marriage as the rest of the army.
In this the presence of Rauthgundis in the camp had altered little, for
truly she had not come like a queen.

They hastened back to the camp in great excitement, and told what they
had heard; how that the obstinacy of the King had sacrificed their
brethren.

"'Twas for this reason he kept the object of the embassy a secret!"
they cried.

Soon groups were formed in every lane of the camp, all much excited,
speaking of the affair, and blaming the King in tones which grew ever
louder.

The Germans of those times treated their kings with a freedom of speech
which horrified the Byzantines.

In this case, vexation at the retreat from Rome; the shame of the
defeat before Ravenna; regret for their sacrificed comrades, and anger
at this secrecy; all worked together to excite the Goths to a storm of
indignation against the King, which was not the less violent, because
it was still restrained.

This temper of the army did not escape the notice of the leaders. As
they passed through the camp, the words of blame were scarcely
restrained. But they would only have let loose the mischief if they had
angrily rebuked it.

And often, when Earl Teja or Hildebad would have interposed a word in
mitigation, old Hildebrand kept them back.

"Let the tide swell a little more," he said; "when it is high enough I
will control it. The only danger would be--" he added, half to himself.

"If those in the rebel camp opposite were beforehand with us," said
Teja.

"Right, thou guesser of riddles! But things go well for us there.
Deserters relate that the princess steadfastly refuses. She threatens
to kill herself rather than give her hand to Arahad."

"Bah!" said Hildebad; "I would risk that!"

"Because thou knowest not that passionate creature, that child of the
Amelungs! She inherits the fiery blood of Theodoric, and will, after
all, play us, too, a bad trick."

"Witichis is another kind of wooer than that boy of Asta," whispered
Teja.

"I trust to that also," answered Hildebrand. "Leave him in peace a few
days longer," added the old man; "his grief must have its way. Till it
is assuaged he can be brought to do nothing. Do not disturb him. Let
him remain quietly in his tent with his wife. I shall be obliged to
disturb him soon enough."

But the old man was compelled to rouse the King from his grief sooner
and in a different way from what he had intended.

The Assembly at Regeta had made a law ag