forward,
pondering upon what she had just heard. She had avoided the press and
noise of the inner camp, and pursued her way between a marshy arm of
the river Padus to the left and the rows of white tents to the right.
While she wandered on, noticing nothing, Aspa's sharp eyes were
watching a group of Goths and Italians which surrounded the platform of
a conjurer, who appeared, from the astonishment and laughter of the
spectators, to be performing new and marvellous tricks.

Aspa lingered a little to see something of these wonders. The conjurer
was a slender youth, a Celt, to judge by the dazzling white skin of his
face and bare arms, and by his long yellow hair; but this supposition
was belied by his coal-black eyes. And he really performed wonders in
the eyes of his simple audience. Now he sprang up, turned over and over
in the air, and fell, now on his hands, now on his feet. Then he seemed
to devour glowing coals with great appetite, and in their place, to
spit out coins; then he swallowed a dagger a foot long and afterwards
drew it out of the back of his head, throwing it up in the air together
with three or four others, and catching them in turn by the handle, to
the great enjoyment of the spectators, who rewarded him with laughter
and cries of admiration.

But Aspa had already lingered too long.

She looked after her mistress, and observed that her path was
intercepted by a troop of Italian carriers and livery-servants, who
evidently had not recognised the Queen, and who passed straight before
her on their way to the river, joking and making a great disturbance.
They appeared to be pointing and throwing stones at some object which
Aspa could not distinguish.

She was just about to hurry after her mistress, when the conjurer upon
the platform near her suddenly uttered a shrill cry. Aspa turned in
affright, and saw the youth take an immense leap over the heads of the
spectators, and rush at the Italians.

He was already in their midst, and, bending down, disappeared for a
moment.

But he quickly rose to his feet, and one and then another of the
Italians fell prone under his blows.

In a moment Aspa stood at the Queen's side, who had quietly withdrawn
from the turmoil, but, to her surprise, stopped short at a little
distance, pointing at the group with her finger.

And indeed the sight was a strange one.

With incredible strength and still greater agility the conjurer held
his assailants off. Springing a