sh
seigneur so as to interest Charles in my fortunes. About five or six
leagues from the castle, I was attacked early the next morning by
bandits who infested the roads. I defended myself vigorously. I killed
two of the robbers and said to the others: Charles needs brave men. He
leaves a large part of the booty to them. Come with me. It is better to
fight in an army than to attack travelers on the road. The danger is the
same, but the profit is larger! The bandits took my advice and followed
me. Our little troop was increased on the route by other idle but
determined men. We arrived at the camp of Charles on the eve of the
battle of Poitiers. I claimed to be the son of a noble Frank who died
poor and left me his horse and arms as only inheritance. Charles
received me with his habitual roughness. 'There will be a fight
to-morrow,' he answered me, 'if you and your men behave well you will be
pleased with me.' Accident willed it that at that battle against the
Arabs I saved the life of the Frankish chief by helping him to defend
himself against a group of Berbery riders who attacked him furiously. I
was wounded in several places. That day secured the affection of Charles
to me. I shall not tell you, mother, of the many proofs of favor that he
gave me. My great fortune was ever poisoned by the thought ever present
in my mind: 'I have lied; I have denied my race; I have allied myself to
the oppressors of Gaul; I have given them the aid of my sword in
repelling the Saxons and Arabs, who are neither more nor less barbarous
than our accursed Frankish conquerors.' More than once, during the
incessant struggles between the seigneurs of Austrasia and those of
Neustria or Aquitaine--impious wars in which the counts, the dukes, and
the bishops drafted their Gallic colonists as soldiers--I fought against
the men of my own race.... I reddened my sword with their blood. These
are crimes."

"Oh, shame and sorrow," murmured Rosen-Aer, covering her face with her
hands, "to be the mother of such a son!"

"Yes, shame and sorrow ... not for you only, but also for me. Alack! I
yielded to the consequence of a first false step; I fought the men of my
race, out of fear to be taken for a coward by Charles, out of fear to
betray my extraction. Pride intoxicated me when I saw myself admiringly
surrounded by the proudest of our conquerors--I, the son of that
conquered and subjugated people. But after such moments of vertigo were
over, I often envi