Bad bad weekend...help!!!

[Mike <mac50@columbia.edu>]

Hi again all.  Bad thing happened today.
 
Was driving from Saratoga (NY) to NYC and about halfway back I saw a
warning symbol come on.  Having just bought the car used without the
manual, I didn't know what it meanbt, but all the gauges looked fine.  It
looked like this:

		  ...   ...
		 .   . .   .
		.     .     .
		.    I.I    .
		    / .\
		   /  . \
		  I   .  I
		  I	 I
		  I/\/\/\I
		  |______I
			
Anyway, this was on and I stopped at the nearest garage (I was in the
middle of nowhere) and had the mechanic check it out.  He wasn't familiar
with Audis but thought it might be an oil or radiator warning.  He checked
and everything looked ok.  I drove the rest of the way watching the gauges
carefully.  Just as I was pulling up to park, The warning stasrted
alternating with a battery symbol, and the voltmeter dropped to about 3 or
4.  

What happened?  What does that symbol mean?  Is my alternator history?
Anyone have any ideas on whats going on---and what the $ damage is??? 

All help appreciated!!

Mike   :(