Then was heard the tramp of an armed man, coming ever nearer
and nearer, and now close to the entrance of the cave. In
vain did Froda strive to free himself from the trembling
maiden. Already the branches before the entrance were
cracking and breaking, and Froda sighed deeply. "Must I,
then, fall like a lurking fugitive, entangled in a woman's
garments? It is a base death to die. But can I cast this
half-fainting creature away from me on the dark, hard earth,
perhaps into some deep abyss? Come, then, what will, thou,
Lady Aslauga, knowest that I die an honourable death!"

"Froda! Hildegardis!" breathed a gentle, well-known voice
at the entrance, and recognising Edwald, Froda bore the lady
towards him into the starlight, saying, "She will die of
terror in our sight in this deep cavern. Is the foe near at
hand?" "Most of them lie lifeless on the shore, or swim
bleeding through the waves," said Edwald. "Set your mind at
rest, and repose yourself. Are you wounded, beloved Froda?"
He gave this short account to his astonished companions--how,
in the darkness, he had mixed with the Bohemians and pressed
into the skiff, and that it had been easy to him on landing to
disperse the robbers entirely, who supposed that they were
attacked by one of their own crew, and thought themselves
bewitched. "They began at last to fall on one another"--so he
ended his history; "and we have only now to wait for the
morning to conduct the lady home, for those who are wandering
about of that owl-squadron will doubtless hide themselves from
the eye of day." While speaking, he had skilfully and
carefully arranged a couch of twigs and moss for Hildegardis,
and when the wearied one, after uttering some gentle words of