Felicitas: A Tale of the German Migrations: A.D. 476

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER XVII.

  Liuthari sprang up the four steps in one bound and pushed back thecurtain. But farther went he not: he stood as if spell-bound, as ifrooted to the ground at the sight which presented itself to him.

  He indeed drew back a step as if alarmed; in his astonishment, hisspear struck the ground and threatened to escape from his right hand.For towards the king's son, with a noble step, as an alabaster Hebemight have stepped down from her marble pedestal, advanced Felicitas.

  She carried her slumbering child tenderly on the left arm, pressing itto her bosom; her wondrously beautiful face was yet paler in theagitation of the moment; in the right hand she carried a flat silvervessel, filled with red wine.

  "I bid you welcome, O strangers, as our guests, at the hearth of myhusband. He is absent. I am quite alone in the house. Protect me and mychild."

  Liuthari found no words; with wide-opened eyes and a beating heart helooked at the beautiful woman before him.

  But old Haduwalt, stepping to his side, saw with anxiety this look ofhis young master. He spoke with great seriousness:

  "Be of good cheer and rest assured, Roman matron. I swear to thee bythe renown of the honour of King Liutbert and of his son Liuthari, whostands here and is strangely silent, I will protect thee as if thouwert my own daughter, and he shall honour thee as if thou wert hissister. Now drink, Liuthari, what is so hospitably offered thee," criedhe, turning and taking the spear from Liuthari's hand, who still stoodas if entranced.

  The young man took the bowl, put it to his mouth, sipped the wine andgave it back, without moving his eyes from her face.

  "What is thy name?" asked he with a faint, trembling voice.

  "Felicitas."

  He quickly stepped forward.

  "Happiness! Saelde! that is thy _name_: that _art_ thou."

  "I do not understand thee."

  "It is not necessary," muttered Haduwalt. "Give me also something todrink."

  He took the bowl from her and emptied it at a draught.

  "Truly," continued he, "the wonderful wishing-god seems to live here;how else couldst thou have come directly towards us, towards my thirst,with a bowl of wine?"

  "I saw you coming, startled by the crashing of the stone slabs;Philemon, our old gray-headed slave, built them up. How could heprotect me, the lame, half-blind old man?"

  "And didst thou imagine thyself protected by a heap of stones, withoutdefenders?"

  "No, indeed! I know that I am protected by the good God in heaven, andby my protecting angel. But, when I sent out the old man (the secondtime) to look for my husband,--he did not wish to leave me alone, and Iwas obliged repeatedly to bid him go:--he thought I should be in somemeasure hidden if he blocked up the entrance."

  Following the example of the hostess, Liuthari sat down. "Thy husband!"said he, with knitted brows. "He has forsaken thee?--in this danger?"

  "Oh, no," answered the young wife, "Yesterday evening, before, therewas any appearance of danger, he went into the town, since then he hasnot returned, a few hours ago he was still living and active. Philemonsaw him in the street as he was going with spear and shield towards thebridge across the Ivarus."

  "Comfort thyself," interposed the old soldier cheerfully; "very few onthy side fell in the battle down there."

  "I know certainly that he is alive. If otherwise, do you think youwould see me so calm? The gracious God in heaven cannot allow that thebest, the most excellent man on this earth, should meet, withundeserved suffering. I trust firmly in God and am comforted."

  Haduwalt thought to himself: "I have already seen many an innocentbrave man fall;" but he reserved this wisdom of experience andanswered: "Certainly! he is at most taken prisoner. And, if so, be ofgood cheer. The powerful son of our king here," continued he, with asignificant look at Liuthari, "will beg for this prisoner and releasehim as a reward for thy hospitality."

  Liuthari drew a deep breath.

  "How long have you been married?"

  "It is now eleven months."

  "Eleven months--of perfect happiness!" said Liuthari slowly.

  "Yes: of unspeakable happiness! Since thou understandest it--art thoualso married?"

  "I! No! But I--I can imagine it."

  Frankly and peacefully Felicitas returned the wondering look thatrested reverentially upon her. She felt that he marvelled at herbeauty; but it did not disturb her--his look was pure. The contrastmade her involuntarily think of the disquieting flame in the blackeyes of the Tribune, which had so often alarmed her. But she couldlook with pleasure on this noble, serious countenance, into thesedeeply-penetrating gray eyes.

  She now rose slowly.

  "I have always," said she, with a smile which made her look still morecharming, "been very much alarmed at--at--at you, whom we call'Barbarians.' And how terrified I was at hearing the stones falling oneover the other! I anxiously looked out. But when I saw how carefullyyou came up the narrow way, did not trample down the flowers, when evenhe in the white mantle carefully raised a rose-bush that had fallen onthe gravel path, then I said to my little son on my arm: 'Fear not,thou apple of mine eye, _they_ will do us no harm.' And I fearlesslyfilled the wine-cup. And now that I have looked into your kind eyes,now I feel myself perfectly safe just because you are both here. And Iknow certainly you will bring me my husband to-morrow morning. I willgo and place the child there in our sleeping-room."

