of them.

"Murdered!" he cried, "my innocent child! By the Romans?" he asked.

"The cowardly devils!" cried Hildebad.

Teja clenched his fist, and his lips worked silently.

"Calpurnius?" asked Witichis, looking at Wachis.

"Yes, Calpurnius. The report of your election had reached the estate,
and your wife and child were summoned to the camp. How young Athalwin
rejoiced that he was now a King's son, like Siegfried who killed the
dragon! He said he would soon go to seek adventures, and also kill
dragons and giants. Just then our neighbour returned from Rome. I
noticed that he looked gloomy and more envious than ever, and I watched
well over house and stalls. But to watch the child--who could have
thought that children were no longer safe!"

Witichis shook his head sadly.

"The boy could hardly wait until he should see his father in the camp,
and all the thousands of Gothic warriors, and battles close at hand. He
threw away his wooden sword directly, and said a King's son must wear a
steel one, especially in time of war. And I was obliged to find a
hunting-knife, and sharpen it into the bargain. And with this famous
sword he escaped from Mistress Rauthgundis early every morning. And
when she asked, 'Whither?' he laughed, 'To seek adventures!' and sprang
into the woods. Then he came home at noon, tired out and with torn
clothes; wild with merriment and exultation. But he would not tell us
anything, and only hinted that he had played at being Siegfried. But
when I found spots of blood upon his sword, I crept after him into the
woods. It was exactly as I suspected. I had once shown him a hole in
some steep and rugged rocks, which hung over a running brook, and
warned him that there lay poisonous vipers by dozens. At that time he
had questioned me about everything, and when I said that every bite was
deadly, and that a poor berry-gatherer, who had been bitten by a snake
in her naked foot, had died immediately, he drew his wooden sword in a
minute, and wanted to jump into the hole. Much frightened, I with
difficulty kept him back. And now I remembered the vipers, and trembled
because I had given him a steel weapon. I soon found him in the wood in
the middle of the rocks, down among the thorns and brushwood. He was
just taking out a tremendous wooden shield which he had made for
himself and hidden there. A crown was freshly painted upon it. And he
drew his sword and sprang with a joyous cry into the hole. I looked
round