"
As Clotilda foresaw, her uncle stood in too much dread of this
fierce young conqueror of the north to say him nay. And soon in
the palace at Lyons, so full of terrible memories to this orphan
girl, the courteous Aurelian, now no longer in beggar's rags, but
gorgeous in white silk and a flowing sagum, or mantle of
vermilion, publicly engaged himself, as the representative of
King Clovis, to the Princess Clotilda; and, according to the
curious custom of the time, cemented the engagement by giving to
the young girl a sou and a denier.[1]
[1] Two pieces of old French coin, equalling about a cent and a
mill in American money.
"Now deliver the princess into our hand, O king," said the
messenger, "that we may take her to King Clovis, who waiteth for
us even now at Chalons to conclude these nuptials."
So, almost before he knew what he was doing, King Gundebald had
bidden his niece farewell; and the princess, with her escort of
Frankish spears, was rumbling away in a clumsy basterne, or
covered ox-wagon, toward the frontier of Burgundy.
But the slow-moving ox-wagon by no means suited the impatience of
this shrewd young princess.
Pages:
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86