Luciae venatus

Meanwhile Lucia was tired from hunting, which had been long and without success. Her horse was also hot and tired. So she had decided to have a swim in the pool, and was now approaching the pool through the wood. However, she heard the mule’s braying ‘Hey, who is this?’ she said and looked around. When no one replied she took an arrow from her quiver and guided her horse slowly towards the sound. In the wood she recognised the mule and Paul’s clothes that had been left there. She got down from the horse and holding her bow and arrow in her hand stealthily approached the pool. 

Paul, who had heard the mule, was still contemplating the sky. Suddenly he heard a voice ‘Lift up your hands!’ ‘Wh .. wh ..who are you?’ he asked stammering with fright, ‘What do you want?’
‘Are you a duck?’ said Lucia laughing, at which point she emerged from the trees holding her bow and arrow.
‘Lucia, it’s me, Paul. Don’t you recognise me?’
‘Paul?’
‘Yes. Hi, hello! Wow, I was scared stiff by the noise. Do you want to swim? Come on, you may put your bow down.’
‘Why do you come to this place?’
‘I wanted to swim. Please, put your bow down.’
‘I always hold my bow,’ she replied.
‘Are you an archeress?’ he asked.
‘Yes indeed. My father taught me to shoot arrows. And you, where are you heading?’
‘To the town. Forgive me if I’m not permitted to swim in this pool.’
‘It’s fine for you to stay.’
‘Thanks. Where are you aiming the bow?’
‘At that tree,’ said Lucia, pointing to a tree on the bank on the other side.
‘You’ll never hit that,’ Paul laughed. Lucia’s arrow whistled through the air and stuck in the same tree. Paul stammered ‘Unbelievable … remarkable. You truly are a huntress. Do you often kill animals?’
‘From time to time,’ said Lucia laughing, and walked around the pool to recover her arrow. ‘But today we caught nothing.’
‘Except me,’ laughed Paul.
‘Except you. But I’ve seen much fiercer animals than you.’
‘I love all animals and never kill them. We all live under the sky, animals and people….’
‘Sssh, be quiet, who is that?’ said Lucia.
‘Who do you mean?’
‘I can hear voices. Look, some men are approaching the pool.’

 
Peregrini ad stagnum

‘Who are they?’ asked Paul.
‘I don’t know. I’ve never seen them.
‘Quick, into the water. Hurry!’ Lucia quickly dived into the water and they hid together among the reeds. Soon the strangers reached the pool.
‘… On the day after we’ll help ourselves to the cattle and the gold,’ said one. ‘No,’ said another, ‘the gold should not be taken … only the cattle. The gold is for the church. Everything is to be taken, except the gold and silver.’
Paul recognised the voice, and in astonishment exclaimed ‘It’s Father Richard, our stores supervisor who lives in the monastery!’
‘Sssh!’ whispered Lucia putting her hand to his mouth; Paul kissed it and the girl took it away.
‘What is Richard doing in this place?’ Paul thought to himself. ‘Who are his companions? Traders? They could not see the faces of the men; they heard many other voices but didn’t recognise them. They could also hear the men’s horses drinking. Suddenly Paul’s mule brayed in the wood.
‘What is that?’ shouted one. ‘Hey, it’s OK,’ replied a second, ‘See there, the mules in the fields.’ Shortly afterwards the men went away.
‘Your mule is noisy,’ said Lucia rising out of the water.
‘Where are you going? Don’t you want to swim?’
‘Certainly not! Those voices belonged to Danes.’
‘Those men were Danes? With Richard? Surely you’ve made a mistake?’
‘I am sure. We once received some Danes as guests in our castle. Come on, they must be followed immediately.’
‘Immediately? But I ought to put my clothes on.’
‘Then hurry, in case we lose them!’