"Who dares to grieve thee?"
"Ah! the Italian servants, and our Italian neighbours! They all hate us. Woe to us, if they did not fear us. Calpurnius, our neighbour, is so insolent when he knows thou art absent, and the Roman slaves are disobedient and false; our Gothic servants alone are good."
Witichis sighed. They had now arrived at the house, and sat down at a marble table under the colonnade.
"Thou must remember," said Witichis, "that our neighbour was forced to give up to us the third part of his estate and slaves."
"And has kept two-thirds, and his life into the bargain--he ought to thank God!" answered Rauthgundis contemptuously.
Just then Athalwin came running with a basketful of apples, which he had plucked from the tree. Presently Wachis and the other German servants came with wine, meat, and cheese, and greeted their master with a frank clasp of the hand.
"Well done, my children. The mistress praises you. But where are Davus, Cacus, and the others?"
"Pardon, sir," answered Wachis, grinning, "they have a bad conscience."
"Why? What about?"
"Eh!--I think--because I have beaten them little; they are ashamed."