"Now go," she said to the two men; "leave me alone with him."
Teja turned to go; Hildebrand hesitated.
"Go, go!" she cried, laying her hand upon the marble urn; "I swear to thee by the ashes of my child, that at sunrise he shall be free!"
"No," cried Witichis, "I will not put away my wife! never!"
"Thou shalt not. It is not thou who sendest me away--I turn away from thee. Rauthgundis goes to save her people and her husband's honour. Thou canst never tear away thy heart from me; I know that mine it will remain, now more than ever! Go, Hildebrand and Teja, what we two have now to go through, will admit of no witness."
The two men silently left the place; silently they went together down the lane of tents; at the corner the old man stopped.
"Good-night, Teja," he said; "it is now done!"
"Yes; who knows if well done? A noble, noble sacrifice! Many more will follow, and, meseems there, in the stars, it stands written--in vain! But for honour then, if not for victory! Farewell."
He drew his dark mantle closely round his shoulders, and disappeared like a shadow into the night.