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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32271-8.txt b/32271-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..caca678 --- /dev/null +++ b/32271-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13387 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Struggle for Rome, v. 1, by Felix Dahn + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Struggle for Rome, v. 1 + +Author: Felix Dahn + +Translator: Lily Wolffsohn + +Release Date: May 6, 2010 [EBook #32271] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRUGGLE FOR ROME, V. 1 *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: +1. Page scan source: + http://www.archive.org/details/astruggleforrom00dahngoog +2. The diphthong OE and oe are represented by [OE] and [oe]. + + + + + + + A STRUGGLE FOR ROME. + + BY + FELIX DAHN. + + + _T R A N S L A T E D F R O M T H E G E R M A N_ + BY + LILY WOLFFSOHN. + + + "If there be anything more powerful than Fate, + It is the courage which bears it undismayed." + GEIBEL. + + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + VOL. I. + + + + LONDON: + RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON. + 1878. + [_All Rights Reserved._] + + + + + + + PREFACE. + + +These pictures of the sixth century originated in my studies for the +following works: + +"The Kings of the Goths," vol. ii., iii., iv. Munich and Würzburg, +1862-66. + +"Procopius of Cæsarea:" a contribution to the historiography of the +migration of nations and the decay of the Roman Empire. Berlin, 1865. + +By referring to these works, the reader may distinguish the details and +changes which the romance has added to the reality. + +In history the events here described filled a period of almost thirty +years' duration. From reasons easily understood, it was necessary to +shorten, or at least to disguise, this long interval. + +The character of the Roman hero of the story, Cethegus Cæsarius, is a +pure invention. That such a person existed is, however, known. + +The work was begun at Munich in 1859, continued at Ravenna, Italy, and +concluded at Königsberg in 1876. + + FELIX DAHN. + +Königsberg: _January_, 1876. + + + + + A STRUGGLE FOR ROME. + + BOOK I. + THEODORIC. + "Dietericus de Berne, de quo cantant rustici usque hodie." + + + CHAPTER I. + + +It was a sultry summer night of the year five hundred and twenty-six, +A.D. + +Thick clouds lay low over the dark surface of the Adrea, whose shores +and waters were melted together in undistinguishable gloom; only now +and then a flash of distant lightning lit up the silent city of +Ravenna. At unequal intervals the wind swept through the ilexes and +pines on the range of hills which rise at some distance to the west of +the town, and which were once crowned by a temple of Neptune. At that +time already half ruined, it has now almost completely disappeared, +leaving only the most scanty traces. + +It was quiet on the bosky heights; only sometimes a piece of rock, +loosened by storms, clattered down the stony declivity, and at last +splashed into the marshy waters of the canals and ditches which belted +the entire circle of the sea-fortress; or a weather-beaten slab slipped +from the tabled roof of the old temple and fell breaking on to the +marble steps--forebodings of the threatened fall of the whole building. + +But these dismal sounds seemed to be unnoticed by a man who sat +immovable on the second step of the flight which led into the temple, +leaning his back against the topmost step and looking silently and +fixedly across the declivity in the direction of the city below. + +He sat thus motionless, but waiting eagerly, for a long time. He heeded +not that the wind drove the heavy drops which began to fell into his +face, and rudely worried the full long beard that flowed down to his +iron belt, almost entirely covering his broad breast with shining white +hair. + +At last he rose and descended several of the marble steps: "They come," +said he. + +The light of a torch which rapidly advanced from the city towards the +temple became visible; then quick and heavy footsteps were heard, and +shortly after three men ascended the flight of steps. + +"Hail, Master Hildebrand, son of Hilding!" cried the advancing +torch-bearer, as soon as he reached the row of columns of the Pronaos +or antehall, in which time had made some gaps. He spoke in the Gothic +tongue, and had a peculiarly melodious voice. He carried his torch in a +sort of lantern--beautiful Corinthian bronze-work on the handle, +transparent ivory forming the four-sided screen and the arched and +ornamentally-perforated lid--and lifting it high, put it into the iron +ring that held together the shattered centre column. + +The white light fell upon a face beautiful as that of Apollo, with +laughing light-blue eyes; his fair hair was parted in the middle of his +forehead into two long and flowing tresses, which fell right and left +upon his shoulders. His mouth and nose, finely, almost softly +chiselled, were of perfect form; the first down of a bright golden +beard covered his pleasant lip and gently-dimpled chin. He wore only +white garments--a war-mantle of fine wool, held up on the right +shoulder by a clasp in the form of a griffin, and a Roman tunic of soft +silk, both embroidered with a stripe of gold. White leather straps +fastened the sandals to his feet, and reached, laced cross-wise, to his +knees. Two broad gold rings encircled his naked and shining white arms. +And as he stood reposing after his exertion, his right hand clasping a +tall lance which served him both for staff and weapon, his left resting +on his hip, looking down upon his slower companions, it seemed as if +there had again entered the grey old temple some youthful godlike form +of its happiest days. + +The second of the new-comers had, in spite of a general family +likeness, an expression totally different from that of the +torch-bearer. + +He was some years older, his form was stouter and broader. Low down +upon his bull-neck grew his short, thick, and curly brown hair. He was +of almost gigantic height and strength. There were wanting in his face +the sunny shimmer, the trusting joy and hope which illumined the +features of his younger brother. Instead of these, there was in his +whole appearance an expression of bear-like strength and bear-like +courage; he wore a shaggy wolf-skin, the jaws of which shaded his head +like a cowl, a simple woollen doublet beneath, and on his right +shoulder he carried a short and heavy club made of the hard root of an +oak. + +The third comer followed the others with a cautious step; a middle-aged +man with a dignified and prudent expression of countenance. He wore the +steel helmet, the sword, and the brown war-mantle of the Gothic +footmen. His straight light-brown hair was cut square across the +forehead--an ancient Germanic mode of wearing the hair, which one often +sees represented on Roman triumphal columns, and which has been +preserved by the German peasant to this day. The regular features of +his open face, his grey and steady eyes, were full of reflective +manliness and sober repose. + +When he, too, had reached the cella of the temple, and had greeted the +old man, the torch-bearer cried in an eager voice: + +"Well, old Master Hildebrand, a fine adventure must it be to which thou +hast bidden us on such an inhospitable night, and in this wilderness of +art and nature! Speak--what is it?" + +Instead of replying, the old man turned to the last comer and asked: +"Where is the fourth whom I invited?" + +"He wished to go alone. He shunned us all. Thou knowest his manner +well." + +"There he comes!" cried the beautiful youth, pointing to another side +of the hill. And, in fact, a man of very peculiar appearance now drew +near. + +The full glare of the torch illumined a ghastly-pale face that seemed +almost bloodless. Long and shining black locks, like dark snakes, hung +dishevelled from his uncovered head. Arched black brows and long lashes +shaded large and melancholy dark eyes, full of repressed fire. A +sharply-cut eagle nose bent towards the fine and smoothly-shaven mouth, +around which resigned grief had traced deep lines. + +His form and bearing were still young; but pain seemed to have +prematurely ripened his soul. + +He wore a coat of mail and greaves of black steel, and in his right +hand gleamed a battle-axe with a long lance-like shaft. He merely +greeted the others with a nod of the head, and placing himself behind +the old man, who now bade them all four step close to the pillar on +which the torch was fixed, began in a suppressed voice: + +"I appointed you to meet me here to listen to earnest words, which must +be spoken, unheard, to faithful men. I have sought for months in all +the nation, and have chosen you. You are the right men. When you have +heard me, you will yourselves feel that you must be silent about this +night's meeting." + +The third comer, he with the steel helmet, looked at the old man with +earnest eyes. + +"Speak," said he quietly, "we hear and are silent. Of what wilt thou +speak to us?" + +"Of our people; of this kingdom of the Goths, which stands close to an +abyss!" + +"An abyss!" eagerly cried the fair youth. His gigantic brother smiled +and lifted his head attentively. + +"Yes, an abyss," repeated the old man; "and you alone can hold and save +it." + +"May Heaven pardon thee thy words!" interrupted the fair youth with +vivacity. "Have we not our King Theodoric, whom even his enemies call +the Great; the most magnificent hero, the wisest prince in the world? +Have we not this smiling land Italia, with all its treasures? What upon +earth can compare with the kingdom of the Goths?" + +The old man, without heeding his questions, continued: + +"Listen to me. The greatness and worth of King Theodoric, my beloved +master and my dear son, are best known by Hildebrand, son of Hilding. +More than fifty years ago I carried him in these arms, a struggling +boy, to his father, and said: 'There is an offspring of a strong +race--he will be a joy to thee.' And when he grew up I cut for him his +first arrow, and washed his first wound. I accompanied him to the +golden city of Byzantium, and guarded him body and soul. When he fought +for this lovely land, I went before him, foot by foot, and held the +shield over him in thirty battles. He may possibly, since then, have +found more learned advisers and friends than his old master-at-arms, +but hardly wiser, and surely not more faithful. Long ere the sun shone +upon thee, my young falcon, I had experienced a thousand times how +strong was his arm, how sharp his eye, how clear his head, how terrible +he could be in battle, how friendly over the cup, and how superior he +was even to the Greekling in shrewdness. But the old Eagle's wings have +become heavy. His battle-years weigh upon him; for he and you, and all +your race, cannot bear years like I and my play-fellows; he lies sick +in soul and body, mysteriously sick, in his golden hall down there in +the Raven-town. The physicians say that though his arm be yet strong, +any beat of his heart may kill him with lightning-like rapidity, and +with any setting sun he may journey down to the dead. And who is his +heir? who will then uphold this kingdom? Amalaswintha, his daughter; +and Athalaric, his grandson; a woman and a child!" + +"The Princess is wise," said he with the helmet and the sword. + +"Yes, she writes Greek to the Emperor, and speaks Latin with the pious +Cassiodorus. I doubt that she even thinks in Gothic. Woe to us, if she +should hold the rudder in a storm!" + +"But I see no signs of storm, old man," laughed the torch-bearer, and +shook his locks. "From whence will it blow? The Emperor is again +reconciled, the Bishop of Rome is installed by the King himself, the +Frank princes are his nephews, the Italians are better off under our +shield than ever before. I see no danger anywhere." + +"The Emperor Justinus is only a weak old man," said he of the sword, +assentingly. "I know him." + +"But his nephew, who will soon be his successor, and is already his +right arm--knowest thou him? Unfathomable as the night and false as the +sea is Justinian! I know him well, and fear that which he meditates. I +accompanied the last embassy to Byzantium. He came to our camp; he +thought me drunk--the fool! he little knows what Hilding's child can +drink!--and he questioned me about everything which must be known in +order to undo us. Well, he got the right answer from me! But I know as +well as I know my name, that this man will again get possession of +Italy; and he will not leave in it even the footprint of a Goth!" + +"If he can," grumblingly put in the brother of the fair youth. + +"Right, friend Hildebad, if he can. And he can do much. Byzantium can +do much." + +The other shrugged his shoulder + +"Knowest thou _how_ much?" asked the old man angrily. "For twelve long +years our great King struggled with Byzantium and did not prevail. But +at that time thou wast not yet born," he added more quietly. + +"Well," interposed the fair youth, coming to his brother's help, "but +at that time the Goths stood alone in the strange land. Now we have won +a second half. We have a home--Italy. We have brothers-at-arms--the +Italians!" + +"Italy our home!" cried the old man bitterly; "yes, that is the +mistake. And the Italians our allies against Byzantium? Thou young +fool!" + +"They were our King's own words," answered the rebuffed youth. + +"Yes, yes; I know these mad speeches well, that will destroy us all. We +are as strange here to-day as forty years ago, when we descended from +the mountains; and we shall still be strangers in the land after +another thousand years. Here we shall be for ever 'the barbarians.'" + +"That is true; but why do we remain barbarians? Whose fault is it but +ours? Why do we not learn from the Italians?" + +"Be silent," cried the old man, trembling with wrath, "be silent, +Totila, with such thoughts; they have become the curse of my house!" +Painfully recovering himself, he continued: "The Italians are our +deadly enemies, not our brothers. Woe to us if we trust them! Oh that +the King had followed my counsel after his victory, and slain all who +could carry sword and shield, from the stammering boy to the stammering +old man! They will hate us eternally. And they are right. But we, we +are the fools to trust them." + +There ensued a pause; the youth had become very grave, and asked: + +"So thou holdest friendship to be impossible 'twixt them and us?" + +"No peace between the sons of Gaul and the Southern folk! A man enters +the gold cave of a dragon--he holds the head of the dragon down with an +iron fist; the monster begs for life. The man feels compassion because +of his glittering scales, and feasts his eyes on the treasures of the +cavern. What will the poisonous reptile do? As soon as he can he will +sting him stealthily, so that he who spared him dies." + +"Well then, let them come, the despicable Greeks!" shouted the gigantic +Hildebad; "let the race of vipers dart their forked tongues at us. We +will beat them down--so!" And he lifted his club and let it fall +heavily, so that the marble slab split into pieces, and the old temple +resounded with the blow. + +"Yes, they shall try!" cried Totila, and from his eyes shone a martial +fire that made him look still more beautiful; "if these unthankful +Romans betray us, if the false Byzantines come," he looked with loving +pride at his strong brother, "see, old man, we have men like oaks!" + +The old master-at-arms nodded, well pleased: + +"Yes, Hildebad is very strong, though not quite as strong as Winither, +Walamer and others, who were young with me. Against North-men strength +is a good thing. But this Southern folk," he continued angrily, "fight +from towers and battlements. They carry on war as they might make a +reckoning, and at last they reckon a host of heroes into a corner, +where they can neither budge nor stir. I know one such arithmetician in +Byzantium, who is himself no man, but conquers men. Thou, too, knowest +him, Witichis?" So asking, he turned to the man with the sword. + +"I know Narses," answered Witichis reflectively. He had become very +grave. "What thou hast said, son of Hilding, is, alas! too true. Such +thoughts have often crossed my mind, but confusedly, darkly, more a +horror than a thought. Thy words are undeniable; the King is at the +point of death--the Princess has Grecian sympathies--Justinian is on +the watch--the Italians are false as serpents--the generals of +Byzantium are magicians in art, but"--here he took a deep breath--"we +Goths do not stand alone. Our wise King has made friends and allies in +abundance. The King of the Vandals is his brother-in-law, the King of +the West Goths his grandson, the Kings of the Burgundians, the +Herulians, the Thuringians, the Franks, are related to him; all people +honour him as their father; the Sarmatians, even the distant Esthonians +on the Baltic, send him skins and yellow amber in homage. Is all +that----" + +"All that is nothing! It is flattering words and coloured rags! Will +the Esthonians help us against Belisarius and Narses with their amber? +Woe to us, if we cannot win alone! These grandsons and sons-in-law +flatter as long as they tremble, and when they no more tremble, they +will threaten. I know the faith of kings! We have enemies around us, +open and secret, and no friends beyond ourselves." + +A silence ensued, during which all gravely considered the old man's +words; the storm rushed howling round the weather-beaten columns and +shook the crumbling temple. + +Then, looking up from the ground, Witichis was the first to speak: + +"The danger is great," said he, firmly and collectedly, "we will hope +not unavoidable. Certainly thou hast not bidden us hither to look +deedless at despair. There must be a remedy, so speak; how, thinkest +thou, can we help?" + +The old man advanced a step towards him and took his hand: + +"That's brave, Witichis, son of Waltari. I knew thee well, and will not +forget that thou wert the first to speak a word of bold assurance. Yes, +I too think we are not yet past help, and I have asked you all to come +here, where no Italian hears us, in order to decide upon what is best +to be done. First tell me your opinion, then I will speak." + +As all remained silent, he turned to the man with the black locks: + +"If thy thoughts are ours, speak, Teja! Why art thou ever silent?" + +"I am silent because I differ from you." + +The others were amazed. Hildebrand spoke: + +"What dost thou mean, my son?" + +"Hildebad and Totila do not see any danger; thou and Witichis see it +and hope; but I saw it long ago, and have no hope." + +"Thou seest too darkly; who dare despair before the battle?" said +Witichis. + +"Shall we perish with our swords in the sheath, without a struggle and +without fame?" cried Totila. + +"Not without a struggle, my Totila, and not without fame, I am sure," +answered Teja, slightly swinging his battle-axe. "We will fight so that +it shall never be forgotten in all future ages; fight with highest +fame, but without victory. The star of the Goths is setting." + +"Meseems, on the contrary, that it will rise very high," cried Totila +impatiently. "Let us go to the King; speak to him, Hildebrand, as thou +hast spoken to us. He is wise; he will devise means." + +The old man shook his head: + +"I have spoken to him twenty times. He listens no more. He is tired and +will die, and his soul is darkened, I know not by what shadows. What is +thy advice, Hildebad?" + +"I think," answered Hildebad, proudly raising his head, "that as soon +as the old lion has closed his tired eyes, we arm two hosts. Witichis +and Teja lead the one before Byzantium and burn it down; with the other +I and my brother climb the Alps and destroy Paris, that dragon's nest +of the Merovingians, and make it a heap of stones for ever. Then there +will be peace in East and West." + +"We have no ships against Byzantium," said Witichis. + +"And the Franks are seven to one against us," said Hildebrand. "But thy +intentions are valiant, Hildebad. Say, what advisest thou, Witichis?" + +"I advise a league--weighted with oaths, secured with hostages--of all +the Northern races against the Greeks." + +"Thou believest in fidelity, because thou thyself art true. My friend, +only the Goths can help the Goths. But they must be reminded that they +_are_ Goths. Listen to me. You are all young, love all manner of +things, and have many pleasures. One loves a woman, another weapons, a +third has some hope or some grief which is to him as a beloved one. But +believe me, a time will come--it may be during your young days--when +all these joys and even pains will become worthless as faded wreaths +from yesterday's banquet. + +"Then many will become soft and pious, forget that which is on earth, +and strive for that which is beyond the grave. But that neither you nor +I can do. I love the earth, with mountain and wood and meadow and +rushing stream; and I love life, with all its hate and long love, its +tenacious anger and dumb pride. Of the ethereal life in the wind-clouds +which is taught by the Christian priests, I know, and will know, +nothing. But there is one possession--when all else is gone--which a +true man never loses. Look at me. I am a leafless trunk. I have lost +all that rejoiced my life; my wife is dead long since; my sons, my +grandchildren are dead: except one, who is worse than dead--who has +become an Italian. + +"All, all are gone, and now my first love and last pride, my great +King, descends tired into his grave. What keeps me still alive? What +gives me still courage and will? What drives _me_, an old man, up to +this mountain in this night of storm like a youth? What glows beneath +my icy beard with pure love, with stubborn pride, and with defiant +sorrow? What but the impulse that lies indestructible in our blood, +the deep impulsion and attraction to my people, the glowing and +all-powerful love of the race that is called Goth; that speaks the +noble, sweet, and homely tongue of my parents! This love of race +remains like a sacrificial fire in the heart, when all other flames are +extinguished; this is the highest sentiment of the human heart; the +strongest power in the human soul, true to the death and invincible!" + +The old man had spoken with enthusiasm--his hair floated on the +wind--he stood like an old priest of the Huns amongst the young men, +who clenched their hands upon their weapons. + +At last Teja spoke: "Thou art in the right; these flames still glow +when all else is spent. They burn in thee--in us--perhaps in a hundred +other hearts amongst our brothers; but can this save a whole people? +No! And can these fires seize the mass, the thousands, the hundred +thousands?" + +"They can, my son, they can! Thanks to the gods, that they can!--Hear +me. It is now five-and-forty years ago that we Goths, many hundred +thousands, were shut up with our wives and children in the ravines of +the Hæmus. We were in the greatest need. + +"The King's brother had been beaten and killed in a treacherous attack +by the Greeks, and all the provisions that he was to bring to us were +lost. We lay in the rocky ravines and suffered such hunger, that we +cooked grass and leather. Behind us rose the inaccessible precipices; +before, and to the left of us, the sea; to the right, in a narrow pass, +lay the enemy, threefold our number. Many thousands of us were +destroyed by famine or the hardships of the winter; twenty times had we +vainly tried to break through the pass. + +"We almost despaired. Then there came a messenger from the Emperor to +the King, and offered us life, freedom, wine, bread, meat--under one +condition: that, separated from each other, four by four, we should be +scattered over the whole Roman Empire; none of us should ever again woo +a Gothic woman; none should ever again teach his child our tongue or +customs; the name and being of Goth should cease to exist, we should +become Romans. + +"The King sprang up, called us together, and reported this condition +to us in a flaming speech, and asked at the end, whether we would +rather give up the language, customs and life of our people, or die +with him? His words spread like wildfire, the people shouted like a +hundred-voiced tumultuous sea; they brandished their weapons, rushed +into the pass; the Greeks were swept away as if they had never stood +there, and we were victors and free!" + +His eyes glittered with pride; after a pause he continued: + +"It is this alone which can save us now as then; if once the Goths feel +that they fight for their nationality, and to protect the secret jewel +that lies in the customs and speech of a people, like a miraculous +well-spring, then they may laugh at the hate of the Greeks and the +wiles of the Italians. And, first of all, I ask you solemnly: Do you +feel as strongly convinced as I do, that this love of our people is our +highest aim, our dearest treasure, our strongest shield? Can you say +with me: My people is to me the highest, all else is nothing; to my +people I will sacrifice all that I have and am. Will you say this, and +can you do it?" + +"We will; we can!" cried the four men. + +"'Tis well," continued the old man. "But Teja is right, all Goths do +not feel this as we do, and yet, if it is to be of any use, all _must_ +feel it. Therefore swear to me, to fill with the spirit of this hour +all those with whom you live and act, from now henceforward. Too many +of our folk have been dazzled by the foreign splendour; many have +donned Grecian clothing and Roman thoughts; they are ashamed to be +called barbarians; they wish to forget, and to make it forgotten, that +they are Goths--woe to the fools! They have torn their hearts out of +their bosoms, and yet wish to live; they are like leaves that have +proudly loosened themselves from the parent stem. The wind will come +and blow them into the mire and dirt to decay; but the stem will still +stand in the midst of the storm, and will keep alive whatever clings to +it faithfully. Therefore awaken and warn the people. Tell the boys the +legends of their forefathers, relate the battles of the Huns, the +victories over the Romans; show the men the threatening danger, and +that nationality alone is our shield; warn your sisters that they may +embrace no Roman and no would-be Roman; teach your wives and your +brides that they must sacrifice everything, even themselves and you, to +the fortune of the good Goths, so that when the enemy come, they may +find a strong, proud, united people, against which they shall break +themselves like waves upon a rock. Will you aid me in this?" + +"Yes," they cried, "we will!" + +"I believe you," continued the old man; "I believe you on your mere +word. Not to bind you faster--for what can bind the false?--but because +I cling to old custom, and because _that_ succeeds best which is done +after the manner of our forefathers--follow me." + + + + CHAPTER II. + +Hildebrand took the torch from the column, and went across the inner +space, past the cella of the temple, past the ruined high altar, past +the bases of the statues of the gods--long since fallen--to the +porticum or back of the edifice. Silently his companions followed the +old man, who led them down the steps into the open field. + +After a short walk they stopped under an ancient holm, whose mighty +boughs held off storm and rain like a roof. + +A strange sight presented itself under this oak, which, however, at +once reminded the old man's Gothic companions of a custom of ancient +heathen times in their distant Northern home. + +Under the oak a strip of thick turf, only a foot broad, but several +yards long, had been cut loose from the ground; the two ends of the +strip still lay in the shallow ditch thus formed, but in the middle it +was raised over and supported by three long spears of unequal length, +which were fixed into the ground, the tallest spear being in the +middle, so that the whole arrangement formed a triangle, under which +several men could stand commodiously between the shafts of the spears. + +In the ditch stood a brazen cauldron filled with water, near it lay a +pointed and sharp butcher's knife, of extremely ancient form; the haft +was made of the horn of the ure-ox, the blade of flint. + +The old man came forward, stuck the torch into the earth close to the +cauldron, and then stepped, right foot foremost, into the ditch; he +turned to the east and bent his head, then he beckoned to his friends +to join him, putting his finger to his lip in sign of silence. Without +a sound the four men stepped into the ditch beside him, Witichis and +Teja to his right, the two brothers to his left, and all five joined +hands in a solemn chain. + +Then the old man loosened his hands from those of Witichis and +Hildebad, who stood next to him, and knelt down. First he took up a +handful of the black mould and threw it over his left shoulder; then he +dipped his other hand into the cauldron and sprinkled the water to the +right behind him. After this he blew into the windy night-air that +rustled in his long beard; and, lastly, he swung the torch from right +to left over his head. Then he again stuck it into the earth and spoke +in murmuring tones: + +"Hear me, ancient earth, welling water, ethereal air, flickering flame! +Listen to me well and preserve my words. Here stand five men of the +race of Graut, Teja and Totila, Hildebad and Hildebrand, and Witichis, +Waltari's son. + + "We stand here in a quiet hour + To bind a bond between blood-brethren, + For ever and ever and every day. + In closest communion as kindred companions. + In friendship and feud, in revenge and right. + One hope, one hate, one love, one lament, + As we drop to one drop + Our blood as blood-brethren." + +At these words he bared his left arm, the others did the same; close +together they stretched their five arms over the cauldron, the old man +lifted the sharp flint-knife, and with one stroke scratched the skin of +his own and the others' forearms, so that the blood of all flowed in +red drops into the brazen cauldron. Then they retook their former +positions, and the old man continued murmuring: + + "And we swear the solemn oath, + To sacrifice all that is ours, + House, horse, and armour, + Court, kindred, and cattle, + Wife, weapons, and wares, + Son, and servants, and body, and life, + To the glance and glory of the race of Gaut, + To the good Goths. + And who of us would withdraw + From honouring the oath with all sacrifices--" + +here he, and at a sign, the others also, stepped out of the ditch from +under the strip of turf-- + + "His red blood shall run unrevenged + Like this water under the wood-sod--" + +he lifted the cauldron, poured its bloody contents into the ditch, and +then took it out, together with the other implements-- + + "Upon his head shall the halls of Heaven + Crash cumbrous down and crush him, + Solid as this sod." + +At one stroke he struck down the three supporting lance-shafts, and +dully fell the heavy turf-roof back into the ditch. The five men now +placed themselves again on the spot thus covered by the turf, with +their hands entwined, and the old man said in more rapid tones: + +"Whosoever does not keep this oath; whosoever does not protect his +blood-brother like his own brother during his life, and revenge his +death; whosoever refuses to sacrifice everything that he possesses to +the people of the Goths, when called upon to do so by a brother in case +of necessity, shall be for ever subject to the eternal and infernal +powers which reign under the green grass of the earth; good men shall +tread with their feet over the perjurer's head, and his name shall be +without honour wherever Christian folk ring bells and heathen folk +offer sacrifices, wherever mothers caress their children and the wind +blows over the wide world. Say, companions, shall it be thus with the +vile perjurer?" + +"Thus shall it be with him," repeated the four men. + +After a grave pause, Hildebrand loosened the chain of their hands, and +said: + +"That you may know why I bade you come hither, and how sacred this +place is to me, come and see." + +With this he lifted the torch and went before them behind the mighty +trunk of the oak, in front of which they had taken the oath. Silently +his friends followed, and saw with astonishment, that, exactly in a +line with the turfy ditch in which they had stood, there yawned a wide +and open grave, from which the slab of stone had been rolled away. At +the bottom, shining ghastly in the light of the torch, lay three long +white skeletons; a few rusty pieces of armour, lance-points, and +shield-bosses lay beside them. + +The men looked with surprise; now into the grave, now at Hildebrand. He +silently held the torch over the chasm for some minutes. At last he +said quietly: + +"My three sons. They have lain here for more than thirty years. They +fell on this mountain in the last battle for the city of Ravenna. They +fell in the same hour; to-day is the day. They rushed with joyous +shouts against the enemies' spears--for their people." + +He ceased. The men looked down with emotion. At last the old man drew +himself up and glanced at the sky. + +"It is enough," said he, "the stars are paling. Midnight is long since +past. You three return into the city. Thou, Teja, wilt surely remain +with me; to thee, more than to any other, is given the gift of sorrow, +as of song; and keep with me the guard of honour beside the dead." + +Teja nodded, and sat down without a word at the foot of the grave, just +where he was standing. The old man gave Totila the torch, and leaned +opposite Teja against the stone slab. The other three signed to him +with a parting gesture. Gravely, and buried in deep thought, they +descended to the city. + + + + CHAPTER III. + +A few weeks after this midnight meeting near Ravenna an assembly took +place in Rome; just as secret, also under protection of night, but held +by very different persons for very different aims. + +It took place on the Appian Way, near the C[oe]meterium of St. +Calixtus, in a half-ruined passage of the Catacombs; those mysterious +underground ways, which almost make a second city under the streets and +squares of Rome. + +These secret vaults--originally old burial-places, often the refuge of +young Christian communities--are so intricate, and their crossings, +terminations, exits, and entrances so difficult to thread, that they +can only be entered under the guidance of some one intimately +acquainted with their inner recesses. + +But the men, whose secret intercourse we are about to watch, feared no +danger. They were well led. For it was Silverius, the Catholic +archdeacon of the old church of St. Sebastian, who had led his friends +direct from the crypt of his basilica down a steep staircase into this +branch of the vaults; and the Roman priests had the reputation of +having studied the windings of these labyrinths since the days of the +first confessor. + +The persons assembled also seemed not to have met there for the first +time; the gloom of the place made little impression upon them. +Indifferently they leaned against the walls of the dismal semi-circular +room, which, scantily lighted by a hanging lamp of bronze, formed the +termination of the low passage. Indifferently they heard the drops of +damp fall from the roof to the floor, or, when their feet now and then +struck against white and mouldering bones, they calmly pushed them to +one side. + +Besides Silverius, there were present a few other orthodox priests, and +a number of aristocratic Romans, nobles of the Western Empire, who had +remained for centuries in almost hereditary possession of the higher +dignities of the state and city. + +Silently and attentively they observed the movements of the archdeacon; +who, after having mustered those present, and thrown several searching +glances into the neighbouring passages--where might be seen, keeping +watch in the gloom, some youths in clerical costume--now evidently +prepared to open the assembly in form. + +Yet once again he went up to a tall man who leaned motionless against +the wall opposite to him, and with whom he had repeatedly exchanged +glances; and when this man had replied to a questioning gesture by a +silent nod, he turned to the others and spoke. + +"Beloved in the name of the triune God! Once again are we assembled +here to do a holy work. The sword of Edom is brandished over our heads, +and King Pharaoh pants for the blood of the children of Israel. We, +however, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the +soul, we fear much more those who may destroy both body and soul in +hell-fire. We trust, during the terrors of night, to His help who led +His people through the wilderness, in the day by a cloud of smoke, at +night by a pillar of fire. And to this we will hold fast: that what we +suffer, we suffer for God's sake; what we do, we do to the honour of +His name. Thanks to Him, for He has blest our zeal. Small as those of +the Gospel were our beginnings, but we are already grown like a tree by +the fresh water-springs. With fear and trembling we first assembled +here; great was our danger, weak our hope; noble blood of the best has +been shed; to-day, if we remain firm in faith, we may boldly say that +the throne of King Pharaoh is supported on reeds, and that the days of +the heathen are counted in the land." + +"To business!" interrupted a young man with short curly black hair and +brilliant black eyes. Impatiently he threw his _sagum_ (or short cloak) +back over his right shoulder, so that his broad sword became visible. +"To business, priest! What shall be done to-night?" + +Silverius cast a look at the youth, which, with all its unctuous +repose, could not quite conceal his lively dissatisfaction at such bold +independence. In a sharp tone of voice he continued: + +"Those who do not believe in the holiness of our aim, should not, were +it only for the sake of their own worldly aims, try to disturb the +belief of others in its sanctity. But to-night, my Licinius, my hasty +young friend, a new and highly welcome member is to be added to our +league; his accession is a visible sign of the grace of God." + +"Who will you introduce? Are the conditions fulfilled? Do you answer +for him unconditionally, or have you other surety?" So asked another of +those present, a man of ripe years with regular features, who, a staff +between his feet, sat quietly on a projection of the wall. + +"I answer for him, my Scævola; besides, his person? is sufficient----" + +"Nothing of the sort. The statutes of our league demand surety, and I +insist upon it," said Scævola quietly. + +"Good, good; I will be surety, toughest of all jurists!" repeated the +priest with a smile. + +He made a sign towards one of the passages to the left. + +From thence appeared two young _ostiarii_ (doorkeepers), leading a man +into the middle of the vault, upon whose covered head all eyes were +fixed. After a pause, Silverius lifted the cover from the head and +shoulders of the new comer. + +"Albinus!" cried the others, in surprise, indignation, and anger. + +Young Licinius grasped his sword; Scævola slowly rose; confused +exclamations sounded from all sides. + +"What! Albinus, the traitor?" + +The reviled man looked shyly about him; his relaxed features announced +inborn cowardice; as if beseeching help he turned his eyes towards the +priest. + +"Yes, Albinus!" said the latter quietly, thus appealed to. "Will any +one of the colleagues speak against him? Let him speak." + +"By my Genius!" cried Licinius, before any one could reply, "needs it +to be told? We all know who and what Albinus is. A cowardly shameful +traitor"--anger suffocated his voice. + +"Invectives are no proof," interposed Scævola. "But I ask himself; he +shall confess here before us all. Albinus, was it you, or was it not, +who, when the existence of our league was betrayed to the tyrant and +you alone were accused, looked quietly on and saw the noble Boëthius +and Symmachus, our confederates, because they defended you against the +tyrant, despoiled of their fortune, persecuted, taken prisoners and +executed; while you, the really accused, saved yourself by taking a +shameful oath that you would never more trouble yourself about the +state, and by suddenly disappearing? Speak, was it you for whose sake +the pride of our fatherland fell?" + +A murmur of indignation went through the assembly. The accused remained +dumb and trembled; even Silverius lost countenance for a moment. + +Then the man who was leaning against the wall opposite, raised himself +and took a step forward; his mere vicinity seemed to embolden the +priest, who again began: + +"Friends, what you say has happened, but not as you say it. Before all +things, know this: Albinus is the _least_ to blame. What he did, he did +by my advice." + +"By your advice!" + +"You dare to confess it?" + +"Albinus was accused through the treachery of a slave, who had +deciphered the secret writing in the letters to Byzantium. All the +tyrant's suspicion was aroused; every appearance of resistance or of +connection would increase the danger. The impetuosity of Boëthius and +Symmachus, who courageously defended Albinus, was noble but foolish, +for it revealed to the barbarians the sentiments of the whole of the +Roman aristocracy; and showed that Albinus did not stand alone. They +acted against my advice, and alas! have suffered death for so doing. +But their zeal was superfluous; for the hand of the Lord suddenly +bereft the slave of life before further revelations, and the secret +writings of Albinus had been successfully destroyed before his arrest. + +"But do you believe that Albinus would have been silent under torture, +under the threat of death, if naming his co-conspirators could have +saved him? You do not believe it, Albinus himself did not believe it. +Therefore it was necessary, before all else, to gain time and to +prevent the use of torture. This was accomplished by his oath. +Meanwhile, it is true, Boëthius and Symmachus suffered; they could not +be saved; but of their silence, even under torture, we were sure. + +"Albinus was freed from his prison by a miracle, like St. Paul at +Philippi. It was said that he had escaped to Athens, and the tyrant was +contented with prohibiting his return. But the triune God has prepared +a refuge for him here in His temple until the hour of freedom +approaches. In the solitude of His sacred asylum the Lord has touched +his heart in a wonderful manner, and, undismayed by the danger of +death, which once before had so nearly overtaken him, he again enters +into our circle, and offers to the service of God and the fatherland +his whole immense fortune. Listen: he has made over all his property to +the church of St. Maria Majoris for the uses of our league. Would you +despise him and his millions?" + +A pause of astonishment ensued; at last Licinius cried: + +"Priest, you are as wise as----as a priest. But such wisdom pleases me +not." + +"Silverius," said the jurist, "you may take the millions. It is fitting +that you should do so. But I was the friend of Boëthius; it is not +fitting that I should have anything in common with that coward. I +cannot forgive him. Away with him!" + +"Away with him!" sounded from all sides. Scævola had given utterance to +the sentiment of all present. Albinus grew pale; even Silverius quailed +under this general indignation. "Cethegus!" whispered he, claiming +assistance. + +This man, who, until now, had remained silent and had only regarded the +speakers with cool superiority, now stepped into the middle of the +assembly. + +He was tall and lean, but powerful, with a broad breast and muscles of +pure steel. + +A purple hem on his toga and delicate sandals betrayed riches, rank and +taste, but a long brown soldier's mantle hid the remainder of his +underclothing. His head was one of those which, once seen, are never +again forgotten. His thick and still glossy black hair was cut short, +after Roman fashion, round his lofty, almost too prominent forehead and +nobly-formed temples. Deep under his finely-arched brows were hidden +his narrow eyes, in whose undecided dark-grey colour lay a whole ocean +of sunken passions and a still more pronounced expression of the +coolest self-control. Round his sharply cut and beardless lips lurked a +trait of proud contempt of God and His whole creation. + +As he stepped forward, and, with quiet distinction, allowed his eyes to +wander over the excited assembly; as he commenced his insinuating yet +commanding speech, every one felt his superiority, and few could remain +in his presence without a consciousness of subordination. + +"Why do you wrangle," he said coldly, "about things that must be done? +Who wills the end, must will the means. You will not forgive? As you +please! That is of little consequence. But you must and you can forget. +I also was a friend of the dead, perhaps their dearest. And yet--I +will forget. I do so just because I was their friend. _He_ loves +them, Scævola, and he alone, who avenges them. For the sake of +revenge---- Albinus, your hand!" + +All were silent, awed more by the personality than convinced by the +reasons of the speaker. + +But the jurist still objected: + +"Rusticiana, the influential woman, the widow of Boëthius, the daughter +of Symmachus, is favourable to our league. Will she remain so if this +man enters it? Can she ever forget and forgive? Never!" + +"She can. Do not believe me, believe your eyes." + +With these words Cethegus quickly turned and entered one of the +side-passages, whose opening had been hidden until now by his own +person. + +Close to the entrance a veiled figure stood listening; he caught her +hand: + +"Come," whispered he, "come now." + +"I cannot! I will not!" was the almost inaudible answer of the +resisting woman. "I curse him! I cannot look at him, the wretch!" + +"It must be. Come; you can and you shall--for I will have it so." He +threw back her veil; one look, and she followed as if deprived of the +power of will. + +They turned the corner of the entrance: + +"Rusticiana!" cried the whole assembly. + +"A woman in our meeting!" exclaimed the jurist. "It is against the +statutes, the laws." + +"Yes, Scævola; but the laws are made for the league, not the league for +the laws. And you would never have believed from _me_, that which you +now see with your own eyes." + +He laid the widow's hand within the trembling right hand of Albinus. + +"Look! Rusticiana forgives! Who will now resist?" + +Vanquished and overruled, all remained silent. For Cethegus all further +proceedings seemed to have lost interest. He retired into the +background with Rusticiana. But the priest now said: + +"Albinus is a member of the league." + +"And the oath that he swore to the tyrant?" hesitatingly asked Scævola. + +"Was forced, and he is absolved from it by Holy Church. But now it is +time to depart. Let us only conclude the most pressing business. Here, +Licinius, is the plan of the fortress of Neapolis: you must have it +copied by to-morrow; it goes to Belisarius. Here, Scævola, letters from +Byzantium, from Theodora, the pious wife of Justinian: you must answer +them. Here, Calpurnius, is an assignment of half a million _solidi_ +from Albinus: you will send them to the Frankish major domus; he has +great influence with his king. Here, Pomponius, is a list of the +patriots in Dalmatia; you know men and things there, take notice if +important names are omitted. And be it known to all of you, that, +according to news received to-day from Ravenna, the hand of the Lord +lies heavy on the tyrant. Deep melancholy, too tardy remorse for all +his sins, oppresses him, and the consolations of the true faith have +not yet penetrated into his soul. Have patience but a little while; the +angry voice of the Judge will soon summon him; then comes the day of +freedom. At the next Ides, at the same hour, we shall meet here again. +The blessing of the Lord be with you!" + +A motion of his hand dismissed the assembly; the young priests came out +of the side-passage with torches, and led the members, each one singly, +in different directions, to the secret exits of the Catacombs. + + + + CHAPTER IV. + +Silverius, Cethegus, and Rusticiana went together up the steps which +led to the crypt of the basilica of St. Sebastian. From thence they +passed through the church into the adjoining house of the archdeacon. +On arriving there, Silverius convinced himself that all the inhabitants +of the house were asleep, with the exception of an old slave, who was +watching in the atrium near a half-extinguished lamp. At a sign from +his master he lighted a silver lamp which stood near him, and pressed a +secret spring in the marble wainscot of the room. + +A slab of marble turned on its hinges and allowed the priest who had +taken up the lamp to pass, with his two companions, into a small, low +chamber, and then quickly and noiselessly closed behind them, leaving +no trace of an opening. + +The small chamber, now simply adorned by a tall wooden crucifix, a +fall-stool, and a few plain Christian symbols on a golden background, +had evidently, as the cushioned shelf which ran round the walls showed, +served for those small banquets of one or two guests, whose +unrestrained comfort Horace has so often celebrated in song. At the +time of which I speak it was the private chamber in which the +archdeacon brooded over his most secret priestly or worldly plans. + +Cethegus silently seated himself on the _lectus_ (a small couch), +throwing the superficial glance of a critic at a Mosaic picture +inserted into the opposite wall. While the priest was occupied in +pouring wine from an amphora with large curving handles into some cups +which stood ready, and placing a metal dish of fruit on the bronze +tripod table, Rusticiana stood opposite Cethegus, measuring him with an +expression of astonishment and indignation. + +Scarcely forty years of age, this woman showed traces of a rare--and +rather manly--beauty, which had suffered less from time than from +violent passions. Here and there her raven-black braids were streaked +with white, not grey, and strong lines lay round the mobile corners of +her mouth. + +She leaned her left hand on the table, and meditatively stroked her +brow with her right, while she gazed at Cethegus. At last she spoke. + +"Tell me, tell me, Cethegus, what power is this that you have over me? +I no more love you. I ought to hate you. I do hate you. And yet I must +involuntarily obey you, like a bird under the fascinating eye of a +snake. And you place my hand, _this_ hand, in that of that miserable +man! Say, you evil-doer, what is this power?" + +Cethegus was inattentively silent. At last, leaning back, he said: +"Habit, Rusticiana, habit." + +"Truly, 'tis habit! The habit of a slavery that has existed ever since +I can remember. It was natural that as a girl I should admire the +handsome son of our neighbours; that I believed in your love was +excusable, did you not kiss me? And who could--at that time--know that +you were incapable of loving anything--even yourself? That the wife of +Boëthius did not smother the mad passion which, as if in sport, you +again fanned into a flame, was a sin; but God and the Church have +forgiven it. But that I should still, after knowing for years your +utter heartlessness, when the glow of passion is extinguished in my +veins, that I should still most blindly follow your demoniac will--that +is folly enough to make me laugh aloud." + +And she laughed wildly, and pressed her right hand to her brow. + +The priest stopped in his domestic occupations and looked stealthily at +Cethegus. He was intensely interested. + +Cethegus leaned his head back against the marble moulding, and with his +right hand grasped the drinking-cup which stood before him. + +"You are unjust, Rusticiana," he said quietly, "and confused. You mix +the sports of Eros with the works of Eris and the Fates. You know that +I was the friend of Boëthius, although I kissed his wife. Perhaps just +for that reason. I see nothing particular in that. And you--well, +Silverius and the saints have forgiven you. You know further, that I +hate these Goths, mortally hate them; that I have the will and--more +than all others--the power to carry through that which is now your +greatest wish, to revenge your father, whom you loved, and your +husband, whom you honoured, on these barbarians. + +"Therefore you obey my instigations, and you are wise in so doing; for +you have a decided talent for intrigue, but your impetuosity often +clouds your judgment. It spoils your finest plans. Therefore it is well +that you follow cooler guidance. That is all. But now go. Your slave is +crouching, drunk with sleep, in the vestibule. She believes that you +are in the confessional with friend Silverius. The confession must not +last too long. And we also have business to transact. Greet Camilla, +your lovely child, for me, and farewell." + +He rose, took her hand, and led her gently to the door. She followed +reluctantly, nodded to the priest at parting, looked once more at +Cethegus, who appeared not to observe her inward emotion, and went out, +slightly shaking her head. + +Cethegus sat down again and emptied his cup of wine. + +"A strange struggle in this woman's nature," remarked Silverius, and +sat down by Cethegus with stylus, wax-tablets, letters and documents. + +"It is not strange. She wishes to atone for having wronged her husband +by avenging him," said Cethegus. "And that she can accomplish this by +means of her former lover, makes the sacred duty doubly sweet. To be +sure, she is not conscious of it.--But what have we to do?" + +The two men now began their business: to consider such points of the +conspiracy as they did not judge advisable to communicate to all the +members of the league. + +"At present," began the archdeacon, "it is above all things necessary +to ascertain the amount of this fortune of Albinus, and decide upon its +appropriation. We assuredly require money, much money." + +"Money affairs are your province,"--said Cethegus, drinking. "I +understand them, of course, but they annoy me." + +"Further," continued Silverius, "the most influential men in Sicilia, +Neapolis, and Apulia must be won over to our cause. Here is the list of +their names, with notes annexed. There are men amongst them who are not +to be allured by the usual means." + +"Give it to me," said Cethegus, "I will manage that," And he cut up a +Persian apple. + +After an hour's hard work, the most pressing business was settled, and +the host replaced the documents, in a secret drawer in the wall behind +the crucifix. + +The priest was tired, and looked with envy at his companion, whose +powerful frame and indefatigable spirit no late hours or exertion +seemed able to exhaust. + +He expressed something of the sort, as Cethegus again filled the silver +cup. + +"Practice, friend, strong nerves, and," added Cethegus, smiling, "a +good conscience; that is the whole secret." + +"Yes, but in earnest, Cethegus, you are a riddle to me in other +respects." + +"I should hope so." + +"Oh ho! do you consider yourself such a superior being that I cannot +fathom you?" + +"Not at all. But still sufficiently deep to be to others no less a +riddle than--to myself. Your pride in your knowledge of mankind may be +at ease. I am no wiser about myself than you are. Only fools are +transparent." + +"In fact," said the priest, expatiating on the subject, "the key to +your nature must be difficult to find. For example, look at the members +of our league. It is easy to say what motives have led them to join us. +The hot young courage of a Licinius; the pig-headed but honest sense of +justice of a Scævola; as for myself and the other priests--our zeal for +the honour of God." + +"Naturally," said Cethegus, drinking. + +"Others are induced by ambition, or are in hopes that they may cut off +the heads of their creditors in a civil war; or they are tired of the +orderly condition of this country under the Goths, or have been +offended by one of these foreigners. Most of them have a natural +repugnance to the barbarians, and are in the habit of seeing in the +Emperor alone the master of Italy. But none of these reasons apply to +you, and----" + +"And," interrupted Cethegus, "that is very uncomfortable, is it not? +For by knowledge of their motives one can govern men. Well, I am sorry, +reverend friend, but I cannot help you. I really do not know myself +what my motive is. I am so curious about it, that I would gladly tell +it to you--and allow myself to be governed--if I could only find it +out. Only one thing I feel--that these Goths are my antipathy. I hate +these full-blooded fellows, with their broad flaxen beards. I cannot +bear their brutal good humour, their ingenuous youthfulness, their +stupid heroism, their unbroken natures. It is the impudence of chance, +which governs the world, that this country, after such a history, +possessing men like--like you and me--should be ruled by these Northern +bears!" + +He tossed his head indignantly, closed his eyes, and sipped a small +quantity of wine. + +"That the barbarians must go, we are agreed," said Silverius, "and with +this, all is gained as far as I am concerned. For I only await the +deliverance of the Church from these heretical barbarians, who deny the +divinity of Christ, and make Him a demi-god. I hope that the primacy of +all Christendom will, as is fitting, incontestably fall to the share of +the Roman Church. But as long as Rome is in the power of the heretics, +while the Bishop of Byzantium is supported by the only orthodox and +legitimate Emperor----" + +"The Bishop of Rome cannot be the first Bishop of Christendom, nor the +master of Italy; and therefore the Roman Apostolic See, even when +occupied by a Silverius, cannot be what it ought to be--the highest. +And yet that is what Silverius wishes." + +The priest looked up in surprise. + +"Do not be uneasy, reverend friend. I knew this long ago, and have kept +your secret, although you did not confide it to me. But further----" He +again filled his cup. "Your Falernian has been well stored, but it is +too sweet.--Properly speaking, you can but wish that these Goths may +evacuate the throne of the Cæsars, and not that the Byzantines should +take their place; for in that case the Bishop of Rome would have again +a superior bishop and an emperor in Byzantium. You must therefore, +instead of the Goths, wish--not for an Emperor--Justinian--but--what +else?" + +"Either," eagerly interrupted Silverius, "a special Emperor of the +Western Empire----" + +"Who, however," said Cethegus, completing the sentence, "would be only +a puppet in the hands of the holy Petrus----" + +"Or a Roman republic, a State of the Church----" + +"In which the Bishop of Rome is master, Italy the principal country, +and the barbarian kings in Gaul, Germany, and Spain the obedient sons +of the Church. All very fine, my friend. But first the enemy must be +annihilated, whose spoils you already divide. Therefore let us drink an +old Roman toast: 'Woe to the barbarians!'" + +He rose and drank to the priest. + +"But," he added, "the last night-watch creeps on, and my slaves must +find me in the morning in my bedchamber. Farewell!" + +With this he drew the _cucullus_ (hood) of his mantle over his head and +departed. + +His host looked after him. "A very important tool!" he said to himself. +"It is a good thing that he is only a tool. May he always remain so!" + +Cethegus walked away from the Via Appia in a north-westerly direction, +towards the Capitol, beneath which, at the northern end of the Via +Sacra, his house was situated, to the north-east of the Forum Romanum. + +The cool morning air played refreshingly over his brow. He threw open +his mantle and deeply inflated his strong broad chest. + +"Yes, I am a riddle," he said to himself. "I join in a conspiracy and +go about by night, like a republican or a lover at twenty. And +wherefore? Who knows why he breathes? Because he must. And so I do what +I must. But one thing is certain, this priest may--perhaps must--become +Pope; but he must not remain so long, else farewell my scarcely-avowed +thoughts, which are yet but dreams and cloud-mists. Perhaps it may be +that from them will arise a storm that will decide my fate. See, it +lightens in the east! 'Tis well; I accept the omen!" + +With these words he entered his house. + +In his bed-chamber he found a letter on the cedar table before his bed, +tied with a silken string, and sealed with the royal seal. He cut the +string with his dagger, opened the double waxen tablets, and read: + +"To Cethegus Cæsarius, the Princeps Senatus, Marcus Aurelius +Cassiodorus, Senator. + +"Our lord and king lies on his death-bed. His daughter and heiress, +Amalaswintha, wishes to speak with you before his end. + +"You are to undertake the most important office in the kingdom. + +"Hasten at once to Ravenna." + + + + CHAPTER V. + +Over the King's palace at Ravenna, with all its gloomy splendour and +inhospitable spaciousness, lay an air of breathless anxiety. + +The old castle of the Cæsars had suffered many disfiguring changes in +the course of centuries, and since the Gothic kings, with all their +Germanic courtiers, had taken the place of the emperors, it had +assumed a very inharmonious aspect, for many chambers, intended +for the peculiar customs of Roman life, stood, still retaining +the old magnificence of their arrangements, unused and neglected. +Cobwebs covered the mosaic of the rich baths of Honorius, and in the +toilet-chamber of Placidia the lizards climbed over the marble frames +of the silver mirrors on the walls. On the one side, the necessities of +a more warlike court had obliged the removal of many walls, in order to +change the small rooms of the ancient building into wider halls for +arsenals, banqueting and guard-rooms, and, on the other, neighbouring +houses had been joined to the palace by new walls, so as to create a +stronghold in the middle of the city. + +In the dried-up _piscina maxima_ (large fish-pond) fair-haired boys now +romped, and in the marble halls of the _palæstra_[1] neighed the horses +of the Gothic guards. So the extensive edifice had the dismal +appearance partly of a scarcely-preserved ruin, and partly of a +half-finished new erection; and thus the palace of the present ruler +seemed a symbol of his Roman-Gothic kingdom, and of his whole +half-finished, half-decayed political creation. + +On the day, however, on which Cethegus, after years of absence, once +again entered the house, there lay heavy upon it a cloud of anxiety, +sorrow and gloom, for its royal soul was departing from it. + +The great man, who here had guided, for the space of a man's life, the +fate of Europe; who was wondered at, with love or with hate, by West +and by East; the hero of his age; the powerful Theodoric of Verona, of +whose name--even during his lifetime--Legend had possessed herself; the +great Amelung, King Theodoric, was about to die. + +So said the physicians--if not to himself, yet to his nearest +relations--and the report soon spread in the great and populous city. + +Although such an end to the secret sufferings of the aged King had been +long held possible, the news that the blow was at hand now filled all +hearts with the greatest excitement. + +The faithful Goths were anxious and grieved, and a dull fear was the +predominating feeling even of the Roman population, for here in +Ravenna, in the immediate vicinity of the King, the Italians had had +frequent opportunities of admiring his mildness and generosity, and of +experiencing his beneficence. + +And besides, it was feared that after the death of this King, who, +during his lifetime--with the single exception of the last contest with +the Emperor and the Senate, when Boëthius and Symmachus bled--had +protected the Italians from the harshness and violence of his people--a +new rule of severity and oppression would commence on the part of the +Goths. + +And, finally, another and more noble influence was at work; the +personality of this hero-King had been so grand, so majestic, that even +those who had often wished for the destruction of himself and his +kingdom, could not--at the moment when this luminary was about to be +extinguished--revel in a feeling of malicious joy, and were unable to +overcome a deep depression. + +So, since early morning--when servants from the palace had been seen +rushing in all directions, and special messengers hurrying to the +houses of the most distinguished Goths and Romans--the town had been in +a state of great excitement. + +Men stood together by pairs or in groups in the streets, squares and +baths, questioning or imparting to each other what they knew; trying to +detain some person of importance who came from the palace, and talking +of the grave consequences of the approaching catastrophe. Women and +children, urged by curiosity, crouched on the thresholds of the houses. + +As the day advanced, even the populations of the nearest towns and +villages--principally consisting of sorrowing Goths--streamed into the +gates of the city to hear the news. + +The counsellors of the King, pre-eminently the pretorian prefect, +Cassiodorus, who earned great praise for preserving order in those +days, had foreseen this excitement, and perhaps expected something +worse. + +At midnight all the entrances to the palace had been closed, and +guarded by Goths. In the Forum Honorum, before the palace, a troop of +cavalry had been placed. On the broad marble steps that led up to the +grand colonnade of the principal entrance, lay, in picturesque groups, +strong companies of Gothic foot-soldiers, armed with shield and spear. + +Only there, according to the order of Cassiodorus, could admittance +be gained to the palace, and only the two leaders of the +infantry--Cyprian, the Roman, and Witichis, the Goth, were allowed to +grant permission to enter. + +It was to the first of these persons that Cethegus applied. + +As he took the well-known way to the King's apartments, he found all +the Goths and Romans whose rank or importance had procured them +admittance, scattered in groups about the halls and corridors. + +In the once noisy banqueting-hall the young leaders of the Gothic +hundreds and thousands stood together, silent and sorrowing, or +whispering their anxious inquiries, while here and there an elderly +man--a companion-at-arms of the dying hero--leaned in the niche of a +bow-window, seeking to hide his ungovernable sorrow. In the middle of +the hall stood--pressing his head against a pillar and weeping +loudly--a rich merchant of Ravenna. The King, now on the point of +death, had once pardoned him for joining in a conspiracy, and had +prevented his goods from being plundered by the enraged Goths. + +Cethegus passed by them all with a cold glance of contempt. + +In the next room--a saloon intended for the reception of foreign +embassies--he found a number of distinguished Goths--dukes, earls, and +other nobles--who evidently were assembled together to consult upon the +succession, and the threatened overthrow of all existing conditions. + +There was the brave Duke Thulun, who had heroically defended the town +of Arles against the Franks; Ibba, the conqueror of Spain; and Pitza, +who had been victorious over the Bulgarians and Gepidians--all mighty +warriors, proud of their nobility, which was little less than that of +the royal house of Amelung; for they were of the house of Balthe, +which, through Alaric, had won the crown of the Visigoths; and no less +proud of their services in war, which had protected and extended the +kingdom. + +Hildebad and Teja were with them. They were the leaders of the party +which had long since desired a more severe treatment of the Italians, +whom they at once hated and shunned; but had been forced, against their +will, to give way to the milder opinions of the King. + +What looks of hatred shot from their eyes upon the aristocratic Roman +who now came to witness the death of the great Gothic hero! + +Cethegus walked quietly past them, and lifted the heavy woollen curtain +that divided this from the next apartment--the ante-chamber of the +sick-room. + +On entering, he greeted with a profound inclination a tall and queenly +woman, enveloped in a black mourning veil, who, grave and silent, but +composed and without tears, stood before a marble table covered with +records. It was Amalaswintha, the widowed daughter of Theodoric. + +A woman above thirty years of age, she was still extremely, though +coldly, beautiful. She wore her rich dark hair parted and waved in the +fashion of the Greeks. Her high forehead, her large, open eyes, her +straight nose, the pride expressed in her almost manly features, and +the majesty of her full form, gave her an imposing dignity, and, clad +in a garment folded in true Grecian style, she resembled a Juno of +Polycletus which had descended from its pedestal. Her arm, more +supporting than supported, was laid within that of a youth of about +seventeen years of age--Athalaric, her son, the heir of the kingdom of +the Goths. + +He did not resemble his mother, but had the nature of his unhappy +father, Eutharic, whom a wasting heart disease had hurried to the grave +in the bloom of life. For this reason, Amalaswintha saw with sorrow +that her son grew daily more like his father; and it was no longer a +secret at the court of Ravenna that all the signs of the disease were +already visible in the young man. + +Athalaric was as beautiful as all the other members of this royal +house, descended from the gods. Heavy black eyebrows and long eyelashes +shaded his beautiful dark eyes, that now melted with an expression of +dreamy reverie, and now flashed with intellectual brilliancy. Dark +brown tangled locks hung over his pale temples, on which, when he was +excited, the blue veins swelled convulsively. On his noble brow +physical pain or sad resignation had traced deep lines, strange to see +on his youthful countenance. Marble paleness and vivid red quickly +alternated in his transparent cheeks. His tall but bent-frame generally +seemed to hang, so to speak, on its hinges, as if tired, and only at +times he drew himself up with startling suddenness. + +He did not notice Cethegus, for, leaning on his mother's breast, he had +in his sadness flung his Grecian mantle over that young head, which was +soon destined to wear a crown. + +At some distance from these two figures, near an open window that +afforded a view of the marble steps upon which lay the Gothic warriors, +stood, lost in thought, a woman--or was it a girl?--of surprising and +dazzling beauty; it was Mataswintha, the sister of Athalaric. + +She resembled her mother in height and nobleness of form, but her more +sharply-cut features were filled with fiery and passionate life, which +was only slightly concealed under an aspect of artificial coldness. + +Her figure, in which blooming fulness and delicate slenderness were +harmoniously blended, reminded one of that Artemis in the arms of +Endymion, in the group sculptured by Agesander, which, as legend +reports, was banished from the town by the Council of Rhodes because +the marble representation of the most perfect maidenly beauty and +highest sensuousness had driven the youths of the island to madness and +suicide. The magic of ripe virgin beauty trembled over the whole form +of Mataswintha. Her rich waving hair was of a dark-red colour, with a +glimmering metallic light upon it, and had such an extraordinary effect +that it had procured for the Princess, even amongst her own nation, +whose women were celebrated for their splendid golden locks, the +appellation of "Beautiful-hair." Her nose was finely-shaped, with +delicately-chiselled nostrils, which quivered at the slightest emotion; +and freshly bloomed the full and rosy lips of her lovely mouth. But the +most striking feature of this extraordinary beauty was the grey eye, +not so much on account of its changing colour as from the wonderful +expression with which, though generally lost in reverie, it could +sometimes flash with burning passion. + +Indeed, as she stood there leaning against the window, in the +half-Hellenic, half-Gothic costume, which her fancy had combined, her +full white arm wound round the dark column of porphyry, and gazing +thoughtfully out into the evening air, her seductive beauty resembled +that of those irresistible wood or water-nymphs, whose enchanting power +of love has always been celebrated in Northern legend. + +And so great was the power of this beauty, that even the burnt-out +bosom of Cethegus, who had long known the Princess, was moved to new +admiration as he entered. + +But his attention was immediately claimed by Cassiodorus--the learned +and faithful minister of the King, the first representative of that +benevolent but hopeless policy of reconciliation, which had been +practised in the Gothic Kingdom for many years--who was standing near +Amalaswintha. + +This old man, whose venerable and mild features were no less filled +with an expression of sorrow at the loss of his royal friend than by +anxiety for the future of the kingdom, rose, and went with tottering +steps towards Cethegus, who reverently bent his head. + +The aged man's eyes rested upon him for some moments, swimming in +tears; at last he sank sighing upon the cold breast of Cethegus, who +despised him for this weakness. + +"What a day!" complained Cassiodorus. + +"A fateful day," said Cethegus gravely. "Strength and presence of mind +are necessary." + +"You say truly, patrician, and speak like a Roman," said the Princess, +leaving Athalaric--"welcome!" + +She gave him her hand, which did not tremble. Her eye was clear and +tearless. + +"The disciple of the Stoics preserves, even on this day, the wisdom of +Zeno and her own composure," said Cethegus. + +"Say, rather, that the grace of God wonderfully upholds her soul," said +Cassiodorus reprovingly. + +"Patrician," began Amalaswintha, "the prætorian prefect has proposed you +to me for the performance of an important business. His word would be +sufficient, even had I not known you so long. You are the self-same +Cethegus who transposed the first two songs of the? 'Æneid' into +Grecian hexameters?" + +"Infandum renovare jubes, regina, dolorem. A youthful sin, Queen," said +Cethegus, smiling. "I bought up all the copies and burnt them on the +day on which Tullia's translation appeared." + +Tullia was the pseudonym of Amalaswintha. Cethegus knew it, but the +Princess had no suspicion of his knowledge. She was flattered in her +weakest point, and continued: + +"You know how it stands with us. My father's moments are counted; +according to the report of the physicians, he may, although yet strong +and active, die at any moment. Athalaric here is the heir to his crown. +But until he has reached the proper age, I shall conduct the regency, +and act as his guardian." + +"Such is the will of the King, and Goths and Romans have long since +agreed to this wise arrangement," said Cethegus. + +"They did so, but the mob is fickle. The rough men despise the +government of a woman"--and at this thought Amalaswintha knit her brow +in anger. + +"It is certainly contrary to the political principles both of Goths and +Romans," said Cassiodorus apologetically. "It is quite a new thing that +a woman----" + +"Whatever may be thought about it, it is a fact," interposed the +Princess. "Nevertheless, I count on the fidelity of the Goths in +general, though single aristocratic individuals may aim at the crown. I +also fear nothing from the Italians here in Ravenna, nor in most towns. +But I fear--Rome and the Romans!" + +The attention of Cethegus was arrested. His whole being was suddenly +excited, but his countenance remained impassive. + +"Rome will never accustom herself to the rule of the Goths; she will +always resist us--how can it be otherwise?" added Amalaswintha. + +It seemed as if the daughter of Theodoric had a Roman soul. + +"Therefore we fear," concluded Cassiodorus, "that, at the news of the +vacancy of the throne, a movement may break out in Rome against the +regency, be it for annexation to Byzantium, be it for the election of +an Emperor of the Western Empire." + +Cethegus, as if in reflection, cast down his eyes. + +"For this reason," quickly interposed the Princess, "everything must be +done before the news reaches Rome. A faithful, energetic man must +receive the oaths of the garrison for me--I mean for my son; must take +possession of the most important gates and squares, intimidate the +Senate and the nobles, win the people to my cause, and irrevocably +confirm my dominion before it is menaced. And to effect this, +Cassiodorus has proposed--you. Speak; will you undertake it?" + +At this moment the golden stylus which she held happened to fell to the +ground. + +Cethegus stooped to pick it up. + +He had only this one moment for the crowding thoughts that passed +through his mind on hearing this proposal. + +Was the conspiracy in the Catacombs betrayed? Was he himself betrayed? +Was this a snare laid by the crafty and ambitious woman? Or were the +fools really so blind as to press this offer upon him? And if it were +so, what should he do? Should he seize the occasion? Should he strike +at once, in order to win Rome? And for whom? For Byzantium or for an +Emperor of the West? And who should it be? Or were things not yet ripe? +Should he, for this once, seemingly practise fidelity? + +To resolve these and many other questions, he had only the one moment +in which he stooped. + +But his quick mind needed no more. He had seen, while in the act of +stooping, the unsuspicious, trusting look of Cassiodorus, and, giving +the stylus to the Princess, he spoke with decision: + +"Queen, I undertake the business." + +"That is well," said the Princess. + +Cassiodorus pressed his hand. + +"When Cassiodorus proposed me for this office," continued Cethegus, "he +gave another proof of his deep knowledge of mankind. He has seen the +kernel through the shell." + +"What do you mean?" asked Amalaswintha. + +"Queen, appearances might have deceived him. I confess that I do not +like to see the barbarians--pardon, the Goths--reigning in Italy." + +"This frankness honours you, and I pardon the feeling in a Roman." + +"Besides that, I have taken no interest in public affairs for some +years. After having experienced varied passions, I now live in the calm +and retirement of my country villas, cultivating the sportive muse, +enjoying my books, and untroubled by the cares of kings." + +"Beatus ille qui procul negotiis," quoted the learned lady, sighing. + +"But, because I honour science, because I, a scholar of Plato, desire +that the wise should govern, I wish that a Queen should reign over my +fatherland who is only a Goth by birth, but in her soul a Greek, and by +her virtues a Roman. For her sake I will sacrifice my leisure to hated +business. But only on condition that this shall be my last office of +state. I will undertake your commission, and answer for Rome with my +head." + +"Good; here you will find the legal documents which you will need." + +Cethegus looked rapidly through the records. + +"This is the manifesto of the young King to the Romans, with your +signature. _His_ is still wanting." + +Amalaswintha dipped the Cnidian reed-pen into the vessel filled with +crimson ink, which was used by the Amelungs as well as by the Roman +Emperors. + +"Come, write thy name, my son," she said. + +Athalaric, standing and leaning with both arms on the table, had keenly +observed Cethegus during the above conversation. Now he stood erect. He +was accustomed to act with the usual arrogance of a Crown Prince and +the petulancy of an invalid. + +"No," he said impatiently; "I will not write. Not only because I do +not trust this cold Roman--I do not trust you in the least, you proud +man--but it is revolting that, while my noble father still breathes, +you already quarrel about his crown. You dwarfs! About the crown of a +giant! Shame on your insensibility! Behind those curtains the greatest +hero of the century is dying, and you think already of the partition of +his garment!" + +He turned his back upon them and went slowly to the window, where he +passed his arm round his lovely sister, and stroked her shining hair. +He stood there for some time; she did not notice him. + +Suddenly she started from her reverie. + +"Athalaric," she whispered, hastily grasping his arm, and pointing at +the marble staircase, "who is that man in the blue steel helmet, who is +just coming round that pillar? Say, who is it?" + +"Let me see," said the youth, bending forward. "That? Oh! that is Earl +Witichis, the conqueror of the Gepidae, a famous hero." + +And he told her of the deeds and triumphs of the Earl in the last war. + +Meanwhile Cethegus had looked inquiringly at the Princess and the +minister. + +"Let him alone," sighed Amalaswintha. "If he will not, no power on +earth can make him." + +Further questions on the part of Cethegus were cut short, for the +three-fold curtain, that shut out all the noise of the ante-chamber +from the King's bedroom, was parted. + +It was Elpidios, the Greek physician, who, lifting the heavy folds, now +entered, and announced that the sick man, just awakened from a long +sleep, had sent him away, in order to be alone with old Hildebrand, who +never stirred from his side. + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +Theodoric's bed-chamber, which had served the same purpose under the +Emperors, was decorated with the heavy splendour of late Roman style. + +The superabundant reliefs of the walls and the gilded ornamentation of +the ceiling still pictured the victories and triumphal processions of +Roman consuls and emperors. Heathen gods and goddesses floated proudly +above. Everywhere reigned the same oppressive magnificence. + +The extreme simplicity of the Gothic King's couch formed a remarkable +contrast to all this pomp. + +The oval frame of unpolished oak was raised scarcely a foot from the +ground, and contained few cushions. Only the costly crimson cover +which hid the King's feet, and the lion's skin with golden claws +that lay before the bed--a present from the King of the Vandals, in +Africa--betrayed the royalty of the sick man. All the other furniture +of the room was simple, plain, and almost barbarously clumsy. + +On a pillar in the background hung the iron shield and broad-sword of +the King, which had not been used for many years. At the head of the +bed stood the old master-at-arms, with his eyes bent down, anxiously +examining the features of the patient, who, leaning on his left arm, +turned his majestic countenance towards him. + +The King's sparse hair, rubbed off on the temples by years of friction +caused by his heavy helmet, was still of a bright brown colour, and +without a trace of grey. His heavy brow, sparkling eyes, large nose, +and the deep lines in his cheeks, spoke of great tasks and great +strength to accomplish them. + +The expression of his face was commanding and even sublime; but +the benevolent softness of his mouth, in spite of the grim and +slightly-grey beard, gave evidence of the mildness and peaceful wisdom +by means of which he had raised his kingdom to such a flourishing +condition that it had already become a proverb and celebrated in story. + +His golden-brown and piercing eyes rested for some time upon his +gigantic sick-nurse, with an expression of love and favour. + +At last he stretched out his thin, but nervous, right hand. + +"Old friend," said he, "we must now take leave of each other." + +The old man sank upon his knees and pressed the King's hand to his +broad breast. + +"Come, my friend, rise! Must I comfort _thee_?" + +But Hildebrand remained upon his knees, and only lifted his head so +that he could look the King in the face. + +"See," said the King, "I know that thou, son of Hilding, hast received +from thy ancestors and thy father a deeper knowledge of the ailings of +mankind and their healing than all these Grecian physicians and Lydian +quack-salvers. And, more than that, thou art sincere. Therefore, I beg +thee honestly to confirm me in what I feel to be true. Tell me, must I +not die to-day--even before the night?" And he looked at him in a +manner that would brook no deception. + +But Hildebrand did not wish to deceive him; he had regained his natural +composure. + +"Yes, King of the Goths, heir of the Amelungs, thou must die; the hand +of Death has passed across thy brow. Never again wilt thou see the +sun's setting." + +"It is well," said Theodoric, without blenching. "Seest thou, the Greek +whom I dismissed has lied to me all the day long. And yet time is +precious to me." + +"Wilt thou again send for the priests?" asked Hildebrand reluctantly. + +"No; they can do me no good. I need them no more." + +"Sleep has strengthened thee, and lifted the veil from thy soul. Hail! +Theodoric, son of Walamer! thou wilt die like a hero!" + +"I know," said the King, smiling, "that it was repugnant to thy +feelings to see the priests near my couch. Thou art in the right. They +cannot help me." + +"And now--who or what has helped thee now?" + +"God and myself. Hear! And what I am about to say are my parting words. +In gratitude for thy fifty years' faithful service, I confide to thine +ear alone--not to my daughter, and not to Cassiodorus--that which has +so long troubled me. Tell me, what is reported among the people? What +is believed was the cause of the melancholy which suddenly overcame me, +and originated this disease?" + +"The Italians say that it was remorse for the death of Boëthius and +Symmachus." + +"Didst thou believe this?" + +"No; I could not believe that the death of traitors could so affect +thee." + +"Thou art in the right. Perhaps, according to law, they were not +deserving of death; and I loved Boëthius much. But they were traitors a +thousand times! Traitors in their thoughts, traitors to my trust, to my +heart. I prized these Romans more than the best of my people. And they +showed their gratitude by wishing that my crown were the Emperor's; +they wrote flattering letters to the Byzantines; they preferred a +Justinus and a Justinian to the friendship of a Theodoric! I am not +sorry for them; I despise them. Guess again. What didst thou believe?" + +"King, thy heir is a youth, and enemies encompass thy throne." + +The sick man frowned. + +"This time thou art nearer the mark. I always knew the weakness of my +kingdom. When at the evening banquet I have shown the proud face of +confidence to the foreign ambassadors, at night I have anxiously sighed +at its inward disease. Old man, I know that thou hast often considered +me all too confident. But none might see me tremble, neither friend nor +foe. Else my throne had trembled. I sighed only when alone, and have +borne my care in solitude." + +"Thou art wisdom itself, my King, and I was a fool!" cried the old man. + +"Thou seest," continued the King, stroking the old man's hand, "that I +knew in what I displeased thee. I knew also thy blind hatred of these +Italians. Believe me, it _is_ blind, as was, perhaps, my love of them." +Here he stopped and sighed. + +"Why wilt thou distress thyself?" + +"No, let me continue! I know that my kingdom--the work of my glorious +and toilsome life--may easily fall. Perhaps owing to my generosity to +these Romans. Be it so! No work of man is eternal, and the error of +over-kindness is easily borne!" + +"My great King!" + +"But, Hildebrand, one night, as I was lying awake, anxious about the +danger of my kingdom, there rose before my soul the ghost of another +sin! Not of too much kindness, but of bloody force! And woe, woe to me, +if my nation is to be destroyed in expiation of the crime of Theodoric! +His, _his_ image rises before me!" + +The sick man spoke with difficulty, and lay for a moment overwhelmed +with emotion. + +"Whose image? of whom dost thou speak?" asked the old man softly, +bending over him. + +"Odoacer!" whispered the King, and Hildebrand bowed his head. + +At last Theodoric broke the painful silence. + +"Yes, old friend, this right hand, as thou knowest, struck down the +mighty hero--my guest--at the banquet-table. His hot blood splashed +into my face, and an ardent hate flashed upon me from his filming eyes. +A few months past, during the night I speak of, his bloody, pale and +angry form rose before me like an avenging god. My heart was +contracted, my pulses beat with fever. The fearful conviction came over +me that my kingdom would fall and my nation decay, because of this my +bloody deed." + +This time, after a short pause, Hildebrand, looking up defiantly, said: + +"King, why dost thou fret like a woman? Hast thou not struck down +hundreds with thine own arm, and thy people thousands at thy behest? +Have we not descended from the mountains into this land in more than +thirty battles, wading ankle-deep in blood? What is the blood of _one_ +man to all this? And remember the circumstances. For four years he had +defied thee as the ure-ox defies the bear. Twice he had driven thee and +thy folk to the brink of destruction. Hunger, sword, and pestilence +carried off thy Goths. At last, at last, stubborn Ravenna fell, forced +by famine. The deadly enemy lay at thy feet. Then a warning came that +he contemplated treason; that he would renew the fearful strife; that +he would attack thee and thine that night. What couldest thou do? Call +him openly to account? If he were guilty, that could do no good, +therefore thou wert beforehand with him, and did that to him in the +evening which he intended doing to thee at night. That _one_ deed saved +thy people, and prevented the renewal of a fearful strife. Thou +forgavest all his followers, and for thirty years caused Goths and +Italians to live as if in Paradise. And now thou wilt torment thyself +with vain remorse? Two nations will ever thank thee for this deed! I--I +would have killed him seven times over!" + +The old man ceased; his eyes flashed; he looked like an angry giant. +But the King shook his head. + +"That is nothing, old warrior! I have repeated the same thing to myself +a hundred times, and put it into more flattering forms than is possible +to thy rude tongue. All in vain! He was a hero--the only one of my +kind--and I murdered him without proof of his guilt, for I was jealous, +suspicious, aye, it must be said, I was _afraid_--afraid that I should +be compelled again to strive with him. It was, and is, and ever will +be a sin! I have found no peace in self-excuses. Since that night +his image has followed me unceasingly. At the banquet and in the +council-chamber; at the hunt, in the church, waking and sleeping. Then +Cassiodorus sent the priests and bishops to me. They could not help me. +They heard my confession, saw my grief and my faith, and absolved me +from all my sins. But peace came not, and though they forgave me, I +could not forgive myself. I know not whether it be the old manner of +thought inherited from my heathen ancestors, but I cannot hide myself +behind the Cross from the ghost of the murdered man! I cannot believe I +am freed from my bloody deed by the blood of an innocent God who died +upon the Cross!" + +Hildebrand's face was suddenly lit up with joy. + +"Thou knowest," he whispered in the King's ear, "that I could never +believe the priests of the Cross. Speak, oh, speak! dost thou still +believe in Thor and Odin? Have _they_ helped thee?" + +The King smiled and shook his head. + +"No, thou incorrigible old heathen! Thy Walhalla is nothing for me. +Hear how I was helped. Yesterday I sent the bishops away, and retired +into the recesses of my own heart. I thought and wrestled and entreated +God, and I became calmer, and, behold! in the night a deep slumber came +upon me, such as I had not known for long months. When I awoke, no +fever of torture shook my limbs; I felt composed, and my mind clearer; +I felt that no grace or miracle of God could undo the deed that I had +committed. I knew that if God be indeed a God of vengeance, He could +punish me and my house unto the seventh generation, and I dedicated +myself and my kingdom to His eternal vengeance. But, if God be just, He +cannot visit the sins committed by their King upon the people of the +Goths. No, He will not do that. And if ever this people decay, I feel +that it will not be owing to my deed; and thus peace hath entered into +my soul, and I can die with courage." + +He was silent, but Hildebrand bowed his head and kissed the hand which +had killed Odoacer. + +"These are my parting words to thee, my legacy and thanks for a whole +life of fidelity. Now let us dedicate the remaining time to the Goths. +Come, assist me to rise, I cannot die amid these cushions. There hang +my weapons! Give them to me! No objections! I will, and I can!" + +Hildebrand was obliged to obey. With his help the sick man rose, and +threw a purple mantle over his shoulders, girded on his sword, set the +low helmet-crown on his head, and supporting himself on the shaft of +his heavy lance, leaned his back against the thick Doric column in the +middle of the room. + +"Now call my daughter, and Cassiodorus, and whoever else may be +outside." + + + + CHAPTER VII. + +The King remained quietly standing, while Hildebrand threw back the +curtains of the door on both sides, so that bed-chamber and ante-room +now formed one undivided apartment. All those assembled outside--for +many Goths and Romans had entered meanwhile--drew near to the King in +astonished and reverent silence. + +"My daughter," said the King, "are the letters written which are to +announce my death and the succession of my grandchild to Byzantium?" + +"Here they are," answered Amalaswintha. + +The King rapidly ran through the rolls of papyrus. + +"To Emperor Justinus.--A second: to his nephew, Justinianus. 'Tis true, +he will soon wear the crown, and is already the master of his masters. +I see by the fine similes that Cassiodorus has written these letters. +But hold!" A cloud passed across his face. "'Recommending my youth to +your imperial protection!' Protection! That is too much. Alas! if ever +you should be obliged to depend on the protection of Byzantium! +'Recommending myself to your _friendship_, is enough from the grandson +of Theodoric." And he gave the letters back. "Still a third letter to +Byzantium? To whom? 'To Theodora, the noble spouse of Justinianus?' +What! to the dancer of the circus? To the shameless daughter of the +lionkeeper?" + +His eye flashed. + +"She has great influence upon her husband," interposed Cassiodorus. + +"No, no. My daughter shall write to no female who has dishonoured the +name of her sex." + +And he tore the roll of papyrus into pieces and threw them on the +floor. Then, walking over the fragments, he advanced towards the Goths +who stood in the middle of the hall. + +"My brave Witichis, what will be thy office after my death?" + +"I shall review our foot at Tridentum." + +"None could do it better! Never yet hast thou claimed the favour which +was granted to thee beforehand, when thou wert victorious over the +Gepidæ. Hast thou no wish even now?" + +"I _have_ a wish, my King." + +"At last!--that pleases me. Speak." + +"A poor jailer, for refusing to apply the torture and for striking at a +lictor, is himself condemned to be put to the torture to-day. Sire, set +the man free! To torture is shameful, and---- + +"The jailer is free; and from this moment torture is abolished in the +kingdom of the Goths. Look to it, Cassiodorus! Brave Witichis, give me +thy hand. To show to all how much I honour thee, I bequeath thee +Wallada, my chestnut charger, in remembrance of this parting hour. And +if ever thou art in danger, or--" here he lowered his voice, "would +avoid it, whisper my name into the horse's ear. Who will watch over +Neapolis? Duke Thulun was too rough. Those gay people must be won by +gentle looks." + +"Yes. Young Totila will be Count of the Harbour there," answered +Cassiodorus. + +"Totila! a sunny youth! a Siegfrid; a favourite of the gods! No heart +can withstand him. But truly, the hearts of these Italians--" He +sighed, and then continued, "Who will assure us of Rome and the +Senate?" + +"Cethegus Cæsarius," said Cassiodorus, with a motion of his hand, "this +noble Roman." + +"Cethegus? I know him well. Look at me, Cethegus." + +Cethegus, thus addressed, reluctantly raised his eyes, which he had +quickly cast down before the steady look of the King. But now, +collecting himself, he quietly bore the eagle glance which seemed to +penetrate his soul. + +"It was a sickly whim, Cethegus, which made a man of your kind withhold +himself so long from affairs of state; and from us. Or it was +dangerous. Perhaps it is still more dangerous that you--_now_--again +take an interest in politics." + +"It was not my wish, O King." + +"I will answer for him!" cried Cassiodorus. + +"Peace, friend! On earth no one can answer for another!