not the words of the learned wight;
The prince is before her in all his pride,
But other the visions around her that glide.
Then tell me, in all the wide world's space,
Who may e'er win that lady's grace?
In sorrowful love there sits apart
The gentle squire who hath her heart;
They all are deceived by fancies vain,
And he knows it not who the prize shall gain.'"

Edwald thrilled. "As God wills," said he, softly to himself. "But I
cannot understand how such a thing could be." "As God wills," repeated
Froda. The two friends embraced each other, and soon after fell into a
peaceful slumber.

Some days afterwards Froda sat in a secluded bower of the castle garden,
and was reading in the ancient book of his lovely mistress Aslauga. It
happened at that very time that Hildegardis passed by. She stood still,
and said, thoughtfully, "Strange union that you are of knight and sage,
how comes it that you bring forth so little out of the deep treasures of
your knowledge? And yet I think you must have many a choice history at
your command, even such as that which now lies open before you; for I
see rich and bright pictures of knights and ladies painted amongst the
letters."

"It is, indeed, the most surpassing and enchanting history in all the
world," said Froda; "but you have neither patience nor thoughtfulness to
listen to our wonderful legends of the north."

"Why think you so?" answered Hildegardis, with that pride which she
rejoiced to display towards Froda, when she could find courage to do so;
and, placing herself on a stone seat opposite, she commanded him at once
to read something to her out of that fair book.

Froda began, and in the very effort which he made to change the old
heroic speech of Iceland into the German tongue, his heart and mind were
stirred more fervently and solemnly. As he looked up from time to time,
he beheld the countenance of Hildegardis beaming in ever-growing beauty
with joy, wonder, and interest; and the thought passed through his mind
whether this could indeed be his destined bride, to whom Aslauga herself
was guiding him.

Then suddenly the characters became strangely confused; it seemed as
if the pictures began to move, so that he was obliged to stop. While he
fixed his eyes with a strong effort upon the book, endeavouring to drive
away this strange confusion, he heard a well-known sweetly solemn voice,
which said, "Leave