"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." "Fredegonde's son expects to raise the people and seigneurs of my kingdoms in rebellion against me. He deceives himself. Prompt and terrible examples will terrify all would-be traitors." "Well said, madam!" "All the traitors--whatever their rank may be, whatever their power, whatever the mask that they assume! Do you hear, Warnachaire, mayor of the palace of Burgundy?" "I hear even what you do not say to me--but I bow before my Queen." "Do you read my thoughts?" "You take me for a traitor. You consider me your enemy, especially since your recent return from Worms." "I am on my guard against everybody." "Your suspicions, madam, have become certitude. You told Aimoin, one of our men, to stab me to death." "I order only my enemies to be despatched." "Accordingly, I am an enemy to you, madam, at least you look upon me as such. Here are the fragments of the letter, written in your own hand, and ordering Aimoin to kill me." And the duke deposited several fragments of parchment upon the table; the Queen looked defiantly at the mayor of the palace. "Did Aimoin give you that letter?" "No, madam; accident placed these fragments into my hands." "And yet you return to the palace?" "In order to prove to you the injustice of your suspicions; that is the reason I have returned to the place where you are sovereign." "Or perhaps you come to betray me." "Madam, if I had wished to betray you, I would have repaired, as so many other seigneurs of Burgundy have done, not hither, but to the camp of Clotaire II. I would have placed your grandson as a hostage in his hands, and I would have remained in your enemy's camp, together with the tribes that I brought with me from Germany." "Those tribes are devoted to my interests; they would have refused to follow you; they have come for the purpose of reinforcing my army." "Those tribes, madam, have come for the purpose of pillage, and little do they care whether they be indulged as auxiliaries of Brunhild or of Clotaire II, whether it be against the country of Soissons, of Burgundy or of Austrasia. These Franks have no predilections, provided only that, after they shall have fought bravely and helped in winning the victory, they will be free to ravage the vanquished country, gather a large booty, and lead numerous slaves back with them to the other side of the Rhine--such are the Franks whom I have brought." "And I tell you that the sight of my grandson, the infant King, asking through your mouth the assistance of the Germans, interested the barbarians in his cause, and secured the success of your mission."