--scarcely for +himself! But," he continued with a searching look, "this proud +intellect--this Cæsar-like intellect--will not betray Italia to the +Greeks." + +Cethegus had to endure one more sharp look from the golden eagle-eyes. +Then the King suddenly grasped his arm, and whispered in his ear: +"Listen to my warning. No Roman will ever again flourish on the throne +of the Western Empire. Peace! no contradiction. I have warned you. What +noise is that outside?" he asked, quickly turning to his daughter; who, +in a low voice, was speaking with a Roman messenger. + +"Nothing, my King; nothing of importance, my father." + +"What! secrets from me? By my crown! Wilt thou govern while I still +breathe? I hear the sound of strange tongues outside. Open the doors!" + +The doors which divided the outer hall from the ante-room were thrown +open. There, in the midst of a number of Goths and Romans, were to be +seen several strange and dwarfish forms, clothed in a curious costume, +with doublets of wolfskin, pointed caps, and shaggy sheep-skins hanging +down their backs. Surprised and impressed by the sudden apparition of +the King, they sank upon their knees. + +"Ah, messengers from the Avarians! Those robber border-ruffians on our +eastern boundaries! Have you brought the owing yearly tribute?" + +"Sire, once again we bring it: skins, woollen carpets, swords, shields. +There they hang--there they lie. But we hope that next year--we will +see----" + + + +"You will see whether the aged Theodoric has become a dotard? You hoped +that I was dead? You think that you can refuse the tribute to my +successor? You err, spies!" + +And he took up, as if proving its worth, one of the swords which the +messengers had laid at his feet, together with its sheath, held it +firmly by hilt and point, and with a slight effort snapped the steel in +two, and threw the pieces on the ground. + +"The Avari carry worthless swords," he said quietly. "Come, Athalaric, +heir to my kingdom. They do not believe that thou canst bear the weight +of my crown. Show them how thou canst throw my spear." + +The youth bounded to him. The scarlet hue of ambition flushed his pale +face. He swung the heavy spear of his grandfather, and hurled it with +such force at a shield which the messengers had leaned against one of +the wooden pillars, that it completely pierced it and penetrated deeply +into the wood. + +The King laid his left hand on the head of his grandchild, and said +proudly to the messengers: + +"Now go, and tell at home what you have seen." + +He turned away; the outer doors were closed, and shut out the amazed +Avarians. + +"Give me a cup of wine. It may possibly be the last! No, unmixed! In +Germanic fashion--" he repulsed the Grecian physician. "Thanks, old +Hildebrand, for this draught, so faithfully given. I drink prosperity +to the Goths!" + +He slowly emptied the goblet; and with a hand yet firm and strong he +replaced it on the marble table. + +But suddenly, like a flash of lightning, that which the physicians had +long expected took place. He staggered, pressed his hand to his heart, +and fell backwards into Hildebrand's arms; who, slowly kneeling down, +let him gently slide on to the marble pavement, supporting his +helm-crowned head. + +For one moment all present held their breath; but the King did not +move, and, with a loud cry, Athalaric threw himself upon the corpse. + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + +There was another man, besides Cassiodorus, who played a most +important, and, as it seemed to the Regency, a very deserving part, in +those days of transition. This was no other than Cethegus. He had +undertaken the momentous office of Prefect of Rome. As soon as the King +had closed his eyes for ever, Cethegus had instantly hurried to his +place of trust, and had arrived there before the news of the event had +reached that city. + +Before daybreak, he had collected the senators together in the +_Senatus_, that is, in the closed hall of Domitian, near the temple of +Janus Geminus, on the right of the arch of Septimus Severus, and had +surrounded the building with Gothic troops. He informed the surprised +senators (many of whom he had only recently met in the Catacombs, and +had incited to the expulsion of the barbarians) of the already +accomplished succession to the throne. He had also, not without many +mild hints as to the spears of the Gothic hundreds, which might easily +be seen from the hall, taken their oaths of allegiance to Athalaric +with a rapidity that brooked no contradiction. + +Then he left the "Senatus," where he kept the conscript fathers locked +up, until, with the support of the strong Gothic garrison, he had held +a meeting of the assembled Romans which he had called in the Flavian +amphitheatre, and had won the hearts of the easily-moved "Quirites" for +the young King. + +He enumerated the generous deeds of Theodoric, promised the same +beneficence from his grandson, who was, besides, already acknowledged +by all Italy and the provinces, and also by the fathers of the city; +announced a general feast for the Roman population, with the gift of +bread and wine, as the first act of the new government; and concluded +with the proclamation of seven days of games in the Circus (races +between twenty-four Spanish four-horsed chariots), with which he +himself would celebrate the accession of Athalaric, and his own +entrance into office. + +At once a thousand voices shouted, with loud huzzas, the names of the +Queen-Regent and her son; and still more loudly the name of Cethegus. +Then the people joyously dispersed, the imprisoned senators were +released, and the Eternal City was won for the Goths. + +The Prefect hurried to his house at the foot of the Capitol, locked +himself up, and eagerly wrote his report to the Queen-Regent. + +But he was soon disturbed by a violent knocking upon the iron door of +the house. It was Lucius Licinius, the young Roman whom we have already +met in the Catacombs. He struck with the hilt of his sword against the +door till the house echoed. + +He was followed by Scævola, the jurist, with portentously frowning +brow, who had been amongst the imprisoned senators; and by Silverius, +the priest, with doubtful mien. + +The ostiarius looked prudently through a secret aperture in the wall, +and, on recognising Licinius, admitted them. + +Licinius rushed impetuously before the others through the well-known +vestibule and the colonnade of the atrium to the study of Cethegus. + +When Cethegus heard the hastily-approaching footsteps, he rose from the +lectus upon which he was lying writing, and put his letters into a +casket with a silver lid. + +"Ah, the saviours of the fatherland!" he said, smiling, and advanced +towards the door. + +"Vile traitor!" shouted Licinius, his hand on his sword--anger impeded +further speech; he half drew his sword from the sheath. + +"Stop! first let him defend himself, if he can," panted Scævola, +holding the young man's arm, as he hastened into the room. + +"It is impossible that he can have deserted the cause of the Holy +Church," said Silverius, as he also entered. + +"Impossible!" laughed Licinius. "What! are you mad, or am I? Has he not +caused us to be confined in our houses? Has he not shut the gates, and +taken the oaths of the mob for the barbarians?" + +"Has he not," continued Cethegus, "caught the noble fathers of the +city, three hundred in number, and kept them in the Curia, like so many +mice in a trap; three hundred aristocratic mice?" + +"He dares to mock us? Will you suffer that?" cried Licinius. And +Scævola turned pale with anger. + +"Well, and what would you have done had you been allowed to act?" asked +the Prefect quietly, crossing his arms on his broad breast. + +"What should we have done?" cried Licinius. "What we, and you with us, +have a hundred times decided upon. As soon as the news of the tyrant's +death had arrived, we should have killed all the Goths in the city, +proclaimed a Republic, and chosen two consuls----" + +"Of the names of Licinius and Scævola; that is the first thing. Well, +and then? What then?" + +"What then? Freedom would have conquered!" + +"Folly would have conquered!" broke out Cethegus in a thundering voice, +which startled his accusers. "Well for us that your hands were bound; +you would have strangled Hope for ever. Look here, and thank me upon +your knees!" + +He took some records from another casket, and gave them to his +astonished companions. + +"There; read! The enemy had been warned, and had thrown the noose round +the neck of Rome in a masterly manner. If I had not acted as I did, +Earl Witichis would be standing at this moment before the Salarian Gate +in the north with ten thousand Goths; to-morrow young Totila would have +blockaded the mouth of the Tiber on the south with the fleet from +Neapolis; and Duke Thulun would have been approaching the Tomb of +Hadrian and the Aurelian Gate from the west, with twenty thousand men. +If, this morning early, you had touched a hair of a Goth's head, what +would have happened?" + +Silverius breathed again. The others were ashamed and silent. But +Licinius took heart. + +"We should have defied the Goths behind our walls," he said, with a +toss of his handsome head. + +"Yes, when these walls are restored as I will restore them--for +eternity, my Licinius: as they are now--not for a day." + +"Then we had died as free citizens," said Scævola. + +"You might have done that in the Curie three hours ago," laughed +Cethegus, shrugging his shoulders. + +Silverius stepped forward with open arms, as if to embrace +him--Cethegus drew back. + +"You have saved us all, you have saved Church and fatherland! I never +doubted you!" exclaimed the priest. + +But Licinius grasped the hand of the Prefect, who willingly abandoned +it to him. + +"I _did_ doubt you," he said with charming frankness. "Forgive me, you +great Roman! This sword, with which I would have penetrated into your +very heart, is henceforward at your service. And when the day of +freedom dawns, then no consul, then _salve_, Dictator Cethegus!" + +He hurried out with flashing eyes. The Prefect cast a satisfied glance +after him. + +"Dictator, yes; but only until the Republic is in full security," said +the jurist, and followed Licinius. + +"To be sure," said Cethegus, with a smile; "then we will wake up +Camillus and Brutus, and take up the Republic from the point at which +they left it a thousand years ago. Is it not so, Silverius?" + +"Prefect of Rome," said the priest, "you know that I was ambitious to +conduct the affairs of the fatherland as well as of the Church. After +this, I am so no more. You shall lead, I will follow. Swear to me only +one thing: the freedom of the Roman Church--free choice of a Pope." + +"Certainly," said Cethegus; "but first Silverius must have become Pope. +So be it." + +The priest departed with a smile upon his lips, but with a weight upon +his mind. + +"Go," said Cethegus, after a pause, looking in the direction taken by +his three visitors. "You will never overthrow a tyrant--you need one!" + +This day and hour were decisive for Cethegus. Almost against his will, +he was driven by circumstances to entertain new views, feelings, and +plans, which he had never, until now, put to himself so clearly, +or confessed to be more than mere dreams. He acknowledged that +at this moment he was sole master of the situation. He had the +two great parties of the period--the Gothic Government and its +enemies--completely in his power. And the principal motive-power in the +heart of this powerful man, which he had for years thought paralysed, +was suddenly aroused to the greatest activity. The unlimited +desire--yes, the necessity--to _govern_, made itself all at once +serviceable to all the powers of his rich nature, and excited them to +violent emotion. + +Cornelius Cethegus Cæsarius was the descendant of an old and immensely +rich family, whose ancestor had founded the splendour of his house as a +general and statesman under Cæsar during the civil wars; it was even +rumoured that he was the son of the great Dictator. + +Our hero had received from nature various talents and violent passions, +and his immense riches gave him the means to develop the first and +satisfy the last to the fullest extent. He had received the most +careful education that was then possible for a young Roman noble. He +practised the fine arts under the best teachers; he studied law, +history, and philosophy in the famous schools of Berytus, Alexandria, +and Athens with brilliant success. But all this did not satisfy him. He +felt the breath of decay in all the art and science of his time. In +particular, his study of philosophy had only the effect of destroying +the last traces of belief in his soul, without affording him any +results. When he returned home from his studies, his father, according +to the custom of the time, introduced him to political life, and his +brilliant talents raised him quickly from office to office. + +But all at once he abandoned his career. As soon as he had made himself +master of the affairs of state, he would no longer be a wheel in the +great machine of a kingdom from which freedom was excluded, and which, +besides, was subject to a barbarian King. + +His father died, and Cethegus, being now his own master and possessor +of an immense fortune, rushed into the vortex of life, enjoyment, and +luxury with all the passion of his nature. + +He soon exhausted Rome, and travelled to Byzantium, into Egypt, and +even as far as India. + +There was no luxury, no innocent or criminal pleasure, in which he did +not revel; only a well-steeled frame could have borne the adventures, +privations, and dissipations of these journeys. + +After twelve years of absence, he returned to Rome. + +It was said that he would build magnificent edifices. People expected +that he would lead a luxurious life in his houses and villas. They were +sadly deceived. + +Cethegus only built for himself the convenient little house at the foot +of the Capitol, which he decorated in the most tasteful manner; and +there he lived in populous Rome like a hermit. + +He unexpectedly published a description of his travels, characterising +the people and countries which he had visited. The book had an +unheard-of success. Cassiodorus and Boëthius sought his friendship, and +the great King invited him to his court. + +But on a sudden he disappeared from Rome. + +What had happened remained a mystery, in spite of all malicious, +curious, or sympathetic inquiries. + +People told each other that one morning a poor fisherman had found +Cethegus unconscious, almost dead, on the shores of the Tiber, outside +the gates of the city. + +A few weeks later he again was heard of on the north-east frontier of +the kingdom, in the inhospitable regions of the Danube, where a bloody +war with the Gepidae, Avari, and Sclavonians was raging. There he +fought the savage barbarians with death-despising courage, and followed +them with a few chosen troops, paid from his private means, into their +rocky fortresses, sleeping every night upon the frozen ground. And +once, when the Gothic general entrusted to him a larger detachment of +troops in order to make an inroad, instead of doing this, he attacked +and took Sirmium, the enemy's fortified capital, displaying no less +good generalship than courage. + +After the conclusion of peace, he travelled into Gaul, Spain, and again +to Byzantium; returned thence to Rome, and lived for years in an +embittered idleness and retirement, refusing all the military, civil, +or scientific offices and honours which Cassiodorus pressed, upon him. +He appeared to take no interest in anything but his studies. + +A few years before the period at which our story commences, he had +brought with him from Gaul a handsome youth, to whom he showed Rome and +Italy, and whom he treated with fatherly love and care. It was said +that he would adopt him. As long as his young guest was with him he +ceased his lonely life, invited the aristocratic youth of Rome to +brilliant feasts in his villas, and, accepting all invitations in +return, proved himself the most amiable of guests. + +But as soon as he had sent young Julius Montanus, with a stately suite +of pedagogues, freedmen, and slaves, to the learned schools of +Alexandria, he suddenly broke off all social ties, and retired into +impenetrable solitude, seemingly at war with God and the whole world. + +Silverius and Rusticiana had, with the greatest difficulty, persuaded +him to sacrifice his repose, and join in the conspiracy of the +Catacombs. He told them that he only became a patriot from tedium. And, +in fact, until the death of the King, he had taken part in the +conspiracy--the conduct of which, however, was wholly in his and the +archdeacon's hands--almost with dislike. + +It was now otherwise. + +Until now, the inmost sentiment of his being--the desire to test +himself in all possible fields of intellectual effort; to overcome all +difficulties; to outdo all rivals; to govern, alone and without +resistance, every circle that he entered; and, when he had won the +crown of victory, carelessly to cast it aside and seek for new +tasks--all this had never permitted him to find full satisfaction in +any of his aims. + +Art, science, luxury, office, fame. Each of these had charmed him. He +had excelled in all to an unusual degree, and yet all had left a void +in his soul. + +To govern, to be the first, to conquer opposing circumstances with all +his means of superior power and wisdom, and then to rule crouching men +with a rod of iron; this, consciously and unconsciously, had always +been his aim. In this alone could he find contentment. + +Therefore he now breathed proudly and freely. His icy heart glowed at +the thought that he ruled over the two great inimical powers of the +time, over both Goths and Romans, with a mere glance of his eye; and +from this exquisite feeling of mastery, the conviction arose with +demonic force, that there remained but one goal for him and his +ambition that was worth living for; but one goal, distant as the sun, +and out of the reach of every other man. He believed in his descent +from Julius Cæsar, and felt the blood rush through his veins at the +thought--Cæsar, Emperor of the West, ruler of the Roman Empire! + +A few months ago, when this thought first flashed across his mind--not +even a thought, not a wish, only a shadow, a dream--he was startled, +and could not help smiling at his own boundless assurance. + +_He_, Emperor and regenerator of the Empire! And Italy trembled under +the footsteps of three hundred thousand Goths! And the greatest of all +barbarian kings, whose fame filled the earth, sat on his powerful +throne in Ravenna! + +Even if the power of the Goths were broken, the Franks and Byzantines +would stretch their greedy hands over the Alps and across the sea to +seize the Italian booty. Two great kingdoms against a single man! For, +truly, he stood alone amid his people. How well he knew, how utterly he +despised his countrymen, the unworthy descendants of great ancestors! +How he laughed at the enthusiasm of a Licinius or a Scævola, who +thought to renew the days of the Republic with these degenerate Romans! + +He stood alone. + +But the feeling only excited his ambition, and, at that moment, when +the conspirators had left him, when his superiority had been more +plainly proved than ever before, the thoughts which had been a +flattering amusement of his moody hours, suddenly ripened and formed +themselves into a clear resolve. + +Folding his arms across his mighty chest, and measuring the apartment +with heavy steps, like a lion in his cage, he spoke to himself in +abrupt sentences: + +"To drive out the Goths and prevent Franks and Greeks from entering, +would not be difficult, with a brave host at one's back; any other man +could do it. But alone, quite alone, more hindered than helped by these +knaves without marrow in their bones; to accomplish the impossible; to +make these cowards heroes; these slaves, Romans; these servants of the +priests and barbarians, masters of the world; that, _that_ is worth the +trouble. To create a new people, a new time, a new world, with the +power of his single will and the might of his intellect, is what no +mortal has yet accomplished--that would be greater than Cæsar!--_he_ +led legions of heroes! and yet, it can be done, for it can be imagined. +And I, who can imagine it, can do it. Yes, Cethegus, that is an aim for +which it is easy to think, to live, to die! Up, and to work! and +henceforward, no thought, no feeling, except for this one thing!" + +He stood still at last before a colossal statue of Cæsar, sculptured in +Parian marble, which--a masterpiece of Arkesilaus, and, according to +family tradition, given by Julius Cæsar himself to his son--stood +before the writing-divan, the most sacred treasure of the house. + +"Hear me, divine Cæsar! great ancestor!" exclaimed Cethegus, "thy +descendant dares to rival thee! There is still something higher than +anything which thou hast reached; even to soar at a higher quarry than +thou, is immortal; and to fall--to fall from such a height--is the most +glorious death. Hail! Once again I know why I live!" + +He passed the statue, and threw a glance at some military maps of the +Roman Empire, which lay unrolled upon the table. + +"First trample upon these barbarians: Rome! Then once more subdue the +North: Paris! Then reduce the rebellious East to its old subjection to +the Cæsar-city: Byzantium! and farther, even farther, to the Tigris, to +the Indus; farther than Alexander; and back to the West, through +Scythia and Germania, to the Tiber; the path, Cæsar, which Brutus' +dagger cut off for thee. And so to be greater than thou, greater than +Alexander----hold, my thought! Enough!" + +And the heart of the icy Cethegus flamed and glowed; the veins of his +temples throbbed violently; he pressed his burning forehead against the +cold marble breast of Julius Cæsar, who majestically looked down upon +him. + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +The day of the King's death was not only decisive for Cethegus, but +also for the conspiracy in the Catacombs, for Italy, and for the Gothic +kingdom. + +Although the intrigues of the patriots--led by different men, who were +not agreed upon the means, nor even upon the aims of their plots--had, +till now, made slow and doubtful progress, this state of things was +completely altered from the moment when Cethegus took the conduct of +affairs into his own strong hands. Only then did the conspiracy become +really dangerous to the Goths. + +Cethegus untiringly sought to undermine the security of their kingdom. +With his great capacity for winning and governing men, and penetrating +their motives, he was able daily to increase the number of important +members and the means of success. He understood how to avoid the +suspicion of the Goths on the one hand, and to prevent any untimely +rebellion on the other. For it would have been easy to attack the +barbarians in all the towns of the Peninsula on some special day, and +to call upon the Byzantines--who had long since been on the watch for +such a crisis--to complete the conquest. But in this way the Prefect +would not have been able to carry out his secret plans. He would merely +have put Byzantine tyranny in the place of Gothic rule. And we know +that he had very different intentions. In order to fulfil them, he +wished first to create for himself a power in Italy, greater than any +other man possessed. Before the foot of a Byzantine was set upon +Italian soil, he must become--although in secret--the mightiest man in +the country. All must be so prepared that the barbarians should be +driven away by Italy itself, that is, by Cethegus, with the least +possible help from Byzantium; so that, after the victory, the Emperor +could not avoid giving the dominion over the country to its saviour, +even if only as a governor. Then he would soon gain time and +opportunity to excite the national pride of the Romans against the rule +of the "Greek-lings," as they contemptuously called the Byzantines. +For, although for two hundred years--since the days of the great +Constantine--the glory of the Empire of the world had been removed from +widowed Rome to the golden town on the Hellespont, and the sceptre of +the sons of Romulus seemed to have passed over to the Greeks; though +East and West formed _one_ state of antique culture opposed to the +barbarian world; yet even now the Romans hated and despised the Greeks +as much as in the days when Flaminius declared humbled Hellas to be a +freedman of Rome. The old hate was now increased by envy. + +Therefore Cethegus was sure of the enthusiasm and support of all Italy, +which, after the removal of the barbarians, would also banish the +Byzantines from the country; and the crown of Rome, the crown of the +Western Empire, would be his certain reward. + +And if he succeeded in exciting the newly-awakened national feeling to +an offensive war on the other side of the Alps, when he had again +erected the throne of the Roman Empire on the ruins of the Frankish +Kingdom at Orleans and Paris, then the attempt would not be too rash +once again to subdue the Eastern Empire and continue the Empire of the +World in the Eternal City from the point at which Trajan and Hadrian +had left it. + +In order to reach this distant and shining goal, every step on the +dizzy path must be taken with the greatest prudence; any stumble might +precipitate him into an abyss. In order to gain his end, Cethegus must +first of all make sure of Rome; on Rome alone could his plans be based. + +Therefore the new Prefect bestowed the greatest care upon the city that +had been entrusted to him. He wished to make Rome, morally and +physically, his surety of dominion, belonging alone to him, and not to +be wrested from him. + +His office gave him the best pretext for carrying out his plans. Was it +not the duty of the _Præfectus Urbi_ to care for the well-being of the +populace, and for the preservation and security of the city? He +understood perfectly well how to use the rights of his office for the +furtherance of his own aims. He easily won the sympathies of all ranks; +the nobles honoured in him the head of the conspiracy; he governed the +clergy through Silverius, who was the right hand of the pope, and, by +public opinion, appointed his successor, and who showed to the Prefect +a devotion that was even surprising to its object. He gained the common +people, not only by occasional gifts of bread, and games in the Circus, +but also by promoting great undertakings, which, at the cost of the +Gothic Government, provided work and sustenance for thousands. + +He persuaded Amalaswintha to give orders that the fortifications of +Rome, which had suffered much more since the reign of Honorius from the +inroads of time and the selfishness of Roman architects, than from the +Visigoths and Vandals, should be quickly and completely restored "to +the honour of the Eternal City, and," as she imagined, "for protection +against the Byzantines." + +Cethegus himself, and, as was afterwards proved by the unsuccessful +sieges of the Goths and Byzantines, with great strategic genius, made +the plan of the magnificent works. With the greatest zeal he set about +the gigantic task of transforming the immense city, with its +circumference of many miles, into a stronghold of the first rank. The +thousands of workmen, who well knew to whom they owed their well-paid +employment, applauded the Prefect whenever he showed himself upon the +ramparts, to examine what progress had been made, or excite to new +industry, and, sometimes, to put his own hand to the work. And the +deceived Princess assigned one million _solidi_ after another for the +expenses of fortifications, against which the whole power of her people +was shortly to be wrecked and annihilated. + +The most important point of these fortifications was the Tomb of +Hadrian, known now under the name of Castle St. Angelo. This +magnificent edifice, built of blocks of Parian marble, which were laid +one upon the other without any uniting cement, lay, at that time, about +a stone's-throw from the Aurelian Grate, the flanking walls of which it +by far overtopped. + +Cethegus had seen at a glance that this incomparably strong building, +which until now had been designed for offence _against_ the city, +might, by very simple means, be converted into a powerful bulwark of +defence _for_ the city; he caused two walls to be built from the +Aurelian Grate towards and around the Mausoleum. + +And soon the towering marble castle formed an assault-proof rampart for +the Aurelian Grate, so much the more because the Tiber formed a natural +fosse close before it. On the top of the wall of the Mausoleum stood +about three hundred of the most beautiful statues of bronze, marble, +and iron, mostly placed there by Hadrian and his successors. Amongst +them were that of the Divus Hadrianus; his beautiful favourite +Antinous; a Jupiter of Soter; a Pallas "town-protectress;" and many +others. Cethegus rejoiced at the fulfilment of his ideas, and became +exceedingly fond of this place, where he used to wander every evening +with his beloved Rome spread out at his feet, examining the progress of +the works. He had even caused a number of beautiful statues from his +own villas to be added to those already existing, in order to increase +the splendour of his creation. + + + + CHAPTER X. + + +Cethegus was obliged to be more prudent in the execution of a second +plan, not less necessary for the success of his projects. In order to +be able to defy the Goths, and, if needful, the Greeks, from within +_his_ Rome, as he loved to call it, he was in want--not only of walls, +but of soldiers to defend them. + +At first he thought of mercenaries, of a body-guard such as had been +often kept by high officials, statesmen and generals in those times, +such as Belisarius and Narses possessed in Byzantium. + +It would have been very easy for him, by means of his riches and the +connections he had formed during his travels in Asia, to hire brave +troops of the savage Isaurian mountain people, who then played the part +of the Swiss of the sixteenth century; but this procedure had two very +straitened limits. On the one side he could not, without exhausting the +means that were indispensable for other purposes, keep more than a +comparatively small band, the kernel of an army, not an army itself. On +the other side it was impossible to bring these mercenaries in larger +numbers to Italy or Rome, without arousing suspicion. He was obliged to +smuggle them over with much cunning--by pairs, singly, or in small +groups, to his scattered villas and estates, as his slaves, freedmen, +clients, or guests; and to employ them as sailors and ship-officials in +the harbour of Ostia, or as workmen in Rome. + +Lastly, the Romans themselves would, after all, have to save and defend +Rome, and all his plans urged him to re-accustom his fellow-citizens to +the use of arms. But Theodoric had wisely excluded the Italians from +the army--exceptions were only made in favour of persons who were +considered as particularly reliable and in the late unquiet times of +his reign, during the process against Boëthius, he had issued orders +for the general disarming of all Romans. This measure had certainly +never been strictly carried out, but still Cethegus dared not hope that +the Queen-Regent would allow him, against the expressed will of her +august father and the evident interests of the Goths, to form any +considerable forces of Italians. + +He contented himself with representing to her, that, by means of a very +innocent concession, she could procure for herself the merit of having +cancelled Theodoric's hateful measure by a noble trust; proposing to +her that she should allow him to drill and keep under arms only two +thousand Roman citizens as a guard for the city; the Romans would be +for ever grateful to her that the city did not appear to be solely +protected by barbarians. + +Amalaswintha, who was enthusiastic about Rome, and whose dearest wish +was to gain the love of the Romans, gave her consent, and Cethegus +began to form his militia, as we should call it. In a proclamation, +which sounded like a trumpet-call, he "bid the sons of Scipio take up +their old weapons." He promised to double the pay fixed upon by the +Princess from his own pocket, to any Roman who voluntarily presented +himself. From the thousands who pressed forward he chose the most able. +He armed the poor; gave to those who distinguished themselves in the +service, Gallic helmets and Spanish swords from his own collections; +and, as the most important step, he regularly discharged those who were +sufficiently drilled as soon as possible, leaving them their weapons, +and enlisted new recruits, so that although at no time more were on the +service than the number allowed by Amalaswintha, yet, in an incredibly +short space of time, many thousands of armed and practised Romans were +at the disposal of their adored leader. + +While Cethegus added in this manner to the strength of his future +capital and formed his future pretorians, he put off his +co-conspirators, who constantly urged him to strike, and comforted them +with the hope that the proper moment would soon arrive, which, however, +he alone could determine. At the same time he kept up constant +communication with Byzantium. He wanted to make sure of assistance +thence, which could appear upon the scene of action at any hour in +which he might desire it, but which would not come without a call, or +in such force that it could not easily be again removed. He wished for +a good general from Byzantium, who, however, must not be a great +statesman; bringing an army sufficiently powerful to support the +Italians, but not strong enough to gain the victory without them, or to +remain in the country against their will. + +We shall see later how, with regard to this, much occurred in +accordance with the Prefect's wishes, but just as much against them. + +As to the Goths--who at this time were in undisturbed possession of the +booty for which Cethegus already mentally quarrelled with the Emperor-- +all his endeavour was to rock them into unsuspicious security, to +split them into parties, and to uphold a weak government at their head. + +The first task was not difficult; for that strong Teutonic race +despised, with barbarian pride, all open and secret foes--we have +already seen how difficult it was to convince such a youth as Totila, +who was otherwise sharp-sighted and clear-headed, of the approach of +danger--and the stubborn trust of Hildebrand fully expressed the +general disposition of the Goths. + +Party spirit was also not wanting in this people. + +There were the proud race of the Balthe, with their widely-spread +kindred; at their head the three Dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza. The +rich Wölfungs, under the two brothers, Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad; +and many others, who were not much inferior to the Amelungs in the +splendour of their ancestry, and jealously guarded their position near +the throne. There were also many who endured the guardianship of a +woman and the rule of a boy with strong dislike, and who would gladly, +according to the ancient rights of the nation, have passed over the +royal line, and chosen one of the tried heroes of the nation for their +King, But the Amelungs counted many blindly-devoted adherents, who +abhorred such sentiments as treasonable. + +And, lastly, the whole nation was divided into two parties, one of +which, long discontented with the clemency shown to the Italians by +Theodoric and his daughter, would gladly have retrieved the mistake +which, as they thought, had been made when the country was conquered, +and punished the Italians for their secret hate with open violence. The +number of those who held milder and nobler opinions--who, like +Theodoric himself, were more susceptible to the higher culture of the +subjected Italians, and desirous to raise themselves and their people +to the same level--was naturally much smaller. At the head of this +party stood the Queen. + +This woman Cethegus now sought to uphold in the possession of power; +for her feminine, weak, and divided government was calculated to +undermine the strength of the nation, to excite party spirit and +discontent, and to exclude all augmentation of national feeling. + +Cethegus trembled at the thought that he might see an energetic man +unite the strength of the whole nation. And often the traits of +sublimity which occasionally were to be seen in Amalaswintha, and, +still more, the fiery sparks of repressed feeling which sometimes +blazed out in Athalaric's soul, caused him serious uneasiness. Should +mother and son betray such feelings more frequently, then, certainly, +he would be compelled to overthrow their government as zealously as he +had hitherto upheld it. + +Meanwhile he rejoiced in the unlimited command which he possessed over +the mind of Amalaswintha. It had been easy for him to gain it; not only +because he, with great subtlety, took advantage of her predilection for +learned discussions--in which he was so often vanquished by the +seemingly superior knowledge of the Princess that Cassiodorus, who was +a witness of their arguments, could not refrain from regretting that +the genius of Cethegus, once so brilliant, had rusted for want of +practice--but he had touched the proud woman on a much more sensitive +subject. + +Her great father had been blessed with no son; only this one daughter +had been born unto him. The wish for a male heir had been often heard +in the mouths of the King and of his people, and had penetrated to the +daughter's ears in her childish years. It outraged the feelings of the +highly-gifted girl that, merely on account of her sex, she should be +put lower than a possible brother, who, as a matter of course, would be +more capable and more worthy of governing. So, when a child, she often +wept bitter tears because she was not a boy. Of course, as she grew up, +she only heard the offensive wish from the lips of her father; every +other mouth praised the wonderful talent, the manly spirit and courage +of the brilliant Princess. And these praises were not flattery; +Amalaswintha was, indeed, a wonderful creature. The strength of her +will, the power of her intellect, her love of authority, and cold +abruptness of manner, far exceeded the limits which generally bound the +sphere of feminine grace. The consciousness that when her hand was +bestowed, the highest position in the kingdom, and perhaps the crown +itself, would be given with it, did not contribute to render her more +modest; and her deepest, strongest sentiment was no longer the wish to +be a man, but the conviction that, even as a woman, she was as capable +of performing all the duties of life and of government as the most +gifted man--much more capable than most men--and that she was fated to +refute the general prejudice, and to prove the equality of her sex. + +The married life of this cold woman with Eutharic, a member of another +branch of the family, a man of a genial temperament and high intellect, +was of short duration--in a few years Eutharic fell a victim to +disease--and not at all happy. She had unwillingly obeyed her husband, +and, as a widow, gloried in her freedom. She burnt with the desire to +verify her favourite theory in her position as Queen-regent and +guardian of her son. She would govern in such a manner, that the +proudest man must acknowledge her superiority. We have seen how the +anticipation of ruling had enabled her to bear the death of her great +father with considerable equanimity. She assumed her high office with +the greatest zeal and the most untiring activity. She wished to do +everything alone. She thrust aside the aged Cassiodorus, for he was +unable to keep pace with the eagerness of her spirit. She would endure +no man's advice, and jealously watched over her absolute monarchy. + +To none but one of her servants did she willingly and frequently lend +her ear: to him who often and loudly praised the manly independence of +her mind, and still more often seemed to admire it in secret, and who +appeared incapable of conceiving the desire to govern any of her +actions: she trusted Cethegus alone. + +For he constantly evinced only _one_ ambition--that of carrying out all +the ideas and plans of the Queen with the most zealous care. He never +opposed her favourite endeavours, like Cassiodorus and the heads of the +Gothic parties, but supported her therein. He helped her to surround +herself with Greeks and Romans; to exclude the young king, as far as +possible, from all share in the government; gradually to remove from +the court the old Gothic friends of her father, who, in the +consciousness of their services and according to old custom, often took +upon themselves to speak a word of open blame; to use the money which +was intended for men-of-war, horses, and the armament of the Gothic +forces, for art and science, or for the embellishment, preservation, +and security of Rome; in short, he aided her in every act that would +estrange her from her people, or render her government an object of +hatred, and her kingdom defenceless. + +And if he himself had a plan he always knew how to give his +transactions with the Queen such a turn, that she considered herself +the promoter of every scheme, and ordered him to execute his most +secret wishes as _her_ commands. + + + + CHAPTER XI. + +In order to gain and support this influence, it can easily be +understood that Cethegus was forced to be more at court, and oftener +absent from Rome, than was advantageous for his interests in that city. + +He therefore endeavoured to bring persons into close connection with +the Queen, who would, in part, take his place, warmly defend his +interests, and keep him _au fait_ of all that passed in the court of +Ravenna. + +Many Gothic nobles had left the court in anger, and it was necessary to +replace their wives in their office near the Queen; and Cethegus +determined to use this opportunity to bring Rusticiana, the daughter of +Symmachus and wife of Boëthius, once more to court. It was no easy +task. For the family of Boëthius, who had been executed as a traitor, +had been banished the capital. Before anything could be done, the +feeling which the Queen entertained towards this family must be +completely altered. Cethegus, however, soon succeeded in appealing to +the compassion and magnanimity of Amalaswintha, who possessed a noble +heart. At the same time she had never really believed in the unproved +guilt of the two noble Romans, one of whom, the husband of Rusticiana, +she had honoured as an extremely learned man, and, in some points, as +her teacher. Cethegus proved to her that by showing favour to this +family, either as an act of grace or of justice, she would touch the +hearts of all her Roman subjects, and he thus easily persuaded her to +pardon the deeply degraded family. + +It was much more difficult to persuade the proud and passionate widow +of the murdered man to accept this favour, for her whole soul was +filled with bitterness against the royal house, and thirst for revenge. +Cethegus even feared that when she was in the presence of the +"tyrants," her ungovernable hatred might betray itself. In spite of the +great influence he had over her, she had repeatedly rejected this plan. + +Matters had come to this pass, when, one day, Rusticiana made a +discovery which shortly led to the fulfilment of the Prefect's wish. + +Rusticiana had a daughter of scarcely sixteen years of age, named +Camilla. She was a lovely girl, with a face of the true Roman type, +with nobly-formed features and chiselled lips. Intense feeling beamed +from her dark eyes; her figure, slender almost to delicacy, was elegant +and light as that of a gazelle, and all her movements were agile and +graceful. She had loved her unhappy father with all the energy of +filial devotion. The stroke that had laid his beloved head low had +entered deeply into her own young life; and inconsolable and sacred +grief, mixed with passionate admiration for his heroism, filled all her +youthful thoughts. A welcome guest at court before her father's death, +she had fled with her mother after the catastrophe over the Alps to +Gaul, where they had found an asylum with an old friend, while Anicius +and Severinus, Camilla's brothers, who had been also condemned, but who +were afterwards reprieved and sent into banishment, hastened at once to +the court at Byzantium, where they tried to move heaven and earth +against the barbarians. + +When the first heat of persecution had abated, the two women had +returned to Italy, and led a retired life in the house of one of their +faithful freedmen at Perusia, whence, as we have seen, Rusticiana had +easily found means to join the conspiracy in Rome. + +It was in June, that season of the year when the Roman +aristocracy--then as at this day--fled the sultry air of the towns, and +sought a refuge in their cool villas on the Sabine mountains, or at the +sea-coast. The two noble women, used to every luxury, felt extremely +ill at ease in the hot and narrow streets of Perusia, and thought with +regret of their beautiful villas in Florence and Neapolis, which, +together with all the rest of their fortune, had been confiscated by +the Gothic Government. + +One day, their faithful servant, Corbulo, came to Rusticiana with a +strangely embarrassed expression of countenance, and explained to her +"how, having long since noticed how much the 'Patrona' suffered +under his unworthy roof, and had to endure much annoyance from his +handiwork--he being a mason--he had bought a small, a very small, +estate, with a still smaller house, in the mountains near Tifernum. +However, she must not compare it with the villa near Florentia; but +still there ran a little brook near it, which never dried up, even +under the dog-star; oaks and cornel-trees gave broad and pleasant +shade; ivy grew luxuriantly over a ruined Temple of Faunus; and in the +garden he had planted roses, lilies, and violets, such as Donna Camilla +loved; and so he hoped that they would mount their mules or litter, and +go to their villa like other noble dames." + +The ladies, much touched by their old servant's fidelity, gratefully +accepted his kindness, and Camilla, who rejoiced like a child in the +anticipation of a little change, was more cheerful and animated than +she had ever been since her father's death. + +Impatiently she urged their departure, and hurried off beforehand the +very same day, with Corbulo and his daughter, Daphnidion, leaving her +mother to follow as soon as possible with the slaves and baggage. + +The sun was already sinking behind the hills of Tifernum when Corbulo, +leading Camilla's mule by the bridle, reached an open place in the +wood, from whence they first caught sight of the little estate. He had +long pleased himself with the thought of the young girl's surprise when +he should show her the prettily situated villa. + +But he suddenly stood still, struck with surprise; he held his hand +before his eyes, fancying that the evening sun dazzled him; he looked +around to see if he were really in the right place; but there was no +doubt about it! There stood, on the ridge where wood and meadow met, +the grey border-stone, in the form of the old frontier-god Terminus, +with his pointed head. It was the right place, but the little house was +nowhere to be seen; where it should have been, was a thick group of +pines and plantains; and besides this, the whole place was changed; +green hedges and flowerbeds stood where once cabbages and turnips grew; +and where sandpits and the high-road had, till now, marked the limits +of his modest property, rose an elegant pavilion. + +"The Mother of God and all the superior gods save me!" Cried the mason; +"some magic must be at work!" + +His daughter hastily handed him the amulet that she carried at her +girdle; but she was no wiser than he, for it was the first time that +she had visited the new property; and so there was nothing left but to +drive the mules forward as fast as possible. Father and daughter, +leaping from stone to stone, accompanied the trotting mules to the +bottom of the declivity with cries of encouragement. + +As they approached, Corbulo certainly discovered the house that he had +bought behind the group of trees, but so changed, renewed, and +beautified, that he scarcely recognised it. + +His astonishment at the transformation of the whole place tended to +increase his superstitious fears. His mouth opened wide, he let the +reins fall, stood stock-still, and he was beginning another wonderful +speech, intermixed with heathen and Christian interjections, when +Camilla, equally astounded, called out: + +"But that is the garden where we once lived, the Viridarium of Honorius +at Ravenna! The same trees, the same flower-beds, and, by the lake, the +little Temple of Venus, just as it once stood on the sea-shore at +Ravenna! Oh, how beautiful! What a faithful memory! Corbulo, how did +you manage it?" and tears of grateful emotion filled her eyes. + +"The devil and all the Lemures take me, if I had anything to do with +it! But there comes Cappadox with his club foot; he at least is not +bewitched. Speak, then, Cyclops, what has happened here?" + +Cappadox, a gigantic, broad-shouldered slave, came limping along with +an uncouth smile, and after many questions, told a puzzling tale. + +About three weeks ago, a few days after he had been sent to the estate +to manage it for his master, who had gone to the marble quarries of +Luna, there came from Tifernum a noble Roman with a troop of slaves and +workmen and heavily-packed wagons. He inquired if this was the estate +bought by the sculptor Corbulo of Perusia for the widow of Boëthius. +Upon being answered in the affirmative, he had introduced himself as +the Hortulanus Princeps, that is, the superior intendant of the gardens +at Ravenna. An old friend of Boëthius--who wished not to tell his name, +for fear of the Gothic tyrants--desired to care for his family in +secret, and had given orders that their summer residence should be +improved and embellished with all possible art. He (Cappadox) was by no +means to spoil the intended surprise, and, half-kindly, half by force, +they had kept him fast in the villa. Then the intendant had immediately +made his plan, and set his men to work. Many neighbouring fields were +bought at a high price; and there began such a pulling-down and +building-up, such a planting and digging, hammering and knocking, such +a cleaning and painting, that it had made him both blind and deaf. When +he ventured to meddle or ask questions the workmen laughed in his face. + +"And," concluded Cappadox, "it went on in this way till the day before +yesterday. Then they had finished, and went away. At first I was +afraid, and trembled when I saw all these splendid things growing out +of the earth. I thought, if Master Corbulo has to pay for all this, +then mercy on my poor back! and I wanted to come and tell you. But they +would not let me go; and besides, I knew you were not at home. And when +I saw what a ridiculous amount of money the intendant had with him, and +how he threw the gold pieces about, as children throw pebbles, I got +easier by degrees, and let things go on as they would. Now, master, I +know well that you can set me in the stocks, and have me whipped with +the vine-branch or even with the scorpion; for you are the master, and +Cappadox the servant. But, master, it would scarcely be just! By all +the saints and all the gods! For you set me over a few cabbage-fields, +and see! they have become an Emperor's garden under my care!" + +Camilla had long since dismounted and disappeared, when the servant +ended his account. + +Her heart beating with joy, she hurried through the garden, the bowers, +the house; she flew as if on wings; the active Daphnidion could +scarcely follow her. Repeated cries of astonishment and pleasure +escaped her lips. Whenever she turned the corner of a path, or round a +group of trees, a new picture of the garden at Ravenna met her +delighted eyes. + +But when she entered the house, and in it found a small room painted, +furnished, and decorated exactly like the room in the Imperial Palace, +in which she had played away the last days of her childhood, and +dreamed the first dreams of her maidenhood; the same pictures upon the +hempen tapestry; the same vases and delicate citrean-wood[2] boxes; +and, upon the same small tortoise-shell table, her pretty little harp +with its swan's wings; overpowered by so many remembrances, and still +more by the feeling of gratitude for such tender friendship, she sank +sobbing on the soft cushions of the lectus. + +Scarcely could Daphnidion calm her. + +"There are still noble hearts in the world; there are still friends of +the house of Boëthius!" and she breathed a prayer of deep thankfulness +to Heaven. + +When her mother arrived the next day, she was scarcely less moved by +the strange surprise. She wrote at once to Cethegus in Rome, and asked: +"In which of her husband's friends she should seek this secret +benefactor?" Within her heart she hoped that it might turn out to be +himself. + +But the Prefect shook his head over her letter and wrote back: "He knew +no one of whom this delicate mode of proceeding reminded him. She +should carefully watch for every trace that might lead to the solving +of the riddle." + +It was not long ere it was solved. Camilla was never tired of +traversing the garden, and continually discovering resemblances to its +well-known original. + +She often extended her rambles beyond the park into the neighbouring +wood. She was generally accompanied by the merry Daphnidion, whose +similar youth and faithful affection soon won her confidence. +Daphnidion had repeatedly remarked to her that they must be followed by +a wood-sprite, for it often snapped in the branches and rustled in the +grass near them, and yet there nowhere was a man or an animal to be +seen. + +But Camilla laughed at her superstition, and often persuaded her to +venture out again, far away under the green shadows of the elms and +plantains. + +One hot day, as the two girls penetrated deeper and deeper into the +greenwood they discovered a clear-running spring, that issued copiously +from a dark porphyry rock. But it had no decided channel, and the +thirsty maidens with difficulty collected the single silvery drops. + +"What a pity!" cried Camilla, "the delicious water! You should have +seen the fountain of the Tritons in the Pinetum[3] at Ravenna. How +prettily the water rushed from the inflated cheeks of the bronze +sea-god, into the wide shell of brown marble! What a pity!" And they +passed on. + +Some days after they both came again to the same place. Daphnidion, who +was walking in front, suddenly stood still with a loud scream, and +silently pointed at the spring. + +The woodland streamlet had been enclosed. From a bronze Triton's head +the water fell, in a bright stream, into a delicate shell of brown +marble. Daphnidion, now firmly believing in some magic, turned to fly +without further ado; her hands pressed over her eyes, so as not to see +the wood-sprite, which was considered to be extremely dangerous, she +fled towards the house, calling loudly to her mistress to follow her. + +But a thought flashed through Camilla's mind. The spy who had lately +followed them was certainly in the vicinity, revelling in their +astonishment. + +She looked carefully about her. The blossoms of a 'wild rose-bush fell +from its shaking boughs to the earth. She quickly stepped towards the +thicket, and lo! a young hunter, with spear and game-bag, advanced +towards her from out the bushes. + +"I am discovered," he said, in a low, shy voice. He looked very +handsome in his embarrassment. + +But, with a cry of fear, Camilla started back. + +"Athalaric!" she stammered, "the King!" + +A whole sea of thoughts and feelings rushed through her brain and +heart, and, half fainting, she sank upon, the grassy bank beside the +spring. + +The young King, alarmed and delighted, stood for a few moments +speechless before the tender figure lying at his feet. Thirstily his +burning eye dwelt upon the beautiful features and noble form. A vivid +flush shot like lightning over his pale face. + +"Oh, she--she is my death!" he breathed, pressing both hands to his +beating heart. "To die now--to die with her!" + +Camilla moved her arm, which movement brought him to his senses; he +kneeled down beside her, and wetted her temples with the cool water of +the spring. She opened her eyes. + +"Barbarian! murderer!" she cried shrilly, thrust his hand away, sprang +up, and fled like a frightened doe. + +Athalaric made no attempt to follow her. + +"Barbarian! murderer!" he murmured to himself, in great grief, and +buried his glowing forehead in his hands. + + + + CHAPTER XII. + +Camilla came home in such extreme excitement, that Daphnidion would not +be convinced that she had not seen the nymphs, or even the venerable +sylvan god, Picus, himself. + +But the maiden threw herself with wild emotion into the arms of her +alarmed mother. The strife of confused feelings within her resolved +itself into a flood of hot tears, and only later was she able to answer +Rusticiana's anxious questions. + +A terrible struggle was taking place in the soul of this child. At the +court of Ravenna it had not escaped the growing girl that the dark eyes +of the beautiful Athalaric often rested upon her with a strange and +dreamy expression, and that he eagerly listened to every tone of her +voice. But a suspicion of deeper affection had never entered into her +mind. The Prince, reserved and shy, cast down his eyes whenever she met +his look with an unembarrassed and inquisitive glance. Were they not +both at that time almost children? + +She did not know how to interpret Athalaric's manner--he scarcely could +do so himself--and it had never occurred to her to reflect why she so +gladly lived near him; why she liked to follow the bold flights of his +thoughts and imaginations, differing so much from those of all other +playfellows; why she loved to wander silently through the quiet gardens +in the evening-light by the side of the silent boy, who often, in the +midst of his reverie, addressed her with abrupt, but always +significant, words; whose poetical feelings--the feelings of +enthusiastic youth--she so completely understood and appreciated. + +The tender tissue of this budding inclination was violently torn by the +catastrophe of her father's death, and not only gentle sorrow for the +murdered man, but glowing hatred of his murderers, took possession of +the passionate Roman girl's soul. + +At all times Boëthius, even when in the height of his favour at court, +had displayed a haughty condescension to the barbarism of the Goths, +and, since the catastrophe, all Camilla's companions--her mother, her +two brothers (who thirsted for vengeance), and the friends of the +house--breathed hatred and contempt, not only for the bloody murderer +and tyrant, Theodoric, but for all Goths, and particularly for the +daughter and grandson of the King, who, in their eyes, shared his guilt +because they had not hindered it. + +So the maiden had almost ceased to think of Athalaric, and if he were +named, or if, as often happened, his picture entered into her dreams, +her hatred of the barbarians was concentrated in a feeling of the +greatest abhorrence towards him, perhaps just because, in the depths of +her heart, there lurked an involuntary suspicion of the secret +inclination which she nourished for the handsome and noble youth. + +And now--now he had dared to lay a snare for her unsuspicious heart! + +No sooner had she seen him step from the bushes--no sooner did she +recognise him, than she at once understood that it was he who had not +only enclosed the spring, but caused the alteration of the whole +estate. He, the hated enemy; he, the offspring of the cursed race which +had shed the blood of her father: the King of the Goths! + +The joy with which, during the last few days, she had examined house +and garden, was now changed into bitterness. The deadly enemy of her +people, of her race, had dared to enrich her; to give her pleasure; to +make her happy; for him she had breathed thankful prayers to Heaven! He +had been bold enough to follow her steps, to listen to her words, to +fulfil her lightest wish; and at the bottom of her soul lay the +dreadful certainty that he loved her! The barbarian was insolent enough +to show it. The tyrant of Italy dared to hope that the daughter of +Boëthius---- Oh, it was too much! and, sobbing violently, she buried +her head in the cushions of her couch, to which she had retired, until +deep sleep of exhaustion overcame her. + +Not long after, Cethegus, who had been hastily sent for, came to visit +the troubled woman. + +Rusticiana would fain have followed her own and Camilla's first +impulse, to fly from the villa and the hated vicinity of the King, and +hide her child on the other side of the Alps. But Camilla's condition +had, till then, prevented their departure, and as soon as the Prefect +entered the house, the flame of their excitement seemed to sink before +his cold glances. + +He took Rusticiana alone with him into the garden. Leaning his back +against a laurel-tree, and supporting his chin on his hand, he listened +quietly and attentively to her passionate recital. + +"And now, speak," she concluded; "what shall I do? How shall I save my +poor child? Whither shall I take her?" + +"Whither shall you take Camilla?" he repeated. "To the court, to +Ravenna." + +Rusticiana started. "Why this ill-timed joke?" + +But Cethegus quickly stood erect. "I am in earnest. Be quiet and +listen. Fate, that wills the destruction of the barbarians, could have +laid no more gracious gifts upon our path. You know how completely I +rule the Queen-regent, but you do not know how powerless I am over that +obstinate enthusiast, Athalaric. It is enigmatical. The sick youth is, +amongst all the nation, the only one who suspects, if he does not see +through, me; and I do not know whether he most fears or hates me. That +would be a matter of indifference to me if the audacious fellow did not +very decidedly and very successfully act against me. Naturally, his +opinion weighs heavily with his mother; often more than mine; and he +will always grow older, riper, and more dangerous. His spirit exceeds +his years; he takes a grave part in the councils of the Regency, and +always speaks against me; he often prevails. 'Twas but lately that, +against my will, he succeeded in giving the command of the Gothic +troops in Rome, in _my_ Rome, to that bilious Teja. In short, the young +King becomes highly dangerous. Until now I have not the shadow of +authority over him. He loves Camilla to his peril; through her we will +rule the unruly one." + +"Never!" cried Rusticiana; "never as long as I breathe! _I_ at the +court of the tyrants! My child, Boëthius's daughter, the beloved of +Athalaric! Her father's bloody ghost would----" + + + +"Would you avenge that ghost? Yes. Would you ruin the Goths? Yes. +Therefore you must consent to everything which will lead to this end." + +"Never, by my oath!" + +"Woman, do not irritate me, do not oppose me! You know me. By your +oath? Have you not sworn blind and unconditional obedience to me, +calling down curses on yourself and your children should you break that +oath? Caution is necessary when dealing with women! Obey, or tremble +for your soul!" + +"Fearful man! Shall I sacrifice all my hatred to you and your +projects?" + +"To me? who speaks of me? I plead _your_ cause, I complete _your_ +revenge. The Goths have done nothing to _me_. _You_ disturbed me from +my books, _you_ called upon me to aid you in destroying these Amelungs; +do you repent? Very well. I will return to Horatius and the Stoics. +Farewell!" + +"Remain, remain! But must Camilla be sacrificed?" + +"Folly! Athalaric will be the victim. She shall not love him, she shall +only influence him--or," he added, looking sharply at her, "do you fear +for her heart?" + +"May your tongue be paralysed! _My_ daughter love _him_! Rather would I +strangle her with these hands!" + +But Cethegus had become thoughtful. "It is not for the girl's sake," he +thought, "that would not matter--but should she really love him?--the +Goth is handsome, intellectual, enthusiastic--Where is your daughter?" +he asked aloud. + +"In the women's apartment. Even should I wish it, she will never +consent--never!" + +"We will attempt it. I will go to her." + +And they went into the house. + +Rusticiana would have entered the room with Cethegus, but he repulsed +her. + +"I must have her alone," he said, and passed through the curtain. + +On seeing him, the beautiful girl rose from the cushions on which she +had been resting, lost in helpless reverie. Accustomed to find in this +wise and commanding man, her father's old friend, a constant adviser, +she greeted him trustfully, as a patient greets his physician. + +"You know, Cethegus?" + +"Everything!" + +"And you bring me help and comfort?" + +"I bring you revenge, Camilla!" + +That was a new and startling idea! Hitherto to fly, to save herself +from this torturing position, had been her only thought. At the most, +an angry rejection of the royal gift. But now, revenge! Compensation +for all the pain she had suffered! Revenge upon the murderers of her +father! Her heart was deeply wounded, and in her veins boiled the hot +blood of the south. She rejoiced at the words of her tempter. + +"Revenge? Who will revenge me? You?" + +"You will revenge yourself; that will be sweeter." + +Her eyes flashed. + +"On whom?" + +"On him. On his house. On all your enemies." + +"How can I, a weak and timid girl?" + +"Listen to me, Camilla. To you only, to the noble daughter of the noble +Boëthius, will I unfold what I would trust to no other woman on earth. +There exists a powerful league of patriots, who have sworn to extirpate +the barbarians from the face of this country. The sword of revenge +hangs trembling over the heads of the tyrants. The fatherland and the +shade of your father call upon you to cause it to fall." + +"Upon me? _I_--revenge my father? Speak!" cried the maiden, her face +glowing as she stroked back the dark locks from her temples. + +"There must be a sacrifice. Rome demands it." + +"My blood, my life! Like Virginia will I die!" + +"No; you shall live to triumph in your revenge. The King loves you. You +must go to Ravenna, to court. You shall destroy him by means of his +love. We have no power over him, but you will gain the mastery over his +soul." + +"Destroy him!" + +She seemed strangely moved as she spoke thus in a low voice. Her bosom +heaved; her voice trembled with the force of her opposing feelings. +Tears burst from her eyes, she buried her face in her hands. + +Cethegus rose from his seat. + +"Pardon me," he said, "I will go. I knew not--that you _loved_ the +King." + +A scream of anger, like that of physical pain, escaped the maiden's +lips; she sprang up and grasped his arm. + +"Man! who said so? I hate him! Hate him more than I ever knew I could +hate!" + +"Then prove it, for I do not believe it." + +"I will prove it!" she cried; "he shall die!" + +She threw back her head; her eyes sparkled fiercely; her dark tresses +fell over her shoulders. + +"She loves him," thought Cethegus; "but it matters not, for she does +not know it. She is only conscious of hating him. All is well." + +"He shall not live," repeated Camilla. "You shall see," she added with +a wild laugh--"you shall see how I love him! What must I do?" + +"Obey me in everything." + +"And what do you promise in return? What shall he suffer?" + +"Unrequited love." + +"Yes, yes, that he shall!" + +"His kingdom and his race shall be ruined," continued Cethegus. + +"And he will know that it is through _me_!" + +"I will take care that he shall know that. When shall we start for +Ravenna?" + +"To-morrow! No; to-day, this instant." She stopped and grasped his +hand. "Cethegus, tell me, am I beautiful?" + +"Yes, most beautiful!" + +"Ah!" she cried, tossing back her flowing hair, "Athalaric shall love +me and perish! Away to Ravenna! I will and must see him!" + +And she rushed out of the room. + +Her whole soul was thirsting to be with the object of her love and +hate. + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + +That same day the inhabitants of the villa entered upon their journey +to Ravenna. + +Cethegus sent a courier forward with a letter from Rusticiana to the +Queen-regent. Therein the widow of Boëthius declared, "that by the +mediation of the Prefect of Rome, she was now ready to accept the +repeated invitation to return to court. She did not accept it as an act +of pardon, but of conciliation; as a sign that the heirs of Theodoric +wished to make amends for the injustice done to the deceased." + +This proud letter was written from Rusticiana's very heart, and +Cethegus knew that such a step would do no harm, and would only exclude +any suspicious construction that might be laid upon the sudden change +in her sentiments. + +Half-way the travellers were met by a messenger bearing the Queen's +answer, which bade them welcome to her court. + +Arrived in Ravenna, they were received by the Queen with all honours, +provided with a retinue, and led into the rooms which they had formerly +occupied. They were warmly welcomed by all the Romans at court. + +But the anger of the Goths--who abhorred Symmachus and Boëthius as +ungrateful traitors--was greatly excited by this measure, which seemed +to imply an indirect condemnation of Theodoric. The last remaining +friends of that great King indignantly left the Italianised court. + +Meanwhile, time, the diversions of the journey, and the arrival at +Ravenna, had softened Camilla's excitement. Her anger had the more time +to abate, as many weeks elapsed before she met Athalaric; for the young +King was dangerously ill. + +It was said at court, that while on a visit to Aretium, whither he had +gone to enjoy the mountain air, the baths, and the chase, he had drank +from a rocky spring in the woods of Tifernum while heated with hunting, +and had thereby brought on a violent attack of his former malady. The +fact was, that his followers had found him lying senseless by the side +of the spring where he had met Camilla. + +The effect of this story upon Camilla was strange. To the hate she bore +to Athalaric was now added a slight feeling of compassion, and even a +sort of self-reproach. But on the other side, she thanked Heaven that, +by this illness, the meeting was postponed, which, now that she was in +Ravenna, she feared no less than she had longed for it while far away +in Tifernum. + +And as she wandered in the wide-spread grounds of the magnificent +palace-gardens, she was repeatedly reminded of the anxious care with +which Corbulo's little estate had been fashioned after this model. + +Days and weeks passed. Nothing was heard of the patient except that he +was convalescent, but forbidden to leave his rooms. The physicians and +courtiers who surrounded him often expressed to Camilla their +admiration of his patience and strength of mind while suffering the +most acute pains, his gratitude for the slightest service, and the +noble mildness of his disposition. + +But when she caught herself listening with pleasure to these words of +praise, she frowned angrily, and the thought arose within her: "And he +did not oppose the murder of my father!" + +One hot July night, after long and restless wakefulness, Camilla +towards daybreak had sunk into an uneasy slumber. + +Anxious dreams disturbed her. + +It seemed to her as if the ceiling of the room, with all its +bas-reliefs, were sinking down upon her. Directly over her head was a +beautiful young Hypnos, the gentle God of Sleep, modelled by the hand +of a Greek. + +She dreamed that the drowsy god assumed the earnest, sorrowful features +of his pale brother Thanatos. + +Softly and slowly the God of Death bent his countenance above her. He +approached nearer and nearer. His features became more and more +distinct. She already felt his breath upon her forehead. His beautiful +lips almost touched her mouth. Then she recognised with affright the +pale features--the dark eyes. It was Athalaric! With a scream she +started up. + +The silver lamp had long since burnt out. The room was dim. + +A red light gleamed faintly through the window of spar-gypsum. She rose +and opened it. The cocks were crowing, the first rays of the sun gently +stole over the sea, of which, beyond the garden, she had a full view. +She could no longer bear to remain in the close chamber. + +She threw a mantle over her shoulders and hurried softly out of the +still silent palace, down the marble steps, and into the garden; across +which the fresh morning wind from the neighbouring sea blew towards +her. + +She hastened towards the sun and the sea, for, to the east, the high +walls of the palace gardens rose directly out of the blue waves of the +Adriatic. + +A gilded lattice-gate, and, beyond it, ten broad steps of white +Hymettus marble, led to the little garden-harbour, in which rocked the +light-oared gondolas with their lateen sails of purple linen-cloth, +fastened with silver chains to the ornamental rams'-heads fixed right +and left upon the marble quay. + +At the side of the lattice-gate towards the garden, the grounds ended +in a spacious rotunda, which was surrounded with broad and shady pines. +The ground was laid out with carefully-tended grassplots, intersected +by neat paths, and diversified by gay beds of sweet-scented flowers. A +spring, ornamentally enclosed, ran down the declivity into the sea. In +the centre of this place was a small and antique Temple of Venus, +overtopped by a single palm-tree, while burning-red saxifrage grew +in the now empty niches of its outer walls. At the right of its +long-closed door stood a bronze statue of Æneas. The Julius Cæsar to +the left had fallen centuries ago. Theodoric had placed upon its +pedestal a bronze statue of Amala, the mythic forefather of his house. + +Between these statues, from the steps of the little fane, was a +splendid view through the lattice-gate over the sea, with its woody +lagoon-islands, and a group of jagged rocks, called "the Needles of the +Amphitrites." + +This had been a favourite resort of Camilla's childhood. And it was +hither that she now bent her steps, lightly brushing the plentiful dew +from the high grass as, with slightly-lifted garments, she hastened +along the narrow pathway. She wished to behold the sun rise glowing +from the sea. + +She advanced from behind the temple, passed to the estrade on the left, +and had just set her foot upon the first step which led from the front +of the temple to the lattice-gate, when she caught sight of a white +figure reclining on the second step, with the head leaning against the +balustrade and the face turned towards the sea. + +She recognised the black and silky hair; it was the young King. + +The meeting was so unexpected that there was no possibility of avoiding +it. As if rooted to the ground, she stood still upon the first step. + +Athalaric sprang up and quickly turned. His pallid face was illumined +by a vivid flush. But he was the first to recover himself, and said: + +"Forgive, Camilla. I could not expect you to come here at this hour. I +will go; and leave you alone with the rising sun." + +And he flung his white mantle over his shoulder. + +"Remain, King of the Goths. I have no right to scare you away--and no +intention," she added. + +Athalaric came a step nearer. + +"I thank you. And I beg one favour," he added, smiling. "Do not betray +me to my physicians nor to my mother. All day long they shut me up so +carefully, that I am obliged to escape before sunrise. For the fresh +air, the sea-breeze, does me good; I feel that it cools me. You will +not betray me?" + +He spoke so quietly. He looked so unembarrassed. This freedom from +embarrassment confused Camilla. She would have felt more courageous if +he had been more moved. She observed his coolness with pain, but not +because she really cared for the Prefect's plans. So, in answer, she +only shook her head in silence, and cast down her eyes. + +At that moment the rays of the sun reached the spot on which the pair +were standing. + +The old temple and the bronze of the statues shone in the rosy light; +and from the east a broad path of trembling gold was laid upon the +smooth flood. + +"See, how beautiful!" cried Athalaric, carried away by his admiration. +"Look at that bridge of light and glory!" + +She joined in his admiration, and looked out over the sea. + +"Do you remember, Camilla," he continued slowly, as if lost in +recollection, and not looking at her, "do you remember how we played +here when we were children? How we dreamed? We said that the golden +path painted on the waters by the sun, led to the Islands of the +Blessed." + +"To the Islands of the Blessed!" repeated Camilla. In secret she was +wondering at the delicacy and ease with which, avoiding every allusion +to their last meeting, he conversed with her in a manner, which +completely disarmed her. + +"And look, how the statues glitter, that wonderful pair, Æneas +and--Amala! Listen, Camilla, I have something to beg pardon for." + +Her heart beat rapidly. He was going to speak of the rebuilding of the +Villa and the fountain. The blood rose to her cheeks. She remained +silent in painful expectation. + +But the youth continued quietly: + +"You know how often--you the Roman, and I the Goth--vied with each +other here in praises of the glory and fame and manners of our people. +Then you stood under the statue of Æneas, and told me of Brutus and +Camillus, of Marcellus and the Scipios. And I, leaning against the +shield of my ancestor Amala, praised Ermanaric and Alaric and +Theodoric. But you spoke more eloquently than I. And often, when the +glory of your heroes threatened to outshine mine, I laughed at your +dead greatness, and cried, 'The living present and the glowing future +belong to my people!'" + +"Well, and now?" + +"I speak so no more. You have won, Camilla!" + +But even while he spoke thus, he looked prouder than ever. + +And this expression of superiority revolted the Roman girl. Besides +that, she was irritated by the unapproachable coolness with which the +King, upon whose passion for her such plans were being founded, stood +before her. She did not understand this tranquillity. She had hated him +because he had dared to show her his love, and now her hate revived +because he was able to conceal it. With the intention to hurt his +feelings she slowly said: + +"So you acknowledge, King of the Goths, that your barbarians are +inferior to the civilised nations?" + +"Yes, Camilla," he answered quietly; "but only in one thing: in good +luck. In the favours of Fate as well as of Nature. Look at that group +of fishermen, who are hanging up their nets on the olive-trees upon the +strand. How beautiful are their forms! In motion and repose, in spite +of their rags, they are complete statues! Look at that girl with the +amphora on her head. And there, at that old woman, who, leaning her +head on her arm, lies upon the sand and gazes out dreamily over the +sea. Each beggar amongst them looks like a dethroned king. How +beautiful they are! At one with themselves and happy! The glory of +uninterrupted happiness lies upon them, as it does upon children, or +upon noble animals! This is wanting to us barbarians!" + +"Is that alone wanting to you?" + +"No, Fate is not gracious to us--my poor, glorious people! We have been +carried away into a strange world, in which we do not flourish. We +resemble the flower of the high Alps, the Edelweiss, which has been +carried by the stormy wind to the hot sands of the low-levels. We +cannot take root here. We fade and die." And overcome with noble +sadness, he turned away and looked over the blue waves. + +But Camilla was not in the humour to reflect upon these prophetic words +spoken by a king of his people. + +"Why did you overstep the mountains which God set as an eternal +boundary between your people and ours?" she asked. "Say, why?" + +"Do you know," answered Athalaric, without looking at her, almost as if +thinking aloud, "do you know why the dark moth flies to the bright +flame? Again and again! Warned by no pain, until it is devoured by the +beautiful but dangerous element? From what motive? From a sweet +madness! And it is just such a sweet madness that has enticed my +fellow-Goths away from the fir and the oak to the laurel and the olive. +They will burn their wings, the foolish heroes, and will not cease to +do so. Who can blame them for it? Look around you! How deeply blue the +sky! How deeply blue the sea! And in it are reflected the summits of +the pines and the white glitter of the marble temples! And away in the +distance arise blue mountains; and out in the waters swim green +islands, where the vine clings to the elm. And, above all, the soft, +warm and caressing air that illumines the whole with a magic light. +What wonders of form and colour does the eye drink, and what sweetness +do the delighted senses breathe! This is the magic charm which will for +ever entice and undo us!" + +The deep emotion of the young King did not fail to make an impression +upon Camilla. The tragic force of his words affected her; but she +_would_ not be moved. She defended herself against the increasing +softness of her feelings. She said coldly: + +"A whole nation enchanted by this magic, in spite of reason and +judgment?" and she looked at him incredulously. + +But she was startled; for like lightning flashed the eyes of the youth, +and his long-withheld passion broke out suddenly without restraint. + +"Yes, I tell thee, maiden! a whole people can nourish a foolish +passion, a sweet destructive madness, a deadly longing, as well as--as +well as a single man! Yes, Camilla, there is a power in the heart, +which, stronger than reason and will, forcibly draws us with open eyes +to destruction. But thou knowest it not, and mayst thou never +experience it. Never! Farewell!" + +He quickly turned away and entered a bowery walk of climbing vines to +the right of the temple, which immediately hid him from Camilla, as +well as from the windows of the palace. The girl remained standing in +deep reflection. His last words echoed strangely in her ears. For a +long time she looked out dreamily over the open sea, and at last +returned to the palace, filled with strangely conflicting feelings, and +in an altered mood. + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + +On the same day Cethegus paid a visit to the two ladies. He had +come over from Rome on important business, and had just left the +privy-council which had been held in the invalid King's room. His +energetic features were full of repressed anger. + +"To work, Camilla!" he cried. "You are too long about it. This +impertinent boy becomes more and more unmanageable. He defies me and +Cassiodorus, and even his mother. He is intimate with dangerous people. +With old Hildebrand and Witichis and their friends. He sends and +receives letters behind our backs. He has managed that the Queen may +never hold a council of the regency except in his presence. And in the +council he crosses all our plans. This must cease. In one way or +another." + +"I have no more hope of influencing the King," said Camilla gravely. + +"Why? Have you already seen him?" + +The girl reflected. She had promised Athalaric not to allow his +disobedience to come to the ears of his physicians; and besides, it +went against her feelings to desecrate and betray their meeting. So she +avoided the question and said: + +"If the King refuses to obey his mother, the Queen-regent, he is not +likely to suffer himself to be controlled by a young girl." + +"What sweet simplicity!" laughed Cethegus. And he dropped the +conversation as long as the girl remained in the room. But afterwards, +in private, he forced from Rusticiana a promise to manage matters so +that her daughter in future might frequently see and speak to the King. +It was possible to do this, for Athalaric's health rapidly improved. He +became daily more manly and more decided. It seemed as if his +opposition to Cethegus strengthened him both bodily and mentally. + +In a very short time he again spent many hours of the day in the +extensive pleasure-grounds. It was here that his mother and the family +of Boëthius frequently met him in the evening. + +And while Rusticiana appeared to receive the gracious courtesies of the +Queen with answering friendship, listening attentively to her +confidential remarks, in order afterwards to report them, word for +word, to the Prefect, the two young people walked before them through +the shady paths of the garden. Often this select company entered one of +the light gondolas in the little harbour, and Athalaric rowed them +himself over the blue sea to one of the small wooded isles which lay +not far away. On the return home, the purple sails were spread, and the +fresh breeze, which always arose at sunset, carried them gently and +idly back. Camilla and the King, accompanied by Daphnidion, frequently +enjoyed this trip over the waves alone. + +Amalaswintha naturally saw the danger of increasing by such freedom the +inclination of her son for Camilla, which had not escaped her notice; +but, above all other considerations, she was thankful for the +favourable influence which this companionship evidently exercised upon +her son. In Camilla's presence he was quieter and more cheerful; and at +the same time more gentle in his manner to herself, which had often +been abrupt and violent. He also controlled his feelings with a mastery +which was doubly surprising in such an irritable invalid. And, lastly, +the Queen-regent, supposing that his inclination should indeed ripen to +earnest love, would not be averse to an alliance which promised +completely to win the Roman aristocracy, and erase all memory of a +cruel deed. + +In Camilla a wonderful change was going forward. Day by day, as she +more and more clearly saw the noble tenderness, the gifted soul, and +the deep and poetical feelings of the young King develop, she felt her +hate melt away. With difficulty she recalled to her memory the fate of +her father, as an antidote to this sweet poison; she learnt better to +distinguish justly which of the Goths and Amelungs had contributed to +that fate, and, with growing certainty, she felt that it was unjust to +hate Athalaric for a misfortune which he had merely not opposed, and +indeed would hardly have been able to prevent. She would have liked, +long ago, to speak to him openly, but she mistrusted her own weakness; +she shunned it as a sin against father, fatherland, and her own +freedom; she trembled as she felt how indispensable this noble youth +had become to her, how much she thirsted to hear his melodious voice, +and look into his dark and thoughtful eyes. She feared this sinful +love--which she could now scarcely conceal from herself--and she would +not part with the only weapon that remained to her: the reproach of his +passive acquiescence in her father's death. + +So she fluctuated from feeling to feeling; all the more hesitatingly, +the more mysterious Athalaric's strange reserve became. After all that +had happened, she could not doubt that he loved her; and yet-- + +Not a syllable, not a look betrayed this love. The exclamation with +which he had left her at the Temple of Venus was the most important, +the only important speech that had escaped him. She could not suspect +what the youth had suffered before his love had become not +extinguished, but self-denying. And still less in what new feeling he +had found manly strength enough for such renunciation. + +Her mother, who watched Athalaric with all the keenness of hate, and, +in doing so, forgot to observe her own child, appeared even more +astonished at his coldness. + +"But patience," she said to Cethegus, with whom she often consulted +behind Camilla's back. "Patience! soon, in three days' time, you will +see him alter." + +"It is high time," answered Cethegus. "But upon what grounds do you +build?" + +"Upon a means which has never yet failed me." + +"You will not, surely, mix a love-philtre for him?" asked the Prefect, +smiling. + +"Certainly I shall. I have done so already." + +He looked at her mockingly. + +"And are you, then, so superstitious, you, the widow of the great +philosopher, Boëthius? Upon my word, in love affairs all women are mad +alike!" + +"It is neither madness nor superstition," replied Rusticiana quietly. +"Our family has possessed this secret charm for more than a hundred +years. An Egyptian woman once gave it to one of my female ancestors on +the Nile, and it has always proved its power. No woman of my family has +ever loved without requital." + +"That required no magic," observed the Prefect. "You are a handsome +race." + +"Spare your sarcasm. The love-philtre is unfailing, and if it has not +yet taken effect----" + +"So you have really---- What imprudence! How could you, unobserved----" + +"Every evening, when he returns from a walk or a row with us, Athalaric +takes a cup of spiced Falernian. The physicians ordered it. There are +some drops of Arabian balsam in it. The cup always stands ready upon +the marble table in front of the temple. Three times I have succeeded +in pouring in my potion." + +"Well," observed Cethegus, "until now it has done no particular good." + +"That is only owing to my impatience. The herbs must be gathered during +the new moon. I knew it well enough; but, hurried by your insistence, I +tried it during the full moon, and, you see, it was not effectual." + +Cethegus shrugged his shoulders. + +"But yesterday," she went on, "it was new moon. I was not idle with my +golden scissors, and when he drinks now----" + +"A second Locusta! Well, _my_ comfort is Camilla's beautiful eyes! Does +she know of your arts?" + +"Not a word to her! She would never suffer it. Silence! She comes!" + +The girl entered in great excitement; her oval cheeks were red; a plait +of her hair had got loose, and floated over her lovely neck. + +"Tell me," she cried, "you who are wise and experienced, tell me what +to think! I come from the boat. Oh, he has never loved me, the haughty +man! He pities, he is sorry for me! No, that is not the right word. I +cannot explain it." And bursting into tears, she hid her face upon her +mother's neck. + +"What has happened, Camilla?" asked Cethegus. + +"Very often before," she began, with a heavy sigh, "an expression played +about his mouth, and filled his eyes, as if _he_ had been deeply +offended by _me_, as if _he_ had to forgive, as if _he_ had made a +great sacrifice for me----" + +"Raw boys always imagine it to be a sacrifice, when they are in love." + +At this Camilla's eyes flashed; she tossed her head, and turned quickly +upon Cethegus. + +"Athalaric is no boy, and no one shall laugh at him!" + +Cethegus was silent, and quietly dropped his eyelids; but Rusticiana +asked in surprise: + +"Do you hate the King no more?" + +"To the death! He shall be undone, but not mocked!" + +"What has happened?" repeated Cethegus. + +"To-day I again noticed that puzzling, proud, and cold expression upon +his face more distinctly than ever. A little incident occurred which +caused the King to speak more plainly. An insect--a beetle--had fallen +into the water. The King stooped and took it out, but the little +creature turned against the beneficent hand, and bit the fingers that +held it. 'The ungrateful thing!' I exclaimed. 'Oh,' said Athalaric, +with a bitter smile, 'we wound most those to whom we are most +indebted!' and he glanced at me with a sad and proud expression. But, +as if he had said too much, he briefly bid me farewell, and went +away; but I----" and her bosom heaved, her finely-cut lips were +compressed--"I can bear it no longer! The haughty one! He _shall_ love +me--or die!" + +"That shall he," said Cethegus inaudibly; "one or the other." + + + + CHAPTER XV. + +A few days later the court was surprised by a new step towards +independence on the part of the young King. He himself summoned a +council, a prerogative which, until now, had only been assumed by +Amalaswintha. + +The Queen-regent was not a little astonished when a messenger from her +son bade her repair to his apartments, where the King had already +assembled several of the highest officials of the realm, both Goths and +Romans. Amongst these last were Cassiodorus and Cethegus. + +At first the latter had intended to absent himself, in order not by his +presence to acknowledge the right which the youth had assumed; he +suspected nothing good. But just for this reason he altered his mind. + +"I must not turn my back upon danger, I must face it," he said as he +prepared for the distasteful assembly. + +He found all those who had been invited already collected in the King's +chamber. The Queen alone was still absent. When she at last entered, +Athalaric, who wore a long and wide purple robe, with the crown of +Theodoric shining upon his brow, and his sword at his side, rose from +his throne (behind which was a niche covered by a curtain), advanced to +the Queen and led her to a second and higher throne, which, however, +was placed on the left. So soon as she was seated he began: + +"My royal mother, brave Goths, noble Romans! We have assembled you here +to make known to you our will. Dangers threatened this kingdom which +only we, its King, could avert." + +Such a speech had never yet been heard from his lips. All were silent +and confounded; Cethegus from prudence; he waited for the proper +moment. At last Cassiodorus began: + +"Your wise mother and your faithful servant Cassiodorus----" + +"My faithful servant Cassiodorus will be silent until his lord and King +asks his advice. We are discontented, highly discontented, with that +which the advisers of our mother have, until now, done and left undone. +It is high time that we ourselves should look to the right. Until now +we were too young and too ailing. We feel so no more. We announce to +you that we accordingly annul the regency, and take the reins of +government into our own hands." + +He ceased. Every one remained silent. None wished, like Cassiodorus, to +speak and be rebuked. + +At length Amalaswintha, who was quite stunned by the sudden energy +displayed by her son, again found her tongue: + +"My son, the age of minority is, according to the laws of the +Emperor----" + +"The Romans, mother, may abide by the Emperor's laws. We are Goths and +live under Gothic law. German youths are of age when the assembled army +has declared them capable of bearing arms. We have therefore determined +to invite all the generals, counts, and freemen of our realm, as many +as will obey our call, from all the provinces of the kingdom, to a +review of the army at Ravenna. They will arrive at the next solstitial +feast." + +All were mute with surprise. + +"That will be in fourteen days," said Cassiodorus at last. "Will it be +possible to issue summonses in so short a time?" + +"They are issued. Hildebrand, my old master-at-arms, and Earl Witichis +have thought of everything." + +"Who has signed the summonses!" asked Amalaswintha, taking courage. + +"I alone, dear mother. It was necessary to show those invited that I +was old enough to act alone." + +"And without my knowledge!" cried the Queen-regent. + +"It was done without your knowledge, because otherwise it must have +been done against your will." + +He ceased. All the Romans were confounded by the suddenly developed +energy of the young King. Only Cethegus was at once resolved to prevent +the review at any price. He saw the foundations of all his plans +tottering. Gladly would he have come to the help of the regency, which +was thus sinking before his very eyes, with all the weight of his +oratory; he would have long since gladly crushed the bold efforts of +the youth with his calm superiority, but a strange circumstance held +his thoughts and tongue enchained as if in magic bonds. + +He fancied he heard a noise behind the curtain, and fixed a keen look +upon it. He soon remarked beneath it, for the fringes did not quite +reach the ground, the feet of a man. But only as far up as the ankles. + +Upon these ankles, however, were steel greaves of peculiar +construction. He knew these greaves; he knew that they belonged to a +full suit of armour of the same make; he knew also, by an instinctive +connection of ideas, that the wearer of this armour was hateful and +dangerous to him. But still it was impossible for him to say who this +enemy was. If he could only have seen the greaves as far up as the +knee! + +His eyes wandered again and again to the same spot. Against his will +his mind was occupied in guessing. And this circumstance kept his +attention fixed, at a moment when everything was at stake. He was angry +with himself, but he could not tear his thoughts and looks away from +the niche. + +Meanwhile the King continued without contradiction: "Further, we have +recalled the noble Dukes Thulun, Ibba and Pitza, who have left our +court in ill-will, from Gaul and Spain. We find that too many Romans +and too few Goths surround us. These three brave warriors, together +with Earl Witichis, will examine the defences of our kingdom, the +fortresses and ships, and will discover and remedy all deficiencies. We +expect them to arrive shortly." + +"They must at once leave the place again," said Cethegus to himself; +but his thoughts repeated, "not without reason is that man concealed +behind the curtain." + +"Further," resumed Athalaric, "we have ordered Mataswintha, our +beautiful sister, to return to court. She was banished to Tarento +because she refused to become the wife of an aged Roman. She shall +return, the loveliest flower of our realm and an ornament to our +court." + +"Impossible!" cried Amalaswintha; "you attack the rights, not only of +the Queen, but of the mother." + +"I am the head of the family as soon as I am of age." + +"My son, you know how feeble you were only a few weeks ago. Do you +really believe that the Gothic warriors will declare you capable of +bearing arms?" + +The King became as scarlet as his royal purple, partly from shame, +partly from anger. Before he could find an answer, a rough voice at his +side exclaimed: + +"Be not troubled about that, your Majesty! I have been his master," +continued the speaker, turning to the assembly: "I tell you that he can +measure his strength against any foe; and whom old Hildebrand declares +capable of bearing arms is considered so by all the Goths." + +Loud applause from all the Goths present confirmed this assertion. +Again Cethegus would have put in his word, but a movement behind the +curtain drew his attention away. "It is one of my greatest enemies, but +who?" he thought. + +"There is yet an important matter to make known to you," again began +the King with a hasty glance at the niche, which did not escape +Cethegus. + +"Perhaps an accusation against me," thought the latter; "they want to +take me by surprise? They shall not succeed!" + +But it surprised him, after all, when the King suddenly called in a +loud voice: + +"Prefect of Rome! Cethegus Cæsarius!" + +Cethegus started; but, quickly recovering himself, bent his head and +answered: "My Lord and King!" + +"Have you nothing to announce from Rome? What is the feeling of the +Quirites? What do people think of the Goths?" + +"They are honoured as the people of Theodoric." + +"Are they feared?" + +"There is no cause to fear them." + +"Are they loved?" + +Gladly would the Prefect have replied, "There is no cause to love +them;" but the King himself continued: + +"So there is no trace of discontent? No cause for uneasiness? Nothing +particular in preparation?" + +"I have nothing to communicate." + +"Then you are badly informed, Prefect of Rome, or badly disposed! What? +must I--who have scarcely risen from my sick-bed here at Ravenna--tell +you what happens in Rome under your very eyes? The workmen on your +bulwarks sing satirical songs against the Goths, against the Queen, +against me. Your legions use threatening words while practising the use +of their arms. Most probably there exists already a widespread +conspiracy, with senators and priests at its head. They assemble by +night in secret places. An accomplice of Boëthius, a banished man, +Albinus, has been seen in Rome, and do you know where? In the garden of +your house." + +All eyes--either in astonishment, rage, or fear--were fixed upon +Cethegus. Amalaswintha trembled for the object of her trust. But he was +now quite himself again. Quiet, cool, and silent, he looked full at the +King. + +"Justify yourself!" exclaimed the King. + +"Justify myself? Against a shadow, a report? Against an accusation +without accusers? Never!" + +"We shall know how to force you." + +The Prefect's thin lips curled with contempt. + +"I may be murdered upon mere suspicion, without doubt--we Italians have +experienced such a thing--but not condemned. There can be no +justification opposed to force." + +"Justice shall be done, doubt it not. We charge all Romans present with +the examination, and leave the sentence to the Roman Senate. Choose a +defender." + +"I defend myself," said Cethegus coolly. "What is the accusation? Who +is my accuser? Where is he?" + +"Here!" cried the King, and threw back the curtain. + +A Gothic warrior, in a full suit of black armour, stepped forth. We +already know him. It was Teja. + +The Prefect turned away his eyes in deadly hatred. + +Teja spoke. + +"I, Teja, son of Tagila, accuse thee, Cethegus Cæsarius, of treason +against the Goths. I accuse thee of having hidden the banished traitor, +Albinus, in thy house in Rome. Death is the penalty. And, besides this, +thou art plotting to subject this country to the Emperor of Byzantium." + +"That least of all," said Cethegus coolly, "Prove your accusation." + +"I saw Albinus, with my own eyes, entering thy garden fourteen days +ago," continued Teja, turning to the assembly. "He came from the Via +Sacra, enveloped in a mantle, a wide-brimmed hat upon his head. I had +seen him on two former occasions; this time I recognised him. As I went +towards him, he disappeared through a door, which closed behind him." + +"Since when does my colleague, the brave Commandant of Rome, play the +nightly spy?" + +"Since he had a Cethegus at his side," retorted Teja. "But as the +fugitive escaped, this roll fell from his mantle. It contains the names +of distinguished Romans, and opposite to each name notices in an +unknown cipher. Here is the roll." + +He gave it to the King, who read: + +"The names are Silverius, Cethegus, Licinius, Scævola, Calpurnius, +Pomponius. Canst thou swear, Teja, that the disguised man was Albinus?" + +"I will swear it." + +"Prefect of Rome, Earl Teja is a free, unblemished, honourable man. Can +you deny it?" + +"I deny it. He is not unblemished. His parents lived in an illegal, +incestuous marriage; they were sister's children. The Church has cursed +their connection and its fruit. He is a bastard, and can not bear +witness against a noble Roman of senatorial rank." + +A murmur of anger burst from all the Goths present. Teja's pale face +became still paler. He grasped his sword. + +"Then I will defend my word with my sword," he said, in a voice stifled +by rage. "I challenge thee to mortal combat! God shall judge between +us!" + +"I am a Roman, and do not act according to your barbaric customs. But +even if I were a Goth, I would refuse to fight a bastard!" + +"Patience," said Teja, and quietly returned his sword to its sheath. +"Patience, my sword; thy day will come!" + +The Romans in the room breathed again. + +The King resumed: + +"However that may be, the accusation is sufficiently well founded to +justify the arrest of the said Roman. You, Cassiodorus, will decipher +the secret writing. You, Earl Witichis, will hasten to Rome and make +sure of the five suspected men; search their houses, and that of the +Prefect. Hildebrand, arrest the accused, and take his sword." + +"Hold!" said Cethegus. "I will guarantee not to leave Ravenna until +this question be settled, with the forfeiture of all my property. I +demand an examination upon a free footing; such is the right of a +senator." + +"Trouble not thyself about that, my son," cried old Hildebrand to the +King. "Let me arrest him!" + +"Let him alone," answered the King. "He shall have strict justice. +Leave him. The accusation has taken him by surprise. He shall have time +to prepare his defence. To-morrow at this hour we will meet here again. +I dissolve the assembly." + +He made a sign with his sceptre. Amalaswintha hurried away in the +greatest excitement. + +The Goths surrounded Teja, greatly pleased; but the Romans passed +quickly by Cethegus, avoiding any speech with him. + +Cassiodorus alone stepped firmly up to him, laid his hand upon his +shoulder, looking searchingly into his eyes, and then asked: + +"Cethegus, can I help you?" + +"No; I will help myself," answered Cethegus, shaking him off, and went +out alone with a proud step. + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + +The heavy blow which the young King had so unexpectedly aimed at the +whole system of the Regency soon filled the palace and the city with +astonishment, fright, or joy. Cassiodorus took the first decided news +to the family of Boëthius, at the same time sending Rusticiana to +comfort the agitated Queen. + +Overwhelmed with questions, he circumstantially related the whole +proceeding; and disturbed and indignant though he was, his admiration +of the decision and courage of the young King shone unmistakably +through his unfriendly report. + +Camilla listened with eagerness to every word; pride in the +beloved--love's happiest feeling--filled her whole soul. + +"There is no doubt," concluded Cassiodorus, sighing, "that Athalaric is +our most decided adversary. He sticks to the Gothic party--to +Hildebrand and his friends. He will undo the Prefect. Who would have +believed it? I cannot help remembering, Rusticiana, how differently he +conducted himself with regard to the process against your husband." + +Camilla listened attentively. + +"At that time we were convinced that he would be the most ardent +friend, the most zealous advocate of the Romans." + +"I know nothing of it," said Rusticiana. + +"It was hushed up. The sentence of death had been pronounced upon +Boëthius and his sons. In vain had we all, Amalaswintha foremost, +appealed to the clemency of the King: his ire was unappeasable. As I +again and again besieged him with petitions, he started up in anger and +swore by his crown, that he who again dared to petition for the +traitors, should repent it in the deepest dungeon of the palace. At +that we were all dumb, except one. Athalaric, the boy, would not be +repulsed; he wept and prayed, and clung to his grandfather's knees." + +Camilla trembled and held her breath. + +"And he did not desist," Cassiodorus went on, "until Theodoric, starting +up in a rage, pushed him violently away, and delivered him to the +guards. The King kept his oath. Athalaric was led into the castle +dungeon, and Boëthius was at once executed." + +Camilla tottered, felt herself sinking, and caught at a slender pillar +near which she was standing. + +"But Athalaric had not spoken and suffered in vain," continued +Cassiodorus. "The next evening, while at table, the King sorely missed +his darling. He remembered with what noble courage the youth had begged +for his friend's life, when all men were dumb with fear. At last he +rose from his repast, at which he had sat reflecting for some time, and +descended in person to the prison, opened the doors, embraced his +grandson, and granted his petition to spare the lives of your sons, +Rusticiana." + +"Away! away to him!" exclaimed Camilla, and hurried, unnoticed, out of +the hall. + +"At that time," concluded Cassiodorus, "Romans and their friends +believed that in the young King they had found their best support; and +now--my unfortunate mistress, unhappy mother!" and with this lament +upon his lips, he departed. + +Rusticiana sat for some time as if stunned. She saw the foundations, +upon which she had built her plans of revenge, totter; she sank into a +moody reverie. + +Longer and longer stretched the shadows of the towers across the court +of the palace, into which she was gazing. All at once she was roused by +the firm footsteps of a man; Cethegus stood before her. His countenance +was cold and dark, but icily calm. + +"Cethegus!" cried the distressed woman, hurrying towards him; and would +have taken his hand, but his coldness repulsed her. + +"All is lost!" she sighed, stopping short. + +"Nothing is lost. Calmness is all that is wanting--and promptness," he +added, looking round the room. + +When he saw that he was alone with her, he put his hand into the folds +of his toga. + +"Your love-philtre has done no good, Rusticiana. Here is another; more +potent. Take it," and he thrust into her hand a small phial made of +dark-coloured lava-stone. + +She looked into his face with anxious suspicion. + +"Do you all at once believe in magic and charms? Who has mixed it?" + +"I," he answered, "and _my_ potions work." + +"You!" a cold shudder ran through her frame. + +"Ask no questions, do not delay," he commanded. "It must be done this +day! Do you hear? This very day!" + +But Rusticiana still hesitated, and looked doubtfully at the bottle in +her hand. + +Then Cethegus went close to her and lightly touched her shoulder. + +"You hesitate?" he said slowly. "Do you know what is at stake? Not only +our whole plan! No, blind mother. Still more. Camilla _loves_, loves +the King; with all the power of her young soul. Shall the daughter of +Boëthius become the paramour of the tyrant?" + +With a loud cry Rusticiana started back. That which, during the last +few days, had crossed her mind with a terrible suspicion, now became a +certainty; she cast one glance at the man who had spoken the cruel +word, and hurried away, angrily grasping the phial. + +Cethegus looked quietly after her. + +"Now, young Prince, we shall see! You were quick, I am quicker. It is +strange," he added, "I have long thought that I was incapable of such +violent emotion. Life has again a charm. I can again strive, hope, and +fear. Even hate. Yes, I hate this boy, who dares to meddle in +my affairs with his childish hand. He would defy me--hinder my +progress--he boldly crosses my path--he! Well, let him bear the +consequences!" And he slowly left the chamber, and turned towards the +audience-room of the Queen, where he intentionally showed himself to +the assembled crowd, and, by his calmness, gave some degree of +confidence to the troubled hearts of the Roman courtiers. + +At sunset he went with Cassiodorus and a few other Romans--consulting +about his defence for the next day--into the gardens, where he looked +about in vain for Camilla. + +She, as soon as she had heard the end of Cassiodorus' report, had +hurried to the court of the palace, where she hoped to find the King at +the exercise of arms with the other young Goths. She only wished to see +him, not yet to speak to him and beg pardon at his feet for the great +wrong she had done him. + +She had abhorred him, repulsed him, hated him as spotted with the blood +of her father--him, who had suffered for her father's sake, who had +saved her brothers' lives! + +But she did not find the King in the court. The important events of the +day kept him confined to his study. His comrades also did not fence +to-day. Standing in thick groups, they loudly praised the courage of +their young King. Camilla heard this praise with delight. Blushing with +pride, she wandered in happy dreams about the garden, seeking the +traces of her lover in all her favourite haunts. + +Yes, she loved him! Joyfully and proudly she confessed it to herself; +he had a thousand times deserved it. What matter that he was a Goth, a +barbarian! He was a noble, generous youth, the King of her soul! + +She repeatedly told the slave who accompanied her to keep at a +distance, so that she might not hear how she again and again murmured +the beloved name. + +At last she arrived at the Temple of Venus, and sank into sweet dreams +of the future, which lay indistinct, but golden-hued, before her. She +first of all resolved to declare to her mother and the Prefect that +they must no more reckon upon her assistance in any plot against the +King. Then she would ask pardon for her fault with moving words, and +then--then? + +She did not know what would happen then; but she blushed in the midst +of her sweet reverie. + +Red and perfumed almond-blossoms fell from the bending trees; in the +thick oleander near her sang a nightingale; the clear stream glided +purling past her to the blue sea, and the waves of this sea rolled +softly to her feet, as if doing homage to her love. + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + +The sound of approaching footsteps upon the sandy path startled her +from her reverie. The step was so rapid and firm, that she did not +expect Athalaric. But he it was, changed in appearance and carriage; +more manly, stronger, more decided. + +"Welcome, welcome, Camilla!" he cried, in a loud and lively voice. "To +see you here is the best reward for this troublous day." + +He had never spoken to her so before. + +"My King!" she whispered, blushing. She cast a beaming look upon him +from her dark eyes, then the long and silky lashes fell. + +"My King!" She had never before called him so, never given him such a +look. + +"Your King!" he said, seating himself beside her. "I fear you will call +me so no longer, when you learn what has happened to-day." + +"I know all." + +"You know! Well then, Camilla, be just. Do not scold, I am no +tyrant----" + +"The noble youth!" she thought. "He excuses himself for his most manly +act." + +"Heaven knows that I do not hate the Romans. Are they not your people? +I honour them and their ancient greatness; I respect their rights; but +I must firmly protect my kingdom, Theodoric's creation, and woe to the +hand that threatens it! Perhaps," he continued, more slowly and +solemnly, "perhaps its doom is already written in the stars. 