of the young Breton, urging on her
horse, and clad in a long robe of sapphire blue cloth, trimmed with
ermine, white as the coat of her palfrey. On her blonde tresses
Thetralde wore a small cap, also of ermine. A sash of Tyrean silk of
lively colors, the long ends of which fluttered behind her in the air,
was wound around her delicate waist. The childlike and charming visage
of the Emperor's daughter, now enhanced by the ardor of her run, shone
with the flush of health. Blushing at the sight of Vortigern, Thetralde
dropped her large blue eyes, while the tight corsage of her robe rose
and sank under the throbs of her maidenly bosom. Vortigern's disturbance
equalled Thetralde's. Like her, he remained mute and embarrassed. His
eyes also were lowered, and he felt his heart beat violently. The silent
embarrassment of the two children was broken by Thetralde. In a timid
and diffident voice she said to the young Breton without daring to raise
her eyes to him:

"I thought I would never be able to join thee. Thy horse had such a long
lead of my palfrey--"

"My horse carried me away--"

"Oh, I noticed it--my sister Hildrude also," Thetralde added frowning
with her pretty eyebrows. "Both of us thereupon rushed in thy
pursuit--we feared that in thy unacquaintance with the paths of our
forest thou mightest lose thy way."

"It did seem to me that I heard the gallop of two horses--"

"My sister wished to run ahead of me; but I struck her horse on the head
with my whip. The frightened animal bolted to one side, carrying
Hildrude along. She was angry and uttered a cry of rage."

"Perhaps she runs some danger!"

"No, my sister will be able to master her horse. But as the mist is very
thick, she will not be able to meet us again. I am so happy about that!"

Vortigern felt on the rack. Nevertheless, an ineffable sense of joy
mingled with his agony. Anew the two children remained silent, and again
the daughter of the Emperor of the Franks was the one to break the
silence:

"Thou dost not speak--art thou annoyed that I have joined thee?"

"Oh, no, lovely princess--"

"Perhaps thou thinkest me wicked because I struck my sister's horse?
When I saw her striving to pass me, I no longer could control myself."

"I hope that no ill may have befallen your sister."

"I hope so too."

For a moment Thetralde and Vortigern again relapsed into silence. With a
slight touch of vexation the young girl once more resumed the
conversation: