Part 8 (1/2)
”Your brother is ailing; the physicians have advised letting him undertake a long trip for the good of his health.”
”Will he be back soon?”
”To-morrow, perhaps--perhaps even to-day.”
”Oh, so much the better, grandmother! So much the better! His place will not then be empty in our room--we miss him--”
”Be not too glad on that score, my little kinglets. Henceforth, Sigebert will inhabit his own royal mansion, he will have his own servants and his separate room. Oh, he will be like a little man!”
”But he is only one year older than I!”
”Oh, oh! In a year you also will be a little man, my little Childebert,”
replied Brunhild exchanging a diabolical glance with Chrotechilde; ”you will then also have your royal establishment and your separate room--your chamberlains, your equerries, your slaves, all of them submissive to your every whim, like dogs to the switch.”
”Oh, how I would like to be a year older, so as to have all those things that you promise me!”
”And so would I like to see you older--and Corbe also--and also Merovee, I would like to see you all of the age of Sigebert.”
”Patience, madam,” said Chrotechilde again exchanging infernal glances with Brunhild; ”patience; it will all come about--but what noise is that in the large hall? I hear numerous steps approaching--it must be seigneur Warnachaire!”
CHAPTER IV.
QUEEN AND MAYOR OF THE PALACE.
Chrotechilde was not mistaken. The mayor of the palace of Burgundy had arrived, and now stepped, accompanied by Sigebert, into the chamber where Brunhild and her confidante were conversing with the kinglets, and antic.i.p.ating the future with diabolical foresight.
Sigebert, a boy of barely eleven, was like his brothers, frail, sickly and pale. Nevertheless, what with the excitement of the journey and the joy at seeing his brothers, a slight flush suffused his sweet, wan face, which not all the execrable precepts of his grandmother had 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 from his journey and were locked in a small coffer that he took from the hands of one of his suite, and impulsively opened in order to give his brothers a token of remembrance. Chrotechilde availed herself of a favorable moment, and approaching the Queen said in a low voice:
”Madam, if you will take my advice, keep the two slaves until evening--between now and then we shall have time to make up our minds.”
”Yes, that will be the best thing to do,” answered Brunhild; and addressing the child: ”You should now retire for rest, and you can talk with your brothers about your journey. I have matters of importance to consider with Duke Warnachaire.”
Chrotechilde led away the children, and the Queen remained alone with the mayor of the palace of Burgundy, a man of tall stature, and face cold, impenetrable, resolute. He wore a rich steel armor trimmed with gold after the Roman fas.h.i.+on. His long sword hung from his side, his long dagger was in his belt. After attaching a long and scrutinizing look upon Warnachaire who, however, remained impa.s.sible, Brunhild motioned him to a seat near the table, and let herself down into one opposite, saying:
”What tidings do you bring?”
”Good--and bad, madam--”
”First the bad.”
”The treason of Dukes Arnolfe and Pepin, as well as the defection of several great seigneurs of Austrasia, is no longer a matter of doubt.
They have deserted our colors and pa.s.sed over to the camp of Clotaire II with all their men; they are now preparing to march against your army.”
”I have long expected their treason. Oh, seigneurs, enriched and made powerful by the bounty of the Kings, you are yet able to carry ingrat.i.tude to such lengths! Very well! I prefer open war to subterraneous manoeuvres. The domains, Salic lands and benefices of the traitors will all return to my fisc. Proceed.”
”Clotaire II raised his camp at Andernach, and has penetrated to the heart of Austrasia. Being summoned to respect the kingdoms of his nephews, whose guardian you are, he answered that he would submit only to the judgment of the grandees of Austrasia and of Burgundy themselves.”