'Tis all +the same. I, its King, must with it stand or fall." + +"You say truly, Athalaric, and speak like a King!" + +"Thanks, Camilla; how just and good you are today! To such goodness I +may well confide what blessing, what healing has come to me. I was a +sick and erring dreamer, without support, without joy, gladly sinking +to the grave. Then there suddenly came over me a feeling of the danger +which threatened this nation, an active anxiety for the welfare of my +people, and out of this anxiety grew a warm and mighty love for my +Goths; and this ardent and watchful love has strengthened and comforted +my heart for .... a bitterly painful renunciation. What matters _my_ +happiness, if only my people flourish! See, this thought has made me +whole and strong, and truly, I could now venture upon the most daring +deed!" + +He sprang up and extended both his arms, exclaiming: "Oh, Camilla! this +inaction destroys me! Oh that I were mounted and meeting a full-armed +foe! Look," he added, more calmly, "the sun is setting. The mirror-like +flood invites us. Come, Camilla, come with me in the boat." + +Camilla hesitated. She looked around. + +"The slave?" asked Athalaric. "Ah, let her alone. There she reposes +under the palm by the spring. She sleeps. Come, come quickly, ere the +sun sets. Look at the golden ripple on the water--it beckons us!" + +"To the Isles of the Blessed?" asked the lovely girl, with a shy look +and a slight blush. + +"Yes, come to the Blessed Isles!" he answered, delighted, lifted her +quickly into the boat, loosed the silver chain from the ram's head upon +the quay, sprang in, took the ornamental oar, and pushed off. + +Then he laid the oar into the notch at his left hand, and, standing in +the stern of the boat, steered and rowed at the same time--a graceful +and picturesque movement, and a right Germanic ferryman's custom. + +Camilla sat upon a _diphros_, or Grecian folding-stool, in the bow of +the boat, and looked into Athalaric's noble face. His dark hair was +ruffled by the breeze, and it was pleasant to watch the lithe and +graceful motions of his agile form. + +Both were silent. Like an arrow the light bark shot through the smooth +water. Flecked and rosy cloudlets passed slowly across the sky, the +faint breeze was laden with clouds of perfume from the blossoming +almond-trees upon the shore, and all around was peace and harmony. + +At last the King broke the silence, while giving the boat a strong +impulse, so that it obediently shot forwards. + +"Do you know of what I am thinking? How splendid it would be to steer a +nation--thousands of well-loved lives--securely forward through waves +and wind, to happiness and glory! But what were you thinking about, +Camilla? You looked so kind, you must have had pleasant thoughts." + +She blushed and looked aside into the water. + +"Oh, speak! Be frank in this happy hour." + +"I was thinking," she said, her pretty head still averted, "how +delightful it must be to be steered through the heaving flood of life +by a faithful and beloved hand, to whose guidance one could implicitly +trust." + +"Oh, Camilla, even a barbarian may be trusted--" + +"You are no barbarian! Whoever feels so tenderly, thinks so nobly, so +generously controls himself, and rewards great ingratitude with +kindness, is no barbarian! He is as noble a man as ever Scipio was." + +The King ceased to row in his delight; the boat remained motionless. + +"Camilla, am I dreaming? Did _you_ say that? and to me V 9 + +"More still, Athalaric! I beseech you to forgive that I have repulsed +you so cruelly. Ah! it was from shame and fear." + +"Camilla, pearl of my soul----" + +Camilla, who had her face turned towards the shore, suddenly cried out: + +"What is that? They follow us. The court! the women! my mother!" + +It was so. Rusticiana, aroused by the Prefect's terrible warning, had +sought for her daughter in the garden. She could not find her. She +hurried to the Temple of Venus. In vain. Looking around, she suddenly +caught sight of the two--her child, alone with Athalaric--in the boat, +far out upon the sea. + +Greatly angered, she rushed to the marble table, where the slaves +were just preparing the King's evening draught, sent them down the +steps to unloose the gondola, won in this way an unobserved moment +near the table, and directly afterwards descended the steps with +Daphnidion--whom her angry cry had awakened--to the boat. + +At this moment the Prefect and his friends, whose walk had also led +them to this place, approached from a thick taxus-path. Cethegus +followed Rusticiana down the steps and gave her his hand to help her +into the gondola. + +"It is done!" she whispered to him, and the boat pushed off. + +It was just then that the young pair became aware of the movement upon +the beach. Camilla stood up; perhaps she suspected that the King would +turn the boat, but he cried: + +"No; they shall not rob me of this hour, the happiest of my life! I +must sip still more of these sweet words. Oh, Camilla, you must tell me +more; you must tell me all! Come, we will land upon that island, they +may reach us there." + +And rowing rapidly, he pressed with all his might upon the oar, so that +the boat flew forward as if winged. + +"Will you not speak again?" + +"Oh! my friend, my King--do not press me." + +He only looked into her lovely face, into her beaming eyes; he paid no +more attention to his goal. + +"Well, wait--there upon the island; there you shall----" + +A renewed and passionate effort, when all at once a dull crash was +heard; the boat had struck, and drove, shaking violently, backwards. + +"Oh, Heaven!" cried Camilla, springing up and looking towards the bow +of the boat. A whole volume of water came foaming towards her. "The +boat has burst! we sink!" she cried, turning pale. + +"Come here to me; let me see!" cried Athalaric, starting up. "Ah! it is +the 'Needles of the Amphitrites!' We are lost!" + +The "Needles of the Amphitrites"--we know that they could scarcely be +seen from the terrace of the temple--were two narrow, sharp-pointed +rocks, lying between the shore and the nearest lagoon island. They +scarcely rose above the level of the water; with the slightest wind, +the waves washed quite over them. + +Athalaric knew the danger of the place, and had always easily avoided +it; but this time he had only looked into Camilla's eyes. + +At one glance he saw their fearful position. + +They could not be saved. + +A plank in the bottom of the slightly-made boat had sprung; the water +rushed rapidly through the leak. The boat sank deeper and deeper every +moment. + +He could not hope, with Camilla, to gain the nearest island or the +shore by swimming. On the narrow point of the rock scarcely the feet of +a sea-eagle could have found a moment's resting-place, and Rusticiana's +gondola had only just pushed off from the land. + +All this he had seen with lightning-like rapidity, and he cast a +horrified look at Camilla. + +"Beloved, thou must die!" he cried despairingly. "And through me!" He +embraced her passionately. + +"Die?" she cried. "Oh no! not so young--not now! Let me live--live with +thee!" And she clung closely to his arm. + +The tone, the words, cut him to the heart. He tore himself loose; he +looked about for rescue. In vain; in vain. The water rose higher and +higher; the boat sank more and more rapidly. He threw the oar away. + +"It is over--all is over, beloved! Let us take leave!" + +"No; we part no more! If we must die--oh! then, away with all the +restraints which bind the living!" And, glowing all over, she nestled +to his breast. "Oh! let me tell thee, let me confess to thee how much I +love thee; how long ago--since--since first I knew thee! All my hate +was only bashful love. Oh, God! I loved thee already when I thought I +ought to abhor thee! Yes, thou shalt know how I love thee!" And she +covered his eyes and mouth with hasty kisses. "Oh! now I will gladly +die. Rather die with thee than live without thee! But no"--and she +suddenly pushed him away--"thou shalt not die! Leave me here; go! +swim--you can easily reach the island alone. Try; and leave me." + +"No," he cried, in an ecstasy of joy; "rather die with thee than live +without thee! After such painful doubt, at length joyous certainty! +From this hour we belong to each other for ever. Come, Camilla, +beloved, let us die together!" + +A shudder of horror and delight, of love and death, shook their frames. +He drew her to him, embraced her with his left arm, and lifted her upon +the steer-board of the boat, which scarcely rose a hand's-breadth above +the water. Already he prepared for the fatal leap--when suddenly they +both uttered a joyful cry. + +Round a precipitous promontory which stretched far out into the sea, at +a short distance, they saw a ship coming at full speed. + +The crew had heard their cry, and, at all events, saw their danger; +perhaps had even recognised the person of the King. Forty oars, plunged +into the water at the same moment by the rowers on the double deck, +gave impetus to the course of the swift vessel, which rustled before +the wind with swelling sails. + +Those who crowded the deck shouted to them to stand firm; and +presently--it was high time--the prow of the bireme lay close over the +little boat, which sank immediately after the endangered pair had been +taken on board the ship through the opening of the lower deck. + +It was a small Gothic guardship. The golden rampant lion, the arms of +the Amelungs, shone upon the blue flag. Aligern, a cousin of Teja, +commanded it. + +"Thanks, brave friends!" said Athalaric, as soon as he could find +words. "Thanks! you have not only saved your King, but also your +Queen!" + +Much astonished, soldiers and sailors surrounded the happy man, who +held the weeping Camilla in his arms. + +"Hail to our young and beautiful Queen!" cried the red-haired Aligern; +and the crew shouted enthusiastically, "Hail! hail to our Queen!" + +At this moment the sailing-vessel rustled past Rusticiana's gondola. +The sound of this joyous shout aroused the unhappy woman from the +stupor of horror into which she had fallen when her two startled +oarsmen had discovered the danger of the young couple in the sinking +boat, and had at once declared that it was impossible to save them. + +On hearing this, she had sunk senseless into Daphnidion's arms. Now she +came to herself, and cast a confused glance around her. She was amazed. +Was it a dream that she saw, or was it really her daughter who stood on +the deck of the Gothic ship, which proudly rustled past, lying on the +young King's breast? And did really joyous voices cry, "Hail, Camilla, +our Queen?" She stared at the passing vision, speechless and +confounded. + +But the swiftly-flying ship had already passed her boat and drew near +the land. It anchored outside the shallow garden-bay; a boat was +lowered, the rescued couple, Aligern, and three sailors sprang into it, +and soon they climbed the steps of the quay, where, besides Cethegus +and his companions, a crowd of people had collected, who, from the +palace or the gardens, had with horror become aware of the danger of +the little boat, and now hurried to greet the rescued King. + +Accompanied by felicitations and blessings, Athalaric mounted the +steps. + +"Behold!" he said, on arriving at the temple, "behold, Goths and +Romans! behold your Queen, my bride! The God of Death has united us. Is +it not so, Camilla?" + +She looked up at him, but was terribly startled. The excitement +and the sudden change from horror to joy had fearfully shaken the +scarcely-recovered King. His countenance was pale as marble; he +tottered and convulsively pressed his hand to his breast, as though +suffocating. + +"For God's sake!" cried Camilla, fearing an attack of his old malady. +"The King is unwell! Quick with the wine, the medicine!" + +She flew to the table, caught up the silver cup which stood ready, and +pressed it into the King's hand. + +Cethegus stood close by, and followed Athalaric's every movement with +eagerness. The latter had already lifted the cup to his lips, but +suddenly removed it, and said, smiling, to Camilla: + +"Thou must drink to me, as becomes a Gothic Queen at her court." + +And he gave her the goblet. She took it out of his hand. + +For a moment the Prefect felt as if on fire. + +He was upon the point of darting forward to dash the cup from her hand. +But he controlled himself. If he did so, he was irrevocably lost. Not +only tomorrow, as guilty of high treason, but at once arrested and +accused of poisoning. And with him would be lost the future of Rome and +all his ideal world. And for whom? For a love-sick girl, who had +faithlessly revolted to his deadly enemy. + +"No," he said coldly to himself, clenching his fist; "she or +Rome--therefore she!" + +And he quietly looked on while the girl, sweetly blushing, sipped +somewhat of the wine, which the King then drank to the last dregs. + +Athalaric shuddered as he replaced the cup upon the marble table. + +"Come up to the palace," he said, shivering, and threw his mantle +across his shoulders; "I feel cold." + +And he turned away. In doing so he caught sight of Cethegus, stood +still for a moment, and looked penetratingly into the Prefect's eyes. + +"You here?" he said gloomily, and advanced a step towards him. All at +once he shuddered again, and, with a sudden cry, fell prone near the +spring. + +"Athalaric!" cried Camilla, and threw herself upon him. The old servant +Corbulo sprang to her from the group of domestics. + +"Help!" he cried; "she is dying--the King!" + +"Water, quick! water!" called Cethegus, and he resolutely went to the +table, took the silver cup, stooped, rinsed it quickly but thoroughly +in the spring, and then bent over the King, who lay in Cassiodorus' +arms, while Corbulo laid Camilla's head upon his knee. + +Helpless and horrified, the courtiers surrounded the two apparently +lifeless forms. + +"What has happened? My child!" With this cry Rusticiana, who had just +landed, rushed to her daughter's side. "Camilla!" she screamed +desperately, "what ails you?" + +"Nothing," said Cethegus quietly, examining the two bodies. "It is only +a fainting-fit. But his heart-disease has carried off the young King! +He is dead!" + + + + + BOOK II. + AMALASWINTHA. + +"Amalaswintha did not despair like a woman, but vigorously defended her +royalty."--_Procopius: Wars of the Goths_, i. 2. + + + + CHAPTER I. + +Athalaric's sudden death fell like lightning from a clear sky upon the +Gothic party, whose hopes, just at this very time, had been raised to +such a high pitch. All the measures which the King had taken at their +suggestion were paralysed, and the national party was left without a +representative in the State; at the head of which the Queen-regent was +now placed alone. + +Early in the morning of the next day Cassiodorus went to the Prefect of +Rome. He found him in a sound and tranquil sleep. + +"And you can sleep as quietly as a child after such a blow?" + +"I sleep," answered Cethegus, raising himself on his elbow, "in the +feeling of renewed security." + +"Security! yes, for you; but the kingdom!" + +"The kingdom was in more danger through this boy than I. Where is the +Queen?" + +"She sits speechless beside the open coffin of her son! She has sat +there the whole night." + +Cethegus sprang up. + +"That must not be! It does no good. She belongs to the State, not to +this corpse. So much the less because I have heard whispers concerning +poison. The young tyrant had many enemies. How about that matter?" + +"Very uncertain. The Grecian physician, Elpidios, who examined the +corpse, certainly speaks of some striking appearances. But he thinks +that if poison has been used it must be a very secret one, quite +unknown to him. In the cup from which the unfortunate boy drank there +could not be discovered the least trace of suspicious contents. So it +is generally believed that excitement had again brought on his former +malady, and that this was the cause of his death. But still it is well +that, since the moment of your leaving the assembly, _you_ were always +in the presence of witnesses; grief breeds suspicion." + +"How is it with Camilla?" the Prefect inquired further. + +"She has never yet awakened from her stupor; the physicians fear the +worst. But I came to ask you what shall now be done? The Queen speaks +of suppressing the examination concerning you." + +"That must not be," cried Cethegus. "I demand an investigation. We will +go to her immediately." + +"Will you intrude upon her at the coffin of her son?" + +"Yes, I will. Do you shrink from it in your tender consideration? Well +then, come afterwards, when I have broken the ice." + +He dismissed his visitor and called his slaves to dress him. Shortly +afterwards, enveloped in a dark mourning garment, he descended to the +vault where the corpse lay exposed. With an imperious gesture he +motioned aside the guard and the women of Amalaswintha, who kept watch +at the door, and entered noiselessly. + +It was the low vaulted hall, where, in former times, the corpses of the +emperors had been prepared with salves and combustibles for the funeral +pyre. + +This quiet hall, flagged with dark-green serpentine, the roof of which +was supported by short Doric columns of black marble, was never +illumined by a ray of sunshine, and at the present moment no other +light fell upon the gloomy Byzantine mosaics on the gold ground of the +walls than that from four torches, which flickered with an uncertain +light near the stone sarcophagus of the young King. + +There he lay upon a dark purple mantle; helm, sword, and shield at his +head. + +Old Hildebrand had wound a wreath of oak-leaves amidst the dark locks. +The noble features reposed in pallid and earnest beauty. + +At his feet, clad in a long mourning veil, sat the tall form of the +Queen, supporting her head upon her left arm, which was laid upon the +sarcophagus. Her right hand hung languidly down. She could weep no +more. + +The crackling of the burning torches was the only sound in this +stillness of the grave. + +Cethegus entered noiselessly, not unmoved by the poetry of the scene. + +But, contracting his brows, he smothered the passing feeling of +compassion. He knew that it was necessary to be clear and composed. + +He gently drew near and took Amalaswintha's relaxed hand. + +"Rise, noble lady, you belong to the living, not to the dead." + +She looked up, startled. + +"You here, Cethegus? What seek you here?" + +"A Queen!" + +"Oh, you only find a weeping mother!" she cried, sobbing. + +"That I cannot believe. The kingdom is in danger, and Amalaswintha will +show that even a woman can sacrifice her sorrow to the fatherland." + +"She can!" replied the Queen, rising. "But look at him. How young! how +beautiful! How could Heaven be so cruel!" + +"Now, or never!" thought Cethegus, and said aloud: "Heaven is just, +severe; not cruel." + +"Of what do you speak? What wrong has my noble son committed? Do you +dare to accuse him?" + +"Not I! But a portion of Holy Writ has been fulfilled upon him: 'Honour +thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the land!' The +commandment is also a threat. Yesterday he sinned against his mother +and dishonoured her by bold rebellion--to-day he lies here. Therein I +see the finger of God." + +Amalaswintha covered her face. She had heartily forgiven her son while +watching beside his coffin. But still this view, these words, +powerfully affected her, and drew her attention away from her grief to +the well-loved habit of government. + +"You wish, O Queen, to suppress my examination, and recall Witichis. +Witichis may be recalled. But I demand, as my right, that the +prosecution be continued, and I fully expect a solemn acquittal." + +"I have never doubted your fidelity. Woe to me, should I be obliged to +do so! Tell me that you know of no conspiracy, and all is ended." + +She seemed to expect his asseveration, + +Cethegus was silent for a short time. Then he quietly said: + +"Queen, I know of a conspiracy." + +"What say you?" cried the Queen, looking at him threateningly. + +"I have chosen this hour and place," continued Cethegus, with a glance +at the corpse, "to put a seal to my devotion, so that it may be +indelibly impressed upon your heart. Hear and judge me." + +"What shall I hear?" said the Queen, now upon her guard, and firmly +resolved to allow herself to be neither deceived nor softened. + +"I should be a bad Roman, Queen, and you would despise me, if I did not +love my nation above all things. That proud nation, which even you, a +stranger, love! I know--as you know--that hatred against you as +heretics and barbarians still smoulders in the hearts of most Italians. +The last harsh deeds of your father have fanned this feeling into a +flame. I suspected a conspiracy. I sought and discovered it." + +"And concealed it?" said the Queen, rising in anger. + +"And concealed it. Until to-day. The blind fools would have sought +assistance from the Greeks, and, after destroying the Goths, subjected +themselves to the Emperor." + +"The vile traitors!" cried Amalaswintha. + +"The fools! They had already gone so far, that only _one_ means was +left by which to keep them back: I placed myself at their head." + +"Cethegus!" + +"In this manner I gained time, and was able to prevent noble, though +blind men, from rushing to destruction. I opened their eyes by degrees, +and showed them that their plan, if it succeeded, would have only +exchanged a mild government for a despotic one. They acknowledged it; +they obeyed me; and no Byzantine will ever touch Italian soil, until I +call him, I--or you." + +"I! Do you rave?" + +"Sophocles, your favourite, says, 'Forswear nothing.' Be warned, Queen, +for you do not see the pressing danger. Another conspiracy, much more +dangerous than that of these Roman enthusiasts, and close to you, +threatens you, your kingdom, and the Amelungs' right of sovereignty--a +conspiracy of the Goths!" + +Amalaswintha turned pale. + +"You have seen yesterday, to your sorrow, that your hand can no more +guide the rudder of this realm. Just as little as could that of your +noble son, who was but the tool of your enemies. You know, Queen, that +many of your nation are bloodthirsty, barbarous, rapacious, and brutal; +they would like to levy contributions upon this land, where Virgil and +Tullius wandered. Yon know that your insolent nobles hate the +superiority of your royal house, and would make themselves its equal. +You know that the rude Goths think unworthily of woman's vocation for +government." + +"I know it," she said, proudly and angrily. + +"But you do not know that both these parties are united. They are +united against you and your Roman predilections. They will overthrow +you, or force you to do their will. Cassiodorus and I are to be +dismissed from your side, our Senate and our rights to be dissolved, +and the kingship to become a shadow. War is to be proclaimed against +the Emperor; and force, extortion, and rapine, let loose upon us +Romans." + +"You paint mere idle phantoms!" + +"Was that which happened yesterday an idle phantom? If Heaven had not +intervened, would not you--like me--be robbed of all your power? Would +you still be mistress in your kingdom, in your house? Are they not +already so strong, that the heathen Hildebrand, the countrified +Witichis, the gloomy Teja, openly defy your will in the name of your +befooled son? Have they not recalled the three rebel dukes? And your +perverse daughter, and----" + +"True, too true," sighed the Queen. + +"If these men should rule--then farewell science, art, and all noble +culture! Farewell, Italia, mother of humanity! Then, burst into flame, +you white parchments! crumble into fragments, you beautiful statues! +Brutality and murder will run rife in these plains, and posterity will +bear witness: 'Such things happened in the reign of Amalaswintha, the +daughter of Theodoric.'" + +"Never, never shall that happen! But----" + +"You want proofs? I fear you will have them only too soon. However, you +see, even now, that you cannot rely upon the Goths, if you wish to +prevent such horrors. We alone can protect you against them; we, to +whom you already belong by intellect and culture; we Romans. Then, when +the barbarians surround your throne with uproar, let me rally the men +around you who once conspired against you: the patriots of Rome! They +will protect you and themselves at the same time." + +"Cethegus," said the distressed woman, "you influence men easily! Who, +tell me, who will answer for the patriots? Who will answer for _your_ +truth?" + +"This paper, Queen, and this! The first contains a correct list of the +Roman conspirators. You see, there are many hundred names. This is a +list of the members of the Gothic league, whom I certainly could only +guess at. But I guess well. With these two papers I give both these +parties--I give myself--completely into your hands. You can at any +moment reveal me to my own party as a traitor, who, before all things, +sought _your_ favour. You can expose me to the hatred of the Goths--as +soon as you will. I shall be left without adherents. I stand alone; +your favour is my only support." + +The Queen had glanced over the papers with sparkling eyes. "Cethegus," +she exclaimed, "I will always remember your fidelity and this hour!" + +And she gave him her hand with emotion. + +Cethegus slightly bent his head. "Still one thing more, O Queen. The +patriots, henceforward your friends as they are mine, know that the +hate of the barbarians, the sword of destruction, hangs over their +heads. Their anxious hearts require encouragement. Let me assure them +of your high protection. Place your name at the head of this list, and +let me thereby give them a visible sign of your favour." + +She took the golden stylus and the waxen tablets which he handed to +her. For one moment she hesitated; then she quickly signed her name, +and gave tablets and stylus back again. "Here! They must be faithful to +me; as faithful as yourself!" + +At this moment Cassiodorus entered. "O Queen, the Gothic nobles await +you. They wish to speak with you." + +"I come! They shall learn my will!" she said vehemently; "but you, +Cassiodorus, shall be the first to know the decision to which I have +come during this trying hour, and which will soon be known to my whole +kingdom. Henceforward the Prefect of Rome is the first of my servants, +as he is the most faithful. He has the place of honour in my trust and +near my throne." + +Much astonished, Cassiodorus led the Queen up the dark steps. + +Cethegus followed slowly. He held up the tablets in his hand, and said +to himself: "Now you are mine, daughter of Theodoric! Your name upon +this list severs you for ever from your people!" + + + + CHAPTER II. + +As Cethegus emerged from the subterranean chamber into the ground-floor +of the palace, and prepared to follow the Queen, his ear was caught and +his progress arrested by the solemn and sorrowful tones of flutes. He +guessed what it meant. + +His first impulse was to turn aside. But he presently decided to +remain. + +It would happen some time, therefore it was best at once. He must find +out how far she was informed. + +The tones of the flutes came nearer, alternating with a monotonous +dirge. Cethegus stepped into a wide niche of the dark corridor, into +which the head of a little procession already turned. + +Foremost came, two by two, six noble Roman maidens, covered with grey +mourning veils, carrying reversed torches. Then followed a priest, +before whom was borne the tall banner of the Cross, with long +streamers. Next came a troop of the freedmen of the family of Boëthius, +led by Corbulo and the flute-players. Then followed, borne by four +Roman girls, an open coffin, covered with flowers. Upon it lay, on a +white linen cloth, the dead Camilla, in bridal ornaments, a wreath in +her dark hair, an expression of smiling peace upon her slightly-opened +lips. + +Behind the coffin, with loosened hair, staring fixedly before her, came +the unhappy mother, surrounded by matrons, who supported her sinking +form. + +A company of female slaves closed the procession, which slowly +disappeared into the vault. + +Cethegus recognised the sobbing Daphnidion, and stopped her. + +"When did she die?" he asked calmly. + +"Oh, sir, a few hours ago! Oh, the good, kind, beautiful Domna!" + +"Did she ever awaken to full consciousness?" + +"No, sir, never. Only quite at the last she once more opened her large +eyes, and appeared to seek for something. 'Where has he gone?' she +asked her mother. 'Ah, I see him!' she then cried, and rose from her +cushions. 'Child, my child, where will you go?' cried my mistress, +weeping. 'Oh, there!' she replied with a rapturous smile; 'to the Isles +of the Blessed!' and she closed her eyes and fell back upon her couch; +that lovely smile remained upon her lips--and she was gone, gone for +ever!" + +"Who has caused her to be brought down here?" + +"The Queen. She learned everything, and gave orders that the deceased, +as the bride of her son, should be laid beside him and buried in the +same tomb." + +"But what says the physician? How could she die so suddenly?" + +"Alas! the physician saw her only for a moment; he was too much +occupied with the royal corpse; and then my mistress would not suffer +the strange man to touch her daughter. It is just her heart that has +been broken; one can easily die of that! But peace--they come!" + +The procession returned in the same order as before, but without the +coffin. Daphnidion joined it. Only Rusticiana was missing. + +Cethegus quietly walked up and down the corridor, to wait for her. + +At last her bowed-down form came slowly up the steps. She staggered and +seemed about to fall. + +Cethegus quickly caught her arm. "Rusticiana, take courage!" + +"You here? God! you also loved her! And we--we two have murdered her!" +and she sank upon his shoulder. + +"Silence, unhappy woman!" he whispered, looking around. + +"Alas! I, her own mother, have killed her! I mixed the fatal draught +that caused his death." + +"All is well," thought Cethegus. "She has no suspicion that Camilla +drank, and still less that I saw her do so.--It is a terrible stroke of +Fate!" he said aloud. "But reflect, what would have followed had she +lived? She loved him!" + +"What would have followed?" cried Rusticiana, receding. "Oh, if she but +lived! Who can prevent love? Oh that she had become his--his wife--his +mistress, provided only that she lived!" + +"But you forget that he _must_ have died?" + +"Must? Why must he have died? So that you might carry out your +ambitious plans? Oh, selfishness without example!" + +"They are your plans that I carry out, not mine; how often must I +repeat it? _You_ have conjured up the God of Revenge, not I. Why do you +accuse me if he demand a sacrifice? Think better of it. Farewell." + +But Rusticiana violently seized his arm. "And that is all? And you have +nothing more--not a word, not a tear for my child? And you would make +me believe that you have acted thus to avenge her, to avenge me? You +have never had a heart! You did not even love her--coldly you see her +die! Ha, curses, curses upon thee!" + +"Be silent, frantic woman!" + +"Silent! no, I will speak and curse you! Oh that I knew of something +that was as dear to you as Camilla was to me! Oh that you, like me, +could see your whole life's last and only joy torn away--that you could +see it vanish, and despair! If there be a God in heaven you will live +to do so!" + +Cethegus smiled. + +"You do not believe in heavenly vengeance? Well, then, believe in the +vengeance of a miserable mother! You shall tremble! I will hasten to +the Queen and tell her all! You shall die!" + +"And you will die with me." + +"With a smile--if only I can see you perish!" and she would have +hurried away, but Cethegus held her back with an iron grasp. + +"Stop, woman! Do you think that I am not on my guard with such as you? +Your sons, Anicius and Severinus, are here in Italy, secretly--in +Rome--in my house. You know that death is the penalty of their return. +A word--and they die with us. Then you may take to your husband your +sons, as well as your daughter, who has died by your means. Her blood +upon your head!" and quickly turning the angle of the corridor, he +disappeared. + +"My sons!" cried Rusticiana, and sank down upon the marble pavement. + +A few days after, the widow of Boëthius, with Corbulo and Daphnidion, +left the court for ever. In vain the Queen sought to detain her. + +The faithful freedman took her back to the sheltered Villa of Tifernum, +which she now deeply regretted ever having left. There, in the place of +the little Temple of Venus, she erected a basilica, in the crypt of +which an urn was placed, containing the hearts of the two lovers. + +In her passionate soul her prayers for the salvation of her child were +inseparably bound up with a petition for revenge upon Cethegus, whose +real share in Camilla's death she did not even suspect; she only felt +that he had used mother and daughter as tools for his plans, and had +sacrificed the girl's happiness and life with heartless coldness. + +And scarcely less continuously than the flame of the eternal lamp +before the urn, the prayer and the curse of the lonely mother rose up +to heaven. + +The hour came which disclosed to her all the Prefect's guilt, and the +vengeance which she called down from heaven did not tarry. + + + + CHAPTER III. + +At the court of Ravenna there ensued a bitter and obstinate strife. + +The Gothic patriots, although deeply grieved at the sudden death of +their youthful King, and, for the moment, overpowered, were very soon +re-encouraged by their indefatigable leaders. + +The high consideration in which Hildebrand was held, the quiet strength +of Witichis, who had returned, and Teja's watchful zeal, operated +continuously. + +We have seen that these men had succeeded in inducing Athalaric to +shake off the authority of his mother. It was now easy for them to find +ever new adherents amongst the Goths against a government in which the +hated Cethegus would come more than ever to the front. + +The feeling in the army and the Germanic population of Ravenna was +sufficiently prepared for a decisive stroke. The old master-at-arms +with difficulty restrained the discontented, until, strengthened by +important confederates, they could be more certain of success. + +These confederates were the three dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza, whom +Amalaswintha had driven away from court, and whom her son had so lately +recalled. + +Thulun and Ibba were brothers; Pitza was their cousin. + +Another brother of the former, Duke Alaric, had been condemned to death +some years ago on account of a pretended conspiracy, and since his +flight (for he had succeeded in escaping) nothing had been heard of +him. They were the offspring of the celebrated race of the Balthe, who +had worn the crown of the Visigoths, and were scarcely inferior in +ancient descent and rank to the Amelungs. Their pedigree, like that of +the Royal House, descended from the gods. The wealth of their +possessions in land and dependent colonies, and the fame of their +warlike deeds, enhanced the power and glory of their house. + +It was said amongst the people that Theodoric had, for a while, thought +of passing over his daughter and her son, and, in the interest of the +kingdom, of appointing the powerful Duke Thulun as his successor. And, +after the death of Athalaric, the patriots were decided, in case of the +worst--that is, if the Queen could not be persuaded to renounce her +system--once more to entertain this idea. + +Cethegus saw the threatening tempest. He saw how Gothic national +feeling, awakened by Hildebrand and his friends, grew more opposed to +the Romanising Regency. He indignantly confessed to himself that he had +no real power with which to keep down discontent. Ravenna was not his +Rome, where he controlled all proceedings, where he had again +accustomed the citizens to the use of arms, and attached them to his +person; here all the troops were Goths, and he could only fear that +they would reply to an order for the arrest of Hildebrand or Witichis +by open rebellion. So he took a bold resolution to free himself at one +stroke from the net which encompassed him in Ravenna. He decided to +take the Queen, if necessary by force, to Rome. There he was mighty, +had weapons and adherents; there Amalaswintha would be exclusively in +his power, and the Goths would be frustrated. + +To his delight, the Queen entered into his plan with eagerness. She +longed to be out of these walls, where she appeared to be more a +prisoner than a ruler. She longed for Rome, freedom, and power. + +Cethegus took his measures with his usual rapidity. He was obliged to +renounce the shorter way by land, for upon the broad Via Flaminia, as +well as on the other roads from Ravenna to Rome, escorts of Gothic +troops were stationed, and it was therefore to be feared that their +flight by any of these ways would be easily discovered, and perhaps +impeded. + +Fortunately the Prefect remembered that the Navarchus, or captain of +the galleys, Pomponius, one of the conspirators, was cruising about in +chase of African pirates on the east coast of the Adriatic, with three +triremes, manned by Romans. To him he sent an order to appear in the +harbour of Ravenna on the night of the Feast of Epiphany. He hoped, +while the town was occupied with religious festivities, to reach the +ships with Amalaswintha easily and safely from the gardens of the +palace, when they would be taken by sea past the Gothic positions to +Teate. Thence the way to Rome was short and safe. + +With this plan in his mind--his messenger had safely gone and returned +with the promise of Pomponius to appear punctually--the Prefect smiled +at the daily increasing hate and insolence of the Goths, who observed +his position of favourite with bitter displeasure. + +He warned Amalaswintha to be patient and not, by an outbreak of her +royal wrath against the "rebels," to occasion a collision before the +day of deliverance, which might easily render vain all plans of rescue. + +The Feast of Epiphany arrived. The people crowded the basilicas and +squares of the city. The jewels of the treasury were ready ordered and +packed, as well as the most important documents of the archives. It was +mid-day. + +Amalaswintha and the Prefect had just told their friend Cassiodorus of +their plan, the boldness of which at first startled him, but he very +soon perceived its prudence. + +They were just about to leave the room where they had told him of their +intentions, when suddenly the uproar made by the populace--who were +crowding before the palace--became louder and more violent; threats, +cries of exultation, and the clatter of arms arose promiscuously. + +Cethegus threw back the curtain of the large bay-window, but he only +saw the last of the crowd pressing through the open gates of the +palace. + +It was not possible to discover the cause of this excitement. Already +the uproar was ascending the staircase of the palace. The noise of +altercations with the attendants was audible; the clash of weapons; and +soon approaching and heavy footsteps. + +Amalaswintha did not tremble; she tightly grasped the dragon's head +which decorated the throne-seat, to which Cassiodorus had again led +her. + +Meanwhile Cethegus hurried to meet the intruders. + +"Halt!" he called from the threshold of the chamber. "The Queen is +visible for no one." + +For one moment there was complete silence. + +Then a powerful voice called out: "If for thee, Roman, also for us, for +her Gothic brethren. Forwards!" + +And again the roar of voices arose, and in a moment Cethegus, without +the application of any particular violence, was pushed by the press, as +if by an irresistible tide, into the farthest corner of the hall, and +the foremost intruders stood close before the throne. + +They were Hildebrand, Witichis, Teja, a gigantic Goth, unknown to +Cethegus, and near this last--there was no doubt about it--the three +dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza, in full armour--three splendid +warriors. + +The intruders bowed before the throne. Then Duke Thulun called to those +behind him, with the gesture of a born ruler: + +"Goths, wait yet a short time without! We will try; in your name, to +adjust things with the Queen. If we do not succeed, we will call upon +you to act--you know in what manner." + +With a shout of applause, the crowd behind him willingly withdrew, and +were soon lost in the outer passages and halls of the palace. + +"Daughter of Theodoric," began Duke Thulun, "we are come because thy +son, the King, recalled us. Unfortunately we find he is no more alive. +We know that thou hast no delight in seeing us here." + +"If you know it," said Amalaswintha with dignity, "how dare you, +notwithstanding, appear before our eyes? Who allows you to intrude upon +us against our will?" + +"Necessity enjoins it, Highness--necessity, which has often forced +stronger bolts than the whims of a woman. We have to announce to thee +the demands of thy people, which thou wilt fulfil." + +"What language! Knowest thou before whom thou standest, Duke Thulun?" + +"Before the daughter of the Amelungs; whose child I honour, even when +she errs and transgresses!" + +"Rebel!" cried Amalaswintha, and rose indignantly from her throne. "Thy +_King_ stands before thee!" + +But Thulun smiled. + +"It would be wiser, Amalaswintha, to be silent upon this point. King +Theodoric charged thee with the guardianship of thy son--thee, a woman! +It was against the law; but we Goths did not interfere between him and +his kindred. He wished this boy to be his successor. That was not +prudent; but the nobles and people have honoured the race of the +Amelungs and the wish of a King, who else was ever wise. But he never +wished, and we should never have allowed, that after the death of that +boy a woman should reign over us--the spindle over the spear." + +"So you refuse to acknowledge me as your Queen?" she cried +indignantly. "And thou, too, Hildebrand, old friend of Theodoric, thou +disownest his daughter?" + +"Queen," said the old man, "would that thou wouldst prevent it!" + +Thulun continued: + +"We do not disown thee--not yet. I only answer thee thus because thou +boastest of thy right, and thou must know that thou hast no right. But +as we gladly honour noble birth--in which we honour ourselves--and +because at this moment it might lead to evil dissensions in the kingdom +if we deprived thee of the crown, I will repeat the conditions under +which thou mayst continue to wear it." + +Amalaswintha suffered terribly. How gladly would she have delivered the +bold man who spoke such words into the hands of the executioner! And +she was obliged to listen helplessly! Tears rose to her eyes; she +repressed them, but at the same time sank back exhausted upon the +throne, supported by Cassiodorus. + +Meanwhile Cethegus had made his way to her side. + +"Concede everything," he whispered; "it is forced and null. And +to-night Pomponius will arrive. + +"Speak!" said Cassiodorus; "but spare the woman, barbarians!" + +"Ha! ha!" laughed Duke Pitza. "She will not be treated like a woman. +She is our _King_!" + +"Peace, cousin!" said Duke Thulun reprovingly; "she is of noble blood. +First," he continued, "thou must dismiss the Prefect of Rome. He is +said to be an enemy of the Goths; he may not advise the Gothic Queen. +Earl Witichis will take his place near thy throne." + +"Agreed!" said Cethegus himself, instead of Amalaswintha. + +"Secondly, thou wilt declare, in a proclamation, that for the future no +order of thine can be executed which is not signed by Hildebrand or +Witichis; and that no law is valid without the ratification of the +National Assembly." + +The Queen started up angrily; but Cethegus held her arm. + +"Pomponius comes to-night," he whispered. Then he said aloud, "This +also is agreed to." + +"The third condition," resumed Thulun, "is one which thou wilt as +willingly grant as we ask it. We three Balthes have not learned to bow +our heads in a prince's court. The roof here is too low for us. It is +better that Amelungs and Balthes live as far apart as the eagle and the +falcon. And the realm needs our weapons upon its boundaries. Our +neighbours think that the land is orphaned since thy great father died, +Avari, Gepidæ, and Sclavonians fearlessly overstep the frontiers. In +order to punish these three nations, thou wilt equip three armies, each +of thirty thousand; and we three Balthes will lead them, as thy +generals, to the east and to the north." + +"The whole military force also in their hands--not bad!" thought +Cethegus. "Accepted!" he cried aloud, smiling. + +"And what remains to me," asked Amalaswintha, "when I have granted all +this?" + +"A golden crown upon a white forehead," said Duke Ibba. + +"Thou canst write like a Greek," re-commenced Thulun. "Such arts are +not learned in vain. This parchment should contain all that we demand; +my slave has written it down." He gave it to Witichis to examine. "Is +it so? 'Tis well. That thou wilt sign, Princess. Good. We have +finished. Now, Hildebrand, speak with yonder Roman." + +But Teja was beforehand. He advanced to the Prefect, trembling with +hate, his sword in his hand. + +"Prefect of Rome," said he, "blood has been shed--precious, noble, +Gothic blood! It consecrates the furious strife which will soon be +kindled. Blood, which thou shalt atone----" + +His voice was suffocated with rage. + +"Bah!" cried Hildebad--for he was the tall Goth--pushing him aside. +"Make not such a to-do about it! My dear brother can easily part with a +little superfluous blood; and the others lost more than he could spare. +There, thou black devil!" he cried, turning to Cethegus, and holding a +broad-sword close before his eyes, "knowest thou that?" + +"Pomponius's sword!" cried Cethegus, turning pale and staggering back a +step. + +Amalaswintha and Cassiodorus asked in alarm, + +"Pomponius?" + +"Aha!" laughed Hildebad. "That is shocking, is it not? Nothing will +come of the water-party!" + +"Where is Pomponius--my Navarchus?" asked Amalaswintha vehemently. + +"With the sharks, Queen, in deep water." + +"Ha! death and destruction!" exclaimed Cethegus, now carried away by +his anger. "How happened that?" + +"Merrily enough! My brother Totila--thou surely knowest him?--lay in +the harbour of Ancona with two little ships. Thy friend Pomponius had +had for some days such an insolent expression of countenance, and had +let fall such bragging words, that it struck even my unsuspicious +brother. One morning Pomponius suddenly disappeared from the harbour +with his three triremes. Totila smelt a rat, spread all sail, pursued +him, overtook him off Pisaurum, stopped him, went on board with me and +a few others, and asked him whither he would be going." + +"He had no right to do so. Pomponius will have given him no answer." + +"He did so, for all that, most excellent Cethegus! When he saw that we +were only ten upon his ship, he laughed, and cried, 'Whither sail I? To +Ravenna, thou downy-beard, to save the Queen from your claws, and take +her to. Rome!' And he therewith made a sign to his crew. But we, too, +threw our shields before us, and--hurrah! how the swords flew from the +sheaths! It was hard work--ten to forty! But happily it did not last +long. Our comrades in the nearest ship heard the iron rattle, and were +quickly alongside with their boats, and climbed the bulwarks like cats. +Now we had the upper hand; but the Navarchus--to give the devil his +due!--would not yield; fought like to madman, and pierced my brother's +arm through his shield, so that the blood spouted. But then my brother +got into a rage too, and ran his spear through the other's body, so +that he fell like an ox. 'Greet the Prefect,' he said, as he lay dying, +'give him my sword, his gift, back again, and tell him that no one can +cheat Death, else I had kept my word!' I swore to him that I would +confirm his words. He was a brave man. Here is the sword." + +Cethegus took it in silence. + +"The ships yielded, and my brother took them back to Ancona. But I +sailed here with the swiftest, and met the three Balthes in the +harbour, just at the right moment." + +A pause ensued, during which Cethegus and Amalaswintha bitterly +contemplated their desperate position. Cethegus had consented to +everything in the sure hope of flight, which was now frustrated. His +well-considered plan was balked; balked by Totila; and hatred of this +name entered deeply into the Prefect's soul. His grim reflections were +interrupted by the voice of Thulun, asking: + +"Well, Amalaswintha, wilt thou sign? or shall we call upon the Goths to +choose a King?" + +At these words Cethegus quickly recovered himself. He took the tablets +from the hand of the Duke and handed them to the Queen. + +"It is necessary, O Queen," he said in a low voice; "you have no +choice." + +Cassiodorus gave her the stylus, she wrote her name and Thulun received +the tablets. + +"'Tis well," said he; "we go to announce to the Goths that their +kingdom is saved. Thou, Cassiodorus, accompany us to bear witness that +all has been done without violence." + +At a sign from Amalaswintha the senator obeyed, and followed the Gothic +leaders to the Forum before the palace. + +When the Queen found herself alone with Cethegus, she started from her +seat. She could no longer restrain her tears. She passionately struck +her forehead. Her pride was terribly humbled. She felt the shame of +this hour more deeply than the loss of husband, father, or even of her +son. + +"Then this," she cried, weeping loudly, "this is man's superiority! +Brutal, clumsy force! O, Cethegus, all is lost!" + +"Not all, Queen, only a plan. I beg you to keep me in kindly +remembrance," he added coldly. "I go to Rome." + +"What? you will leave me at this moment? You, you have made me give all +these promises, which rob me of my throne, and now you forsake me! Oh! +it were better that I had resisted, I should then have remained indeed +a Queen, even if they had set the crown upon the head of that rebel +Duke!" + +"Certainly," thought Cethegus, "better for you, worse for me. No, no +hero shall ever again wear this Gothic crown." He had quickly seen that +Amalaswintha could no longer serve him, and just as quickly he gave her +up. He was already thinking of a new tool for his plans. Yet he decided +to disclose to her a portion of his thoughts, in order that she might +not act upon her own account, contradict her promises, and thereby +cause the crown to obvert to Thulun. "I go, O Queen," he said; "but I +do not therefore forsake you. Here I can no longer serve you. They have +banished me from your side, and will guard you as jealously as a lover +his mistress." + +"But what shall I do with these promises? what with the three dukes?" + +"Wait, and, at present, submit. And as to the three dukes," he added +hesitatingly, "they go to the wars--perhaps they will never return." + +"Perhaps!" sighed the Queen. "Of what use is a 'perhaps?'" + +Cethegus came close to her. + +"As soon as you wish it--they _shall_ never return." + +The woman trembled: + +"Murder? Terrible man, of what are you thinking?" + +"Of what is necessary. Murder is a wrong expression. It is +self-defence. Or a punishment. If you had now the power, you would have +a perfect right to kill them. They are rebels. They force your royal +will. They kill your Navarchus; they deserve death." + +"And they _shall_ die," whispered Amalaswintha to herself, clenching +her fist; "they shall not live, these brutal men, who force a Queen to +do their behest. You are right--they shall die!" + +"They must die--they and," he added in a tone of intense hatred, +"and--the young hero!" + +"Wherefore Totila? He is the handsomest and most valiant youth in the +nation!" + +"He dies!" growled Cethegus. "Oh that he would die ten times over!" And +such bitter hatred flamed from his eyes, that, suddenly seen in a man +of such a cold nature, it both startled and terrified Amalaswintha. + +"I shall send you from Rome," he continued rapidly in a low tone, +"three trusty men, Isaurian mercenaries. These you will send after the +three Balthes, as soon as they have reached their several camps. You +understand that _you_, the Queen, send them; for they are executioners, +no murderers. The three dukes must fall on the same day--I myself will +care for handsome Totila--the bold stroke will alarm the whole nation. +During the first consternation of the Goths I will hurry here from +Rome, with troops, to your aid. Farewell." + +He departed, and left alone the helpless woman, upon whose ear now +broke the shouts of the assembled multitude from the Forum in front of +the palace, extolling the success of their leaders and the submission +of Amalaswintha. + +She felt quite forsaken. She suspected that the last promise of the +Prefect was little more than an empty word of comfort to palliate his +departure. Overcome by sorrow, she rested her cheek upon her beautiful +hand, and was lost for some time in futile meditations. + +Suddenly the curtain at the entrance rustled. An officer of the palace +stood before her. + +"Ambassadors from Byzantium desire an audience. Justinus is dead. His +nephew Justinianus is Emperor. He tenders a brotherly greeting and his +friendship." + +"Justinianus!" This name penetrated the very soul of the unhappy +woman. She saw herself robbed of her son, thwarted by her people, +forsaken by Cethegus. In her sad musings she had been seeking in vain +for help and support, and, with a sigh of relief, she again repeated, +"Justinianus--Byzantium!" + + + + CHAPTER IV. + +In the woods of Fiesole, a modern wanderer coming from Florence will +find to the right of the high-road the ruins of an extensive villa-like +edifice. Ivy, saxifrage and wild roses vie with each other in +concealing the ruins. For centuries the peasants in the neighbouring +villages have carried away stones from this place in order to dam up +the earth of their vineyards on the slopes of the hills. But even yet +the remains clearly show where once stood the colonnade before the +house, where the central hall, and where the wall of the court. + +Weeds grow luxuriantly in the meadows where once lay in shining order +the beautiful gardens; nothing has been left of them except the wide +marble basin of a long dried-up fountain, in whose pebble-filled +runnels the lizards now sun themselves. + +But in the days of our story the place looked very different. "The +Villa of Mæcenas at Fæsulæ," as the building, probably with little or +no reason, was called at that time, was inhabited by happy people; the +house ordered by a woman's careful hand; the garden enlivened by +childhood's bright laughter. + +The climbing clematis was gracefully trained up the slender shafts of +the Corinthian columns in front of the house, and the cheerful vine +shaded the flat roof. The winding walks in the garden were strewed with +white sand, and in the outhouses dedicated to domestic uses reigned an +order and cleanliness which was never to be found in a household served +by Roman slaves alone. + +It was sunset. + +The men and maid servants were returning from the fields. The +heavily-laden hay-carts swung along, drawn by horses which were +evidently not of Italian breed. The shepherds were driving goats and +sheep home from the hills, accompanied by large dogs, which scampered +on in front, barking joyously. + +Close before the yard gate, a couple of Roman slaves, with shrill +voices and mad gestures, were urging on the panting horses of a cruelly +over-laden wagon, not with whips, but with sticks, the iron points of +which they stuck again and again into the same sore place upon the poor +animals' hides. In spite of this, no advance was made, for a large +stone lay just in front of the left fore-wheel of the wagon, which the +angry and impatient drivers did not notice. + +"Forwards, beast! and son of a beast!" screamed one of them to the +struggling horse; "forwards, thou Gothic sluggard!" Another stab with +the iron point, a renewed and desperate pull; but the wheel did not go +over the stone, and the tortured animal fell on its knees, threatening +to upset the wagon by its struggles. + +At this the rage of the driver was redoubled. "Wait, thou rascal!" he +shouted, and struck at the eye of the panting animal. + +But he only struck once; the next moment he himself fell under a heavy +blow. + +"Davus, thou wicked dog!" growled a powerful voice, and, twice as tall, +and certainly twice as broad as the frightened tormentor, there stood +over the fallen man a gigantic Goth, who rained down blows upon him +with a thick cudgel. "Thou miserable coward," said he, giving him a +final kick, "I will teach thee how to treat a creature which is ten +times better than thyself. I verily believe, thou rascal, that thou +treatest the beast ill, because he comes from the other side of the +mountains! If I catch thee at it again, I will break every bone in thy +body. Now get up, and unload--thou shalt carry every swath that is too +much into the barn upon thine own back. Forwards!" + +With a malicious glance at his punisher the beaten man rose, and, +limping, prepared to obey. + +The Goth had immediately helped the struggling horse to its feet, and +now carefully washed its broken knees with his own evening drink of +wine and water. + +He had scarcely finished his task, when the clear voice of a boy called +urgently from a neighbouring stable: + +"Wachis, come here; Wachis!" + +"I'm coming, Athalwin, my boy! What's the matter?" And he already stood +in the open door of the stable near a handsome boy of about seven years +of age, who angrily stroked his long yellow hair from his glowing face, +and with great trouble repressed two large tears of rage that _would_ +spring into his blue eyes. He held a pretty wooden sword in his right +hand, and shook it threateningly at a black-browed slave who stood +opposite to him, with his head insolently thrust forward and his fists +clenched. "What is the matter here?" repeated Wachis, crossing the +threshold. + +"The chesnut has again nothing to drink; and only look! Two gadflies +have sucked themselves fast upon his shoulder, where he cannot get at +them with his tail, and I cannot reach with my hand; and that bad Cacus +there won't do what I tell him; and I am sure he has been scolding at +me in Latin, which I don't understand." + +Wachis drew nearer with a threatening look. + +"I only said," said Cacus, slowly receding, "that I must first eat my +millet. The beast may wait. In our country men come before beasts." + +"Indeed, thou dunce!" said Wachis, as he killed the gadflies; "in our +country the horse eats before the rider! Make haste!" + +But Cacus was strong and obstinate; he tossed his head and said: + +"Here, we are in _our_ country, and _our_ customs must be followed." + +"Oho, thou cursed blockhead! wilt thou obey?" asked Wachis, raising his +hand. + +"Obey? Not thee! Thou art only a slave like me. And my parents lived in +this house when such as thou were stealing cows and sheep on the other +side of the mountains." + +Wachis let his cudgel fall and swung his arms to and fro. + +"Listen, Cacus, I have another crow to pluck with thee besides; thou +knowest wherefore. Now it can all be done with at the same time." + +"Ha, ha!" cried Cacus with a mocking laugh, "about Liuta, the +flaxen-haired wench? Bah! I like her no longer, the barbarian. She +dances like a heifer!" + +"Now it's all up with thee," said Wachis quietly, and caught hold of +his adversary. + +But Cacus twisted himself like an eel out of the grasp of the Goth, +pulled a sharp knife from the folds of his woollen frock and threw it +at him. As Wachis stooped the knife whistled only a hair's-breadth past +his head, and penetrated deeply into the door-post behind him. + +"Well, wait, thou murderous worm!" cried the German, and would have +thrown himself upon Cacus, but he felt himself clasped from behind. + +It was Davus, who had watched for this moment of revenge. + +But now Wachis became exceedingly wroth. + +He shook the man off, held him by the nape of the neck with his left +hand, got hold of Cacus with his right, and, with the strength of a +bear, knocked the heads of his adversaries together, accompanying every +knock with an interjection, "There, my boys--that for the knife--and +that for the back-spring--and that for the heifer!" And who knows how +long this strange litany would have continued, if he had not been +interrupted by a loud call. + +"Wachis! Cacus! let loose, I tell you," cried the strong fall voice of +a woman; and a stately matron, clad in a blue Gothic garment, appeared +at the door. + +She was not tall, and yet imposing. Her fine figure was more sturdy +than slender. Her gold-brown hair was bound in simple but rich braids +round her head; her features were regular; more firm than delicate. + +An expression of sincerity, worth, and trustfulness lay in her large +blue eyes. Her round bare arms showed that she was no stranger to work. +At her broad girdle, over which puffed out her brown under-garment of +home-spun cloth, rattled a bunch of keys; she rested her left hand +quietly upon her hip, and stretched her right commandingly before her. + +"Aye, aye, Rauthgundis, mistress mine," said Wachis, letting loose, +"must you have your eyes everywhere?" + +"Everywhere, when my servants are at mischief. When will you learn to +agree? You Italians need a master in the house. But thou, Wachis, +shouldst not vex the housewife too. Come, Athalwin, come with me." + +And she led the boy away. + +She went into a side-yard, filled her raised skirt with grain out of a +trough, and fed the fowls and pigeons, which immediately flocked around +her. + +For a little while Athalwin watched her silently. At last he said: + +"Mother, is it true? Is father a robber?" + +Rauthgundis suspended her occupation, and looked at the child in +surprise. + +"Who said so?" + +"Who? Eh, the nephew of Calpurnius! We were playing on the great heap +of hay in his meadow, and I showed him how far the land belongs to us +on the right of the hedge--far and wide--as far as our servants were +mowing, and the brook shone in the distance. Then he got angry and +said, 'Yes, and all that land once belonged to us, and thy father or +thy grandfather stole it, the robbers!'" + +"Indeed! And what didst thou reply?" + +"Eh, nothing at all, mother. I only threw him over the hay-cock, with +his heels in the air. But now I should like to know if it is true." + +"No, child, it is not true. Your father did not steal it, but took it +openly, because he was stronger and better than these Italians. And +heroes have done the same in all ages. And when the Italians were +strong and their neighbours weak, they did so most of all. But now +come; we must look after the linen that is bleaching on the green." + +As they turned their backs upon the stables, and were going towards the +grassy hill on the left of the house, they heard the rapid hoof-beats +of a horse, which was approaching on the old Roman high-road. + +Athalwin climbed quickly to the top of the hill and looked towards the +road. + +A rider, mounted on an immense brown charger, galloped down the woody +heights towards the villa. Brightly sparkled his helmet and the point +of the lance, which he carried across his shoulder. + +"It is father, mother; it is father!" cried the boy, and ran swift as +an arrow down the hill to meet the rider. + +Rauthgundis had just now reached the top of the hill. Her heart beat. +She shaded her eyes with her hand, to look into the evening-red; then +she said in a low happy voice: + +"Yes, it is he! my husband." + + + + CHAPTER V. + +Meanwhile Athalwin had already reached his father and climbed up his +knee, clinging to his foot. + +The rider lifted him up with a loving hand, set him before him in the +saddle, and spurred his horse into a gallop. The noble animal, once the +charger of Theodoric, neighed lustily as he recognised his home and his +mistress, and shook his flowing mane. + +The rider now reached the hill, and dismounted with the boy. + +"My dear wife!" he exclaimed, embracing her tenderly. + +"My Witichis!" she answered, blushing with pleasure, and clinging to +him; "welcome home!" + +"I promised that I would come before the new moon--it was +difficult----" + +"But thou hast kept thy word, as always." + +"My heart drew me here," he said, putting his arm around her. + +They went on slowly to the house. + +"It seems, Athalwin, that Wallada is of more consequence to thee than +thy father," said Witichis, smiling, to the boy, who was leading the +horse carefully after them. + +"No, father; but give me the lance too--I have not often such a +pleasure in this country life;" and dragging the long, heavy shaft of +the spear after him with difficulty, he cried out: "Eh! Wachis, +Ansbrand! father has come! Fetch the skin of Falernian from the cellar. +Father is thirsty after his rapid ride!" + +With a smile Witichis stroked the golden curls of the boy, who now +hurried past them to the house. + +"Well, and how does all go on here?" asked Witichis, looking at +Rauthgundis. + +"Very well, Witichis. The harvest is all brought in, the grapes +crushed, the sheaves housed." + +"I do not ask about that," said he, pressing her tenderly to him--"how +art thou?" + +"As well as a poor woman can be," she answered, looking up at him, "who +misses her well-loved husband. Work is the only thing that comforts me, +my friend; plenty of occupation, which benumbs a sensitive heart. I +often think how thou, far away amongst strange people, must trouble +thyself in court and camp, where there is none to cherish thee. At +least, I say to myself, he shall find his home well-kept and cheerful +when he returns. And it is that, seest thou, which sanctifies and +ennobles all the dull routine of work, and makes it dear to me." + +"That's my brave wife! But dost thou not too much fatigue thyself?" + +"Work is healthy. But vexation, and the men's wickedness, _that_ hurts +me!" + +Witichis stood still. + +"Who dares to grieve thee?" + +"Ah! the Italian servants, and our Italian neighbours! They all hate +us. Woe to us, if they did not fear us. Calpurnius, our neighbour, is +so insolent when he knows thou art absent, and the Roman slaves are +disobedient and false; our Gothic servants alone are good." + +Witichis sighed. They had now arrived at the house, and sat down at a +marble table under the colonnade. + +"Thou must remember," said Witichis, "that our neighbour was forced to +give up to us the third part of his estate and slaves." + +"And has kept two-thirds, and his life into the bargain--he ought to +thank God!" answered Rauthgundis contemptuously. + +Just then Athalwin came running with a basketful of apples, which he +had plucked from the tree. Presently Wachis and the other German +servants came with wine, meat, and cheese, and greeted their master +with a frank clasp of the hand. + +"Well done, my children. The mistress praises you. But where are Davus, +Cacus, and the others?" + +"Pardon, sir," answered Wachis, grinning, "they have a bad conscience." + +"Why? What about?" + +"Eh!--I think--because I have beaten them little; they are ashamed." + +The other men laughed. + +"Well, it will do them no harm," said Witichis; "go now to your meal. +To-morrow I will examine your work." + +The men went. + +"What is that about Calpurnius?" asked Witichis, pouring wine into his +cup. + +Rauthgundis blushed and hesitated. + +"He has carried away the hay from the mountain meadow," she then +replied, "which our men had mowed; and has put it into his barn by +night, and will not return it." + +"He will return it quickly enough, I think," said her husband quietly, +as he took up his cup and drank. + +"Yes," cried Athalwin eagerly, "I think so too! And if he will not, all +the better for me! Then we will declare war, and I will go over with +Wachis and all the great fellows, with weapons and pikes! He always +looks at me so wickedly, the black spy!" + +Rauthgundis told him to be silent, and sent him to bed. + +"Very well, I will go," he said; "but, father, when thou comest again, +thou wilt bring me a real weapon, instead of this stick, wilt thou +not?" and he ran into the house. + +"Contentions with these Italians never cease," said Witichis; "the very +children inherit the feeling. But it causes thee far too much vexation +here. So much the more willingly wilt thou do what I now propose: come +with me to Ravenna, Rauthgundis, to court." + +His wife looked at him with astonishment. + +"Thou art joking!" she said incredulously. "Thou hast never before +wished it! During the nine years of our married life, it has never +entered thy head to take me to court! I believe no one in all the +nation knows that a Rauthgundis exists. For a surety, thou hast kept +our marriage secret," she added, smiling, "like a crime!" + +"Like a treasure!" said Witichis, embracing her. + +"I have never asked thee wherefore. I was and am happy; and I thought +and think now: he has his reason." + +"I had a good reason: it exists no longer. Now thou mayest know all. A +few months after I had found thee amid the solitudes of thy mountains, +and had conceived an affection for thee, King Theodoric hit upon the +strange idea, to unite me in marriage with his sister Amalaberga, the +widow of the King of the Thuringians, who needed the protection of a +man against her wicked neighbours, the Franks." + +"Thou wert to wear a crown?" asked Rauthgundis, with sparkling eyes. + +"But Rauthgundis was dearer to me," continued Witichis, "than Queen or +crown, and I said, No. It vexed the King exceedingly, and he only +forgave me when I told him that probably I should never marry. At that +time I could not hope ever to call thee mine; thou knowest how long thy +father suspiciously and sternly refused to trust thee to me; but when, +notwithstanding, thou wert become my wife, I considered that it would +not be wise to show the King the woman for whose sake I had refused his +sister." + +"But why hast thou concealed all this from me for nine long years?" + +"Because," he said, looking lovingly into her eyes, "because I know my +Rauthgundis. Thou wouldst ever have imagined I had lost I know not what +with that crown! But now the King is dead, and I am permanently bound +to the court. Who knows when I shall again rest in the shadow of these +columns, in the peace of this roof?" + +And he related briefly the fall of the Prefect, and what position he +now held near Amalaswintha. + +Rauthgundis listened attentively; then she took his hand and pressed +it. + +"It is good, Witichis, that the Goths gradually find out thy worth, and +thou art more cheerful, I think, than usual." + +"Yes; I feel more contented since I can bear part of the burden of the +time. It was much more difficult to stand idly by and see it pressing +heavily upon my nation. I am only sorry for the Queen, she is like a +prisoner." + +"Bah! Why did the woman grasp at the office of a man? Such a thing +would never enter my head." + +"Thou art no Queen, Rauthgundis, and Amalaswintha is proud." + +"I am ten times prouder than she! but not so vain. She can never have +loved a man, nor understood his nature and worth, otherwise she could +not wish to fill a man's place." + +"At court that is looked upon in a different manner. But do come with +me to Ravenna." + +"No, Witichis," she quietly said, rising from her seat, "the court is +not fit for me, nor I for the court. I am the child of a mountain +farmer, and far too uncultured. Look at this brown neck," she laughed, +"and these rough hands! I cannot tinkle on the lyre, or read verses. I +should be ill suited for the fine Roman ladies, and thou wouldst have +little honour with me." + +"Surely thou dost not consider thyself too bad for the court?" + +"No, Witichis, too good." + +"Well, people must learn to bear with and appreciate each other." + +"I could not do that. They could perhaps learn to bear with me, out of +fear of thee. But I should daily tell them to their faces that they are +hollow, false, and bad!" + +"So, then, thou wilt rather do without thy husband for months?" + +"Yes, rather do without him, than be near him in a false and unfitting +position. Oh, my Witichis!" she added, encircling his neck with her +arm, "consider who I am and how thou foundest me! where the last +settlements of our people dot the edge of the Alps, high up upon the +steep precipices of the Scaranzia; where the youthful Isara breaks +foaming out of the ravines into the open plains, there stands my +father's lonely farm; there I knew of nought but the hard work of +summer upon the quiet alms, of winter in the smoke-blackened hall, +spinning with the maids. My mother died early, and my brothers were +killed by the Italians. So I grew up lonely, no one near me but my old +father, who was as true, but also as hard and close, as his native +rocks. There I saw nothing of the world which lay outside our +mountains. Only sometimes, from a height, I watched with curiosity a +pack-horse going along the road deep below in the valley, laden with +salt or wine. I sat through many a shining summer evening upon the +jagged peaks of the high Arn, and looked at the sun sinking splendidly +over the far-away river Licus; and I wondered what it had seen the +whole long summer day, since it had risen over the broad [OE]nus; and I +thought how I should like to know what things looked like at the other +side of the Karwändel, or away behind the Brennus, over which my +brothers had gone and had never returned. And yet I felt how beautiful +it was up there in the green solitude, where I heard the golden eagle +screaming in its near eyrie, and where I plucked more lovely flowers +than ever grow in the plains, and even, sometimes, heard by night the +mountain-wolf howling outside the stable-door, and frightened it away +with a torch. In early autumn, too, and in the long winter, I had time +to sit and muse; when the white mist-veils spun themselves over the +lofty pines; when the mountain wind tore the blocks of stone from our +straw-roof, and the avalanches thundered from the precipices. So I grew +up, strange to the world beyond the next forest, only at home in the +quiet world of my thoughts, and in the narrow life of the peasant. Then +thou earnest--I remember it as if it had happened yesterday----" + +She ceased, lost in recollection. + +"I remember it too, exactly," said Witichis. "I was leading a +centumvirate from Juvavia to the Augusta-town on the Licus. I had lost +my way and my people. For a long time I had wandered about in the +sultry summer day, without finding a path, when I saw smoke rising +above a fir-tree grove, and soon I found a hidden farm, and entered +the yard-gate. There stood a splendid girl at the pump, lifting a +bucket----" + +"Look, even here in the valley, in this southern valley of the Alps, it +is often too close for me; and I long for a breath of air from the +pine-woods of my mountains. But at court, in the narrow gilded +chambers! there I should languish and pine away. Leave me here; I shall +manage Calpurnius well enough. And thou, I know well, wilt still think +of home, wife, and child, when absent in the royal halls." + +"Yes, God knows, with longing thoughts! Well then, remain here, and God +keep thee, my good wife!" + +The second day after this conversation Witichis again rode away up the +wooded heights. + +The parting hour had made him almost tender; but he had firmly checked +the outbreak of feeling which it was so repugnant to his simple and +manly nature to indulge in. How the brave man's heart clung to his +trusty wife and darling boy! + +Behind him trotted Wachis, who would not be prevented from accompanying +his master for a short distance. + +Suddenly he rode up to him. + +"Sir," said he, "I know something." + +"Indeed! Why didst not tell it?" + +"Because no one asked me about it." + +"Well, I ask thee about it." + +"Yes; if one is asked, then of course he must answer! The mistress has +told you that Calpurnius is such a bad neighbour?" + +"Yes; what about that?" + +"But she did not tell you since when?" + +"No; dost thou know?" + +"Well, it was about half a year ago. About that time Calpurnius once +met the mistress in the wood, alone as they both thought; but they were +not alone. Some one lay in a ditch, and was taking his mid-day nap." + +"Thou wert that sluggard!" + +"Rightly guessed. And Calpurnius said something to the mistress." + +"What did he say?" + +"That I did not understand. But the mistress was not idle; she lifted +her hand and struck him in the face with such a smack, that it +resounded. And since then our neighbour is a bad neighbour, and I +wanted to tell you, because I thought the mistress would not wish to +vex you about the rascal; but still it is better that you know it. And +see! there stands Calpurnius at his house door; do you see? and now +farewell, dear master." + +And with this he turned his horse and galloped home. But the blood +rushed to Witichis' face. + +He rode up to his neighbour's door. Calpurnius was about to retreat +into the house, but Witichis called to him in such a voice, that he was +obliged to remain. + +"What do you want with me, neighbour Witichis?" he asked, looking up at +him askance. + +Witichis drew rein, and stopped his horse close to him. Then he held +his clenched iron-gloved fist close before his neighbour's eyes. + +"Neighbour Calpurnius," he said quietly, "if _I_ ever strike thee in +the face, thou wilt never rise again." + +Calpurnius started back in a fright. + +But Witichis gave his horse the spur, and rode proudly and slowly upon +his way. + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +In his study at Rome, comfortably stretched upon the soft cushions of a +lectus, lay Cethegus the Prefect. + +He was of good cheer. + +His examination had ended with full acquittal. Only in case of an +immediate search in his house--such as the young King had ordered, but +which his death had frustrated--could discovery have been apprehended. + +He had succeeded in gaining permission to complete the fortifications +of Rome, supplying the funds out of his own exchequer, which +circumstance still more increased his influence in that city. + +The evening before he had held a meeting in the Catacombs. All the +reports were favourable; the patriots were increasing in number and +means. + +The greater oppression which since the late occurrences at Ravenna +weighed upon the Italians, could but serve to add to the ranks of the +malcontents; and, which was the main thing, Cethegus now held all the +threads of the conspiracy in his own hands. Even the most jealous +Republicans implicitly acknowledged the necessity of committing the +conduct of affairs, until the day of deliverance, to the most gifted of +men. + +The feeling against the barbarians had made such progress amongst all +Italians, that Cethegus could entertain the project of striking a blow +without the help of the Byzantines, as soon as ever Rome was +sufficiently fortified. + +"For," he repeatedly told himself, "all foreign liberators are easily +summoned, but with difficulty discarded." + +Musing thus, Cethegus reposed upon his lectus. He laid aside Cæsar's +"Civil Wars," the leaves of which he had been turning over, and said to +himself: + +"The gods must have great things in store for me; whenever I fall, it +is like a cat--upon my feet and unhurt. Ah! when things go well with +us, we like to share our content with others. But it is too dangerous a +pleasure to put trust in another, and Silence is the only faithful +goddess. And yet one is human, and would like----" + +Here a slave entered--the old Ostiarius Fidus--and silently handed to +Cethegus a letter upon a flat golden salver. + +"The bearer waits," he said, and left the room. + +Cethegus took up the letter. But as soon as he recognised the design +upon the wax seal which secured the string twisted round the +tablets--the Dioscuri--he cried eagerly, "From Julius--at a happy +hour!" hastily untied the string, opened the tablets, and read, his +cold and pale countenance flushed with a warmth of pleasure usually +wholly strange to him: + + +"'To Cethegus the Prefect, from Julius Montanus. + +"'How long it is, my fatherly preceptor'--(by Jupiter! that sounds +frosty)--'that I have delayed sending you the greeting which I owe you. +The last time I wrote from the green banks of the Ilissos, where I +sought for traces of Plato in the desolated groves of the Akademia, but +found none. I know well that my letter was not cheerful. The sad +philosophers, wandering in the lonely schools, surrounded by the +oppressions of the Emperor, the suspicion of the priests, and the +coldness of the multitude, could only arouse my compassion. My soul was +gloomy; I knew not wherefore. I blamed my ingratitude to you, the most +generous of all benefactors.' + +"He has never given me such intolerable names before," observed +Cethegus. + +"'For two years I have travelled, accompanied by your slaves and +freedmen, endowed like a King of the Syrians with your riches, through +all Asia and Hellas; I have enjoyed all the beauty and wisdom of the +ancients, and my heart is still unsatisfied, my life empty. Not the +enthusiastic wisdom of Plato; not the gilded ivory of Phidias; not +Homer and not Thucydides gave me what I wanted! At last, at last, here +in Neapolis, in this blooming, God-endowed city; here I found what I +had unconsciously missed and sought for everywhere. Not dead wisdom, +but warm, living happiness.'--(He is in love! At last, thou coy +Hippolyte! Thanks, Eros and Anteros!)--'Oh! my guardian, my father! do +you know what happiness it is for the first time to call a heart that +completely understands you, your own?'--(Ah, Julius!" sighed the +Prefect, with a singular expression of softened sentiment, "as if I +knew it not?)--'a heart to which one can freely open his whole soul? +Oh! if you have ever proved it, rejoice with me! sacrifice to Jupiter, +the fulfiller! For the first time I have found a friend!' + +"What does he say?" cried Cethegus indignantly; and starting up with a +look of jealous pain, "The ungrateful boy!" + +"'For thou wilt understand it well, until now I had no bosom friend. +You, my fatherly preceptor----'" + +Cethegus threw the tablets upon the tortoise-shell table, and walked +hastily up and down the room. + +"Folly!" he then said quietly, took up the letter again, and read on: + +"'You, so much older, wiser, better, greater than I--you had laid such +a weight of gratitude and reverence upon my young soul, that it could +never unfold itself to you without reserve. I have also often heard +with discouragement the biting wit with which you mocked at all warmth +and softness of feeling; and a sharp expression about your proud and +closely-compressed mouth has always killed such feelings in me, as the +night-frost kills the first violets.'--(Well, at all events, he is +sincere!)--'But now I have found a friend--frank, warm, young, and +enthusiastic--and I feel a delight hitherto unknown to me. We are one +in heart and soul; we wander together on sunny days and moonlight +nights through the Elysian fields, and are never at a loss for winged +words. But I must soon close this letter. He is a Goth'--(that too!" +cried Cethegus, angrily)--"'and is named Totila.'" + +Cethegus let drop the hand which held the letter. He said nothing. He +only shut his eyes for an instant, and then he quietly read on again: + +"'And is named Totila. The day after my arrival in Neapolis, as I was +lounging through the Forum of Neptune, and admiring some statues under +the arches of a neighbouring house which had been exposed for sale by a +sculptor, there suddenly rushed at me, out of the door of this house, a +grey-haired man with a woollen apron, all over white with plaster, and +holding in his hand a pointed tool. He grasped my shoulder and shouted, +"Pollux, my Pollux! have I found thee at last!" I thought the old +fellow was mad, and said, "You mistake, old man, I am called Julius, +and come from Athens." "No," cried he; "thou art named Pollux, and come +from Olympus!" And before I knew what had happened, he had pushed me +into the house. There I gradually found out what was the matter. It was +the sculptor who had exposed the statues. In the ante-chamber stood +many half-finished works, and the sculptor explained to me that for +years he had been thinking of a group of the Dioscuri. For the Castor +he had found a charming model in a young Goth. "But in vain," he +continued, "have I prayed to Heaven for an inspiration for my Pollux. +He must resemble the Castor; like him, a brother of Helena and a son of +Jupiter. Complete similarity of feature and form must be there, and yet +the difference must be as apparent as the resemblance; they must each +be completely individual. In vain I sought in all the baths and +gymnasiums of Neapolis. I could not find the Leda-twin. And now a +god--Jupiter himself--has led thee to my door! It struck me like +lightning when I saw thee, 'There stands my Pollux, just as he ought to +look!' And I will never let thee depart living from my house until thou +hast promised me thy head and thy body." I willingly promised the +strange old man to come again the next day; and I did so the more +gladly when I afterwards learnt that my violent friend was Xenarchus, +the greatest sculptor in marble and bronze that Italia has known for a +long time. The next day I went again, and found my Castor. It was +Totila; and I cannot deny that the great resemblance surprised me, +although Totila is older, taller, stronger, and incomparably more +handsome than I. Xenarchus says that we are like a pale and a +gold-coloured citron--for Totila has fairer hair and beard--and just in +this manner, the master swears, were the two Dioscuri alike and unlike. +So we learnt to know and love each other amongst the statues of the +gods and goddesses in the studio of Xenarchus; became, in truth, Castor +and Pollux, inseparable and intimate as they; and already the merry +populace of Neapolis calls us by these names when we wander arm in arm +through the streets. But our new-made friendship was still more quickly +ripened by a threatened danger, which might easily have nipped it in +the bud. One evening, as usual, we had wandered out of the Porta Nolana +to seek refreshment after the heat of the day in the Baths of Tiberius. +After the bath--in a mood of sportive tenderness--you will blame it--I +had thrown my friend's mantle over me, and set his helmet, decorated +with the swan's wings, upon my head. He entered into the joke, and, +with a smile, threw my chlamys[4] around him; and, chatting peacefully, +we went back through the pine grove in the gloom of approaching night +to the city. All at once a man sprang upon me from a taxus-bush behind +me, and I felt cold steel at my throat. But the next moment the +murderer lay at my feet, Totila's sword in his breast. Only slightly +wounded, I bent over the dying man, and asked him what reason he had to +hate and murder me. But he stared in my face, and breathed out, "Not +thee--Totila, the Goth!" and he gave a convulsive shiver and was dead. +By his costume and weapons, we saw that he was an Isaurian mercenary.'" + +Again the hand which held the letter dropped, and Cethegus pressed the +other to his forehead. + +"Madness of chance!" he said; "to what mightest thou not have led!" And +he read to the end. '"Totila said he had many enemies at Ravenna. We +reported the incident to Uliaris, the Gothic Earl at Neapolis. He +caused the corpse to be examined, and instituted an inquiry--without +result. But this grave event has cemented our youthful friendship and +consecrated it with blood for ever. It has united us in an earnest and +holy bond. The seal-ring of the Dioscuri, which you gave me at parting, +was a friendly omen, and it has been pleasantly fulfilled; and when I +ask myself to whom is owing all my happiness, it is to you, to you +alone, who sent me to this city, where I have found all that I wanted! +So may the gods requite you for it! Ah, I see that my letter speaks +only of myself and this friendship--write to me speedily, I beg, and +let me know how things go with you.--_Vale_." + +A bitter smile passed across the Prefect's expressive mouth, and he +again measured the room with rapid strides. At last he stopped, +supporting his chin in his hand: + +"How can I be so--childish--as to vex myself? It is all very natural, +if very foolish. You are sick, Julius. Wait; I will write you a +prescription." + +And with an expression of pleased malice on his face, he seated himself +upon the writing-divan, took a Cnidian reed-pen, and wrote with the red +ink from a cup of agate, in the shape of a lion's head, which was +screwed into the lectus: + + +"To Julius Montanus: Cethegus, Prefect of Rome. + +"Your touching epistle from Neapolis amused me much. It shows that you +have not yet outlived the last childish ailments. When you have laid +them aside you will be a man. In order to precipitate this crisis, I +will prescribe the best means. You will at once seek for the trader in +purple, Valerius Procillus, the oldest friend that I have in Neapolis. +He is the richest merchant of the East, an inveterate enemy of the +Emperor of Byzantium, and as good a republican as Cato; merely on that +account he is my trusted friend. But his daughter, Valeria Procilla, is +the most beautiful Roman girl of our time, and a true daughter of the +ancient, the heathen world. She is only three years younger than you, +and therefore ten times as wise. At the same time her father will not +refuse you if you explain to him that Cethegus sues for you. But thou +wilt fall deeply in love at first sight! Of this I am sure; although I +tell it you beforehand, although you know that I wish it. In her arms +you will forget all the friends in the world; when the sun rises, the +moon pales. Besides, do you know that your Castor is one of the most +dangerous enemies of the Romans? And I once knew a certain Julius who +swore: 'Rome before all things!'--_Vale_." + +Cethegus rolled the papyrus together, tied it with a string of red +bast, fastened the knot with wax, and pressed his amethyst ring, +engraved with a splendid head of Jupiter, upon it. Then he touched a +silver eagle which protruded from the marble wainscoting of the room; +outside, upon the wall of the vestibule, a bronze thunderbolt struck +upon the silver shield of a fallen Titan with a clear bell-like tone. +The slave re-entered the room. + +"Let the messenger have a bath; give him food and wine, a gold solidus, +and this letter. To-morrow at sunrise he will return to Neapolis." + + + + CHAPTER VII. + +Several weeks later we find the grave Prefect in a circle which seemed +very ill-suited to his lofty character, or even to his age. + +In the singular juxtaposition of heathenism and Christianity which, +during the first century succeeding Constantine's conversion, filled +the life and manners of the Roman world with such harsh contrasts, the +peaceful mingling of the old and the new religious festivals played a +striking part. Generally the merry feasts of the ancient gods still +existed, together with the great holidays of the Christian Church, +though usually robbed of their original significance, of their +religious kernel. The people allowed themselves to be deprived of the +belief in Jupiter and Juno, of sacrifices and ceremonies, but not of +the games, the festivities, the dances and banquets, by which those +ceremonies had been accompanied; and the Church was at all times wise +and tolerant enough to suffer what she could not prevent. Thus, even +the truly heathen Lupercalia, which were distinguished by gross +superstition and all kinds of rude excess, were only, and with great +difficulty, abolished in the year 496. + +The days of the Floralia were come, which formerly were celebrated over +the whole continent with noisy games and dances, as being specially a +feast of happy youth; and which, in the days we speak of, were at least +passed in banqueting and drinking. + +And so the two Licinii, with their circle of young gallants and +patricians, had made an appointment to meet together for a symposium +upon the principal holiday of the Floralia, to which, as at our +picnics, every one contributed his share of food and wine. + +The guests assembled at the house of young Kallistratos, an amiable and +rich Greek from Corinth, who had settled in Rome to enjoy an artistic +leisure, and had built, near the gardens of Sallust, a tasteful house, +which became the focus of luxury and polite society. + +Besides the rich Roman aristocracy, this house was particularly +frequented by artists and scholars; and also by that stratum of the +Roman youth, which could spare little time and thought from its horses, +chariots and dogs for the State, and which until now had therefore been +inaccessible to the influence of the Prefect. + +For this reason Cethegus was well-pleased when young Lucius Licinius, +now his most devoted adherent, brought him an invitation from the +Corinthian. + +"I know," said Licinius modestly, "that we can offer you no appropriate +entertainment; and if the Falernian and Cyprian, with which +Kallistratos regales his guests, do not entice you, you can decline to +come." + +"No, my son; I will come," said Cethegus; "and it is not the old +Cyprian which tempts me, but the young Romans." + +Kallistratos, who loved to display his Grecian origin, had built his +house in the midst of Rome in Grecian style; not in the style then +prevalent, but in that of the free Greece of Pericles, which, by +contrast with the tasteless overcharging usual in Rome in those days, +made an impression of noble simplicity. + +Through a narrow passage one entered the peristyle, or open court, +surrounded by a colonnade, in the centre of which a splashing fountain +fell into a coloured marble basin. The colonnade, open to the north, +contained, besides other rooms, the banqueting hall, in which the +company was now assembled. + +Cethegus had stipulated that he should not be present at the c[oe]na, +or actual banquet, but only at the compotatio, the drinking-bout which +followed. + +So he found the friends in the elegant drinking-room, where the bronze +lamps upon the tortoise-shell slabs on the walls were already lighted, +and the guests, crowned with roses and ivy, lay upon the cushions of +the horse-shoe-shaped triclinium. + +A stupefying mixture of wine-odours and flower-scents, a glare of +torches and glow of colour, met him upon the threshold. + +"_Salve_, Cethegus!" cried the host, as he entered. "You find but a +small party." + +Cethegus ordered the slave who followed him, a beautiful and slender +young Moor, whose finely-shaped limbs were rather revealed than hidden +by the scarlet gauze of his light tunic, to unloose his sandals. +Meanwhile he counted the guests. + +"Not less than the Graces, nor more than the Muses," he said with a +smile. + +"Quick, choose a wreath," said Kallistratos, "and take your place up +there, upon the seat of honour on the couch. We have chosen you +beforehand for the king of the feast." + +The Prefect was determined to charm these young people. He knew how +well he could do so, and that day he wished to make a particular +impression. He chose a crown of roses, and took the ivory sceptre, +which a Syrian slave handed to him upon his knees. + +Placing the rose-wreath on his head, he raised the sceptre with +dignity. + +"Thus I put an end to your freedom!" + +"A born ruler!" cried Kallistratos, half in joke, half in earnest. + +"But I will be a gentle tyrant! My first law: one-third +water--two-thirds wine." + +"Oho!" cried Lucius Licinius, and drank to him, "_bene te!