Felicitas Part 17

The priest so addressed stood erect and said: "Because we should not tempt G.o.d. Not that the Lord needed my arm or the s.h.i.+eld to extinguish the fire."

"It has never yet happened," said the Duke, thoughtfully nodding his head, "that one of you Christian priests was at a loss for an answer.

You have--and thou especially hast--power over souls, more than my sword over the conquered, use it ever as at this time. I know well how powerful you are, ye men of the cross, on the Danube there rules one, Severinus by name; he has more authority by his word than Rome and the barbarians. We shall be good friends; I shall respect thee. But hear this. I shall allow you to wors.h.i.+p Christ as you will; take thou care not to hinder my people from sacrificing as they will. No, no, old man, do not shake thy head; I suffer no contradiction!" And he lifted his finger threateningly.

But undaunted, Johannes said:

"If the Lord will call the wanderers to Himself through my mouth, fear of thee will not close it. Thy d.u.c.h.ess is already won to the Lord.

Verily, I tell thee--thou, and thy people--you will not escape Him. But you, rise," said he, turning to the slaves. "I will entreat for you with the victors, who are now the rulers of this land. I will teach them, that ye also, created in the image of G.o.d, are also their brethren, and that your immortal souls are redeemed by the death of Christ. I will teach them, that he who sets his slaves free wins the warmest place in the heart of the Father of heaven."

"But he who has still to remain in servitude," interrupted the Duke, "let him know, that we Germans are n.o.ble-minded masters; we do not burden and punish the slave according to the caprice and temper of the master; as our free people are judged by the free, so the bond people are judged by their fellows--in the court of justice, according to the law. You stand henceforth under the protection of the strongest judicial fortress--the law, and the tribunal of your own comrades! So be comforted: you serve n.o.ble masters."

CHAPTER XVI.

Soon after the slave insurrection had been quelled in the manner above described, two Germans walked through the Porta Vindelica on to the great military road, in the direction of the Mercurius Hill.

"See, the evening twilight is fading and the stars are already appearing," said the one, and, balancing his spear on his shoulder, he raised both hands to heaven. "I greet you, ye watchers of Asgard, ye all-seeing eyes. Send me happiness! I divine that _you_ know," added he in low tones, "what happiness my heart desires. It aches, this heart--I think because it is empty."

He then again seized his spear and stepped forwards, his eyes directed into the mist-veiled distance, as if searching and longing: his white mantle floating in the wind. He was very handsome, the young son of the king; and this dreaming manner gave to his n.o.ble, serious features a heart-winning charm.

"If the stars wish to show _me_ what is most pleasing," grumbled his companion, throwing back his wolfs skin, "let them show me quickly a wine-shop. It is long, long since I had what I wanted. My throat smarts, because it is empty, I think. Vestralp and his men, they hit it off well. Some Christians were in their troop, and, I suppose as a reward for their faith, the brave Christian Baldur took them into his church; there, or close by, they found and drank a whole flood of wine, as if they had been in the halls of Thor. But I have only swallowed a few drops in a deserted house, where the meal had just been served as the Bajuvaren forced their way into the town. Listen, their Duke is right: it is too strict, the way thou dost carry out thy vow."

"Can one interpret a vow, a duty, too strictly, old man? Thou thyself hast taught me better."

"Truly, thy father made thee swear never to sleep a night in a Roman town, snaring-pits spread over with nets for n.o.ble game the king calls them--but Juvavum, as Garibrand justly said, is now a town of the Bajuvaren."

"King Liutbert himself can alone permit me so to interpret the vow. But be comforted: thou shalt soon drink wine, as much as thou wilt."

"Where?"

"In the house where we will now seek hospitality."

"But in which?"

"For my sake in the nearest, in order to quench thy thirst. Look there, on the right of the road stands a hill with a house upon it; one can see the white statues of the G.o.ds on the roof, gleaming through the bushes."

"But down there, to the left of the road, lies another; it seems larger, more stately, more promising."

"It is all one to me."

"Then we will choose the larger--that on the left."

"But look, there shot a star from heaven! and it fell immediately on the roof of the house to the right, on the hill. That is a hint from the G.o.ds. I will gladly follow the star. We will go to the house on the right."

He thereupon sprang from the high road on to the little foot-path that led to the stonemason's house.

"We shall also come short at the division of the booty, because of thy foolish strictness," grumbled the old man, following him.

