Bissula. English

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER XX.

  Ebarbold wished to cast a venomous glance at him, but was forced tolower his eyes in the presence of such lofty dignity. His lips curledbitterly as he replied:

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

  "Are the gods slaves because _one_ rules them as king?" The old Duke'svoice sounded threatening.

  Ebarbold answered evasively: "But here on earth we Alemanni have equalrights. And rather than--"

  "Why do you hesitate?" asked Adalo angrily.

  "He hesitates because he shrinks from uttering his thoughts. But theLofty One gave me the power to read the minds of men upon their browslike explained runes."

  Flushing and paling, Ebarbold started up.

  "This son of Ebur thinks," the Duke continued, "that rather than obey aking 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 afew weeks, when the leaves fall, your command of the army will end. Butmeanwhile--"

  "Meanwhile I counsel you to obey."

  "You?"

  "Not me," the old man answered, with immovable composure, "but theCouncil which rules all the provinces--even yours, the Ebergau and itsKing. But sit down again, hot-tempered hero! And Adalo, hand him fromthe wall of the tent where it hangs, the mead horn. The heron offorgetfulness will rustle over our heads, bearing away on its wings thewords 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 this time and drive thisband of Romans from the country--we have learned the lesson oftenenough--others will come to avenge those who are defeated. So it hasbeen for many generations."

  "But so it will be no longer," the Duke answered slowly. "That isprovided 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 isholding it firmly on the Danube, and she is still scarcely able toescape the bite of the Franconians on the Rhine."

  "The Goths?" said Ebarbold. "Who knows whether they will be in thefield 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 allcountries: and he revealed it to me."

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

  "We will rebuild them," cried Adalo, laughing, as he hung the horn onthe wall. "The forest will not refuse trees to its people. My homebelow on the hillock beside the lake"--his face now grew grave--"isdear to me; sacred the hearth beside which I sat in my dear mother'slap while my father, skilled in the music of the harp, sung of the godsand the deeds of our own ancestors. The Centurion will probably soonhurl the torch into the ancient dwelling of my family with the rune ofthe stag's antlers. Never more can I hope to mount the high seat whereI was so often allowed to fill my father's drinking horn. But thoughthrough all the future years I should have no other shelter for thishead than the waving boughs of the woods, never will I yield to theItalians."

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

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

  "Or we ourselves. What is asked of us? Young men to fight the Caesar'sbattles. We have more than we can feed. In return they will give us redgold."

  "May Hel swallow up this gold and these treaties!" cried Hariowald."For generations they have sold to our ancient foe our heart's bloodand our young heroes, who were used against ourselves and ourneighbors. If the hundreds of thousands who fell for Rome had bandedtogether against Rome, we should have watered our long-maned horseslong 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 campfor 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'slips a wonderful charm hovered around them. "Six pots in Iburninga anda broken mead vessel in Mariswik; 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 smallfarmer."

  "No matter, she is a free maiden, a daughter of our race," cried Adalo,with blazing 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 destroythe people?"

  "You are right," said the Duke slowly. "Women as well as men must besacrificed for the welfare of the nation. Let her stay where sheis--little Bissula."

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

  "You know her?" Adalo asked.

  "Who has not heard of her? She is talked of along the whole shore ofthe lake, and in such a way that the listener is anxious to see her. Itoo grew curious and tried to get a look at her lately, at the lastsun-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 reprovingly. "I do not. Notyet," he corrected himself.

  "Lead us to the attack on the Roman camp! Our men are pouring here indense throngs since you sent the blood-red arrow from house to house."

  "There are not yet enough. The army still lacks many men from distantprovinces 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 proudgalleys already lie anchored opposite in Arbor; they will soon bringfresh cohorts over."

  "Let them do so." The old Duke laughed softly; his look expressed agrim, mysterious joy. "Meanwhile," he added after a pause, "I will sendan 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--"perhapsBissula."

  "Thanks! Thanks!"

  "I," cried Ebarbold wrathfully, "would surely bring home to ourpeople--"

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

  "I know in advance," Ebarbold angrily interrupted, "what they willdetermine, guided by you, you disciple of Odin, you giver of victims toZio! 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 twentywinters ago in the murderous battle against Julian. Remembering him, Ionce more warn you: beware!"

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

  Springing up, he rushed out of the tent.