Bugle-horns sounded through the forest, Charles and his followers were
at the chase. The old emperor, seeking to forget his grief, had seized
his spear and had gone out to hunt.
In his eagerness to follow a magnificent stag he had become separated
from his escort. The sun was already low in the west; the animal, now
seeing no way of escape, as his pursuer was close behind him, dashed
into a river and swam to the other side. The emperor, in hot pursuit
and much exhausted, arrived at the water's edge, and for the first
time noticed that he was alone, and in a part of the country quite
unknown to him.
The river lay before him and the forest behind, but the latter seemed
to be quite impenetrable. It was already night, and Charles sought in
vain to find some path or track.
As he was looking round him, he perceived a light in the distance.
Greatly pleased he started off in that direction, and found a little
hut close to the river, but on looking through the window Charlemagne
saw the room was a very poor one.
"Perhaps this is the hermitage of some pious man," thought he, and
knocked at the door, whereupon a fair-haired man appeared on the
threshold.
Without mentioning his name, the emperor informed him of what had
happened, and begged shelter for the night.
At the sound of this loved voice, the man trembled, but controlling
himself, he invited the emperor to enter. A young woman was sitting on
a stool rocking a baby in her arms. She started, became very pale at
the sight of the emperor, and then hurried into the next room to hide
her emotion; Charles sat down, and refusing refreshment from his host
leaned his head wearily on his hands.
Minutes passed, and still he sat there lost in thought, dreaming of
those happy by-gone days.
At last the sweet prattle of a child roused him, and looking up he saw
a little girl about five years old at his side, stretching out her
arms to him, bidding him good-night. Charles looked closely at the
little angel-like creature, his heart throbbing within him. "What is
your name, little one?" asked he. "Emma," answered the child.
"Emma," repeated Charles with tears in his eyes, and drawing the child
closer to him he pressed a kiss on its forehead.
In a moment the man and his young wife were at the emperor's feet
imploring pardon. "Emma! Eginhard!" cried he with great emotion,
embracing them both. "Blessed be the place where I have found you
again!"
Emma and Eginhard returned in great pomp to the emperor's court. The
latter gave them his beautiful palace at Ingelheim, and only felt
himself happy when he was with them.
He caused a cloister to be built on the spot where he had found them
again, which to the present day is called "Seligenstadt," "town of the
happy."
In the church belonging to this little town the tomb of Eginhard and
Emma is still shown, for according to their wishes, their bones were
interred in the same coffin.