The Branding Needle, or The Monastery of Charolles

stepped, accompanied by Sigebert, into the chamber where Brunhild and her confidante w

ad succeeded in depriving of its angelic appearance. He ran to embrace the aged Queen and then joyfully reciprocated the caresses and answered the volley of questions of his little brothers, who crowded around him. To each he handed some slight presents, which he brought f

two slaves until evening-between now and th

child: "You should now retire for rest, and you can talk with your brothers abou

e. He wore a rich steel armor trimmed with gold after the Roman fashion. His long sword hung from his side, his long dagger was in his belt. After attaching a long an

ings do y

nd bad,

t the

f Austrasia, is no longer a matter of doubt. They have deserted our colors and passed over to

s, you are yet able to carry ingratitude to such lengths! Very well! I prefer open war to subterraneous

g summoned to respect the kingdoms of his nephews, whose guardian you are, he answered that h

my kingdoms in rebellion against me. He deceives himself. Pro

said,

their power, whatever the mask that they assume! Do y

do not say to me-but I

read my

nsider me your enemy, especially s

guard agains

me certitude. You told Aimoin, one

my enemies to

ok upon me as such. Here are the fragments of the letter,

of parchment upon the table; the Queen lo

give you t

t placed these frag

u return to

our suspicions; that is the reason I have re

you come t

e, not hither, but to the camp of Clotaire II. I would have placed your grandson as a hostage in his hands, a

ey would have refused to follow you; they hav

country of Soissons, of Burgundy or of Austrasia. These Franks have no predilections, provided only that, after they shall have fought bravely and helped in winning the victory, the

ing through your mouth the assistance of the Germans, interested th

ovis. It was with no little trouble that I succeeded in preventing them from ravaging all the districts that we traversed on our route; in their impatience of savages they imagined themselves already in vanquished

e the Fra

em near Mo

far from

according as the requirements of the war may demand or the facilities for provisioning may require, would be to expose the territories that may have to be traversed to untold and unneces

ome seigneurs who are seeking to raise the people in rebellion against me-against the 'Romi

doubt not that the territory where I have had those troops encamp will be laid waste, but the evil effect of their conduct will be at least limited to the spot. Moreover, the loca

e temper of

of slaves that the troops carried away-all that fires them with the desire to fight the son of Fredegonde. These, madam, are the good tidings that counterbalance the e

ho learns the fact, and who still comes back-

punish, but she is magnificent towa

en, a favor t

, I expect it after the victory that I shall win over Cl

I shall challenge you to express a wish that Brunhild will not gratify, and-" but recollecting herself, she suddenly stopped short, cast a somber, scrutinizing glan

ies will rush in and kill me before your very eyes. So that you may consider me dead. But who is the man

the one nor

ald, p

ng! He is my p

ps Eub

two traitors! He no doubt is considering how to follow their example, and

of captaining the army; they are

ow that I had any such intention-while, as to you, I have ordered

me stabbed to death. If it is the hope of vengeance that has brought me back to you, what is there

ke did wha

me from drawi

e the eyes of Brunhild, whose first impulse w

with one blow of this dagger, which is poiso

pting a first movement of surprise, the Queen did not even wink her eyes; her indomitable orbs remained resolutely fixed upon those of the ma

es does not resort to such hazardous and refined schemes. The future belongs to none. If the opportunity offers to strike an enemy, the blow is dealt hard and firmly. I therefore conclude that you are not animated by secret hatred toward me. You shall keep the command of the

ten, madam, as far

my destruction. Whatever weapon was available was good to me; and after all, I have won brilliant victories, I have accomplished great things. All this notwithstanding I am hated; the Frankish seigneurs envy me; the vile Gallic plebs, whether slave or free, is silently resentful towards me, and would rebel if it were not curbed by the terror I inspire it with. But look! Look at that man! Who is he?" cried Brunhild break

audacity to dare to introduce yourself

the monastery of the

berlains is at the abbey at this hour to seiz

ain, together with the archdeacon and all their arme

le woman, and thus to expose himself to certain death-the action seemed so exorbitant that the Queen did not belie

his senses. But how did he c

long life, in the measure that he drew nearer to the horror-inspiring woman, his self-possession gradually forsook him, his mind became troubled, he felt his knees trembling under him, and he was constrained to lean against an

t first Loysik contemplated it mechanically, but being presently attracted towards it by an undefinable interest, he stooped over, looked at it more closely, approached his head nearer in order better to see the imprint, and deciphered the inscription that was under the august profile, that seemed to stand out lustrous from the bronze. A thrill ran over the frame of the aged man; a sudden, an

tures of the Gallic heroine; as he recognized them, he bowed a kn

ies my soul; it seems to impart to me the necessary strength to save the descendants of Scha