FIRST SCENE.

TWO CAMP WATCHERS.

First Camp Watcher.

Ho thou! Art thou fallen asleep?

Second Camp Watcher.

Why should I be fallen asleep?

First Camp Watcher.

Because thou leanest so limber upon thy spear, bent like the bow of a Hun.

Second Camp Watcher.

I stand so bent, because thus hunger gripes me less.

First Camp Watcher.

'Tis of no avail. It availeth as little as thy belt. Afterward, in standing upright, it is the more severe.

Second Camp Watcher.

How long is this to last?

First Camp Watcher.

Until the ships come--that is simple indeed.

Second Camp Watcher.

Yea, but when are the ships coming?

First Camp Watcher.

How can I know that? Look toward the heights. There, high upon the Milchberg, there standeth the watch, and overlooketh the sea for twenty miles. If he knoweth not! There, behind the Misenian hills, there they must be coming.

Second Camp Watcher.

Verily, if the Byzantian let them pass.

First Camp Watcher.

The Byzantian hath no ships.

Second Camp Watcher.

The Byzantian hath so many ships that he can surround the whole Italian world with them as with a hedge; as close as the Byzantian Eunuch hath surrounded us, these seven weeks.

First Camp Watcher.

These seven weeks!

Second Camp Watcher.

Knowest thou what I got for nourishment, at noon this day? The same rind of bacon on which I brake my teeth eight days ago. Forsooth, I had cut my three crosses, with my knife. That was a meeting again! But to-day, I devoured it ... a noble feast for a king's marriage day!

First Camp Watcher.

Think'st thou the King had more?

Second Camp Watcher.

And think'st thou we would suffer ourselves to be beaten to death, suffer ourselves to be broken on the wheel, to be thrust through and put to shame, if he had more than we? Think'st thou we would lie here like chained dogs, and watch, did we not know that there is nothing to watch?

First Camp Watcher.

There is gold enough.

Second Camp Watcher.

Gold! Pah, gold! Of gold I have enough myself. In my cellar at Canusium, I have buried a treasure--eh! ... thou! The wives behind there in the Wagenburg must have meat left ... wine too, they must still have.

First Camp Watcher.

Yea, the wives are there well enough--thou hast none, I suppose.

Second Camp Watcher.

A Greek dishonoured mine, and I stabbed him to death! (Pauses.) Good! The wives must have meat; they must have wine too. But how long that-- (Noise and clash of weapons, slowly approaching.) There, the marriage is surely ended.

First Camp Watcher.

Silence! There cometh the aged Ildibad--with the King's shield. (Both put themselves on guard.)