forward a step and said: "You have chosen
me, O Goths! well, then take me; I will be your king."

At this each man's sword flashed in the light, and a louder cry arose:
"All hail, King Witichis!"

Old Hildebrand now descended from his place and said:

"I leave this high seat, for the place now belongs to our king. Only
once again let me perform the office of the Ting-Earl. If I cannot hang
the purple on thy shoulders, O King, which the Amelungs have worn; nor
reach to thee their golden sceptre--take, at least, my judge's mantle
and the staff of justice for a sceptre; as a sign that thou wert chosen
for thy justice' sake. I cannot press Theodoric's golden circlet, the
old Gothic crown, upon thy brow, then take the first leaves of the oak
which thou resemblest in trustiness and strength."

With these words he broke a tender shoot of the oak and bound it round
Witichis' brow.

"Up, Gothic warriors! fulfil your office with the shield!"

Haduswinth, Teja, and Hildebad took the ancient Ting-shield, lifted the
King, who was now crowned with wreath, staff, and mantle, and raised
him on their shoulders in sight of all the people.

"Behold, O Goths, your King, whom you yourselves have chosen, and swear
allegiance to him!"

And they swore--standing upright, not kneeling=-to true to him till
death.

Witichis sprang from the shield, ascended the Ting-seat and cried:

"As you swear fidelity to me, so do I to you. I will be a mild and just
king; I will do right and prevent wrong. I will remember that you are
free, like me, and not my slaves. And I dedicate my life, my happiness,
all that is mine, to you, to the people of the good Goths! I swear it
by the God of Heaven, and by my throne."

And taking the Ting-shield from the tree, he cried:

"The Ting is over. I dissolve the Assembly."

The sajones at once knocked down the hazel staffs with the cords, and
in disorderly confusion the masses mingled over the wide plain.

The Romans, who, curiously but shyly, had observed from a distance this
custom of a free people, such as Italy had not witnessed for more than
five hundred years, now also mixed freely with the Gothic soldiers, to
whom they sold wine and meat.

Witichis prepared to go with his friends and the leaders of the army to
one of the tents which were erected on the bank of the river.

There a man in Roman costume--as it seemed, a well-to-do
citizen--pressed among his followers, and asked eagerly for Earl Teja,