elcome, O strangers, as our guests, at the hearth of my
husband. He is absent. I am quite alone in the house. Protect me and my
child."

Liuthari found no words; with wide-opened eyes and a beating heart he
looked at the beautiful woman before him.

But old Haduwalt, stepping to his side, saw with anxiety this look of
his young master. He spoke with great seriousness:

"Be of good cheer and rest assured, Roman matron. I swear to thee by
the renown of the honour of King Liutbert and of his son Liuthari, who
stands here and is strangely silent, I will protect thee as if thou
wert my own daughter, and he shall honour thee as if thou wert his
sister. Now drink, Liuthari, what is so hospitably offered thee," cried
he, turning and taking the spear from Liuthari's hand, who still stood
as if entranced.

The young man took the bowl, put it to his mouth, sipped the wine and
gave it back, without moving his eyes from her face.

"What is thy name?" asked he with a faint, trembling voice.

"Felicitas."

He quickly stepped forward.

"Happiness! Saelde! that is thy _name_: that _art_ thou."

"I do not understand thee."

"It is not necessary," muttered Haduwalt. "Give me also something to
drink."

He took the bowl from her and emptied it at a draught.

"Truly," continued he, "the wonderful wishing-god seems to live here;
how else couldst thou have come directly towards us, towards my thirst,
with a bowl of wine?"

"I saw you coming, startled by the crashing of the stone slabs;
Philemon, our old gray-headed slave, built them up. How could he
protect me, the lame, half-blind old man?"

"And didst thou imagine thyself protected by a heap of stones, without
defenders?"

"No, indeed! I know that I am protected by the good God in heaven, and
by my protecting angel. But, when I sent out the old man (the second
time) to look for my husband,--he did not wish to leave me alone, and I
was obliged repeatedly to bid him go:--he thought I should be in some
measure hidden if he blocked up the entrance."

Following the example of the hostess, Liuthari sat down. "Thy husband!"
said he, with knitted brows. "He has forsaken thee?--in this danger?"

"Oh, no," answered the young wife, "Yesterday evening, before, there
was any appearance of danger, he went into the town, since then he has
not returned, a few hours ago he was still living and active. Philemon
saw him in the street as he was going with spear and shield towards the
brid