"Everywhere, when my servants are at mischief. When will you learn to agree? You Italians need a master in the house. But thou, Wachis, shouldst not vex the housewife too. Come, Athalwin, come with me." And she led the boy away. She went into a side-yard, filled her raised skirt with grain out of a trough, and fed the fowls and pigeons, which immediately flocked around her. For a little while Athalwin watched her silently. At last he said: "Mother, is it true? Is father a robber?" Rauthgundis suspended her occupation, and looked at the child in surprise. "Who said so?" "Who? Eh, the nephew of Calpurnius! We were playing on the great heap of hay in his meadow, and I showed him how far the land belongs to us on the right of the hedge--far and wide--as far as our servants were mowing, and the brook shone in the distance. Then he got angry and said, 'Yes, and all that land once belonged to us, and thy father or thy grandfather stole it, the robbers!'" "Indeed! And what didst thou reply?" "Eh, nothing at all, mother. I only threw him over the hay-cock, with his heels in the air. But now I should like to know if it is true." "No, child, it is not true. Your father did not steal it, but took it openly, because he was stronger and better than these Italians. And heroes have done the same in all ages. And when the Italians were strong and their neighbours weak, they did so most of all. But now come; we must look after the linen that is bleaching on the green." As they turned their backs upon the stables, and were going towards the grassy hill on the left of the house, they heard the rapid hoof-beats of a horse, which was approaching on the old Roman high-road. Athalwin climbed quickly to the top of the hill and looked towards the road. A rider, mounted on an immense brown charger, galloped down the woody heights towards the villa. Brightly sparkled his helmet and the point of the lance, which he carried across his shoulder. "It is father, mother; it is father!" cried the boy, and ran swift as an arrow down the hill to meet the rider. Rauthgundis had just now reached the top of the hill. Her heart beat. She shaded her eyes with her hand, to look into the evening-red; then she said in a low happy voice: "Yes, it is he! my husband." CHAPTER V. Meanwhile Athalwin had already reached his father and climbed up his knee, clinging to his foot. The rider lifted him up with a loving hand, set him before him in the saddle, and spurred his horse into a gallop. The noble animal, once the charger of Theodoric, neighed lustily as he recognised his home and his mistress, and shook his flowing mane. The rider now reached the hill, and dismounted with the boy. "My dear wife!" he exclaimed, embracing her tenderly. "My Witichis!" she answered, blushing with pleasure, and clinging to him; "welcome home!" "I promised that I would come before the new moon--it was difficult----"