I know her not!'
And I could no longer rest upon the mountains. Something drew me down;
I felt obliged to come and see if my child was well cared for in the
valley; and I wished to surprise him, therefore I would not enter thy
house by the gate."

"Father," said Rauthgundis angrily, "one should not think such things,
even in a dream. Thy mistrust----"

"Mistrust? I trust no one but myself, and the dream told me distinctly
that a misfortune threatens thee! Avoid it! Take thy boy and go back
with me; only for a short time. Believe me, thon wilt quickly love
again the free air up there, where one can overlook all the land."

"I leave my husband? Never!"

"Has he not left thee? The court, and the service of kings, is more to
him than wife and child! Then let him have his will."

"Father," said Rauthgundis, grasping his hand, "not a word more. Didst
thou, then, not love my mother, that thou canst speak so to a wedded
wife? My Witichis is all in all to me; the air and light of life. And
he loves me with all his faithful heart; we are one. And if he thinks
it right to work and act apart from me, then it _is_ right. He serves
the cause of his people, and between me and him there shall not be a
word, not a shadow, not even a father!"

The old man was silent, but his doubts were not removed.

"Why," he re-commenced after a pause, "why does he not take thee with
him, if he has such important affairs at court? Is he ashamed of the
peasant's daughter?" and he struck his staff angrily on the ground.

"Anger blinds thee! Thou art vexed because he has taken me away from
the mountain into the Italian valley, and art equally vexed because he
does not take me to Rome, amongst the Italians!"

"And thou shalt not go there! But he ought to wish it; he ought not to
be able to live without thee. But the King's general is no doubt
ashamed of the peasant's child."

Just then, before Rauthgundis could answer, a horseman galloped up to
the closed gate, before which they happened to be standing.

"Up! open!" he cried, striking the gate-post with his war-club.

"Who is there!" asked the old man cautiously.

"Open! A king's messenger should not be kept waiting so!"

"It is Wachis!" exclaimed Rauthgundis, pushing back the heavy bolt.
"What brings thee back so unexpectedly!"

"It is you who open to me!" cried the faithful man. "Oh, hail! all
hail, Queen of the Goths! Your lord is chosen King. With my own eyes I
saw him lifted upon