_ you govern +luxuriously. Equal parts is usually our strongest mixture." + +"Yes, friend," said Cethegus, smiling, and seating himself upon the +corner seat of the central triclinium, the "Consul's seat," "but I took +lessons in drinking amongst the Egyptians; they drink pure wine. Ho, +cupbearer--what is he called?" + +"Ganymede--he is from Phrygia. Fine fellow--eh?" + +"So, Ganymede, obey thy Jupiter, and place near each guest; a patera of +Mamertine wine--but near Balbus two, because he is a countryman." + +The young people laughed. + +Balbus was a rich Sicilian proprietor, still quite young, and already +very stout. + +"Bah!" said he, laughing, "ivy round my head, and an amethyst on my +finger--I defy the power of Bacchus!" + +"Well, at which wine have you arrived?" asked Cethegus, at the same +time signing to the Moor who now stood behind him, and who at once +brought a second wreath of roses, and, this time, wound it about his +neck. + +"Must of Setinum, with honey from Hymettus, was the last. There, try +it!" said Piso, the roguish poet, whose epigrams and anacreontics could +not be copied quickly enough by the booksellers; and whose finances, +notwithstanding, were always in poetical disorder. He handed to the +Prefect what we should call a _vexing-cup_, a bronze serpent's-head, +which, lifted carelessly to the lips, violently shot a stream of wine +into the drinker's throat. + +But Cethegus knew the trick, drank carefully, and returned the cup. + +"I like your _dry_ wit better, Piso," he said, laughing; and snatched a +wax tablet from a fold in the other's garment. + +"Oh, give it me back," said Piso; "it is no verses--just the +contrary--a list of my debts for wine and horses." + +"Well," observed Cethegus, "I have taken it--so it and they are +mine. To-morrow you may fetch the quittance at my house; but not for +nothing--for one of your most spiteful epigrams upon my pious friend +Silverius." + +"Oh, Cethegus!" cried the poet, delighted and flattered, "how spiteful +one can be for 40,000 solidi! Woe to the holy man of God!" + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + +"And the dessert--how far have you got there?" asked Cethegus, "already +at the apples? are these they?" and he looked, screwing up his eyes, at +two heaped-up fruit-baskets, which stood upon a bronze table with ivory +legs. + +"Ha, victory!" laughed Marcus Licinius, Lucius's younger brother, who +amused himself with the then fashionable pastime of modelling in wax. +"There! you see my art, Kallistratos! The Prefect thinks that my waxen +apples, which I gave you yesterday, are real." + +"Ah, indeed!" cried Cethegus, as if astonished, although he had long +since noticed the smell of the wax with dislike. "Yes, art deceives the +most acute. With whom did you learn? I should like to put similar +ornaments in my Kyzikenian hall." + +"I am an autodidact," said Marcus proudly, "and to-morrow I will send +you my new Persian apples--for you honour art." + +"But is the sitting at an end?" asked the Prefect, resting his left arm +on the cushions of the triclinium. + +"No," cried the host, "I will confess the truth. As I could not reckon +upon the king of our feast until the dessert, I have prepared a little +after-feast to be taken with the wine." + +"Oh, you sinner!" cried Balbus, wiping his greasy lips upon the rough +purple Turkish table-cover, "and I have eaten such a terrible quantity +of your _becca-ficchi_!" + +"It is against the agreement!" cried Marcus Licinius. + +"It will spoil my manners," said the merry Piso gravely. + +"Say, is that Hellenic simplicity?" asked Lucius Licinius. + +"Peace, friends!" and Cethegus comforted them with a quotation: "'E'en +unexpected hurt, a Roman bears unmoved.'" + +"The Hellenic host must adjust himself according to his guests," said +Kallistratos, excusing himself. "I feared you would not come again if I +offered you Marathonian fare." + +"Well, at least confess with what you menace us," cried Cethegus. +"Thou, Nomenclator! read the bill of fare. I will then decide upon the +suitable wines." + +The slave--a handsome Lydian boy, dressed in a garment of blue Pelusian +linen, slit up to the knee--came close to Cethegus at the cypress-wood +table, and read from a little tablet which he carried fastened to a +golden chain about his neck: + +"Fresh oysters from Britannia, in tunny-sauce, with lettuce." + +"With this dish, Falernian from Fundi," said Cethegus at once. "But +where is the sideboard with the cups? Good wine deserves handsome +goblets." + +"There is the sideboard!" And at a sign from the host, a curtain, which +had concealed a corner of the room opposite the guests, dropped. + +A cry of astonishment ran round the table. + +The richness of the service displayed, and the taste with which it was +arranged, surprised even these fastidious feasters. + +Upon the marble slab of a side-table stood a roomy silver carriage, +with golden wheels and bronze horses. It was a model of a booty-wagon, +such as were used in Roman triumphal processions, and, like a costly +booty, within it was piled, in seeming disorder, but with an artistic +hand, a quantity of goblets, glasses, and salvers, of every shape and +material. + +"By Mars the Victor!" laughed the Prefect, "the first Roman triumph for +two hundred years! A rare sight! Dare I destroy it?" + +"You are the man to set it up again," said Lucius, with fire. + +"Do you think so? Let us try! First, we will have that goblet of +pistachio-wood for the Falernian." + +"Wind-thrushes from the Tagus, with asparagus from Tarento," continued +the Lydian, reading the bill of fare. + +"With that, red Massikian from Sinuessa, to be drunk out of that +amethyst goblet." + +"Young lobsters from Trapezunt, with flamingo-tongues." + +"Stop! By holy Bacchus!" cried Balbus, "it is the torture of +Tantalus. It is all the same to me out of what I drink, whether from +pistachio-wood or amethyst; but to listen to this list of divine +dainties with a dry throat, is more than I can stand. Down with +Cethegus, the tyrant! Let him die, if he lets us thirst!" + +"I feel as if I were Emperor, and heard the roar of the faithful Roman +populace! I will save my life and yield. Serve the dishes, slaves." + +At this the sound of flutes was heard from an outer room, and six +slaves entered, marching in time to the music, with ivy in their +shining, anointed locks, and dressed in red mantles and white tunics. +They gave to each guest a snowy cloth of finest Sidonian linen, with +purple fringes. + +"Oh," cried Massurius, a young merchant who traded principally with +beautiful slaves of both sexes, and enjoyed the rather doubtful +reputation of being a great critic in such wares, "the best cloth is +beautiful hair," and he passed his hands through the locks of a +Ganymede who was kneeling near him. + +"But, Kallistratos, I hope those flutes are of the female sex. Up with +the curtain; let the girls in." + +"Not yet," ordered Cethegus. "First drink, then kiss. Without Bacchus +and Ceres, you know----" + +"Venus freezes, but not Massurius!" + +All at once lyres and citharas sounded from the side room, and there +entered a procession of eight youths in shining silken garments of a +gold-green colour. Foremost the "dresser" and the "carver." The other +six bore dishes upon their heads. They passed the guests with measured +steps, and halted at the sideboard of citron-wood. While they were busy +there, castanets and cymbals were heard from another part of the house; +the large double doors turned upon their shining bronze hinges, and a +swarm of slaves in the becoming costume of Corinthian youths streamed +into the room. + +Some handed bread in ornamentally-perforated baskets; others whisked +the flies away with fans of ostrich feathers and palm-leaves; some +gracefully poured oil into the wall-lamps from double-handled vases; +whilst others swept the crumbs from the mosaic pavement with besoms of +Egyptian reeds, or helped Ganymede to fill the cups, which now were +circling merrily. + +The conversation grew more rapid and animated, and Cethegus, who, +although he remained cool and collected, seemed to be quite lost in the +enjoyment of the moment, charmed the young guests by his youthful +gaiety. + +"What do you say?" asked the host, "shall we play dice between the +dishes? There stands the dice-box, near Piso." + +"Well, Massurius," observed Cethegus, with a sarcastic look at the +slave-dealer, "will you try your luck with me once more? Will you bet +against me? Give him the dice-box, Syphax," he said to the Moor. + +"Mercury forbid!" answered Massurius, with comical fright. "Have +nothing to do with the Prefect he has inherited the luck of his +ancestor, Julius Cæsar." + +"Omen accipio!" laughed Cethegus. "I accept the omen, with the dagger +of Brutus into the bargain." + +"I tell you, he is a magician! Only lately he won an unwinnable bet +against me about this black demon," and the speaker threw a cactus-fig +at the slave's face, but Syphax caught it cleverly with his shining +white teeth, and quietly ate it up. + +"Well done, Syphax!" said Cethegus. "Roses from the thorns of the +enemy! Thou canst become a conjurer as soon as I let thee free." + +"Syphax does not wish to be free: he will always be your Syphax, and +save your life as you saved his." + +"What is that--thy life?" asked Lucius Licinius. + +"Did you pardon him?" asked Marcus. + +"More than that, I bought him off." + +"Yes, with my money!" grumbled Massurius. + +"You know that I immediately gave him the money I won from you as his +private possession," answered Cethegus. + +"What about this bet? Let us hear. Perhaps it will afford a subject for +my epigrams," said Piso. + +"Retire, Syphax. There! the cook is bringing us his masterpiece, it +seems." + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +It was a turbot weighing six pounds, which for years had been fed with +goose-liver in the sea-water fishponds of Kallistratos. The much-prized +"Rhombus" was served upon a silver dish, with a little golden crown on +its head. + +"All ye gods, and thou, Prophet Jonah!" stammered Balbus, sinking back +upon the cushions, "that fish is worth more than I!" + +"Peace, friend," said Piso, "let not Cato hear thee, who said, 'Woe to +that city where a fish is worth more than an ox.'" + +A burst of laughter, and the loud call of "_Euge belle!_" drowned the +angry exclamation of the half-drunken Sicilian. + +The fish was carved, and was found delicious. + +"Now, slaves, away with the weak Massikian. A noble fish must swim in +noble liquid. Quick, Syphax, the wine which I have contributed to the +banquet will suit exactly. Go, and let the amphora, which the slaves +have set in snow outside, be brought in, and with it the cups of yellow +amber." + +"What rare thing have you brought--from what country?" asked +Kallistratos. + +"Ask this far-travelled Odysseus, from what hemisphere," said Piso. + +"You must guess. And whoever guesses right, or whoever has already +tasted this wine, shall have an amphora from me as large as this." + +Two slaves, crowned with ivy, dragged in the immense dark-coloured +vase; it was of brown-black porphyry and of a singular shape, inscribed +with hieroglyphics and well closed at the neck with plaster. + +"By the Styx! does it come from Tartarus? It is indeed a black fellow!" +said Marcus, laughing. + +"But it has a white soul--show, Syphax." + +The Nubian carefully knocked off the plaster with an ebony hammer which +Ganymede handed to him, took out the stopper of palm-rind with a bronze +hook, poured away the oil which swam at the top of the wine, and filled +the cups. A strong and intoxicating odour arose from the white and +sticky fluid. + +Every one drank with an air of examination. + +"A drink fit for the gods!" cried Balbus, setting down his cup. + +"But as strong as liquid fire," said Kallistratos. + +"I do not know it," said Lucius Licinius. + +"Nor I," affirmed Marcus Licinius. + +"And I am happy to make its acquaintance," said Piso, and held his +empty cup to Syphax. + +"Well," said the host, turning to an, until now, almost silent guest at +his right hand, "well, Furius, valiant sailor, discoverer and +adventurer! you who have sailed round the world, is _your_ wisdom also +at fault?" + +The guest slightly raised himself from the cushions. He was a +handsome athletic man of about thirty years of age, with a bronzed +weather-beaten complexion, coal-black, deep-set eyes, dazzling white +teeth, and a full beard, trimmed in Oriental fashion. But before he +could speak Kallistratos interposed: + +"By Jupiter Xenios! I believe you do not know each other!" + +Cethegus measured his unknown and attractive companion with a keen +look. + +"I know the Prefect of Rome," said the silent guest. + +"Well, Cethegus," said Kallistratos, "this is my Vulcanic friend, +Furius Ahalla, from Corsica, the richest ship-owner of the West; deep +as night and hot as fire. He possesses fifty houses, villas and palaces +on all the coasts of Europe, Asia, and Africa; twenty galleys; a few +thousand slaves and sailors, and----" + +"And a very talkative friend," concluded the Corsican. "Prefect, I am +sorry for you, but the amphora is mine. I know the wine." And he took a +Kibitz-egg and broke the shell with a silver spoon. + +"Hardly," said Cethegus with a sarcastic smile. + +"Nevertheless I do know it. It is Isis-wine. From Memphis." And the +Corsican quietly sipped the golden yolk of his egg. + +Cethegus looked at him in surprise. + +"Well guessed!" he then said. "Where have you tasted it?" + +"Necessarily in the same place as you. It flows only from one source," +said the Corsican, smiling. + +"Enough of your secrets! No riddles under the rose!" cried Piso. + +"Where have you two weasels found the same nest?" asked Kallistratos. + +"Indeed," said Cethegus, "you may as well know it. In Old Egypt, and +particularly in holy Memphis, there remain near the Christian settlers +and monks in the deserts, men, and especially women, who still cling to +their old faith; who will not forsake Apis and Osiris, and cherish +faithfully the sweet worship of Isis. They fly from the surface, where +the Church has victoriously planted the cross of the ascetics, to the +secret bosom of Mother Earth with their holy and beloved religious +ceremonies. They still keep, hidden below the pyramids of Cheops, a few +hundred amphoras of the strong wine which intoxicated the initiated at +the orgies of joy and love. The secret is kept from generation to +generation, there is always only one priestess who knows the cellar and +keeps the key. I kissed the priestess and she let me in. She was like a +wild cat, but her wine was good; and at parting she gave me five +amphoras to take on board my ship." + +"I did not get as far as that with Smerda," said the Corsican. "She let +me drink in the cellar, but at parting she only gave me this." And he +bared his brown throat. + +"A dagger-stab of jealousy!" laughed Cethegus. "Well, I am glad that +the daughter has not degenerated. In my time, that is, when the mother +let me drink, the little Smerda still ran about in baby-frocks. Long +live the Nile and sweet Isis!" And the two men drank to each other. But +yet they were vexed that they shared a secret which each believed he +had possessed alone. + +The others, however, were charmed by the amiable humour of the icy +Prefect, who chatted with them as youthfully as the youngest amongst +them, and who now, when the favourite theme of young men at the +wine-cup had been introduced--love adventures and stories of lovely +women--bubbled over with anecdotes of jests and tricks, of most of +which he had himself been witness. Every one stormed him with +questions. The Corsican alone remained dumb and cold. + +"Say," cried the host, and signed to the cup-bearer just as a burst of +mirth caused by one of these stories had ceased; "tell us, you man of +varied experience--Egyptian Isis-girls, Gallic Druidesses, black-haired +daughters of Syria, and my plastic sisters of Hellas--all these you +know and understand how to value; but tell us, have you ever loved a +Germanic woman?" + +"No," said Cethegus, "they were always too insipid for me." + +"Oho!" said Kallistratos; "that is saying too much. I tell you, I was +mad all the last calendars for a German girl; she was not at all +insipid." + +"What? you, Kallistratos of Corinth, the countryman of Aspasia and +Helena, you could burn for a barbarian woman? Oh, wicked Eros, +sense-confuser, man-shamer!" + +"Well, I acknowledge it was an error of the senses. I have never before +experienced such." + +"Relate, relate!" cried all the others. + + + + CHAPTER X. + +"With pleasure," said the host, smoothing his cushions; "although I +play no brilliant part in the story. Well, some time ago I was +returning home from the baths of Abaskanthus at about the eighth hour. +In the street I found a woman's litter, accompanied by four slaves, +who, I believe, were captive Gepidians. And exactly opposite the door +of my house stood two veiled women, their calanticas thrown over their +heads. One wore the garment of a slave, but the other was very richly +and tastefully dressed; and the little that could be seen of her figure +was divine. Such a graceful walk, such slender ankles, such an arched +instep! As I approached they entered the litter and were gone. But +I--you know that a sculptor's blood flows in the veins of every +Greek--I dreamt all night of the slender ankles and the light step. The +next day at noon, as I opened the door to go, as usual, to the +bibliographers in the Forum, I saw the same litter hurrying away. I +confess--though I am not usually vain--I thought that this time I had +made a conquest; I wished it so much. And I could no longer doubt it, +when, coming home again at the eighth hour, I saw my strange beauty, +this time unaccompanied, slip past me and hurry to her litter. I could +not follow the quick-footed slaves, so I entered my house, full of +happy thoughts. The ostiarius met me and said: + +"'Sir, a veiled female slave waits in the library.' + +"I hurried to the room with a beating heart. It was really the slave +whom I had seen yesterday. She threw back her mantle; a handsome +coquettish Moor or Carthaginian--I know the sort--looked at me with sly +eyes. + +"'I claim the reward of a messenger, Kallistratos,' she said; 'I bring +you good news.' + +"I took her hand and would have patted her cheek--for who desires to +win the mistress must kiss the slave--but she laughed and said: + +"'No, not Eros; Hermes sends me. My mistress'--I listened eagerly. 'My +mistress is--a passionate lover of art. She offers you three thousand +solidi for the bust of Ares which stands in the niche at the door of +your house.'" + +The young guests laughed loudly, Cethegus joining in their merriment. + +"Well, laugh away!" continued the host, smiling; "but I assure you I +did not laugh. My dreams were dashed to pieces, and I said, greatly +vexed, 'I do not sell my busts.' The slave offered five thousand, ten +thousand solidi. I turned my back upon her and opened the door. Then +the sly puss said, 'I know that Kallistratos is indignant because he +expected an adventure, and only found a money-affair. He is a Greek, +and loves beauty; he burns with curiosity to see my mistress.' This +was so true, that I could only smile. 'Well,' she said, 'you shall see +her, and then I will renew my last offer. Should you still refuse, at +least you will have had the advantage of satisfying your curiosity. +To-morrow, at the eighth hour, the litter will come again. Then be +ready with your Ares.' And she slipped away. I cannot deny that my +curiosity was aroused. Quite decided not to give up my Ares, and yet to +see this beauteous art-enthusiast, I waited impatiently for the +appointed hour. It came, and with it the litter. I stood watching at my +open door. The slave descended. 'Come,' she called to me, 'you shall +see her.' Trembling with excitement, I stepped forward, the curtain +fell, and I saw----" + +"Well?" cried Marcus, bending forward, his cup in his hand. + +"What I shall never again forget! a face, friends, of unimagined +beauty. Cypris and Artemis in one! I was dazzled. But I hurried back, +lifted the Ares from its niche, gave it to the Punic slave, refused her +money, and staggered into my house as confused as if I had seen a +wood-nymph." + +"Well, that is wonderful," laughed Massurius; "you are else no novice +in the works of Eros." + +"But," asked Cethegus, "how do you know that your charmer was a Goth?" + +"She had dark-red hair, and a milk-white skin, and black eyebrows." + +"Oh, ye gods!" thought Cethegus. But he was silent and waited. No one +present uttered the name. "They do not know her.--And when was this?" +he asked his host. + +"During the last calendars." + +"Quite right," thought Cethegus. "She came at that time from Tarentum +through Rome to Ravenna. She rested here for three days." + +"And so," said Piso, laughing, "you gave your Ares for a look at a +beautiful woman! A bad bargain! This time, Mercury and Venus were +allies. Poor Kallistratos!" + +"Oh," said Kallistratos, "the bust was not worth so very much. It was +modern work. Ion of Neapolis made it three years, ago. But I tell you, +I would give a Phidias for such a look." + +"An ideal head?" asked Cethegus indifferently, and lifted admiringly +the bronze mixing-vase which stood before him. + +"No; the model was a barbarian--some Gothic earl or other--Watichis or +Witichas--who can remember these hyperborean names," said Kalistratos, +as he peeled a peach. + +Cethegus reflectively sipped his wine from the cup of amber. + + + + CHAPTER XI. + +"Well, one might put up with the barbarian women," cried Marcus +Licinius, "but may Orcus devour their brothers!" and he tore the faded +rose-wreath from his head--the flowers could ill bear the close air of +the room--and replaced it by a fresh one. "Not only have they deprived +us of liberty--they even beat us upon the field of love, with the +daughters of Hesperia. Only lately, the beautiful Lavinia shut the door +upon my brother, and received the foxy-haired Aligern." + +"Barbaric taste!" observed Lucius, shrugging his shoulders, and taking +to his Isis-wine, as if to comfort himself. "You know the Goths too, +Furius; is it not an error of taste?" + +"I do not know your rival," answered the Corsican; "but there are +youths enough among the Goths who might well be dangerous to a woman. +And an adventure occurs to me, which I lately discovered, but of which, +certainly, the point is still wanting." + +"That does not matter; tell it to us," said Kallistratos, putting his +hands into the luke-warm water, which was now handed round in +Corinthian bronze vessels; "perhaps we can find the point." + +"The hero of my story," began Furius, "is the handsomest of all the +Goths." + +"Ah, the young Totila," interrupted Piso, and gave his cameo-decorated +cup to be filled with iced wine. + +"The same. I have known him for years, and like him exceedingly, as all +must who have ever looked into his sunny face; not to speak of the +fact"--and here the shadow of some grave remembrance flitted across the +Corsican's face, as he hesitated--"that I am under an obligation to +him." + +"It seems that you are in love with the fair-haired youth," said +Massurius sarcastically, and throwing to the slave he had brought with +him a kerchief full of Picentinian biscuits, to take home with him. + +"No; but he has been very friendly to me, as he is to every one with +whom he comes into contact; and very often he had the harbour-watch in +the Italian ports where I landed." + +"Yes, he has rendered great services to the Gothic navy," said Lucius +Licinius. + +"As well as to their cavalry," concurred Marcus. "The slender youth is +the best rider in his nation." + +"Well, I met him last in Neapolis. We were well-pleased to meet, but it +was in vain that I pressed him to share our merry suppers on board my +ship." + +"Oh, those suppers are both celebrated and ill-famed," observed Balbus; +"you have always the most fiery wines." + +"And the most fiery girls," added Massurius. + +"However that may be, Totila always pleaded business, and was not to be +persuaded. Imagine that! business after the eighth hour in Neapolis, +when the most industrious are lazy! Naturally, it was only an excuse. I +promised myself to find out his pranks, and, at evening, loitered near +his house in the Via Lata. And truly, the very first evening he came +out, looking carefully about him, and, to my surprise, in disguise. He +was dressed like a gardener, with a travelling-cap well drawn down over +his face, and a cloak folded closely about him. I dogged his footsteps. +He went straight through the town to the Porta Capuana. Close to the +gate stands a large tower, inhabited by the gate-keeper, an old +patriarchal Jew, whom King Theodoric, on account of his great fidelity, +entrusted with the office of warder. My Goth stood still before the +house, and gently clapped his hands. A little side-door, which I had +not remarked before, opened noiselessly, and Totila slipped in like an +eel." + +"Ho, ho!" interrupted Piso eagerly, "I know both the Jew and his child +Miriam--a splendid large-eyed girl! The most beautiful daughter of +Israel, the pearl of the East! Her lips are red as pomegranates, her +eyes are deep sea-blue, her cheeks have the rosy bloom of the peach." + +"Well done, Piso," said Cethegus, smiling; "your poem is very +beautiful." + +"No," he answered, "Miriam herself is living poetry." + +"The Jewess is proud," grumbled Massurius, "she scorned my gold with a +look as if no one had ever bought a woman before." + +"So the haughty Goth," said Lucius Licinius, "who walks with an air as +if he earned all heaven's stars upon his curly head, has condescended +to a Jewess." + +"So I thought, and I determined, at the next opportunity, to laugh at +the youth for his predilection for musk. But nothing of the sort! A few +days later, I was obliged to go to Capua. I started before daybreak to +avoid the heat. I drove out of the town through the Porta Capuana, just +as it was dawning, and as I rattled over the hard stones before the +Jews' tower, I thought with envy of Totila, and said to myself that he +was then lying in the embrace of two white arms. But at the second +milestone from the gate, walking towards the town, with two empty +flower-baskets hanging over his breast and back, dressed in a +gardener's costume, just as before, whom should I meet but Totila! +Therefore he was not lying in Miriam's arms; the Jewess was not his +sweetheart, but perhaps his confidante; and who knows where the flower +that this gardener cherishes blooms? The lucky fellow! Only consider +that on the Via Capuana stand all the villas and pleasure-houses of the +first families of Neapolis, and that in these gardens flourish and +bloom the loveliest of women." + +"By my genius!" cried Lucius Licinius, lifting his wreathed goblet, "in +that region live the most beautiful women of Italia--cursed be the +Goths!" + +"No," shouted Massurius, glowing with wine, "cursed be Kallistratos and +the Corsican! who offer us strange love-stories, as the stork offered +the fox food from narrow-necked flasks. Now, O mine host, let your +girls in, if you have ordered any. You need not excite our expectation +any further." + +"Yes, yes! the girls! the dancers! the players!" cried the young guests +all together. + +"Hold!" said the host. "When Aphrodite comes, she must tread upon +flowers. This glass I dedicate to thee, Flora!" + +He sprang up, and dashed a costly crystal cup against the tabled +ceiling, so that it broke with a loud ring. As soon as the glass struck +the ceiling, the whole of it opened like a trap-door, and a thick rain +of flowers of all kinds fell upon the heads of the astonished guests; +roses from Pæstum, violets from Thurii, myrtles from Tarentum; covering +with scented bunches the tesselated floor, the tables, the cushions, +and the heads of the drinkers. + +"Never," cried Cethegus, "did Venus descend more beautifully upon +Paphos!" + +Kallistratos clapped his hands. + +To the sound of lyre and flute the centre wall of the room, directly +opposite the triclinium, parted; four short-robed female dancers, +chosen for their beauty, in Persian costume, that is, dressed in +transparent rose-coloured gauze, sprang, clashing their cymbals, from +behind a bush of blooming oleander. + +Behind them came a large carriage in the form of a fan-shaped shell, +with golden wheels, pushed by eight young female slaves. Four girls, +playing on the flute, and dressed in Lydian garments--purple and white +with gold-embroidered mantles--walked before, and upon the seat of the +carriage rested, in a half-lying position, and covered with roses, +Aphrodite herself; a blooming girl of enchanting, voluptuous beauty, +whose almost only garment was an imitation of Aphrodite's girdle of the +Graces. + +"Ha, by Eros and Anteros!" cried Massurius, and sprang down from the +triclinium with an unsteady step amidst the group. + +"Let us draw lots for the girls," said Piso; "I have new dice made from +the bones of the gazelle. Let us inaugurate them." + +"Let our festal King decide," proposed Marcus. + +"No, freedom! freedom at least in love!" cried Massurius, and roughly +caught the goddess by the arm; "and music. Hey there! Music!" + +"Music!" ordered Kallistratos. + +But before the cymbal-players could begin, the entrance-doors were +hastily thrown open, and pushing the slaves who tried to stop him +aside, Scævola rushed in. He was deadly pale. + +"You here! I really find you here, Cethegus! at this moment!" he cried. + +"What's the matter?" asked the Prefect, quietly taking the wreath of +roses off his head. + +"What's the matter!" repeated Scævola. "The fatherland trembles between +Scylla and Charybdis! The Gothic Dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza----" + +"Well?" asked Lucius Licinius. + +"Are murdered!" + +"Triumph!" shouted the young Roman, and let loose the dancer whom he +held in his arms. + +"A fine triumph!" said the jurist angrily. "When the news reached +Ravenna, the mob accused the Queen; they stormed the palace--but +Amalaswintha had escaped." + +"Whither?" asked Cethegus, starting up. + +"Whither! Upon a Grecian ship--to Byzantium." + +Cethegus frowned and silently set down his cup. + +"But the worst is that the Goths mean to dethrone her, and choose a +King." + +"A King?" said Cethegus. "Well, I will call the Senate together. The +Romans, too, shall choose." + +"Whom? what shall we choose?" asked Scævola. + +But Cethegus was not obliged to answer. + +Before he could speak Lucius shouted: + +"A Dictator! Away, away to the Senate!" + +"To the Senate!" repeated Cethegus majestically. "Syphax, my mantle!" + +"Here, master, and the sword as well," whispered the Moor. "I always +bring it with me, in case of need." + +And host and guests, staggering, followed Cethegus, who, the only +completely sober man amongst them, was the first out of the house and +into the street. + + + + CHAPTER XII. + +In one of the small rooms of the Emperor's palace in Byzantium, a short +time after the Feast of the Floralia, a little man of insignificant +appearance was pacing to and fro, lost in anxious thought. + +The room was quiet and lonely. Although outside it was broad daylight, +the bay-window, which looked into the court of the extensive edifice, +was thickly hung with heavy curtains of gold-brocade. Equally costly +stuffs covered the mosaic floor, so that no noise accompanied the +footsteps of the solitary inmate. + +A softened light filled the room. Relieved against the golden +background of the walls, stood a row of small white busts of the +Christian Emperors since Constantine. Exactly over a writing divan, +hung a large cross of massive gold. Whenever the little man passed +this, he bent before it; for in the middle of the gold, and covered +with glass, a splinter of wood was enclosed, said to be a piece of the +true Cross. At last he stopped before a map, which, representing the +_orbis Romanus_, and traced upon a parchment with a purple border, +covered one of the walls. + +After a long and searching look, he sighed and covered his eyes with +his hands. They were not beautiful, nor was his face noble; but his +features were exceedingly suggestive both of good and evil. Mistrust, +cunning and vigilance lay in the restless glance of his deep-set eyes; +deep wrinkles, more the result of care than of age, furrowed his +projecting forehead and hollow cheeks. + +"Who can foresee the result?" he exclaimed, sighing again, and rubbing +his long and bony hands. "I am unceasingly impelled to do it. A spirit +has entered my bosom, and it warns me repeatedly. But is it an angel of +the Lord or a demon? Who can interpret my dream? Forgive, Thou Triune +God, forgive Thy most zealous servant! Thou hast cursed him who +interprets dreams. And yet Joseph interpreted the dreams of King +Pharaoh, and Jacob saw the heavens open; and their dreams were from +Thee. Shall I, dare I venture?" + +Again he walked to and fro; and who knows how long he would have +continued to do so, had not the purple curtains of the doorway been +gently drawn aside. A slave, glittering with gold, threw himself on the +ground before the little man, with his arms crossed on his breast. + +"Emperor, the patricians whom you summoned have arrived. + +"Patience!" said the Emperor to himself, and seated himself upon a +couch, of which the supports were made of gold and ivory. "Quick with +the shoes and the chlamys!" + +The slave drew a pair of sandals with thick soles and high heels upon +the Emperor's feet, which added some inches to his height, and threw +over his shoulders a rich mantle worked all over with stars of gold, +kissing each article as he touched it. After a repetition of the humble +prostration, which had lately been introduced at Byzantium in this +aggravated form of Oriental submission, the slave withdrew. + +Emperor Justinian placed himself opposite the entrance in the attitude +in which he was accustomed to give audience, resting his left arm upon +a broken porphyry column from the Temple of Jerusalem. + +The curtain at the entrance was again parted, and three men entered, +with the same salutation as the slave; and yet they were the first men +of the empire, as was shown by their characteristic heads and +intellectual features, still more than by their richly-decorated +garments. + +"We have summoned you," began the Emperor, without noticing their +humble greeting, "to hear your advice concerning Italy. You have had +all necessary information--the letters of the Queen-regent, and the +documents of the patriotic party. You have also had three days to +reflect. Speak first, Magister Militum." + +And he turned to the tallest of the three, a man of stately and heroic +figure, clad in a full suit of richly-gilded armour. His well-opened, +light-brown eyes were frank and confident; his large, straight nose and +full cheeks gave his face an expression of health and strength. There +was something Herculean about his broad chest and powerful thighs +and arms; but his mouth, in spite of the fierce beard, was mild and +good-humoured. + +"Sire," he said, in a full, deep-chested voice, "the advice of +Belisarius is always, 'Attack the enemy!' At your command, I lately +destroyed the Kingdom of the Vandals, in Africa, with fifteen thousand +men. Give me thirty thousand, and I will lay the Gothic crown at your +feet." + +"'Tis well," said the Emperor approvingly. "Your words have done me +good. What say you, Tribonianus, pearl of jurists?" + +The jurist was little shorter than Belisarius, but not so +broad-shouldered and stout-limbed. His high, grave forehead, quiet +eyes, and expressive mouth, bore witness to a powerful mind. + +"Emperor," said he firmly, "I warn you against this war. It is unjust." + +Justinian started up indignantly. + +"Unjust!--to recover that which belongs to the Roman Empire!" + +"Which _did_ belong. Your predecessor, Zeno, ceded the West to +Theodoric and his Goths when they had overthrown the usurper Odoacer." + +"Theodoric was to be the Viceregent of the Emperor, not the King of +Italy." + +"Admitted. But after he had become King--as he could not fail to do, +for a Theodoric could never be the servant of another--the Emperor +Anastasius, your uncle Justinus, and, later, you yourself, acknowledged +him and his kingdom." + +"That was under the pressure of necessity. Now that they are in need, +and I the stronger, I revoke that acknowledgment." + +"That is exactly what I call unjust." + +"You are blunt and disagreeable, Tribonianus, and a tough disputant. +You are excellently fitted to compile my pandects. I will never again +ask your advice in politics. What has justice to do with politics?" + +"Justice, Justinianus, is the best policy." + +"Bah! Alexander and Cæsar thought differently." + +"But, first, they never completed their work; and, secondly----" + +He stopped. + +"Well, secondly?" + +"Secondly, you are not Cæsar, nor are you Alexander." + +All were silent. After a pause, the Emperor said quietly: + +"You are very frank, Tribonianus." + +"Always, Justinianus." + +The Emperor quickly turned to the third of his advisers: + +"Well, what is your opinion, Narses?" + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + +Narses was a stunted little man, considerably shorter than Justinian, +for which reason the latter stooped, when speaking with him, much more +than was necessary. He was bald, his complexion a sickly yellow, his +right shoulder higher than his left, and he limped a little on the left +foot, supporting himself upon a stick with a golden crutch. But his +eagle eye was so commanding, that it annulled any disagreeable +impression made by his insignificant figure, and lent to his plain +countenance the consecration of intellectual greatness, while the +expression of painful resignation and cool superiority about his mouth +had even a singular charm. When addressed by the Emperor, Narses +quickly banished from his lips a cold smile, which had been excited by +the jurist's moral politics, and raised his head. + +"Emperor," he said, in a sharp, decided voice, "I would dissuade you +from this war--for the present." + +The Emperor bit his lips in vexation. + +"Also from reasons of justice?" he asked, almost sarcastically. + +"I said: for the present." + +"Why?" + +"Because what is necessary precedes what is pleasant. He who has to +defend his own house should not break into strange dwellings." + +"What does that mean?" + +"It means, that no danger threatens your empire from the West, from the +Goths. The enemy who can, and perhaps will, destroy it, comes from the +East." + +"The Persians!" cried Justinian contemptuously. + +"Since when," interposed Belisarius, "since when does Narses, my great +rival, fear the Persians?" + +"Narses fears no one," answered the latter, without looking at his +interrogator, "neither the Persians whom he has beaten, nor you whom +the Persians have beaten. But he knows the Orient. If not the Persians, +then it will be others who follow them. The tempest which threatens +Byzantium approaches from the Tigris, not from the Tiber." + +"Well, and what does that mean?" + +"It means, that it is a shameful thing for you, O Emperor, and for the +Roman name which we still bear, that you should, year by year, buy +peace from Chosroes, the Persian Khan, at the cost of many +hundredweights of gold." + +The Emperor's face flushed scarlet. + +"How can you put such a meaning upon gifts, subsidies?" + +"Gifts! If they are not forthcoming but a week after the day of +payment, Chosroes, the son of Cabades, burns your villages! Subsidies! +With them he pays Huns and Saracens, the most dangerous enemies of your +frontiers!" + +Justinian walked rapidly through the room. + +"What do you then advise?" he said at last, stopping short before +Narses. + +"Not to attack the Goths without necessity or reason, when we can +scarcely defend ourselves from the Persians. To put forth the whole +power of your empire in order to abolish this shameful tribute; to +prevent the depredations on your frontiers; to rebuild the burnt towns +of Antiochia, Dara, and Edessa; to win back the provinces which you +lost, in spite of the valiant sword of Belisarius; and to protect your +frontiers by a seven-fold girdle of fortresses from the Euphrates to +the Araxes. And when you have completed this necessary work--and I fear +much you cannot complete it--then you may follow where Fame leads." + +Justinianus slightly shook his head. + +"You are displeasing to me, Narses," he said bitterly. + +"I knew that long ago," Narses answered quietly. + +"And not indispensable," cried Belisarius proudly. "Do not listen, my +great Emperor, to this small doubter. Give me the thirty thousand, and +I wager my right hand that I will conquer Italy for you." + +"And I wager my head, which is more," said Narses, "that Belisarius +will conquer Italy neither with thirty, nor with sixty, nor with a +hundred thousand men.", + +"Well," asked Justinianus, "and who can do it, and with what forces?" + +"I," said Narses, "with eighty thousand." + +Belisarius grew red with anger; he was silent for want of words. + +"You have never yet, with all your self-esteem, Narses," said the +jurist, "vaunted yourself thus highly above your rival." + +"I do not now, Tribonianus. See, the difference is this: Belisarius is +a great hero, and I am not; but I am a great general, and Belisarius is +not, and none but a great general can conquer the Goths." + +Belisarius drew himself up to his full height, and angrily grasped his +sword. He looked as if he would have gladly crushed the cripple near +him. + +The Emperor defended him. "Belisarius no great general! Envy blinds +you, Narses." + +"I envy Belisarius nothing, not even," answered Narses, slightly +sighing, "his health. He would h& a great general if he were not so +great a hero. Every battle which he has lost, he has lost through too +great heroism." + +"That can not be said of you, Narses," retorted Belisarius. + +"No, Belisarius, for I have never yet lost a battle." + +An angry retort from Belisarius was cut short by the entrance of a +slave, who, lifting the curtain, announced: + +"Alexandros, sire, who was sent to Ravenna, has landed an hour ago, and +asks----" + +"Bring him in! Here!" cried the Emperor, hastily starting from his +seat. He impatiently signed to the ambassador, who entered at once, to +rise from his obeisance. + +"Well, Alexandros, you came back alone?" + +The ambassador--a handsome and still young man--repeated: "Alone." + +"But your last report said--In what condition have you left the Gothic +kingdom?" + +"In great confusion. I wrote in my last report that the Queen had +decided to rid herself of her three most haughty enemies. Should the +attempt fail, she would be no longer safe in Italy, and she begged to +be allowed, in that case, to go in my ship to Epidamnus, and from +thence to escape to Byzantium." + +"And I accepted the proposal readily. Well, and the attempt?" + +"Succeeded. The three dukes are no more. But the rumour had reached +Ravenna that the most dangerous of them, Duke Thulun, was only wounded. +This induced the Queen--as, besides, the Goths threateningly surrounded +the palace--to escape to my ship. We weighed anchor, but soon after we +had left the harbour, off Ariminum, Earl Witichis overtook us with +superior numbers, boarded us, and demanded that Amalaswintha should +return, guaranteeing her safety until a solemn examination had taken +place before the National Assembly. When she learnt from him that Duke +Thulun had succumbed to his wounds, and saw from the proposal of +Witichis that he and his powerful friends did not yet believe in her +guilt, and as, besides, she apprehended compulsion, she consented to +return with him to Ravenna. But first, on board the _Sophia_, she wrote +this letter to you, and sends you this present from her treasury." + +"Of that later. Tell me further, how do things, stand now in Italy?" + +"Well for you, O great Emperor! An exaggerated account of the rebellion +of the Goths at Ravenna and of the flight of the Queen to Byzantium, +has flown through the whole country. Already many encounters have taken +place between Romans and barbarians. In Rome itself the patriots wished +to strike a blow at once; to choose a Dictator in the Senate, and call +for your assistance. But this step would have been premature, for the +Queen was in the hands of the Goths, and only the firmness of the +clever man who heads the conspiracy of the Catacombs prevented it." + +"The Prefect of Rome?" asked Justinian. + +"Cethegus. He mistrusted the reports. The conspirators wished to +surprise the Goths, proclaim you Emperor of the West, and choose him, +meanwhile, for Dictator. But he literally allowed them to put the +dagger to his throat in the Curia, and said, No." + +"A courageous man!" said Belisarius. + +"A dangerous man!" said Narses. + +"An hour after," continued the ambassador, "news, arrived of +Amalaswintha's return, and things remained as they were. That gloomy +warrior, Teja, had sworn to render Rome a pasture for cattle, if a drop +of Gothic blood were shed. I learned all this on my intentionally slow +coast voyage to Brundusium. But I have something still better to +announce. I have found zealous friends of Byzantium, not only among the +Romans, but also among the Goths, and even in the members of the Royal +Family." + +"Whom mean you?" + +"In Tuscany there lives a rich proprietor, Prince Theodahad, the cousin +of Amalaswintha." + +"To be sure! he is the last male of the Amelung family, is he not?" + +"The last. He and, still more, Gothelindis, his clever but wicked +wife, the proud daughter of the Balthe, mortally hate the Queen. He, +because she opposed the measureless avarice with which he sought to +appropriate the property of all his neighbours; she, from reasons which +I could not discover, but which, I believe, originated during the +girlhood of the two Princesses; enough, her hate is deadly. Now, these +two have promised me to help you in every possible way to win Italy +back. She will be satisfied, it seems, with the destruction of the +object of her hatred; he, however, demands a rich reward." + +"He shall have it." + +"His support is important, for he already possesses half Tuscany--the +noble family of the Wölfungs owns the other half--and can easily bring +it into our power; and also because he expects, if Amalaswintha falls, +to seat himself upon her throne. Here are letters from him and +Gothelindis. But, first of all, read the writing from the Queen---- I +believe it is very important." + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + +The Emperor opened the tablets, and read: + +"To Justinian, Emperor of the Romans, Amalaswintha, Queen of the Goths +and the Italians." + +"Queen of the Italians!" laughed Justinian; "what an insane title!" + + +"From Alexandros you will learn how Eris and Ate haunt this land. I am +like a lonely palm-tree which is tossed by opposing winds. Each day +increases the barbarians' enmity to me, and daily I become more +estranged from them; and the Romans, however much I try to conciliate +them, can never forget that I am of Germanic origin. Till now I have +defied all danger with a firm spirit; but I can do so no longer, if my +palace and my person are not in security. I cannot rely upon any party +in this country. Therefore I appeal to you, as my royal brother. +It is the dignity of all rulers, and the peace of Italy, which +you will protect. Send me, I beseech you, a trustworthy troop, a +life-guard"--the Emperor cast a significant look at Belisarius--"a +troop of some thousand men, with a leader who will be unconditionally +devoted to me. They shall occupy the palace; it is a fortress in +itself. As to Rome, these troops must, above all things, keep from me +the Prefect Cethegus, who is as full of duplicity as he is powerful, +and who deserted me in the danger into which he himself had led me. If +necessary, they must ruin him. When I have overthrown my enemies, and +secured my kingdom, as I trust in Heaven and my own strength that I +shall, I will send back troops and leader richly laden with gifts, and +still more with warm thanks.--_Vale_." + + +Justinian clasped the wax-tablets tightly in his hand; his eyes shone; +his plain features were ennobled by an expression of high intellectual +power; and the present moment showed, that together with many +weaknesses and littlenesses, he possessed strength and greatness: the +greatness of diplomatic genius. + +"In this letter," he cried at last, with sparkling eyes, "I hold Italy +and the Gothic kingdom!" + +And, much agitated, he paced the room with long strides, even +forgetting to bow before the Cross. + +"A life-guard! that she shall have! But not a few thousand men; many +thousands--more than she will like; and you, Belisarias, shall lead +them." + +"Deign to look at the presents," said Alexandros, pointing to a costly +shrine of cypress-wood, inlaid with gold, which a slave had set down +behind him. "Here is the key." + +And he held out a little box of tortoise-shell, which was closed with +the Queen's seal. + +"Her picture is there too," he said, raising his voice as if by +accident. + +At the moment in which Alexandros raised his voice, the head of a woman +was protruded gently and unnoticed through the curtain, and two +sparkling black eyes looked keenly at the Emperor. + +Justinian opened the shrine, quickly pushed aside its costly contents, +and hastily caught up a simple tablet of polished box-wood, with a +small golden frame. + +A cry of astonishment involuntarily burst from his lips, his eyes +sparkled, and he showed the picture to Belisarius. + +"A splendid woman! What majesty on her brow! One sees that she is a +born ruler--a king's daughter!" and he gazed admiringly at the noble +features. + +The curtain rustled, and the listener entered. + +It was Theodora, the Empress. A seductive apparition. + +All the arts of woman's inventive genius in a time of refined luxury, +and all the means of an empire, were daily called into requisition, in +order to keep the beauty of this woman--who had impaired it only too +much by a life of unbridled sensuality--fresh and dazzling. Gold-dust +gave to her blue-black hair a metallic brilliancy; it was carefully +combed up from the nape of her neck, in order to show the beautiful +shape of her head, and its fine set upon her shoulders. Her eyebrows +and eye-lashes were dyed black with Arabian antimony; and so carefully +was the red of her lips put on, that even Justinian, who kissed those +lips, never suspected an aid to Nature by means of Ph[oe]nician +scarlet. Every tiny hair on her alabaster arm had been carefully +destroyed: and the delicate rose-colour of her finger-nails was the +daily care of a specially-appointed slave. + +And yet, without all these arts, Theodora, who was not yet forty years +of age, would have passed for an extremely lovely woman. Her +countenance was certainly not noble; no noble, or even proud spirit, +spoke from her fatigued and weirdly shining eyes; round her lips played +an habitual smile, the dimples of which indicated the place of the +first future wrinkle; and her cheeks, beneath the eyes, showed traces +of exhaustion. + +But as she now gracefully moved towards the Emperor, delicately holding +up the heavy folds of her dark-yellow silk robes with her left hand, +her whole appearance produced a bewitching charm, similar to the sweet +and soothing scent of Indian balsam which she shed around her. + +"What pleases my imperial lord so much? May I share his delight?" she +asked in a sweet and flattering voice. + +Those present prostrated themselves before the Empress, scarcely less +humbly than before the Emperor. + +Justinian started upon seeing her, as if he had been caught in some +culpable act, and tried to conceal the portrait in the folds of his +chlamys. But it was too late. The Empress had already fixed her quick +eyes upon it. + +"We are admiring," said the Emperor, "the--the fine chasing of the gold +frame." + +And, blushing, he gave her the portrait. + +"Well," said Theodora, smiling, "there is not much to admire in the +frame. But the picture is not bad. It is surely the Gothic Queen?" + +The ambassador bowed assent. + +"Not bad, as I said before; but barbaric, severe, unwomanly. How old +may she be, Alexandros?" + +"About forty-five." + +Justinian looked at the picture and then at the ambassador. + +"The picture was taken fifteen years ago," said Alexandros, as if in. +explanation. + +"No," said the Emperor, "you mistake; here stands the date, according +to the indiction[5] and the consul, and the date of her accession; it +is of this year." + +An awkward pause ensued. + +"Well," stammered Alexandros, "then the artists flatter like----" + +"Like courtiers," concluded the Emperor. + +But Theodora came to the ambassador's aid. + +"Why do we chatter about portraits and the age of strange women, when +we should think only of the empire? What news brings Alexandras? Are +you decided, Justinianus?" + +"Almost. I only wished to hear your opinion, and, I know, you are in +favour of war." + +Narses quietly interposed. "Wherefore, sire, did you not at once tell +us that the Empress was in favour of war? We could have spared our +words." + +"What! would you insinuate that I am the slave of my wife?" + +"Guard your tongue better," said Theodora angrily. "Many who seemed +invulnerable, have been stung by their own sharp tongues." + +"You are very imprudent, Narses," said Justinian. + +"Emperor," he answered, "I have long since ceased to be prudent. We +live in a time, in a realm, and at a court, where, for any word that we +speak or leave unspoken, we may fall into disgrace and be ruined. As +any word of mine may cause my death, I will at least die for words that +please me." + +The Emperor smiled. + +"You must confess, patrician, that I can bear a great deal of +plain-speaking." + +"You are by nature great, O Justinianus, and a magnanimous ruler; else +Narses would not serve you. But Omphale rendered even Hercules small." + +The eyes of the Empress shone with hatred. + +Justinianus became uneasy. + +"Go," he said, "I will consult with the Empress alone. To-morrow you +shall hear my decision." + + + + CHAPTER XV. + +No sooner were they gone, than Justinian went up to his wife, and +pressed a kiss upon her white forehead. + +"Forgive him," he said, "he means well." + +"I know it," she answered, returning the kiss. "It is for this reason, +and because he is indispensable as a foil to Belisarius, that he still +lives." + +"You are right, as always," cried Justinian, putting his arm round her, +and thus walking with her up and down the room. + +"What does he intend to do?" thought Theodora; "this tenderness +indicates a bad conscience." + +"You are right," he repeated, "God has denied me the spirit which +decides the fate of battles, and, in compensation, has given me these +two men of victory---_fortunately_ two of them. Their jealousy of each +other secures my dominion better than their fidelity. Either of these +generals alone would be a continual danger to the state, and on the day +that they become friends, my throne will shake. You continue to excite +their mutual dislike?" + +"It is easy to excite. There is as natural an antipathy between them as +between fire and water. And every spiteful remark of the eunuch I tell +with indignation to my friend Antonina, the wife and mistress of the +hero Belisarius." + +"And I repeat every rudeness of this hero to the irritable cripple. But +to our consultation. Since receiving the report of Alexandros, I am +almost decided upon the expedition to Italy." + +"Whom will you send?" + +"Belisarius, of course. He promises to accomplish with thirty thousand, +that which Narses will scarcely undertake with eighty thousand." + +"Do you think that so small a force will be sufficient?" + +"No. But the honour of Belisarius is engaged. He will exert his utmost +strength, and yet will not quite succeed." + +"That will be wholesome for him. For, since the war with the Vandals, +his pride has become insupportable." + +"But," continued the Emperor, "he will accomplish three-fourths of the +work. Then I will recall him, march myself with sixty thousand, taking +Narses with me, and easily finish the remaining fourth of the task. +Then I, too, shall be called a great general and a conqueror." + +"Finely thought out!" cried Theodora, with sincere admiration of his +subtlety: "your plan is ripe." + +"However," said Justinian, sighing and stopping in his walk, "Narses is +right; I must confess it. It would be better for my empire if I +defended it from the Persians, instead of attacking the Goths. It would +be wiser and safer policy. For, at some time or other, destruction will +come from the East." + +"Let it come! It may not be for centuries, when the only thing +remembered of Justinianus will be the fame of having reconquered Italy +as well as Africa. Is it your office to take thought for the future? +Those who come after you may care for their present; let yours be your +only care." + +"But if it should then be said: had Justinian defended his kingdom +instead of making conquests, it would now be better? If they say: +Justinian's victories have destroyed the empire?" + +"No one will speak thus. Mankind is dazzled by the glory of Fame. And +yet another thing--" and now the earnestness of deep conviction chased +the expression of cunning persuasiveness from the seductive features of +the Empress. + +"I suspect what you are about to say; but continue." + +"You are not only an Emperor, you are a man. Your salvation must be +dearer to you than even your kingdom. Many a bloody step was taken upon +the path, upon _our_ path--which led to the height to which we have +attained, to the glory of our empire. Many harsh deeds were necessary; +life and treasures, and many a dangerous foe were--enough! It is true +that, with part of these treasures, we are building a temple to the +glory of Christ, which alone will make our name immortal upon earth. +But for Heaven--who knows if that be sufficient! Let us"--and her eyes +glowed with fanatic fire--"let us destroy the unbelievers, and seek the +path to grace and pardon over the bodies of the enemies of Christ!" + +Justinian pressed her hand. + +"The Persians, too, are the enemies of Christ; they are even heathens." + +"Have you forgotten the teaching of the Prophet: 'heretics are seven +times worse than heathens?' The true faith has been revealed to them +and they have despised it. That is the sin against the Holy Ghost, +which will never be forgiven on earth or in heaven. But you are the +sword which shall destroy these God-forsaken Arians! They are the most +hated enemies of Christ; they know Him, and still deny that He is God. +Already you have overthrown the heretic Vandals in Africa, and +smothered error in blood and fire. Now Italy calls upon you; Rome, the +place where the blood of the prince of Apostles was shed, the holy +city, must no longer be subject to the heretics. Justinian, recall her +to the true faith!" + +She ceased. + +The Emperor looked up at the golden cross and sighed deeply. + +"You unveil the inmost depths of my heart. It is this feeling which, +mightier still than love of fame and victory, urges me to this war. But +am I capable, am I worthy of achieving such a holy work to the honour +of God? Will He consummate such a great deed by my sinful hand? I +doubt; I waver. Was the dream which came to me last night sent from +Heaven? What was its meaning? did it incite to the attempt or warn me +off? Well, your mother, Komito, the prophetess of Cyprus, had great +wisdom in interpreting dreams and warnings----" + +"And you know that the gift is inherited. Did I not foretell the result +of the war with the Vandals from your dreams?" + +"Then you shall also explain this last dream to me. You know that I +waver in my best plans, if an omen speaks against them. Listen then. +But"--and he cast an uneasy glance at his wife--"but remember that it +was but a _dream_, and no man can answer for his dreams." + +"Certainly; God sends them.--What shall I hear?" she added to herself. + +"Last night I fell asleep while meditating over the last reports about +Amala--about Italy. I dreamed that I was wandering in a landscape with +seven hills. Under a laurel-tree there reposed the most beautiful woman +I had ever seen. I stood before her and looked at her with delight. +Suddenly there rushed out of a thicket at my right hand a growling +bear, and, from the rocks to the left, a hissing snake, and darted at +the sleeping woman. She woke and called my name. I quickly caught her +up, and, pressing her to my bosom, fled. Looking back, I saw that the +bear crushed the snake, while the snake stung the bear to death." + +"Well, and the woman?" + +"The woman pressed a hasty kiss upon my forehead and suddenly vanished. +I awoke and stretched out my arms for her in vain. The woman," he +continued quickly, before Theodora had time to reflect, "is, of course, +Italy." + +"Certainly," said the Empress quietly, but her bosom heaved. "Your +dream is most happy. The bear and the snake are barbarians and +Italians, who strive for the city upon the seven hills. You tear it +from their grasp, and let them mutually destroy each other." + +"But she vanishes--she does not remain." + +"She remains. She kisses you and disappears in your arms. So will Italy +be swallowed up in your empire." + +"You are right!" said Justinian, springing up. "Thanks, my wise wife. +You are the light of my soul! I will venture. Belisarius shall march." +He was about to call the attendant, but suddenly stopped short. "One +thing more," and casting down his eyes he took Theodora's hand. + +"Ah!" thought Theodora, "now it is coming." + +"When we have destroyed the kingdom of the Goths, and have with the +Queen's help taken Ravenna--what--what shall be done with her, the +Princess?" + +"What shall be done with her?" repeated Theodora with well-feigned +composure. "That which was done with the King of the Vandals. She shall +come here, to Byzantium." + +Justinian breathed again. + +"It rejoices me that you have at once interpreted my thought," and he +kissed her slender white hand with real pleasure. + +"More than that," said Theodora. "She will enter into our plans all the +more willingly if she can look forward to an honourable reception here. +So I will myself write her a sisterly epistle inviting her to come. In +case of need she shall ever find an asylum in my heart." + +"You do not know," interrupted Justinian eagerly, "how much you will +assist our victory by so doing. The daughter of Theodoric must be +completely weaned from her people. She shall herself lead us to +Ravenna." + +"But if so, you cannot immediately send Belisarius with an army. It +would only awaken her suspicions and make her rebellious. She must +first be completely in our power and the barbarians must have begun an +internecine war, before the sword of Belisarius flies from its sheath." + +"But at least he must henceforth be in the vicinity." + +"Certainly, perhaps in Sicily. The disturbances in Africa afford the +best excuse for sending a fleet into those waters. And as soon as the +net is sunk Belisarius must draw it together." + +"But who shall sink it?" + +Theodora reflected for a few moments; then she said: + +"The most gifted man in the West; Cethegus Cæsarius, the Prefect of +Rome, the friend of my youth." + +"Quite right. But not he alone. He is a Roman, no subject of mine; and +I am not sure of him. Whom shall I send? Once again Alexandros?" + +"No," said Theodora, "he is too young for such a task. No." And she +became thoughtfully silent. "Justinian," she said at last, "you shall +see that I can sacrifice my personal dislikes for the sake of the +empire, when it is necessary to choose the right man. I propose my +enemy, Petros, the cousin of Narses, the fellow-student of the Prefect, +the sly rhetorician--send him!" + +"Theodora!" cried the Emperor, embracing her; "God himself has given +you to me! Cethegus--Petros--Belisarius. Barbarians! you are lost!" + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + +The morning following this conversation the beautiful Empress rose in +great good-humour from her swelling cushions, which were filled with +the delicate neck-feathers of the Pontian crane, and covered with pale +yellow silk. + +Before the bed stood a tripod holding a silver basin, representing +Oceanus; in it lay a massive golden ball. The Empress lifted the ball +and let it fall clanging into the basin. The clear tone roused the +Syrian slave who slept in the ante-room. She entered, and, approaching +the bed of the Empress with her arms crossed upon her bosom, drew back +the heavy violet-coloured curtains of Chinese silk. Then she took a +soft Iberian sponge, which, soaked in asses' milk, lay in a crystal +dish, and carefully wiped off the coating of oily paste with which the +neck and face of her mistress were covered during the night. + +Next she kneeled down before the bed, her face bent almost to the +earth, and stretched out her hand to the Empress, who, taking it, +slowly set her foot upon the neck of the kneeling girl, and sprang +elastically to the ground. + +The slave rose and threw over her mistress, who, clad only in an +under-tunic of the finest lawn, sat upon the palm-wood frame of the +bed--a fine dressing-mantle of rose-coloured stuff. Then she made a +profound obeisance, turned to the door, cried "Agave!" and disappeared. + +Agave, a young and beautiful Thessalian girl, entered the room. She +rolled a washstand of citrean-wood, covered with countless boxes and +bottles, close before her mistress, and began to rub her face, neck, +and hands with soft cloths dipped in different wines and essences. This +task completed, the Empress rose from the bedside and stepped on to a +couch covered with panther's skins. + +"The large bath towards mid-day," she said. + +Agave pushed an oval bath of terebinthus-wood, covered outside with +tortoise-shell and filled with deliciously-scented water, in front of +the divan, and lifted the little white feet of the Empress into it. +Afterwards she loosened the net of gold-thread which confined the +luxurious hair of her mistress during the night, letting the rich dark +coils fall over neck and shoulders, and departed in her turn, calling +"Galatea!" + +Galatea was an aged slave, the nurse, attendant, and, we regret to add, +the procuress of Theodora, when the latter was only the bespangled +daughter of Acacius the lion-keeper, and, while yet almost a child, the +already deeply-corrupted favourite of the great Circus. + +Galatea had faithfully shared all the humiliations and triumphs, the +vices and cunning of the adventuress's life until the latter had +attained to the imperial throne. + +"How hast thou slept, my dove?" asked Galatea, handing to Theodora in a +vessel of amber the aromatic essence which the town of Adana, in +Sicily, was forced to send in large quantities for the Empress's use as +a yearly tribute. + +"Well; I dreamt of him." + +"Of Alexandros?" + +"No, thou fool! of the handsome Anicius." + +"But Alexandros has been waiting for some time already; outside in the +secret niche." + +"He is impatient," said the Empress, smiling; "well then, let him in!" + +And she leaned back upon the long divan, drawing a cover of purple silk +over her; but the delicate ankles of her beautiful feet remained +visible. + +Galatea bolted the principal door, through which she had entered, and +crossed the room to the opposite corner, which was filled by a colossal +bronze statue of Justinian. She touched a spring, and the seemingly +immovable mass turned on one side, exposing a small opening in the +wall, which was completely hidden by the statue in its normal position. +A dark curtain was drawn before this opening. Galatea lifted the +curtain and Alexandros hurried in. He threw himself on his knees before +the Empress, caught her small hand and covered it with kisses. + +Theodora gently drew it away. + +"It is very imprudent, Alexandros," said she, leaning back her lovely +head, "to admit a lover to the toilet of his mistress. What says the +poet: 'All things serve beauty. Yet it is no pleasant sight to see that +in preparation which only pleases when complete.' But I promised, when +you left for Ravenna, to admit you to my toilet, and you richly deserve +your reward. You have ventured much for me. Fasten the braids tighter," +she cried to Galatea, who had now commenced the task, entrusted to her +alone, of dressing the splendid hair of her mistress. "You have risked +your life for me, Alexandros!" and she gave him two fingers of her +right hand. + +"Oh, Theodora!" cried the youth, "to gain but this one moment I would +die ten times over!" + +"But," she continued, "why did you not send me a copy of the barbarian +Queen's last letter to Justinian?" + +"It was not possible; there was no time. I could send no more +messengers from my ship. I barely succeeded, after landing, in sending +you word that her picture was among the presents. You came just at the +right moment!" + +"Yes; what would become of me if I did not pay Justinian's door-keepers +twice as well as he? But, most imprudent of ambassadors! how stupid you +were about the date!" + +"Oh, loveliest daughter of Cyprus! I had not seen you for months! I +could think of nothing but you and your wonderful beauty!" + +"Well, I suppose I must forgive you.--Galatea, bring me the black +fillet.--You are a better lover than a statesman, Alexandros. Therefore +I have kept you here. Yes, you were to have gone once more to Ravenna! +But I think I will send an older ambassador, and keep the young one for +myself. Shall I?" + +Alexandros, becoming bolder and more ardent, sprang up and pressed a +kiss upon her rosy lips. + +"Hold, traitor!" she scolded, and struck his cheek lightly with a fan +of flamingo-feathers. "Enough for to-day. To-morrow you may come again, +and tell me about the barbarian beauties. I must have the next hour for +another." + +"For another!" cried Alexandros, starting back. "So what they +whisper in the gymnasiums and baths of Byzantium is true! You ever +faithless----" + +"Theodora's friends must never be jealous," laughed the Empress. It was +no sweet laughter. "But this time you may be quite easy; you shall meet +him yourself. Go." + +Galatea took the reluctant lover by the shoulders, without ceremony, +and pushed him behind the statue and out of the secret door. + +Theodora now seated herself upright, and fastened the loose folds of +her long under-garment with her girdle. + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + +Galatea appeared again immediately, accompanied by a little +round-backed man, who looked much older than his forty-years justified. +His wise, but pinched features, piercing eyes, and cunning mouth, made +a disagreeable impression on all who observed him. + +Theodora returned his creeping salutation by a slight nod. Galatea +began to paint her eyebrows. + +"Empress," the new-comer began, "I wonder at your courage. If I were +seen here! A moment's rashness would render vain the prudence of nine +years!" + +"But you will not be seen, Petros," said Theodora quietly. "This is the +only hour in which I am secure from Justinian's importunate tenderness. +It is his hour of prayer. I must profit by it as much as I can. God +preserve his piety! Galatea, my wine. What! Surely, thou dost not fear +to leave me alone with this dangerous seducer?" + +The old woman left the room with a hateful grin upon her lips, and soon +returned with a jug of sweet heated Chian-wine in one hand, and a cup +of honey and water in the other. + +"I could not arrange our meeting in the church as usual, where, in the +dark confessional, you look exactly like a priest. The Emperor will +call you before church-time, and you must be thoroughly instructed +beforehand." + +"What is then to be done?" + +"Petros," answered Theodora, leaning comfortably back and sipping the +sweet mixture which Galatea now handed to her, "the day has come which +will reward all our years of patience, and make you a great man." + + + +"It is time, indeed!" observed Petros. + +"Do not be impatient, friend.--Galatea, a little more honey.--In order +to put you into the right humour for to-day's business, it will be well +to remind you of the past, of the manner in which our--friendship +originated." + +"What mean you? Wherefore----" + +"For many reasons. To begin. You were the cousin and adherent of my +deadly enemy, Narses. Consequently, you were my enemy too. For years +you acted against me in your cousin's service, hurting me but little, +and still less benefiting yourself. For Narses, your virtuous friend, +considers it a point of honour never to do anything for his relations; +so that, unlike other courtiers of the realm, he may never be accused +of nepotism. Out of pure friendship and virtue, he left you unpromoted. +You remained a simple writer and a poor man. But a clever man like you +knows how to help himself. You forged--you doubled the amount of the +Emperor's dues. Besides what was demanded by the Emperor, the provinces +paid another tax, which Petros and the tax-gatherers shared amongst +themselves. For a time all went on smoothly. But once----" + +"Empress, I beseech you!" + +"I shall soon have finished, friend. But once you had the misfortune to +have a new tax-gatherer, who valued the favour of the Empress more than +the share of booty which you promised him. He entered into your plans, +allowed you to forge the documents--and showed them to me!" + +"The wretch!" murmured Petros. + +"Yes, it was bad enough," said Theodora smiling, and setting down her +glass. "So I had the neck of my sly enemy, the confidant of the hated +eunuch, under my foot; and, I must confess, I had a great desire to +trample upon him. But I sacrificed a short revenge for a great and +enduring advantage. I called you to me, and told you to choose whether +you would die or serve me for life. You were kind enough to choose the +last, and, still the greatest enemies in the eyes of the world, we have +secretly worked together for years. No sooner has Narses formed a plan, +than you reveal it to me. I have rewarded you well. You are now a rich +man." + +"Not worth mentioning." + +"Oh, indeed, ungrateful man! My treasurer knows better. You are _very_ +rich." + +"Yes, but without dignity or rank. My fellow-students are patricians, +great men in the East and West; like Cethegus in Rome, and Procopius +here." + +"Patience! From this day you will quickly climb the ladder of ambition. +It was necessary to keep something in reserve. Listen; to-morrow you go +as ambassador to Ravenna." + +"As imperial ambassador!" cried Petros, rejoiced. + +"Through my influence. But that is not all. You will receive +circumstantial directions from Justinian to undermine the kingdom of +the Goths, and smooth the path of Belisarius in Italy." + +"Shall I obey these directions, or not?" + +"Obey them. But you will receive another order, which Justinian will +particularly recommend to your notice; that is, to save the daughter of +Theodoric from the hands of her enemies at any price, and bring her to +Byzantium. Here is a letter from me to her, which presses her to take +refuge in my arms." + +"'Tis well," said Petros, taking the letter. "I will bring her here +immediately." + +Theodora, like an angry snake, started up on her couch with such +impetuosity, that Petros and Galatea retreated in affright. + +"No, no, Petros! no!" she exclaimed. "For this reason I send you. She +must _not_ come to Byzantium! She must not live!" + +Confounded, Petros let the letter fall. + +"Oh, Empress!" he whispered; "murder?" + +"Peace!" cried Theodora, in a hoarse voice; and her eyes sparkled +cruelly. "She must die!" + +"Die? Oh, Empress! wherefore?" + +"There is no need for you to know that. But stay; I will tell you, for +it will give the spur to your courage. Listen." She seized his arm +wildly, and whispered in his ear, "Justinian, the traitor, has +conceived a passion for her!" + +"Theodora!" cried Petros, startled. + +The Empress fell back upon her couch. + +"But he has never seen her," stammered Petros. + +"He has seen her portrait. He already dreams of her. He has fallen in +love with her picture." + +"You have never yet had a rival." + +"No; nor ever will." + +"You are so beautiful." + +"Amalaswintha is younger." + +"You are so wise; you are Justinian's counsellor the confidant of his +most secret thoughts." + +"It is just this which annoys him. And"--she again caught his +arm--"remember, she is a King's daughter, a born ruler; and I--am the +plebeian daughter of a lion-keeper! Ridiculous and insane though it be, +Justinian, in his purple, forgets that he is the son of a shepherd from +the Dardanelles. He has imbibed the madness of Kings; he, himself an +adventurer, chatters about innate majesty, about the mystery of royal +blood! I have no protection against such whims. I fear nothing from all +the women in the world. But this King's daughter----" She angrily +started up, and clenched her small fist. "Beware, Justinian!" she +cried, pacing the room. "With this eye and hand I have subdued lions +and tigers; let us see if I cannot keep this fox in royal purple at my +feet." She re-seated herself. "In short, Amalaswintha dies," she said, +suddenly becoming quite cool again. + +"Yes," said Petros, "but not through me. You have bloodthirsty servants +enough; send them. I am a man who will talk----" + +"You are a man who will die if you do not obey! You, my supposed enemy, +must do it. None of my friends can venture it without arousing +suspicion." + +"Theodora," said Petros, forgetting himself, "take care! To murder the +daughter of Theodoric, a born Queen----" + +"Ha, ha!" said Theodora, in a rage, "you, too, miserable man, are +dazzled by the 'born Queen!' All men are fools, still more than +rascals! Listen, Petros--the day when the news of her death arrives +from Ravenna, you shall be a senator and a patrician." + +The man's eyes sparkled, but cowardice or conscience were still +stronger than ambition. + +"No," he said decidedly, "I would rather lose the court and all my +plans." + +"You will lose your life, wretch!" cried Theodora. "Oh, you think you +are safe, because I burnt the forged documents before your eyes! You +fool! they were false! Look here; here I hold your life in my hands!" + +She dragged a yellow parchment from a roll of documents, and showed it +to Petros, who, completely subdued, fell upon his knees at her feet. + +"Command me!" he stammered, "I obey." Just then a knocking was heard at +the principal door. + +"Away!" cried the Empress, "take my letter to the Queen from the +ground, and think over what I have said: patrician if she dies, torture +and death if she lives. Go!" + +Galatea pushed the bewildered man through the secret entrance, turned +the statue into its place again, and went to open the great door. + + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + +There entered a stately woman, taller and of coarser frame than the +small and delicate Empress; not so seductively beautiful, but younger +and more blooming, with a fresh complexion and natural manners. + +"Welcome, Antonina, sister of my heart! Come to my arms!" cried the +Empress to the new-comer, who humbly bent before her. + +Antonina obeyed in silence. + +"How hollow her eyes have become," she thought, as she rose from the +embrace. + +"How bony is the soldier's wife!" said the delicate Empress to herself, +and looked at her friend. + +"You are as blooming as Hebe!" she said aloud, "and how well the white +silk becomes your fresh complexion. Have you anything to tell me of--of +him?" she asked indifferently, and took from the wash-stand a +much-dreaded instrument, a sharp lancet with an ivory handle, with +which clumsy, or even only unfortunate, slaves were often pricked by +their angry mistress. + +"Not to-day," whispered Antonina, blushing. "I did not see him +yesterday." + +"I believe it!" said Theodora to herself, with a hidden smile. + +"Oh, how painfully I shall miss you soon!" she added aloud, stroking +Antonina's full round arm. "Perhaps Belisarius will sail next week, and +you, most faithful of all wives, will go with him. Which of your +friends will accompany you?" + +"Procopius," answered Antonina, "and--" she added, casting down her +eyes--"the two sons of Boëthius." + +"Ah, indeed," remarked the Empress, smiling, "I understand. In the +freedom of the camp you hope to please yourself with the handsome +youth, undisturbed; and while our hero, Belisarius, fights battles and +conquers cities----" + +"You guess rightly. But I have a request to make. You are fortunate. +Alexandros, your handsome friend, has returned; he remains near you, +and is his own master; but Anicius, you know, is still under the strict +guardianship of his elder brother, Severinus. Never would he--who +thinks of nothing but fighting for freedom and revenge--suffer this +tender friendship. He would repeatedly disturb our intimacy. Therefore +do me a favour: do not let Severinus follow us! When we are on board +with Anicius, keep the elder brother in Byzantium, either by cunning or +by force. You can do it easily--you are the Empress!" + +"That is not bad," laughed Theodora. "What stratagems! One can see that +you have learned from Belisarius." + +Antonina blushed violently. + +"Oh, do not name him! Do not mock me! You know best from whom I learnt +to do that for which I must blush." + +Theodora shot a fierce glance at her friend, who, without noticing it, +continued: "Heaven knows that Belisarius himself was not more faithful +than I, until I came to this court! It was you, Empress, who taught me +that these selfish men, occupied with affairs of state, war, and +ambition, neglect us when they have become our husbands, and no longer +value us when they possess us. You taught me that it is no sin to +accept the innocent homage, the flattering devotion which is denied to +us by our husbands, from friends who court us because they still hope. +God is my witness, that it is nothing but this sweet incense which +Belisarius denies me, and which my vain weak heart sorely needs, that I +expect from Anicius." + +"Fortunately for me, it will soon tire him out," said Theodora to +herself. + +"And yet," continued Antonina, "even this, I fear, is a sin against +Belisarius. Oh, how great, how noble he is! If only he were not too +great for this little heart." And she buried her face in her hands. + +"The pitiful creature!" thought the Empress, "too weak for vice, as for +virtue." + +At this moment Agave, the beautiful Thessalian slave, entered the room +with a large bunch of splendid roses. + +"From him," she whispered to her mistress. + +"From whom?" asked Theodora. + +But Antonina just then looked up, and Agave made a sign of warning. The +Empress, in order to occupy her, gave Antonina the roses. + +"If you please, put them into that marble vase." + +As Antonina turned her back upon them to obey, Agave whispered: "From +him whom you kept hidden here all day yesterday; from the handsome +Anicius," the pretty girl added, blushing. + +But she had scarcely uttered the imprudent words, than she gave a loud +cry, and held her left arm to her lips. + +The Empress struck her in the face with the still bloody lancet. + +"I will teach you to notice whether men are handsome or ugly," she +cried furiously. "You will keep to the spinning-room for four weeks. Go +at once! and do not show yourself again in my ante-rooms." + +The weeping girl left the room, hiding her face in her dress. + +"What has she done?" asked Antonina, coming forward. + +"She let the scent-bottle fall," answered Galatea quickly, and picked +one up from the floor. "Mistress, I have finished." + +"Then let the dressers in, and whoever else waits in the ante-room. +Will you, meanwhile, look at these verses, Antonina? They are the +newest poems of Arator, 'The Deeds of the Apostles,' and very edifying. +This particularly, 'The Stoning of St. Stephen.' But read, and judge +for yourself." + +Galatea opened wide the doors of the principal entrance. A whole troop +of slaves and freed-women streamed in. Some occupied themselves with +clearing away the articles of toilet hitherto used; others swung +censers with aromatic incense, or sprinkled balsam about the room from +narrow-necked flasks. But most of them were busy about the person of +the Empress, who now completed her toilet. + +Galatea took off the rose-coloured tunic. + +"Berenice," she cried, "bring the Milesian tunic, with the purple +stripe and gold tassels. To-day is Sunday ." + +While the experienced old woman was artfully fastening into the knot of +the Empress's hair a costly gold needle, its head formed of a gem, +engraved with a head of Venus, the Empress asked: "What news, from the +city, Delphine?" + +"You have won, mistress!" answered Delphine, kneeling down with the +gilded sandals; "your colours, the blue, have beaten the green; both +with the horses and the chariots!" + +"What a triumph!" cried Theodora joyfully. "A bet of two centenaria of +gold; it is mine! News? Whence? from Italy?" she cried to a slave who +just entered with letters. + +"Yes, mistress, from Florence; from the Gothic Princess, Gothelindis. I +know the Gorgon-seal; and from Silverius, the archdeacon." + +"Give me them," said Theodora, "I will take them with me to church. The +mirror, Elpis." + +A young slave came forward with an oval plate of brilliantly-polished +silver, in a gold frame, richly set with pearls, and standing on a +strong foot of ivory. + +Poor Elpis had a hard service. + +During the completion of the toilet she had to hold the heavy plate, +and, following every movement of her restless mistress, turn it, so +that the latter could always look at her own reflection, and woe to +Elpis if she were too late in turning! + +"What is there to buy, Zephyris?" the Empress asked a dark-skinned +Lybian freed-woman, who just then brought her a tame snake to caress, +which lay in a small basket upon soft moss. + +"Oh, nothing particular," answered the Lybian. "Come, Glauke," she +added, taking a snowy white chlamys, embroidered with gold, from a +clothes-press, and carefully spreading it out upon her arms, waited +until Glauke took it from her, and, at one throw, arranged it in +graceful folds upon the shoulders of the Empress, clasping it with the +white girdle, and fastening one end upon her pearly shoulder with a +golden brooch, which, formed in the shape of the dove of Venus, now +represented the sign of the Holy Ghost. + +Glauke, the daughter of an Athenian sculptor, had studied the folds of +the chlamys for years, and for this reason had been bought by the +Empress at a cost of many thousand solidi. The whole day long this was +her sole occupation. + +"Sweet-scented soap-balls," said Zephyris, "have just arrived from +Spain. A new Milesian fairy-tale has just come out. And the old +Egyptian is there again, with his Nile-water," she added in a low tone; +"he says it is unfailing. The Persian Queen, who was childless for +eight years----" + +Theodora turned away sighing; a shadow passed across her smooth face. + +"Send him away," she said; "this hope is past forever." And, for a +moment, it seemed as if she would have sunk into a melancholy reverie. + +But she roused herself, and, beckoning to Galatea, she went back to her +bed, took a crushed wreath of ivy which lay upon the pillow, and gave +it to the old woman, whispering: + +"For Anicius, send it to him. The jewels, Erigone!" + +Erigone, with the help of two other slaves, brought forward, with great +trouble, a heavy bronze casket, the lid of which, representing the +workshop of Vulcan in embossed figures, was closed with the seal of the +Empress. + +Erigone showed that the seal was intact, and then opened the lid. Many +a girl stood upon her tiptoes to catch a glance at the shining +treasures. + +"Will you wear the summer rings, mistress?" asked Erigone. + +"No," said Theodora, looking into the casket, "the time for those is +over. Give me the heavy ones, the emeralds." + +Erigone handed to her rings, earrings, and bracelet. + +"How beautifully," said Antonina, looking up from her pious verses, +"how beautifully the white of the pearls contrasts with the green of +the stones." + +"It was one of Cleopatra's treasures," said the Empress indifferently; +"the Jew swore to its pedigree." + +"But you linger long," said Antonina. "Justinian's litter was already +waiting as I came up." + +"Yes, mistress," said a young slave anxiously, "the slave at the +sundial has already announced the fourth hour. Hasten, mistress!" + +A prick with the lancet was the only answer. + +"Would you teach your Empress!" but she whispered to Antonina: "We must +not spoil the men; they must always wait for us, never we for them. My +ostrich fan, Thais. Go, Ione, tell the Cappadocian slaves to come to my +litter." And she turned to go. + +"Oh, Theodora!" cried Antonina quickly, "do not forget my request." + +"No," answered Theodora, suddenly standing still, "certainly not! And +that you may be quite sure, I will give the order into your own hands. +My wax-tablets and the stylus!" + +Galatea brought them in haste. + +Theodora wrote, and whispered to her friend: + +"The Prefect of the harbour is one of my old friends. He blindly obeys +me. Read what I write." + + +"To Aristarchus the Prefect, Theodora the Empress. + +"When Severinus, the son of Boëthius, is about to go on board the ship +of Belisarius, keep him back, if necessary, by force; and send him to +my rooms. He is appointed my chamberlain." + + +"Is that right, dear sister?" she whispered. + +"A thousand thanks!" said Antonina, with beaming eyes. + +"But," said the Empress suddenly, putting her hand to her neck, "have +we forgotten the principal thing? My amulet! the Mercury. Please, +Antonina; there it hangs." + +Antonina turned hastily to fetch the little golden Mercury, which hung, +by a silk cord, on the bed of the Empress. + +Meanwhile Theodora quickly crossed out the word "Severinus," and wrote +instead "Anicius." She closed the tablets, tied them, and fastened the +string with her seal. + +"Here is the amulet," said Antonina, returning. + +"And here is the order," said the Empress, smiling. "You can give it to +Aristarchus yourself at the moment of departure. Now," she cried, "let +us go. To the church!" + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + +In Neapolis, that Italian city over which the tempest then gathering at +Byzantium was soon to burst in its first violence, no presentiment of +the coming danger was felt. + +On the charming declivities of Posilippo, or on the shore to the +south-east of the city, there wandered, day by day, two handsome +youths, exchanging confidences with all the enthusiasm of youthful +friendship. They were the "Dioscuri," Julius and Totila. + +Oh, happy time! when the uncorrupted soul, breathing the fresh morning +air of life, as yet untired and undeceived, and drunk with the ecstasy +of ambitious dreams, is urged to impart to an equally young, equally +rich and equally enthusiastic nature its overflowing sentiments! + +The noblest resolves are strengthened, and imagination wings its way to +the very gates of heaven, in the happy certainty that he who listens +will understand. + +When the wreath upon our brows is faded, and the harvest of our life is +ripe, we may smile at these dreams of youth and youthful friendship; +but it is no smile of mockery; it is tinged with the melancholy with +which we think of the sweet, exhilarating airs of spring, while +inhaling the breath of decay in autumn. + +The young Goth and the young Roman had met at the age most favourable +to the formation of the bond of friendship. Totila's sunny soul had +preserved all the dewy bloom of youth; with smiling eyes he looked +forth into the smiling future. He loved his fellow-creatures, and won +all hearts by his amiability and the joyous frankness of his +disposition. He believed in the complete victory of good over evil. +Where meanness and wickedness met him in his path, he trod them into +the dust with the holy anger of an archangel; from the depths of his +gentle nature the latent heroic strength broke forth, and he did not +rest until the hated elements were destroyed. But the disturbance was +forgotten as soon as overcome, and life and the world again appeared to +him as harmonious as his own soul. He walked through the crowded +streets of Neapolis with a song upon his lips, the idol of the girls, +the pride of his brothers in arms. + +With such a nature Totila was the favourite of all who knew him, +receiving and imparting happiness. Even his quiet friend imbibed +somewhat of the charm of his temperament. + +Julius Montanus, of a sensitive and thoughtful disposition, of an +almost feminine nature, had been early left an orphan, and, awed by the +immense superiority of his guardian Cethegus, had grown up shy, lonely +and studious. More oppressed than elevated by the cheerless science of +his time, he was apt; to look upon life as earnest and almost sad. He +was inclined to subject all things to the severe test of superhuman +perfection, and his natural self-distrust might easily have darkened +into melancholy. + +At a happy moment Totila's friendship shone into the inmost depths of +his heart, and penetrated it with such a sunny warmth that his noble +nature was thereby enabled to rise with elasticity from a severe shock +which it received by means of this very friendship. + +Let us hear what he himself wrote about this circumstance to the +Prefect. + + +"To Cethegus the Prefect, Julius Montanus. + +"The cold-hearted reply to my enthusiastic report of my newly-formed +friendship to Totila, at first--surely contrary to your wish--hurt me +sorely, but later it was the means of enhancing the happiness of this +friendship in a manner, however, which you could neither foresee nor +wish. Sorrow caused by you was soon changed into sorrow for _you_. +Though at first I felt hurt because you treated my deepest feelings +as the mere enthusiasm of a sickly boy, and tried to assail my +profoundest convictions with bitter mockery--only _tried_, for they are +unassailable--this feeling was soon changed into one of compassion for +you. It is sad that a man like you, so rich in intellect, should be +so poor in heart. It is sad that you do not know the happiness of +self-denial, or of that unselfish love, which is called in the language +of a belief--more laughed at than credited by you, but to which each +day of pain draws me closer--_caritas_! Forgive the freedom of my +words. I know I have never yet addressed such to you, but I have only +lately become _what_ I am. Perhaps it was not wholly with injustice +that, in your last letter, you blamed the traces of childishness which +you found in me. I believe that they have disappeared since then, and I +speak to you now as a _man_. Your 'medicine' has certainly accelerated +my development, but not in your sense of the word and not according to +your wish. It has brought me pain, holy and refining; it has put my +friendship to a severe test, and, God be thanked, the fire has not +destroyed it, but hardened it for ever. Read on and you will wonder at +the manner in which Heaven has carried out your plans! Though pained at +your letter, I very soon, with my habitual obedience, sought your +friend, Valerius Procillus, the trader in purple. He had already left +the town for his charming villa. There I followed him, and found a man +of much experience, and a zealous friend of freedom and of his country. +His daughter Valeria is a jewel! You prophesied truly. My intention of +being extremely reserved melted at her sight like mist before the sun. +It seemed to me as if Electra or Cassandra, Cl[oe]lia or Virginia, +stood before me! But still more than by her great beauty, I was charmed +by the grace of her mind as it unfolded itself before me. Her father at +once invited me to remain as his guest, and under his roof I have spent +the happiest days of my life. Valeria lives in the poetry of the +ancients. How her melodious voice lent splendour to the choruses of +Æschylus, and melancholy to Antigone's lament! We read together for +hours, and when she rose from her chair in her enthusiasm, when her +dark hair waved freely over her shoulders and her eyes flashed with an +almost unearthly fire, she looked indeed wonderfully beautiful. Her +character gains an additional charm from a circumstance which may cause +her much future grief, and which runs through her life like a cruel +rent. You will guess what I mean, for you know the history of her +family. You know better than I how it happened that her mother +dedicated Valeria at her birth to a lonely virgin life, passed in works +of piety, but that her rich father, more worldly than heavenly-minded, +bought her release from this vow at the cost of a church and a +cloister. But Valeria believes that Heaven will not accept dead gold +for a living soul; she does not feel released from this vow, of which +she thinks not with love but with fear. For you were right when you +wrote that she is a true child of the ancient heathen world. Not only +that, but she is the true child of her father, yet still she cannot +altogether renounce the pious Christianity of her mother; it lives +within her, not as a blessing, but as an overpowering curse; as the +inevitable fetter of that fatal vow. This strange conflict of feeling +tortures her, but it ennobles her also. Who knows how the struggle will +be ended? Heaven alone which will decide her fate. This inward strife +attracts me. You know that Christian faith and atheistic philosophy +struggle for the victory in my soul. To my astonishment, faith has +increased during these days of sorrow, and it almost seems to me that +happiness leads to heathen wisdom, and pain and misfortune to Christ. +But you have still to learn the cause of my suffering. When I became at +first aware of my growing passion, I was full of joyful hope. Valerius, +perhaps already influenced by you, observed my attention to Valeria +with no dislike; perhaps the only thing he disapproved in me was, that +I did not sufficiently share in his dreams of a renewed Roman Republic, +or his in hatred of the Byzantines; in whom he sees the deadly enemies, +not only of his family, but of Italy. Valeria, too, soon bestowed her +friendship upon me, and who knows if at that time this friendship and +her reverence to her father's wishes would not have sufficed to induce +her to accept my love. But I thank--shall I say God or Fate?--that this +did not happen. To sacrifice Valeria to a married life of indifference +would have been a sacrilege. I do not know what strange feeling +prevented me from speaking the word, which, at that time, would have +made her mine. I loved her deeply; but each time that I was about to +take courage and sue to her father for her hand, a feeling crept over +me as if I were trespassing on another's property; as if I were not +worthy of her, or not intended for her; and I was silent and controlled +my beating heart. One day, at the sixth hour--it was sultry and the sun +scorched both land and sea--I went to seek coolness and shade in the +grotto of the garden. I entered through the oleander-bushes. There +Valeria reposed upon a soft, mossy bank, one hand resting upon her +gently-heaving bosom, the other placed beneath her head, which was +still crowned with a wreath of asphodels worn during the evening meal. +I stood before her trembling; she had never looked so lovely. I bent +over her, lost in admiration; my heart beat quickly. I bent still +lower, and would have kissed her delicate rosy mouth, but all at once a +thought oppressed me: what you are about to do is a robbery! Totila! my +whole soul cried within me, and as gently as I had come I left her. +Totila! why had I never thought of him before? I reproached myself for +having almost forgotten the brother of my heart in my new happiness. +The next day I returned to Neapolis to fetch him. I praised the beauty +of the maiden, but I could not prevail on myself to tell him of my +love. I preferred that he should come and find it out for himself. On +our arrival at the villa we did not find Valeria in the house. So I led +Totila into the garden--Valeria is passionately fond of flowers--and as +we issued from an avenue, she appeared before us in all her dazzling +beauty. She was standing before a statue of her father and crowning it +with freshly-plucked roses, which she held heaped up in a fold of her +tunic. + +"It was a surprisingly beautiful picture--this lovely girl, framed in +the dark green of the taxus-bushes, her right hand uplifted to the +white marble statue, the other pressing the corner of her robe to her +bosom--and the effect upon Totila was overpowering. With a cry of +astonishment, he remained rooted to the ground before her. She looked +up and started. The roses fell from her dress to the ground; she did +not notice it. Their eyes had met, and her cheeks were covered with +blushes. At a glance I saw that her and my fate was decided. They loved +each other at first sight! This certainly pierced my soul like a +burning arrow. But only for a moment did I feel this unmixed pain. The +next, as I looked at the two, I felt unselfishly glad that they had +found each other; for it seemed as if the Power which creates the souls +and bodies of mortals, had formed them of one material for each other. +They belonged to each other, like morning sunshine and morning flowers. +Now I knew what mysterious feeling had kept me apart from Valeria, and +caused me to pronounce his name. By the wisdom of God, or in the course +of the stars, it had been decided that Valeria should be Totila's, and +that I should not step in between them. + +"Permit me to leave the rest untold; for my nature is still so selfish, +the holy precept of self-denial has still so little power over me, +that--I am ashamed to confess it--my heart often fails me, instead of +beating with happiness at the good fortune of my friends. As two flames +mingle inseparably together, so their hearts were united. They love +each other, and are as happy as the immortal gods. To me remains the +joy of witnessing their bliss, and helping them to conceal it from the +eyes of their father, who will scarcely give his child to the barbarian +as long as he sees in Totila _only_ the barbarian. But I keep my love +and its sacrificial death a secret from my friend; he does not guess, +nor shall he ever learn, that which would only disturb his happiness. +You see now, Cethegus, how far from your aim a god has turned your +plan. You would have given to me this jewel of Italy, and instead it is +laid at Totila's feet. You would have destroyed my friendship, and +have, instead, freed it, in the furnace of self-immolation, from all +earthly dross, and made it immortal. You would have made me a man +through the joy of love, and I have become a man through love's pain. +Farewell, and revere the guidance of Heaven!" + + + + CHAPTER XX. + +We will not attempt to describe the effect of this letter upon the +Prefect, but will rather accompany the two friends upon one of their +evening walks on the charming shores of the Gulf of Neapolis. + +After an early c[oe]na, they wandered through the city, and out of the +Porta Nolana, which was still decorated with some half-ruined reliefs, +illustrating the victories of one of the Roman Emperors over the +barbarians. + +Totila stood still and admired the beautiful sculpture. + +"Who can be that Emperor," he asked his friend, "on the car of victory, +with the winged lightning in his hand, like a Jupiter Tonans?" + +"That is Marcus Aurelius," said Julius, and would have walked on. + +"Oh, stay a while! And who are those four prisoners in chains, with the +long waving hair, who drag the car?" + +"They are Germanic Kings." + +"But of what family?" asked Totila. "Look there, an +inscription--'_Gothi extincti!