban again swept the ground, and he answered
readily: "Mute with awe, the men of Pampeluna gaze upon the mighty
Sultan of the Afranj. They wait for him to speak in kindness. Then will
his faithful slaves rejoice."
The king's face relaxed its sternness. "It is well. What have you
here?"
"The lowly gifts of a slave, who would lay them at the feet of his
glorious lord."
"Saint John the Meek!" muttered Karl, and he made an impatient gesture.
"Have your will, man."
The leech spoke a word to his fellows, who led the pack-mules forward.
From one they unloaded and set out before the king a number of finely
wrought silver vases, packed to the brim with precious spices. Costly
as were these gifts, they met with little comment from the Franks; but
when from the pack of the second mule the Berbers drew off roll after
roll of gorgeous silks, none could restrain an expression of admiration.
Among the most eager to view the silks was Fastrada; and her cries of
delight as Worad led her litter-mules farther forward instantly drew
upon her the blinking gaze of Vali Kasim. Though the Arab had seen her
but once before,--at the royal pavilion on the Garonne,--he remembered
her perfectly. He now stared with lustful eyes at her soft beauty.
"Look, earl. One might say the swart kite sees quarry; he has ceased
blinking," observed Liutrad, in Olvir's ear.
"Let him beware, then. Once a kite caught up a weasel,--you know the
tale. But this kite's plumage is not to my liking."
"How so?"
"With an Arab, red bodes anger. I had it from Otkar."
"You look for treachery?"
"For all evil from one who shoots viper shafts. This red cloak is no
good omen. Yet I am pledged to the king to hold the poisoner in peace."
"Floki might pick a quarrel with him. I myself would as lief try my axe
on his swaddled skull. If these swart folk fight in single combat, one
of us will soon make an end of him."
"No, lad; he is a haughty man. He might fight me, but not my follower;
and I am bound by my word."
"Then we must wait and watch."
"Ay," muttered Olvir; and he stared hard at Kasim, who, being addressed
by the king, was reluctantly turning away his gaze from the Afranj
maiden.
When, with friendly dignity, Karl had acknowledged the vali's gifts, he
turned to his daughter and her companion.
"The Saracen shall see how we of the North honor women," he said. "Take
up the silken rolls and bring them before the maidens. When the child
has made her choice, the daughter of Rudulf may take what she will."
Both girls cried out their delight, and Fastrada met the king's smiling
look with a glance that stirred his ardent nature to the depths. A
subtle change shadowed his stately features, and for a little he gazed
at the girl as Kasim had gazed. Her eyes fell before his; and while she
yet held them demurely downcast, Rothada's voice rang out again in
childish delight. Olvir had chosen for her a white silk, embroidered in
violet and gold.
At his daughter's cry, Karl turned suddenly about in his saddle and
stared, frowning, at the walls of Pampeluna. The blinking vali before
him saw his lips move, and caught the words which he muttered; but only
Fulrad, that abbot learned in Holy Writ, might have divined his
meaning,--"He that ruleth himself is greater--is greater--!"
Olvir, though so watchful of his Saracen kinsman, noted the strange look
on the king's face. But then, in common with the greater number of the
Franks, his attention was drawn by Fastrada. Two rolls of scarlet silk
already lay in the girl's litter; yet, not content with these, she had
seized upon a gorgeous purple. Her cry of gratified vanity fixed upon
her the looks of all around.
Most maidens would have drooped their heads in modest shame at thus
being made the centre of observation; not so the Thuringian. The rich
coloring of her cheeks heightened, though not with shame, and her eyes
sparkled like sapphires. Waving aside the attendants, she unrolled the
purple silk, and, with a daring glance at the king, wrapped herself
about in the folds of the imperial color.
Many of the Franks cried out their admiration of the maiden's
gracefulness; but the few who were quick enough to perceive the
audacious allusion of her act took good care to preserve silence. Karl,
however, maintained his stern observation of the city battlements, and
the girl, foiled of her expected triumph, shifted her attack to Olvir.
