st me? Nothing!
And we have always been friendly neighbors. He would not have refused
me; but I did not want you as a gift from another, you defiant
creature. I wanted the playmate of my childhood to give herself to me.
Yes, I confess I hoped that she retained from those childish days a
little--just a little affection."

"Presumptuous fellow!"

"And now the hour and the danger loosed my tongue. The Romans are
approaching. Who knows what they may bring us? But you have repulsed me
with undeserved suspicion, disdained my loyal aid. True,"--here his
brow contracted with mingled grief and anger,--"perhaps the foe will
not injure _you_."

"What do you mean?" asked Waldrun. Her tone expressed dread of some
fresh cause for contention between the two young people. Bissula,
without speaking, darted a flashing glance at him.

"For years," Adalo went on with suppressed indignation, "you have had
friends among these hated enemies--at least one friend. Perhaps he will
return hither with the cohorts now threatening us--the wise, eloquent,
and wealthy Senator! Of course a German noble, a 'Barbarian,' cannot
vie with him in gifts of jewels, rare fruit, and foreign flowers. That
I belong to your own people and he to our mortal foes--what care you?
You need, nay perchance you desire, neither marsh nor mountain as a
defence against your--friend!"

"Silence, Adalo! She was then only thirteen. The noble Roman might be
her father, nay, almost her grandfather."

"But he was so clever! He understood how to choose his words so
skilfully that usually I could not comprehend them at all. And
Albfledis was so fond of listening to the language of the foe!"

"At least," the girl hastily retorted, "Ausonius never used the
language of insolent mockery to the child. And since you have provoked
me to it, I tell you: yes, if the noble, kindly Roman should ever come
again and wish, as he did then, to take me with him as his child to his
beautiful country, his splendid pillared mansion,--listen,--I would
rather go with him, his daughter, than listen to you and your
contemptuous suit."

"Stay, Albfledis," said the youth, drawing himself up proudly, "Enough!
My suit? It is ended forever. Never will I repeat it--I swear by this
spear. You have scorned me--have openly preferred the Roman. Hear my
vow, in the presence of your ancestress and the all-seeing sun: Never
again will Adalo woo you. Though the ardent longing of my heart should
consume me, I w