  She pointed with the finger to a small doorway in the centre, beforewhich hung a red woollen curtain. "Then I will bring the provisions Ihave in the house."

  "Do not forget the wine," called out Haduwalt.

  As she glided away like a softly rustling wave, Liuthari sprang upimpetuously.

  "Stay, oh, stay!" cried he hastily, following her a step or two.

  But Haduwalt held him firmly by the mantle.

  "She did not hear it; thanks be to the gods."

  Liuthari violently set himself free.

  "She _must_ hear that I"----Then he calmed himself, and pressed hisright hand to his brow.

  "Now--now--now--_now!_" said the old man slowly, with long pauses. "Hasyoung Liuthari now for the first time seen the thing called woman, who,instead of a man's breastplate, carries a child at her breast? I trulyfeared that the Runic spell had quite bewitched thee; for in the winethere was no magic. _I_ feel nothing peculiar in _me_. The witchcraftbegan as soon as thou didst see that white face. What? thou wilt followher? Halt there! How vexed I am that I have forgotten all the furious,loud-sounding, bad names with which Hadumar, my father, scolded me whenhe caught me as I was climbing into the neighbour's garden to steal thesweet pears that the Romans had grafted on to the wild pears of theIllara forest. He thrashed me soundly; but the caressing words haveescaped me--it is so long ago. 'Thou pilferer! thou pear-stealer! thousluggard! thou sneak!' These were some of the most tender. And now Icould use them all admirably. Why starest thou thus speechless,senseless, after another man's wife? Is it such behaviour that the LadyLindgardis, thy glorious mother, has taught thee? Dost thou notremember Adalagardis, thy bride?"

  "Old giant! blustering, growling bear! that is enough of thine abuse; Ihave had quite enough of it. Adalagardis my bride? She is but a name--awish of my father. Can I embrace, and clasp, and kiss a name? But thiswoman is living flesh and blood. I felt the sweet warmth of her arm asI touched it. Heat flashed through me. She is so beautiful--sowonderfully, enchantingly beautiful! It is an elfin beauty. No, no;words cannot express it. The goddesses of Walhalla are not so beautifulas she. Where have I seen her equal?" continued he dreamily. "It was, Ithink, under a warmer, fairer sky! Ah, yes; now I see it clearly. Inthe service of the Emperor, I was sailing from Byzantium through theblue Grecian seas. There, on an island covered with myrtle and laurel,stood the white form of a Grecian goddess. I was affected then almostas much as now by this woman." He was silent and laid his hand on hisbeating heart.

  "I have nothing to say against it, Liuthari, if thou admirest her asthou wouldst a stone st
atue; even if thy taste does go so far astray.Mine seeks something different. Commend me to Adala--yes, I will besilent! But this small-waisted little one, straight as an arrow, andnot much taller, with her thin child's arms, she looks so fragile thatshe would certainly be crushed the first time thou didst heartily touchher."

  "What can the bear know about touching the harp-strings?" said Liuthariroughly.

  "It may well be, O son of my king, that I do not understand much aboutdolls made in white Grecian stone-work, for the amusement of boys. Butthis I know, it is much more like the son of the lady Lindgardis, toput other men's wives out of his burning thoughts. If thou hadst knowneach other _before_, and thou now didst find her in the power ofanother, and she still cared for thee secretly in her heart, then Imight say, Use the superior strength with which Wotan has gifted thee.But thus----Here she comes again, innocent, unsuspecting, trustful! Shebuilds on _thy_ protection, the dear child. I cannot feel vexed withher, because she is so harmless and innocent. I say to thee, if thou,either by look or word, dost disturb her peace, I shall take care thatfather and mother give thee a very bad reception when thou dost returnhome after this expedition, and dost wish to sit at the honourablehearth of the lady thy mother."

  But Liuthari was now quite angry.

  "Very much I shall fear thy chattering! And the lady Lindgardis's roddoes not any longer reach to _my_ back. What art thou chattering aboutthere, thou senseless being? As a conqueror I stand in this house; itis all mine; all that I wish for; the house and the mistress. Herhusband is dead, or an imprisoned thrall; she herself widow, or myservant as soon as I call her so."

  "Thy thoughts are very nicely occupied with thy Grecian goddess! Wertthou now _my_ boy, instead of my king's, very quickly, but not quietly,wouldst thou flee from this house. But I will watch--I, Haduwalt, heirof Hadamar--that a son of the king of the Alemanni does not trespasslike a honey-stealing boy."

  The hostess then appeared, placed on the table a prettily-woven basket,full of white, fragrant bread, then butter, fresh goat's cheese, and aham.

