Agilulf, KingoftheLombards, wholikehispredecessorsmadethecityofPaviainLombardytheseatofhisgovernment, tooktowifeTheodelinde, thewidowofAuthari, likewiseKingoftheLombards, aladyveryfair, wiseandvirtuous, , itsobefellthatoneoftheQueen'sgrooms, amanborntoverylowestate, butinnativeworthfarabovehismeanoffice, andmoreovernotawhitlesstallandgoodlyofpersonthantheKing, , forallhisbaseconditionhehadsenseenoughtorecognizethathislovewasinthelastdegreepresumptuous, hedisclosedittonone, nay, , yetheinwardlygloriedthathehadfixedhisaffectionsinsohighaplace; andbeingallaflamewithpassion, , that, whentheQueenhadtotakehorse, shewouldmountthepalfreythathegroomedratherthananyother; andwhenshedidso,hedeemedhimselfmosthighlyfavoured, andneverquittedherstirrup, 'tisfrequentlyobservedthatlovewaxesashopewanes, sowasitwiththispoorgroom, insomuchthattheburdenofthisgreathiddenpassion, alleviatedbynohope, wasmostgrievoustobear, andfromtimetotime, notbeingabletoshakeitoff, , hewasmindedthatitshouldbeofakindtomakeitmanifestthathediedforthelovewhichhehadborneandboretotheQueen, , noryetofdeclaringhislovetoherbyletter, forheknewthat'twouldbevaineithertospeakortowrite; butheresolvedtotrytodevisesomemeanswherebyhemightliewiththeQueen; whichendmightinnootherwaybecompassedthanbycontrivingtogetaccesstoherinherbedroom; whichcouldonlybebypassinghimselfoffastheKing, who, asheknew, , thathemightobservethecarriageanddressoftheKingashepassedtoherroom, hecontrivedtoconcealhimselfforseveralnightsinagreathalloftheKing'spalacewhichseparatedtheKing'sroomfromthatoftheQueen: andononeofthesenightshesawtheKingissuefromhisroom, wrappedinagreatmantle, withalightedtorchinonehandandawandintheother, andcrossthehall,and, sayingnothing, tapthedooroftheQueen'sroomwiththewandonceortwice; , andbeingbentondoinglikewise, hefoundmeanstocomebyamantlelikethatwhichhehadseentheKingwear,andalsoatorchandawand: hethentookawarmbath, andhavingthoroughlycleansedhimself, thatthesmellofthefoulstrawmightnotoffendthelady, ordiscovertoherthedeceit, , andthen, deemingthetimecometoaccomplishhispurpose, orbyhispresumptionclearawaytothedeathwhichhecoveted, hestruckalightwiththeflintandsteelwhichhehadbroughtwithhim; andhavingkindledhistorchandwrappedhimselfcloseinhismantle, hewenttothedooroftheQueen'sroom, ,whotookthetorchandputitoutofsight; whereuponwithoutawordhepassedwithinthecurtain, laidasidethemantle, , takingherinhisarmsandstraininghertohimwithardour, makingasifheweremoody,becauseheknewthat, whentheKingwasinsuchaframe, hewouldneverhearaught, insuchwise,withoutwordsaideitheronhispartoronhers, , but, fearinglestbytoolongtarryinghisachieveddelightmightbeconvertedintowoe, herose, resumedthemantleandthelight,andleavingtheroomwithoutaword, 'sroom; whereatshewonderednotalittle; but, reassuredbythegladsomegreetingwhichhegaveherashegotintobed, shesaid:—"Mylord, whatasurpriseisthisto-night! 