rough the lonely
forest; while I climbed the pathless sides of the mountains, and made
my refuge in the cavern by the waters of the dark lake.

'I swore to be avenged! while the warriors approached me on their
march, and the roaring of the trumpets and the clash of the armour
sounded in my ears; while I greeted my kinsman, Hermanric, a mighty
chieftain, at the king's side, among the invading hosts; while I looked
on my last child, dead like the rest, and knew that he was buried afar
from the land of his people, and from the others that the Romans had
slain before him.

'I swore to be avenged! while the army encamped before Rome, and I
stood with Hermanric, looking on the great walls in the misty evening;
while the daughter of the Roman was a prisoner in our tent, and I eyed
her as she lay on my knees; while for her sake my kinsman turned
traitor, and withheld my hand from the blow; while I passed unseen into
the lonely farm-house to deal judgment on him with my knife; while I
saw him die the death of a deserter at my feet, and knew that it was a
Roman who had lured him from his people, and blinded him to the
righteousness of revenge.

'I swore to be avenged! while I walked round the grave of the chieftain
who was the last of my race; while I stood alone out of the army of my
people in the city of the slayers of my babes; while I tracked the
footsteps of the Roman who had twice escaped me, as she fled through
the street; while I watched and was patient among the pillars of the
temple, and waited till the sun went down, and the victim was
unshielded for the moment to strike.

'I swore to be avenged! and my oath has been fulfilled--the knife that
still bleeds drops with her blood; the chief vengeance has been
wreaked! The rest that were to be slain remain for others, and not for
me! For now I go to my husband and my children; now the hour is near
at hand when I shall herd with their spirits in the Twilight World of
Shadows, and make my long-abiding place with them in the Valley of
Eternal Repose! The Destinies have willed it--it is enough!'

Her voice trembled and grew faint as she pronounced the last words.
The anguish of the fastenings at her wrists was at last overpowering
her senses--conquering, in spite of all resistance, her stubborn
endurance. For a little while yet she spoke at intervals, but her
speech was fragmentary and incoherent. At one moment she still gloried
in her revenge, at another she exulte