Merry by choice, she had in her a vein of tenderness which
now and then (possibly due to failing health) became excessive,
causing her to shed abundant tears with little or no cause, and to
be over lavish of endearments with those she loved or merely liked.
Athalfrida worshipped her husband; in her brother saw the ideal
hero. She was ardent in racial feeling, thought nothing good but
what was Gothic, and hated the Italians for their lack of gratitude
to the people of Theodoric.
To her the king had intrusted Veranilda. Knowing her origin and
history, Athalfrida, in the beginning, could not but look coldly
upon her charge. The daughter of a Gothic renegade, the betrothed of
a Roman noble, and finally an apostate from the creed of her
race-how could such an one expect more than the barest civility from
Totila's sister? Yet in a little time it had come to pass that
Athalfrida felt her heart soften to the sad and beautiful maiden,
who never spoke but gently, who had compassion for all suffering,
and willing aid for any one she could serve, whom little children
loved as soon as they looked into her eyes, and heard her voice.
Pages:
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539