Here again she was to meet with disappointment. The young Northman
returned her half-defiant, half-alluring look with an indifferent
glance, and recalled his attention to Rothada.
The Thuringian's cheek paled. She let the folds of the purple silk slip
from about her, and bowed forward in the litter, with hot eyes and
thin-drawn lips, deaf to the murmured compliments of the courtiers. The
strong white teeth gleamed between her tightened lips, and soon another
look than suffering stole into her face.
In her sudden fury, the girl raised her head to transfix the Northman
with her glance; and, instead, she met the solemn gaze of Roland's blue
eyes.
From the giving of the silks to this decisive moment, the count had been
watching her every look and action with closest attention. Until she
bent her head, not even the slightest change in her expression had
escaped him. And now, his gaze sharpened to the utmost keenness by the
intensity of his feeling, he saw, as it were, the girl's dark troubled
soul stand out bare before its lovely mask. The Frank shuddered, and
crossed himself hastily.
At this moment the king suddenly recalled to mind Vali Kasim, who still
stood bowing before him with Oriental obsequiousness. He smiled, and
raised his hand. "Again we render thanks for your gifts, Count Kasim."
"_Bismillah_! I rejoice that my glorious lord is pleased. It is for me
to serve him in all things. Therefore, I have brought my learned geber,
Kosru the Magian, to make certain that your Majesty shall enjoy health
and full strength while you honor our land with your gracious presence."
"Health!" repeated Karl, and he smiled as he drew up his massive figure.
But then his glance chanced to rest on Rothada, and he signed to the
Magian to join the royal suite. "It is well. The maidens may have need
of leechcraft in a strange land. Our chamberlain will have command to
make fitting return for your gifts, lord count."
"It is not for gifts I ask, most gracious sultan."
"What, then?" demanded Karl, his keen grey eyes fixed upon the Saracen's
impassive face.
Kasim salaamed to the ground before replying. "My lord and sultan is
gracious; he opens my lips. Let him not be offended. I have said that
the people of my city are consumed with fear of the mighty Afranj; they
tremble lest the fierce giants of the North be loosed in their midst."
"So--you would have me forego the placing of my wardens in your burg.
How shall it be held when all your warriors are withdrawn?"
"The walls are high, O sultan. The townfolk will bar out my lord's foes
and my foes. Can my lord doubt that they will hold fast for the sultan
of their own faith?"
"How, lord vali," demanded Anselm, the Count Palatine; "if your folk are
so friendly, why should they seek to be rid of us? I would not be the
one to speak of mishap; yet here is bitter truth, sire: Should not God
and the holy saints give your Majesty victory; should we fare homeward,
a war-broken host; would these timorous Navarrese then open their gates
to give succor; or would they not rather seek our harm, to gain favor
with the pagan king?"
Kasim smiled blandly, and would have spoken again, had not Karl held up
his hand for silence. For a little, the king gazed at the thousand and
more Saracen horsemen massed together in dense ranks on the spot where
they had been halted by the cry of their chief. Then he glanced up at
the burg on the height and back to the little maiden behind him.
"O sultan of sultans--" began Kasim; but again Karl held up a
restraining hand.
"I cannot grant your wish, lord count," he said. "I must hold to the
compact. Count Olvir, you will guard this stronghold with your vikings,
and Rothada and her companion shall remain here in your care. It had
been wiser to have left the maidens at Casseneuil."
Olvir frowned with disappointment at this unexpected turn of events.
"It was not to sit behind stone walls, lord king, that I joined your
host," he protested.
"Yet I ask it of you, my Dane hawk," replied Karl, gravely. "For a
time, at least, I ask you to shield this little maid, who is more
precious to me than all the old Goth realm."
"For her sake," muttered Olvir, half reluctantly.
Karl spoke in a lowered voice: "For her sake, lad! I would not ask the
service but for her. Would that I had not brought her across the
mountains! I look for treason from this fawning hound. I must
safeguard the maiden and this stronghold at all cost."
"Enough, lord king!" exclaimed Olvir. "I give you willing service."