"No," cried Liuthari, "Duke Garibrand will summon me thereto early in the morning; he promised me that, when he bade us farewell at the Vindelician gate. Besides, the chief gain of this victory to us is not a few gold vessels or a tract of land, but that henceforth we have for our trusty frontier neighbours on the east, instead of the Romans, the faithful Bajuvaren. It has become too narrow and shut in for them in Bajuhemum and along the Danube, since the East-Goths increased so powerfully, so they have spread out towards the north and west.

Agilolf, another of their dukes, related to Garibrand, set out, when the latter started for Juvavum, through the Bojer forest against Regina Castra, the strong Roman fortress on the Danube, where it reaches the most northern point of its course. I wonder if he has yet taken it?"

"The news of victory cannot be delayed much longer; and with this message comes also another, which closely concerns thee, Liuthari." The young man blushed, and silently drooped his head. "Duke Agilolf's daughter Adalagardis is the most beautiful young woman I have ever seen," continued the old man eagerly. "Her father and King Liutbert have long thought to unite you; but it seems that the proud Bajuvaren will not ally himself by marriage with a king's house till he can do so as an equal. Therefore he sent me home from my wooing journey with the words: 'From the conquered Roman fortress I will send an answer.' And I think it is time for thee, my boy! Thou standest in the fulness of thy youth, and thou hast blood, not water, in thy veins."

"I often think fire burns therein," said the young man quietly, as if ashamed.

"Dost thou think that I did not see, in the conquered Juvavum, with what eyes thou didst gaze at every Roman maiden who looked at thee?

Many of them, I think, would not have struggled much in thy arms."

"What, Haduwalt! Force! Force towards a woman!"

"Eh! by Berahta and Holda! it would not need _much_ force. But these black-haired, yellow-skinned, lean cats are nothing to my king's son; they would ruin the whole race. But, Adalagardis! prosperity to thee and to us if she becomes thy wife. I should imagine the s.h.i.+eld-maidens of Wotan to be like her! Hardly a finger's breadth shorter than thou, fair hair floating around her to the ankles, like a king's golden mantle, arms round, full and white as Alpine snow, joyful, sparkling eyes, clear as the sky in spring, and a proudly-arched, heaving bosom.

By Fulla, the exuberantly strong and beautiful! that is the right king's wife for the Alemanni! Why didst thou not go long ere this and woo her?"

"Thou forgettest; I have never seen her. Her father said: 'I will invite thee when I hold my court at Regina Castra.' Yet she may be the happiness, uncertain and yet ardently longed for, the Salde that I seek. Stop! Here we are at our goal. This is the entrance.--But what is this? This house seems inhospitable. The entrance is barricaded with slabs of stone."

"Ha, now," laughed the old man. "I cannot blame them, the house-folk, for shutting out such guests as Haduwalt and his thirst. But they are not to be kept back so easily. Not Haduwalt, Hadumar's son--and still less his thirst. Down with the stones!"

And he had already seized with a strong hand one of the piled-up marble slabs, to throw them inwards.

"Stay!" cried Liuthari, "look!--on the topmost slab of the barricade there is something written; perhaps the name of the house. I think I can yet see to read it."

"I could not read it," laughed the other, "even if the sun stood high at noon. What do the Runes say?"

And Liuthari read--slowly, laboriously, deciphering letter by letter:

"Hic--habitat--felicitas--nihil--mali intret."

Struck with surprise, motionless, the young man was silent for a while.

His heart beat--the blood rose throbbing in his temples.

"How strange!" said he then to himself. "Here dwells happiness--the happiness that I am seeking? And the shooting star--did it on that account guide here my steps?"

"Now, by the wondering Wotan," said Haduwalt, "have the Runes enchanted thee?"

"Why, yes; this may indeed have been engraved to direct me to a blessing, protecting enchantment."

The old man hastily seized the king's son by the shoulder and wished to draw him away.

"Then let us retire," whispered he anxiously. "I would rather force my way through two lines of Romans than through a magic spell. See, already thou seemest spell-bound before the entrance. What is the meaning of the Runes?"

"How can I explain it to thee? Now, something like this: 'The wis.h.i.+ng-G.o.d and Salde herself live here. May malicious beings never approach!' This Lady Salde who lives here, I will see," said Liuthari with decision; and, with the help of s.h.i.+eld and knee, he pushed the middle slabs inwards, so that the whole erection of stone fell with a loud crash into the garden.

The young man stepped quickly across the threshold.

"This is no spell that scares away; it invites and entices in. Here dwells happiness. The G.o.d of wishes himself has led me here. And _we dare_ to approach--for we certainly are not malicious creatures."