_'--the Goths annihilated!" and, laughing +loudly, the young Goth struck the marble column with the palm of his +hand, and walked quickly through the gate. "A lie in marble!" he cried, +looking back. "That Emperor never thought that one day a Gothic Count +in Neapolis would give his boast the lie!" + +"Yes, nations are like the changing leaves upon the tree," said Julius +thoughtfully. "Who will govern this land after you?" + +Totila stood still. + +"AFTER US?" he asked in astonishment. + +"What! You do not think that your Goths will endure for ever amongst +the nations?" + +"I don't know that," said Totila, walking on. + +"My friend, Babylonians and Persians, Greeks and Macedonians, and, as +it seems, we Romans also, had their appointed time. They flourished, +ripened, and decayed. Will it be otherwise with the Goths?" + +"I do not know," answered Totila uneasily. "I never thought about it. +It has never occurred to me that a time might come when my nation----" +He hesitated, as if it were a sin even to express the thought. "How +can one imagine such a thing? I think as little about it as I do +about--death!" + +"That is like you, my Totila." + +"And it is like you, Julius, to tease yourself and others with such +dreams." + +"Dreams! You forget that for me and for my nation it has already become +a reality. You forget that I am a Roman. I cannot deceive myself like +most men; it is all over with us. The sceptre has gone from us to you. +It was not without much painful thought that I learned to forget that +you, my bosom friend, are a barbarian, the enemy of my country." + +"But it is not so, by the light of the sun!" interrupted Totila +eagerly. "Do I find this harsh thought in you too? Look around you! +When, tell me, when has Italy ever flourished more than under our +protection? Scarcely in the time of Augustus! You teach us science and +art; we give you peace and protection. Can one imagine a finer +correlation? Harmony amongst Romans and Goths may create an entirely +new era, more splendid than has ever existed." + +"Harmony! But it does not exist. You are to us a strange people, +divided from us by speech and faith, by race and customs, and by +centuries of hatred. Once we robbed you of your freedom; now you have +robbed us of ours. Between us yawns a wide abyss." + +"You reject my favourite idea." + +"It is a dream!" + +"No, it is truth. I feel it, and perhaps the time will come when I can +prove it. I would build all the fabric of my life upon it." + +"Then were it built upon a noble delusion. No bridge between Romans and +barbarians!" + +"Then," said Totila, with some heat, "I do not understand how you can +live--how you could take me----" + +"Do not complete your sentence," said Julius gravely. "It was not easy; +it was most painful self-denial. Only after a sharp struggle with +selfish feelings did I succeed. But at last I have ceased to live only +in my nation. The faith which already unites Romans and barbarians as +nothing else could; which more and more powerfully conquered my +repugnant reason by grief and pain--pain which turned to joy--brought +peace to me in the conflict of my soul. In this one thing I may already +boast that I am a Christian; I live for mankind, not alone for my +nation. I am a man, and no longer a mere Roman. Therefore I can love +you, the barbarian, like a brother. Are we not brothers of one +family--that of humanity? Therefore I can bear to live, even after +seeing my nation die. I live for humanity; that is my people." + +"No!" cried Totila vehemently; "that I could never do. I can, and will, +live only for my nation. My nationality is the air in which alone my +soul can breathe. Why should we not endure eternally, or as long as +this earth endures? Persians and Greeks? We are of better stuff! Need +we fall because they have decayed? We are still in the strength of our +youth. Ah, no! If the day should ever come when the Goths fall, may I +not live to see it! Oh, ye gods! let us not linger like these sickly +Greeks, who cannot live and cannot die. No; if it must be, send a +fearful tempest, and let us perish suddenly and gloriously all, all! +and I the foremost!" + +He had excited himself to the warmest enthusiasm. He sprang up from the +marble bench upon which they had been seated, and shook his lance in +the air. + +"My friend," said Julius, looking at him kindly, "how well this ardour +becomes you! But reflect; such a conflict could only be kindled against +_us_, against my nation, and should I----" + +"If ever such a strife arose, you should cling to your nation, body and +soul, that is clear. You think that would interfere with our +friendship? Not in the least. Two heroes can cleave each other to the +marrow, and yet remain the best friends. Ha! I should rejoice to meet +you in battle, with spear and shield." + +Julius smiled: "My friendship is not of so grim a nature, my savage +Goth! These doubts have tormented me for some time, and all my +philosophers together could give me no peace. Only since I learned, in +my sorrow, that I owe service to God in heaven alone, and must, on +earth, live for humanity, and not for a nation----" + +"Softly, friend," cried Totila, "where is this humanity of which you +rave? I do not see it. I see only Goths, Romans, and Byzantines! I know +of no humanity somewhere up in the sky, above the existing peoples. I +serve humanity by serving my nation! I cannot do otherwise. I can not +strip off the skin in which I was born. I speak like a Goth, in Gothic +words, not in a language of general humanity: there is no such thing. +And as I speak like a Goth, so I feel like a Goth. I can appreciate +strange nations certainly; I can admire your art, your science, and, in +part, your state, in which everything is so strictly ordered. We can +learn much from you; but I could not and would not exchange, even with +a people of angels. Ah! my brave Goths! At the bottom of my heart their +faults are dearer to me than your virtues!" + +"How differently I feel, and yet I am a Roman." + +"You are no Roman! Forgive me, friend, it is long since a Roman +existed, else I could never be the Count of the Harbour of Neapolis. No +one can feel as you do, whose nation yet exists; and all must feel as I +do, who belong to a living people." + +Julius was silent for a short time. "If it be indeed so, then happy I! +If I have lost the earth, I have gained heaven! What are nations, what +are states, what is the earth? Not here below is the home of my +immortal soul, which longs for a kingdom where all is divine and +eternal!" + +"Stop, Julius," said Totila, standing still, and striking his lance +upon the ground. "Here upon earth have I a firm footing; here let me +stand and live, doing good, and enjoying what is beautiful. I will not +follow you into your heaven. I cannot. I honour your dreams and your +longing for holiness; but I do not share your feelings. You know," he +added, smiling, "that I am an inveterate heathen, like Valeria--my +Valeria! I remember her at the right moment. Your earth-forsaking +dreams make us forget the dearest things upon that earth! Look, we have +reached the city again; the sun sinks rapidly here in the south, and +before nightfall I must take some seeds to the garden of Valerius. A +fine gardener," he laughed, "to forget his flowers. Farewell. I turn to +the right." + +"Farewell. Greet Valeria for me. I shall go home and read." + +"What are you reading now? still Plato?" + +"No, Augustinus. Farewell!" + + + + CHAPTER XXI. + +Totila, avoiding the more thickly populated parts of the inner town, +hurried through the suburbs towards the Porta Capuana and the tower of +Isaac, the Jewish gate-keeper. + +This tower stood on the right of the gate, and had strong walls and a +massive arched roof. It was divided into different stories, each being +smaller than the one below it. In the top story, close to the +battlements, were two low but roomy chambers, intended for the dwelling +of the gate-keeper. + +There lived the old Jew, with Miriam, his beautiful daughter. + +In the largest of these two rooms--where, against the walls, hung +a row of heavy keys belonging to the principal and side doors of +this important gate, a curved signal-horn, and the spear of the +gate-keeper--sat Isaac, the aged warder, a tall, bony figure, with the +hooked nose and arched and bushy eyebrows of his nation. He sat upon a +reed mat, with his legs crossed, a long staff laid upon his knees, +listening attentively to the words of a young, ill-favoured-looking +man, evidently an Israelite, whose hard, sober features were expressive +of all the cunning of his race. + +"Look here, father Isaac," he was saying, in a thin, unpleasant voice, +"my words are no vain words, and do not come only from the heart, which +is blind, but from the mind, which is sharp to discern. I have brought +letter and document for every word that I speak. Here is my appointment +as architect of all the aqueducts in Italy; fifty gold solidi yearly, +and ten more for every new undertaking. I have just reconstructed the +half-ruined aqueduct for this city of Neapolis; in this purse are the +ten solidi, money down. Thou seest I can keep a wife, and besides, I am +thy cousin Rachel's son, so do not let me speak in vain, but give me +Miriam, thy child, to wife, so that she may set my house in order." + +But the old man stroked his long grey beard, and shook his head slowly. + +"Jochem, son of Rachel, I say to thee, leave it alone, leave it alone." + +"Why, what hast thou against me? Who in Israel can speak against +Jochem?" + +"No one. Thou art just and peaceful and industrious, and increasest thy +substance, and thy work flourisheth before the Lord. But hast thou ever +seen the nightingale mated with the sparrow, or the slender gazelle +with the beast of burden? They do not suit each other; and now, look +there, and tell me thyself if thou art fitted for Miriam?" + +He softly pushed aside the curtain which shut off the outer chamber. At +a large bow-window which commanded a view of the splendid city, the +blue sea, and the distant mountains, stood a young girl, holding a +strangely-shaped stringed instrument in her arms. The room was filled +with the glowing light of the setting sun, which bathed the white +garments and the noble features of the girl with a rosy lustre. It +played upon her shining black hair, which, stroked back behind the +small ears, exposed the delicate temples; and, like this sunshine, a +poetical harmony seemed to envelop her whole figure, accompanying her +every movement, and every dreamy look of her dark blue eyes, which, +filled with gentle thoughts, gazed out over sea and city. Piso, the +poet, had called these eyes "dark sea-blue." + +As if in a half dream, her fingers touched the strings of her +instrument softly, while from her half-open lips there breathed an old +and melancholy song: + + "By the waters of Babylon + We sat down and wept. + When comes the day when Israel + Shall cease to weep?" + +"Shall cease to weep?" she repeated dreamily, and leaned her head upon +her arm, which, enclosing the harp, she rested upon the window-sill. + +"Look there!" said the old man in a low voice, "is she not as lovely as +the rose of Sharon, or the hind upon the mountain, without spot or +fleck?" + +Before Jochem could answer, there sounded from below three knocks upon +the small iron door. Miriam started from her reverie, and hurried down +the narrow winding staircase. Jochem went to the window, and his face +grew dark and frowning. + +"Ha! the Christian! the cursed Christian!" he growled, and clenched his +fist. "That fair Goth again, with his insufferable pride! Father Isaac, +is that the stag that suits thee for thy hind?" + +"Son, speak no mocking word against Isaac! Thou knowest that the youth +has set his heart upon a Roman girl; he thinks not of the Pearl of +Judah!" + +"But perhaps the Pearl of Judah thinks of him!" + +"With joy and gratitude, as the lamb thinks of the strong shepherd who +has saved it from the jaws of the wolf. Hast thou forgotten, that, when +last these cursed Romans hunted for the treasures and gold-heaps of +Israel, and burnt down the synagogue with unholy fire, a band of these +wicked men chased my poor child through the streets, like a pack of +wolves after a white lamb, and tore the veil from her face, and the +kerchief from her shoulders? Where was Jochem then, my cousin's son, +who had accompanied her? He had fled from danger with swift feet, and +had left the dove in the claws of the vulture!" + +"I am a man of peace," said Jochem uneasily; "my hand holds not the +sword of force." + +"But Totila held it, brave as the Lion of Judah; and the Lord was with +him. Alone he sprang amid the group of impudent robbers, struck the +boldest with his sharp sword, and drove away the others as a falcon +frighten crows. He covered my trembling child carefully with her veil, +and supporting her tottering footsteps, led her home, unhurt, to the +arms of her old father. May Jehovah the Lord bless him for this deed +with long life and happiness!" + +"Well," said Jochem, taking up his papers, "then I will go: this time +for a long while. I must travel over the great waters to transact an +important business." + +"An important business? With whom?" + +"With Justinianus, the Emperor of the East. A portion of the great +church, which he is building to the glory of God, in the golden town of +Constantine, has fallen in. I have made a plan for the restoration of +the building." + +The old man sprang up hastily, and struck his stick upon the ground. + +"What, Jochem, son of Rachel! wilt thou serve the Romans? Wilt thou +serve the Emperor, whose forefathers destroyed the holy city of Zion, +and reduced the Temple of the Lord to ashes? Wilt thou build a house +for the erring faith, thou, the son of the pious Manasseh? Woe, woe to +thee!" + +"Why callest thou 'woe,' and knowest not wherefore? Canst thou smell +whether a gold piece comes from the hand of a Jew or from that of a +Christian? Does it not weigh as heavily and shine as brightly?" + +"Son of Manasseh, thou canst not serve God and Mammon." + +"But thou thyself art a servant of the unbelievers! Do I not see the +warder's keys on the walls of thy chamber? Dost thou not keep them for +these Goths, and openest the doors for their outgoing and incoming, and +guardest the castle of their strength?" + +"Yes, I do so," said the old man proudly; "and I will watch for them +faithfully, day and night, like a dog for its master; and as long as +Isaac lives, no enemy of their nation shall enter these gates. For the +children of Israel owe fervent thanks to them and to their great King, +who was as wise as Solomon and as mighty as Gideon! We owe them such +thanks as our forefathers owed to Cyrus, who freed them from the +Babylonian captivity. The Romans destroyed the Temple of the Lord, and +scattered His people over the face of the earth. They have mocked and +beaten us, and burnt our holy places, and plundered our towns, and +defiled our houses, and forced our wives, all over this land, and have +made many a cruel law against us. But there came this great King from +the North, whose seed may Jehovah bless! and he rebuilt our synagogues, +and where the Romans had destroyed them, they were obliged to rebuild +them with their own hands and their own money. He protected our homes, +and whoever injured an Israelite was punished as if he had offended a +Christian. He left us our God and our belief, and protected our +commerce, and we celebrated the Paschal in such joy and peace as we had +never known since the time when the Temple still stood upon Zion. And +when a Roman noble had taken my Sarah from me by force, King Theodoric +ordered that his proud head should be struck off that very day, and +gave me back my wife unhurt. This I will remember as long as my days +endure, and I will serve the nation faithfully till death, and once +again it shall be said far and wide: as faithful and true as a Jew!" + +"Mayst thou not reap ingratitude where thou sowest gratitude," said +Jochem, preparing to go; "it seems to me that the time will come, when +I shall again sue for Miriam--for the last time. Perhaps, father Isaac, +thou wilt then be less proud." And he went through Miriam's chamber and +down the steps, where he met Totila. + +With an ungracious bow and a piercing look, the little man pressed +past the slender Goth, who was obliged to stoop, as he entered the +warder's dwelling. + +Miriam followed Totila immediately. + +"There hangs your gardener's dress," said she in a melodious voice, +without raising her long lashes, "and here in the window I have placed +the flowers ready. You said lately that she loved the white narcissus. +I have taken care to procure some. They smell so sweet!" + +"You are a good little maiden, Miriam," said Totila, taking off his +helmet with the silver-white swan's wings, and setting it upon the +table. "Where is your father?" + +"The blessing of the Lord rest upon thy golden locks," said the old +man, as he entered the room. + +"Good even, faithful Isaac!" cried Totila, taking off the long white +mantle which hung from his shoulders, and enveloping himself in a brown +cloak, which Miriam took down from the wall. "You good people! without +you and your faithful silence, all Neapolis would know of my secret. +How can I thank you!" + +"Thank?" said Miriam, fixing her beaming eyes upon him, "you have +thanked us beforehand to all eternity!" + +"No, Miriam," said Totila, pulling a broad-brimmed brown felt hat low +down upon his forehead, "that was nothing. Tell me, father Isaac, who +is that little man who just went away, and whom I have often met here? +It seems to me that he has cast his eyes upon Miriam. Speak frankly. If +a dowry is wanting--I would gladly be of use." + +"Love is wanting--on her side," said Isaac quietly, + +"Then I can certainly do no good! But if her heart has chosen +elsewhere--I should like to do something for my Miriam!" and he laid +his hand gently upon the maiden's shining hair. + +The touch was but slight, but as if a flash of lightning had startled +her, Miriam fell suddenly upon her knees. Her head sank upon her bosom, +and, crossing her arms, she slipped down at Totila's feet like a flower +heavy with dew. + +Totila drew back a step in surprise. But the next moment the girl had +risen. + +"Forgive, it was only a rose--it fell at your feet," She placed the +flower upon the table, and seemed so composed, that neither her father +nor Totila thought further of the occurrence. "It is growing dark +already; make haste, sir!" she said quietly, and gave him a basket +containing flowers and plants. + +"I go. Valeria is very thankful for all your kindness. I have told her +a great deal about you, and she has long wished to see you. Well, +perhaps we can soon manage it--to-day is, probably, the last time that +I shall need this disguise." + +"Do you mean to carry off the daughter of Edom?" cried the old man. +"Bring her here! here she will be well hidden!" + +"No," interposed Miriam, "not here! no, no!" + +"Why not, thou strange child?" asked her father in a tone of annoyance. + +"This is no place for a bride--this chamber--it would bring her no +blessing." + +"Be not uneasy," said Totila, as he went to the door, "I shall soon +put an end to secrecy by sueing for her hand openly. Farewell!" He +hastened out. + +Isaac took the spear, the horn, and several keys from the wall, and +followed in order to open the gate for Totila, and make the round of +all the doors of the great tower. + +Miriam remained alone. + +For a long time she stood with closed eyes motionless on the same spot. + +At last she passed both hands over her forehead and cheeks, and looked +about her. + +The room was very quiet; through the open window stole the first beam +of moonlight. It fell silvery upon Totila's white mantle, which hung in +long folds over a chair. Miriam ran and covered the hem of the mantle +with burning kisses. She took the glittering helmet, which stood near +her upon the table, and pressed it tenderly to her heart with both +arms. Then holding it a little way from her, she gazed upon it dreamily +for a few moments, and, at last--she could not resist--she lifted it up +and placed it upon her lovely head. She started as the heavy bronze +touched her forehead, and then, stroking back her dark braids, she +pressed the cold hard steel firmly upon her brow. She then took it off, +and set it, looking shyly round, in its former place, and going to +the window she looked out into the magic moonlight and the scented +night-air. Her lips moved as if in prayer, but the words of the prayer +were the same old song: + + "By the waters of Babylon + We sat down and wept. + O daughter of Zion, when comes the day + Which stills thy heavy pain?" + + + + CHAPTER XXII. + +While Miriam was gazing silently at the first pale stars, Totila's +impatience soon brought him to the villa of the rich trader, which lay +at about an hour's distance from the Porta Capuana. + +The slave who kept the gate told him to go to the old Hortularius, +Valeria's freedman, who had the care of the garden. This freedman had +been admitted to the lovers' confidence, and now took the plants from +the supposed gardener's boy, and led him into his sleeping-room, the +low windows of which opened into the garden. The next day before +sunrise--so taught the mysteries of ancient horticulture--the flowers +must be planted, so that the first sunlight which shone upon them in +the new soil should be that of the fresh morning. The young Goth waited +impatiently in the narrow chamber for the hour at which Valeria would +be able to leave her father after their evening meal. + +He drew aside the curtain which covered the window and again and again +looked up at the sky, measuring the flight of time by the rising of the +stars and the progress of the moon. The large garden before him lay +bathed in its peaceful light. + +In the distance, the plashing of a fountain could be heard, and the +cicadas chirped in the myrtles. The warm south wind blew sultry through +the night, at times bearing clouds of sweet odour upon its wings; and, +from the blooming grove at the end of the garden, the clear song of the +nightingale filled the air with melody. + +At last Totila could wait no longer. He swung himself noiselessly over +the marble sill of the window; the white sand of the narrow path +scarcely grated beneath his rapid footsteps, as, avoiding the stream of +moonlight, he hurried along under the shrubbery. + +On past the dark taxus-trees and the thick olive-groves; past the tall +statue of Flora, whose white marble shone ghostly in the moonlight; +past the large basin, where six marble dolphins spouted water high into +the air; into the thick shrubbery of laurels and tamarinds, and, +pressing through the oleanders, he stood before the stalactite grotto, +in which a marble nymph of the spring leaned upon a large dark urn. As +he entered, a white figure glided from behind the statue. + +"Valeria, my lovely rose!" cried Totila, ardently embracing her. + +"Leave me, leave me, my beloved!" she said, withdrawing from his arms. + +"No, sweet one! I will not leave you. How long, how painfully, I have +missed you! Do you hear how sweetly and invitingly the nightingale +calls? Inhale the warm air of the summer night and the intoxicating +scent of the roses. All breathes joy and love! Oh, let us hold fast +these golden hours! My soul cannot contain all its bliss! All thy +beauty; all our youth; and this glowing, blooming summer night. Life +rolls in mighty waves through my heart, and bursts it with delight!" + +"Oh, Totila, I would gladly lose myself, like you, in the happiness of +these hours! But I cannot. The intoxicating perfume, the luxurious +warmth of these summer nights are but transient; they breed misfortune. +I cannot believe in the happiness of our love!" + +"Thou dear fool, why not?" + +"I know not. The unhappy doubt which troubles all my life spreads its +curse even over our love. How gladly would I love and trust like you! +But a warning voice in my heart ever repeats: 'It will not last--thou +shalt not be happy!'" + +"Then, even in my arms, you are not happy?" + +"Yes, and no! The feeling of concealment from my noble father oppresses +me. See, Totila, what makes me love you most is not your youthful +beauty and strength, nor even your great love for me. It is my pride in +your character, in your frank, unclouded and noble character. I have +accustomed myself to see you walk through this dark world bright and +strong as the God of Light. The noble courage, sure of victory; the +enthusiasm and truth of your being, are my pride. That when you +approach, all that is mean, little, and unholy must vanish from before +you, is my delight. I love you as a mortal loves the Sun-god who +approaches him in the fulness of his glory, and therefore I can endure +nothing secret about you. Not even the delight of these hours--it is +enjoyed by stealth, and that must no longer be----" + +"No, Valeria, and shall not! I feel exactly the same. I hate the lie +of this disguise; I can bear it no longer! To-morrow I will throw it +off and speak openly and freely to your father." + +"This decision is the best, for----" + +"For it saves your life, young man!" suddenly cried a deep voice, and +from the dark background of the grotto a man came forth, in the act of +sheathing his sword. + +"My father!" cried Valeria, startled, but with courageous composure. +Totila put one arm round her. + +"Away, Valeria! leave the barbarian!" cried Valerius, stretching out +his hand commandingly. + +"No, Valerius," cried Totila, pressing Valeria close to his breast; +"henceforward her place is on my bosom!" + +"Audacious Goth!" + +"Hear me, Valerius, and be not angry with us for this deceit. You +yourself heard that it was to end tomorrow." + +"Fortunately for you, I did. Warned by an old friend, I could still +scarcely believe that my daughter--would deceive me. When I was +compelled to believe my eyes, I was resolved that your life should pay +for her fault. Your words saved you. But now go; you will never again +see her face." + +Totila would have retorted angrily, but Valeria was beforehand. + +"Father," she said quietly, stepping between the two men, "listen to +your child. I will not excuse my love, it needs no apology. It is as +innocent and heavenly as are the stars. My love is the life of my life. +You know me; truth is the air I breathe. By my soul! I will never leave +this man!" + +"Nor I her!" cried Totila, and took her right-hand. + +The young couple stood erect before the old man in the bright +moonlight, their noble features filled with sacred enthusiasm. They +looked so beautiful that a softened feeling took possession of the +angry father. + +"Valeria, my child!" + +"Oh, my father! you have led all my childish steps with such untiring +love that till now I have scarcely missed, though I have deeply +regretted, my lost mother. At this moment I miss her for the first +time; for now I feel that I need her advocacy. At least let her memory +plead for me. Let me bring her picture before you, and remind you of +the time when, dying, she called you for the last time to her bedside, +and, as you have often told me, confided to you my happiness as a holy +legacy." + +Valerius pressed his right hand to his forehead; his daughter ventured +to take the other; he did not repulse her. Evidently a struggle was +going on in his mind. At last he spoke. + +"Valeria, without knowing it, you have pleaded strongly. It would be +unjust to withhold from you a fact upon which you have mysteriously +touched. Your mother's vow, which, however, we had long since annulled, +still oppressed her soul. 'If our child,' she said, 'is not to be the +bride of Heaven, at least swear to me to honour the freedom of her +choice. I know how Roman girls, particularly in our rank of life, are +given in marriage unasked, without love. Such an union is misery on +earth and a sin before God. My Valeria will choose nobly; swear to me +to give her to the husband of her choice, and to no other!'--and I +Swore it. But to give my child to a barbarian, to an enemy of Italy! +no, no!" And he broke from her grasp. + +"Perhaps I am not so barbarous, Valerius, as you think," began Totila. +"At least I am the warmest friend of the Romans in all my nation. +Believe me, I do not hate you; those whom I abhor are your worst +enemies as well as ours--the Byzantines!" + +It was a happy speech, for in the heart of the old republican the +hatred of Byzantium was the reverse side to his love of freedom and +Italy. He was silent, but his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the youth. + +"My father," said Valeria, "your child could love no barbarian. Learn +to know Totila; and if you still call him a barbarian--I will never +become his. I ask nothing of you but this: learn to know him. Decide +for yourself whether my choice be noble. He is beloved by all the +Goths, and all men are friendly to him--surely you alone will not +reject him?" + +Again she took her father's hand. + +"Oh, learn to know me, Valerius!" begged Totila earnestly, taking his +other hand. + +The old man sighed. At length he said: "Come with me to your mother's +grave, Valeria; there it is amongst the cypresses; there stands the urn +containing her heart. Let us think of her--the noblest woman who ever +lived--and appeal to her shade. And if your love prove to be true and +well placed, then I will perform what I have promised." + + + + CHAPTER XXIII. + +A few weeks later, we find Cethegus in the well-known room containing +the statue of Cæsar, together with our new acquaintance, Petros, the +ambassador of the Emperor Justinian, or rather of the Empress. + +The two men had shared a simple meal and had emptied a flask of old +Massikian together, exchanging reminiscences of past times--they had +been fellow-students, as we already know--and had just left the +dinner-room for the study of Cethegus, in order, undisturbed by the +attendants, to talk over more confidential affairs. + +"As soon as I had convinced myself," said Cethegus, concluding his +account of late events, "that the alarming reports from Ravenna were +only rumours--perhaps inventions, and, at all events, exaggerated--I +opposed the utmost coolness to the excitement and zeal of my friends. +Lucius Lucinius, with his fiery temper and foolish enthusiasm, almost +spoilt everything. He repeatedly demanded that I should accept the +office of Dictator, and literally put his sword to my breast, shouting +that I should be compelled to serve the fatherland. He let out so many +secrets, that it was fortunate the dark Corsican--who seems to stick to +the Goths, no one knows why--took him to be more drunk than he really +was. At last news came that Amalaswintha had returned, and so people +and Senate gradually became more calm." + +"And you," said Petros, "have saved Rome for the second time from the +revenge of the barbarians--a service which can never be forgotten, and +for which all the world, but most of all the Queen, must thank you." + +"The Queen--poor woman!" answered Cethegus, shrugging his shoulders. +"Who knows how long the Goths, or your imperial master at Byzantium, +will leave her upon her throne?" + +"What! You mistake entirely!" interrupted Petros eagerly. "My embassy +was intended, above all other things, to support her government; and I +was just upon the point of asking your advice," he added cunningly, "as +to how this can best be done." + +But the Prefect leaned back his head against the marble wall, and +looked with a smile at the ambassador. + +"Oh, Petros! oh, Peter!" he said. "Why so secret? I thought we knew +each other better." + +"What do you mean?" asked the Byzantine, embarrassed. + +"I mean that we have not studied law and history together at Berytus +and Athens in vain. I mean that at that time we already, while working +together and exchanging our wise thoughts, came to the conclusion that +the Emperor must drive out these barbarians, and rule again in Rome as +he does in Byzantium. And as I think now just as I did then, you also +will surely not have become a different man." + +"I must subject my views to those of my master; and Justinian----" + +"Naturally burns to rule in Italy." + +"But certainly," said Petros, much embarrassed, "cases might occur----" + +"Peter," said Cethegus, now rising indignantly, "use no phrases and no +lies with me; they do no good. See, Petros, this is your old fault; you +are ever too cunning to be wise. You think that you must always lie, +and are never courageous enough to be truthful. How can you pretend to +me that the Emperor does not mean to have Italy again? Whether he will +uphold or overthrow the Queen depends upon whether he thinks he will +reach his goal more easily with or without her. What his opinion is I +am not to know. But, in spite of all your cunning, the next time we +meet I will tell you to your face what he intends to do." + +A wicked and bitter smile played upon the ambassador's thin lips. + +"Still as proud as ever you were in the schools of logic at Athens," he +said spitefully. + +"Yes; and at Athens, you know, I was always the first, Procopius the +second, and you came third." + +Syphax just then entered the room. + +"A veiled woman, sir," he said, "awaits you in the Hall of Jupiter." + +Glad that the conversation was thus interrupted, for he did not feel +capable of arguing with the Prefect, Petros said, with a grin: + +"I wish you joy of such an interruption." + +"Yes, for your own sake," answered Cethegus, smiling; and left the +room. + +"You shall one day repent your sarcasm, haughty man!" thought the +Byzantine. + +In the hall--which received the name of Jupiter from a beautiful +statue, sculptured by Glycon of Athens--Cethegus found a woman, clad +richly in the Gothic costume. On his entrance, she threw back the cowl +of her brown mantle. + +"Princess Gothelindis!" cried the Prefect in surprise. "What leads you +to me?" + +"Revenge!" she answered, in a hoarse voice, and advanced towards him. + +Her features were sharp, but not plain; she would even have been called +beautiful, but that her left eye was utterly destroyed, and the whole +of her left cheek disfigured by a long scar. The wound seemed to bleed +afresh as her cheeks flushed while pronouncing the angry word. Such +deadly hatred shone from her grey eye, that Cethegus involuntarily +retreated. + +"Revenge?" he asked. "On whom?" + +"On--of that later. Forgive that I disturb you," she added, composing +herself. "Your friend Petros of Byzantium is with you, is he not?" + +"Yes; but how do you know?" + +"Oh! I saw him enter your door before supper," she answered, with +assumed indifference. + +"That is not true," said Cethegus to himself; "for he was brought in by +the garden-gate. So they have made an appointment here, and I was not +to know it. What can they want with me?" + +"I will not keep you long," continued Gothelindis. "I have only one +question to ask of you. Answer briefly, 'yes' or 'no.' I have the power +to ruin that woman--the daughter of Theodoric--and I have the will. Are +you for me in this, or against me?" + +"Oh! friend Petros," thought the Prefect. "Now I already know what you +intend to do with Amalaswintha. But we will see how far you have +gone.--Gothelindis," he said aloud, "I readily believe that you wish to +ruin the Gothic Queen; but I doubt if you can do so." + +"Listen to me, and then decide whether I can or no. The woman has +caused the three dukes to be murdered." + +Cethegus shrugged his shoulders. "Many people think that." + +"But I can prove it." + +"You don't say so?" exclaimed Cethegus incredulously. + +"Duke Thulun, as you know, did not die immediately. He was attacked on +the Æmilian Way, near my villa at Tannetum. My husbandmen found him and +brought him into my house. You know that he was my cousin--I belong to +the Balthe family. He died in my arms." + +"Well, and what said the sick man in his fever?" + +"Fever! Nothing of the sort! As Duke Thulun fell, he wounded his +murderer, who was not able to fly far. My husbandmen sought for him, +and found him dying in the nearest wood. He confessed everything to +me." + +Cethegus imperceptibly compressed his lips. + +"Well? What was he? What did he say?" + +"He was an Isaurian mercenary," said Gothelindis sharply, "an +overlooker of the works on the ramparts at Rome, and he said, +'Cethegus, the Prefect, sent me to the Queen, and the Queen sent me to +Duke Thulun!'" + +"Who heard his confession besides you?" asked Cethegus. + +"No one. And no one shall know of this, if you stand by me. But if not, +then----" + +"Gothelindis," interrupted the Prefect, "no threats! They are of no +use. You must comprehend that they can only aggravate, but not control +me. In case of need, I would allow it to come to an open accusation. +You are known as the bitter enemy of Amalaswintha, and your evidence +alone--you were imprudent enough to confess that no one else heard the +declaration of the dying man--would ruin neither her nor me. You cannot +force me to act against the Queen; at the most, you could persuade me, +if you can show that it would be to my advantage. And to do this, I +myself will propose an ally to you. You certainly know Petros, my +friend?" + +"Very well; long since." + +"Permit me to fetch him to this conference." + +He returned to his study. + +"Petros, my visitor is the Princess Gothelindis, the wife of Theodahad. +She wishes to speak to both of us. Do you know her?" + +"I? oh no. I have never seen her," answered Petros quickly. + +"'Tis well; follow me." + +As soon as they entered the hall, Gothelindis cried out: + +"Welcome, old friend! What a surprising meeting!" + +Petros was dumb. Cethegus, his hands clasped behind his back, enjoyed +the confusion of the Byzantine. + +"Do you see, Petros? always too cunning, always unnecessary subtleties! +But come, do not be so cast down by the discovery of a trick. So you +two have combined together for the Queen's ruin. You wish to persuade +me to help you. But before doing so, I must know your intentions +exactly. Whom will you place upon Amalaswintha's throne? For the way is +not yet open for Justinian." + +Both were silent for some moments. His clear perception of the +situation surprised them. At last Gothelindis spoke: + +"Theodahad, my husband, the last of the Amelungs." + +"Theodahad, the last of the Amelungs," Cethegus repeated slowly. + +Meanwhile, he considered all the advantages and disadvantages of this +plan. He reflected that Theodahad, unloved by the Goths, and raised to +the throne by Petros, would soon be entirely in the power of the +Byzantines, and that the catastrophe would be brought about in a +different manner and earlier than he intended. He reflected that he +must at all events keep the armies of the East Romans at a distance for +the longest possible time, and he decided to keep up the present state +of things and support Amalaswintha, because thus he would gain time for +his preparations. All this he had thought over, weighed, and decided +upon, in a few moments. + +"And how will you commence proceedings?" he asked gravely. + +"We shall desire the Queen to abdicate in favour of my husband, +threatening, in case of refusal, to accuse her of murder." + +"And if she runs the risk?" + +"We will carry out our threat," said Petros, "and raise a storm amongst +the Goths, which will----" + +"Cost her her life!" cried Gothelindis. + +"Perhaps cost her her throne," said Cethegus, "but hardly give it to +Theodahad. No, if the Goths are allowed to _choose_ a king, he will not +bear the name of 'Theodahad.'" + +"That is too true," said Gothelindis angrily. + +"Then there might easily come a king who would be much less welcome to +us all than Amalaswintha. And therefore I tell you openly, I am not on +your side; I will uphold the Queen." + +"Then there is war between us," cried Gothelindis grimly, and turned +towards the door. "Come, Petros." + +"Softly, friends," said the Byzantine. "Perhaps Cethegus will change +his mind when he has read this paper," and he gave the Prefect the +letter which Alexandros had brought from Amalaswintha to Justinian. + +Cethegus read; his features darkened. + +"Well," said Petros sarcastically, "will you still support the Queen, +who has vowed your ruin? Where would you be if she carried out her +plan, and your friends did not watch over you?" + +Cethegus scarcely listened to him. + +"Pitiful fellow," he thought, "as if it were that! as if the Queen were +not quite right! as if I could blame her for it! But the imprudent +woman has already done what I only feared from Theodahad. She has +ruined herself, and frustrated all my plans; she has already called the +Byzantines into the country, and now they will come, whether she will +or no. As long as Amalaswintha reigns, Justinian will play the part of +her protector." And now he turned, in seeming consternation, to the +ambassador, and, giving him the letter back, asked: "And if she carries +out her intention, when could your troops land?" + +"Belisarius is already on the way to Sicily," said Petros, proud of +having abashed the Prefect; "in a week he can anchor before Portus." + +"Unheard of!" cried Cethegus, this time in real dismay. + +"You see," said Gothelindis, who had meanwhile read the letter, "those +whom you would uphold wish to ruin you. Be beforehand with them." + +"In the name of my Emperor," said Petros, "I summon you to help me to +destroy this kingdom of the Goths, and to restore to Italy her freedom. +You and your talent are valued as they ought to be at the Emperor's +court, and, after the victory, Justinian promises you--the dignity of a +senator at Byzantium." + +"Is it possible?" cried Cethegus. "But not even this highest; of +honours drives me with such eagerness into your plans as my indignation +against the ungrateful Queen, who in reward for all my services, +threatens my life.--But are you sure?" he asked anxiously, "that +Belisarius will not land at once?" + +"Do not be uneasy," answered Petros; "it is my hand that will beckon, +when it is time. First, Amalaswintha must be replaced by Theodahad." + +"That is well," thought Cethegus; "with time all is won, and the +Byzantines shall not land until I can receive them at the head of Italy +in arms.--I am yours," he added aloud, turning to Gothelindis, "and I +think I can bring Amalaswintha to set the crown upon your husband's +head with her own hands. She shall resign the sceptre." + +"The Queen will never do that!" cried Gothelindis. + +"Perhaps! Her generosity is still greater than her ambition. It is +possible to ruin one's enemies through their virtues," said Cethegus +thoughtfully. "I am now sure of the thing, and I greet you, Queen of +the Goths!" he concluded, with a slight bow. + + + + CHAPTER XXIV. + +After the removal of the three dukes, Amalaswintha had maintained an +expectant attitude. Although by the fall of the heads of the +aristocratic opposition she had obtained some freedom of action, yet +the National Assembly at Regeta, near Rome, was soon to be held, when +she must either completely exculpate herself from all suspicion of +murder, or lose her crown, and perhaps her life. Only until the +assembly had taken place did Witichis and his adherents promise her +their protection. She therefore made every effort to strengthen her +position before the decisive moment arrived. She hoped nothing more +from Cethegus; she had seen through his selfish motives. + +But she hoped that the Italians and the conspirators of the Catacombs, +at the head of whose members her own name figured, would prefer her +rule, so friendly to the Romans, to that of a king who belonged to the +Gothic national party. She ardently longed for the arrival of the +body-guard from the Emperor, which would protect her in the first +moment of danger; and she was zealously employed in increasing the +number of her friends amongst the Goths themselves. She invited many of +her father's old followers--zealous adherents of the Amelungs, grey old +warriors of great influence with the people, brothers-at-arms and +almost play-fellows of old Hildebrand--to return to Ravenna; +particularly the white-bearded Grippa, Theodoric's cupbearer, whose +fame was scarcely less influential than that of the old master-at-arms. +She overwhelmed him and his comrades with honours, confided the castle +of Ravenna to their care, and made them swear to keep faith with the +Amelung family. As this connection with popular names was to form a +sort of counterbalance to the influence of Witichis, Hildebrand and +their friends--and Witichis could not justly prevent her from +distinguishing the old friends of Theodoric with honours--so the Queen +also looked about for aid against the family of the Balthes and their +revenge. With sharp discernment she perceived that this could best be +procured from the Wölfungs, whose family possessed great influence and +riches in central Italy. At that time the heads of this family were two +brothers, Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad. + +To win their alliance she had thought of a peculiarly effective means. +For the friendship of the Wölfungs she would offer no less a price than +the hand of her beautiful daughter. + +In a richly decorated room at Ravenna the mother and daughter were +engaged in an earnest but not amicable conversation on this subject. + +The Queen was measuring the narrow apartment with hasty steps; all her +usual repose of manner gone. She frequently threw an angry look at the +beautiful girl, who, leaning against a marble table, stood quietly +before her with downcast eyelids. + +"Reflect well," cried Amalaswintha angrily, and suddenly standing +still, "reflect once more! I give you three days' time." + +"It is in vain. I shall always speak as I have done to-day," said +Mataswintha without raising her eyes. + +"Then tell me, what have you to say against Earl Arahad?" + +"Nothing, except that I cannot love him." + +The Queen did not seem to hear her. + +"This is quite a different case from the other, when we would have had +you marry Cyprianus," she said. "He was old and--which perhaps in your +eyes was a greater disadvantage," she added bitterly--"a Roman." + +"And yet I was banished to Tarentum because I refused him." + +"I hoped that severity would have induced you to change your mind. For +months I kept you away from my court, from my motherly heart." A bitter +smile curled Mataswintha's lovely mouth. "In vain," continued the +Queen. "I now call you back----" + +"You err. My brother Athalaric called me back!" + +"I now offer you another husband. Young, handsome, a Goth of the purest +nobility, his rank is at this moment the second in the kingdom. You +know, at least you suspect, how sorely my throne, surrounded by +enemies, needs protection. He and his powerful brother promise us the +help of their whole army. Earl Arahad loves you, and you, you refuse +him! Tell me why?" + +"Because I do not love him." + +"A girl's stupid speech! You are a King's daughter; you ought to +sacrifice yourself to your rank, to your kingdom." + +"I am a woman," answered Mataswintha, raising her sparkling eyes, "and +will sacrifice my heart to no power in heaven or on earth!" + +"And thus speaks my daughter? Look at me, foolish child. I have striven +after great things, and have attained much. As long as men admire what +is great, they will name my name. I have won all that life can offer, +and yet I never----" + +"Loved! I know it," sighed her daughter. + +"You know it?" + +"Yes; it was the curse of my childhood! I was indeed still a child when +my father died. I knew not how to express it, but even then I could +feel that his heart missed something, when, sighing deeply, he embraced +Athalaric and me, and sighed again. And I loved him all the more +tenderly because I felt that he sought love most where it was wanting. +Now indeed I know what then I could not explain to myself. You became +our father's wife, because, after Theodoric, he stood next to the +throne. Ambition, and not love, led you to his arms, and you could only +give cold pride in return for his warm affection." + +Amalaswintha was startled, and stopped again in her restless walk. + +"You are very bold!" she said. + +"I am your daughter----" + +"You speak of love so familiarly--you seem to know it at twenty better +than I at fifty. You love!" she cried suddenly, "and thence comes this +obstinacy!" + +Mataswintha blushed and was silent. + +"Speak," cried her angry mother; "confess it or deny it." + +Mataswintha cast down her eyes and still kept silence. She had never +looked more beautiful. + +"Will you deny the truth? Are you afraid, you, a daughter of the +Amelungs?" + +The girl proudly raised her eyes. + +"I am not afraid and I do not deny the truth. Yes, I love." + +"And whom, unhappy girl?" + +"Not even a god could force me to tell that!" + +She looked so decided that Amalaswintha did not attempt to learn more. + +"Well," she said, "my daughter has no common nature. So I demand of you +what is uncommon: to sacrifice all to the highest." + +"Mother, I cherish a noble dream in my heart. To me it is the highest. +To it I will sacrifice all." + +"Mataswintha," said the Queen, "how unqueenly! See, God has blessed you +above thousands with beauty of body and mind. You are born to be a +queen." + +"I will be a queen of love. All praise my beauty. I have proposed to +myself, loving and beloved, happy and bestowing happiness, to be a true +woman!" + +"A woman? is that all your ambition?" + +"It is. Oh, would it had been yours!" + +"And the realm is nothing to you, the grandchild of Theodoric? Your +nation, the Goths, are they of no account?" + +"No, mother," said Mataswintha quietly; "it grieves me, it almost makes +me ashamed, but I cannot pretend what I do not feel. The word 'Goth' +arouses no sentiment in me. Perhaps it is not my fault; you have always +despised these Goths and valued these 'barbarians' lightly; that was my +first impression; it is enduring. And I hate this crown, this kingdom +of the Goths; it has taken the place of my father, of my brother, and +of myself in your heart! The Gothic crown has never been anything to me +but a hated and inimical power." + +"Oh, my child, woe to me if I am guilty of this! If you will not do it +for the sake of our kingdom, oh, do it for my sake! I am lost without +these Wölfungs. Do it for the sake of my love!" And she took her +daughter's hand. + +Mataswintha drew back with a bitter smile: + +"Mother, do not blaspheme that holy name! Your love? You have never +loved me. Nor my brother, nor my father." + +"My child! What should I have loved if not you?" + +"The crown, mother, and the hated monarchy! How often have you repulsed +me before Athalaric's birth, because I was a girl, and you wished for a +crown-prince. Think of my father's grave and of----" + +"Cease!" cried Amalaswintha. + +"And Athalaric? Have you ever loved him? Have you not rather loved his +right to the throne? Oh, how often have we poor children wept, when we +sought the mother and found the Queen!" + +"You never complained to me! you do it only now, when I ask you for the +sacrifice----" + +"Mother, even now it was not for yourself, only for your crown and +throne. Put off the crown and you are free from all care. It has +brought us no happiness, only pain. You are not threatened--I would +sacrifice everything for you--but only your throne, only the golden +diadem, the idol of your heart, the curse of my life! Never will I +sacrifice my love to this hated crown, never, never, never!" And she +crossed her white arms over her bosom as if she would protect her love +thus from all assailers. + +"Ha!" cried the Queen indignantly, "selfish, heartless child! you +confess that you have no feeling for your people, no pride in the crown +of your great ancestors! You will not voluntarily obey the voice of +honour; well then, obey force! You deny my love? then feel my severity! +You will leave Ravenna at once with your attendants. You will go to +Florentia, as the guest of Duke Guntharis; his wife has invited you. +Earl Arahad will accompany you on your journey. Leave me. Time will +bend your stubborn will!" + +"No power can do that," said Mataswintha, proudly raising her head, and +she left the room. + +The Queen looked after her silently. Her daughter's reproofs had made a +greater impression upon her than she was willing to allow. + +"Ambition?" she said to herself. "No, it is not that which fills my +soul. I feel that I could protect my realm and render it happy, and +truly I could sacrifice my life, as well as my crown, if the well-being +of my nation demanded it. Could I not?" she asked herself, doubtfully +laying her hand upon her heart. + +She was roused from her reverie by Cassiodorus, who entered with bent +head and slow steps. + +"Well," said Amalaswintha, struck by the sad expression of his face, +"do you come to tell me of a misfortune?" + +"No; only to ask a question." + +"What question?" + +"Queen," the old man solemnly commenced, "I have served you and your +father faithfully for thirty years. I, a Roman, have served the +barbarians, for I honoured your virtues, and believed that Italy, no +longer capable of self-government, would flourish best under your rule, +for your rule was just and mild. I continued to serve you, even when +the blood of my best friends--and, as I believe, the most innocent +blood--was shed. But they died by law, and not by treachery. I was +obliged to honour your father, even where I could not praise him. But +now----" + +"Now? but now?" repeated the Queen proudly. + +"I come now to beg from my friend, may I say my scholar----" + +"You may," answered the Queen, softened. + +"To beg great Theodoric's noble daughter to speak one single word, a +'yes.' If you can say this 'yes.'--and I pray to God that you can--then +I will serve you as faithfully as ever, so long as my grey hairs are +spared." + +"And if not?" + +"And if not, O Queen," answered the old man sadly--"oh, then farewell +to you, and to my last joy in this world!" + +"What have you to ask?" + +"Amalaswintha, you know that I was far away on the northern frontiers +of the realm, when the rebellion here broke out, when that terrible +rumour arose, and that fearful accusation was made. I believed +nothing--I hurried here from Tridentum--I arrived two days ago, +and not an hour passes, not a Goth do I meet, but a terrible doubt +falls heavily upon my heart. And you, too, are changed; restless, +inconstant--and yet I cannot believe it. One sincere word of yours will +dispel all these mists." + +"Why use so many words?" she cried, supporting herself on the arm of +her chair. "Ask briefly what you have to ask." + +"Say but one simple 'yes.' Are you guiltless of the death of the three +dukes?" + +"And if I were not, have they not richly deserved their fate?" + +"Amalaswintha--I beseech you--say 'yes.'" + +"You take a very sudden interest in the Gothic rebels!" + +"I beseech you," cried the old man, falling on his knees, "daughter of +Theodoric, say 'yes,' if you can!" + +"Rise!" she cried, turning away with a frown. "You have no right to +question me thus." + +"No," said the old man quietly, and rising from his knees. "No, not +now. From this moment I no longer belong to this world." + +"Cassiodorus!" cried the Queen, alarmed. + +"Here are the keys of my rooms in the palace. There you will find all +the gifts that I have received from you and Theodoric; the documents +which assert my dignities, and my seals of office. I go!" + +"Whither, my old friend, oh, whither?" + +"To the cloister which I founded at Squillacium, in Apulia. +Henceforward, far from kings and their deeds, I shall only do God's +work upon earth. My soul has long since panted for peace, and now I +have nothing left on earth that is dear to me. Accept once more my +advice at parting: put away the sceptre from your blood-stained hands. +You can bless this realm no longer, you can only bring a curse upon the +nation. Think of the salvation of your soul, and may God be gracious to +you!" And before the Queen could recover from her consternation, he had +disappeared. + +She would have hurried after him to call him back but she was met at +the door by Petros, the ambassador. + +"Stay, Queen," he said in a low and rapid voice, "stay and hear me. I +have no time to lose. I am followed." + +"Who follows you?" + +"People who do not mean so well by you as I do. Deceive yourself no +more; the fate of the kingdom is decided; you can hinder it no longer, +so save for yourself what you can. I repeat my proposal." + +"What proposal?" + +"You heard it yesterday." + +"That treacherous advice! Never! I shall report it to your master, the +Emperor, and beg him to recall you. With you I will confer no more." + +"Queen, this is not the moment to spare you. The next ambassador of +Justinian is called Belisarius, and he will come with an army!" + +"Impossible!" cried the forsaken Queen. "I recall my petition." + +"Too late. The fleet of Belisarius already lies off Sicily. The +proposal which you thought came from me you have rejected. Learn that +the Emperor, and not I, was the propounder, and meant it as a last +token of his favour." + +"Justinian, my friend, my protector, would thus ruin me and my +kingdom!" cried Amalaswintha, who began to see the terrible truth. + +"Not ruin you, but save you! He will re-conquer this Italy, the cradle +of the Roman Empire. This unnatural, impossible kingdom of the Goths is +condemned and lost. Leave the sinking ship. Justinian reaches out to +you a friendly hand, and the Empress offers you an asylum, if you will +deliver Neapolis, Rome, Ravenna, and all the fortresses into the hands +of Belisarius, and consent that the Goths shall be led, disarmed, over +the Alps." + +"Wretched man! Shall I betray my people as you have betrayed me? Too +late I see your schemes; I came to you for help, and you will destroy +me!" + +"Not you, only the barbarians." + +"These barbarians are my people; they are my only friends! I see it +now, and will stand by them to the death." + +"But they will not stand by you." + +"Insolent! Out of my sight! Leave my court!" + +"You will not listen? Reflect, O Queen! only on this condition can I +answer for your life." + +"My people in arms shall answer for my life!" + +"Hardly. For the last time I ask you----" + +"Be silent! I will not give up my crown to Justinian without a +struggle." + +"Well, then," said Petros to himself, "another must, do it. Enter!" he +called aloud at the entrance. + +But Cethegus alone appeared from behind the curtain. + +"Where is Gothelindis? Where is Theodahad?" whispered Petros. + +"I left them outside the palace. The two women hate each other too +bitterly. Their passion would spoil all." + +"You are not my good angel, Prefect of Rome," said Amalaswintha, +turning away from him gloomily, as he approached. + +"This time perhaps I am," whispered Cethegus, going close up to her. +"You have rejected the proposals from Byzantium, as I expected you +would. Dismiss that false Greek." + +At a sign from the Queen, Petros retired into an ante-room. + +"What would you with me, Cethegus? I trust you no longer." + +"You have trusted the Emperor instead of me, and you see the +consequences." + +"I do indeed," she answered in deep grief. + +"Queen, I have never deceived you in this: that I love Italy and Rome +more than the Goths. You will remember that I never concealed it from +you." + +"I know it, and do not blame you." + +"My dearest wish is to see Italy free. In order to keep the Emperor +off, I would uphold your government; but I tell you openly that there +is now no hope of this. If you proclaim war against Byzantium, the +Goths will no more obey or the Italians trust you." + +"And why not? What separates me from the Italians and my people?" + +"Your own acts: two unfortunate documents, which, are in Justinian's +hands. You yourself first called his arms into Italy--a body-guard from +Byzantium!" + +Amalaswintha grew pale. + +"You know----" + +"Unfortunately not I alone, but my friends, the conspirators of the +Catacombs. Petros showed them, the letter, and they call down curses +upon you." + +"Then my Goths, at least, remain to me!" + +"No longer. Not alone do the adherents of the Balthes seek your life; +but the conspirators of Rome have sworn, as soon as war breaks out, to +announce to all the world that your name stands at the head of their +conspiracy against the Goths--against your own nation! The document, +with your signature, is in my hands no longer; it lies in the archives +of the conspirators." + +"Faithless man!" + +"How could I know that you treated with Byzantium behind my back, and +thus made enemies of my friends? You see that Byzantium, the Goths, and +Italy are all against you. If the war break out under your direction, +division will run rife in Italy. No one will obey you, and the kingdom +will fall helpless into the hands of Belisarius. Amalaswintha, there +must be a sacrifice! I demand it of you in the name of Italy, in the +name of your people and of mine." + +"What sacrifice? I consent to any." + +"The greatest sacrifice--your crown. Give it to a man who is capable of +uniting the Goths and Italians against Byzantium, and save both +nations." + +Amalaswintha looked at him searchingly. A terrible struggle took place +in her soul. + +"My crown? It is very dear to me," she said. + +"I always held Amalaswintha capable of any sacrifice." + +"Dare I place confidence in your advice?" + +"If it were sweet, you might doubt it; if I flattered your pride you +might mistrust me. But I offer you the bitter cup of renunciation. I +appeal to your generosity and courage. Make me not ashamed." + +"Your last advice was a crime," cried Amalaswintha, shuddering. + +"I preserved your throne by every possible means as long as it could be +upheld, as long as it was necessary for Italy; and I now demand that +you should love your people more than your sceptre." + +"By God! there you do not err. For my people I have not hesitated to +sacrifice the lives of others"--she gladly dwelt on this thought, which +appeased her conscience--"and I shall not refuse now to sacrifice my +personal ambition. But who will be my successor?" + +"Your heir, to whom the crown belongs--Theodahad, the last of the +Amelungs." + +"What! that feeble creature?" + +"He is no hero, it is true; but heroes will obey the nephew of +Theodoric if you place him on the throne. And, consider, his Roman +education has won the Italians for him; they will stand by him. They +would both fear and hate a king after Hildebrand's heart." + +"And rightly," answered the Queen reflectively. "But Gothelindis, +Queen!" + +Cethegus came nearer, and looked keenly into her eyes. + +"Amalaswintha is not so mean as to nourish a pitiful feminine enmity +when there is need of a noble resolve. You have ever appeared to me +nobler than your sex. Now prove it, and decide." + +"Not now," said Amalaswintha. "My head burns and my brain is confused. +Let me alone to-night. You believe me capable of self-sacrifice. I +thank you for that at least. To-morrow I will decide." + + + + + BOOK III. + THEODAHAD. + + +"It seemed to Theodahad that to have neighbours was a kind of +misfortune."--_Procopius: Wars of the Goths_, i. 3. + + + + CHAPTER I. + +The morning after the events before described, a manifesto announced to +the astonished inhabitants of Ravenna that the daughter of Theodoric +had resigned the crown in favour of her cousin Theodahad, the last male +scion o£ the House of Amelung. + +Italians and Goths were summoned to swear the oath of allegiance to +their new sovereign. + +Cethegus had judged rightly. Amalaswintha had felt her conscience +oppressed by many a folly, and even by deadly sin. Noble natures seek +consolation and atonement in sacrifice and self-denial; and the unhappy +woman had been much affected by the reproaches of her daughter and +Cassiodorus; therefore the Prefect had found her in a mood favourable +for the reception of his advice. The very bitterness of this advice +induced her to follow it; indeed, to save her people and expiate her +guilt, she would even have endured much greater humiliation. + +The change of dynasty was accomplished without difficulty. The Italians +at Ravenna were in nowise prepared for rebellion, and Cethegus fed them +with hopes of a more favourable opportunity. Besides this, the new King +was known and liked by them as a friend of Roman civilisation. + +The Goths, however, did not seem inclined to submit to the change +without more ado. Prince Theodahad was certainly a man--that was in his +favour and an Amelung, which last circumstance weighed heavily; but he +was by no means esteemed. Cowardly and unmartial, effeminate in body +and mind, he had none of the qualities which the Germans require in +their kings. One sole passion filled his soul--avarice, insatiable love +of gold. Though very rich, he was constantly engaged in mean quarrels +with his neighbours in Tuscany. He well understood the art of +increasing his estates by force and cunning, and the weight of his +royal rank, and how to wrest their property from his neighbours; "for," +says an author of that period, "it seemed to Theodahad that to have +neighbours was a kind of misfortune." At the same time, his weak nature +was entirely subject to that of his wicked but strong-minded wife. + +For all these reasons, the worthiest members of the Gothic nation saw +the accession of such a man to the throne of Theodoric with great +dislike; and the manifesto had scarcely been published, when Earl Teja, +who had shortly before returned to Ravenna with Hildebad, summoned the +old master-at-arms and Witichis, and invited them to arouse and direct +the discontent of the people, and to set a more worthy man in +Theodahad's place. + +"You know," he concluded his exhortation, "how favourable is the temper +of the people. Since the night of our meeting in the Temple of Mercury, +we have incessantly stirred up the nation, and have succeeded in many +of our efforts. The noble self-assertion of Athalaric, the victory of +the Feast of Epiphany, the prevention of Amalaswintha's escape was all +our work. Now a favourable opportunity offers. Shall a man who is +weaker than a woman step into a woman's place? Have we no more worthy +man than Theodahad amongst us?" + +"He is right, by Thor and Woden!" cried Hildebad. "Away with these weak +Amelungs! Raise a hero upon our shield, and hit about on all sides! +Away with the Amelungs!" + +"No," said Witichis calmly; "not yet. Perhaps it will come to that at +last; but it must not happen sooner than is necessary. The Amelungs +have a great party. Theodahad would never part with the riches, nor +Gothelindis with the power of the crown without a struggle; they are +strong enough, if not for victory, at least for battle. But strife +between brothers is terrible. Necessity alone can justify it; and, at +present, that does not exist. Theodahad may try; he is weak, and may +easily be led. There is time enough to act if he prove incapable." + +"Who knows if then there will be time?" said Teja warningly. + +"What dost thou advise, old man?" asked Hildebad, upon whose mind the +remarks of Witichis had not been without effect. + +"Brothers," answered Hildebrand, stroking his long beard, "you have the +choice, and therefore are plagued with doubt. I am spared both, for I +am bound. The King's old followers have sworn an oath that, as long as +a member of his House lives, they will allow no stranger to occupy the +throne." + +"What a foolish oath!" cried Hildebad. + +"I am old, and yet I do not call it foolish. I know what a blessing +rests upon the great and sacred law of inheritance; and the Amelungs +are descended from the gods!" he added mysteriously. + +"Theodahad is a fine child of the gods!" laughed Hildebad. + +"Be silent!" cried the old man angrily. "You modern men understand this +no longer. You think you can fathom everything with your miserable +reason. The mystery, the secrecy, the magic that lies in blood--for +this you have lost all sense. Therefore I have held my peace about such +things. But you cannot change me, with my near a hundred years. Do what +you like; I shall do what I must." + +"Well," said Earl Teja, yielding, "upon thy head be the responsibility. +But when this last Amelung is no more----" + +"Then the followers of Theodoric are free from their oath." + +"Perhaps," said Witichis, "it is fortunate that your oath spares us the +choice, for we certainly wish for no ruler whom thou canst not +acknowledge. Let us then go and pacify the people; and let us bear with +this King as long as it is possible." + +"But not an hour longer!" cried Teja, and went away in anger. + + + + CHAPTER II. + +The very same day Theodahad and Gothelindis were crowned with the +ancient crown of the Goths. + +A splendid banquet, at which all the Roman and Gothic dignitaries of +the court and city were present, enlivened the old palace and the +usually quiet gardens, with which we have become acquainted as the +scene of Athalaric's and Camilla's loves. + +The revel lasted until deep into the night. + +The new King, no friend of the cup, or of barbaric revelry, had retired +early. + +Gothelindis, on the contrary, sunned herself in the glory of her new +rank. Proudly she sat upon her high seat, the golden circlet on her +dark hair. She seemed all ear for the loud hurrahs with which, again +and again, her own and her husband's names were greeted. But most of +all she enjoyed the thought that these shouts would penetrate into the +royal vault, where Amalaswintha, her hated and conquered rival, sat +mourning by the sarcophagus of her son. + +Among the crowd of such guests as need only a full cup to make them +merry, many a grave face was to be seen; many a Roman who would rather +have seen the Emperor Justinian upon the throne at the head of the +table; many a Goth who, in the present precarious condition of affairs, +could not do homage to such a King as Theodahad without anxiety. + +To these last belonged Witichis, whose thoughts seemed far absent from +the splendid scene around him. The golden cup before him stood +untouched, and he scarcely noticed the loud exclamations of Hildebad, +who sat opposite him. + +At last--the lamps were long since lit, and the stars stood in the +sky--he rose and went into the greeny darkness of the garden. He slowly +wandered through the taxus-walks, his eyes fixed upon the sparkling +luminaries. His heart was with his wife, with his child, whom he had +not seen for months. + +He wandered on unconsciously, until at last he came to the little +Temple of Venus by the quay, with which we are already acquainted. + +He looked out over the gleaming sea. All at once something shining at +his feet attracted his attention. It was the glittering of the +moonlight upon a small Gothic harp, and upon a suit of mail. A man lay +before him upon the soft grass, and a pale face was uplifted towards +him. + +"Thou here, Teja? Thou wert not at the banquet?" + +"No; I was with the dead." + +"My thoughts, too, were absent; at home with wife and child," said +Witichis. + +"With wife and child," repeated Teja, sighing. + +"Many asked after thee, Teja." + +"After me? Should I sit by Cethegus, who has robbed me of my honour, or +by Theodahad, who took inheritance?" + +"Thine inheritance?" + +"At least he possesses it. And over the place where once stood my +cradle he now drives his ploughshare." + +His head sank upon his breast, and both were silent. + +"And thy harp," at last said Witichis, "will it never be heard again? +They praise thee as our nation's best minstrel!" + +"Like Gelimer, the last King of the Vandals, who was also the best +singer of his nation.--But they shall never lead _me_ in triumph to +Byzantium!" + +"Thou singest but seldom now?" + +"Seldom or never. But it seems to me time is coming when I shall sing +again." + +"A time of joy?" + +"A time of deep and final sorrow." + +Again a long pause ensued. + +"My Teja," resumed Witichis, "I have ever found thee, in all trouble of +peace or war, as true as steel. And although thou art so much younger +than I--and an elder man does not lightly bind himself to a youth--I +may call thee my best and bosom-friend. I know that thy heart cleaves +to me more than to thy youthful companions." + +Teja took the speaker's hand and pressed it. "Yes, even when my ways +perplex thee, thou withholdest not thy respect and sympathy. The +others---- And yet, _one_ of them I love much!" + +"Whom?" + +"He whom all love." + +"Totila?" + +"Yes. I love him as the night loves the morning star. But he is so +frank, that he cannot understand when others are, and must be, +reserved." + +"Must be! Why? Thou knowest that curiosity is not my failing. And if, +at this earnest moment, I beg thee to lift the veil from thy grief, I +ask it only because I would gladly help and comfort thee, and because a +friend's eye often sees more clearly than one's own." + +"Help? Help me? Canst thou awaken the dead? My pain is irrevocable as +the past! Whoever has, like me, seen the unmerciful wheel of Fate roll, +crushing everything before it, blind and dumb to all tenderness and +nobleness; yea, even crushing what is noble more easily and readily, +because it _is_ tender; whoever has acknowledged that a dull necessity, +which fools call the wise providence of God, rules the universe and the +life of mankind, is past all help and comfort! If once he has caught +the sound, he hears for ever, with the sharp ear of despair, the +monotonous rumble of the cruel, insensible wheel in the centre of the +universe, which, at every revolution, indifferently produces or +destroys life. Whoever has felt this, and lived through it, renounces +all and for ever. For evermore, nothing can make him afraid. But +certainly--he has also for ever forgotten the sweetness of a smile." + +"Thou makest me shudder! God forbid that I should ever entertain such a +delusion! How hast thou acquired, so young, such terrible wisdom?" + +"Friend, by thought alone the truth cannot be reached; only the +experience of life can teach it. And in order to understand what and +how a man thinks, it is necessary to know his life. Therefore, that I +may not appear to be an erring dreamer, or an effeminate weakling, who +delights in nursing his sorrow--and in honour of thy trust and +friendship--thou shalt hear a small portion of the cause of my grief. +The larger part, by far the larger, I will keep to myself," he added, +in evident pain, and pressing his hand to his heart. "The time for that +will come too. But now thou shalt only hear how the Star of Misfortune, +even at my birth, shone over my head. And amidst all the million stars +above, this one alone remains faithful. Thou wert present--thou wilt +remember--when the false Prefect taunted me before the whole assembly +with being a bastard, and refused to fight with me. I was obliged to +endure the insult. I am even worse than a bastard. My father, Tagila, +was a famous hero, but no noble. Poor, and of low birth. He had loved, +ever since his beard sprouted, the daughter of his father's brother, +Gisa. She lived far away on the outermost eastern frontier of the +realm; on the cold Ister, where continued battles raged with the Gepidæ +and the wild Sarmatian hordes, and where a man has little time to think +of the Church, or of the changing laws promulgated by her Conclaves. +For a long time my father was not able to lead Gisa to his home; ha had +nought but his helm and spear, and could not pay the tax, nor prepare a +home for his wife. At last fortune smiled upon him. In the war against +the Sarmatians, he conquered the king's stronghold on the Alutha, and +the rich treasures which the Sarmatians had gained by years of plunder, +and had there amassed, became his booty. In reward of his valour, +Theodoric gave him the rank of earl, and called him to Italy. My father +took with him Gisa, now become his wife, and all his treasure, and +bought a large and beautiful estate in Tuscany, between Florentia and +Luca. But his good fortune did not last long. Shortly after my birth, +some miserable fellow, some cowardly rascal, accused my parents of +incest before the Bishop of Florentia. They were Catholics, and not +Arians--and brothers' children; their marriage was null in the eyes of +the Church--and the Church ordered them to part. My father pressed his +wife to his heart, and laughed at the order. But the secret accuser did +not rest----" + +"Who was he?" + +"Oh, would that I knew it! I would reach him, even if he lived amid all +the horrors of Vesuvius! The priests tormented my mother without +cessation, and tried to alarm her conscience. In vain; she stood fast +by her God and her husband, and defied the bishop and his messengers. +And whenever my father met one of the priests upon his estate, he gave +him such a welcome that he took care never to come again. But who can +strive with those who speak in God's name! A last term was appointed; +if, by that time, the disobedient couple had not separated, they were +to be excommunicated, and their property forfeited to the Church. My +father now hurried in despair to the King, to beg for the abolition of +the terrible sentence. But the verdict of the Conclave was too clear, +and Theodoric did not dare to offend the rights of the Orthodox Church. +When my father returned from Ravenna, he stared in horror at the place +where once his house had stood: the time had elapsed, and the threat +had been fulfilled. His home was destroyed, his wife and child had +disappeared. He madly sought for us all over Italy, and at last, +disguised as a peasant, he discovered Gisa in a convent at Ticinum. +They had torn her boy from her arms, and taken him to Rome. My father +arranged everything for her flight from the convent; at midnight they +escaped over the wall of the cloister garden. But the next morning the +sisters missed their prisoner at the _hora_--her cell was empty. The +convent servants followed the track of the horses--they were overtaken. +Fighting desperately, my father fell; my mother was taken back to the +convent. The pain of her loss and the severe discipline of the order +had such a terrible effect upon her brain, that she went mad and died. +Such was the fate of my parents." + +"And thou?" + +"I was discovered in Rome by old Hildebrand, who had been a +brother-at-arms of my grandfather and father. With the King's +assistance, he took me from the care of the priests, and brought me up +with his own grandchildren in Regium." + +"And thy estate, thine inheritance?" + +"Was forfeited to the Church, which sold it, almost as a gift, to +Theodahad. He was my father's neighbour; he is now my King!" + +"My poor friend! But what happened to you later? I have heard only +rumours--thou hast been in Greece----" + +Teja rose. + +"Let me keep silence on that subject; perhaps another time. I was once +fool enough to believe in happiness and the beneficence of a loving +God. I have repented it bitterly. I shall never believe again. +Farewell, Witichis, and do not blame Teja, if he be different from +other men." He pressed the hand of his friend warmly; and quickly +disappeared into the dark avenues of the garden. + +Witichis sat for a long time in silent thought. Then he looked up at +the sky, seeking in the bright stars a contradiction of the gloomy +thoughts which his friend's words had aroused in his mind. He longed +for their peaceful and clear light. But during the conversation, clouds +had risen rapidly from the lagoons, and covered the sky. All around was +dark and dismal. With a sigh, Witichis arose, and filled with sad +thoughts, sought his lonely couch. + + + + CHAPTER III. + +While Italians and Goths feasted and drank together in the halls on the +ground-floor of the palace at Ravenna, they little suspected that above +their heads, in the King's apartments, a negotiation was going on which +was to determine the fate of the kingdom. + +The King had left the banquet early, and had retired to his rooms with +the Byzantine ambassador, and, for a long time, the two were occupied +in writing and consulting together. + +At last they seemed to have come to an agreement, and Petros was about +once more to read what he had written, when the King interrupted him: + +"Stop," said the little man, who seemed almost lost in his royal robes, +"stop--there is yet another thing." + +And he rose from his seat, softly crossed the room, and looked behind +the curtain at the entrance to see if any were listening. + +Having reassured himself, he returned, and gently pulled the sleeve of +the Byzantine. The light of the bronze lamp flickered in the draught, +and fell upon the withered yellow cheeks of his ugly face, as he +cunningly screwed up his already small eyes. + +"Yet another thing. If these wholesome changes are to be made, it would +be well, indeed it is necessary, that some of the most daring of my +barbarian subjects should be rendered incapable of opposition." + +"I have already thought of that," answered Petros. "There is that old +half heathen, Hildebrand, that coarse Hildebad, and wise Witichis." + +"You seem to know men well," said Theodahad, "you have looked sharply +about you. But," he added, "there is one whom you have not mentioned, +one who must be got rid of more than any other." + +"And he?" + +"Is Earl Teja, the son of Tagila." + +"Is the melancholy dreamer so dangerous?" + +"More so than any of the others. Besides, he is my personal enemy, as +was his father before him." + +"How so?" + +"His father was my neighbour at Florentia, I wanted his acres. In vain +I pressed him to give them up. Ha, ha!" and Theodahad laughed, "they +became mine at last! The holy Church dissolved his criminal marriage, +confiscated his property, and let me have it cheap. I had deserved well +of the Church during the process--your friend, the Bishop of Florentia; +can tell you the particulars." + +"I understand," said Petros. "Why did not the barbarian give his acres +up with a good will? Does Teja know?" + +"He knows nothing. But he hates me merely because I bought his +inheritance. He looks black at me, and the gloomy dreamer is just the +man to strangle an enemy at the very feet of God Himself." + +"Indeed?" said Petros, suddenly becoming very thoughtful. "Well, enough +of him! He shall not hurt us. Let me read the treaty once more, point +by point; afterwards you can sign it. 'First: King Theodahad resigns +the sovereignty of Italy, and the subject islands and provinces of the +Gothic kingdom, namely: Dalmatia, Liburnia, Istria, the second +Pannonia, Savia, Noricum, Rhætia, and the Gothic provinces in Gaul, in +favour of Emperor Justinian, and of his successors. He promises to +deliver Ravenna, Rome, Neapolis, and all the fortresses in the kingdom, +into the hands of the Emperor.'" + +Theodahad nodded. + +"'Secondly: King Theodahad will use all the means in his power to the +end that the Gothic army shall be disarmed and led away, in small +parties, over the Alps. The women and children will follow the army, or +be taken as slaves to Byzantium, according to the decision of the +imperial generals. The King will take care that any resistance on the +part of the Goths shall be without result. Thirdly: in return, the +Emperor Justinian leaves the titles and honours of royalty to King +Theodahad and his spouse for their lifetime. And fourthly----'" + +"I will read this paragraph myself," interrupted Theodahad, and held +out his hand for the document. + +"'Fourthly: the Emperor leaves to the King of the Goths not only all +the lands and treasures which the latter possesses as private property, +but the whole of the royal Gothic treasury, which alone is valued at +forty thousand pounds of minted gold. Further, the Emperor assigns to +Theodahad, as his property and inheritance, the whole of Tuscany, from +Pistoria to Cære, from Populonia to Clusium; and lastly, he makes over +to him for life the half of all the public revenues of the kingdom thus +restored to its rightful sovereign.' Tell me, Petros, do not you think +that I might demand three-fourths?" + +"You might certainly ask it, but I doubt exceedingly that Justinian +would grant it. I have already overstepped the utmost limits of my +power." + +"We will demand it, at all events," said the King, altering the +figures, "then Justinian must either bargain for less, or grant +additional privileges." + +A false smile played over the thin lips of the ambassador. + +"You are a clever negotiator, O King," he said. "But in this case you +reckon wrongly," he added to himself. + +Just at this moment the rustle of trailing garments was heard in the +marble corridor, and Amalaswintha entered, dressed in a long black +mantle and a black veil sowed with silver stars. She was deadly pale, +but composed and dignified; a Queen in spite of having lost her crown. +Intense sorrow ennobled the expression of her countenance. + +"King of the Goths," she began, "forgive if a dark shadow suddenly +rises from the realm of the dead to dim your joyous feast. It is for +the last time." + +Both the men were struck by her appearance. + +"Queen," stammered Theodahad. + +"'Queen!' oh, would that I had never borne the name. I come, cousin, +from the grave of my noble son, where I have acknowledged my +infatuation, and repented of all my sins. I come to you, King of the +Goths, to warn you against similar infatuation and similar guilt." + +Theodahad's unsteady eyes avoided her grave and searching looks. + +"It is an evil guest," she continued, "that I find here as your +confidant at the hour of midnight. There is no safety for a prince +except in his people. Too late I have found this out; too late for +myself; not too late, I hope, for my people. Do not trust Byzantium; it +is a shield that crushes him whom it should protect." + +"You are unjust," said Petros, "and ungrateful." + +"I beg you, my royal cousin," continued Amalaswintha, unheeding the +remark, "not to consent to what this man demands. Do not grant him that +which I refused. We were to surrender Sicily, and furnish three +thousand warriors to the Emperor for each of his wars. I rejected the +shameful proposal. I see," she went on, pointing to the document on the +table, "that you have already concluded your business. Retreat before +it is too late; they will deceive you always." + +Theodahad uneasily drew the document towards him, and cast a suspicious +look at Petros. The latter went up to Amalaswintha. + +"What do you want here, you queen of yesterday? Would you control the +ruler of this realm? Your time is past and your power at an end." + +"Leave us," said Theodahad, taking courage. "I will do what I think +good. You shall not succeed in parting me from my friends at Byzantium. +Look here, before your very eyes our treaty shall be concluded," And he +signed his name. + +"Well," said Petros with a smile, "the Princess comes just at the right +moment to sign as a witness." + +"No!" cried Amalaswintha, "I have come at the right moment to frustrate +your plan. I will go straightway to the army, to the National Assembly, +which will soon take place at Regeta. There, before all the nation, I +will expose your proposals, the plans of the Emperor, and the treachery +of this feeble man." + +"That will do no good," said Petros quietly, "unless you accuse +yourself." + +"I _will_ accuse myself. I will confess all my folly, all my guilt, and +gladly suffer the death I have deserved. But my self-accusation shall +warn and alarm the whole nation from Etna to the Alps. A world in arms +shall be opposed to you, and I will save my Goths by my death, from the +dangers to which my life has exposed them!" And, filled with noble +enthusiasm, she hurried out of the room. + +Theodahad looked with dismay at the ambassador. For some time he could +not find a word to say. + +"Advise me, help--" he stammered out at last. + +"Advise? At this moment there is but one advice to give. That insane +woman will ruin herself and us if we let her alone. She must not be +allowed to fulfil her threat. _You_ must take care of that." + +"I?" cried Theodahad, alarmed. "I know nothings about such things! +Where is Gothelindis? She, and she alone, can help us." + +"And the Prefect," added Petros; "send for both of them." + +Gothelindis and Cethegus were summoned from the banquet. Petros told +them what the Princess had said, but without mentioning the treaty as +the cause of her outburst. He had scarcely finished speaking, when +Gothelindis cried, "Enough! She must not go. Her every step must be +watched. She must speak neither to Goth nor Roman; she must not leave +the palace. That least of all!" And she hurried away to place +confidential slaves at the doors of Amalaswintha's apartments. +Presently she returned. + +"She is praying aloud in her cabinet," she cried contemptuously. "Rouse +yourself, Cethegus, and let us thwart her prayers." + +Cethegus, leaning against the wall, had observed all these proceedings, +and listened to all that was said in thoughtful silence. He saw how +necessary it was that he should once more take the reins into his own +hands, and hold them more firmly. He saw Byzantium pressing more and +more into the foreground--and that he could not suffer. + +"Speak, Cethegus," Gothelindis repeated. "What is most necessary?" + +"Clearness of purpose," he answered, standing erect. "In every +contract, the particular aim of each of the contracting parties must be +plain. If not, they will continually hinder each other by mistrust. You +have your aims, I have mine. Yours are evident--I have already told you +what they are. You, Petros, wish that Emperor Justinian should rule in +Italy in place of the Goths. You, Gothelindis and Theodahad, wish so +also, on condition that you receive a rich recompense in revenge, gold, +and honours. But I--I too, have my private aim. What is the use of +denying it? My sly Petros, you would not long believe that I was only +ambitious of serving as your tool, and of being a senator in Byzantium. +I, too, have my aim, and all your threefold cunning would never be able +to discover it, because it lies too close to your eyes. I must betray +it to you myself. My petrified heart still cherishes one ideal: Italy! +and I, like you, wish the Goths well out of this country. But I do not, +like you, wish that the Emperor should step unconditionally into their +shoes. I do not want the deluge instead of the shower. I, the +inveterate Republican, would like best--you know, Petros, that we were +both Republicans at eighteen years of age, and I have remained so; but +you need not tell it to your master, the Emperor; I have told him +myself long since--to cast out the barbarians, bag and baggage, but +without letting you in. Unfortunately, that is not now possible; we +cannot do without your help. But I will limit it to the unavoidable. +No Byzantine army shall enter this country, except--at the last +extremity--to receive it at the hands of the Italians. Italy must be +more a gift from the Italians than a conquest of the Emperor. The +blessing of generals and tax-gatherers, which Byzantium would bring +upon the land, must be spared us; we want your protection, but not your +tyranny." + +Over the face of Petros crept a sly smile, which Cethegus seemed not to +observe. He continued: + +"Hear my conditions. I know that Belisarius lies off Sicily with his +fleet. He must not land. He must return home. I cannot do with him in +Italy; at least, not until I call him myself. And if you, Petros, do +not at once send him the order to return to Byzantium, our ways +separate. I know Belisarius and Narses, and their military government, +and I know what mild masters these Goths make. I am sorry for +Amalaswintha; she was a mother to my people. Therefore choose--choose +between Belisarius and Cethegus. If Belisarius lands, Cethegus and all +Italy will stand by Amalaswintha and the Goths, and then we will see +whether you can wrest from us a single foot of this soil. If you choose +Cethegus, he will break the power of the barbarians, and Italy will +subject herself to the Emperor, not as his slave, but as his consort. +Choose, Petros." + +"You proud man!" cried Gothelindis. "You dare to make conditions to me, +your Queen?" And she lifted her hand with a threatening gesture. + +But Cethegus caught the hand in his iron grasp, and drew it quietly +down. + +"Leave such antics, you Queen of a day! Here only Italy and Byzantium +negotiate. If you forget your want of power, you must be reminded of +it. You reign only so long as we uphold you." + +He stood before the angry woman in an attitude of such quiet majesty, +that she was silenced, but her eyes flashed with inextinguishable +hatred. + +"Cethegus," said Petros, who had meanwhile made up his mind, "you are +right. For the moment, Byzantium can gain nothing better than your +help; for without it she can gain nothing. If Belisarius returns to +Byzantium, will you be for us unconditionally?" + +"Unconditionally." + +"And Amalaswintha?" + +"I abandon her." + +"Well, then," said the Byzantine, "we are agreed." + +He wrote upon a waxen tablet a briefly-expressed order for the return +of Belisarius to Byzantium, and gave it to the Prefect. + +"You may send the message yourself." + +Cethegus read it carefully. + +"It is well," said he, putting the tablet into the bosom of his dress. +"We are Agreed." + +"When will Italy proceed against the barbarians?" asked Petros. + +"In the first days of the next month. I shall now go to Rome. +Farewell." + +"You are going? Will you not help us to get rid of Amalaswintha? You +will take pity on her again?" asked the Queen, in a reproachful voice. + +"She is condemned," said Cethegus, turning as he reached the door. "The +judge goes; the executioner will perform his duty." And he left them +with a proud mien. + +Theodahad, who had listened to all that had passed in speechless +astonishment, now caught the hand of Petros in great alarm. + +"Petros," he cried, "for God's sake, what have you done? Our contract, +and everything else, depends upon Belisarius; and you send him away?" + +"And allow that insolent man to triumph?" added Gothelindis +indignantly. + +But Petros laughed; his whole face beamed with the ecstasy of +victorious cunning. + +"Be quiet," he said. "This time the invincible Cethegus is conquered by +Petros, at whom he has always scoffed." + +He took Theodahad and Gothelindis each by the hand, drew them close to +him, looked round, and then whispered: + +"At the commencement of the message to Belisarius I have placed a small +spot, which means: 'All that I have written is not meant in earnest, +and is null.' Yes, yes; one learns the art of writing at the court of +Byzantium!" + + + + CHAPTER IV. + +Amalaswintha passed the two days following this midnight interview in a +sort of real or imagined imprisonment. Whenever she left her chamber, +whenever she turned the corner of one of the passages of the palace, +she fancied that some one followed or accompanied her, now appearing, +now slipping past her, now disappearing, and seemingly as eager to +watch all her movements as to avoid her notice. She could not even +descend to the tomb of her son unobserved. + +In vain she asked for Witichis or Teja; they had left the city the +morning after the coronation, by order of the King. + +The feeling that she was alone, surrounded by lurking enemies, filled +her mind with vague alarms. + +Heavily and darkly the autumn rain-clouds hung over Ravenna, as +Amalaswintha rose from her sleepless couch on the morning of the third +day. It affected her disagreeably when, upon going to the window of +sparry gypsum, a raven rose cawing from the marble sill, and flew +slowly over the garden with hoarse cries, heavily flapping its wings. +The Princess felt how much her nerves had been tried by the last few +days of pain, fear, and remorse; for she could not resist the dismal +impression made upon her by the early autumn mists, which rose from the +lagoons of the harbour city. + +She looked at the grey and marshy landscape with a deep sigh. Her heart +was heavy with care and remorse. Her only hope lay in the thought of +saving the kingdom at the cost of her own life, by frankly accusing and +humiliating herself before the whole nation. She did not doubt that the +relations and blood-avengers of the murdered dukes would strictly +fulfil their duty. + +Buried in such reflections, she went through the empty halls and +corridors of the palace--this time, as she believed, unobserved--to the +resting-place of her son, in order to confirm herself, with prayer and +penitence, in her pious resolution. + +As, after some time had elapsed, she re-ascended from the vault and +turned into a gloomy arched passage, a man in the habit of a slave +stepped out of a niche--she thought that she had often seen his face +before--and put into her hand a little wax tablet, immediately +disappearing into a side passage. + +She at once recognised the handwriting of Cassiodorus. + +And now she guessed who was the secret messenger. It was Dolios, the +letter-carrier of her faithful minister. + +Quickly concealing the tablet in her dress, she hastened to her +chamber, where she read as follows: + + +"In pain, but not in anger, I parted from you. I would not that you +should be called away from this world in an impenitent state, and lose +your immortal soul. Fly from the palace, from the city. You know how +bitter is the hatred of Gothelindis. Your life is not safe for an hour. +Trust no one except my secretary, and at sunset go to the Temple of +Venus in the garden. There you will find my litter, which will bring +you safely to my villa at the Lake of Bolsena. Obey and trust." + + +Much moved, Amalaswintha pressed the letter to her heart. Faithful +Cassiodorus! He had not, then, quite forsaken her. He still feared and +cared for her life. And that charming villa upon the lonely island in +the blue Lake of Bolsena! There, many, many years ago, in the full +bloom of youth and beauty, as the guest of Cassiodorus, she had been +wedded to Eutharic, the noble Amelung, and, surrounded by all the +splendour of rank and power, had passed the proudest days of her youth. + +She was overcome with an intense longing to see once more the scene of +her greatest happiness. + +This feeling powerfully induced her to listen to the warning of +Cassiodorus. Still more the fear--not for her life, for she longed to +die--but that her enemies would make it impossible for her to warn the +nation and save the kingdom. + +And, finally, she reflected that the way to Regeta, near Rome, where +the great National Assembly was shortly--as was usual every autumn--to +take place, led past the Lake of Bolsena; and that it was therefore +only a furthering of her plan, should she start at once in this +direction. + +But, in order to make sure in all cases, so that, even if she never +arrived at the end of her journey, her warning voice might reach the +ears of the nation, she decided to write a letter to Cassiodorus--whom +she could not be sure of meeting at his villa--in which she would +entrust him with her confession, and expose to him all the plans of the +Byzantines and Theodahad. + +With closed doors she wrote the painful words. Hot tears of gratitude +and remorse fell upon the parchment; she carefully sealed it, and +delivered it to the most faithful of her slaves, with the strict +injunction to carry it speedily and safely to the monastery at +Squillacium in Apulia, the monastical foundation and usual abode of +Cassiodorus. + +Slowly, slowly passed the dreary hours. + +She had grasped the offered hand of her friend with all her heart. +Memory and hope vied with each other in painting the island in the lake +as a much-loved asylum. There she hoped to find repose and peace. + +She kept carefully within her apartment, in order to give no cause for +suspicion to her spies, or any excuse to detain her. + +At last the sun had set. + +With light steps, Amalaswintha, forbidding the attendance of her women, +and only hiding a few jewels and documents in the folds of her mantle, +hurried from her room into the wide colonnade which led to the garden. + +She feared to meet here as usual some lurking spy, and to be stopped, +and perhaps detained. She frequently looked back, and even glanced +carefully into the niches of the statues--all was empty and quiet, no +spy followed her footsteps. Thus, unobserved, she reached the platform +of the terrace which united the palace and the garden, and afforded an +open view of the latter. + +Amalaswintha examined the nearest path leading to the Temple of Venus. +The way was open. Only the faded leaves fell rustling from the tall +pines on to the sandy path, where they were whirled about by the wind, +which drove the mist and clouds before it in ghostly shapes; it was +very dismal in the deserted garden, which looked grey and dim in the +twilight. + +The Princess shivered. The cold wind tore at her veil and mantle. She +cast a shy glance at the heavy, gloomy mass of stone which she had left +behind--the building in whose precincts she had ruled so proudly, and +from which she was now escaping, lonely and fearfully as a criminal. + +She thought of her son, who reposed in the vault of the palace. She +thought of her daughter, whom she herself had banished from these +walls. + +For a moment her pain threatened to overpower the forsaken woman; she +tottered, and with difficulty supported herself by the broad balustrade +of the steps which she was descending. A feverish shudder shook her +frame, as the horror of despair shook her soul. + +"But my people," she said to herself, "and my atonement---- I must and +will accomplish it." + +Strengthened by this thought, she again hurried down the steps, and +entered an alley overhung by thick foliage, which led across the +garden, and ended at the Temple of Venus. + +She walked rapidly forward, trembling whenever the autumn leaves, with +a sighing sound, were swept across her path from a side-walk. + +Breathless she arrived at the little temple, and looked searchingly +around her. + +But no litter, no slaves were to be seen; all around was quiet; only +the branches of the pines creaked in the wind. + +All at once the neighing of a horse struck upon her ear. + +She turned; around the corner of a wall a man approached with hasty +steps. + +It was Dolios. He looked sharply about him, and then beckoned to her to +come. + +The Princess hastened to follow him round the corner; there stood +Cassiodorus's well-known Gallic travelling carriage, the comfortable +and elegant _carruca_, closed on all sides with movable latticed +shutters of polished wood, and to which were harnessed three +swift-footed Flemish horses. + +"We must hasten, Princess," whispered Dolios, as he lifted her into the +soft cushions. "The litter was too slow for the hatred of your enemies. +Quiet and speed; so that no one may notice us." + +Amalaswintha looked back once more. + +Dolios opened the garden-gate and led the horses out. Two men stepped +out of the bushes near. One took the driver's seat on the carriage, the +other mounted one of two saddle-horses which stood outside the gate. +Amalaswintha recognised the men as confidential slaves belonging to +Cassiodorus. Like Dolios, they were provided with weapons. + +The latter carefully closed the garden-gate, and let down the shutters +of the carriage. Then he mounted the remaining horse and drew his +sword. + +"Forward!" he cried. + +And the little company galloped away as if Death himself were at their +heels. + + + + CHAPTER V. + +Amalaswintha at first revelled in the feeling of gratitude, freedom, +and safety. She made happy plans of reconciliation. She saw her people +saved from Byzantium by her warning voice--saved from the treachery of +their own King. + +She already heard the enthusiastic shouts of the valiant army, +announcing death to the enemy, and pardon to herself. + +Lost in such dreams, the hours, days, and nights passed rapidly. + +The party hurried on without pause. Three or four times a day the +horses were changed, so that mile after mile was passed with the utmost +velocity. + +Dolios carefully watched over the Princess. He stood at the door of the +carriage with drawn sword, while his companions fetched meat and drink +from the stations which they passed. + +The speed at which they went, and the faithful attention of Dolios, +freed the Princess from an anxiety which she had not been able for some +time to get rid of--it seemed to her that they were pursued. + +Twice, at Perusia and Clusium, where the carriage stopped, she had +thought she heard the rattle of wheels and the sound of horses' hoofs +close behind. + +And, at Clusium, she had even fancied, as she looked through the +lattices, that she saw a second _carruca_, likewise accompanied by +outriders, turn into the gate of that town. + +But when she had spoken of this to Dolios, he had at once galloped back +to the gate, and shortly returned with the assurance that there was +nothing to be seen. + +From that time she had noticed nothing more; and the mad haste with +which she was being carried to the wished-for island, encouraged the +hope that her enemies, even if they had discovered her flight and had +followed her for a time, had soon become tired and remained behind. + +An accident, insignificant in itself, but fraught with dread because of +accompanying circumstances, suddenly darkened the brightening hopes of +the fugitive Princess. + +A desolate, treeless waste extended on all sides, farther than the eye +could reach. Only reeds and tall marsh-plants stood in the damp ditches +on both sides of the Roman high-road, nodding and whispering +mysteriously in the night wind. + +The road was now and then bordered by walls grown over with vines; or, +in old Roman style, by monuments, which, however, were often sadly +ruined, and the scattered stones of which, fallen across the road, +hindered the progress of the horses. + +Suddenly the carriage stopped with a violent shock, and Dolios tore +open the door. + +"What has happened?" cried the Princess; "have we fallen into the hands +of our enemies?" + +"No," said Dolios, who, though known to her as gloomy and reserved, +seemed, during the journey, almost alarmingly silent; "a wheel is +broken. You must descend and wait until it is mended." + +A violent gust of wind just then extinguished his torch, and chilly +drops of rain lashed the face of the terrified Princess. + +"Descend? here? whither shall I go? There is no house near, not even a +tree which might afford a shelter from the rain and wind. I shall +remain in the carriage." + +"The wheel must be taken off. That monument will afford some shelter." + +Shivering with fright, Amalaswintha obeyed, and walked over the +scattered stones to the right side of the road, where, across the +ditch, she saw a tall monument rise out of the darkness. + +Dolios helped her over the ditch. All at once the neighing of a horse +was heard on the road behind the carriage. Amalaswintha stopped short +in alarm. + +"It is our rear-guard," said Dolios quickly. "Come!" And he led her +through the wet grass up the hill upon which stood the monument. + +Arrived at the top, she seated herself upon the broad slab of a +sarcophagus. Dolios all at once disappeared into the darkness; in vain +she called him back. Presently she saw the light of his torch on the +road below; it shone redly through the mist of the marsh, and the +stormy wind rapidly bore away the sound of the hammer-strokes of the +slaves who were working at the wheel. + +Thus sat the daughter of the great Theodoric, lonely and in fear. The +cold rain slowly penetrated her clothing. The wind tore at her dress +and sighed dismally through the cypresses behind the monument; ragged +clouds drove across the sky and at intervals permitted a gleam of +moonlight to penetrate their folds, which only intensified the darkness +that followed. + +Amalaswintha's heart was sick with fear. Gradually her eyes became +accustomed to the gloom, and, looking about her, she could distinguish +the outlines of the nearest objects. There!