give sight to the soul. Though your
light footstep rarely rings near me now, I know it well. I often hear
it as you hurry past our home, avoiding the house by taking a wide
circuit. No one save Bruna, your tame bear, comes to us by daylight
from the manor; for you have doubtless forbidden even your fair-haired
little brother to visit our house. But brutes are more loyal than human
beings: often, very often, Bruna seeks my little maid and Zercho the
bondman. When she brings us a wreath of the child's favorite flowers
wound around her neck and growling, drags it off to her lap, we know
well that the boy Sippilo, not you, sent it. By day you shun us! But--"
She bent forward and lowered her voice to a whisper: the youth glanced
around in surprise; surely they were still alone--"but by night you
often approach stealthily."

Adalo flushed crimson, and sought to divert her thoughts. "Can you spin
without seeing?"

"The youngest of the three great Sisters--who was born blind--spins the
future of the whole human race. And what I am spinning is as familiar
to my fingers as to my thoughts."

"What is it?"

"My shroud. But I do not think that Adalo, son of Adalger, came hither
to question Waldrun concerning her thoughts of death. Do you seek my
son? Suomar has not yet returned from the Council."

"I do not seek him--he sends me. The Council--last night on Odin's
Mountain--resolved to destroy all the houses and harvests." The youth's
noble, handsome countenance beamed with the fierce menacing joy of
battle as he added: "_The Romans_ are coming."

"They will not tarry long," said the old woman, calmly going on with
her spinning. "I have often seen them dash forward in all the pride of
strength, and soon sink feebly back again."

"You women, those unable to bear arms, the slaves, and the cattle are
to be received in two fortresses far away from the lake--one on Odin's
Mountain in the west, the other among the eastern marshes. We shall
form two divisions: one stationed in the east, the other in the west.
Your son is assigned to the eastern band; he was sent directly from the
council to the swamps. The troop will go through the fords there and
strengthen the breastwork of logs around the meadows to prevent the
entrance of the Italians."

"Then we must hasten eastward to the morasses. We shall be nearer to
him there."

Adalo hesitated. His face again crimsoned and he cast a keen glance at
the door of the house ere he began: "