of the Emperor's daughter, now enhanced by the ardor of her run, shone with the flush of health. Blushing at the sight of Vortigern, Thetralde dropped her large blue eyes, while the tight corsage of her robe rose and sank under the throbs of her maidenly bosom. Vortigern's disturbance equalled Thetralde's. Like her, he remained mute and embarrassed. His eyes also were lowered, and he felt his heart beat violently. The silent embarrassment of the two children was broken by Thetralde. In a timid and diffident voice she said to the young Breton without daring to raise her eyes to him: "I thought I would never be able to join thee. Thy horse had such a long lead of my palfrey--" "My horse carried me away--" "Oh, I noticed it--my sister Hildrude also," Thetralde added frowning with her pretty eyebrows. "Both of us thereupon rushed in thy pursuit--we feared that in thy unacquaintance with the paths of our forest thou mightest lose thy way." "It did seem to me that I heard the gallop of two horses--" "My sister wished to run ahead of me; but I struck her horse on the head with my whip. The frightened animal bolted to one side, carrying Hildrude along. She was angry and uttered a cry of rage." "Perhaps she runs some danger!" "No, my sister will be able to master her horse. But as the mist is very thick, she will not be able to meet us again. I am so happy about that!" Vortigern felt on the rack. Nevertheless, an ineffable sense of joy mingled with his agony. Anew the two children remained silent, and again the daughter of the Emperor of the Franks was the one to break the silence: "Thou dost not speak--art thou annoyed that I have joined thee?" "Oh, no, lovely princess--" "Perhaps thou thinkest me wicked because I struck my sister's horse? When I saw her striving to pass me, I no longer could control myself." "I hope that no ill may have befallen your sister." "I hope so too." For a moment Thetralde and Vortigern again relapsed into silence. With a slight touch of vexation the young girl once more resumed the conversation: "Thou art very quiet--" "I know not what to say--" "Nor I either; and yet I was dying with the wish to speak to thee--what is thy name?" "Vortigern." "I am called Thetralde--pronounce my name." "Thetralde--" "I love to hear thee pronounce my name." "Where do you think the hunt is now?" asked the young Breton with increasing uneasiness. "It will be difficult to find the hunters. The mist grows ever denser." "Should we lose ourselves," Thetralde replied laughing, "I do not know the paths of the forest." "Why did you not, then, remain near the people of the court and the seigneurs of the escort?" "I saw thee running off rapidly, and I followed thee." "That throws both you and me into a great perplexity." "Art thou sorry to find thyself alone here with me?"