Pale and serene, the countenance of the boy showed how tranquil had been his death.

The dressings had been skilfully composed and carefully applied to his wounds, but suffering and privation had annihilated the feebleness of human resistance in their march toward the last dread goal, and the treachery of Imperial Rome had once more triumphed as was its wont, and triumphed over a child! As Hermanric descended with the corpse Goisvintha was the first object that met his eyes when he alighted on the ground.

The mother received from him the lifeless burden without an exclamation or a tear.

That emanation from her former and kinder self which had been produced by the closing recital of her sufferings was henceforth, at the signal of her last child's death, extinguished in her for ever! 'His wounds had crippled him,' said the young man gloomily.

'He could never have fought with the warriors! Our ancestors slew themselves when they were no longer vigorous for the fight.