"I do not ask about that," said he, pressing her tenderly to him--"how art thou?"
"As well as a poor woman can be," she answered, looking up at him, "who misses her well-loved husband. Work is the only thing that comforts me, my friend; plenty of occupation, which benumbs a sensitive heart. I often think how thou, far away amongst strange people, must trouble thyself in court and camp, where there is none to cherish thee. At least, I say to myself, he shall find his home well-kept and cheerful when he returns. And it is that, seest thou, which sanctifies and ennobles all the dull routine of work, and makes it dear to me."
"That's my brave wife! But dost thou not too much fatigue thyself?"
"Work is healthy. But vexation, and the men's wickedness, _that_ hurts me!"
"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."
"Eh!--I think--because I have beaten them little; they are ashamed."
"Well, it will do them no harm," said Witichis; "go now to your meal. To-morrow I will examine your work."
"What is that about Calpurnius?" asked Witichis, pouring wine into his cup.
"He has carried away the hay from the mountain meadow," she then replied, "which our men had mowed; and has put it into his barn by night, and will not return it."
"He will return it quickly enough, I think," said her husband quietly, as he took up his cup and drank.