Bissula. English Page 7

  CHAPTER VII.

  The young girl clung still closer to Waldrun, but the latter started upin alarm and hastily pressed her hand upon Bissula's heart.

  "How it throbs!" she murmured. Then, raising her left hand, as if tokeep the youth back, her right drew the folds of her ample cloak overthe brushing girl's sweet face. "Go," she said warningly. "Suspicionseizes me also. It is ignoble for you to dare utter the words of wooingto two defenceless women, confusing the girl, and inspiring vain, idlethoughts. That is not the honorable custom of our people. If your suitwas serious you ought first to have spoken to Suomar, the guardian: hegives my granddaughter's hand, not she herself. Whoever means marriagedeals with the guardian; whoever seeks mere amusement and dallyingcoaxes the girl. Go! I doubt you!"

  Adalo laid his hand upon his breast with a gesture of protest, but erehe could speak Bissula glided from beneath the shelter of hergrandmother's cloak. Her cheeks were glowing; her red locks fairlybristled; it seemed as if one could almost hear them crackle; her angryeyes blazed, and springing forward, she pushed the youth with bothhands, but had no power to stir the tall figure.

  "Yes, go!" she cried. "I do not doubt. Even Waldrun, who always speaksin your behalf, distrusts you, and she cannot see your arrogant face,the victorious smile on your proud lips, the light in your sparklingeyes! There--see how the feigned expression of good-will vanishes fromyour features; how resentfully you rear your head! Ay, that is thenoble, the swift, strong, handsome man, who believes that the god ofwishes must grant every whim, every caprice of his favorite. _You_ matewith a poor girl! _you_ lead red-haired Bissula to your home! Besides,I am called Bissula only by my friends; to strangers my name isAlbfledis. Waldrun is right: the blind woman has seen. If you were inearnest you would have gone to the guardian."

  She drew back and seized her grandmother's arm. "Come! let us return tothe house."

  But Adalo, his tall figure drawn up to its full height, barred theirway. Grief and anger were contending for the mastery in the expressionof his handsome face.

  "I was in earnest, the deepest earnest. Freya knows it. Soon Friggawill know also. I did not speak to Suomar, because I did not wish, likemost men, to obtain the girl solely by her guardian's command; Idesired not only her hand and her person, but her heart, her love. Iwas sure of Suomar."

  "Do you hear his arrogance, grandmother?"

  "It is not arrogance. What can your uncle bring against me? Nothing!And we have always been friendly neighbors. He would not have refusedme; but I did not want you as a gift from another, you defiantcreature. I wanted the playmate of my childhood to give herself to me.Yes, I confess I hoped that she retained from those childish days alittle--just a little affection."

  "Presumptuous fellow!"

  "And now the hour and the danger loosed my tongue. The Romans areapproaching. Who knows what they may bring us? But you have repulsed mewith undeserved suspicion, disdained my loyal aid. True,"--here hisbrow contracted with mingled grief and anger,--"perhaps the foe willnot injure _you_."

  "What do you mean?" asked Waldrun. Her tone expressed dread of somefresh cause for contention between the two young people. Bissula,without speaking, darted a flashing glance at him.

  "For years," Adalo went on with suppressed indignation, "you have hadfriends among these hated enemies--at least one friend. Perhaps he willreturn hither with the cohorts now threatening us--the wise, eloquent,and wealthy Senator! Of course a German noble, a 'Barbarian,' cannotvie with him in gifts of jewels, rare fruit, and foreign flowers. ThatI belong to your own people and he to our mortal foes--what care you?You need, nay perchance you desire, neither marsh nor mountain as adefence against your--friend!"

  "Silence, Adalo! She was then only thirteen. The noble Roman might beher father, nay, almost her grandfather."

  "But he was so clever! He understood how to choose his words soskilfully that usually I could not comprehend them at all. AndAlbfledis was so fond of listening to the language of the foe!"

  "At least," the girl hastily retorted, "Ausonius never used thelanguage of insolent mockery to the child. And since you have provokedme to it, I tell you: yes, if the noble, kindly Roman should ever comeagain and wish, as he did then, to take me with him as his child to hisbeautiful country, his splendid pillared mansion,--listen,--I wouldrather go with him, his daughter, than listen to you and yourcontemptuous suit."

  "Stay, Albfledis," said the youth, drawing himself up proudly, "Enough!My suit? It is ended forever. Never will I repeat it--I swear by thisspear. You have scorned me--have openly preferred the Roman. Hear myvow, in the presence of your ancestress and the all-seeing sun: Neveragain will Adalo woo you. Though the ardent longing of my heart shouldconsume me, I will die ere I approach you again with words ofentreaty."

  "Alas!" wailed the blind woman, "alas for my dearest wish! Is it neverto be fulfilled?"

  "If it should be. Mother Waldrun, Albfledis must first come to me in myhall, and say: 'Adalo, here I am! Take me for your wife!'"

  "Oh, what shameless insolence!" cried Bissula, frantic with grief andrage. Seizing one of the blocks of stone which formed the rude tablebefore the oak, she tried to hurl it at the hated man. Her little handstore at the jagged rock without avail, till the fingers bled, but theheavy block remained unmoved, and bursting into tears of helpless rage,she flung herself upon the ground.

  The old woman bent over her, listening anxiously to her sobs, but Adalohad neither seen nor heard aught of these things. Even as he utteredthe last words, he turned his back upon the women, his face dark withpride and anger, and throwing his spear over his shoulder, leaped downthe slope so swiftly that his yellow locks floated wildly around hishandsome head.