'Twasbutnowyouleftmeafteranunwontedmeasureofenjoyment, anddoyounowreturnsosoon? considerwhatyoudo." FromthesewordstheKingatonceinferredthattheQueenhadbeendeceivedbysomeonethathadcounterfeitedhispersonandcarriage; but,atthesametime, bethinkinghimselfthat, asneithertheQueennoranyotherhaddetectedthecheat, 'twasbesttoleaveherinignorance, , butwouldhavesaid:—"Nay, '? Howcameittopass? Whocamehither?" Wherebyinthesequelhemighthavecausedtheladyneedlesschagrin, andgivenheroccasiontodesireanothersuchexperienceasshehadhad, andsohavebroughtdisgraceuponhimselfbyutteringthat,fromwhich, unuttered, , betrayinglittle, eitherbyhismienorbyhiswords, ofthedisquietudewhichhefelt, theKingreplied:—"Madam, seemIsuchtoyouthatyoucannotsupposethatIshouldhavebeenwithyouonce, andreturnedtoyouimmediatelyafterwards?" "Nay, notso, mylord," returnedthelady, "butnonethelessIprayyoutolooktoyourhealth." ThensaidtheKing:—"AndIammindedtotakeyouradvice; wherefore,withoutgivingyoufurthertroubleIwillleaveyou."So, angeredandincensedbeyondmeasurebythetrickwhich, hesaw, hadbeenplayeduponhim, heresumedhismantleandquittedtheroomwiththeintentionofprivilydetectingtheoffender, deemingthathemustbelongtothepalace, andthat, whoeverhemightbe,, takingwithhimasmalllanternwhichshewedonlyaglimmeroflight,hewentintothedormitorywhichwasoverthepalacestablesandwasofgreatlength, insomuchthatwellnighallthemen-servantssleptthereindiversbeds,andarguingthat, bywhomsoeverthatofwhichtheQueenspokewasdone, hisheartandpulsecouldnotaftersuchastrainasyethaveceasedtothrob, hebegancautiouslywithoneofthehead-grooms, , saveonlyhethathadbeenwiththeQueen, who, seeingtheKingcome, andguessingwhathesoughttodiscover, begantobemightilyafraid, insomuchthattotheagitationwhichhislateexertionhadcommunicatedtohisheart,terrornowaddedoneyetmoreviolent; nordidhedoubtthat, shouldtheKingperceiveit, ;butatlast, observingthattheKingwasunarmed, heresolvedtomakeasifhewereasleep, , havingtriedmanyandfoundnonethathedeemedtheculprit, theKingcameatlasttotheculprithimself, andmarkingthethumpingofhisheart, saidtohimself:—, hedidnomorethanwithapairofscissorswhichhehadbroughtwithhimshearawayononesideoftheman'sheadaportionofhislocks, which, aswasthenthefashion, heworeverylong, thatbythistokenhemightrecognizehimonthemorrow; andhavingsodone, , whowasfullysensibleofwhattheKinghaddone, andbeingashrewdfellowunderstoodverywelltowhatendhewassomarked, gotupwithoutamoment'sdelay; and, havingfoundapairofscissors—for, asitchanced, therewereseveralpairstherebelongingtothestablesforuseingroomingthehorse— hewentquietlythroughthedormitoryandinlikemannershearedthelocksofeachofthesleepersjustabovetheear; whichdonewithoutdisturbingany, hewentbacktobed.
Onthemorrow, assoonastheKingwasrisen,andbeforethegatesofthepalacewereopened, hesummonedallhismen-servantstohispresence, and,astheystoodbareheadedbeforehim, scannedthemcloselytoseewhethertheonewhomhehadshearedwasthere; andobservingwithsurprisethatthemorepartofthemwereallshearedinthesamemanner,saidtohimself:—Ofasuretythisfellow, whomIgoabouttodetect, evinces, forallhisbasecondition, , recognisingthathecouldnotcompasshisendwithoutcausingabruit, andnotbeingmindedtobravesogreatadishonourinordertobeavengeduponsopettyanoffender, , hesaid:—"Hethatdidit, lethimdoitnomore, andgetyouhenceinGod'speace." Anotherwouldhaveputthemtothestrappado, thequestion,thetorture, andtherebyhavebroughttolightthatwhichoneshouldratherbeseduloustocloak; andhavingsobroughtittolight, would, howevercompletetheretributionwhichheexacted, havenotlessenedbutvastlyaugmentedhisdisgrace, 'spartingadmonitionwondered, andmademuchquestionwithoneanother, whattheKingmighthavemeanttoconveybyit; but 'twasunderstoodbynonebuthimtowhomitreferred: whowasdiscreetenoughnevertorevealthesecretaslongastheKinglived, oragaintostakehislifeonsuchaventure.
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