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"Whilst thou hast been out looking after the hawk, another bird of prey has descended into the King's court. Caesar has sent a new message; and who dost thou think came as messenger? The wildest fellow out of the Roman army, the Frank Harietto, whom they call the army destroyer --- he who in one night, in the forest, cut off the heads of the plundering Saxons and carried them to the town like cabbage-heads. Even before he came the King was pacing gloomily through the court; he answered my greeting with embarrassment, and the King's boys looked with contempt at us, and avoided our companionship. A chamberlain of the King came to our dwelling just now and stammeringly announced that he was to bring thy repast here, that thou mightest not meet the Roman at the King's table."

"If not at the meal, let it be in the court," replied Ingo; "we do not conceal our faces from the monster; if I am the object of his errand, it is good that we should learn it early. Come, cousin," he exclaimed to the King's son, "let us see how the strangers ride, and how the King greets the Roman messengers."

The child went with him through the court into the large space in front of the King's hall. There stood the strangers with their horses, while the King presented the most distinguished of his retinue to the ambassador, who stepped from man to man, bestowing upon them a warrior's greeting, and occasional words. The Roman Frank towered almost by a head above the tallest of the King's boys. He stood like a giant there, with broad shoulders and powerful limbs, his arms covered with circlets, and with a gold figure of the Emperor on the front of his coat-of-mail; his bushy eyebrows bristled from under his helmet, his look sullen, his courtly smile scarcely perceptible.

As Bisino made a turn with his guest, he suddenly met Ingo, who silently greeted the King, and led the boy toward him. The King seized quickly the hand of his son. But the look of the stranger was riveted on Ingo, and involuntarily his hand moved to his sword, as if he were thinking of slaying the enemy of his lord at once. Yet Ingo approached him with a greeting, and began:

"When we last saw each other, Hero Harietto, it was on a hot day: thy look was more honorable when thou didst brandish thy sword against me on the bloody battlefield, than here, where the will of a foreign lord restrains thy hand from greeting."

"I would gladly say, Hero Ingo, that I would be pleased to meet thee, but I stand here as the messenger of the great Roman Emperor; and his views toward thee are not friendly."

"I can not think well of the message," answered Ingo, "which prevents a valiant man from greeting, under the King's protection, a war-comrade with whom he once exchanged honorable blows."

"The angry Gods have cast thee and me from our homes into hostile battle-ranks; we both follow the oath that binds us," said the Frank.

"Thou followest the banner of the stranger; I the call of our countrymen."

"In the camp of the Romans the minstrel sings the same song as here in the country," retorted Harietto.

"The songs I heard as a boy taught me to avoid the sway of strangers," replied Ingo.

"Let all come to Caesar's banner; then we are all Romans."

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