Page:History of the Franks.djvu/93

THE THIRD. BOOK 6i better than I." And he said: The day of the sun is near," — for thus the Lord's day is usually named in the barbarian fashion — "on this day my neighbors and kinsmen shall be invited to my house. I ask you to make me such a feast as to make them wonder and say 'we have not seen better in the king's palace.'" And the other said: "Let my master order a great number of fowls, and I will do what you command." Accordingly the preparations which the slave had asked for were made, and the Lord's day dawned, and he made a great feast full of delicacies. And when all had feasted and praised the viands, the master's kinsmen went away. The master thanked this slave, and gave him authority over the food that he had ready for use, and he loved him greatly, and the slave used to serve food to all who were with his master. After the space of a year, when his master was now certain of him, Leo went out into a meadow which was near the house, with the slave Attains, the keeper of the horses, and lying on the ground with him a long distance off, with their backs turned so they would not be recognized as together, he said to the youth: "It is time that we ought to be thinking of our native place. Therefore I advise you not to allow yourself to go to sleep to-night when you bring the horses to be shut in, but as soon as I call you, come, and let us undertake the journey." Now the barbarian had invited many of his kinsmen to a feast, and among them was his son-in-law, who had married his daughter. And at midnight they rose from the banquet and retired to rest, and Leo attended his master's son-in-law to the place assigned and offered him drink. The man said to him: "Tell me, if you can, trusted servant of my father- in-law, when will you decide to take his horses and go to your own country." He said this in a joking way. In the same way the other jokingly gave the truthful answer: "To-night, I think, if it is God's will." And he said: "I hope my attendants will be on the watch that you take nothing of mine." They parted laugh- ingly. And when all were asleep, Leo called Attains, and when the horses were saddled, he asked him if he had a sword. He answered: "I do not need one, I have only a small lance." But the other went into his master's house, and took his shield and spear. And when he asked who it was, and what he wanted, he answered: "I am Leo, your slave, and I am waking Attains, so