--her heart stood still with +horror--it seemed to her as if, close behind her on the raised corner +of the back of the sarcophagus, there sat a second figure--it was not +her own shadow--a shorter figure in a wide flowing garment, its arms +resting on its knees, its head supported on its hands, and its eyes +fixed upon her. + +She could scarcely breathe; she thought she heard a whisper; she +feverishly tried to see, to hear. + +Again there came a whisper. + +"No, no; not yet!" this was what she thought she heard. + +She raised herself gently, and the figure, too, seemed to move; she +distinctly heard the clang of steel upon stone. In mortal fear she +screamed out: + +"Dolios! lights! help! lights!" + +She turned to descend the hill, but her knees trembled too much; she +fell and hurt her cheek against the sharp stones. + +All at once Dolios stood beside her, and silently lifted her up. He +asked no questions. + +"Dolios," she said, trying to compose herself, "give me the light! I +must see what was there; what is there now." + +She took the torch and walked with a firm step round the corner of the +sarcophagus. There was nothing to be seen, but by the light of the +torch she now perceived that the monument was not old like the others, +but newly erected; so unsoiled was the white marble, so fresh the black +letters of the inscription. + +Irresistibly impelled by the strange curiosity which is inseparable +from terror, she held the torch to the socle of the monument, and by +its flickering light read these words: + +"Eternal honour to the three Balthes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza. An +eternal curse upon their murderers!" + +With a scream Amalaswintha staggered back. + +Dolios led her, half fainting, to the carriage. She passed the +remaining hours of her journey in an almost unconscious state. She felt +ill in body and mind. The nearer she came to the island the more the +feverish joy with which she had looked forward to reaching it was +replaced by a mysterious fear. With apprehension she saw the shrubs and +trees at the road-side fly past her faster and faster. + +At last the smoking horses stopped. She let down the shutters and +looked out. It was that cold and dreary hour in which the first grey of +dawn struggles for the mastery with the still pervading night. They had +arrived, it seemed, at the shore of the lake, but nothing was to be +seen of its waters. + +A dismal grey mist lay, impenetrable as the future, before +Amalaswintha's eyes. Of the villa, even of the island, nothing could be +seen. + +On the right side of the road stood a low fisher-hut, half-buried in +the tall, thick reeds, which bent their heads to the soughing of the +morning wind. Singular! they seemed to warn and beckon her away from +the hidden lake behind them. + +Dolios had gone into the hut. He now returned and lifted the Princess +out of the carriage. Silently he led her through the damp meadow to the +reeds. Among them lay a small boat, which seemed rather to float on the +mist than on the water. + +At the rudder sat an old man in a grey and ragged mantle; his long +white hair hung dishevelled about his face. He seemed to sit dreaming +with closed eyes, which he did not even open when the Princess entered +the rocking boat and placed herself in the middle upon a camp-stool. + +Dolios entered the boat after her, and took the two oars; the slaves +remained behind with the carriage. + +"Dolios!" cried Amalaswintha anxiously, "it is very dark. Can the old +man steer in this fog, and no light on either shore?" + +"A light would be of no use, Queen. He is blind." + +"Blind!" cried the terrified woman. "Let me land! Put back!" + +"I have guided the boat for twenty years," said the aged ferryman; "no +seeing man knows the way as well as I." + +"Were you born blind then?" + +"No. Theodoric the Amelung caused me to be blinded, believing that +Alaric, the brother of Thulun, had hired me to murder him. I am a +servant of the Balthes, and a follower of Alaric, but I was innocent; +and so was my master, the banished Alaric. A curse upon the Amelungs!" +he cried with an angry pull at the rudder. + +"Silence, old man!" said Dolios. + +"Why should I not say to-day what I have said at every oar-stroke for +twenty years? It is the way I beat time. A curse upon the Amelungs!" + +The Princess looked with horror at the old man, who, in fact, steered +the boat with complete security, and as straight as an arrow. + +His wide mantle and dishevelled hair waved in the wind; all around was +fog and silence; only the regular beat of the oars could be heard. +Empty air and grey mist enveloped the slight boat. + +It seemed to Amalaswintha as if Charon was rowing her over the Styx to +the grey realm of shades. + +Shivering, she drew her mantle closely around her. + +A few more strokes of the oar, and they landed. + +Dolios lifted the trembling Queen on to the land; but the old man +silently turned his boat, and rowed as quickly and unerringly back as +he had come. With a sort of dismay Amalaswintha watched him disappear +into the thick mist. + +Suddenly it seemed to her as if she heard the sound of oar-strokes from +a second boat, which approached nearer and nearer. She asked Dolios +what was the cause of this noise. + +"I hear nothing," he answered; "you are over-excited. Come into the +house." + +Supported by his arm she climbed the steps, hewn in the rock, which led +to the tower-like, loftily-situated villa. Of the gardens, which, as +she distinctly remembered, extended on both sides of the narrow path, +scarcely the outlines of the rows of trees could be distinguished in +the mist. + +At last they reached the lofty entrance, a bronze door with posts of +black marble. + +Dolios knocked upon it with the hilt of his sword; the stroke +reverberated dully through the vaulted halls--the door sprang open. + +Amalaswintha remembered how she had once entered this door, then almost +choked with wreaths of flowers, at the side of her young husband; she +remembered with what friendly warmth they had been welcomed by the +door-keeper and his wife, at that time also a newly-married couple. + +The dark-looking slave with tangled grey hair, who now stood before her +with a lantern and a bunch of keys, was a stranger to her. + +"Where is Fuscina, the wife of the late ostiarius? Is she no more in +the house?" she asked. + +"She was long since drowned in the lake," answered the door-keeper +indifferently; and went forward with the light. + +The Princess followed shuddering; she could not help thinking of the +cold black waves which had so dismally licked the planks of the little +boat. + +They went on through arched courts and pillared halls; all were empty, +as if the inhabitants were dead. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the +deserted rooms--the whole villa seemed one vast catacomb. + +"The house is uninhabited? I need a female slave." + +"My wife will attend you." + +"Is no one else in the villa?" + +"One other slave--a Greek physician." + +"A physician? I will see him----" + +But at this moment a violent knocking was heard at the outer door. + +Amalaswintha started in terror. + +"What was that?" she asked, catching Dolios by the sleeve. + +She heard the banging of the heavy door as it was closed again. + +"It was only some one demanding admittance," said the ostiarius, as he +returned and unlocked the door of the room intended for the fugitive +Princess. + +The close air of a chamber which had not been opened for a long time +half suffocated her; but she recognised with emotion the tortoise-shell +lining of the walls; it was the same room which she had occupied twenty +years ago. + +Overpowered by the recollection, she sank upon the small couch, which +was covered with dark-coloured cushions. + +Dismissing the two men, she drew close the curtains of the couch, and +soon sank into an uneasy slumber. + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +Thus she lay, she knew not how long, half awake, half dreaming; picture +after picture arose in her excited mind. + +Eutharic with the expression of constant pain upon his lips--Athalaric +as he lay stretched upon his bier, he seemed to sign to her--the +reproachful face of Mataswintha--then mist and clouds and leafless +trees--then three angry warriors with pale faces and bloody +garments--and the blind ferryman in the realm of shades. + +At another time it seemed to her as if she lay on the steps of the +monument in the desolate waste, and again something rustled behind her, +and a shrouded figure bent over her, nearer and nearer, oppressing and +suffocating her. + +Her heart was contracted by fear; she started up terrified, and looked +about her. There!--it was no dream-fancy--something really rustled +behind the curtains, and a shrouded shadow glided along the wainscoted +walls. + +With a scream Amalaswintha opened the curtain wide--there was nothing +to be seen. + +Was it, then, but a dream? + +It was impossible to remain alone with her torturing thoughts. She +pressed a knob of agate on the wall, which set in motion a hammer +outside the room. + +Very soon a slave appeared, whose features and costume betrayed a +higher education. + +He introduced himself as the Greek physician. She told him of the +terrible dreams and the feverish tremblings by which she had been +tormented during the last few hours. He explained the symptoms as the +consequence of excitement, perhaps of cold taken during her flight, +recommended a warm bath, and left her to order its preparation. + +Amalaswintha remembered the splendid baths, which, divided into two +stories, occupied the whole right wing of the villa. + +The lower story of the large octagonal rotunda, designed for the cold +bath, was in immediate connection with the lake. The water was +conducted into the bath through sieves, which excluded every impurity. + +The upper story, a smaller octagon, was erected over the bath-room of +the lower story, the ceiling of which, made of a large circular metal +plate, formed the floor of the upper bath, and could be pushed, divided +into two semicircles, into the walls; so that both stories then formed +an undivided space, which, for the purposes of cleansing or for games +of swimming and diving, could be completely filled with the water of +the lake. + +Generally, however, the upper story was used only for the warm bath, +and was provided with hundreds of pipes, and innumerable dolphin, +triton, and Medusa-heads of bronze or marble, through which flowed the +scented waters, mixed with oils and essences; while from the gallery +all round, upon which the bathers undressed, ornamental steps led down +into the shell-shaped porphyry basin of the bath. + +As the Princess was recalling these rooms to her memory, the wife of +the door-keeper appeared to lead her to the bath. + +They passed through wide columned halls and libraries--where, however, +the Princess missed the capsulas and rolls of Cassiodorus--in the +direction of the garden; the slave carrying fine bath-cloths, oil +flasks, and the salve for anointment. + +At last they arrived at the tower-like octagon of the bath-rooms, which +was completely lined and paved with pale grey marble. + +They went through the halls and passages, which served for the +gymnastics and games of ball usually indulged in before and after the +bath, past the heating-rooms, undressing and anointing-rooms, directly +to the calidarium, or warm bath. + +The slave silently opened the door in the marble wall. Amalaswintha +went in and stood upon the narrow gallery which ran round the basin. +Immediately before her was a flight of easy steps leading into the +bath, out of which warm and delicious odours already arose. + +The light fell from above through an octagonal dome of artistically-cut +glass. Close to the entrance into the room a staircase of cedar-wood, +consisting of twelve steps, led on to a spring-board. + +On the marble walls of the gallery, as well as of the basin, the +openings of the water-works and heating-pipes were concealed by marble +bas-reliefs. + +Without a word, the attendant laid the various articles for the bath +upon the soft cushions and carpets which covered the gallery, and +turned to go. + +"How is it that I seem to know you?" asked the Princess, looking +thoughtfully at her. "How long have you been here?" + +"Eight days," answered the slave, turning the handle of the door. + +"How long have you served Cassiodorus?" + +"I serve, and have always served, the Princess Gothelindis." + +At this name Amalaswintha started up with a cry and caught at the +woman's skirt--too late; she was gone and the door closed, and +Amalaswintha heard the key taken from the lock outside. + +A great and unknown terror overcame her. She felt that she had been +fearfully deceived; that some shocking secret lay behind. Her heart was +full of unspeakable anxiety; and flight--flight from the rooms was her +only thought. + +But flight seemed impossible. The door now appeared to be only a thick +marble slab like those on the right and left; even a needle could not +have penetrated into the junctures. She looked desperately round the +walls of the gallery, but met only the marble stare of the tritons and +dolphins. At last her eyes rested upon a snake-encircled Medusa's head +directly opposite and a scream of horror escaped her lips. + +The face of the Medusa was pushed aside, and the oval opening beneath, +the snaky hair was filled with a living countenance! Was it a human +face? + +The trembling woman clung to the marble balustrade of the gallery, and +bent, over it, staring at the apparition. Yes, it was the distorted +features of Gothelindis! A hell of hate and mockery flashed from the +eyes. + +Amalaswintha fell upon her knees and hid her face in her hands. + +"_You_--you here?" + +A hoarse laugh was the reply. + +"Yes, child of the Amelungs, I am here; to your ruin! Mine is this +island; mine the house--it will become your grave--mine is Dolios, and +all the slaves of Cassiodorus; bought by me eight days ago. I have +decoyed you here; I have followed you like your shadow. I have endured +the torture of my hatred for long days and nights, in order to enjoy +full revenge at last. I will revel for hours in your death-agony. I +will see your tender frame shaken as with fever-frost, and your haughty +features convulsed with terror. Oh, I will drink a sea of revenge!" + +Amalaswintha rose from her knees wringing her hands. + +"Revenge? For what? Why this deadly hatred?" + +"Ah! can you ask? Certainly years have passed, and the happy easily +forget. But hate has a faithful memory. Have you forgotten how two +young girls once played under the shade of the plantains in the meadow +at Ravenna? They were the fairest among their play-fellows; both young, +beautiful, and amiable. A royal child the one, the other a daughter of +the Balthes. The girls were about to choose a queen of the games. They +chose Gothelindis, for she was still more handsome than you, and not so +tyrannical. And they chose her twice in succession. But the King's +daughter stood near, devoured by ungovernable pride and envy, and when +they chose me for the third time she took up a pair of sharp-pointed +gardener's scissors----" + +"Stop! Oh! be silent, Gothelindis!" + +"And hurled it at me. It hit me. Screaming' with pain and bleeding, I +fell to the ground, my whole cheek one yawning wound, and my eye, my +eye pierced through! Ah! how it still pains, even to-day!" + +"Forgive, pardon me, Gothelindis!" cried Amalaswintha. "You have +pardoned me long ago." + +"Forgive? I forgive you? Shall I forgive you when you have robbed me of +my eye, and of all my beauty? You conquered for life! Gothelindis was +no more dangerous as a rival. She lamented in secret; the disfigured +girl hid from the eyes of mankind. And years passed. Then there came to +the court of Ravenna a noble Amelung from Spain; Eutharic with his dark +eyes and tender soul. And he, himself sick, took pity upon the sick and +half-blind girl. He spoke to her with affection and kindness; spoke to +the ugly, disfigured creature whom all the others avoided. And it was +decided--in order to eradicate the ancient enmity between our families, +and to expiate old and new guilt--for Duke Alaric had been condemned in +consequence of a secret and unproved accusation--that the poor ill-used +daughter of the Balthes should become the wife of the noblest of the +Amelungs. But when you heard this, you, who had so terribly disfigured +me, were resolved to deprive me also of my lover! Not out of jealousy, +no; not because you loved him, no; but from mere pride. Because you +were determined to keep the first man in the kingdom and the heir to +the crown to yourself. And you succeeded; for your father could deny +you nothing, and Eutharic soon forgot his compassion for the one-eyed +girl, when the hand of the beautiful Amalaswintha was offered to him. +In recompense--or was it only in mockery?--they gave me, too, to an +Amelung; to Theodahad, that miserable coward?" + +"Gothelindis, I swear to you, I never suspected that you loved +Eutharic. How could I----" + +"To be sure! how could you believe that the disfigured girl could +place her heart so high? Oh, you cursed woman, if you had really loved +him, and had made him happy--I could have forgiven all! But you never +loved him; you are only capable of ambition! His lot with you was +misery. For years I saw him wasting by your side, oppressed, unloved, +chilled to the very soul by your coldness. Grief soon killed him. You! +you have robbed me of my lover and brought him to the grave with +sorrow--revenge! revenge for him!" + +And the lofty dome echoed with the cry: "Revenge! Revenge!" + +"Help!" cried Amalaswintha, and ran despairingly round the circle of +the gallery, beating the smooth walls with her hands. + +"Aye! call! call! here no one can hear you but the God of Revenge! Do +you think I have bridled my hate for months in vain? How often, how +easily could I have reached you, with dagger or poison, at Ravenna! But +no; I have decoyed you here. At the monument of my murdered cousins; an +hour ago at your bedside; I with difficulty restrained my uplifted +hand--but slowly, inch by inch, shall you die. I will watch for hours +the growing agony of your death." + +"Terrible! Oh, terrible!" + +"What are hours compared with the long years during which I was +martyred by the thought of my disfigurement, of your beauty and your +possession of my lover! But you shall repent it!" + +"What will you do?" cried the terrified woman, again and again seeking +some outlet in the walls. + +"I will drown you, slowly and surely, in the waterworks of this bath, +which your friend Cassiodorus built. You do not know what tortures of +jealousy and impotent rage I endured in this house when your wedding +with Eutharic was celebrated, and I was compelled to serve in your +train. In this room, you proud woman, I unloosed your sandals, and +dried your fair limbs--in this room you shall die?" + +She touched a spring in the wall. + +The floor of the basin, the round metal plate, divided into two halves, +which slid slowly into the walls on the right and left. + +With horror the imprisoned woman looked down from the narrow gallery +into the chasm thus opened at her feet. + +"Remember that day in the meadow!" cried Gothelindis; and in the lower +story the sluices were suddenly opened, and the waters of the lake +rushed in, roaring and hissing, and rose higher and higher with fearful +rapidity. + +Amalaswintha saw certain death before her. She saw the impossibility of +escape, or of softening her fiendish enemy by prayers. At this crisis, +the hereditary courage of the Amelungs returned to her; she composed +herself, and was reconciled to her fate. + +She descried, amid the numerous reliefs of mythological subjects near +her, a representation of the death of Christ on the right of the +entrance. The sight strengthened her mind; she threw herself upon her +knees before the marble cross, clasped it with both ands, and prayed +quietly with closed eyes, while the water rose and rose; it already +splashed upon the steps of the gallery. + +"You pray, murderess? Away from the cross!" cried Gothelindis, enraged; +"think of the three dukes!" + +Suddenly all the dolphin and triton heads on the right side of the +octagon began to spout streams of hot rater; white steam rushed out of +the pipes. + +Amalaswintha sprang up and ran to the left side of the gallery. + +"Gothelindis, I forgive you! Kill me, but forgive me also!" + +And the water rose and rose; it already covered the topmost step of the +bath, and slowly wetted the floor of the gallery. + +And now the streaming water-pipes spouted upon Amalaswintha from the +left also. She took refuge in the middle of the gallery, directly +opposite the Medusa, the only place where no steam from the hot-water +pipe could reach her. + +If she mounted the spring-board, which was placed here, she could +respite her life for some time longer. Gothelindis seemed to expect +that she would do so, and to revel in the prospect of the lengthened +torture of the agonised woman. + +The water already rushed over the marble flooring of the gallery and +laved the feet of Amalaswintha. She ran quickly up the brown and +shining wooden steps, and leaned over the railing of the bridge. + +"Hear me, Gothelindis! my last prayer! not for myself, but for my +people, for _our_ people. Petros will destroy them, and Theodahad----" + +"Yes, I know that the kingdom is your last anxiety! Despair. It is +lost! These foolish Goths, who have always preferred the Amelungs to +the Balthes, are sold and betrayed by the Amelungs. Belisarius +approaches, and there is no one to warn them." + +"You err, satanic woman; they _are_ warned! I, their Queen, have warned +them! Hail to my people! Destruction to their enemies! and may God have +mercy on my soul!" and she suddenly leapt from the spring-board into +the water, which closed whirling over her head. + +Gothelindis looked at the place which her victim had occupied a moment +before. + +"She has disappeared," she said. Then she looked at the water--on the +surface floated Amalaswintha's kerchief. + +"Even in death this woman conquers me," said Gothelindis slowly. "How +long was my hate, and how short my revenge!" + + + + CHAPTER VII. + +A few days after these occurrences, there were assembled in the +apartments of the Byzantine ambassador at Ravenna a number of +distinguished Romans of worldly and ecclesiastical rank. The Bishops +Hypatius and Demetrius from the Eastern Empire were also present. + +Great excitement, mixed with alarm and anger, was visible on all faces, +as Petros, the rhetorician, concluded his address in these words: + +"It is for this reason, reverend bishops of the East and West, and you, +noble Romans, that I have assembled you here. I protest loudly and +solemnly, in the name of the Emperor, against all secret acts of +cunning or force which may have been practised against the noble lady. +Nine days ago she disappeared from Ravenna; most likely taken by force +from your midst; she, who has ever been the friend and protector of the +Italians! On the same day, the Queen, her bitter enemy, also +disappeared. I have sent out expresses in all directions, but, until +now, am without news. But alas! if----" + +He could not complete the sentence. + +A confused tumult arose from the Forum of Hercules, and very soon hasty +footsteps were heard in the vestibule; the curtain was parted, and one +of the Byzantine slaves of the ambassador hurried into the room, +covered with dust. + +"Sir," he cried, "she is dead! she is murdered!" + +"Murdered!" repeated many voices. + +"By whom?" asked Petros. + +"By Gothelindis; at the villa in the Lake of Bolsena!" + +"Where is the corpse? Where the murderess?" + +"Gothelindis pretends that the Princess was drowned in the bath while +playing with the water-works, with which she was unacquainted. But it +is known that the Queen had followed her victim, step by step, ever +since she left the city. Romans and Goths have crowded by hundreds to +the villa to bring the corpse here in solemn procession. The Queen +escaped the fury of the people and fled to the fortress of Feretri." + +"Enough," cried Petros indignantly. "I go to the King, and call upon +you all to follow me. I shall refer to your testimony of what passes in +my report to Emperor Justinian." And he at once hurried out at the head +of the assembly to the palace. + +In the streets they found a throng of people rushing hither and +thither, full of rage and indignation. The news had arrived in the +city, and spread from house to house. On recognising the imperial +ambassador and the dignitaries of the city, the crowd gave way before +them, but immediately closed again behind them pressed after them to +the palace, and was with difficulty kept from entering the gates. + +Every moment increased the number and excitement of the people. The +Roman citizens crowded together in the Forum of Honorius, and to their +grief for the fate of their protectress was added the hope that this +occurrence might cause the downfall of the barbarians. The appearance +of the ambassador encouraged this hope, and the feelings of the mass +took a direction which was by no means inimical alone to Theodahad and +Gothelindis. + +Meanwhile Petros, with his companions, hastened to the apartments of +the helpless King, who, in the absence of his wife, had lost all +strength of resistance. He trembled at the excitement of the crowd +before the palace, and had already sent for Petros, to ask from him +help and counsel; for it was Petros himself who had decided upon the +murder of the Princess, and arranged with Gothelindis the manner of its +accomplishment. The King, therefore, now expected him to help to bear +the consequences. + +When, then, the Byzantine appeared upon the threshold, Theodahad +hurried to him with open arms; but he suddenly stood still in +amazement, astonished to see what companions Petros had brought with +him, and still more astonished at his threatening aspect. + +"I call you to account, King of the Goths!" cried Petros, even before +he had crossed the threshold. "In the name of Byzantium, I call you to +account for the disappearance of the daughter of Theodoric. You know +that Emperor Justinian had assured her of his particular protection; +every hair of her head is therefore sacred, and sacred every drop of +her blood. Where is Amalaswintha?" + +The King stared at him in speechless astonishment. He admired this +power of dissimulation; but he did not understand its cause. He made no +answer. + +"Where is Amalaswintha?" repeated Petros, advancing threateningly: and +his companions also came a step forward. + +"She is dead," said Theodahad, who began to feel extremely anxious. + +"She is murdered!" cried Petros. "So says all Italy. Murdered by you +and your wife. Justinian, my illustrious Emperor, was the protector of +this woman, and he will be her avenger. In his name I declare war +against you--war against you and all your race!" + +"War against you and all your race!" repeated the Italians, carried +away by the excitement of the moment, and giving vent to their +long-cherished hatred; and they pressed upon the trembling King. + +"Petros," he stammered in terror, "you will remember our treaty, and +you will----" + +But the ambassador took a roll of papyrus out of his mantle, and tore +it in two. + +"Thus I tear all bonds between my Emperor and this bloodthirsty house! +You yourselves by this cruel deed have forfeited all our former +forbearance, No treaties--war!" + +"For God's sake!" cried Theodahad; "no fighting! What do you demand, +Petros?" + +"Complete subjection. The evacuation of Italy. Yourself and Gothelindis +I summon to Byzantium, before the throne of Justinian. There----" + +But his speech was interrupted by the sounding clang of the Gothic +alarum, and into the room hurried a strong troop of Gothic warriors, +led by Earl Witichis. + +On hearing of Amalaswintha's death, the Gothic leaders had at once +summoned the most valiant men of the nation in Ravenna to meet before +the Porta Romana, and there they had agreed upon the best means of +security. They had appeared in the Forum of Honorius just at the right +moment--when the excitement was becoming dangerous. Here and there a +dagger flashed, and the cry arose, "Woe to the barbarians!" + +These signs and voices ceased at once, as the hated Goths advanced in +close ranks from the Forum of Hercules through the Via Palatina. +Without resistance, they marched through the murmuring groups; and +while Earl Teja and Hildebad guarded the gates and terraces of the +palace, Witichis and Hildebrand arrived in the King's rooms just in +time to hear the last words of the ambassador. + +Wheeling to the right, they placed their followers near the throne, to +which the King had just retreated; and Witichis, leaning on his long +sword, went close up to Petros, and looked keenly into his eyes. + +A pause of expectation ensued. + +"Who dares," asked Witichis quietly, "to play the master here in the +royal palace of the Goths?" + +Recovering from his surprise, Petros answered, + +"It does not become you, Earl Witichis, to interfere for the protection +of a murderer. I have summoned the King before the court at Byzantium." + +"And for this insult thou hast no reply, Amelung?" cried old Hildebrand +angrily. + +But his bad conscience tied the King's tongue. + +"Then we must speak for him," said Witichis "Know, Greek, and +understand it well, you false and ungrateful Ravennites, the nation of +the Goths is free and acknowledges no foreign master or judge or +earth." + +"Not even for murder?" + +"If evil deeds occur amongst us, we ourselves will judge and punish +them. It does not concern strangers; least of all our enemy, the +Emperor of Byzantium." + +"My Emperor will revenge this woman, whom he could not save. Deliver up +the murderers to Byzantium." + +"We would not deliver up a Gothic hind, much less our King!" + +"Then you share his guilt and his punishment, and I declare war against +you in the name of my master. Tremble before Justinian and Belisarius!" + +A movement of joy amongst the Gothic warriors was the only answer. + +Old Hildebrand went to the window, and cried to the Goths, who crowded +below: + +"News! joyful news! War with Byzantium!" + +At this a tumult broke loose below, as if the sea had burst its dams; +weapons clashed, and a thousand voices shouted: + +"War! war with Byzantium!" + +This repetition of his words was not without effect upon Petros or the +Italians. The fierceness of this enthusiasm alarmed them; they were +silent, and cast down their eyes. + +While the Goths, shaking hands, congratulated each other, Witichis went +up to Petros with an earnest mien, and said solemnly: + +"Then it is war! We do not shun it; that you have heard. Better open +war than this lurking, undermining enmity. War is good; but woe to him +who kindles it without reason and without a just cause! I see +beforehand years of blood and murder and conflagration; I see trampled +corn-fields, smoking towns, and numberless corpses swimming down the +rivers! Listen to our words. Upon your heads be this blood, this +misery! You have irritated and excited us for years; we bore it +quietly. And now you have declared war against us, judging where you +had no right to judge, and mixing yourselves in the affairs of a nation +which is as free as your own. On your heads be the responsibility! This +is our answer to Byzantium." + +Silently Petros listened to these words; silently he turned and went +out, followed by his companions. + +Some of them accompanied him to his residence, amongst them the Bishop +of Florentia. + +"Reverend friend," Petros said to the latter at parting, "the letters +of Theodahad about the matter you know of, which you entrusted to me +for perusal, you must leave entirely at my disposal. I need them, and +they are no longer necessary to you." + +"The process is long since decided," answered the Bishop, "and the +property irrevocably acquired. The documents are yours." + +The ambassador then dismissed his friends, who hoped soon to see him +again in Ravenna with the imperial army, and went to his chamber, where +he at once despatched a messenger to Belisarius, ordering him to invade +the country. Then he wrote a detailed report to the Emperor, which +concluded in the following words: + + +"And so, my Emperor, you seem to have just reason to be contented with +the services of your most faithful messenger, and the situation of +affairs. The barbarian nation split into parties; a hated Prince, +incapable and faithless, upon the throne; the enemy surprised, +unprepared and unarmed; the Italian population everywhere in your +favour. We cannot fail! If no miracle occur, the barbarians must +succumb almost without resistance; and, as often before, my great +Emperor appears as the protector of the weak and the avenger of wrongs. +It is a witty coincidence that the trireme which brought me here bears +the name of _Nemesis_. Only one thing afflicts me much, that, with all +my efforts, I have not succeeded in saving the unhappy daughter of +Theodoric. I beg you, at least, to assure my mistress, the Empress, who +was never very graciously disposed to me, that I tried most faithfully +to obey all her injunctions concerning the Princess, whose fate she +entrusted to me as her principal anxiety during our last interview. As +to the question about Theodahad and Gothelindis, by whose assistance +the Gothic Kingdom has been delivered into our hands, I will venture to +recall to the Empress's memory the first rule of prudence: it is too +dangerous to have the sharers of our profoundest secrets at court." + +This letter Petros sent on in advance with the two bishops, Hypatius +and Demetrius, who were to go immediately to Brundusium, and thence +through Epidamnos by land to Byzantium. + +He himself intended to follow in a few days, sailing slowly along the +Gothic coasts of the Ionian Gulf, in order to prove the temper and +excite the rebellion of the inhabitants of the harbour towns. + +He would afterwards sail round the Peloponnesus and Eub[oe]a to +Byzantium, for the Empress had ordered him to travel by sea, and had +given him commissions for Athens and Lampsacus. + +Before his departure from Ravenna, he already calculated the rewards he +expected to receive at Byzantium for his successful operations in +Italy. + +He would return twice as rich as he had come, for he had never +confessed to the Queen, Gothelindis, that he had come into the country +with the order to overthrow Amalaswintha. + +He had rather, for some time, met her with representations of the anger +of the Empress and Emperor, and had, with great show of repugnance, +allowed himself to be bribed with large sums to connive at her plans, +when, actually, he but used her as his tool. + +He looked forward with certainty to the proud rank of patrician in +Byzantium, and already rejoiced that he would be able to meet his +haughty cousin, Narses--who had never used his influence to advance +him--on equal terms. + +"So everything has succeeded better than I could wish," he said to +himself with great complacency, as he set his papers in order before +leaving Ravenna, "and this time, my proud friend Cethegus, cunning has +proved truly excellent. The little rhetorician from Thessalonica, with +his small and stealthy steps, has advanced farther than you with your +proud strides. Of one thing I must be careful: that Theodahad and +Gothelindis do not escape to Byzantium; it would be too dangerous. +Perhaps the question of the astute Empress was intended as a warning. +This royal couple must be put out of our way." + +Having completed his arrangements, Petros sent for the friend with whom +he lodged, and took leave of him. At the same time he delivered to him +a dark-coloured narrow vase, such as those which were used for the +preservation of documents; he sealed the cover with his ring, which was +finely engraved with a scorpion, and wrote a name upon the wax-tablet +appended to it. + +"Seek this man," he said to his host, "at the next assembly of the +Goths at Regeta, and give him the vase; the contents are his. Farewell. +You shall soon see me again in Ravenna." + +He left the house with his slaves, and was soon on board the +ambassador's ship; filled with proud expectations, he was borne away by +the _Nemesis_. + +As his ship, many weeks after, neared the harbour of Byzantium--he had, +at the Empress's wish, announced his speedy arrival at Lampsacus, by +means of an imperial swift-sailer which was just leaving--Petros looked +at the handsome country houses on the shore, which shone whitely from +out of the evergreen shade of the surrounding gardens. + +"Here you will live in future, amongst the senators of the Empire," he +thought with great contentment. + +Before they ran into the harbour, the _Thetis_, the splendid +pleasure-boat of the Empress, flew towards them, and, as soon as she +recognised the galley of the ambassador, hoisted the purple standard, +as a sign to lay to. + +Very soon a messenger from the Empress came on board the galley. It was +Alexandros, the former ambassador to the court of Ravenna. He showed to +the captain of the galley a writing from the Emperor, at which the +captain appeared to be much startled; then he turned to Petros. + +"In the name of the Emperor Justinian! You are condemned for life, +convicted of long-practised forgery and embezzlement of the taxes, to +the metal-works in the mines of Cherson, with the Ultra-Ziagirian Huns. +You have delivered the daughter of Theodoric into the hands of her +enemies. The Emperor thought you excused when he read your letter; but +the Empress, inconsolable for the death of her royal sister, revealed +your former guilt to the Emperor, and a letter from the Prefect of Rome +proved that you had secretly planned the murder of the Princess with +Gothelindis. Your fortune is confiscated, and the Empress wishes you to +recollect--" here he whispered into the ear of Petros, who was +completely stunned and broken by this terrible blow--"that you +yourself, in your letter, advised her to get rid of all the sharers of +her secrets." + +With this, Alexandros returned to the _Thetis_, but the _Nemesis_ +turned her stern to Byzantium, and bore the criminal away for ever from +all civilised community with mankind. + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + +We have lost sight of Cethegus ever since his departure for Rome. + +During the events which we have described, he had been extremely active +in that city, for he saw that things were coming to a crisis, and +looked forward with confidence to a favourable result. + +All Italy was united in hatred against the barbarians, and who could so +well direct this hatred as the head of the conspiracy of the Catacombs, +and the master of Rome? + +For now he was so in fact. The legions were fully formed and equipped, +and the fortifications of the city--the works of which had been carried +on for the last few months night and day--were almost completed. + +And, as he thought, he had finally succeeded preventing an immediate +incursion of the Byzantine army into Italy, the greatest calamity which +threatened his ambitious plans. He had learned, through trustworthy +spies, that the Byzantine fleet--which, till now had been anchored off +Sicily--had really left that island, and sailed towards the African +coast, where seemed occupied in suppressing piracy. + +Cethegus certainly foresaw that it would yet come to a landing of the +Greeks in Italy; he could not do without their help. But it was +material to his plans that the Emperor's assistance should be of +secondary importance, and, to insure this, he must take care that, +before a single Byzantine had set foot in Italy, a rebellion of the +Italians should have taken place spontaneously, and have been already +carried to such a point, that the later co-operation of the Greeks +would appear to be a mere incident, and could be easily repaid by the +acknowledgment of a light supremacy of the Emperor. + +To this end he had prepared his plans with great nicety. + +As soon as the last tower on the Roman walls was under roof, the Goths +were to be attacked on one and the same day all over Italy, and, at one +stroke, all the fortresses, castles, and towns--Rome, Ravenna, and +Neapolis foremost--were to be overpowered and taken. + +If the barbarians were once driven into the open country, there was no +fear--considering their complete ignorance of the art of siege, and the +number and strength of the Italian fortresses--that they would be able +to take these last, and thereby again become masters of the peninsula. + +Then an allied army from Byzantium might aid in finally driving the +Goths over the Alps; and Cethegus was resolved to prevent these allies +from entering the most important fortresses, so that, later, they also +might be got rid of without difficulty. + +To ensure the success of this plan, it was necessary that the Goths +should be taken by surprise. If war with Byzantium were in prospect, +or, still worse, already broken out, it naturally followed that the +barbarians would not allow their fortified places to be wrested from +them by a mere stroke of the hand. + +Now as Cethegus--since he had penetrated the motives of the embassy of +Petros--fully expected that Justinian would come forward at the first +opportunity, and as he had barely succeeded in preventing the landing +of Belisarius, he was resolved not to lose a moment's time. + +He had arranged that a general meeting of the conspirators should take +place in the Catacombs on the day of the completion of the Roman +fortifications, when their successful termination should be celebrated, +the moment of the attack on the Goths decided, and Cethegus himself +designated as the leader of this purely Italian movement. + +He hoped to overcome the opposition of the timorous or the bribed--who +were inclined to act only for and with the assistance of Byzantium--by +the enthusiasm of the Roman youth, whom he would promise to lead at +once to battle. + +Before the day of meeting arrived, he had heard the news of +Amalaswintha's murder, and of the confusion and division of the Goths, +and he impatiently longed for the crisis. + +At length the last tower of the Aurelian Grate was completed. Cethegus +himself gave the finishing stroke, and as he did so it seemed to him +that he heard the sound of the blow which would liberate Rome and +Italy. + +At the banquet which he afterwards gave to thousands of labourers in +the theatre of Pompey, most of the conspirators were present, and the +Prefect made use of the opportunity to show them how unlimited was his +popularity. Upon the younger members the impression which he wished and +expected to make was produced, but a small party, headed by Silverius, +retired from the tables with discontented and gloomy looks. + +The priest had lately seen that Cethegus would not consent to be a mere +tool, but that he contrived to carry out his own plans, which might +prove extremely dangerous to the Church and to his (the priest's) +personal influence. He was decided to overthrow his colleague as soon +as he could be spared, and it had not been difficult for him to excite +the jealousy of many Romans against Cethegus. + +The wily archbishop had taken advantage of the presence of the two +bishops from the Eastern Empire, Hypatius of Ephesus and Demetrius of +Philippi--who secretly treated with the Pope in matters of faith, and +with King Theodahad in affairs of policy--to enter into a close and +secret alliance with Theodahad and Byzantium. + +"You are right, Silverius," grumbled Scævola, as they issued from the +doors of the theatre, "the Prefect unites Marius and Cæsar in one +person." + +"He does not throw away such immense sums for nothing," said the +avaricious Albinus warningly; "we must not trust him too far." + +"Beloved brethren," said the priest, "see that you do not lightly +condemn a member of our community. Who should do this would be worthy +of hell-fire! Certainly Cethegus commands the fists of the workmen as +well as the hearts of his young 'knights;' and it is well, for he can +therewith break the tyranny----" + +"But at the same time he could replace it by new despotism," interrupted +Calpurnius. + +"That he shall not, if daggers can still kill, as in the time of +Brutus!" cried Scævola. + +"Bloodshed is not necessary. Consider; the nearer the tyrant, the more +oppressive the tyranny; the farther the ruler, the more bearable his +government. The power of the Prefect must be balanced by the power of +the Emperor." + +"Yes," affirmed Albinus, who had received large sums from Byzantium, +"the Emperor must become master of Italy." + +"That is," said Silverius, restraining Scævola, who would have +interrupted indignantly, "we must keep down the Prefect by means of the +Emperor, and the Emperor by means of the Prefect. See, we have arrived +at the door of my house. Let us enter. I must tell you in confidence +what will be made known to the assembly to-night. It will surprise you; +but other people still more." + +Meanwhile the Prefect had also hurried home from the banquet, to +prepare for his important work by lonely meditation. + +He did not think over his speech; he knew long ago what he had to say; +and, a splendid orator, to whom words came as readily as thoughts, he +willingly left the mode of expression to the impulse of the moment, +knowing well that words which issue spontaneously from the heart, have +the liveliest effect. + +But he sought for inward composure; for his passions were vividly +excited. + +He thought over the steps which he had taken in order to reach his +goal, since first he had been drawn towards it with demoniac force. He +measured the short space which he had still to tread; he counted the +difficulties and hindrances which lay upon his path, and measured the +strength of mind with which he could overcome them; and the result of +all this examination awakened in him a certainty of victory which +filled him with youthful enthusiasm. + +He measured his room with rapid strides; the muscles of his arms +swelled as if in the hour of battle; he girded himself with the broad +and victorious sword of his former campaigns, and convulsively grasped +the hilt as if he were about to fight for his Rome against two worlds: +against Byzantium and the barbarians. + +He paused before the statue of Cæsar, and looked long at the silent +marble face. + +"Farewell!" he cried, "give me thy good fortune upon my way. More I do +not need." + +He turned quickly, and hurried out of the room and through the atrium +into the street, where the first stars were already shining. The +conspirators had assembled in the Catacombs on this evening in greater +numbers than ever, for urgent invitations had been sent through all +Italy. + +According to the wish of the Prefect, all strategically important +places were represented at this meeting. Deputies had been sent from +the strong warders of the frontiers, Tridentum, Tarvisium, and Verona, +which behold the ice of the Alps; from Otorantum and Consentia, which +are laved by the tepid waves of the Ausonian Sea; from all the +celebrated towns of Sicily and Italy, with the proud, beautiful, and +historic names: Syracuse and Catana, Panormus and Messana, Regium, +Neapolis and Cumæ, Capua and Beneventum, Antium and Ostia, Reate and +Narnia, Volsinii, Urbsvetus and Spoletum, Clusium and Perusia, Auximum +and Ancona, Florentia and Fæsulas, Pisa, Luca, Luna and Genua; +Ariminum, Casena, Faventia, and Ravenna; Parma, Dertona and Placentia; +Mantua, Cremona, and Ticinum (Pavia); Mediolanum, Comum, and Bergamum; +Asta and Pollentia; and from the northern and eastern coasts of the +Ionian Gulf: Concordia, Aquileja, Iadera, Scardona, and Salona. + +There were grave senators and judges, who had grown grey in the +councils of their towns, where their ancestors had been leaders for +centuries; wise merchants, broad-shouldered proprietors, disputing +jurists, mocking rhetoricians, and in particular a great number of +clergy of all ranks and all ages: the only firmly organised party, and +which was implicitly obedient to Silverius. + +As Cethegus, still concealed behind the corner of the narrow entrance, +overlooked the groups assembled in the rotunda of the grotto, he could +not restrain a contemptuous smile, which, however, ended in a sigh. + +Excepting the general dislike to the barbarians--which, however, was by +no means strong enough to support the sacrifices and self-denial +necessary to the accomplishment of difficult political plans--what +different and often what small motives had led these men together! + +Cethegus knew exactly the motives of each individual: had he not been +able to influence them by taking advantage of their foibles? And, after +all, he could not but rejoice at this, for he could never have brought +true Romans so completely under his influence as he had done these +conspirators. + +But as he now looked at the assembled patriots, and reflected how one +had been induced to join the discontented, in the hope of a title from +Byzantium; another by bribery; another from revenge or on account of +some personal offence, or even from tedium, or debts, or some foolish +dilemma; and when he told himself that with _such_ colleagues he must +meet the warriors of the Gothic army--he almost shrank from the +temerity of his plan. + +It was some relief to him, when the clear voice of Lucius Licinius +attracted his looks to the troop of young "knights," whose truly +martial courage and national enthusiasm were expressed on their +features; there at least he had a few trustworthy weapons. + +"Welcome! Lucius Licinius," he said, as he stepped out of the darkness +of the passage, "Ha, ha! you are mailed and armed as if we were going +straight from hence to meet the barbarians!" + +"I can scarcely contain myself for joy and hate!" cried the handsome +youth. "Look here, all these I have won for you, for the cause of the +fatherland." + +Cethegus looked round and greeted the others. + +"You here also, Kallistratos? you merry son of peace!" + +"Hellas will not desert her sister Italia in the hour of danger," said +the Greek, and laid his white hand upon his elegant, ivory-hilted +sword. + +Cethegus nodded to him and turned to the rest; Marcus Licinius, Piso, +Massurius, Balbus, who, completely won for the Prefect since the feast +of the Floralia, had brought with them their brothers, cousins, and +friends. + +Cethegus looked searchingly through the groups; he seemed to miss some +one. + +Lucius Licinius guessed his thoughts. + +"You seek the dark Corsican, Furius Ahalla? You must not reckon upon +him. I sounded him thoroughly, but he said: 'I am a Corsican--no Roman. +My trade flourishes under Gothic protection. Leave me out your game.' +And when I pressed him further--for I would gladly win his brave sword +and the many thousands of hands which he commands--he said abruptly: 'I +will not fight against Totila.'" + +"The Gods alone know what binds the wild tiger to that milksop," said +Piso. + +Cethegus smiled, but frowned as well. + +"I think we Romans will suffice," he said in a loud voice; and the +youths looked at him with beating hearts. + +"Open the assembly," said Scævola impatiently to Silverius. "You see +how he talks over the young people; he will win them all. Interrupt +him; speak!" + +"Immediately. Are you sure that Albinus will come?" + +"He will; he waits for the messengers at the Appian gate." + +"Well," said the priest, "God be with us!" + +And he stepped into the middle of the rotunda, raised the black cross +which he held, and began: + +"In the name of the Triune God! We have again assembled in the gloom of +night for the works of light. Perhaps for the last time; for the Son of +God, to whom the heretics refuse all honour, has wonderfully blessed +our endeavours. Next to God, our warmest thanks are due to the noble +Emperor Justinian and his pious spouse, who listen to the sighs of the +suffering Church with active sympathy; and, lastly, to our friend and +leader here, the Prefect, who zealously works for the cause of our +master the Emperor----" + +"Stop, priest!" cried Lucius Licinius. "Who calls the Emperor of +Byzantium our _master_? We will not have the Greeks instead of the +Goths! We will be free!" + +"We will be free!" echoed the chorus of his friends. + +"We shall _become_ free!" continued Silverius. "Certainly! But that is +not possible unaided. The Emperor must help us. And do not think, +beloved youths, that the man whom you honour as your leader, Cethegus, +is of a different opinion. Justinian has sent him a costly ring--his +portrait in carneol--as a sign that he is contented with the Prefect's +services, and the Prefect has accepted the ring. Behold, he wears it on +his finger." + +Startled and indignant, the youths looked at Cethegus, who silently +advanced into the middle of the room. + +A painful pause ensued. + +"Speak, General!" cried Lucius; "contradict him! It is not as he says +with the ring!" + +But Cethegus nodded and drew off the ring. + +"It is as he says. The ring is from the Emperor, and I have accepted +it." + +Lucius Licinius fell back a step. + +"As a sign?" asked Silverius. + +"As a sign," cried Cethegus, in a threatening voice, "that I am not the +ambitious egoist for which many take me. As a sign that I love Italy +more than my ambition. Yes, I built upon Byzantium, and would have +given up the leadership to the mighty Emperor; therefore I took this +ring. I build no more upon Byzantium, for she hesitates everlastingly: +therefore I have brought the ring with me to-day, in order to return it +to the Emperor. You, Silverius, have proved yourself the representative +of Byzantium; here, return his pledge to your master; he delays too +long. Tell him Italy will help herself!" + +"Italy will help herself!" shouted the young Romans. + +"Reflect what you do!" cried the priest with restrained anger. +"I understand the hot courage of youth--but that my friend, the +ripe and experienced man, stretches forth his hand for what is +unattainable--_that_ surprises me! Remember the strength and ferocity +of the barbarians! Reflect that the Italians are unused to arms, that +all the fortresses of the country are in the hands----" + +"Be silent, priest," thundered Cethegus. "You do not understand such +matters! Speak where the psalms have to be explained or souls led to +heaven, for that is your office; but where war and fighting are +concerned, let those speak who understand! We will leave you all +heaven--leave the earth to us. Roman youths, you have the choice. Will +you wait until this cautious Byzantium vouchsafes to take pity upon +Italy?--you may become weary old men before then!--or will you in old +Roman fashion, win freedom with your own swords? You will; I see it by +your sparkling eyes. How? They tell us we are too weak to liberate +Italy! Ha! were not your fathers Romans, who conquered the world? +If I call upon you, man by man, there is not a name which does not ring +with the fame of a hero. Decius, Corvinus, Cornelius, Valerius, +Licinius--will you free the fatherland with me?" + +"We will! Lead us, Cethegus!" cried the youth with enthusiasm. + +After a pause Scævola began: + +"My name is Scævola. When the names of Roman heroes are cited, the race +which inherits the heroism of the Celts might have been remembered. I +ask you, Cethegus, have you more than dreams and wishes, like these +young fools? have you a plan?" + +"More than that, Scævola, I have, and will keep, the victory! Here is a +list of all the fortresses in Italy. At the next Ides, that is in +thirty days, they will fall, at one blow, into my hands." + +"What? must we still wait thirty days?" asked Lucius. + +"Only till the deputies assembled here have again reached their towns. +Only till my expresses have flown through Italy. You have _had_ to wait +forty years!" + +But the impatience of the youths, which he himself had excited, was not +to be subdued; they looked gloomy at the postponement--they murmured. + +The priest was quick to take advantage of this change of humour. + +"No, Cethegus," he cried; "we cannot delay so long! Tyranny is +unbearable to the noble-minded; shame upon him who endures it longer +than he must! I know of better comfort, youths! In a few days the +spears of Belisarius may flash in Italian sunshine." + +"Or shall we, perhaps," asked Scævola, "refuse to follow Belisarius +because he is not Cethegus?" + +"You speak of wishes," cried Cethegus, "not of realities. If Belisarius +land, I shall be the first to join him. But he will not land. It is +this which has disgusted me; the Emperor does not keep his word." + +Cethegus played a very bold game. But he could not do otherwise. + +"You may err," said Silverius, "and the Emperor may fulfil his promise +sooner than you think. Belisarius lies off Sicily." + +"Not now. He has gone towards Africa, towards home. Hope nothing from +Belisarius." + +Just then hasty steps were heard in the passage, and Albinus rushed in. + +"Triumph!" he cried. "Freedom! freedom!" + +"What news?" asked the priest. + +"War! deliverance! Byzantium has declared war against the Goths!" + +"Freedom! war!" shouted the Romans. + +"It is impossible!" said Cethegus. + +"It is certain!" cried another voice from the entrance--it was +Calpurnius, who had followed close upon Albinus. "And, more than this, +the war has commenced. Belisarius has landed in Sicily, at Catana; +Syracusæ and Messana have surrendered; Panormus he has taken with the +fleet. He has crossed to Italy, from Messana to Regium; he is upon +Italian soil!" + +"Freedom!" cried Marcus Licinius. + +"Everywhere the population joins him. The Goths, taken by surprise, fly +from Apulia and Calabria. Belisarius presses on without pause, through +Bruttia and Lucania, to Neapolis." + +"It is all lies--lies!" cried Cethegus, more to himself than to the +others. + +"You do not seem pleased at the success of the good cause! But the +messenger rode three horses to death. Belisarius has landed with thirty +thousand men." + +"Who still doubts is a traitor!" cried Scævola. + +"Now let us see," said Silverius to Cethegus sarcastically, "if you +will keep your word. Will you be the first to join Belisarius?" + +At this bitter moment a whole world--_his_ world--sank before the eyes +of Cethegus. So, then, all had been in vain; worse than that--what he +had done, had been done for a hated enemy. Belisarius in Italy with a +strong army, and he deceived, powerless, conquered! Any other man would +have given up all further effort. + +But not a shadow of discouragement crossed the mind of the Prefect. His +gigantic edifice was shattered; the noise of its fall still deafened +him, and yet at the same moment he had already resolved to begin again. + +His world was destroyed, and he had no time even to sigh, for the eyes +of all were fixed upon him. + +"Well, what will you do?" repeated Scævola. + +Cethegus disdained to look at him. + +He turned to the assembly, and spoke in a quiet voice: + +"Belisarius has landed," he said; "he is now our leader. I shall at +once go to his camp." + +With this he walked, with measured steps and a composed countenance, +past Silverius and his friends towards the exit. + +Silverius would have whispered a word of sarcasm, but he was startled +at the glance which the Prefect cast upon him. + +"Do not rejoice too soon, priest," it seemed to say; "you will repent +this hour!" And Silverius, the victor, was dumb. + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by +surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both +parties. + +Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy. He had, in +his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain +warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged +for the power and means of defending Sicily. + +We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing +the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was +to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and +tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven +about this favourite of the gods. + +Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon +been won by Totila's irresistible amiability. We have seen how strongly +the prayers of his daughter, the memory of his wife's last words, and +Totila's frankness, had influenced the worthy man, even when he was +irritated at the discovery of the lovers' secret meetings. + +Totila remained at the villa as a guest. Julius, with his winning +affection, was called upon to help the lovers, and to their united +influence the father gradually yielded. + +But this was only possible because Totila assimilated to the Romans +more nearly in manners, education, and inclinations than any other +Goth: so that Valerius soon saw that he could not call a youth a +"barbarian" who knew and appreciated the language, wisdom, and beauty +of Hellenic and Roman literature better than most Italians, and +admired the culture of the ancient world no less than he loved his +fellow-countrymen. + +And, in addition to all this, a common hatred of Byzantium united the +old Roman and the young German. + +The Valerians had always belonged to the aristocratic Republican +opposition against the Cæsars, and, since the time of Tiberius, many a +member of this family had sealed with his blood his fidelity to the +cause of Old Republicanism. + +The family had never really acknowledged the removal of the Empire of +the World from the city on the Tiber to that on the Bosphorus. In the +Byzantine imperial dignity Valerius beheld the acme of all tyranny, +and, at any cost, would gladly have saved his Latium from the avarice, +religious intolerance, and Oriental despotism of the Byzantine +Emperors. + +Added to this, the father and brother of Valerius had been arrested at +Byzantium by an avaricious predecessor of Justinian, while passing +through that city, and, on pretence of participation in a conspiracy, +had been executed, and all their eastern possessions had been +confiscated; so that private loss considerably strengthened the +political hatred of the patriot. When Cethegus introduced him to the +conspiracy of the Catacombs, he had eagerly taken up the idea of an +Italian rebellion; but had repulsed all advances of the imperial party +with the words, "Rather death than Byzantium!" + +So the two, Valerius and Totila, were unanimous in the resolution to +tolerate no Byzantine in their beloved country, which was scarcely less +dear to the Goth than to the Roman. + +The lovers took care not to press the old man, at present, to make any +formal promise; they contented themselves with the freedom of +intercourse allowed by Valerius, and waited quietly until the influence +of habit should gradually accustom him to the thought of their ultimate +union. + +Our young friends thus passed many happy days, and, added to the bliss +of their mutual love, they had the delight of witnessing the growing +affection of Valerius for Totila. + +Julius was filled with the noble exaltation which lies in the sacrifice +of one's own passion for the sake of another's happiness. His soul, +unsatisfied by the wisdom of old philosophy, turned more and more +to the doctrine which teaches that peace is only to be found in +self-denial. + +Valeria was of a very different nature. She was the true expression of +the Roman ideal of her father, who had conducted her education in place +of her early-lost mother, and had imbued her with the spirit of the +antique Pagans. Christianity--to which she hard been dedicated by an +outward form at the very commencement of her life, and from which she +had afterwards been wrested by an equally external formality--seemed to +her a fearful power, by no means loved or understood, but which, +nevertheless, she could not exclude from the circle of her thoughts and +feelings. + +Like a true Roman, she noticed with joy and pride, not with dismay, the +martial enthusiasm with which Totila spoke to her father in their +conversations concerning Byzantium. She felt that he was born to be a +hero, and so, when duty suddenly called him away from love and +friendship, she bore the parting with noble self-control. + +For as soon as the Byzantine fleet was known to be cruising off +Syracusæ, the young Goth was inflamed with an insatiable thirst for +war. It was his duty, as commodore of the South Italian squadron, to +watch the movements of the enemy and protect the coast. He promptly set +sail to meet the Grecian fleet, and demanded the reason of its +appearance in those waters. Belisarius, who had orders to avoid all +inimical proceedings until called upon to commence hostilities by +Petros, gave a peaceful and plausible answer, alleging as his pretext +the disturbances in Africa and the piracies of Mauritanian ships. +Totila was obliged to content himself with this reply, but in his heart +he was sure that the war would soon break out; perhaps only because he +so ardently desired it. + +He therefore took all precautions: sent messengers with warnings to +Ravenna, and, above all, essayed to protect the city of Neapolis at +least towards the sea, for the inland fortifications had fallen into +decay during the long peace, and old Uliaris, the commander of the +city, was not to be shaken out of his proud security and contempt of +the Greeks. + +The Goths in general cherished the dangerous delusion that the +Byzantines would never dare to attack them; and their treacherous King +did all in his power to strengthen this belief. + +The warnings of Totila, therefore, were disregarded, and the zealous +commodore was even deprived of his whole fleet, which was ordered to +the Harbour of Ravenna, on the pretext of an exchange; but the ships +which should have replaced those which had sailed away never arrived. + +So Totila had nothing left but a few small guardships, with which, as +he declared to his friends, he could not even sufficiently watch the +movements of the enemy, much less prevent their advance. + +When apprised of all this, the merchant determined to leave his +villa at Neapolis, and to go to his rich estates and mercantile +establishments at Regium, on the south point of the peninsula, in order +to remove all his most valuable property from that neighbourhood--where +Totila feared the first attack of the enemy--and bring it to Neapolis; +and also to make his preparations in case of a prolonged war. + +Julius was to accompany him on this journey; and Valeria was not to be +persuaded to remain behind in the empty villa; so, as Totila assured +them that no danger was to be feared for the next few days, the three, +accompanied by a few slaves, journeyed to the villa on the estate near +the Pass of Jugum, to the north of Regium, which, situated close to the +sea, was partly, with all the luxury already so severely blamed by +Horace, "daringly built out" into the very sea itself. + +Valerius found things in a bad condition. His stewards, taking +advantage of the prolonged absence of their master, had made sad work, +and Valerius saw with indignation that, in order to repair the +mischief, his presence would be necessary, not for days, but for weeks. + +Meanwhile the threatening symptoms increased. Totila sent many warning +messages; but Valeria decided that she could not leave her father while +in danger, and the latter scorned to fly before the "degenerate +Greeks," whom he still more despised than hated. + +One day they were surprised by the arrival of two boats, which ran into +the little harbour of the villa at Regium almost at the same moment. +One brought Totila; the other the Corsican, Furius Ahalla. + +The two greeted each other with surprise, but, as old acquaintances, +were well pleased to meet, and walked together through the taxus-hedges +and laurel walks to the villa. There they parted, Totila saying that he +wished to pay a visit to his friend Julius, while the Corsican had +business with the merchant, with whom he had for years been connected +in a commerce which was equally advantageous to both parties. + +Valerius was therefore much pleased to see the clever, bold, and +handsome sailor enter his room, and after a hearty welcome, the two +business-friends turned to their books and accounts. + +After some short discussion, the Corsican rose from his examination of +the books, and said: + +"So you see, Valerius, that Mercurius has again blessed our connection. +My ships have brought you purple and costly woollen stuffs from +Ph[oe]nicia and Spain; and taken your exquisite manufactures of last +year to Byzantium and Alexandria, to Massilia and Antiochia. A +centenarius of gold more profit than last year! And so it will go on +rising from year to year, so long as the brave Goths uphold peace and +justice in the West." + +He ceased, as if in expectation. + +"So long as they _can_ uphold it!" sighed Valerius. "So long as these +Greeks keep the peace! Who can guarantee that to-night the sea-breeze +may not drive the ships of Belisarius towards these coasts!" + +"So you, too, expect war? In confidence: it is more than probable, it +is certain." + +"Furius!" cried the Roman, "how do you know that?" + +"I come from Africa--from Sicily. I have seen the fleet of the Emperor. +One does not arm against pirates in such a manner. I have spoken to the +captains of Belisarius; they dream night and day of the treasures of +Italy. Sicily is ripe for defection, as soon as the Greeks land." + +Valerius grew pale with excitement. + +Furius remarked it, and continued. + +"For this reason I have come here to warn you. The enemy will land in +this vicinity, and I know--that your daughter is with you." + +"Valeria is a Roman." + +"Yes, but these enemies are the most ferocious barbarians. For it is +Huns, Massagetæ, Scythians, Avari, Sclavonians, and Saracens which this +Emperor of the Romans lets loose upon Italy! Woe to your lovely child +should she fall into their hands." + +"That she shall not!" cried Valerius, his hand upon his dagger. "But +you are right--she must go--she must be placed in safety." + +"Where is safety in Italy? Soon the billows of the conflict will roll +over Neapolis--over Rome--and will scarcely break against the walls of +Ravenna!" + +"Do you think so highly of these Greeks? Yet Greece has never sent +anything to Italy but mimes, pirates, and pickpockets!" + +"But Belisarius is the favourite of fortune. At all events, a war will +be kindled, the end of which many of you will not outlive!" + +"Of _us_, you say? Will not _you_ fight with us?" + +"No, Valerius! You know that pure Corsican blood flows in my veins, in +spite of my adopted Roman name. I am no Roman, no Greek, and no Goth. I +wish the Goths the victory, because they keep order on land and sea, +and my trade flourishes under their sway; but were I to fight openly on +their side, the exchequer of Byzantium would swallow up all that I +possess in ships and goods in the harbours of the East: three-fourths +of my whole fortune. No, I intend so to fortify my island--you know +that half Corsica is mine--that neither of the disputants can molest +me. My island shall be an asylum of peace, while round about land and +water echo with the noise of battle. I shall defend this asylum as a +king defends his crown, or a bridegroom his bride; and therefore"--his +eyes sparkled, and his voice trembled with excitement--"therefore I +wish--now--to speak a word which for years I have carried hidden in my +heart----" + +He hesitated. + +Valerius saw beforehand what was coming, and saw it with deep regret. +For years he had pleased himself with the thought of entrusting his +daughter's happiness to this powerful merchant, the adopted son of an +old friend, of whose affection to Valeria he had long been aware. +Although he had learned to love Totila, he would far rather have had +his old friend for a son-in-law. + +And he knew the ungovernable pride and irritable temper of the +Corsican; he feared, in case of refusal, that the old love and +friendship would be speedily changed to burning hate. Dark stories were +told of the wild rage of this man, and Valerius would gladly have +spared both him and himself the pain of a rejection. + +But the other continued: + +"I think we are both men who do business in a business-like manner. +And, according to old custom, I speak at once to the father, and not +first to the daughter. Give me your child to wife, Valerius! In part +you know my fortune--only in part--for it is far larger than you think. +I will match her dowry, be it never so splendid, with the double----" + +"Furius!" interrupted the father. + +"I think I am a man who can make his wife happy. At least, I can +protect her better than any one else in these dangerous times. I will +take her in my ships, should Corsica be threatened, to Asia or to +Africa. On every coast there awaits her, not a house, but a palace. No +queen could envy her. I will cherish, her more dearly--more dearly than +my life!" + +He paused in extreme agitation, as if expecting a prompt reply. + +Valerius was silent, he sought for an excuse--it was but a moment, but +the bare appearance of hesitation on the father's part revolted the +Corsican. The blood rushed to his handsome face, which, just before +almost soft and mild, suddenly assumed an aspect of ferocity; a vivid +red flush spread over his brown cheeks. + +"Furius Ahalla," he said hastily, "is not accustomed to offer a thing +twice. Usually my wares, at the first offer, are snatched at with both +hands. I now offer myself--by God! I am not worse than my purple---- + +"My friend," began the old man, "we no longer live in ancient times. +The new belief has almost deprived a father of the right to dispose of +his daughter. My _will_ would give her to you and to no other, but her +heart----" + +"She loves another!" cried the Corsican, "whom?" + +And his hand caught at his dagger, as if he would gladly have killed +his rival on the instant. + +There was something of the tiger in this movement, and in the glare of +his rolling eyes. + +Valerius felt how deadly would be his hatred, and would not mention the +name. + +"Who can it be?" asked Furius, in an under tone. "A Roman? Montanus? +No! Oh, only--only not _he_--say no, old man! not he----" and he caught +Valerius by the sleeve. + +"Who? Whom do you mean?" + +"He, who landed with me--the Goth! But yes it must be he--every one +loves him--Totila!" + +"It is he," said Valerius, and kindly tried to take his friend's hand. +But he released it again in terror; a fearful convulsion shook the iron +frame of the strong Corsican. He stretched forth his hand stiffly, as +if he would strangle the pain which tortured him. Then he tossed back +his head, and, laughing wildly, struck his forehead repeatedly. + +Valerius observed this mad fit with horror. At last the arms of the +enraged man slowly dropped, and revealed an ashy-pale face. + +"It is over," said Furius in a trembling voice. "It is a curse that +lies upon me. I am never to be happy in a wife. Once before--just +before accomplishment! And now! I know that Valeria's influence and +quiet composure would have brought peace into my wild life--I should +have become different, better. And if this could not have been"--his +eyes again sparkled--"it would have been almost equally sweet to murder +the destroyer of my happiness. Yes, I would have wallowed in his blood, +and torn his bride away from his corpse! And now it is _he_! He, the +only being to whom Ahalla owes gratitude--and what gratitude!----" + +He was silent, nodding his head as if lost in recollection. + +"Valerius," he then said, suddenly rousing himself, "I would yield to +no man on earth--I could not have borne to give place to another--but +Totila! I will forgive her for not loving me, because she has chosen +Totila. Farewell, Valerius, old friend. I go to sea; to Persia, to +India--I know not whither--ah! everywhere I shall carry with me the +bitter pain of this hour!" + +He went quickly out, and immediately afterwards his arrow-swift boat +bore him away from the little harbour of the villa. + +Valerius left the room sighing, and went in search of his daughter. + +In the atrium he met Totila, who was obliged to take leave at once. He +had only come to try to persuade them to return to Neapolis. For +Belisarius had left the African coast and was cruising near Panormus, +and any day a descent might be effected in Sicily or even Italy; and, +in spite of Totila's insistence, the King had sent no ships. He +himself was shortly going to Sicily to convince himself of the truth. +His friends, therefore, were here totally unprotected, and he begged +Valerius to return forthwith to Neapolis by land. + +But it revolted the old soldier to fly before the Greeks; he could not +and would not leave his affairs before three days; and Totila could +scarcely persuade him to accept a small troop of twenty Goths as a poor +protection. + +With a heavy heart Totila entered his boat and was taken back to his +guardship. It was almost dark when he arrived on board; a veil of mist +shrouded the nearest objects. + +All at once the sound of oars was heard to the west, and a ship, +recognisable by the red light on the tall mast, turned the point of a +small promontory. + +Totila listened, and asked his look-out: + +"A sail to the left! what ship? what master?" + +"It is already signalled from the mast-head," was the reply, +"merchant-ship--Furius Ahalla--lay at anchor here." + +"Where bound?" + +"For the East--for India!" + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: A place for wrestling and other exercises.] + +[Footnote 2: The most valued wood--not the modern citron-tree.] + +[Footnote 3: Pine-wood.] + +[Footnote 4: A Grecian rider's upper garment, worn by the Romans of +that time.] + +[Footnote 5: An epocha of the Roman calendar instituted by Constantine +the Great.] + + + + END OF VOL. I. + + + + BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, SURREY. + _H. L. & Co._ + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Struggle for Rome, v. 1, by Felix Dahn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRUGGLE FOR ROME, V. 1 *** + +***** This file should be named 32271-8.txt or 32271-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/7/32271/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/32271-8.zip b/32271-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5624a61 --- /dev/null +++ b/32271-8.zip diff --git a/32271-h.zip b/32271-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7431c69 --- /dev/null +++ b/32271-h.zip diff --git a/32271-h/32271-h.htm b/32271-h/32271-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3622845 --- /dev/null +++ b/32271-h/32271-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,15609 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>A Struggle for Rome. Vol. I.</title> +<meta name="Author" content="Felix Dahn"> +<meta name="Publisher" content="Richard Bentley and Son"> +<meta name="Date" content="1878"> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +body {margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; background-color:#FFFFFF;} + + + +p.normal {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify;} +p.center {text-align:center; margin-top:9pt;} + + +p.section {letter-spacing:1em; text-align:center; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt;} +p.right {text-align:right; margin-right:10%;} + +p.continue {text-indent: 0in; margin-top:9pt;} + +.quote {font-size:90%} + + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5 {text-align: center;} + +span.sc {font-variant: small-caps;} +.space {letter-spacing: 1em; text-align:center; margin-bottom:24pt; margin-top:24pt;} + + +hr.W10 {width:10%; margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; + color:black;} + +hr.W20 {width:20%; margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; + color:black;} + +hr.W50 {width:50%; margin-top:12pt; color:black;} + + +p.hang1 {margin-left:3em; text-indent:-3em;} +p.hang2 {margin-left:3em; text-indent:-3em; margin-bottom:24pt; font-size:90%; margin-top:24pt} + +.poem { + margin-top : 24pt; + margin-left : 5%; + margin-right : 10%; + text-align : left; + margin-bottom : 24pt + } + .poem .stanza { + margin : 1em 0; + margin-top:24pt; + } + .poem p { + margin : 0; + padding-left : 3em; + text-indent : -3em; + } + .poem p.i0 { + margin-left : 0em; + } + .poem p.i4 { + margin-left : 2em; + } + .poem p.i6 { + margin-left : 3em; + } + .poem p.i8 { + margin-left : 4em; + } + .poem p.i10 { + margin-left : 5em; +} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Struggle for Rome, v. 1, by Felix Dahn + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Struggle for Rome, v. 1 + +Author: Felix Dahn + +Translator: Lily Wolffsohn + +Release Date: May 6, 2010 [EBook #32271] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRUGGLE FOR ROME, V. 1 *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<p class="hang1">Page scan source:<br> +http://www.archive.org/details/astruggleforrom00dahngoog</p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>A STRUGGLE FOR ROME.</h1> +<br> +<h4>BY</h4> +<h2>FELIX DAHN.</h2> +<br> +<h3><i><span style="letter-spacing:.5em">TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN</span></i></h3> +<h4>BY</h4> +<h2>LILY WOLFFSOHN.</h2> +<br> +<div style="margin-left:20%; margin-right:20%"> +<p class="continue">"If there be anything more powerful than Fate,<br> +It is the courage which bears it undismayed."</p> +<p class="right"><span class="sc">Geibel</span>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<h3>IN THREE VOLUMES.<br> +VOL. I.</h3> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>LONDON:<br> +RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON.</h2> +<h3>1878.</h3> +<h3>[<i>All Rights Reserved.</i>]</h3> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p class="continue">These pictures of the sixth century originated in my studies +for the +following works:</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Kings of the Goths," vol. ii., iii., iv. Munich and +Würzburg, +1862-66.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Procopius of Cæsarea:" a contribution to the historiography +of the +migration of nations and the decay of the Roman Empire. Berlin, 1865.</p> + +<p class="normal">By referring to these works, the reader may distinguish the +details and +changes which the romance has added to the reality.</p> + +<p class="normal">In history the events here described filled a period of almost +thirty +years' duration. From reasons easily understood, it was necessary to +shorten, or at least to disguise, this long interval.</p> + +<p class="normal">The character of the Roman hero of the story, Cethegus +Cæsarius, is a +pure invention. That such a person existed is, however, known.</p> + +<p class="normal">The work was begun at Munich in 1859, continued at Ravenna, +Italy, and +concluded at Königsberg in 1876.</p> + +<p class="right">FELIX DAHN.</p> + +<p class="continue"><span class="sc">Königsberg</span>: <i>January</i>, 1876.</p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>A STRUGGLE FOR ROME.</h1> +<hr class="W10"> + +<h2>BOOK I.</h2> +<h3>THEODORIC.</h3> +<p class="center">"Dietericus de Berne, de quo cantant rustici usque hodie."</p> +<hr class="W10"> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="continue">It was a sultry summer night of the year five hundred and +twenty-six, +A.D.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thick clouds lay low over the dark surface of the Adrea, whose +shores +and waters were melted together in undistinguishable gloom; only now +and then a flash of distant lightning lit up the silent city of +Ravenna. At unequal intervals the wind swept through the ilexes and +pines on the range of hills which rise at some distance to the west of +the town, and which were once crowned by a temple of Neptune. At that +time already half ruined, it has now almost completely disappeared, +leaving only the most scanty traces.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was quiet on the bosky heights; only sometimes a piece of +rock, +loosened by storms, clattered down the stony declivity, and at last +splashed into the marshy waters of the canals and ditches which belted +the entire circle of the sea-fortress; or a weather-beaten slab slipped +from the tabled roof of the old temple and fell breaking on to the +marble steps--forebodings of the threatened fall of the whole building.</p> + +<p class="normal">But these dismal sounds seemed to be unnoticed by a man who +sat +immovable on the second step of the flight which led into the temple, +leaning his back against the topmost step and looking silently and +fixedly across the declivity in the direction of the city below.</p> + +<p class="normal">He sat thus motionless, but waiting eagerly, for a long time. +He heeded +not that the wind drove the heavy drops which began to fell into his +face, and rudely worried the full long beard that flowed down to his +iron belt, almost entirely covering his broad breast with shining white +hair.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last he rose and descended several of the marble steps: +"They come," +said he.</p> + +<p class="normal">The light of a torch which rapidly advanced from the city +towards the +temple became visible; then quick and heavy footsteps were heard, and +shortly after three men ascended the flight of steps.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hail, Master Hildebrand, son of Hilding!" cried the advancing +torch-bearer, as soon as he reached the row of columns of the Pronaos +or antehall, in which time had made some gaps. He spoke in the Gothic +tongue, and had a peculiarly melodious voice. He carried his torch in a +sort of lantern--beautiful Corinthian bronze-work on the handle, +transparent ivory forming the four-sided screen and the arched and +ornamentally-perforated lid--and lifting it high, put it into the iron +ring that held together the shattered centre column.</p> + +<p class="normal">The white light fell upon a face beautiful as that of Apollo, +with +laughing light-blue eyes; his fair hair was parted in the middle of his +forehead into two long and flowing tresses, which fell right and left +upon his shoulders. His mouth and nose, finely, almost softly +chiselled, were of perfect form; the first down of a bright golden +beard covered his pleasant lip and gently-dimpled chin. He wore only +white garments--a war-mantle of fine wool, held up on the right +shoulder by a clasp in the form of a griffin, and a Roman tunic of soft +silk, both embroidered with a stripe of gold. White leather straps +fastened the sandals to his feet, and reached, laced cross-wise, to his +knees. Two broad gold rings encircled his naked and shining white arms. +And as he stood reposing after his exertion, his right hand clasping a +tall lance which served him both for staff and weapon, his left resting +on his hip, looking down upon his slower companions, it seemed as if +there had again entered the grey old temple some youthful godlike form +of its happiest days.</p> + +<p class="normal">The second of the new-comers had, in spite of a general family +likeness, an expression totally different from that of the +torch-bearer.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was some years older, his form was stouter and broader. Low +down +upon his bull-neck grew his short, thick, and curly brown hair. He was +of almost gigantic height and strength. There were wanting in his face +the sunny shimmer, the trusting joy and hope which illumined the +features of his younger brother. Instead of these, there was in his +whole appearance an expression of bear-like strength and bear-like +courage; he wore a shaggy wolf-skin, the jaws of which shaded his head +like a cowl, a simple woollen doublet beneath, and on his right +shoulder he carried a short and heavy club made of the hard root of an +oak.</p> + +<p class="normal">The third comer followed the others with a cautious step; a +middle-aged +man with a dignified and prudent expression of countenance. He wore the +steel helmet, the sword, and the brown war-mantle of the Gothic +footmen. His straight light-brown hair was cut square across the +forehead--an ancient Germanic mode of wearing the hair, which one often +sees represented on Roman triumphal columns, and which has been +preserved by the German peasant to this day. The regular features of +his open face, his grey and steady eyes, were full of reflective +manliness and sober repose.</p> + +<p class="normal">When he, too, had reached the cella of the temple, and had +greeted the +old man, the torch-bearer cried in an eager voice:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, old Master Hildebrand, a fine adventure must it be to +which thou +hast bidden us on such an inhospitable night, and in this wilderness of +art and nature! Speak--what is it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Instead of replying, the old man turned to the last comer and +asked: +"Where is the fourth whom I invited?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He wished to go alone. He shunned us all. Thou knowest his +manner +well."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There he comes!" cried the beautiful youth, pointing to +another side +of the hill. And, in fact, a man of very peculiar appearance now drew +near.</p> + +<p class="normal">The full glare of the torch illumined a ghastly-pale face that +seemed +almost bloodless. Long and shining black locks, like dark snakes, hung +dishevelled from his uncovered head. Arched black brows and long lashes +shaded large and melancholy dark eyes, full of repressed fire. A +sharply-cut eagle nose bent towards the fine and smoothly-shaven mouth, +around which resigned grief had traced deep lines.</p> + +<p class="normal">His form and bearing were still young; but pain seemed to have +prematurely ripened his soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">He wore a coat of mail and greaves of black steel, and in his +right +hand gleamed a battle-axe with a long lance-like shaft. He merely +greeted the others with a nod of the head, and placing himself behind +the old man, who now bade them all four step close to the pillar on +which the torch was fixed, began in a suppressed voice:</p> + +<p class="normal">"I appointed you to meet me here to listen to earnest words, +which must +be spoken, unheard, to faithful men. I have sought for months in all +the nation, and have chosen you. You are the right men. When you have +heard me, you will yourselves feel that you must be silent about this +night's meeting."</p> + +<p class="normal">The third comer, he with the steel helmet, looked at the old +man with +earnest eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Speak," said he quietly, "we hear and are silent. Of what +wilt thou +speak to us?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of our people; of this kingdom of the Goths, which stands +close to an +abyss!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"An abyss!" eagerly cried the fair youth. His gigantic brother +smiled +and lifted his head attentively.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, an abyss," repeated the old man; "and you alone can hold +and save +it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"May Heaven pardon thee thy words!" interrupted the fair youth +with +vivacity. "Have we not our King Theodoric, whom even his enemies call +the Great; the most magnificent hero, the wisest prince in the world? +Have we not this smiling land Italia, with all its treasures? What upon +earth can compare with the kingdom of the Goths?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man, without heeding his questions, continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Listen to me. The greatness and worth of King Theodoric, my +beloved +master and my dear son, are best known by Hildebrand, son of Hilding. +More than fifty years ago I carried him in these arms, a struggling +boy, to his father, and said: 'There is an offspring of a strong +race--he will be a joy to thee.' And when he grew up I cut for him his +first arrow, and washed his first wound. I accompanied him to the +golden city of Byzantium, and guarded him body and soul. When he fought +for this lovely land, I went before him, foot by foot, and held the +shield over him in thirty battles. He may possibly, since then, have +found more learned advisers and friends than his old master-at-arms, +but hardly wiser, and surely not more faithful. Long ere the sun shone +upon thee, my young falcon, I had experienced a thousand times how +strong was his arm, how sharp his eye, how clear his head, how terrible +he could be in battle, how friendly over the cup, and how superior he +was even to the Greekling in shrewdness. But the old Eagle's wings have +become heavy. His battle-years weigh upon him; for he and you, and all +your race, cannot bear years like I and my play-fellows; he lies sick +in soul and body, mysteriously sick, in his golden hall down there in +the Raven-town. The physicians say that though his arm be yet strong, +any beat of his heart may kill him with lightning-like rapidity, and +with any setting sun he may journey down to the dead. And who is his +heir? who will then uphold this kingdom? Amalaswintha, his daughter; +and Athalaric, his grandson; a woman and a child!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Princess is wise," said he with the helmet and the sword.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, she writes Greek to the Emperor, and speaks Latin with +the pious +Cassiodorus. I doubt that she even thinks in Gothic. Woe to us, if she +should hold the rudder in a storm!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I see no signs of storm, old man," laughed the +torch-bearer, and +shook his locks. "From whence will it blow? The Emperor is again +reconciled, the Bishop of Rome is installed by the King himself, the +Frank princes are his nephews, the Italians are better off under our +shield than ever before. I see no danger anywhere."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Emperor Justinus is only a weak old man," said he of the +sword, +assentingly. "I know him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But his nephew, who will soon be his successor, and is +already his +right arm--knowest thou him? Unfathomable as the night and false as the +sea is Justinian! I know him well, and fear that which he meditates. I +accompanied the last embassy to Byzantium. He came to our camp; he +thought me drunk--the fool! he little knows what Hilding's child can +drink!--and he questioned me about everything which must be known in +order to undo us. Well, he got the right answer from me! But I know as +well as I know my name, that this man will again get possession of +Italy; and he will not leave in it even the footprint of a Goth!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"If he can," grumblingly put in the brother of the fair youth.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Right, friend Hildebad, if he can. And he can do much. +Byzantium can +do much."</p> + +<p class="normal">The other shrugged his shoulder</p> + +<p class="normal">"Knowest thou <i>how</i> much?" asked the old man angrily. +"For twelve long +years our great King struggled with Byzantium and did not prevail. But +at that time thou wast not yet born," he added more quietly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," interposed the fair youth, coming to his brother's +help, "but +at that time the Goths stood alone in the strange land. Now we have won +a second half. We have a home--Italy. We have brothers-at-arms--the +Italians!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Italy our home!" cried the old man bitterly; "yes, that is +the +mistake. And the Italians our allies against Byzantium? Thou young +fool!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They were our King's own words," answered the rebuffed youth.