gs than he has become as full of wiles as an old clerk."

More and more embarrassed by the banterings of Octave, Vortigern only
stammered a few words. The noon meal was disposed of. The aged Breton,
his grandson and the young Roman were presently mounted upon their
spirited horses that they found held ready for them by slaves in the
courtyard of the palace, and they rode briskly out to join the Emperor.

Two of the sons of Charles, Carloman and Louis, or Luthwig as the Franks
pronounced it, had arrived that same morning from their castle of
Heristal and now accompanied their father, together with five of his
daughters and four of his concubines, the other women of the palace
being this time excluded from the hunt. Among the huntresses was Imma,
the paramour who had so bravely borne Eginhard, the archchaplain, upon
her back. Still handsome, she now bordered on the full ripeness of
womanhood. Near her rode Bertha, searching with her eyes for Enghilbert,
the handsome Abbot of St. Riquier. A little behind the couple came
Adelrude, who, from afar, smiled upon Audoin, one of Charles' most
daring captains. Last of all trotted the brunette Hildrude, together
with the blonde Thetralde, both endeavoring to detect, no doubt, the
Breton centenarian, as Octave had told Vortigern. Most of the seigneurs
of Charles' suite wore singular costumes, brought at great expense from
Pavia, whither commerce unloaded the riches of the Orient. Among the
Emperor's courtiers, some were clad in tunics of Tyrian purple furnished
with broad capes, ornamented with facings of embroidered Phoenician
birds'-skin, while feathers of Asiatic peacocks' tail, neck and back,
caused their rich vestments to glitter in all the shades of blue, gold,
and emerald. Others of the courtiers wore precious jackets of Judean
dormouse, or weasel--gowns much prized and as dainty and delicate as the
skin of a bird. Finally caps with floating feathers, leggings of silk,
boots of oriental red or green leather, embroidered with gold or silver,
completed the splendid accoutrement of these people of the court.

The rude rusticity of the Emperor's costume stood off in marked contrast
with the magnificence of his courtiers. His coarse and large leather
boots, furnished with iron spurs, reached up to his thighs; under his
tunic he wore a broad sheep-skin coat with the fleece on the outside,
and his head was covered with a cap of badger-skin. In his hand the
Emperor carried a short-h