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"This Hero, who knows better than thou the dancing of the Romans, will bestow something on thee when thou answerest him one question: What does thy monster wear when thou cravest gifts among the Romans?"

The man took the silver, looked with fear at Ingo, and answered the maiden insolently: "I know that the greeting of the Vandals is dangerous and rough; but I tell thee that he who will please the Romans in the dance must dance naked. What my ape does there I counsel to thee also."

Frida called out to him, angrily, "I suppose that among foreigners thy dancing cat derides the warriors of my people as he does the foreign ones among us."

Then the men nodded, and turned laughing away from the juggler. But Ingo went up to him, and asked: "How knowest thou that I am a Vandal?"

"Thou bearest it clearly enough on thy head," replied the man, pointing to Ingo's cap, in which were placed three wing-feathers of the wild swan. "Scarcely a week has passed since I suffered sharp chastisement from thy feathers among the Burgundians."

Ingo's countenance changed; he seized the man hastily by the arm, and took him aside. "How many were there who wore this token?"

"More than ten, and less than thirty," replied the man. "They gave me hard words because my little one there danced with goose's feathers, and they threatened me with blows."

"Was he who chid thee an old warrior, with a gray beard, and a scar upon his forehead?"

"Thou describest him as he was; he had also rude manners."

Irmgard saw that the Hero had difficulty in concealing his emotion; he separated himself from the others, and went alone back to the house.

Shortly afterward, Volkmar, as king's messenger, entered the house. Ingo received him as a friend, whom he had anxiously expected; he heard his message, and led him to the Prince; then the three held confidential council.

"The King has invited me," said Ingo, "and he has promised me safety. Whatever the thought of his heart may be, it becomes me to accept his invitation. Only one thing restrains me, and with shame I speak it out: I ought not to enter the court of the King as a needy man; thou knowest, O my lord, how I came to thee."

The Prince replied, embarrassed:

"Horse and dress shall not be wanting to thee, Oh, Hero, and Wolf shall accompany thee as chamberlain; yet I do not advise thee to trust to the words of the King, and venture thyself under the axes of his bodyguard, for thou mightest vanish, without a trace, behind the stone walls. This journey would be an inglorius end for a Hero."

Volkmar also spoke:

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