"
"Does your oath relate to Frankfort?"
"My oath relates to a woman," he said shortly.
"Ah," she breathed, "then you must keep it," and so they fell into
silence and unhappiness again.
She had talked of security on the road they traversed, but turning a
corner north of Vallandar they speedily found that a Rhine road is never
safe.
Both reined in their horses as if moved by the same impulse, but to
retreat now would simply draw pursuit upon them. Mounted on a splendid
white charger, gorgeous with trappings, glittering with silver and gold,
rode a dignified man in the outdoor habit of a general in times of
peace.
Following him came an escort of twoscore horsemen; they in the full
panoply of war; and behind them, on foot, in procession extending like a
gigantic snake down the Rhine road, an army of at least three thousand
men, the setting sun flashing fire from the points of their spears. Here
and there, down the line, floated above them silken flags, and Roland
recognized the device on the foremost one.
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