Poitiers, shall now turn tail to this handful of murderers and robbers,
reinforced by poor colonists who have left the plow for the lance, and
the hoe for the sling!"

"You braggart!" cried Broute-Saule, who had returned to his place at the
head of Meroflede's horse. "Will you have us two take an axe? We shall
strip to the waist, and you will find out whether the men of this place
are cowards!"

"You look to me to be a brave lad," answered Berthoald smiling. "If you
would like to remain with us at the abbey, you will find a place in the
ranks of my companions."

"We must have a truce from now till to-morrow.... You are surely tired.
You shall be taken to a bath. That will refresh you. After that we shall
sup. I can not treat you to a feast such as St. Agnes and St. Radegonde
treated their favorite poet, Bishop Fortunat, to at their abbey of
Poitiers, in short skirts. But you will not starve." Meroflede then
turned to Ricarik: "You have my orders, obey them!"

While speaking, Meroflede had drawn near the interior door of the abbey.
With a light leap she alighted from her horse and disappeared within the
cloister, after throwing the bridle to Broute-Saule. The lad followed
the fascinating woman with looks of despair, and he then slowly returned
to the stables, after shaking his fist at Berthoald. The latter, who was
more and more struck by the oddities of the abbess, did not notice
Broute-Saule's threatening gesture but was steeped in thought when
Ricarik recalled him to his surroundings, saying: "Alight; the slaves
will conduct you to the bath; they will help you take off your armor,
and as your baggage is not here they will furnish you with proper
vestments--they are a new hose and coat that I never used. You may put
them on should you prefer them to your iron shell. I shall later come
for you to sup with our holy dame."

CHAPTER VI.

WARRIOR AND ABBESS.

Refreshed by his bath and daintily dressed, Berthoald was half an hour
later led by Ricarik to the apartment of the abbess. When he appeared in
the hall where Meroflede awaited him, he found her alone. The abbess had
doffed her black vestments to array herself in a long white robe. A
light veil half hid the tresses of her thick and reddish hair. A
necklace and bracelets of precious stones ornamented her neck and bare
arms. The Franks, having preserved the custom, introduced before them in
Gaul by the Romans, of surrounding their banquet tables with couc