the means to live industriously
and honorably."

"It shall be so, by the faith of Charles; I promise you. Besides, I
consent to withdraw my troops from your country, provided you pledge to
me your faith as a Breton that, during my life, you will not make any
incursions beyond your own frontiers. Give me your hand, Amael--your
loyal hand in sign of acceptance."

"Here it is, Charles," promptly answered Amael, grasping the hand
proffered by the Emperor. "Let it be the hand of a traitor, and that it
fall under the axe if our people break the promise! We shall live at
peace with you. If your descendants respect our liberties, we shall live
at peace with them."

"Amael, it is sworn!"

"Charles, it is accepted and sworn!"

"Instead of returning to Aix-la-Chapelle, you and your grandson shall
spend the night in the pavilion of the forest. To-morrow, at early
daybreak, I shall have your baggage forwarded to you, together with an
escort, charged to accompany you as far as the frontiers of Armorica.
You shall depart without delay."

"Your directions will be followed to the letter."

"I shall now return to the pavilion alone with my daughter. I shall tell
my courtiers that I found her in the hut. Alack! the calumnies of the
court are cruel. People will not believe in the innocence of Thetralde,
and if, besides, they should learn that she spent a part of the night
with your grandson in that obscure retreat, they will take for granted
all that they now impute to her sisters. Oh! My father's heart bleeds
strangely. I have loved my daughters too much. I have been too indulgent
towards them! And then also, my continuous wars beyond my own kingdom,
together with the affairs of state, have prevented me from watching over
my children. And yet, during my absence, I always left them in the
charge of priests. Neither were they left idle; they embroidered
chasubles for the bishops! But, it seems that our Lord God, who has ever
and otherwise stood at my side, has willed it so, that I be struck in my
family. His will be done! I am an unhappy father!" Charles thereupon
called to the Roman:

"Octave, nobody--do you understand me, nobody--must know that my
daughter spent a part of the night in this hut with that young man. Evil
tongues do not spare even the chastest and most admirable souls. The
secret of this night is known only by me, my daughter, and these two
Bretons. I am as certain of their discretion as of my own and
Thetralde's.