"
Pilgrims in those days were frequently made the bearers of
special messages between distant friends; but this poor young
orphan princess could think of no one from whom a message to her
might come, Nevertheless, she simply said: "Say on." In the same
low tone the beggar continued, "Clovis, King of the Franks, sends
thee greeting."
The girl looked up now, thoroughly surprised. This beggar must be
a madman, she thought. But the eyes of the pilgrim looked at her
reassuringly, and he said: "In token whereof, he sendeth thee
this ring by me, his confidant and comitatus,[1] Aurelian of
Soissons."
[1] One of the king's special body-guard, from which comes the
title comp, count.
The Princess Clotilda took, as if in a dream, the ring of
transparent jacinth set in solid gold, and asked quietly:
"What would the king of the Franks with me?"
"The king, my master, hath heard from the holy Bishop Remi and
the good priest Ugo of thy beauty and discreetness," replied
Aurelian; "and likewise of the sad condition of one who is the
daughter of a royal line. He bade me use all my wit to come nigh
to thee, and to say that, if it be the will of the gods, he would
fain raise thee to his rank by marriage.
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