Bissula. English

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  The words uttered by Adalo, evidently from sincere belief, and withwarm feeling, produced a deep impression. Herculanus shrugged hisshoulders scornfully. Saturninus, with a grave face, gazed silentlyinto vacancy--into the future. After a long pause, Ausonius foundwords:

  "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 Hariowaldtaught me. But the necessity of our people cries so loudly that even aninexperienced youth must understand its call: Land or destruction! So,in the name of our whole league of peoples, I ask (we Alemanni yield incourage to no race on earth), do you wish to gain us, our spears,forever against all your enemies, especially the false Franks, our evilneighbors and yours? Do you desire that?"

  The Romans listened intently; no one interrupted him in his appeal.

  "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 byconstant fighting, the country northward between this lake and theright bank of the Rhine to where the Main empties into it beneath yourstronghold of Mogontiacum, and all the region south of the lake to thechain of the Cisalpine region."

  "Insolent fellow!" shouted Herculanus. The other army leaders also didnot spare words of wrath. "Not bad!" said Ausonius, smiling. Saturninusalone 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, pacifiedthe Goths on the Danube.

  But Adalo continued: "Do it, do it half voluntarily; do it for the mostvaluable compensation; for I tell you, it must be done very soon. Thenit will be exacted without compensation in return. Do it willingly; forthere is a proud prediction current among our people: the Alemanni willsome day pasture their horses from the snows of the Alps to the woodsof the Vosges."

  Ausonius rose indignantly. "Not another word! For our sole answer taketo your people the old Roman war-cry, 'Woe to the Barbarians!'"

  "Woe to the Barbarians!" repeated the army leaders, with loud shouts.

  "Before I go," said the youth,--he struggled fiercely to subdue theagitation, the terrible anxiety which now sent a tremor through everylimb,--"listen to another message. You have captured a daughter of ourpeople." Six eyes were bent upon him with the keenest attention. "I amcommissioned to ransom her." In spite of every effort to appear calmand cold his voice trembled.

  "Are you Bissula's relative? She has no brother," said Ausoniussuspiciously.

  "Or her lover?" asked Herculanus.

  The youth's face flamed, his brow knit wrathfully. "Neither her kinsmannor her betrothed lover. I am commissioned--I have already said so--toransom her. Name the price."

  Ausonius was about to utter a refusal, but Saturninus hastilyanticipated him.

  "You would pay any price as ransom?"

  "Any."

  "Is she a princess or a noble's daughter, that your people set so higha value upon her liberty?"

  "She is a free maiden of our people, and has as much right to ourprotection as a queen."

  "Well, your protection has been of little service to her," criedHerculanus, laughing.

  "I will give her weight in silver, nay, if needful, in gold--her fullweight."

  "Pshaw!" replied Ausonius, smiling, "that isn't saying much. The littleone doesn't weigh heavily. Don't trouble yourself: I will not releaseher."

  "Pardon me, Prefect," said Saturninus quietly, yet without averting hiseyes an instant from Adalo, "I must again remind you that the Barbariangirl 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 ittrue? Say no, Ausonius." The voice of the usually defiant youth nowsounded almost pleading.

  "Unfortunately it is true," replied the Prefect sullenly.

  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 Iwill release her, if you--" he rose, approached Adalo and whisperedinto his ear.

  The youth burst forth angrily: "The location of our fortification andthe strength of our force? Come into the woods, Roman: you will learnthere."

  Saturninus stepped back coldly. "As you choose. Never will thered-haired maiden see her people."

  "And consider, Barbarian," hissed Herculanus, "we need not use the rackto torture a maiden."

  Adalo, with a fierce cry, gripped the hilt of the short sword at hisside. 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 thecharacters and dispositions of the two men; first into Saturninus'sstern, handsome face, then his glance scanned Ausonius's features,kindly in expression, but wholly lacking the impress of a firm will. Hesighed heavily. But, conscious that the eyes of all were fixed intentlyupon him, he summoned his whole strength, and said quietly: "If anyharm should befall her, her people will take terrible vengeance." Thefirmly repressed, yet intense fury in the brief words, did not fail tomake an impression.

  Adalo, without any gesture of farewell, turned to leave the tent, andwas already standing under the curtains at the entrance, whenSaturninus cried: "And what name has the envoy of the Alemanni?"

  The youth turned quickly and, comprehending the whole group in a singleglance, exclaimed: "Adalo, son of Adalger. You shall remember it." Hepassed outside the tent as he spoke.

  "Uncle," cried Herculanus, "wasn't that the fellow's name? Yes, yes, itis 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, Ausonius! Nothing in heaven or on earth seems to besacred to this nephew of yours. But that Barbarian's eyes must bequickly bandaged again; their glance is like an eagle's." He hastenedafter the envoy.

  Ausonius, vexed by many things, said very irritably, in a tone almostnever heard from the lips of the kind-hearted noble: "I have long beendispleased with you, nephew Herculanus. I am very much displeased.Very! Extremely!"

  He passed him with a hasty step, harshly thrusting aside the arms whichHerculanus stretched toward him with a soothing gesture. The nephew'seyes followed him with a glance that boded evil.