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes; I know these mad speeches well, that will destroy +us all. We +are as strange here to-day as forty years ago, when we descended from +the mountains; and we shall still be strangers in the land after +another thousand years. Here we shall be for ever 'the barbarians.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is true; but why do we remain barbarians? Whose fault is +it but +ours? Why do we not learn from the Italians?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be silent," cried the old man, trembling with wrath, "be +silent, +Totila, with such thoughts; they have become the curse of my house!" +Painfully recovering himself, he continued: "The Italians are our +deadly enemies, not our brothers. Woe to us if we trust them! Oh that +the King had followed my counsel after his victory, and slain all who +could carry sword and shield, from the stammering boy to the stammering +old man! They will hate us eternally. And they are right. But we, we +are the fools to trust them."</p> + +<p class="normal">There ensued a pause; the youth had become very grave, and +asked:</p> + +<p class="normal">"So thou holdest friendship to be impossible 'twixt them and +us?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No peace between the sons of Gaul and the Southern folk! A +man enters +the gold cave of a dragon--he holds the head of the dragon down with an +iron fist; the monster begs for life. The man feels compassion because +of his glittering scales, and feasts his eyes on the treasures of the +cavern. What will the poisonous reptile do? As soon as he can he will +sting him stealthily, so that he who spared him dies."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well then, let them come, the despicable Greeks!" shouted the +gigantic +Hildebad; "let the race of vipers dart their forked tongues at us. We +will beat them down--so!" And he lifted his club and let it fall +heavily, so that the marble slab split into pieces, and the old temple +resounded with the blow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, they shall try!" cried Totila, and from his eyes shone a +martial +fire that made him look still more beautiful; "if these unthankful +Romans betray us, if the false Byzantines come," he looked with loving +pride at his strong brother, "see, old man, we have men like oaks!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The old master-at-arms nodded, well pleased:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Hildebad is very strong, though not quite as strong as +Winither, +Walamer and others, who were young with me. Against North-men strength +is a good thing. But this Southern folk," he continued angrily, "fight +from towers and battlements. They carry on war as they might make a +reckoning, and at last they reckon a host of heroes into a corner, +where they can neither budge nor stir. I know one such arithmetician in +Byzantium, who is himself no man, but conquers men. Thou, too, knowest +him, Witichis?" So asking, he turned to the man with the sword.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know Narses," answered Witichis reflectively. He had become +very +grave. "What thou hast said, son of Hilding, is, alas! too true. Such +thoughts have often crossed my mind, but confusedly, darkly, more a +horror than a thought. Thy words are undeniable; the King is at the +point of death--the Princess has Grecian sympathies--Justinian is on +the watch--the Italians are false as serpents--the generals of +Byzantium are magicians in art, but"--here he took a deep breath--"we +Goths do not stand alone. Our wise King has made friends and allies in +abundance. The King of the Vandals is his brother-in-law, the King of +the West Goths his grandson, the Kings of the Burgundians, the +Herulians, the Thuringians, the Franks, are related to him; all people +honour him as their father; the Sarmatians, even the distant Esthonians +on the Baltic, send him skins and yellow amber in homage. Is all +that----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"All that is nothing! It is flattering words and coloured +rags! Will +the Esthonians help us against Belisarius and Narses with their amber? +Woe to us, if we cannot win alone! These grandsons and sons-in-law +flatter as long as they tremble, and when they no more tremble, they +will threaten. I know the faith of kings! We have enemies around us, +open and secret, and no friends beyond ourselves."</p> + +<p class="normal">A silence ensued, during which all gravely considered the old +man's +words; the storm rushed howling round the weather-beaten columns and +shook the crumbling temple.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then, looking up from the ground, Witichis was the first to +speak:</p> + +<p class="normal">"The danger is great," said he, firmly and collectedly, "we +will hope +not unavoidable. Certainly thou hast not bidden us hither to look +deedless at despair. There must be a remedy, so speak; how, thinkest +thou, can we help?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man advanced a step towards him and took his hand:</p> + +<p class="normal">"That's brave, Witichis, son of Waltari. I knew thee well, and +will not +forget that thou wert the first to speak a word of bold assurance. Yes, +I too think we are not yet past help, and I have asked you all to come +here, where no Italian hears us, in order to decide upon what is best +to be done. First tell me your opinion, then I will speak."</p> + +<p class="normal">As all remained silent, he turned to the man with the black +locks:</p> + +<p class="normal">"If thy thoughts are ours, speak, Teja! Why art thou ever +silent?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am silent because I differ from you."</p> + +<p class="normal">The others were amazed. Hildebrand spoke:</p> + +<p class="normal">"What dost thou mean, my son?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hildebad and Totila do not see any danger; thou and Witichis +see it +and hope; but I saw it long ago, and have no hope."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou seest too darkly; who dare despair before the battle?" +said +Witichis.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Shall we perish with our swords in the sheath, without a +struggle and +without fame?" cried Totila.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not without a struggle, my Totila, and not without fame, I am +sure," +answered Teja, slightly swinging his battle-axe. "We will fight so that +it shall never be forgotten in all future ages; fight with highest +fame, but without victory. The star of the Goths is setting."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Meseems, on the contrary, that it will rise very high," cried +Totila +impatiently. "Let us go to the King; speak to him, Hildebrand, as thou +hast spoken to us. He is wise; he will devise means."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man shook his head:</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have spoken to him twenty times. He listens no more. He is +tired and +will die, and his soul is darkened, I know not by what shadows. What is +thy advice, Hildebad?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think," answered Hildebad, proudly raising his head, "that +as soon +as the old lion has closed his tired eyes, we arm two hosts. Witichis +and Teja lead the one before Byzantium and burn it down; with the other +I and my brother climb the Alps and destroy Paris, that dragon's nest +of the Merovingians, and make it a heap of stones for ever. Then there +will be peace in East and West."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We have no ships against Byzantium," said Witichis.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the Franks are seven to one against us," said Hildebrand. +"But thy +intentions are valiant, Hildebad. Say, what advisest thou, Witichis?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I advise a league--weighted with oaths, secured with +hostages--of all +the Northern races against the Greeks."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou believest in fidelity, because thou thyself art true. My +friend, +only the Goths can help the Goths. But they must be reminded that they +<i>are</i> Goths. Listen to me. You are all young, love all manner of +things, and have many pleasures. One loves a woman, another weapons, a +third has some hope or some grief which is to him as a beloved one. But +believe me, a time will come--it may be during your young days--when +all these joys and even pains will become worthless as faded wreaths +from yesterday's banquet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then many will become soft and pious, forget that which is on +earth, +and strive for that which is beyond the grave. But that neither you nor +I can do. I love the earth, with mountain and wood and meadow and +rushing stream; and I love life, with all its hate and long love, its +tenacious anger and dumb pride. Of the ethereal life in the wind-clouds +which is taught by the Christian priests, I know, and will know, +nothing. But there is one possession--when all else is gone--which a +true man never loses. Look at me. I am a leafless trunk. I have lost +all that rejoiced my life; my wife is dead long since; my sons, my +grandchildren are dead: except one, who is worse than dead--who has +become an Italian.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All, all are gone, and now my first love and last pride, my +great +King, descends tired into his grave. What keeps me still alive? What +gives me still courage and will? What drives <i>me</i>, an old man, up to +this mountain in this night of storm like a youth? What glows beneath +my icy beard with pure love, with stubborn pride, and with defiant +sorrow? What but the impulse that lies indestructible in our blood, +the deep impulsion and attraction to my people, the glowing and +all-powerful love of the race that is called Goth; that speaks the +noble, sweet, and homely tongue of my parents! This love of race +remains like a sacrificial fire in the heart, when all other flames are +extinguished; this is the highest sentiment of the human heart; the +strongest power in the human soul, true to the death and invincible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man had spoken with enthusiasm--his hair floated on +the +wind--he stood like an old priest of the Huns amongst the young men, +who clenched their hands upon their weapons.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last Teja spoke: "Thou art in the right; these flames still +glow +when all else is spent. They burn in thee--in us--perhaps in a hundred +other hearts amongst our brothers; but can this save a whole people? +No! And can these fires seize the mass, the thousands, the hundred +thousands?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They can, my son, they can! Thanks to the gods, that they +can!--Hear +me. It is now five-and-forty years ago that we Goths, many hundred +thousands, were shut up with our wives and children in the ravines of +the Hæmus. We were in the greatest need.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The King's brother had been beaten and killed in a +treacherous attack +by the Greeks, and all the provisions that he was to bring to us were +lost. We lay in the rocky ravines and suffered such hunger, that we +cooked grass and leather. Behind us rose the inaccessible precipices; +before, and to the left of us, the sea; to the right, in a narrow pass, +lay the enemy, threefold our number. Many thousands of us were +destroyed by famine or the hardships of the winter; twenty times had we +vainly tried to break through the pass.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We almost despaired. Then there came a messenger from the +Emperor to +the King, and offered us life, freedom, wine, bread, meat--under one +condition: that, separated from each other, four by four, we should be +scattered over the whole Roman Empire; none of us should ever again woo +a Gothic woman; none should ever again teach his child our tongue or +customs; the name and being of Goth should cease to exist, we should +become Romans.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The King sprang up, called us together, and reported this +condition +to us in a flaming speech, and asked at the end, whether we would +rather give up the language, customs and life of our people, or die +with him? His words spread like wildfire, the people shouted like a +hundred-voiced tumultuous sea; they brandished their weapons, rushed +into the pass; the Greeks were swept away as if they had never stood +there, and we were victors and free!"</p> + +<p class="normal">His eyes glittered with pride; after a pause he continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is this alone which can save us now as then; if once the +Goths feel +that they fight for their nationality, and to protect the secret jewel +that lies in the customs and speech of a people, like a miraculous +well-spring, then they may laugh at the hate of the Greeks and the +wiles of the Italians. And, first of all, I ask you solemnly: Do you +feel as strongly convinced as I do, that this love of our people is our +highest aim, our dearest treasure, our strongest shield? Can you say +with me: My people is to me the highest, all else is nothing; to my +people I will sacrifice all that I have and am. Will you say this, and +can you do it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will; we can!" cried the four men.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Tis well," continued the old man. "But Teja is right, all +Goths do +not feel this as we do, and yet, if it is to be of any use, all <i>must</i> +feel it. Therefore swear to me, to fill with the spirit of this hour +all those with whom you live and act, from now henceforward. Too many +of our folk have been dazzled by the foreign splendour; many have +donned Grecian clothing and Roman thoughts; they are ashamed to be +called barbarians; they wish to forget, and to make it forgotten, that +they are Goths--woe to the fools! They have torn their hearts out of +their bosoms, and yet wish to live; they are like leaves that have +proudly loosened themselves from the parent stem. The wind will come +and blow them into the mire and dirt to decay; but the stem will still +stand in the midst of the storm, and will keep alive whatever clings to +it faithfully. Therefore awaken and warn the people. Tell the boys the +legends of their forefathers, relate the battles of the Huns, the +victories over the Romans; show the men the threatening danger, and +that nationality alone is our shield; warn your sisters that they may +embrace no Roman and no would-be Roman; teach your wives and your +brides that they must sacrifice everything, even themselves and you, to +the fortune of the good Goths, so that when the enemy come, they may +find a strong, proud, united people, against which they shall break +themselves like waves upon a rock. Will you aid me in this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," they cried, "we will!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I believe you," continued the old man; "I believe you on your +mere +word. Not to bind you faster--for what can bind the false?--but because +I cling to old custom, and because <i>that</i> succeeds best which is done +after the manner of our forefathers--follow me."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Hildebrand took the torch from the column, and went across the +inner +space, past the cella of the temple, past the ruined high altar, past +the bases of the statues of the gods--long since fallen--to the +porticum or back of the edifice. Silently his companions followed the +old man, who led them down the steps into the open field.</p> + +<p class="normal">After a short walk they stopped under an ancient holm, whose +mighty +boughs held off storm and rain like a roof.</p> + +<p class="normal">A strange sight presented itself under this oak, which, +however, at +once reminded the old man's Gothic companions of a custom of ancient +heathen times in their distant Northern home.</p> + +<p class="normal">Under the oak a strip of thick turf, only a foot broad, but +several +yards long, had been cut loose from the ground; the two ends of the +strip still lay in the shallow ditch thus formed, but in the middle it +was raised over and supported by three long spears of unequal length, +which were fixed into the ground, the tallest spear being in the +middle, so that the whole arrangement formed a triangle, under which +several men could stand commodiously between the shafts of the spears.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the ditch stood a brazen cauldron filled with water, near +it lay a +pointed and sharp butcher's knife, of extremely ancient form; the haft +was made of the horn of the ure-ox, the blade of flint.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man came forward, stuck the torch into the earth close +to the +cauldron, and then stepped, right foot foremost, into the ditch; he +turned to the east and bent his head, then he beckoned to his friends +to join him, putting his finger to his lip in sign of silence. Without +a sound the four men stepped into the ditch beside him, Witichis and +Teja to his right, the two brothers to his left, and all five joined +hands in a solemn chain.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then the old man loosened his hands from those of Witichis and +Hildebad, who stood next to him, and knelt down. First he took up a +handful of the black mould and threw it over his left shoulder; then he +dipped his other hand into the cauldron and sprinkled the water to the +right behind him. After this he blew into the windy night-air that +rustled in his long beard; and, lastly, he swung the torch from right +to left over his head. Then he again stuck it into the earth and spoke +in murmuring tones:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hear me, ancient earth, welling water, ethereal air, +flickering flame! +Listen to me well and preserve my words. Here stand five men of the +race of Graut, Teja and Totila, Hildebad and Hildebrand, and Witichis, +Waltari's son.</p> +<div style="margin-left:10%"> +<p class="quote">"We stand here in a quiet hour<br> +To bind a bond between blood-brethren,<br> +For ever and ever and every day.<br> +In closest communion as kindred companions.<br> +In friendship and feud, in revenge and right.<br> +One hope, one hate, one love, one lament,<br> +As we drop to one drop<br> +Our blood as blood-brethren."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">At these words he bared his left arm, the others did the same; +close +together they stretched their five arms over the cauldron, the old man +lifted the sharp flint-knife, and with one stroke scratched the skin of +his own and the others' forearms, so that the blood of all flowed in +red drops into the brazen cauldron. Then they retook their former +positions, and the old man continued murmuring:</p> + +<div style="margin-left:10%"> +<p class="quote">"And we swear the solemn oath,<br> +To sacrifice all that is ours,<br> +House, horse, and armour,<br> +Court, kindred, and cattle,<br> +Wife, weapons, and wares,<br> +Son, and servants, and body, and life,<br> +To the glance and glory of the race of Gaut,<br> +To the good Goths.<br> +And who of us would withdraw<br> +From honouring the oath with all sacrifices--"</p> +</div> +<p class="continue">here he, and at a sign, the others also, stepped out of the +ditch from +under the strip of turf--</p> + +<div style="margin-left:10%"> +<p class="quote">"His red blood shall run unrevenged<br> +Like this water under the wood-sod--"</p> +</div> +<p class="continue">he lifted the cauldron, poured its bloody contents into the +ditch, and +then took it out, together with the other implements--</p> + +<div style="margin-left:10%"> +<p class="quote">"Upon his head shall the halls of Heaven<br> +Crash cumbrous down and crush him,<br> +Solid as this sod."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">At one stroke he struck down the three supporting +lance-shafts, and +dully fell the heavy turf-roof back into the ditch. The five men now +placed themselves again on the spot thus covered by the turf, with +their hands entwined, and the old man said in more rapid tones:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whosoever does not keep this oath; whosoever does not protect +his +blood-brother like his own brother during his life, and revenge his +death; whosoever refuses to sacrifice everything that he possesses to +the people of the Goths, when called upon to do so by a brother in case +of necessity, shall be for ever subject to the eternal and infernal +powers which reign under the green grass of the earth; good men shall +tread with their feet over the perjurer's head, and his name shall be +without honour wherever Christian folk ring bells and heathen folk +offer sacrifices, wherever mothers caress their children and the wind +blows over the wide world. Say, companions, shall it be thus with the +vile perjurer?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thus shall it be with him," repeated the four men.</p> + +<p class="normal">After a grave pause, Hildebrand loosened the chain of their +hands, and +said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"That you may know why I bade you come hither, and how sacred +this +place is to me, come and see."</p> + +<p class="normal">With this he lifted the torch and went before them behind the +mighty +trunk of the oak, in front of which they had taken the oath. Silently +his friends followed, and saw with astonishment, that, exactly in a +line with the turfy ditch in which they had stood, there yawned a wide +and open grave, from which the slab of stone had been rolled away. At +the bottom, shining ghastly in the light of the torch, lay three long +white skeletons; a few rusty pieces of armour, lance-points, and +shield-bosses lay beside them.</p> + +<p class="normal">The men looked with surprise; now into the grave, now at +Hildebrand. He +silently held the torch over the chasm for some minutes. At last he +said quietly:</p> + +<p class="normal">"My three sons. They have lain here for more than thirty +years. They +fell on this mountain in the last battle for the city of Ravenna. They +fell in the same hour; to-day is the day. They rushed with joyous +shouts against the enemies' spears--for their people."</p> + +<p class="normal">He ceased. The men looked down with emotion. At last the old +man drew +himself up and glanced at the sky.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is enough," said he, "the stars are paling. Midnight is +long since +past. You three return into the city. Thou, Teja, wilt surely remain +with me; to thee, more than to any other, is given the gift of sorrow, +as of song; and keep with me the guard of honour beside the dead."</p> + +<p class="normal">Teja nodded, and sat down without a word at the foot of the +grave, just +where he was standing. The old man gave Totila the torch, and leaned +opposite Teja against the stone slab. The other three signed to him +with a parting gesture. Gravely, and buried in deep thought, they +descended to the city.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="continue">A few weeks after this midnight meeting near Ravenna an +assembly took +place in Rome; just as secret, also under protection of night, but held +by very different persons for very different aims.</p> + +<p class="normal">It took place on the Appian Way, near the Cœmeterium of St. +Calixtus, in a half-ruined passage of the Catacombs; those mysterious +underground ways, which almost make a second city under the streets and +squares of Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">These secret vaults--originally old burial-places, often the +refuge of +young Christian communities--are so intricate, and their crossings, +terminations, exits, and entrances so difficult to thread, that they +can only be entered under the guidance of some one intimately +acquainted with their inner recesses.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the men, whose secret intercourse we are about to watch, +feared no +danger. They were well led. For it was Silverius, the Catholic +archdeacon of the old church of St. Sebastian, who had led his friends +direct from the crypt of his basilica down a steep staircase into this +branch of the vaults; and the Roman priests had the reputation of +having studied the windings of these labyrinths since the days of the +first confessor.</p> + +<p class="normal">The persons assembled also seemed not to have met there for +the first +time; the gloom of the place made little impression upon them. +Indifferently they leaned against the walls of the dismal semi-circular +room, which, scantily lighted by a hanging lamp of bronze, formed the +termination of the low passage. Indifferently they heard the drops of +damp fall from the roof to the floor, or, when their feet now and then +struck against white and mouldering bones, they calmly pushed them to +one side.</p> + +<p class="normal">Besides Silverius, there were present a few other orthodox +priests, and +a number of aristocratic Romans, nobles of the Western Empire, who had +remained for centuries in almost hereditary possession of the higher +dignities of the state and city.</p> + +<p class="normal">Silently and attentively they observed the movements of the +archdeacon; +who, after having mustered those present, and thrown several searching +glances into the neighbouring passages--where might be seen, keeping +watch in the gloom, some youths in clerical costume--now evidently +prepared to open the assembly in form.</p> + +<p class="normal">Yet once again he went up to a tall man who leaned motionless +against +the wall opposite to him, and with whom he had repeatedly exchanged +glances; and when this man had replied to a questioning gesture by a +silent nod, he turned to the others and spoke.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Beloved in the name of the triune God! Once again are we +assembled +here to do a holy work. The sword of Edom is brandished over our heads, +and King Pharaoh pants for the blood of the children of Israel. We, +however, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the +soul, we fear much more those who may destroy both body and soul in +hell-fire. We trust, during the terrors of night, to His help who led +His people through the wilderness, in the day by a cloud of smoke, at +night by a pillar of fire. And to this we will hold fast: that what we +suffer, we suffer for God's sake; what we do, we do to the honour of +His name. Thanks to Him, for He has blest our zeal. Small as those of +the Gospel were our beginnings, but we are already grown like a tree by +the fresh water-springs. With fear and trembling we first assembled +here; great was our danger, weak our hope; noble blood of the best has +been shed; to-day, if we remain firm in faith, we may boldly say that +the throne of King Pharaoh is supported on reeds, and that the days of +the heathen are counted in the land."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To business!" interrupted a young man with short curly black +hair and +brilliant black eyes. Impatiently he threw his <i>sagum</i> (or short cloak) +back over his right shoulder, so that his broad sword became visible. +"To business, priest! What shall be done to-night?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Silverius cast a look at the youth, which, with all its +unctuous +repose, could not quite conceal his lively dissatisfaction at such bold +independence. In a sharp tone of voice he continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Those who do not believe in the holiness of our aim, should +not, were +it only for the sake of their own worldly aims, try to disturb the +belief of others in its sanctity. But to-night, my Licinius, my hasty +young friend, a new and highly welcome member is to be added to our +league; his accession is a visible sign of the grace of God."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who will you introduce? Are the conditions fulfilled? Do you +answer +for him unconditionally, or have you other surety?" So asked another of +those present, a man of ripe years with regular features, who, a staff +between his feet, sat quietly on a projection of the wall.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I answer for him, my Scævola; besides, his person? is +sufficient----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nothing of the sort. The statutes of our league demand +surety, and I +insist upon it," said Scævola quietly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good, good; I will be surety, toughest of all jurists!" +repeated the +priest with a smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">He made a sign towards one of the passages to the left.</p> + +<p class="normal">From thence appeared two young <i>ostiarii</i> (doorkeepers), +leading a man +into the middle of the vault, upon whose covered head all eyes were +fixed. After a pause, Silverius lifted the cover from the head and +shoulders of the new comer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Albinus!" cried the others, in surprise, indignation, and +anger.</p> + +<p class="normal">Young Licinius grasped his sword; Scævola slowly rose; +confused +exclamations sounded from all sides.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What! Albinus, the traitor?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The reviled man looked shyly about him; his relaxed features +announced +inborn cowardice; as if beseeching help he turned his eyes towards the +priest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Albinus!" said the latter quietly, thus appealed to. +"Will any +one of the colleagues speak against him? Let him speak."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By my Genius!" cried Licinius, before any one could reply, +"needs it +to be told? We all know who and what Albinus is. A cowardly shameful +traitor"--anger suffocated his voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Invectives are no proof," interposed Scævola. "But I ask +himself; he +shall confess here before us all. Albinus, was it you, or was it not, +who, when the existence of our league was betrayed to the tyrant and +you alone were accused, looked quietly on and saw the noble Boëthius +and Symmachus, our confederates, because they defended you against the +tyrant, despoiled of their fortune, persecuted, taken prisoners and +executed; while you, the really accused, saved yourself by taking a +shameful oath that you would never more trouble yourself about the +state, and by suddenly disappearing? Speak, was it you for whose sake +the pride of our fatherland fell?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A murmur of indignation went through the assembly. The accused +remained +dumb and trembled; even Silverius lost countenance for a moment.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then the man who was leaning against the wall opposite, raised +himself +and took a step forward; his mere vicinity seemed to embolden the +priest, who again began:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Friends, what you say has happened, but not as you say it. +Before all +things, know this: Albinus is the <i>least</i> to blame. What he did, he did +by my advice."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By your advice!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You dare to confess it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Albinus was accused through the treachery of a slave, who had +deciphered the secret writing in the letters to Byzantium. All the +tyrant's suspicion was aroused; every appearance of resistance or of +connection would increase the danger. The impetuosity of Boëthius and +Symmachus, who courageously defended Albinus, was noble but foolish, +for it revealed to the barbarians the sentiments of the whole of the +Roman aristocracy; and showed that Albinus did not stand alone. They +acted against my advice, and alas! have suffered death for so doing. +But their zeal was superfluous; for the hand of the Lord suddenly +bereft the slave of life before further revelations, and the secret +writings of Albinus had been successfully destroyed before his arrest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But do you believe that Albinus would have been silent under +torture, +under the threat of death, if naming his co-conspirators could have +saved him? You do not believe it, Albinus himself did not believe it. +Therefore it was necessary, before all else, to gain time and to +prevent the use of torture. This was accomplished by his oath. +Meanwhile, it is true, Boëthius and Symmachus suffered; they could not +be saved; but of their silence, even under torture, we were sure.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Albinus was freed from his prison by a miracle, like St. Paul +at +Philippi. It was said that he had escaped to Athens, and the tyrant was +contented with prohibiting his return. But the triune God has prepared +a refuge for him here in His temple until the hour of freedom +approaches. In the solitude of His sacred asylum the Lord has touched +his heart in a wonderful manner, and, undismayed by the danger of +death, which once before had so nearly overtaken him, he again enters +into our circle, and offers to the service of God and the fatherland +his whole immense fortune. Listen: he has made over all his property to +the church of St. Maria Majoris for the uses of our league. Would you +despise him and his millions?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A pause of astonishment ensued; at last Licinius cried:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Priest, you are as wise as----as a priest. But such wisdom +pleases me +not."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Silverius," said the jurist, "you may take the millions. It +is fitting +that you should do so. But I was the friend of Boëthius; it is not +fitting that I should have anything in common with that coward. I +cannot forgive him. Away with him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Away with him!" sounded from all sides. Scævola had given +utterance to +the sentiment of all present. Albinus grew pale; even Silverius quailed +under this general indignation. "Cethegus!" whispered he, claiming +assistance.</p> + +<p class="normal">This man, who, until now, had remained silent and had only +regarded the +speakers with cool superiority, now stepped into the middle of the +assembly.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was tall and lean, but powerful, with a broad breast and +muscles of +pure steel.</p> + +<p class="normal">A purple hem on his toga and delicate sandals betrayed riches, +rank and +taste, but a long brown soldier's mantle hid the remainder of his +underclothing. His head was one of those which, once seen, are never +again forgotten. His thick and still glossy black hair was cut short, +after Roman fashion, round his lofty, almost too prominent forehead and +nobly-formed temples. Deep under his finely-arched brows were hidden +his narrow eyes, in whose undecided dark-grey colour lay a whole ocean +of sunken passions and a still more pronounced expression of the +coolest self-control. Round his sharply cut and beardless lips lurked a +trait of proud contempt of God and His whole creation.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he stepped forward, and, with quiet distinction, allowed +his eyes to +wander over the excited assembly; as he commenced his insinuating yet +commanding speech, every one felt his superiority, and few could remain +in his presence without a consciousness of subordination.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why do you wrangle," he said coldly, "about things that must +be done? +Who wills the end, must will the means. You will not forgive? As you +please! That is of little consequence. But you must and you can forget. +I also was a friend of the dead, perhaps their dearest. And yet--I +will forget. I do so just because I was their friend. <i>He</i> loves +them, Scævola, and he alone, who avenges them. For the sake of +revenge---- Albinus, your hand!"</p> + +<p class="normal">All were silent, awed more by the personality than convinced +by the +reasons of the speaker.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the jurist still objected:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Rusticiana, the influential woman, the widow of Boëthius, the +daughter +of Symmachus, is favourable to our league. Will she remain so if this +man enters it? Can she ever forget and forgive? Never!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"She can. Do not believe me, believe your eyes."</p> + +<p class="normal">With these words Cethegus quickly turned and entered one of +the +side-passages, whose opening had been hidden until now by his own +person.</p> + +<p class="normal">Close to the entrance a veiled figure stood listening; he +caught her +hand:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come," whispered he, "come now."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot! I will not!" was the almost inaudible answer of the +resisting woman. "I curse him! I cannot look at him, the wretch!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It must be. Come; you can and you shall--for I will have it +so." He +threw back her veil; one look, and she followed as if deprived of the +power of will.</p> + +<p class="normal">They turned the corner of the entrance:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Rusticiana!" cried the whole assembly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A woman in our meeting!" exclaimed the jurist. "It is against +the +statutes, the laws."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Scævola; but the laws are made for the league, not the +league for +the laws. And you would never have believed from <i>me</i>, that which you +now see with your own eyes."</p> + +<p class="normal">He laid the widow's hand within the trembling right hand of +Albinus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Look! Rusticiana forgives! Who will now resist?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Vanquished and overruled, all remained silent. For Cethegus +all further +proceedings seemed to have lost interest. He retired into the +background with Rusticiana. But the priest now said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Albinus is a member of the league."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the oath that he swore to the tyrant?" hesitatingly asked +Scævola.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Was forced, and he is absolved from it by Holy Church. But +now it is +time to depart. Let us only conclude the most pressing business. Here, +Licinius, is the plan of the fortress of Neapolis: you must have it +copied by to-morrow; it goes to Belisarius. Here, Scævola, letters from +Byzantium, from Theodora, the pious wife of Justinian: you must answer +them. Here, Calpurnius, is an assignment of half a million <i>solidi</i> +from Albinus: you will send them to the Frankish major domus; he has +great influence with his king. Here, Pomponius, is a list of the +patriots in Dalmatia; you know men and things there, take notice if +important names are omitted. And be it known to all of you, that, +according to news received to-day from Ravenna, the hand of the Lord +lies heavy on the tyrant. Deep melancholy, too tardy remorse for all +his sins, oppresses him, and the consolations of the true faith have +not yet penetrated into his soul. Have patience but a little while; the +angry voice of the Judge will soon summon him; then comes the day of +freedom. At the next Ides, at the same hour, we shall meet here again. +The blessing of the Lord be with you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">A motion of his hand dismissed the assembly; the young priests +came out +of the side-passage with torches, and led the members, each one singly, +in different directions, to the secret exits of the Catacombs.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Silverius, Cethegus, and Rusticiana went together up the steps +which +led to the crypt of the basilica of St. Sebastian. From thence they +passed through the church into the adjoining house of the archdeacon. +On arriving there, Silverius convinced himself that all the inhabitants +of the house were asleep, with the exception of an old slave, who was +watching in the atrium near a half-extinguished lamp. At a sign from +his master he lighted a silver lamp which stood near him, and pressed a +secret spring in the marble wainscot of the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">A slab of marble turned on its hinges and allowed the priest +who had +taken up the lamp to pass, with his two companions, into a small, low +chamber, and then quickly and noiselessly closed behind them, leaving +no trace of an opening.</p> + +<p class="normal">The small chamber, now simply adorned by a tall wooden +crucifix, a +fall-stool, and a few plain Christian symbols on a golden background, +had evidently, as the cushioned shelf which ran round the walls showed, +served for those small banquets of one or two guests, whose +unrestrained comfort Horace has so often celebrated in song. At the +time of which I speak it was the private chamber in which the +archdeacon brooded over his most secret priestly or worldly plans.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus silently seated himself on the <i>lectus</i> (a small +couch), +throwing the superficial glance of a critic at a Mosaic picture +inserted into the opposite wall. While the priest was occupied in +pouring wine from an amphora with large curving handles into some cups +which stood ready, and placing a metal dish of fruit on the bronze +tripod table, Rusticiana stood opposite Cethegus, measuring him with an +expression of astonishment and indignation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Scarcely forty years of age, this woman showed traces of a +rare--and +rather manly--beauty, which had suffered less from time than from +violent passions. Here and there her raven-black braids were streaked +with white, not grey, and strong lines lay round the mobile corners of +her mouth.</p> + +<p class="normal">She leaned her left hand on the table, and meditatively +stroked her +brow with her right, while she gazed at Cethegus. At last she spoke.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tell me, tell me, Cethegus, what power is this that you have +over me? +I no more love you. I ought to hate you. I do hate you. And yet I must +involuntarily obey you, like a bird under the fascinating eye of a +snake. And you place my hand, <i>this</i> hand, in that of that miserable +man! Say, you evil-doer, what is this power?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus was inattentively silent. At last, leaning back, he +said: +"Habit, Rusticiana, habit."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Truly, 'tis habit! The habit of a slavery that has existed +ever since +I can remember. It was natural that as a girl I should admire the +handsome son of our neighbours; that I believed in your love was +excusable, did you not kiss me? And who could--at that time--know that +you were incapable of loving anything--even yourself? That the wife of +Boëthius did not smother the mad passion which, as if in sport, you +again fanned into a flame, was a sin; but God and the Church have +forgiven it. But that I should still, after knowing for years your +utter heartlessness, when the glow of passion is extinguished in my +veins, that I should still most blindly follow your demoniac will--that +is folly enough to make me laugh aloud."</p> + +<p class="normal">And she laughed wildly, and pressed her right hand to her +brow.</p> + +<p class="normal">The priest stopped in his domestic occupations and looked +stealthily at +Cethegus. He was intensely interested.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus leaned his head back against the marble moulding, and +with his +right hand grasped the drinking-cup which stood before him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are unjust, Rusticiana," he said quietly, "and confused. +You mix +the sports of Eros with the works of Eris and the Fates. You know that +I was the friend of Boëthius, although I kissed his wife. Perhaps just +for that reason. I see nothing particular in that. And you--well, +Silverius and the saints have forgiven you. You know further, that I +hate these Goths, mortally hate them; that I have the will and--more +than all others--the power to carry through that which is now your +greatest wish, to revenge your father, whom you loved, and your +husband, whom you honoured, on these barbarians.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Therefore you obey my instigations, and you are wise in so +doing; for +you have a decided talent for intrigue, but your impetuosity often +clouds your judgment. It spoils your finest plans. Therefore it is well +that you follow cooler guidance. That is all. But now go. Your slave is +crouching, drunk with sleep, in the vestibule. She believes that you +are in the confessional with friend Silverius. The confession must not +last too long. And we also have business to transact. Greet Camilla, +your lovely child, for me, and farewell."</p> + +<p class="normal">He rose, took her hand, and led her gently to the door. She +followed +reluctantly, nodded to the priest at parting, looked once more at +Cethegus, who appeared not to observe her inward emotion, and went out, +slightly shaking her head.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus sat down again and emptied his cup of wine.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A strange struggle in this woman's nature," remarked +Silverius, and +sat down by Cethegus with stylus, wax-tablets, letters and documents.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not strange. She wishes to atone for having wronged her +husband +by avenging him," said Cethegus. "And that she can accomplish this by +means of her former lover, makes the sacred duty doubly sweet. To be +sure, she is not conscious of it.--But what have we to do?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The two men now began their business: to consider such points +of the +conspiracy as they did not judge advisable to communicate to all the +members of the league.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At present," began the archdeacon, "it is above all things +necessary +to ascertain the amount of this fortune of Albinus, and decide upon its +appropriation. We assuredly require money, much money."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Money affairs are your province,"--said Cethegus, drinking. +"I +understand them, of course, but they annoy me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Further," continued Silverius, "the most influential men in +Sicilia, +Neapolis, and Apulia must be won over to our cause. Here is the list of +their names, with notes annexed. There are men amongst them who are not +to be allured by the usual means."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Give it to me," said Cethegus, "I will manage that," And he +cut up a +Persian apple.</p> + +<p class="normal">After an hour's hard work, the most pressing business was +settled, and +the host replaced the documents, in a secret drawer in the wall behind +the crucifix.</p> + +<p class="normal">The priest was tired, and looked with envy at his companion, +whose +powerful frame and indefatigable spirit no late hours or exertion +seemed able to exhaust.</p> + +<p class="normal">He expressed something of the sort, as Cethegus again filled +the silver +cup.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Practice, friend, strong nerves, and," added Cethegus, +smiling, "a +good conscience; that is the whole secret."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, but in earnest, Cethegus, you are a riddle to me in +other +respects."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should hope so."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh ho! do you consider yourself such a superior being that I +cannot +fathom you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not at all. But still sufficiently deep to be to others no +less a +riddle than--to myself. Your pride in your knowledge of mankind may be +at ease. I am no wiser about myself than you are. Only fools are +transparent."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In fact," said the priest, expatiating on the subject, "the +key to +your nature must be difficult to find. For example, look at the members +of our league. It is easy to say what motives have led them to join us. +The hot young courage of a Licinius; the pig-headed but honest sense of +justice of a Scævola; as for myself and the other priests--our zeal for +the honour of God."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Naturally," said Cethegus, drinking.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Others are induced by ambition, or are in hopes that they may +cut off +the heads of their creditors in a civil war; or they are tired of the +orderly condition of this country under the Goths, or have been +offended by one of these foreigners. Most of them have a natural +repugnance to the barbarians, and are in the habit of seeing in the +Emperor alone the master of Italy. But none of these reasons apply to +you, and----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And," interrupted Cethegus, "that is very uncomfortable, is +it not? +For by knowledge of their motives one can govern men. Well, I am sorry, +reverend friend, but I cannot help you. I really do not know myself +what my motive is. I am so curious about it, that I would gladly tell +it to you--and allow myself to be governed--if I could only find it +out. Only one thing I feel--that these Goths are my antipathy. I hate +these full-blooded fellows, with their broad flaxen beards. I cannot +bear their brutal good humour, their ingenuous youthfulness, their +stupid heroism, their unbroken natures. It is the impudence of chance, +which governs the world, that this country, after such a history, +possessing men like--like you and me--should be ruled by these Northern +bears!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He tossed his head indignantly, closed his eyes, and sipped a +small +quantity of wine.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That the barbarians must go, we are agreed," said Silverius, +"and with +this, all is gained as far as I am concerned. For I only await the +deliverance of the Church from these heretical barbarians, who deny the +divinity of Christ, and make Him a demi-god. I hope that the primacy of +all Christendom will, as is fitting, incontestably fall to the share of +the Roman Church. But as long as Rome is in the power of the heretics, +while the Bishop of Byzantium is supported by the only orthodox and +legitimate Emperor----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Bishop of Rome cannot be the first Bishop of Christendom, +nor the +master of Italy; and therefore the Roman Apostolic See, even when +occupied by a Silverius, cannot be what it ought to be--the highest. +And yet that is what Silverius wishes."</p> + +<p class="normal">The priest looked up in surprise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not be uneasy, reverend friend. I knew this long ago, and +have kept +your secret, although you did not confide it to me. But further----" He +again filled his cup. "Your Falernian has been well stored, but it is +too sweet.--Properly speaking, you can but wish that these Goths may +evacuate the throne of the Cæsars, and not that the Byzantines should +take their place; for in that case the Bishop of Rome would have again +a superior bishop and an emperor in Byzantium. You must therefore, +instead of the Goths, wish--not for an Emperor--Justinian--but--what +else?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Either," eagerly interrupted Silverius, "a special Emperor of +the +Western Empire----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who, however," said Cethegus, completing the sentence, "would +be only +a puppet in the hands of the holy Petrus----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Or a Roman republic, a State of the Church----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"In which the Bishop of Rome is master, Italy the principal +country, +and the barbarian kings in Gaul, Germany, and Spain the obedient sons +of the Church. All very fine, my friend. But first the enemy must be +annihilated, whose spoils you already divide. Therefore let us drink an +old Roman toast: 'Woe to the barbarians!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">He rose and drank to the priest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," he added, "the last night-watch creeps on, and my +slaves must +find me in the morning in my bedchamber. Farewell!"</p> + +<p class="normal">With this he drew the <i>cucullus</i> (hood) of his mantle +over his head and +departed.</p> + +<p class="normal">His host looked after him. "A very important tool!" he said to +himself. +"It is a good thing that he is only a tool. May he always remain so!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus walked away from the Via Appia in a north-westerly +direction, +towards the Capitol, beneath which, at the northern end of the Via +Sacra, his house was situated, to the north-east of the Forum Romanum.</p> + +<p class="normal">The cool morning air played refreshingly over his brow. He +threw open +his mantle and deeply inflated his strong broad chest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, I am a riddle," he said to himself. "I join in a +conspiracy and +go about by night, like a republican or a lover at twenty. And +wherefore? Who knows why he breathes? Because he must. And so I do what +I must. But one thing is certain, this priest may--perhaps must--become +Pope; but he must not remain so long, else farewell my scarcely-avowed +thoughts, which are yet but dreams and cloud-mists. Perhaps it may be +that from them will arise a storm that will decide my fate. See, it +lightens in the east! 'Tis well; I accept the omen!"</p> + +<p class="normal">With these words he entered his house.</p> + +<p class="normal">In his bed-chamber he found a letter on the cedar table before +his bed, +tied with a silken string, and sealed with the royal seal. He cut the +string with his dagger, opened the double waxen tablets, and read:</p> + +<p class="normal">"To Cethegus Cæsarius, the Princeps Senatus, Marcus Aurelius +Cassiodorus, Senator.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Our lord and king lies on his death-bed. His daughter and +heiress, +Amalaswintha, wishes to speak with you before his end.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are to undertake the most important office in the +kingdom.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hasten at once to Ravenna."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Over the King's palace at Ravenna, with all its gloomy +splendour and +inhospitable spaciousness, lay an air of breathless anxiety.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old castle of the Cæsars had suffered many disfiguring +changes in +the course of centuries, and since the Gothic kings, with all their +Germanic courtiers, had taken the place of the emperors, it had +assumed a very inharmonious aspect, for many chambers, intended +for the peculiar customs of Roman life, stood, still retaining +the old magnificence of their arrangements, unused and neglected. +Cobwebs covered the mosaic of the rich baths of Honorius, and in the +toilet-chamber of Placidia the lizards climbed over the marble frames +of the silver mirrors on the walls. On the one side, the necessities of +a more warlike court had obliged the removal of many walls, in order to +change the small rooms of the ancient building into wider halls for +arsenals, banqueting and guard-rooms, and, on the other, neighbouring +houses had been joined to the palace by new walls, so as to create a +stronghold in the middle of the city.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the dried-up <i>piscina maxima</i> (large fish-pond) +fair-haired boys now +romped, and in the marble halls of the <i>palæstra</i><a name="div2Ref_note01" href="#div2_note01"><sup>1</sup></a> neighed the horses +of the Gothic guards. So the extensive edifice had the dismal +appearance partly of a scarcely-preserved ruin, and partly of a +half-finished new erection; and thus the palace of the present ruler +seemed a symbol of his Roman-Gothic kingdom, and of his whole +half-finished, half-decayed political creation.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the day, however, on which Cethegus, after years of +absence, once +again entered the house, there lay heavy upon it a cloud of anxiety, +sorrow and gloom, for its royal soul was departing from it.</p> + +<p class="normal">The great man, who here had guided, for the space of a man's +life, the +fate of Europe; who was wondered at, with love or with hate, by West +and by East; the hero of his age; the powerful Theodoric of Verona, of +whose name--even during his lifetime--Legend had possessed herself; the +great Amelung, King Theodoric, was about to die.</p> + +<p class="normal">So said the physicians--if not to himself, yet to his nearest +relations--and the report soon spread in the great and populous city.</p> + +<p class="normal">Although such an end to the secret sufferings of the aged King +had been +long held possible, the news that the blow was at hand now filled all +hearts with the greatest excitement.</p> + +<p class="normal">The faithful Goths were anxious and grieved, and a dull fear +was the +predominating feeling even of the Roman population, for here in +Ravenna, in the immediate vicinity of the King, the Italians had had +frequent opportunities of admiring his mildness and generosity, and of +experiencing his beneficence.</p> + +<p class="normal">And besides, it was feared that after the death of this King, +who, +during his lifetime--with the single exception of the last contest with +the Emperor and the Senate, when Boëthius and Symmachus bled--had +protected the Italians from the harshness and violence of his people--a +new rule of severity and oppression would commence on the part of the +Goths.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, finally, another and more noble influence was at work; +the +personality of this hero-King had been so grand, so majestic, that even +those who had often wished for the destruction of himself and his +kingdom, could not--at the moment when this luminary was about to be +extinguished--revel in a feeling of malicious joy, and were unable to +overcome a deep depression.</p> + +<p class="normal">So, since early morning--when servants from the palace had +been seen +rushing in all directions, and special messengers hurrying to the +houses of the most distinguished Goths and Romans--the town had been in +a state of great excitement.</p> + +<p class="normal">Men stood together by pairs or in groups in the streets, +squares and +baths, questioning or imparting to each other what they knew; trying to +detain some person of importance who came from the palace, and talking +of the grave consequences of the approaching catastrophe. Women and +children, urged by curiosity, crouched on the thresholds of the houses.</p> + +<p class="normal">As the day advanced, even the populations of the nearest towns +and +villages--principally consisting of sorrowing Goths--streamed into the +gates of the city to hear the news.</p> + +<p class="normal">The counsellors of the King, pre-eminently the pretorian +prefect, +Cassiodorus, who earned great praise for preserving order in those +days, had foreseen this excitement, and perhaps expected something +worse.</p> + +<p class="normal">At midnight all the entrances to the palace had been closed, +and +guarded by Goths. In the Forum Honorum, before the palace, a troop of +cavalry had been placed. On the broad marble steps that led up to the +grand colonnade of the principal entrance, lay, in picturesque groups, +strong companies of Gothic foot-soldiers, armed with shield and spear.</p> + +<p class="normal">Only there, according to the order of Cassiodorus, could +admittance +be gained to the palace, and only the two leaders of the +infantry--Cyprian, the Roman, and Witichis, the Goth, were allowed to +grant permission to enter.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was to the first of these persons that Cethegus applied.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he took the well-known way to the King's apartments, he +found all +the Goths and Romans whose rank or importance had procured them +admittance, scattered in groups about the halls and corridors.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the once noisy banqueting-hall the young leaders of the +Gothic +hundreds and thousands stood together, silent and sorrowing, or +whispering their anxious inquiries, while here and there an elderly +man--a companion-at-arms of the dying hero--leaned in the niche of a +bow-window, seeking to hide his ungovernable sorrow. In the middle of +the hall stood--pressing his head against a pillar and weeping +loudly--a rich merchant of Ravenna. The King, now on the point of +death, had once pardoned him for joining in a conspiracy, and had +prevented his goods from being plundered by the enraged Goths.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus passed by them all with a cold glance of contempt.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the next room--a saloon intended for the reception of +foreign +embassies--he found a number of distinguished Goths--dukes, earls, and +other nobles--who evidently were assembled together to consult upon the +succession, and the threatened overthrow of all existing conditions.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was the brave Duke Thulun, who had heroically defended +the town +of Arles against the Franks; Ibba, the conqueror of Spain; and Pitza, +who had been victorious over the Bulgarians and Gepidians--all mighty +warriors, proud of their nobility, which was little less than that of +the royal house of Amelung; for they were of the house of Balthe, +which, through Alaric, had won the crown of the Visigoths; and no less +proud of their services in war, which had protected and extended the +kingdom.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildebad and Teja were with them. They were the leaders of the +party +which had long since desired a more severe treatment of the Italians, +whom they at once hated and shunned; but had been forced, against their +will, to give way to the milder opinions of the King.</p> + +<p class="normal">What looks of hatred shot from their eyes upon the +aristocratic Roman +who now came to witness the death of the great Gothic hero!</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus walked quietly past them, and lifted the heavy +woollen curtain +that divided this from the next apartment--the ante-chamber of the +sick-room.</p> + +<p class="normal">On entering, he greeted with a profound inclination a tall and +queenly +woman, enveloped in a black mourning veil, who, grave and silent, but +composed and without tears, stood before a marble table covered with +records. It was Amalaswintha, the widowed daughter of Theodoric.</p> + +<p class="normal">A woman above thirty years of age, she was still extremely, +though +coldly, beautiful. She wore her rich dark hair parted and waved in the +fashion of the Greeks. Her high forehead, her large, open eyes, her +straight nose, the pride expressed in her almost manly features, and +the majesty of her full form, gave her an imposing dignity, and, clad +in a garment folded in true Grecian style, she resembled a Juno of +Polycletus which had descended from its pedestal. Her arm, more +supporting than supported, was laid within that of a youth of about +seventeen years of age--Athalaric, her son, the heir of the kingdom of +the Goths.</p> + +<p class="normal">He did not resemble his mother, but had the nature of his +unhappy +father, Eutharic, whom a wasting heart disease had hurried to the grave +in the bloom of life. For this reason, Amalaswintha saw with sorrow +that her son grew daily more like his father; and it was no longer a +secret at the court of Ravenna that all the signs of the disease were +already visible in the young man.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalaric was as beautiful as all the other members of this +royal +house, descended from the gods. Heavy black eyebrows and long eyelashes +shaded his beautiful dark eyes, that now melted with an expression of +dreamy reverie, and now flashed with intellectual brilliancy. Dark +brown tangled locks hung over his pale temples, on which, when he was +excited, the blue veins swelled convulsively. On his noble brow +physical pain or sad resignation had traced deep lines, strange to see +on his youthful countenance. Marble paleness and vivid red quickly +alternated in his transparent cheeks. His tall but bent-frame generally +seemed to hang, so to speak, on its hinges, as if tired, and only at +times he drew himself up with startling suddenness.</p> + +<p class="normal">He did not notice Cethegus, for, leaning on his mother's +breast, he had +in his sadness flung his Grecian mantle over that young head, which was +soon destined to wear a crown.</p> + +<p class="normal">At some distance from these two figures, near an open window +that +afforded a view of the marble steps upon which lay the Gothic warriors, +stood, lost in thought, a woman--or was it a girl?--of surprising and +dazzling beauty; it was Mataswintha, the sister of Athalaric.</p> + +<p class="normal">She resembled her mother in height and nobleness of form, but +her more +sharply-cut features were filled with fiery and passionate life, which +was only slightly concealed under an aspect of artificial coldness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her figure, in which blooming fulness and delicate slenderness +were +harmoniously blended, reminded one of that Artemis in the arms of +Endymion, in the group sculptured by Agesander, which, as legend +reports, was banished from the town by the Council of Rhodes because +the marble representation of the most perfect maidenly beauty and +highest sensuousness had driven the youths of the island to madness and +suicide. The magic of ripe virgin beauty trembled over the whole form +of Mataswintha. Her rich waving hair was of a dark-red colour, with a +glimmering metallic light upon it, and had such an extraordinary effect +that it had procured for the Princess, even amongst her own nation, +whose women were celebrated for their splendid golden locks, the +appellation of "Beautiful-hair." Her nose was finely-shaped, with +delicately-chiselled nostrils, which quivered at the slightest emotion; +and freshly bloomed the full and rosy lips of her lovely mouth. But the +most striking feature of this extraordinary beauty was the grey eye, +not so much on account of its changing colour as from the wonderful +expression with which, though generally lost in reverie, it could +sometimes flash with burning passion.</p> + +<p class="normal">Indeed, as she stood there leaning against the window, in the +half-Hellenic, half-Gothic costume, which her fancy had combined, her +full white arm wound round the dark column of porphyry, and gazing +thoughtfully out into the evening air, her seductive beauty resembled +that of those irresistible wood or water-nymphs, whose enchanting power +of love has always been celebrated in Northern legend.</p> + +<p class="normal">And so great was the power of this beauty, that even the +burnt-out +bosom of Cethegus, who had long known the Princess, was moved to new +admiration as he entered.</p> + +<p class="normal">But his attention was immediately claimed by Cassiodorus--the +learned +and faithful minister of the King, the first representative of that +benevolent but hopeless policy of reconciliation, which had been +practised in the Gothic Kingdom for many years--who was standing near +Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">This old man, whose venerable and mild features were no less +filled +with an expression of sorrow at the loss of his royal friend than by +anxiety for the future of the kingdom, rose, and went with tottering +steps towards Cethegus, who reverently bent his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">The aged man's eyes rested upon him for some moments, swimming +in +tears; at last he sank sighing upon the cold breast of Cethegus, who +despised him for this weakness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What a day!" complained Cassiodorus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A fateful day," said Cethegus gravely. "Strength and presence +of mind +are necessary."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You say truly, patrician, and speak like a Roman," said the +Princess, +leaving Athalaric--"welcome!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She gave him her hand, which did not tremble. Her eye was +clear and +tearless.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The disciple of the Stoics preserves, even on this day, the +wisdom of +Zeno and her own composure," said Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say, rather, that the grace of God wonderfully upholds her +soul," said +Cassiodorus reprovingly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Patrician," began Amalaswintha, "the prætorian prefect has +proposed you +to me for the performance of an important business. His word would be +sufficient, even had I not known you so long. You are the self-same +Cethegus who transposed the first two songs of the? 'Æneid' into +Grecian hexameters?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Infandum renovare jubes, regina, dolorem. A youthful sin, +Queen," said +Cethegus, smiling. "I bought up all the copies and burnt them on the +day on which Tullia's translation appeared."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tullia was the pseudonym of Amalaswintha. Cethegus knew it, +but the +Princess had no suspicion of his knowledge. She was flattered in her +weakest point, and continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know how it stands with us. My father's moments are +counted; +according to the report of the physicians, he may, although yet strong +and active, die at any moment. Athalaric here is the heir to his crown. +But until he has reached the proper age, I shall conduct the regency, +and act as his guardian."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Such is the will of the King, and Goths and Romans have long +since +agreed to this wise arrangement," said Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"They did so, but the mob is fickle. The rough men despise the +government of a woman"--and at this thought Amalaswintha knit her brow +in anger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is certainly contrary to the political principles both of +Goths and +Romans," said Cassiodorus apologetically. "It is quite a new thing that +a woman----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whatever may be thought about it, it is a fact," interposed +the +Princess. "Nevertheless, I count on the fidelity of the Goths in +general, though single aristocratic individuals may aim at the crown. I +also fear nothing from the Italians here in Ravenna, nor in most towns. +But I fear--Rome and the Romans!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The attention of Cethegus was arrested. His whole being was +suddenly +excited, but his countenance remained impassive.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Rome will never accustom herself to the rule of the Goths; +she will +always resist us--how can it be otherwise?" added Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">It seemed as if the daughter of Theodoric had a Roman soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Therefore we fear," concluded Cassiodorus, "that, at the news +of the +vacancy of the throne, a movement may break out in Rome against the +regency, be it for annexation to Byzantium, be it for the election of +an Emperor of the Western Empire."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus, as if in reflection, cast down his eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For this reason," quickly interposed the Princess, +"everything must be +done before the news reaches Rome. A faithful, energetic man must +receive the oaths of the garrison for me--I mean for my son; must take +possession of the most important gates and squares, intimidate the +Senate and the nobles, win the people to my cause, and irrevocably +confirm my dominion before it is menaced. And to effect this, +Cassiodorus has proposed--you. Speak; will you undertake it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment the golden stylus which she held happened to +fell to the +ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus stooped to pick it up.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had only this one moment for the crowding thoughts that +passed +through his mind on hearing this proposal.</p> + +<p class="normal">Was the conspiracy in the Catacombs betrayed? Was he himself +betrayed? +Was this a snare laid by the crafty and ambitious woman? Or were the +fools really so blind as to press this offer upon him? And if it were +so, what should he do? Should he seize the occasion? Should he strike +at once, in order to win Rome? And for whom? For Byzantium or for an +Emperor of the West? And who should it be? Or were things not yet ripe? +Should he, for this once, seemingly practise fidelity?</p> + +<p class="normal">To resolve these and many other questions, he had only the one +moment +in which he stooped.</p> + +<p class="normal">But his quick mind needed no more. He had seen, while in the +act of +stooping, the unsuspicious, trusting look of Cassiodorus, and, giving +the stylus to the Princess, he spoke with decision:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen, I undertake the business."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is well," said the Princess.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cassiodorus pressed his hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When Cassiodorus proposed me for this office," continued +Cethegus, "he +gave another proof of his deep knowledge of mankind. He has seen the +kernel through the shell."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you mean?" asked Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen, appearances might have deceived him. I confess that I +do not +like to see the barbarians--pardon, the Goths--reigning in Italy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This frankness honours you, and I pardon the feeling in a +Roman."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Besides that, I have taken no interest in public affairs for +some +years. After having experienced varied passions, I now live in the calm +and retirement of my country villas, cultivating the sportive muse, +enjoying my books, and untroubled by the cares of kings."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Beatus ille qui procul negotiis," quoted the learned lady, +sighing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, because I honour science, because I, a scholar of Plato, +desire +that the wise should govern, I wish that a Queen should reign over my +fatherland who is only a Goth by birth, but in her soul a Greek, and by +her virtues a Roman. For her sake I will sacrifice my leisure to hated +business. But only on condition that this shall be my last office of +state. I will undertake your commission, and answer for Rome with my +head."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good; here you will find the legal documents which you will +need."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus looked rapidly through the records.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is the manifesto of the young King to the Romans, with +your +signature. <i>His</i> is still wanting."</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha dipped the Cnidian reed-pen into the vessel +filled with +crimson ink, which was used by the Amelungs as well as by the Roman +Emperors.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come, write thy name, my son," she said.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalaric, standing and leaning with both arms on the table, +had keenly +observed Cethegus during the above conversation. Now he stood erect. He +was accustomed to act with the usual arrogance of a Crown Prince and +the petulancy of an invalid.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," he said impatiently; "I will not write. Not only because +I do +not trust this cold Roman--I do not trust you in the least, you proud +man--but it is revolting that, while my noble father still breathes, +you already quarrel about his crown. You dwarfs! About the crown of a +giant! Shame on your insensibility! Behind those curtains the greatest +hero of the century is dying, and you think already of the partition of +his garment!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He turned his back upon them and went slowly to the window, +where he +passed his arm round his lovely sister, and stroked her shining hair. +He stood there for some time; she did not notice him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly she started from her reverie.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Athalaric," she whispered, hastily grasping his arm, and +pointing at +the marble staircase, "who is that man in the blue steel helmet, who is +just coming round that pillar? Say, who is it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me see," said the youth, bending forward. "That? Oh! that +is Earl +Witichis, the conqueror of the Gepidæ, a famous hero."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he told her of the deeds and triumphs of the Earl in the +last war.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile Cethegus had looked inquiringly at the Princess and +the +minister.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let him alone," sighed Amalaswintha. "If he will not, no +power on +earth can make him."</p> + +<p class="normal">Further questions on the part of Cethegus were cut short, for +the +three-fold curtain, that shut out all the noise of the ante-chamber +from the King's bedroom, was parted.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was Elpidios, the Greek physician, who, lifting the heavy +folds, now +entered, and announced that the sick man, just awakened from a long +sleep, had sent him away, in order to be alone with old Hildebrand, who +never stirred from his side.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Theodoric's bed-chamber, which had served the same purpose +under the +Emperors, was decorated with the heavy splendour of late Roman style.</p> + +<p class="normal">The superabundant reliefs of the walls and the gilded +ornamentation of +the ceiling still pictured the victories and triumphal processions of +Roman consuls and emperors. Heathen gods and goddesses floated proudly +above. Everywhere reigned the same oppressive magnificence.</p> + +<p class="normal">The extreme simplicity of the Gothic King's couch formed a +remarkable +contrast to all this pomp.</p> + +<p class="normal">The oval frame of unpolished oak was raised scarcely a foot +from the +ground, and contained few cushions. Only the costly crimson cover +which hid the King's feet, and the lion's skin with golden claws +that lay before the bed--a present from the King of the Vandals, in +Africa--betrayed the royalty of the sick man. All the other furniture +of the room was simple, plain, and almost barbarously clumsy.</p> + +<p class="normal">On a pillar in the background hung the iron shield and +broad-sword of +the King, which had not been used for many years. At the head of the +bed stood the old master-at-arms, with his eyes bent down, anxiously +examining the features of the patient, who, leaning on his left arm, +turned his majestic countenance towards him.</p> + +<p class="normal">The King's sparse hair, rubbed off on the temples by years of +friction +caused by his heavy helmet, was still of a bright brown colour, and +without a trace of grey. His heavy brow, sparkling eyes, large nose, +and the deep lines in his cheeks, spoke of great tasks and great +strength to accomplish them.</p> + +<p class="normal">The expression of his face was commanding and even sublime; +but +the benevolent softness of his mouth, in spite of the grim and +slightly-grey beard, gave evidence of the mildness and peaceful wisdom +by means of which he had raised his kingdom to such a flourishing +condition that it had already become a proverb and celebrated in story.</p> + +<p class="normal">His golden-brown and piercing eyes rested for some time upon +his +gigantic sick-nurse, with an expression of love and favour.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last he stretched out his thin, but nervous, right hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Old friend," said he, "we must now take leave of each other."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man sank upon his knees and pressed the King's hand to +his +broad breast.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come, my friend, rise! Must I comfort <i>thee</i>?"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Hildebrand remained upon his knees, and only lifted his +head so +that he could look the King in the face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"See," said the King, "I know that thou, son of Hilding, hast +received +from thy ancestors and thy father a deeper knowledge of the ailings of +mankind and their healing than all these Grecian physicians and Lydian +quack-salvers. And, more than that, thou art sincere. Therefore, I beg +thee honestly to confirm me in what I feel to be true. Tell me, must I +not die to-day--even before the night?" And he looked at him in a +manner that would brook no deception.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Hildebrand did not wish to deceive him; he had regained +his natural +composure.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, King of the Goths, heir of the Amelungs, thou must die; +the hand +of Death has passed across thy brow. Never again wilt thou see the +sun's setting."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is well," said Theodoric, without blenching. "Seest thou, +the Greek +whom I dismissed has lied to me all the day long. And yet time is +precious to me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wilt thou again send for the priests?" asked Hildebrand +reluctantly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; they can do me no good. I need them no more."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sleep has strengthened thee, and lifted the veil from thy +soul. Hail! +Theodoric, son of Walamer! thou wilt die like a hero!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know," said the King, smiling, "that it was repugnant to +thy +feelings to see the priests near my couch. Thou art in the right. They +cannot help me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now--who or what has helped thee now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"God and myself. Hear! And what I am about to say are my +parting words. +In gratitude for thy fifty years' faithful service, I confide to thine +ear alone--not to my daughter, and not to Cassiodorus--that which has +so long troubled me. Tell me, what is reported among the people? What +is believed was the cause of the melancholy which suddenly overcame me, +and originated this disease?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Italians say that it was remorse for the death of +Boëthius and +Symmachus."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Didst thou believe this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; I could not believe that the death of traitors could so +affect +thee."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou art in the right. Perhaps, according to law, they were +not +deserving of death; and I loved Boëthius much. But they were traitors a +thousand times! Traitors in their thoughts, traitors to my trust, to my +heart. I prized these Romans more than the best of my people. And they +showed their gratitude by wishing that my crown were the Emperor's; +they wrote flattering letters to the Byzantines; they preferred a +Justinus and a Justinian to the friendship of a Theodoric! I am not +sorry for them; I despise them. Guess again. What didst thou believe?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"King, thy heir is a youth, and enemies encompass thy throne."</p> + +<p class="normal">The sick man frowned.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This time thou art nearer the mark. I always knew the +weakness of my +kingdom. When at the evening banquet I have shown the proud face of +confidence to the foreign ambassadors, at night I have anxiously sighed +at its inward disease. Old man, I know that thou hast often considered +me all too confident. But none might see me tremble, neither friend nor +foe. Else my throne had trembled. I sighed only when alone, and have +borne my care in solitude."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou art wisdom itself, my King, and I was a fool!" cried the +old man.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou seest," continued the King, stroking the old man's hand, +"that I +knew in what I displeased thee. I knew also thy blind hatred of these +Italians. Believe me, it <i>is</i> blind, as was, perhaps, my love of them." +Here he stopped and sighed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why wilt thou distress thyself?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, let me continue! I know that my kingdom--the work of my +glorious +and toilsome life--may easily fall. Perhaps owing to my generosity to +these Romans. Be it so! No work of man is eternal, and the error of +over-kindness is easily borne!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My great King!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, Hildebrand, one night, as I was lying awake, anxious +about the +danger of my kingdom, there rose before my soul the ghost of another +sin! Not of too much kindness, but of bloody force! And woe, woe to me, +if my nation is to be destroyed in expiation of the crime of Theodoric! +His, <i>his</i> image rises before me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The sick man spoke with difficulty, and lay for a moment +overwhelmed +with emotion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whose image? of whom dost thou speak?" asked the old man +softly, +bending over him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Odoacer!" whispered the King, and Hildebrand bowed his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last Theodoric broke the painful silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, old friend, this right hand, as thou knowest, struck +down the +mighty hero--my guest--at the banquet-table. His hot blood splashed +into my face, and an ardent hate flashed upon me from his filming eyes. +A few months past, during the night I speak of, his bloody, pale and +angry form rose before me like an avenging god. My heart was +contracted, my pulses beat with fever. The fearful conviction came over +me that my kingdom would fall and my nation decay, because of this my +bloody deed."</p> + +<p class="normal">This time, after a short pause, Hildebrand, looking up +defiantly, said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"King, why dost thou fret like a woman? Hast thou not struck +down +hundreds with thine own arm, and thy people thousands at thy behest? +Have we not descended from the mountains into this land in more than +thirty battles, wading ankle-deep in blood? What is the blood of <i>one</i> +man to all this? And remember the circumstances. For four years he had +defied thee as the ure-ox defies the bear. Twice he had driven thee and +thy folk to the brink of destruction. Hunger, sword, and pestilence +carried off thy Goths. At last, at last, stubborn Ravenna fell, forced +by famine. The deadly enemy lay at thy feet. Then a warning came that +he contemplated treason; that he would renew the fearful strife; that +he would attack thee and thine that night. What couldest thou do? Call +him openly to account? If he were guilty, that could do no good, +therefore thou wert beforehand with him, and did that to him in the +evening which he intended doing to thee at night. That <i>one</i> deed saved +thy people, and prevented the renewal of a fearful strife. Thou +forgavest all his followers, and for thirty years caused Goths and +Italians to live as if in Paradise. And now thou wilt torment thyself +with vain remorse? Two nations will ever thank thee for this deed! I--I +would have killed him seven times over!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man ceased; his eyes flashed; he looked like an angry +giant. +But the King shook his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is nothing, old warrior! I have repeated the same thing +to myself +a hundred times, and put it into more flattering forms than is possible +to thy rude tongue. All in vain! He was a hero--the only one of my +kind--and I murdered him without proof of his guilt, for I was jealous, +suspicious, aye, it must be said, I was <i>afraid</i>--afraid that I should +be compelled again to strive with him. It was, and is, and ever will +be a sin! I have found no peace in self-excuses. Since that night +his image has followed me unceasingly. At the banquet and in the +council-chamber; at the hunt, in the church, waking and sleeping. Then +Cassiodorus sent the priests and bishops to me. They could not help me. +They heard my confession, saw my grief and my faith, and absolved me +from all my sins. But peace came not, and though they forgave me, I +could not forgive myself. I know not whether it be the old manner of +thought inherited from my heathen ancestors, but I cannot hide myself +behind the Cross from the ghost of the murdered man! I cannot believe I +am freed from my bloody deed by the blood of an innocent God who died +upon the Cross!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildebrand's face was suddenly lit up with joy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou knowest," he whispered in the King's ear, "that I could +never +believe the priests of the Cross. Speak, oh, speak! dost thou still +believe in Thor and Odin? Have <i>they</i> helped thee?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The King smiled and shook his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, thou incorrigible old heathen! Thy Walhalla is nothing +for me. +Hear how I was helped. Yesterday I sent the bishops away, and retired +into the recesses of my own heart. I thought and wrestled and entreated +God, and I became calmer, and, behold! in the night a deep slumber came +upon me, such as I had not known for long months. When I awoke, no +fever of torture shook my limbs; I felt composed, and my mind clearer; +I felt that no grace or miracle of God could undo the deed that I had +committed. I knew that if God be indeed a God of vengeance, He could +punish me and my house unto the seventh generation, and I dedicated +myself and my kingdom to His eternal vengeance. But, if God be just, He +cannot visit the sins committed by their King upon the people of the +Goths. No, He will not do that. And if ever this people decay, I feel +that it will not be owing to my deed; and thus peace hath entered into +my soul, and I can die with courage."</p> + +<p class="normal">He was silent, but Hildebrand bowed his head and kissed the +hand which +had killed Odoacer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"These are my parting words to thee, my legacy and thanks for +a whole +life of fidelity. Now let us dedicate the remaining time to the Goths. +Come, assist me to rise, I cannot die amid these cushions. There hang +my weapons! Give them to me! No objections! I will, and I can!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Hildebrand was obliged to obey. With his help the sick man +rose, and +threw a purple mantle over his shoulders, girded on his sword, set the +low helmet-crown on his head, and supporting himself on the shaft of +his heavy lance, leaned his back against the thick Doric column in the +middle of the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now call my daughter, and Cassiodorus, and whoever else may +be +outside."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The King remained quietly standing, while Hildebrand threw +back the +curtains of the door on both sides, so that bed-chamber and ante-room +now formed one undivided apartment. All those assembled outside--for +many Goths and Romans had entered meanwhile--drew near to the King in +astonished and reverent silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My daughter," said the King, "are the letters written which +are to +announce my death and the succession of my grandchild to Byzantium?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here they are," answered Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">The King rapidly ran through the rolls of papyrus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To Emperor Justinus.--A second: to his nephew, Justinianus. +'Tis true, +he will soon wear the crown, and is already the master of his masters. +I see by the fine similes that Cassiodorus has written these letters. +But hold!" A cloud passed across his face. "'Recommending my youth to +your imperial protection!' Protection! That is too much. Alas! if ever +you should be obliged to depend on the protection of Byzantium! +'Recommending myself to your <i>friendship</i>, is enough from the grandson +of Theodoric." And he gave the letters back. "Still a third letter to +Byzantium? To whom? 'To Theodora, the noble spouse of Justinianus?' +What! to the dancer of the circus? To the shameless daughter of the +lionkeeper?"</p> + +<p class="normal">His eye flashed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She has great influence upon her husband," interposed +Cassiodorus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no. My daughter shall write to no female who has +dishonoured the +name of her sex."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he tore the roll of papyrus into pieces and threw them on +the +floor. Then, walking over the fragments, he advanced towards the Goths +who stood in the middle of the hall.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My brave Witichis, what will be thy office after my death?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall review our foot at Tridentum."</p> + +<p class="normal">"None could do it better! Never yet hast thou claimed the +favour which +was granted to thee beforehand, when thou wert victorious over the +Gepidæ. Hast thou no wish even now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I <i>have</i> a wish, my King."</p> + +<p class="normal">"At last!--that pleases me. Speak."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A poor jailer, for refusing to apply the torture and for +striking at a +lictor, is himself condemned to be put to the torture to-day. Sire, set +the man free! To torture is shameful, and----</p> + +<p class="normal">"The jailer is free; and from this moment torture is abolished +in the +kingdom of the Goths. Look to it, Cassiodorus! Brave Witichis, give me +thy hand. To show to all how much I honour thee, I bequeath thee +Wallada, my chestnut charger, in remembrance of this parting hour. And +if ever thou art in danger, or--" here he lowered his voice, "would +avoid it, whisper my name into the horse's ear. Who will watch over +Neapolis? Duke Thulun was too rough. Those gay people must be won by +gentle looks."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes. Young Totila will be Count of the Harbour there," +answered +Cassiodorus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Totila! a sunny youth! a Siegfrid; a favourite of the gods! +No heart +can withstand him. But truly, the hearts of these Italians--" He +sighed, and then continued, "Who will assure us of Rome and the +Senate?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus Cæsarius," said Cassiodorus, with a motion of his +hand, "this +noble Roman."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus? I know him well. Look at me, Cethegus."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus, thus addressed, reluctantly raised his eyes, which +he had +quickly cast down before the steady look of the King. But now, +collecting himself, he quietly bore the eagle glance which seemed to +penetrate his soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was a sickly whim, Cethegus, which made a man of your kind +withhold +himself so long from affairs of state; and from us. Or it was +dangerous. Perhaps it is still more dangerous that you--<i>now</i>--again +take an interest in politics."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was not my wish, O King."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will answer for him!" cried Cassiodorus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Peace, friend! On earth no one can answer for +another!--scarcely for +himself! But," he continued with a searching look, "this proud +intellect--this Cæsar-like intellect--will not betray Italia to the +Greeks."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus had to endure one more sharp look from the golden +eagle-eyes. +Then the King suddenly grasped his arm, and whispered in his ear: +"Listen to my warning. No Roman will ever again flourish on the throne +of the Western Empire. Peace! no contradiction. I have warned you. What +noise is that outside?" he asked, quickly turning to his daughter; who, +in a low voice, was speaking with a Roman messenger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nothing, my King; nothing of importance, my father."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What! secrets from me? By my crown! Wilt thou govern while I +still +breathe? I hear the sound of strange tongues outside. Open the doors!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The doors which divided the outer hall from the ante-room were +thrown +open. There, in the midst of a number of Goths and Romans, were to be +seen several strange and dwarfish forms, clothed in a curious costume, +with doublets of wolfskin, pointed caps, and shaggy sheep-skins hanging +down their backs. Surprised and impressed by the sudden apparition of +the King, they sank upon their knees.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, messengers from the Avarians! Those robber +border-ruffians on our +eastern boundaries! Have you brought the owing yearly tribute?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sire, once again we bring it: skins, woollen carpets, swords, +shields. +There they hang--there they lie. But we hope that next year--we will +see----"</p> + +<br> + +<p class="normal">"You will see whether the aged Theodoric has become a dotard? +You hoped +that I was dead? You think that you can refuse the tribute to my +successor? You err, spies!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And he took up, as if proving its worth, one of the swords +which the +messengers had laid at his feet, together with its sheath, held it +firmly by hilt and point, and with a slight effort snapped the steel in +two, and threw the pieces on the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Avari carry worthless swords," he said quietly. "Come, +Athalaric, +heir to my kingdom. They do not believe that thou canst bear the weight +of my crown. Show them how thou canst throw my spear."</p> + +<p class="normal">The youth bounded to him. The scarlet hue of ambition flushed +his pale +face. He swung the heavy spear of his grandfather, and hurled it with +such force at a shield which the messengers had leaned against one of +the wooden pillars, that it completely pierced it and penetrated deeply +into the wood.</p> + +<p class="normal">The King laid his left hand on the head of his grandchild, and +said +proudly to the messengers:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now go, and tell at home what you have seen."</p> + +<p class="normal">He turned away; the outer doors were closed, and shut out the +amazed +Avarians.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Give me a cup of wine. It may possibly be the last! No, +unmixed! In +Germanic fashion--" he repulsed the Grecian physician. "Thanks, old +Hildebrand, for this draught, so faithfully given. I drink prosperity +to the Goths!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He slowly emptied the goblet; and with a hand yet firm and +strong he +replaced it on the marble table.</p> + +<p class="normal">But suddenly, like a flash of lightning, that which the +physicians had +long expected took place. He staggered, pressed his hand to his heart, +and fell backwards into Hildebrand's arms; who, slowly kneeling down, +let him gently slide on to the marble pavement, supporting his +helm-crowned head.</p> + +<p class="normal">For one moment all present held their breath; but the King did +not +move, and, with a loud cry, Athalaric threw himself upon the corpse.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">There was another man, besides Cassiodorus, who played a most +important, and, as it seemed to the Regency, a very deserving part, in +those days of transition. This was no other than Cethegus. He had +undertaken the momentous office of Prefect of Rome. As soon as the King +had closed his eyes for ever, Cethegus had instantly hurried to his +place of trust, and had arrived there before the news of the event had +reached that city.