hope for no pardon from his angry mistress. Besides, his
pride would not allow him to seek it, and now his one desire was
revenge. It only remained for him to follow his dastardly plan and to
avoid Siegfried's wrath.

Hatred raged in his breast. He dismissed all the servants of the
castle and put new ones of his own creation in their places. Then one
day he appeared before the horrified countess, and openly accused her
of being unfaithful to her husband far away.

Shame and wrath robbed Genovefa of speech. Golo explained to the
servants who were standing around in silent amazement, that he had
already informed the count of his wife's faithless conduct, and that
he, Golo, as present administrator of the castle, now condemned the
countess to be imprisoned in the dungeon.

The unhappy Genovefa awakened to find herself in an underground cell
of the castle. She covered her face in deep sorrow, imploring Him who
had sent her this trial, to help her in her present affliction. There
after some time a son was born to her. She baptized him with her
tears, giving him the name of Tristan, which means "full of sorrows."

II.

Siegfried had already been absent six months. He had fought like a
hero in many a desperate battle. The fanatical followers of Mohamet
having crossed the Pyrenees, struggled with wild enthusiasm, hoping to
subdue the rest of western Europe to the doctrines of Islam by fire
and sword. In several encounters, the Franks had been obliged to give
way to their power. These unbridled hordes had already penetrated into
the heart of Gaul, when Charles first appeared and engaged the Arabs
in the bloody battle of Tours. From morning till evening the struggle
on which hung the fate of Europe raged. And there Charles proved
himself worthy of the name of Martel, "the hammer," which he
afterwards received.

Siegfried fought at the leader's side like a lion; but towards evening
a Saracen's lance pierced him, and though the wound was not mortal,
yet he was obliged to remain inactive for several months on a
sick-bed, where he thought with longing in his heart of his loving
wife by the Rhine.

A messenger arrived one day at the camp bearing a parchment from Golo,
Siegfried's steward. The count gazed long at the fateful letter,
trying to comprehend its meaning. What he had read, ran thus: "Your
wife is unfaithful to you and has betrayed you for the sake of Drago,
a servant, who ran away." The hero crushed the letter fur