  "Directly, directly!" answered she to the silent question of Haduwalt'sthirsty eyes, and appeared again immediately, bearing on her head animmense amphora full of wine.

  Demeanour and movements were full of grace: the left arm resting on herhip, the right raised to the handle of the pitcher, perfectly upright,advancing slowly because of the heavy burden, thus she stepped acrossthe threshold.

  Liuthari sprang up hastily to take the burden from her. But Haduwaltheld his arm. "Let her alone, my son! _Alone_ she certainly will notspill the wine; what might happen if thou didst help, I should not liketo see."

  Liuthari drew a deep breath; he unbuckled the heavy armour and laid itaside, as also the large Roman helmet from his burning head. Hemechanically took the food; but he ate very little, and did not takehis eyes from her beautiful face.

  But soon Felicitas rose from the repast. "I am very tired," said she."Since Fulvius left I have not slept, I must now go to our child; if Ihear his gentle breathing I am quite composed. I will bring you pillowsand coverlets; you must be contented here; we have no other room worthyof such guests."

  "Never mind, as far as I am concerned," cried Liuthari, springing up."I cannot sleep; or I can sleep in the garden, on the soft turf, myhead resting on my shield. Come with me, old man."

  "No, I should rather sleep _here_, exactly here," replied he, slilysmiling to himself. "But my wolf's skin is sufficient, friendlyhostess. Thou hast shut the back-door, which, as thou saidst, led fromthe garden into thy sleeping-room?"

  "Yes; Philemon will not return from the town before morning."

  "Certainly not earlier. The gates will be shut at night-fall. I shalllie here quite comfortably, seest thou, here on the threshold, beforethe curtain which closes thy room. Sleep well and be quite at rest,"cried he to her through the curtain, as she was putting away theprovisions. "Not even a little mouse could reach thee without wakingme. Seest thou, I fill the whole width of the entrance, thus! Now thewine-pitcher near me. Hurrah! it is again quite full! And veryexcellent the old wine tastes. Thy husband is a connoisseur therein. Ishall drink it all. I shall not sleep. Oh no!"

  "Rest well, ye guests," said she, and disappeared.

  Liuthari threw a peculiar, scornful look on the old soldier cowering inthe doorway, and on the immense pitcher of wine at his side. Then hesprang laughing down the steps into the garden.

  "What?" said he to himself, half-pleased and half-defiant, "thegrowling bear thinks to keep me back if I am determined to step acrossthat threshold? _He_ keep guard! Before he has drunk half the heavywine he will snore like Thor in the hall of the giants. I might,perhaps, have given it up; but now that he presumes to coerce me--well!what I will do when I stand before the glorious sleeper--I know notyet; but to her couch I will go, in spite of his upbraidings."

  The ardent emotion of the youth relieved itself in his defiant angeragainst his old friend, who looked after him with blinking eyes.

  When the quick steps sounded in the far distance, he called gently:

  "Young woman!"

  "What wilt thou, then?"

  "Hast thou not a ball of thread in the house?"

  "Certainly; here is one."

  "Very well. Give me the end through the curtain. So! Dost thou see? Iwill fasten the thread here at my sword-belt. And thou--thou take theball in thy hand and hold it firmly during sleep. Dost thou understand?And if thou shouldst have any bad dreams, pull quickly."

  "Why so? I can call thee."

  "You had better not trust to that," said the old man, rubbing his tiredeyes. "They say if I once get into a wine sleep, the battle-cry of allthe Alemanni would not wake me; but if pulled by the girdle I notice itdirectly. Then I shall awake, if by chance I might have gone to sleep,and will spring to thy help."

  "As thou wilt, but it is unnecessary; thy companion keeps watch therein the garden."

  "Oh, do not believe that! he is as sleepy as a marmot, on him there isno reliance, therefore, hold the ball fast, and now goodnight, sweetcreature. I am pleased with her myself," muttered he. "Very much shepleases me. But I must speak against her to the boy. He has never yetcaressed the cheek of any woman but his mother, and he is overflowingwith passion and strength, like a noble young stag; and now he meetsthis tender white doe! Shame! if her unsuspecting soul suffered even alittle fright. I must protect _her_--and _him_. One more draught, andthen: Haduwalt, fasting and watchful."

  Dimly shone the little lamp in the sleeping-room, only a faint gleampenetrated the red curtain.

  In the front room the lamp went out.

  Stillness reigned over the whole house, one heard only from the gardenthe lulling murmur of the spring.

  From the inner room the old man soon heard the deep, regularrespirations of the sleeping young wife. Haduwalt counted them. Hecounted bravely up to a hundred. He then laid his hand, gropinguncertainly, on the thread at his girdle. "All right," thought he; "andI shall not sleep. Certainly not! Hundred and one!"

  Then he counted no more.