Page:History of the Franks.djvu/251

THE NINTH BOOK 219 a definite time like a fire in standing grain it swept the whole city with the flame of disease. However the bishop went to the city and shut himself within the walls of St. Victor's church with the few who then remained with him, and there devoted himself to prayer and watching while the people of the city perished, praying for God's mercy that the deaths might at length cease and the people be allowed to rest in peace. The plague passed away in two months, and when the people, now reassured, had returned to the city the disease came on again and they who returned per- ished. Later on the city was many times attacked by this death. [23. Ageric, bishop of Verdun, dies of chagrin because Gunthram Boso, whose safety he had pledged, had been killed, and because Bertefred had been killed in his oratory. 24. Phronius the new bishop of Vence. 25. Childebert makes war on the Lombards and suffers a defeat "the like of which in former times is not recalled." 26. Gregory assists queen Ingoberga in making her will.] 27. Duke Amalo sent his wife to another estate to attend to his interests, and fell in love with a certain free-born girl. And when it was night and Amalo was drunk with wine he sent his men to seize the girl and bring her to his bed. She resisted and they brought her by force to his house, slapping her, and she was stained by a torrent of blood that ran from her nose. And even the bed of the duke mentioned above was made bloody by the stream. And he beat her, too, striking with his fists and cuffing her and beating her otherwise, and took her in his arms, but he was im- mediately overwhelmed with drowsiness and went to sleep. And she reached her hand over the man's head and found his sword and drew it, and like Judith Holofernes struck the duke's head a power- ful blow. He cried out and his slaves came quickly. But when they wished to kill her he called out saying : "I beg you do not do it, for it was I who did wrong in attempting to violate her chastit}'. Let her not perish for striving to keep her honor." Saying this he died. And while the household was assembled weeping over him the girl escaped from the house by God's help and went in the night to the city of Chalon about thirty-five miles away ; and there she entered the church of Saint Marcellus and threw herself at the king's feet and told all she had endured. Then the king was