</p> + +<p class="normal">Before daybreak, he had collected the senators together in the +<i>Senatus</i>, that is, in the closed hall of Domitian, near the temple of +Janus Geminus, on the right of the arch of Septimus Severus, and had +surrounded the building with Gothic troops. He informed the surprised +senators (many of whom he had only recently met in the Catacombs, and +had incited to the expulsion of the barbarians) of the already +accomplished succession to the throne. He had also, not without many +mild hints as to the spears of the Gothic hundreds, which might easily +be seen from the hall, taken their oaths of allegiance to Athalaric +with a rapidity that brooked no contradiction.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then he left the "Senatus," where he kept the conscript +fathers locked +up, until, with the support of the strong Gothic garrison, he had held +a meeting of the assembled Romans which he had called in the Flavian +amphitheatre, and had won the hearts of the easily-moved "Quirites" for +the young King.</p> + +<p class="normal">He enumerated the generous deeds of Theodoric, promised the +same +beneficence from his grandson, who was, besides, already acknowledged +by all Italy and the provinces, and also by the fathers of the city; +announced a general feast for the Roman population, with the gift of +bread and wine, as the first act of the new government; and concluded +with the proclamation of seven days of games in the Circus (races +between twenty-four Spanish four-horsed chariots), with which he +himself would celebrate the accession of Athalaric, and his own +entrance into office.</p> + +<p class="normal">At once a thousand voices shouted, with loud huzzas, the names +of the +Queen-Regent and her son; and still more loudly the name of Cethegus. +Then the people joyously dispersed, the imprisoned senators were +released, and the Eternal City was won for the Goths.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Prefect hurried to his house at the foot of the Capitol, +locked +himself up, and eagerly wrote his report to the Queen-Regent.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he was soon disturbed by a violent knocking upon the iron +door of +the house. It was Lucius Licinius, the young Roman whom we have already +met in the Catacombs. He struck with the hilt of his sword against the +door till the house echoed.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was followed by Scævola, the jurist, with portentously +frowning +brow, who had been amongst the imprisoned senators; and by Silverius, +the priest, with doubtful mien.</p> + +<p class="normal">The ostiarius looked prudently through a secret aperture in +the wall, +and, on recognising Licinius, admitted them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Licinius rushed impetuously before the others through the +well-known +vestibule and the colonnade of the atrium to the study of Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Cethegus heard the hastily-approaching footsteps, he rose +from the +lectus upon which he was lying writing, and put his letters into a +casket with a silver lid.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, the saviours of the fatherland!" he said, smiling, and +advanced +towards the door.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Vile traitor!" shouted Licinius, his hand on his sword--anger +impeded +further speech; he half drew his sword from the sheath.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop! first let him defend himself, if he can," panted +Scævola, +holding the young man's arm, as he hastened into the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is impossible that he can have deserted the cause of the +Holy +Church," said Silverius, as he also entered.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Impossible!" laughed Licinius. "What! are you mad, or am I? +Has he not +caused us to be confined in our houses? Has he not shut the gates, and +taken the oaths of the mob for the barbarians?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Has he not," continued Cethegus, "caught the noble fathers of +the +city, three hundred in number, and kept them in the Curia, like so many +mice in a trap; three hundred aristocratic mice?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He dares to mock us? Will you suffer that?" cried Licinius. +And +Scævola turned pale with anger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, and what would you have done had you been allowed to +act?" asked +the Prefect quietly, crossing his arms on his broad breast.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What should we have done?" cried Licinius. "What we, and you +with us, +have a hundred times decided upon. As soon as the news of the tyrant's +death had arrived, we should have killed all the Goths in the city, +proclaimed a Republic, and chosen two consuls----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of the names of Licinius and Scævola; that is the first +thing. Well, +and then? What then?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What then? Freedom would have conquered!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Folly would have conquered!" broke out Cethegus in a +thundering voice, +which startled his accusers. "Well for us that your hands were bound; +you would have strangled Hope for ever. Look here, and thank me upon +your knees!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He took some records from another casket, and gave them to his +astonished companions.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There; read! The enemy had been warned, and had thrown the +noose round +the neck of Rome in a masterly manner. If I had not acted as I did, +Earl Witichis would be standing at this moment before the Salarian Gate +in the north with ten thousand Goths; to-morrow young Totila would have +blockaded the mouth of the Tiber on the south with the fleet from +Neapolis; and Duke Thulun would have been approaching the Tomb of +Hadrian and the Aurelian Gate from the west, with twenty thousand men. +If, this morning early, you had touched a hair of a Goth's head, what +would have happened?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Silverius breathed again. The others were ashamed and silent. +But +Licinius took heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We should have defied the Goths behind our walls," he said, +with a +toss of his handsome head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, when these walls are restored as I will restore +them--for +eternity, my Licinius: as they are now--not for a day."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then we had died as free citizens," said Scævola.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You might have done that in the Curie three hours ago," +laughed +Cethegus, shrugging his shoulders.</p> + +<p class="normal">Silverius stepped forward with open arms, as if to embrace +him--Cethegus drew back.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have saved us all, you have saved Church and fatherland! +I never +doubted you!" exclaimed the priest.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Licinius grasped the hand of the Prefect, who willingly +abandoned +it to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I <i>did</i> doubt you," he said with charming frankness. +"Forgive me, you +great Roman! This sword, with which I would have penetrated into your +very heart, is henceforward at your service. And when the day of +freedom dawns, then no consul, then <i>salve</i>, Dictator Cethegus!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He hurried out with flashing eyes. The Prefect cast a +satisfied glance +after him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dictator, yes; but only until the Republic is in full +security," said +the jurist, and followed Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure," said Cethegus, with a smile; "then we will wake +up +Camillus and Brutus, and take up the Republic from the point at which +they left it a thousand years ago. Is it not so, Silverius?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Prefect of Rome," said the priest, "you know that I was +ambitious to +conduct the affairs of the fatherland as well as of the Church. After +this, I am so no more. You shall lead, I will follow. Swear to me only +one thing: the freedom of the Roman Church--free choice of a Pope."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly," said Cethegus; "but first Silverius must have +become Pope. +So be it."</p> + +<p class="normal">The priest departed with a smile upon his lips, but with a +weight upon +his mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Go," said Cethegus, after a pause, looking in the direction +taken by +his three visitors. "You will never overthrow a tyrant--you need one!"</p> + +<p class="normal">This day and hour were decisive for Cethegus. Almost against +his will, +he was driven by circumstances to entertain new views, feelings, and +plans, which he had never, until now, put to himself so clearly, +or confessed to be more than mere dreams. He acknowledged that +at this moment he was sole master of the situation. He had the +two great parties of the period--the Gothic Government and its +enemies--completely in his power. And the principal motive-power in the +heart of this powerful man, which he had for years thought paralysed, +was suddenly aroused to the greatest activity. The unlimited +desire--yes, the necessity--to <i>govern</i>, made itself all at once +serviceable to all the powers of his rich nature, and excited them to +violent emotion.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cornelius Cethegus Cæsarius was the descendant of an old and +immensely +rich family, whose ancestor had founded the splendour of his house as a +general and statesman under Cæsar during the civil wars; it was even +rumoured that he was the son of the great Dictator.</p> + +<p class="normal">Our hero had received from nature various talents and violent +passions, +and his immense riches gave him the means to develop the first and +satisfy the last to the fullest extent. He had received the most +careful education that was then possible for a young Roman noble. He +practised the fine arts under the best teachers; he studied law, +history, and philosophy in the famous schools of Berytus, Alexandria, +and Athens with brilliant success. But all this did not satisfy him. He +felt the breath of decay in all the art and science of his time. In +particular, his study of philosophy had only the effect of destroying +the last traces of belief in his soul, without affording him any +results. When he returned home from his studies, his father, according +to the custom of the time, introduced him to political life, and his +brilliant talents raised him quickly from office to office.</p> + +<p class="normal">But all at once he abandoned his career. As soon as he had +made himself +master of the affairs of state, he would no longer be a wheel in the +great machine of a kingdom from which freedom was excluded, and which, +besides, was subject to a barbarian King.</p> + +<p class="normal">His father died, and Cethegus, being now his own master and +possessor +of an immense fortune, rushed into the vortex of life, enjoyment, and +luxury with all the passion of his nature.</p> + +<p class="normal">He soon exhausted Rome, and travelled to Byzantium, into +Egypt, and +even as far as India.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was no luxury, no innocent or criminal pleasure, in +which he did +not revel; only a well-steeled frame could have borne the adventures, +privations, and dissipations of these journeys.</p> + +<p class="normal">After twelve years of absence, he returned to Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was said that he would build magnificent edifices. People +expected +that he would lead a luxurious life in his houses and villas. They were +sadly deceived.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus only built for himself the convenient little house at +the foot +of the Capitol, which he decorated in the most tasteful manner; and +there he lived in populous Rome like a hermit.</p> + +<p class="normal">He unexpectedly published a description of his travels, +characterising +the people and countries which he had visited. The book had an +unheard-of success. Cassiodorus and Boëthius sought his friendship, and +the great King invited him to his court.</p> + +<p class="normal">But on a sudden he disappeared from Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">What had happened remained a mystery, in spite of all +malicious, +curious, or sympathetic inquiries.</p> + +<p class="normal">People told each other that one morning a poor fisherman had +found +Cethegus unconscious, almost dead, on the shores of the Tiber, outside +the gates of the city.</p> + +<p class="normal">A few weeks later he again was heard of on the north-east +frontier of +the kingdom, in the inhospitable regions of the Danube, where a bloody +war with the Gepidae, Avari, and Sclavonians was raging. There he +fought the savage barbarians with death-despising courage, and followed +them with a few chosen troops, paid from his private means, into their +rocky fortresses, sleeping every night upon the frozen ground. And +once, when the Gothic general entrusted to him a larger detachment of +troops in order to make an inroad, instead of doing this, he attacked +and took Sirmium, the enemy's fortified capital, displaying no less +good generalship than courage.</p> + +<p class="normal">After the conclusion of peace, he travelled into Gaul, Spain, +and again +to Byzantium; returned thence to Rome, and lived for years in an +embittered idleness and retirement, refusing all the military, civil, +or scientific offices and honours which Cassiodorus pressed, upon him. +He appeared to take no interest in anything but his studies.</p> + +<p class="normal">A few years before the period at which our story commences, he +had +brought with him from Gaul a handsome youth, to whom he showed Rome and +Italy, and whom he treated with fatherly love and care. It was said +that he would adopt him. As long as his young guest was with him he +ceased his lonely life, invited the aristocratic youth of Rome to +brilliant feasts in his villas, and, accepting all invitations in +return, proved himself the most amiable of guests.</p> + +<p class="normal">But as soon as he had sent young Julius Montanus, with a +stately suite +of pedagogues, freedmen, and slaves, to the learned schools of +Alexandria, he suddenly broke off all social ties, and retired into +impenetrable solitude, seemingly at war with God and the whole world.</p> + +<p class="normal">Silverius and Rusticiana had, with the greatest difficulty, +persuaded +him to sacrifice his repose, and join in the conspiracy of the +Catacombs. He told them that he only became a patriot from tedium. And, +in fact, until the death of the King, he had taken part in the +conspiracy--the conduct of which, however, was wholly in his and the +archdeacon's hands--almost with dislike.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was now otherwise.</p> + +<p class="normal">Until now, the inmost sentiment of his being--the desire to +test +himself in all possible fields of intellectual effort; to overcome all +difficulties; to outdo all rivals; to govern, alone and without +resistance, every circle that he entered; and, when he had won the +crown of victory, carelessly to cast it aside and seek for new +tasks--all this had never permitted him to find full satisfaction in +any of his aims.</p> + +<p class="normal">Art, science, luxury, office, fame. Each of these had charmed +him. He +had excelled in all to an unusual degree, and yet all had left a void +in his soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">To govern, to be the first, to conquer opposing circumstances +with all +his means of superior power and wisdom, and then to rule crouching men +with a rod of iron; this, consciously and unconsciously, had always +been his aim. In this alone could he find contentment.</p> + +<p class="normal">Therefore he now breathed proudly and freely. His icy heart +glowed at +the thought that he ruled over the two great inimical powers of the +time, over both Goths and Romans, with a mere glance of his eye; and +from this exquisite feeling of mastery, the conviction arose with +demonic force, that there remained but one goal for him and his +ambition that was worth living for; but one goal, distant as the sun, +and out of the reach of every other man. He believed in his descent +from Julius Cæsar, and felt the blood rush through his veins at the +thought--Cæsar, Emperor of the West, ruler of the Roman Empire!</p> + +<p class="normal">A few months ago, when this thought first flashed across his +mind--not +even a thought, not a wish, only a shadow, a dream--he was startled, +and could not help smiling at his own boundless assurance.</p> + +<p class="normal"><i>He</i>, Emperor and regenerator of the Empire! And Italy +trembled under +the footsteps of three hundred thousand Goths! And the greatest of all +barbarian kings, whose fame filled the earth, sat on his powerful +throne in Ravenna!</p> + +<p class="normal">Even if the power of the Goths were broken, the Franks and +Byzantines +would stretch their greedy hands over the Alps and across the sea to +seize the Italian booty. Two great kingdoms against a single man! For, +truly, he stood alone amid his people. How well he knew, how utterly he +despised his countrymen, the unworthy descendants of great ancestors! +How he laughed at the enthusiasm of a Licinius or a Scævola, who +thought to renew the days of the Republic with these degenerate Romans!</p> + +<p class="normal">He stood alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the feeling only excited his ambition, and, at that +moment, when +the conspirators had left him, when his superiority had been more +plainly proved than ever before, the thoughts which had been a +flattering amusement of his moody hours, suddenly ripened and formed +themselves into a clear resolve.</p> + +<p class="normal">Folding his arms across his mighty chest, and measuring the +apartment +with heavy steps, like a lion in his cage, he spoke to himself in +abrupt sentences:</p> + +<p class="normal">"To drive out the Goths and prevent Franks and Greeks from +entering, +would not be difficult, with a brave host at one's back; any other man +could do it. But alone, quite alone, more hindered than helped by these +knaves without marrow in their bones; to accomplish the impossible; to +make these cowards heroes; these slaves, Romans; these servants of the +priests and barbarians, masters of the world; that, <i>that</i> is worth the +trouble. To create a new people, a new time, a new world, with the +power of his single will and the might of his intellect, is what no +mortal has yet accomplished--that would be greater than Cæsar!--<i>he</i> +led legions of heroes! and yet, it can be done, for it can be imagined. +And I, who can imagine it, can do it. Yes, Cethegus, that is an aim for +which it is easy to think, to live, to die! Up, and to work! and +henceforward, no thought, no feeling, except for this one thing!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He stood still at last before a colossal statue of Cæsar, +sculptured in +Parian marble, which--a masterpiece of Arkesilaus, and, according to +family tradition, given by Julius Cæsar himself to his son--stood +before the writing-divan, the most sacred treasure of the house.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hear me, divine Cæsar! great ancestor!" exclaimed Cethegus, +"thy +descendant dares to rival thee! There is still something higher than +anything which thou hast reached; even to soar at a higher quarry than +thou, is immortal; and to fall--to fall from such a height--is the most +glorious death. Hail! Once again I know why I live!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He passed the statue, and threw a glance at some military maps +of the +Roman Empire, which lay unrolled upon the table.</p> + +<p class="normal">"First trample upon these barbarians: Rome! Then once more +subdue the +North: Paris! Then reduce the rebellious East to its old subjection to +the Cæsar-city: Byzantium! and farther, even farther, to the Tigris, to +the Indus; farther than Alexander; and back to the West, through +Scythia and Germania, to the Tiber; the path, Cæsar, which Brutus' +dagger cut off for thee. And so to be greater than thou, greater than +Alexander----hold, my thought! Enough!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And the heart of the icy Cethegus flamed and glowed; the veins +of his +temples throbbed violently; he pressed his burning forehead against the +cold marble breast of Julius Cæsar, who majestically looked down upon +him.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The day of the King's death was not only decisive for +Cethegus, but +also for the conspiracy in the Catacombs, for Italy, and for the Gothic +kingdom.</p> + +<p class="normal">Although the intrigues of the patriots--led by different men, +who were +not agreed upon the means, nor even upon the aims of their plots--had, +till now, made slow and doubtful progress, this state of things was +completely altered from the moment when Cethegus took the conduct of +affairs into his own strong hands. Only then did the conspiracy become +really dangerous to the Goths.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus untiringly sought to undermine the security of their +kingdom. +With his great capacity for winning and governing men, and penetrating +their motives, he was able daily to increase the number of important +members and the means of success. He understood how to avoid the +suspicion of the Goths on the one hand, and to prevent any untimely +rebellion on the other. For it would have been easy to attack the +barbarians in all the towns of the Peninsula on some special day, and +to call upon the Byzantines--who had long since been on the watch for +such a crisis--to complete the conquest. But in this way the Prefect +would not have been able to carry out his secret plans. He would merely +have put Byzantine tyranny in the place of Gothic rule. And we know +that he had very different intentions. In order to fulfil them, he +wished first to create for himself a power in Italy, greater than any +other man possessed. Before the foot of a Byzantine was set upon +Italian soil, he must become--although in secret--the mightiest man in +the country. All must be so prepared that the barbarians should be +driven away by Italy itself, that is, by Cethegus, with the least +possible help from Byzantium; so that, after the victory, the Emperor +could not avoid giving the dominion over the country to its saviour, +even if only as a governor. Then he would soon gain time and +opportunity to excite the national pride of the Romans against the rule +of the "Greek-lings," as they contemptuously called the Byzantines. +For, although for two hundred years--since the days of the great +Constantine--the glory of the Empire of the world had been removed from +widowed Rome to the golden town on the Hellespont, and the sceptre of +the sons of Romulus seemed to have passed over to the Greeks; though +East and West formed <i>one</i> state of antique culture opposed to the +barbarian world; yet even now the Romans hated and despised the Greeks +as much as in the days when Flaminius declared humbled Hellas to be a +freedman of Rome. The old hate was now increased by envy.</p> + +<p class="normal">Therefore Cethegus was sure of the enthusiasm and support of +all Italy, +which, after the removal of the barbarians, would also banish the +Byzantines from the country; and the crown of Rome, the crown of the +Western Empire, would be his certain reward.</p> + +<p class="normal">And if he succeeded in exciting the newly-awakened national +feeling to +an offensive war on the other side of the Alps, when he had again +erected the throne of the Roman Empire on the ruins of the Frankish +Kingdom at Orleans and Paris, then the attempt would not be too rash +once again to subdue the Eastern Empire and continue the Empire of the +World in the Eternal City from the point at which Trajan and Hadrian +had left it.</p> + +<p class="normal">In order to reach this distant and shining goal, every step on +the +dizzy path must be taken with the greatest prudence; any stumble might +precipitate him into an abyss. In order to gain his end, Cethegus must +first of all make sure of Rome; on Rome alone could his plans be based.</p> + +<p class="normal">Therefore the new Prefect bestowed the greatest care upon the +city that +had been entrusted to him. He wished to make Rome, morally and +physically, his surety of dominion, belonging alone to him, and not to +be wrested from him.</p> + +<p class="normal">His office gave him the best pretext for carrying out his +plans. Was it +not the duty of the <i>Præfectus Urbi</i> to care for the well-being of the +populace, and for the preservation and security of the city? He +understood perfectly well how to use the rights of his office for the +furtherance of his own aims. He easily won the sympathies of all ranks; +the nobles honoured in him the head of the conspiracy; he governed the +clergy through Silverius, who was the right hand of the pope, and, by +public opinion, appointed his successor, and who showed to the Prefect +a devotion that was even surprising to its object. He gained the common +people, not only by occasional gifts of bread, and games in the Circus, +but also by promoting great undertakings, which, at the cost of the +Gothic Government, provided work and sustenance for thousands.</p> + +<p class="normal">He persuaded Amalaswintha to give orders that the +fortifications of +Rome, which had suffered much more since the reign of Honorius from the +inroads of time and the selfishness of Roman architects, than from the +Visigoths and Vandals, should be quickly and completely restored "to +the honour of the Eternal City, and," as she imagined, "for protection +against the Byzantines."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus himself, and, as was afterwards proved by the +unsuccessful +sieges of the Goths and Byzantines, with great strategic genius, made +the plan of the magnificent works. With the greatest zeal he set about +the gigantic task of transforming the immense city, with its +circumference of many miles, into a stronghold of the first rank. The +thousands of workmen, who well knew to whom they owed their well-paid +employment, applauded the Prefect whenever he showed himself upon the +ramparts, to examine what progress had been made, or excite to new +industry, and, sometimes, to put his own hand to the work. And the +deceived Princess assigned one million <i>solidi</i> after another for the +expenses of fortifications, against which the whole power of her people +was shortly to be wrecked and annihilated.</p> + +<p class="normal">The most important point of these fortifications was the Tomb +of +Hadrian, known now under the name of Castle St. Angelo. This +magnificent edifice, built of blocks of Parian marble, which were laid +one upon the other without any uniting cement, lay, at that time, about +a stone's-throw from the Aurelian Grate, the flanking walls of which it +by far overtopped.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus had seen at a glance that this incomparably strong +building, +which until now had been designed for offence <i>against</i> the city, +might, by very simple means, be converted into a powerful bulwark of +defence <i>for</i> the city; he caused two walls to be built from the +Aurelian Grate towards and around the Mausoleum.</p> + +<p class="normal">And soon the towering marble castle formed an assault-proof +rampart for +the Aurelian Grate, so much the more because the Tiber formed a natural +fosse close before it. On the top of the wall of the Mausoleum stood +about three hundred of the most beautiful statues of bronze, marble, +and iron, mostly placed there by Hadrian and his successors. Amongst +them were that of the Divus Hadrianus; his beautiful favourite +Antinous; a Jupiter of Soter; a Pallas "town-protectress;" and many +others. Cethegus rejoiced at the fulfilment of his ideas, and became +exceedingly fond of this place, where he used to wander every evening +with his beloved Rome spread out at his feet, examining the progress of +the works. He had even caused a number of beautiful statues from his +own villas to be added to those already existing, in order to increase +the splendour of his creation.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Cethegus was obliged to be more prudent in the execution of a +second +plan, not less necessary for the success of his projects. In order to +be able to defy the Goths, and, if needful, the Greeks, from within +<i>his</i> Rome, as he loved to call it, he was in want--not only of walls, +but of soldiers to defend them.</p> + +<p class="normal">At first he thought of mercenaries, of a body-guard such as +had been +often kept by high officials, statesmen and generals in those times, +such as Belisarius and Narses possessed in Byzantium.</p> + +<p class="normal">It would have been very easy for him, by means of his riches +and the +connections he had formed during his travels in Asia, to hire brave +troops of the savage Isaurian mountain people, who then played the part +of the Swiss of the sixteenth century; but this procedure had two very +straitened limits. On the one side he could not, without exhausting the +means that were indispensable for other purposes, keep more than a +comparatively small band, the kernel of an army, not an army itself. On +the other side it was impossible to bring these mercenaries in larger +numbers to Italy or Rome, without arousing suspicion. He was obliged to +smuggle them over with much cunning--by pairs, singly, or in small +groups, to his scattered villas and estates, as his slaves, freedmen, +clients, or guests; and to employ them as sailors and ship-officials in +the harbour of Ostia, or as workmen in Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">Lastly, the Romans themselves would, after all, have to save +and defend +Rome, and all his plans urged him to re-accustom his fellow-citizens to +the use of arms. But Theodoric had wisely excluded the Italians from +the army--exceptions were only made in favour of persons who were +considered as particularly reliable and in the late unquiet times of +his reign, during the process against Boëthius, he had issued orders +for the general disarming of all Romans. This measure had certainly +never been strictly carried out, but still Cethegus dared not hope that +the Queen-Regent would allow him, against the expressed will of her +august father and the evident interests of the Goths, to form any +considerable forces of Italians.</p> + +<p class="normal">He contented himself with representing to her, that, by means +of a very +innocent concession, she could procure for herself the merit of having +cancelled Theodoric's hateful measure by a noble trust; proposing to +her that she should allow him to drill and keep under arms only two +thousand Roman citizens as a guard for the city; the Romans would be +for ever grateful to her that the city did not appear to be solely +protected by barbarians.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha, who was enthusiastic about Rome, and whose +dearest wish +was to gain the love of the Romans, gave her consent, and Cethegus +began to form his militia, as we should call it. In a proclamation, +which sounded like a trumpet-call, he "bid the sons of Scipio take up +their old weapons." He promised to double the pay fixed upon by the +Princess from his own pocket, to any Roman who voluntarily presented +himself. From the thousands who pressed forward he chose the most able. +He armed the poor; gave to those who distinguished themselves in the +service, Gallic helmets and Spanish swords from his own collections; +and, as the most important step, he regularly discharged those who were +sufficiently drilled as soon as possible, leaving them their weapons, +and enlisted new recruits, so that although at no time more were on the +service than the number allowed by Amalaswintha, yet, in an incredibly +short space of time, many thousands of armed and practised Romans were +at the disposal of their adored leader.</p> + +<p class="normal">While Cethegus added in this manner to the strength of his +future +capital and formed his future pretorians, he put off his +co-conspirators, who constantly urged him to strike, and comforted them +with the hope that the proper moment would soon arrive, which, however, +he alone could determine. At the same time he kept up constant +communication with Byzantium. He wanted to make sure of assistance +thence, which could appear upon the scene of action at any hour in +which he might desire it, but which would not come without a call, or +in such force that it could not easily be again removed. He wished for +a good general from Byzantium, who, however, must not be a great +statesman; bringing an army sufficiently powerful to support the +Italians, but not strong enough to gain the victory without them, or to +remain in the country against their will.</p> + +<p class="normal">We shall see later how, with regard to this, much occurred in +accordance with the Prefect's wishes, but just as much against them.</p> + +<p class="normal">As to the Goths--who at this time were in undisturbed +possession of the +booty for which Cethegus already mentally quarrelled with the Emperor-- +all his endeavour was to rock them into unsuspicious security, to +split them into parties, and to uphold a weak government at their head.</p> + +<p class="normal">The first task was not difficult; for that strong Teutonic +race +despised, with barbarian pride, all open and secret foes--we have +already seen how difficult it was to convince such a youth as Totila, +who was otherwise sharp-sighted and clear-headed, of the approach of +danger--and the stubborn trust of Hildebrand fully expressed the +general disposition of the Goths.</p> + +<p class="normal">Party spirit was also not wanting in this people.</p> + +<p class="normal">There were the proud race of the Balthe, with their +widely-spread +kindred; at their head the three Dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza. The +rich Wölfungs, under the two brothers, Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad; +and many others, who were not much inferior to the Amelungs in the +splendour of their ancestry, and jealously guarded their position near +the throne. There were also many who endured the guardianship of a +woman and the rule of a boy with strong dislike, and who would gladly, +according to the ancient rights of the nation, have passed over the +royal line, and chosen one of the tried heroes of the nation for their +King, But the Amelungs counted many blindly-devoted adherents, who +abhorred such sentiments as treasonable.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, lastly, the whole nation was divided into two parties, +one of +which, long discontented with the clemency shown to the Italians by +Theodoric and his daughter, would gladly have retrieved the mistake +which, as they thought, had been made when the country was conquered, +and punished the Italians for their secret hate with open violence. The +number of those who held milder and nobler opinions--who, like +Theodoric himself, were more susceptible to the higher culture of the +subjected Italians, and desirous to raise themselves and their people +to the same level--was naturally much smaller. At the head of this +party stood the Queen.</p> + +<p class="normal">This woman Cethegus now sought to uphold in the possession of +power; +for her feminine, weak, and divided government was calculated to +undermine the strength of the nation, to excite party spirit and +discontent, and to exclude all augmentation of national feeling.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus trembled at the thought that he might see an +energetic man +unite the strength of the whole nation. And often the traits of +sublimity which occasionally were to be seen in Amalaswintha, and, +still more, the fiery sparks of repressed feeling which sometimes +blazed out in Athalaric's soul, caused him serious uneasiness. Should +mother and son betray such feelings more frequently, then, certainly, +he would be compelled to overthrow their government as zealously as he +had hitherto upheld it.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile he rejoiced in the unlimited command which he +possessed over +the mind of Amalaswintha. It had been easy for him to gain it; not only +because he, with great subtlety, took advantage of her predilection for +learned discussions--in which he was so often vanquished by the +seemingly superior knowledge of the Princess that Cassiodorus, who was +a witness of their arguments, could not refrain from regretting that +the genius of Cethegus, once so brilliant, had rusted for want of +practice--but he had touched the proud woman on a much more sensitive +subject.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her great father had been blessed with no son; only this one +daughter +had been born unto him. The wish for a male heir had been often heard +in the mouths of the King and of his people, and had penetrated to the +daughter's ears in her childish years. It outraged the feelings of the +highly-gifted girl that, merely on account of her sex, she should be +put lower than a possible brother, who, as a matter of course, would be +more capable and more worthy of governing. So, when a child, she often +wept bitter tears because she was not a boy. Of course, as she grew up, +she only heard the offensive wish from the lips of her father; every +other mouth praised the wonderful talent, the manly spirit and courage +of the brilliant Princess. And these praises were not flattery; +Amalaswintha was, indeed, a wonderful creature. The strength of her +will, the power of her intellect, her love of authority, and cold +abruptness of manner, far exceeded the limits which generally bound the +sphere of feminine grace. The consciousness that when her hand was +bestowed, the highest position in the kingdom, and perhaps the crown +itself, would be given with it, did not contribute to render her more +modest; and her deepest, strongest sentiment was no longer the wish to +be a man, but the conviction that, even as a woman, she was as capable +of performing all the duties of life and of government as the most +gifted man--much more capable than most men--and that she was fated to +refute the general prejudice, and to prove the equality of her sex.</p> + +<p class="normal">The married life of this cold woman with Eutharic, a member of +another +branch of the family, a man of a genial temperament and high intellect, +was of short duration--in a few years Eutharic fell a victim to +disease--and not at all happy. She had unwillingly obeyed her husband, +and, as a widow, gloried in her freedom. She burnt with the desire to +verify her favourite theory in her position as Queen-regent and +guardian of her son. She would govern in such a manner, that the +proudest man must acknowledge her superiority. We have seen how the +anticipation of ruling had enabled her to bear the death of her great +father with considerable equanimity. She assumed her high office with +the greatest zeal and the most untiring activity. She wished to do +everything alone. She thrust aside the aged Cassiodorus, for he was +unable to keep pace with the eagerness of her spirit. She would endure +no man's advice, and jealously watched over her absolute monarchy.</p> + +<p class="normal">To none but one of her servants did she willingly and +frequently lend +her ear: to him who often and loudly praised the manly independence of +her mind, and still more often seemed to admire it in secret, and who +appeared incapable of conceiving the desire to govern any of her +actions: she trusted Cethegus alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">For he constantly evinced only <i>one</i> ambition--that of +carrying out all +the ideas and plans of the Queen with the most zealous care. He never +opposed her favourite endeavours, like Cassiodorus and the heads of the +Gothic parties, but supported her therein. He helped her to surround +herself with Greeks and Romans; to exclude the young king, as far as +possible, from all share in the government; gradually to remove from +the court the old Gothic friends of her father, who, in the +consciousness of their services and according to old custom, often took +upon themselves to speak a word of open blame; to use the money which +was intended for men-of-war, horses, and the armament of the Gothic +forces, for art and science, or for the embellishment, preservation, +and security of Rome; in short, he aided her in every act that would +estrange her from her people, or render her government an object of +hatred, and her kingdom defenceless.</p> + +<p class="normal">And if he himself had a plan he always knew how to give his +transactions with the Queen such a turn, that she considered herself +the promoter of every scheme, and ordered him to execute his most +secret wishes as <i>her</i> commands.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">In order to gain and support this influence, it can easily be +understood that Cethegus was forced to be more at court, and oftener +absent from Rome, than was advantageous for his interests in that city.</p> + +<p class="normal">He therefore endeavoured to bring persons into close +connection with +the Queen, who would, in part, take his place, warmly defend his +interests, and keep him <i>au fait</i> of all that passed in the court of +Ravenna.</p> + +<p class="normal">Many Gothic nobles had left the court in anger, and it was +necessary to +replace their wives in their office near the Queen; and Cethegus +determined to use this opportunity to bring Rusticiana, the daughter of +Symmachus and wife of Boëthius, once more to court. It was no easy +task. For the family of Boëthius, who had been executed as a traitor, +had been banished the capital. Before anything could be done, the +feeling which the Queen entertained towards this family must be +completely altered. Cethegus, however, soon succeeded in appealing to +the compassion and magnanimity of Amalaswintha, who possessed a noble +heart. At the same time she had never really believed in the unproved +guilt of the two noble Romans, one of whom, the husband of Rusticiana, +she had honoured as an extremely learned man, and, in some points, as +her teacher. Cethegus proved to her that by showing favour to this +family, either as an act of grace or of justice, she would touch the +hearts of all her Roman subjects, and he thus easily persuaded her to +pardon the deeply degraded family.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was much more difficult to persuade the proud and +passionate widow +of the murdered man to accept this favour, for her whole soul was +filled with bitterness against the royal house, and thirst for revenge. +Cethegus even feared that when she was in the presence of the +"tyrants," her ungovernable hatred might betray itself. In spite of the +great influence he had over her, she had repeatedly rejected this plan.</p> + +<p class="normal">Matters had come to this pass, when, one day, Rusticiana made +a +discovery which shortly led to the fulfilment of the Prefect's wish.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rusticiana had a daughter of scarcely sixteen years of age, +named +Camilla. She was a lovely girl, with a face of the true Roman type, +with nobly-formed features and chiselled lips. Intense feeling beamed +from her dark eyes; her figure, slender almost to delicacy, was elegant +and light as that of a gazelle, and all her movements were agile and +graceful. She had loved her unhappy father with all the energy of +filial devotion. The stroke that had laid his beloved head low had +entered deeply into her own young life; and inconsolable and sacred +grief, mixed with passionate admiration for his heroism, filled all her +youthful thoughts. A welcome guest at court before her father's death, +she had fled with her mother after the catastrophe over the Alps to +Gaul, where they had found an asylum with an old friend, while Anicius +and Severinus, Camilla's brothers, who had been also condemned, but who +were afterwards reprieved and sent into banishment, hastened at once to +the court at Byzantium, where they tried to move heaven and earth +against the barbarians.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the first heat of persecution had abated, the two women +had +returned to Italy, and led a retired life in the house of one of their +faithful freedmen at Perusia, whence, as we have seen, Rusticiana had +easily found means to join the conspiracy in Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was in June, that season of the year when the Roman +aristocracy--then as at this day--fled the sultry air of the towns, and +sought a refuge in their cool villas on the Sabine mountains, or at the +sea-coast. The two noble women, used to every luxury, felt extremely +ill at ease in the hot and narrow streets of Perusia, and thought with +regret of their beautiful villas in Florence and Neapolis, which, +together with all the rest of their fortune, had been confiscated by +the Gothic Government.</p> + +<p class="normal">One day, their faithful servant, Corbulo, came to Rusticiana +with a +strangely embarrassed expression of countenance, and explained to her +"how, having long since noticed how much the 'Patrona' suffered +under his unworthy roof, and had to endure much annoyance from his +handiwork--he being a mason--he had bought a small, a very small, +estate, with a still smaller house, in the mountains near Tifernum. +However, she must not compare it with the villa near Florentia; but +still there ran a little brook near it, which never dried up, even +under the dog-star; oaks and cornel-trees gave broad and pleasant +shade; ivy grew luxuriantly over a ruined Temple of Faunus; and in the +garden he had planted roses, lilies, and violets, such as Donna Camilla +loved; and so he hoped that they would mount their mules or litter, and +go to their villa like other noble dames."</p> + +<p class="normal">The ladies, much touched by their old servant's fidelity, +gratefully +accepted his kindness, and Camilla, who rejoiced like a child in the +anticipation of a little change, was more cheerful and animated than +she had ever been since her father's death.</p> + +<p class="normal">Impatiently she urged their departure, and hurried off +beforehand the +very same day, with Corbulo and his daughter, Daphnidion, leaving her +mother to follow as soon as possible with the slaves and baggage.</p> + +<p class="normal">The sun was already sinking behind the hills of Tifernum when +Corbulo, +leading Camilla's mule by the bridle, reached an open place in the +wood, from whence they first caught sight of the little estate. He had +long pleased himself with the thought of the young girl's surprise when +he should show her the prettily situated villa.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he suddenly stood still, struck with surprise; he held his +hand +before his eyes, fancying that the evening sun dazzled him; he looked +around to see if he were really in the right place; but there was no +doubt about it! There stood, on the ridge where wood and meadow met, +the grey border-stone, in the form of the old frontier-god Terminus, +with his pointed head. It was the right place, but the little house was +nowhere to be seen; where it should have been, was a thick group of +pines and plantains; and besides this, the whole place was changed; +green hedges and flowerbeds stood where once cabbages and turnips grew; +and where sandpits and the high-road had, till now, marked the limits +of his modest property, rose an elegant pavilion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Mother of God and all the superior gods save me!" Cried +the mason; +"some magic must be at work!"</p> + +<p class="normal">His daughter hastily handed him the amulet that she carried at +her +girdle; but she was no wiser than he, for it was the first time that +she had visited the new property; and so there was nothing left but to +drive the mules forward as fast as possible. Father and daughter, +leaping from stone to stone, accompanied the trotting mules to the +bottom of the declivity with cries of encouragement.</p> + +<p class="normal">As they approached, Corbulo certainly discovered the house +that he had +bought behind the group of trees, but so changed, renewed, and +beautified, that he scarcely recognised it.</p> + +<p class="normal">His astonishment at the transformation of the whole place +tended to +increase his superstitious fears. His mouth opened wide, he let the +reins fall, stood stock-still, and he was beginning another wonderful +speech, intermixed with heathen and Christian interjections, when +Camilla, equally astounded, called out:</p> + +<p class="normal">"But that is the garden where we once lived, the Viridarium of +Honorius +at Ravenna! The same trees, the same flower-beds, and, by the lake, the +little Temple of Venus, just as it once stood on the sea-shore at +Ravenna! Oh, how beautiful! What a faithful memory! Corbulo, how did +you manage it?" and tears of grateful emotion filled her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The devil and all the Lemures take me, if I had anything to +do with +it! But there comes Cappadox with his club foot; he at least is not +bewitched. Speak, then, Cyclops, what has happened here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cappadox, a gigantic, broad-shouldered slave, came limping +along with +an uncouth smile, and after many questions, told a puzzling tale.</p> + +<p class="normal">About three weeks ago, a few days after he had been sent to +the estate +to manage it for his master, who had gone to the marble quarries of +Luna, there came from Tifernum a noble Roman with a troop of slaves and +workmen and heavily-packed wagons. He inquired if this was the estate +bought by the sculptor Corbulo of Perusia for the widow of Boëthius. +Upon being answered in the affirmative, he had introduced himself as +the Hortulanus Princeps, that is, the superior intendant of the gardens +at Ravenna. An old friend of Boëthius--who wished not to tell his name, +for fear of the Gothic tyrants--desired to care for his family in +secret, and had given orders that their summer residence should be +improved and embellished with all possible art. He (Cappadox) was by no +means to spoil the intended surprise, and, half-kindly, half by force, +they had kept him fast in the villa. Then the intendant had immediately +made his plan, and set his men to work. Many neighbouring fields were +bought at a high price; and there began such a pulling-down and +building-up, such a planting and digging, hammering and knocking, such +a cleaning and painting, that it had made him both blind and deaf. When +he ventured to meddle or ask questions the workmen laughed in his face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And," concluded Cappadox, "it went on in this way till the +day before +yesterday. Then they had finished, and went away. At first I was +afraid, and trembled when I saw all these splendid things growing out +of the earth. I thought, if Master Corbulo has to pay for all this, +then mercy on my poor back! and I wanted to come and tell you. But they +would not let me go; and besides, I knew you were not at home. And when +I saw what a ridiculous amount of money the intendant had with him, and +how he threw the gold pieces about, as children throw pebbles, I got +easier by degrees, and let things go on as they would. Now, master, I +know well that you can set me in the stocks, and have me whipped with +the vine-branch or even with the scorpion; for you are the master, and +Cappadox the servant. But, master, it would scarcely be just! By all +the saints and all the gods! For you set me over a few cabbage-fields, +and see! they have become an Emperor's garden under my care!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla had long since dismounted and disappeared, when the +servant +ended his account.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her heart beating with joy, she hurried through the garden, +the bowers, +the house; she flew as if on wings; the active Daphnidion could +scarcely follow her. Repeated cries of astonishment and pleasure +escaped her lips. Whenever she turned the corner of a path, or round a +group of trees, a new picture of the garden at Ravenna met her +delighted eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">But when she entered the house, and in it found a small room +painted, +furnished, and decorated exactly like the room in the Imperial Palace, +in which she had played away the last days of her childhood, and +dreamed the first dreams of her maidenhood; the same pictures upon the +hempen tapestry; the same vases and delicate citrean-wood<a name="div2Ref_note02" href="#div2_note02"><sup>2</sup></a> boxes; +and, upon the same small tortoise-shell table, her pretty little harp +with its swan's wings; overpowered by so many remembrances, and still +more by the feeling of gratitude for such tender friendship, she sank +sobbing on the soft cushions of the lectus.</p> + +<p class="normal">Scarcely could Daphnidion calm her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There are still noble hearts in the world; there are still +friends of +the house of Boëthius!" and she breathed a prayer of deep thankfulness +to Heaven.</p> + +<p class="normal">When her mother arrived the next day, she was scarcely less +moved by +the strange surprise. She wrote at once to Cethegus in Rome, and asked: +"In which of her husband's friends she should seek this secret +benefactor?" Within her heart she hoped that it might turn out to be +himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the Prefect shook his head over her letter and wrote back: +"He knew +no one of whom this delicate mode of proceeding reminded him. She +should carefully watch for every trace that might lead to the solving +of the riddle."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was not long ere it was solved. Camilla was never tired of +traversing the garden, and continually discovering resemblances to its +well-known original.</p> + +<p class="normal">She often extended her rambles beyond the park into the +neighbouring +wood. She was generally accompanied by the merry Daphnidion, whose +similar youth and faithful affection soon won her confidence. +Daphnidion had repeatedly remarked to her that they must be followed by +a wood-sprite, for it often snapped in the branches and rustled in the +grass near them, and yet there nowhere was a man or an animal to be +seen.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Camilla laughed at her superstition, and often persuaded +her to +venture out again, far away under the green shadows of the elms and +plantains.</p> + +<p class="normal">One hot day, as the two girls penetrated deeper and deeper +into the +greenwood they discovered a clear-running spring, that issued copiously +from a dark porphyry rock. But it had no decided channel, and the +thirsty maidens with difficulty collected the single silvery drops.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What a pity!" cried Camilla, "the delicious water! You should +have +seen the fountain of the Tritons in the Pinetum<a name="div2Ref_note03" href="#div2_note03"><sup>3</sup></a> at Ravenna. How +prettily the water rushed from the inflated cheeks of the bronze +sea-god, into the wide shell of brown marble! What a pity!" And they +passed on.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some days after they both came again to the same place. +Daphnidion, who +was walking in front, suddenly stood still with a loud scream, and +silently pointed at the spring.</p> + +<p class="normal">The woodland streamlet had been enclosed. From a bronze +Triton's head +the water fell, in a bright stream, into a delicate shell of brown +marble. Daphnidion, now firmly believing in some magic, turned to fly +without further ado; her hands pressed over her eyes, so as not to see +the wood-sprite, which was considered to be extremely dangerous, she +fled towards the house, calling loudly to her mistress to follow her.</p> + +<p class="normal">But a thought flashed through Camilla's mind. The spy who had +lately +followed them was certainly in the vicinity, revelling in their +astonishment.</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked carefully about her. The blossoms of a 'wild +rose-bush fell +from its shaking boughs to the earth. She quickly stepped towards the +thicket, and lo! a young hunter, with spear and game-bag, advanced +towards her from out the bushes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am discovered," he said, in a low, shy voice. He looked +very +handsome in his embarrassment.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, with a cry of fear, Camilla started back.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Athalaric!" she stammered, "the King!"</p> + +<p class="normal">A whole sea of thoughts and feelings rushed through her brain +and +heart, and, half fainting, she sank upon, the grassy bank beside the +spring.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young King, alarmed and delighted, stood for a few moments +speechless before the tender figure lying at his feet. Thirstily his +burning eye dwelt upon the beautiful features and noble form. A vivid +flush shot like lightning over his pale face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, she--she is my death!" he breathed, pressing both hands +to his +beating heart. "To die now--to die with her!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla moved her arm, which movement brought him to his +senses; he +kneeled down beside her, and wetted her temples with the cool water of +the spring. She opened her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Barbarian! murderer!" she cried shrilly, thrust his hand +away, sprang +up, and fled like a frightened doe.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalaric made no attempt to follow her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Barbarian! murderer!" he murmured to himself, in great grief, +and +buried his glowing forehead in his hands.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Camilla came home in such extreme excitement, that Daphnidion +would not +be convinced that she had not seen the nymphs, or even the venerable +sylvan god, Picus, himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the maiden threw herself with wild emotion into the arms +of her +alarmed mother. The strife of confused feelings within her resolved +itself into a flood of hot tears, and only later was she able to answer +Rusticiana's anxious questions.</p> + +<p class="normal">A terrible struggle was taking place in the soul of this +child. At the +court of Ravenna it had not escaped the growing girl that the dark eyes +of the beautiful Athalaric often rested upon her with a strange and +dreamy expression, and that he eagerly listened to every tone of her +voice. But a suspicion of deeper affection had never entered into her +mind. The Prince, reserved and shy, cast down his eyes whenever she met +his look with an unembarrassed and inquisitive glance. Were they not +both at that time almost children?</p> + +<p class="normal">She did not know how to interpret Athalaric's manner--he +scarcely could +do so himself--and it had never occurred to her to reflect why she so +gladly lived near him; why she liked to follow the bold flights of his +thoughts and imaginations, differing so much from those of all other +playfellows; why she loved to wander silently through the quiet gardens +in the evening-light by the side of the silent boy, who often, in the +midst of his reverie, addressed her with abrupt, but always +significant, words; whose poetical feelings--the feelings of +enthusiastic youth--she so completely understood and appreciated.</p> + +<p class="normal">The tender tissue of this budding inclination was violently +torn by the +catastrophe of her father's death, and not only gentle sorrow for the +murdered man, but glowing hatred of his murderers, took possession of +the passionate Roman girl's soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">At all times Boëthius, even when in the height of his favour +at court, +had displayed a haughty condescension to the barbarism of the Goths, +and, since the catastrophe, all Camilla's companions--her mother, her +two brothers (who thirsted for vengeance), and the friends of the +house--breathed hatred and contempt, not only for the bloody murderer +and tyrant, Theodoric, but for all Goths, and particularly for the +daughter and grandson of the King, who, in their eyes, shared his guilt +because they had not hindered it.</p> + +<p class="normal">So the maiden had almost ceased to think of Athalaric, and if +he were +named, or if, as often happened, his picture entered into her dreams, +her hatred of the barbarians was concentrated in a feeling of the +greatest abhorrence towards him, perhaps just because, in the depths of +her heart, there lurked an involuntary suspicion of the secret +inclination which she nourished for the handsome and noble youth.</p> + +<p class="normal">And now--now he had dared to lay a snare for her unsuspicious +heart!</p> + +<p class="normal">No sooner had she seen him step from the bushes--no sooner did +she +recognise him, than she at once understood that it was he who had not +only enclosed the spring, but caused the alteration of the whole +estate. He, the hated enemy; he, the offspring of the cursed race which +had shed the blood of her father: the King of the Goths!</p> + +<p class="normal">The joy with which, during the last few days, she had examined +house +and garden, was now changed into bitterness. The deadly enemy of her +people, of her race, had dared to enrich her; to give her pleasure; to +make her happy; for him she had breathed thankful prayers to Heaven! He +had been bold enough to follow her steps, to listen to her words, to +fulfil her lightest wish; and at the bottom of her soul lay the +dreadful certainty that he loved her! The barbarian was insolent enough +to show it. The tyrant of Italy dared to hope that the daughter of +Boëthius---- Oh, it was too much! and, sobbing violently, she buried +her head in the cushions of her couch, to which she had retired, until +deep sleep of exhaustion overcame her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Not long after, Cethegus, who had been hastily sent for, came +to visit +the troubled woman.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rusticiana would fain have followed her own and Camilla's +first +impulse, to fly from the villa and the hated vicinity of the King, and +hide her child on the other side of the Alps. But Camilla's condition +had, till then, prevented their departure, and as soon as the Prefect +entered the house, the flame of their excitement seemed to sink before +his cold glances.</p> + +<p class="normal">He took Rusticiana alone with him into the garden. Leaning his +back +against a laurel-tree, and supporting his chin on his hand, he listened +quietly and attentively to her passionate recital.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now, speak," she concluded; "what shall I do? How shall I +save my +poor child? Whither shall I take her?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whither shall you take Camilla?" he repeated. "To the court, +to +Ravenna."</p> + +<p class="normal">Rusticiana started. "Why this ill-timed joke?"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cethegus quickly stood erect. "I am in earnest. Be quiet +and +listen. Fate, that wills the destruction of the barbarians, could have +laid no more gracious gifts upon our path. You know how completely I +rule the Queen-regent, but you do not know how powerless I am over that +obstinate enthusiast, Athalaric. It is enigmatical. The sick youth is, +amongst all the nation, the only one who suspects, if he does not see +through, me; and I do not know whether he most fears or hates me. That +would be a matter of indifference to me if the audacious fellow did not +very decidedly and very successfully act against me. Naturally, his +opinion weighs heavily with his mother; often more than mine; and he +will always grow older, riper, and more dangerous. His spirit exceeds +his years; he takes a grave part in the councils of the Regency, and +always speaks against me; he often prevails. 'Twas but lately that, +against my will, he succeeded in giving the command of the Gothic +troops in Rome, in <i>my</i> Rome, to that bilious Teja. In short, the young +King becomes highly dangerous. Until now I have not the shadow of +authority over him. He loves Camilla to his peril; through her we will +rule the unruly one."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never!" cried Rusticiana; "never as long as I breathe! <i>I</i> +at the +court of the tyrants! My child, Boëthius's daughter, the beloved of +Athalaric! Her father's bloody ghost would----"</p> + +<br> + +<p class="normal">"Would you avenge that ghost? Yes. Would you ruin the Goths? +Yes. +Therefore you must consent to everything which will lead to this end."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never, by my oath!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Woman, do not irritate me, do not oppose me! You know me. By +your +oath? Have you not sworn blind and unconditional obedience to me, +calling down curses on yourself and your children should you break that +oath? Caution is necessary when dealing with women! Obey, or tremble +for your soul!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fearful man! Shall I sacrifice all my hatred to you and your +projects?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To me? who speaks of me? I plead <i>your</i> cause, I +complete <i>your</i> +revenge. The Goths have done nothing to <i>me</i>. <i>You</i> disturbed me from +my books, <i>you</i> called upon me to aid you in destroying these Amelungs; +do you repent? Very well. I will return to Horatius and the Stoics. +Farewell!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Remain, remain! But must Camilla be sacrificed?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Folly! Athalaric will be the victim. She shall not love him, +she shall +only influence him--or," he added, looking sharply at her, "do you fear +for her heart?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"May your tongue be paralysed! <i>My</i> daughter love <i>him</i>! +Rather would I +strangle her with these hands!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cethegus had become thoughtful. "It is not for the girl's +sake," he +thought, "that would not matter--but should she really love him?--the +Goth is handsome, intellectual, enthusiastic--Where is your daughter?" +he asked aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the women's apartment. Even should I wish it, she will +never +consent--never!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will attempt it. I will go to her."</p> + +<p class="normal">And they went into the house.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rusticiana would have entered the room with Cethegus, but he +repulsed +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must have her alone," he said, and passed through the +curtain.</p> + +<p class="normal">On seeing him, the beautiful girl rose from the cushions on +which she +had been resting, lost in helpless reverie. Accustomed to find in this +wise and commanding man, her father's old friend, a constant adviser, +she greeted him trustfully, as a patient greets his physician.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know, Cethegus?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Everything!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you bring me help and comfort?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I bring you revenge, Camilla!"</p> + +<p class="normal">That was a new and startling idea! Hitherto to fly, to save +herself +from this torturing position, had been her only thought. At the most, +an angry rejection of the royal gift. But now, revenge! Compensation +for all the pain she had suffered! Revenge upon the murderers of her +father! Her heart was deeply wounded, and in her veins boiled the hot +blood of the south. She rejoiced at the words of her tempter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Revenge? Who will revenge me? You?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will revenge yourself; that will be sweeter."</p> + +<p class="normal">Her eyes flashed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"On whom?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"On him. On his house. On all your enemies."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How can I, a weak and timid girl?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Listen to me, Camilla. To you only, to the noble daughter of +the noble +Boëthius, will I unfold what I would trust to no other woman on earth. +There exists a powerful league of patriots, who have sworn to extirpate +the barbarians from the face of this country. The sword of revenge +hangs trembling over the heads of the tyrants. The fatherland and the +shade of your father call upon you to cause it to fall."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Upon me? <i>I</i>--revenge my father? Speak!" cried the maiden, +her face +glowing as she stroked back the dark locks from her temples.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There must be a sacrifice. Rome demands it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My blood, my life! Like Virginia will I die!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; you shall live to triumph in your revenge. The King loves +you. You +must go to Ravenna, to court. You shall destroy him by means of his +love. We have no power over him, but you will gain the mastery over his +soul."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Destroy him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She seemed strangely moved as she spoke thus in a low voice. +Her bosom +heaved; her voice trembled with the force of her opposing feelings. +Tears burst from her eyes, she buried her face in her hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus rose from his seat.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pardon me," he said, "I will go. I knew not--that you <i> +loved</i> the +King."</p> + +<p class="normal">A scream of anger, like that of physical pain, escaped the +maiden's +lips; she sprang up and grasped his arm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Man! who said so? I hate him! Hate him more than I ever knew +I could +hate!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then prove it, for I do not believe it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will prove it!" she cried; "he shall die!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She threw back her head; her eyes sparkled fiercely; her dark +tresses +fell over her shoulders.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She loves him," thought Cethegus; "but it matters not, for +she does +not know it. She is only conscious of hating him. All is well."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He shall not live," repeated Camilla. "You shall see," she +added with +a wild laugh--"you shall see how I love him! What must I do?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Obey me in everything."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what do you promise in return? What shall he suffer?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Unrequited love."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes, that he shall!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"His kingdom and his race shall be ruined," continued +Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And he will know that it is through <i>me</i>!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will take care that he shall know that. When shall we start +for +Ravenna?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To-morrow! No; to-day, this instant." She stopped and grasped +his +hand. "Cethegus, tell me, am I beautiful?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, most beautiful!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" she cried, tossing back her flowing hair, "Athalaric +shall love +me and perish! Away to Ravenna! I will and must see him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And she rushed out of the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her whole soul was thirsting to be with the object of her love +and +hate.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">That same day the inhabitants of the villa entered upon their +journey +to Ravenna.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus sent a courier forward with a letter from Rusticiana +to the +Queen-regent. Therein the widow of Boëthius declared, "that by the +mediation of the Prefect of Rome, she was now ready to accept the +repeated invitation to return to court. She did not accept it as an act +of pardon, but of conciliation; as a sign that the heirs of Theodoric +wished to make amends for the injustice done to the deceased."</p> + +<p class="normal">This proud letter was written from Rusticiana's very heart, +and +Cethegus knew that such a step would do no harm, and would only exclude +any suspicious construction that might be laid upon the sudden change +in her sentiments.</p> + +<p class="normal">Half-way the travellers were met by a messenger bearing the +Queen's +answer, which bade them welcome to her court.</p> + +<p class="normal">Arrived in Ravenna, they were received by the Queen with all +honours, +provided with a retinue, and led into the rooms which they had formerly +occupied. They were warmly welcomed by all the Romans at court.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the anger of the Goths--who abhorred Symmachus and +Boëthius as +ungrateful traitors--was greatly excited by this measure, which seemed +to imply an indirect condemnation of Theodoric. The last remaining +friends of that great King indignantly left the Italianised court.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile, time, the diversions of the journey, and the +arrival at +Ravenna, had softened Camilla's excitement. Her anger had the more time +to abate, as many weeks elapsed before she met Athalaric; for the young +King was dangerously ill.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was said at court, that while on a visit to Aretium, +whither he had +gone to enjoy the mountain air, the baths, and the chase, he had drank +from a rocky spring in the woods of Tifernum while heated with hunting, +and had thereby brought on a violent attack of his former malady. The +fact was, that his followers had found him lying senseless by the side +of the spring where he had met Camilla.</p> + +<p class="normal">The effect of this story upon Camilla was strange. To the hate +she bore +to Athalaric was now added a slight feeling of compassion, and even a +sort of self-reproach. But on the other side, she thanked Heaven that, +by this illness, the meeting was postponed, which, now that she was in +Ravenna, she feared no less than she had longed for it while far away +in Tifernum.</p> + +<p class="normal">And as she wandered in the wide-spread grounds of the +magnificent +palace-gardens, she was repeatedly reminded of the anxious care with +which Corbulo's little estate had been fashioned after this model.</p> + +<p class="normal">Days and weeks passed. Nothing was heard of the patient except +that he +was convalescent, but forbidden to leave his rooms. The physicians and +courtiers who surrounded him often expressed to Camilla their +admiration of his patience and strength of mind while suffering the +most acute pains, his gratitude for the slightest service, and the +noble mildness of his disposition.</p> + +<p class="normal">But when she caught herself listening with pleasure to these +words of +praise, she frowned angrily, and the thought arose within her: "And he +did not oppose the murder of my father!"</p> + +<p class="normal">One hot July night, after long and restless wakefulness, +Camilla +towards daybreak had sunk into an uneasy slumber.</p> + +<p class="normal">Anxious dreams disturbed her.</p> + +<p class="normal">It seemed to her as if the ceiling of the room, with all its +bas-reliefs, were sinking down upon her. Directly over her head was a +beautiful young Hypnos, the gentle God of Sleep, modelled by the hand +of a Greek.</p> + +<p class="normal">She dreamed that the drowsy god assumed the earnest, sorrowful +features +of his pale brother Thanatos.</p> + +<p class="normal">Softly and slowly the God of Death bent his countenance above +her. He +approached nearer and nearer. His features became more and more +distinct. She already felt his breath upon her forehead. His beautiful +lips almost touched her mouth. Then she recognised with affright the +pale features--the dark eyes. It was Athalaric! With a scream she +started up.</p> + +<p class="normal">The silver lamp had long since burnt out. The room was dim.</p> + +<p class="normal">A red light gleamed faintly through the window of spar-gypsum. +She rose +and opened it. The cocks were crowing, the first rays of the sun gently +stole over the sea, of which, beyond the garden, she had a full view. +She could no longer bear to remain in the close chamber.</p> + +<p class="normal">She threw a mantle over her shoulders and hurried softly out +of the +still silent palace, down the marble steps, and into the garden; across +which the fresh morning wind from the neighbouring sea blew towards +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">She hastened towards the sun and the sea, for, to the east, +the high +walls of the palace gardens rose directly out of the blue waves of the +Adriatic.</p> + +<p class="normal">A gilded lattice-gate, and, beyond it, ten broad steps of +white +Hymettus marble, led to the little garden-harbour, in which rocked the +light-oared gondolas with their lateen sails of purple linen-cloth, +fastened with silver chains to the ornamental rams'-heads fixed right +and left upon the marble quay.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the side of the lattice-gate towards the garden, the +grounds ended +in a spacious rotunda, which was surrounded with broad and shady pines. +The ground was laid out with carefully-tended grassplots, intersected +by neat paths, and diversified by gay beds of sweet-scented flowers. A +spring, ornamentally enclosed, ran down the declivity into the sea. In +the centre of this place was a small and antique Temple of Venus, +overtopped by a single palm-tree, while burning-red saxifrage grew +in the now empty niches of its outer walls. At the right of its +long-closed door stood a bronze statue of Æneas. The Julius Cæsar to +the left had fallen centuries ago. Theodoric had placed upon its +pedestal a bronze statue of Amala, the mythic forefather of his house.</p> + +<p class="normal">Between these statues, from the steps of the little fane, was +a +splendid view through the lattice-gate over the sea, with its woody +lagoon-islands, and a group of jagged rocks, called "the Needles of the +Amphitrites."</p> + +<p class="normal">This had been a favourite resort of Camilla's childhood. And +it was +hither that she now bent her steps, lightly brushing the plentiful dew +from the high grass as, with slightly-lifted garments, she hastened +along the narrow pathway. She wished to behold the sun rise glowing +from the sea.</p> + +<p class="normal">She advanced from behind the temple, passed to the estrade on +the left, +and had just set her foot upon the first step which led from the front +of the temple to the lattice-gate, when she caught sight of a white +figure reclining on the second step, with the head leaning against the +balustrade and the face turned towards the sea.</p> + +<p class="normal">She recognised the black and silky hair; it was the young +King.</p> + +<p class="normal">The meeting was so unexpected that there was no possibility of +avoiding +it. As if rooted to the ground, she stood still upon the first step.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalaric sprang up and quickly turned. His pallid face was +illumined +by a vivid flush. But he was the first to recover himself, and said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forgive, Camilla. I could not expect you to come here at this +hour. I +will go; and leave you alone with the rising sun."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he flung his white mantle over his shoulder.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Remain, King of the Goths. I have no right to scare you +away--and no +intention," she added.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalaric came a step nearer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thank you. And I beg one favour," he added, smiling. "Do +not betray +me to my physicians nor to my mother. All day long they shut me up so +carefully, that I am obliged to escape before sunrise. For the fresh +air, the sea-breeze, does me good; I feel that it cools me. You will +not betray me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He spoke so quietly. He looked so unembarrassed. This freedom +from +embarrassment confused Camilla. She would have felt more courageous if +he had been more moved. She observed his coolness with pain, but not +because she really cared for the Prefect's plans. So, in answer, she +only shook her head in silence, and cast down her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">At that moment the rays of the sun reached the spot on which +the pair +were standing.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old temple and the bronze of the statues shone in the rosy +light; +and from the east a broad path of trembling gold was laid upon the +smooth flood.</p> + +<p class="normal">"See, how beautiful!" cried Athalaric, carried away by his +admiration. +"Look at that bridge of light and glory!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She joined in his admiration, and looked out over the sea.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you remember, Camilla," he continued slowly, as if lost in +recollection, and not looking at her, "do you remember how we played +here when we were children? How we dreamed? We said that the golden +path painted on the waters by the sun, led to the Islands of the +Blessed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To the Islands of the Blessed!" repeated Camilla. In secret +she was +wondering at the delicacy and ease with which, avoiding every allusion +to their last meeting, he conversed with her in a manner, which +completely disarmed her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And look, how the statues glitter, that wonderful pair, Æneas +and--Amala! Listen, Camilla, I have something to beg pardon for."</p> + +<p class="normal">Her heart beat rapidly. He was going to speak of the +rebuilding of the +Villa and the fountain. The blood rose to her cheeks. She remained +silent in painful expectation.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the youth continued quietly:</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know how often--you the Roman, and I the Goth--vied with +each +other here in praises of the glory and fame and manners of our people. +Then you stood under the statue of Æneas, and told me of Brutus and +Camillus, of Marcellus and the Scipios. And I, leaning against the +shield of my ancestor Amala, praised Ermanaric and Alaric and +Theodoric. But you spoke more eloquently than I. And often, when the +glory of your heroes threatened to outshine mine, I laughed at your +dead greatness, and cried, 'The living present and the glowing future +belong to my people!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, and now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I speak so no more. You have won, Camilla!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But even while he spoke thus, he looked prouder than ever.</p> + +<p class="normal">And this expression of superiority revolted the Roman girl. +Besides +that, she was irritated by the unapproachable coolness with which the +King, upon whose passion for her such plans were being founded, stood +before her. She did not understand this tranquillity. She had hated him +because he had dared to show her his love, and now her hate revived +because he was able to conceal it. With the intention to hurt his +feelings she slowly said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"So you acknowledge, King of the Goths, that your barbarians +are +inferior to the civilised nations?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Camilla," he answered quietly; "but only in one thing: +in good +luck. In the favours of Fate as well as of Nature. Look at that group +of fishermen, who are hanging up their nets on the olive-trees upon the +strand. How beautiful are their forms! In motion and repose, in spite +of their rags, they are complete statues! Look at that girl with the +amphora on her head. And there, at that old woman, who, leaning her +head on her arm, lies upon the sand and gazes out dreamily over the +sea. Each beggar amongst them looks like a dethroned king. How +beautiful they are! At one with themselves and happy! The glory of +uninterrupted happiness lies upon them, as it does upon children, or +upon noble animals! This is wanting to us barbarians!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is that alone wanting to you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Fate is not gracious to us--my poor, glorious people! We +have been +carried away into a strange world, in which we do not flourish. We +resemble the flower of the high Alps, the Edelweiss, which has been +carried by the stormy wind to the hot sands of the low-levels. We +cannot take root here. We fade and die." And overcome with noble +sadness, he turned away and looked over the blue waves.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Camilla was not in the humour to reflect upon these +prophetic words +spoken by a king of his people.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why did you overstep the mountains which God set as an +eternal +boundary between your people and ours?" she asked. "Say, why?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you know," answered Athalaric, without looking at her, +almost as if +thinking aloud, "do you know why the dark moth flies to the bright +flame? Again and again! Warned by no pain, until it is devoured by the +beautiful but dangerous element? From what motive? From a sweet +madness! And it is just such a sweet madness that has enticed my +fellow-Goths away from the fir and the oak to the laurel and the olive. +They will burn their wings, the foolish heroes, and will not cease to +do so. Who can blame them for it? Look around you! How deeply blue the +sky! How deeply blue the sea! And in it are reflected the summits of +the pines and the white glitter of the marble temples! And away in the +distance arise blue mountains; and out in the waters swim green +islands, where the vine clings to the elm. And, above all, the soft, +warm and caressing air that illumines the whole with a magic light. +What wonders of form and colour does the eye drink, and what sweetness +do the delighted senses breathe! This is the magic charm which will for +ever entice and undo us!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The deep emotion of the young King did not fail to make an +impression +upon Camilla. The tragic force of his words affected her; but she +<i>would</i> not be moved. She defended herself against the increasing +softness of her feelings. She said coldly:</p> + +<p class="normal">"A whole nation enchanted by this magic, in spite of reason +and +judgment?" and she looked at him incredulously.</p> + +<p class="normal">But she was startled; for like lightning flashed the eyes of +the youth, +and his long-withheld passion broke out suddenly without restraint.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, I tell thee, maiden! a whole people can nourish a +foolish +passion, a sweet destructive madness, a deadly longing, as well as--as +well as a single man! Yes, Camilla, there is a power in the heart, +which, stronger than reason and will, forcibly draws us with open eyes +to destruction. But thou knowest it not, and mayst thou never +experience it. Never! Farewell!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He quickly turned away and entered a bowery walk of climbing +vines to +the right of the temple, which immediately hid him from Camilla, as +well as from the windows of the palace. The girl remained standing in +deep reflection. His last words echoed strangely in her ears. For a +long time she looked out dreamily over the open sea, and at last +returned to the palace, filled with strangely conflicting feelings, and +in an altered mood.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">On the same day Cethegus paid a visit to the two ladies. He +had +come over from Rome on important business, and had just left the +privy-council which had been held in the invalid King's room. His +energetic features were full of repressed anger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To work, Camilla!" he cried. "You are too long about it. This +impertinent boy becomes more and more unmanageable. He defies me and +Cassiodorus, and even his mother. He is intimate with dangerous people. +With old Hildebrand and Witichis and their friends. He sends and +receives letters behind our backs. He has managed that the Queen may +never hold a council of the regency except in his presence. And in the +council he crosses all our plans. This must cease. In one way or +another."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have no more hope of influencing the King," said Camilla +gravely.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why? Have you already seen him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The girl reflected. She had promised Athalaric not to allow +his +disobedience to come to the ears of his physicians; and besides, it +went against her feelings to desecrate and betray their meeting. So she +avoided the question and said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"If the King refuses to obey his mother, the Queen-regent, he +is not +likely to suffer himself to be controlled by a young girl."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What sweet simplicity!" laughed Cethegus. And he dropped the +conversation as long as the girl remained in the room. But afterwards, +in private, he forced from Rusticiana a promise to manage matters so +that her daughter in future might frequently see and speak to the King. +It was possible to do this, for Athalaric's health rapidly improved. He +became daily more manly and more decided. It seemed as if his +opposition to Cethegus strengthened him both bodily and mentally.</p> + +<p class="normal">In a very short time he again spent many hours of the day in +the +extensive pleasure-grounds. It was here that his mother and the family +of Boëthius frequently met him in the evening.</p> + +<p class="normal">And while Rusticiana appeared to receive the gracious +courtesies of the +Queen with answering friendship, listening attentively to her +confidential remarks, in order afterwards to report them, word for +word, to the Prefect, the two young people walked before them through +the shady paths of the garden. Often this select company entered one of +the light gondolas in the little harbour, and Athalaric rowed them +himself over the blue sea to one of the small wooded isles which lay +not far away. On the return home, the purple sails were spread, and the +fresh breeze, which always arose at sunset, carried them gently and +idly back. Camilla and the King, accompanied by Daphnidion, frequently +enjoyed this trip over the waves alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha naturally saw the danger of increasing by such +freedom the +inclination of her son for Camilla, which had not escaped her notice; +but, above all other considerations, she was thankful for the +favourable influence which this companionship evidently exercised upon +her son. In Camilla's presence he was quieter and more cheerful; and at +the same time more gentle in his manner to herself, which had often +been abrupt and violent. He also controlled his feelings with a mastery +which was doubly surprising in such an irritable invalid. And, lastly, +the Queen-regent, supposing that his inclination should indeed ripen to +earnest love, would not be averse to an alliance which promised +completely to win the Roman aristocracy, and erase all memory of a +cruel deed.</p> + +<p class="normal">In Camilla a wonderful change was going forward. Day by day, +as she +more and more clearly saw the noble tenderness, the gifted soul, and +the deep and poetical feelings of the young King develop, she felt her +hate melt away. With difficulty she recalled to her memory the fate of +her father, as an antidote to this sweet poison; she learnt better to +distinguish justly which of the Goths and Amelungs had contributed to +that fate, and, with growing certainty, she felt that it was unjust to +hate Athalaric for a misfortune which he had merely not opposed, and +indeed would hardly have been able to prevent. She would have liked, +long ago, to speak to him openly, but she mistrusted her own weakness; +she shunned it as a sin against father, fatherland, and her own +freedom; she trembled as she felt how indispensable this noble youth +had become to her, how much she thirsted to hear his melodious voice, +and look into his dark and thoughtful eyes. She feared this sinful +love--which she could now scarcely conceal from herself--and she would +not part with the only weapon that remained to her: the reproach of his +passive acquiescence in her father's death.</p> + +<p class="normal">So she fluctuated from feeling to feeling; all the more +hesitatingly, +the more mysterious Athalaric's strange reserve became. After all that +had happened, she could not doubt that he loved her; and yet--</p> + +<p class="normal">Not a syllable, not a look betrayed this love. The exclamation +with +which he had left her at the Temple of Venus was the most important, +the only important speech that had escaped him. She could not suspect +what the youth had suffered before his love had become not +extinguished, but self-denying. And still less in what new feeling he +had found manly strength enough for such renunciation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her mother, who watched Athalaric with all the keenness of +hate, and, +in doing so, forgot to observe her own child, appeared even more +astonished at his coldness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But patience," she said to Cethegus, with whom she often +consulted +behind Camilla's back. "Patience! soon, in three days' time, you will +see him alter."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is high time," answered Cethegus. "But upon what grounds +do you +build?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Upon a means which has never yet failed me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will not, surely, mix a love-philtre for him?" asked the +Prefect, +smiling.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly I shall. I have done so already."</p> + +<p class="normal">He looked at her mockingly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And are you, then, so superstitious, you, the widow of the +great +philosopher, Boëthius? Upon my word, in love affairs all women are mad +alike!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is neither madness nor superstition," replied Rusticiana +quietly. +"Our family has possessed this secret charm for more than a hundred +years. An Egyptian woman once gave it to one of my female ancestors on +the Nile, and it has always proved its power. No woman of my family has +ever loved without requital."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That required no magic," observed the Prefect. "You are a +handsome +race."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Spare your sarcasm. The love-philtre is unfailing, and if it +has not +yet taken effect----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"So you have really---- What imprudence! How could you, +unobserved----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Every evening, when he returns from a walk or a row with us, +Athalaric +takes a cup of spiced Falernian. The physicians ordered it. There are +some drops of Arabian balsam in it. The cup always stands ready upon +the marble table in front of the temple. Three times I have succeeded +in pouring in my potion."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," observed Cethegus, "until now it has done no +particular good."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is only owing to my impatience. The herbs must be +gathered during +the new moon. I knew it well enough; but, hurried by your insistence, I +tried it during the full moon, and, you see, it was not effectual."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But yesterday," she went on, "it was new moon. I was not idle +with my +golden scissors, and when he drinks now----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A second Locusta! Well, <i>my</i> comfort is Camilla's +beautiful eyes! Does +she know of your arts?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not a word to her! She would never suffer it. Silence! She +comes!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The girl entered in great excitement; her oval cheeks were +red; a plait +of her hair had got loose, and floated over her lovely neck.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tell me," she cried, "you who are wise and experienced, tell +me what +to think! I come from the boat. Oh, he has never loved me, the haughty +man! He pities, he is sorry for me! No, that is not the right word. I +cannot explain it." And bursting into tears, she hid her face upon her +mother's neck.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has happened, Camilla?" asked Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very often before," she began, with a heavy sigh, "an +expression played +about his mouth, and filled his eyes, as if <i>he</i> had been deeply +offended by <i>me</i>, as if <i>he</i> had to forgive, as if <i>he</i> had made +a +great sacrifice for me----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Raw boys always imagine it to be a sacrifice, when they are +in love."</p> + +<p class="normal">At this Camilla's eyes flashed; she tossed her head, and +turned quickly +upon Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Athalaric is no boy, and no one shall laugh at him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus was silent, and quietly dropped his eyelids; but +Rusticiana +asked in surprise:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you hate the King no more?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To the death! He shall be undone, but not mocked!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has happened?" repeated Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To-day I again noticed that puzzling, proud, and cold +expression upon +his face more distinctly than ever. A little incident occurred which +caused the King to speak more plainly. An insect--a beetle--had fallen +into the water. The King stooped and took it out, but the little +creature turned against the beneficent hand, and bit the fingers that +held it. 'The ungrateful thing!' I exclaimed. 'Oh,' said Athalaric, +with a bitter smile, 'we wound most those to whom we are most +indebted!' and he glanced at me with a sad and proud expression. But, +as if he had said too much, he briefly bid me farewell, and went +away; but I----" and her bosom heaved, her finely-cut lips were +compressed--"I can bear it no longer! The haughty one! He <i>shall</i> love +me--or die!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That shall he," said Cethegus inaudibly; "one or the other."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">A few days later the court was surprised by a new step towards +independence on the part of the young King. He himself summoned a +council, a prerogative which, until now, had only been assumed by +Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Queen-regent was not a little astonished when a messenger +from her +son bade her repair to his apartments, where the King had already +assembled several of the highest officials of the realm, both Goths and +Romans. Amongst these last were Cassiodorus and Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">At first the latter had intended to absent himself, in order +not by his +presence to acknowledge the right which the youth had assumed; he +suspected nothing good. But just for this reason he altered his mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must not turn my back upon danger, I must face it," he said +as he +prepared for the distasteful assembly.</p> + +<p class="normal">He found all those who had been invited already collected in +the King's +chamber. The Queen alone was still absent. When she at last entered, +Athalaric, who wore a long and wide purple robe, with the crown of +Theodoric shining upon his brow, and his sword at his side, rose from +his throne (behind which was a niche covered by a curtain), advanced to +the Queen and led her to a second and higher throne, which, however, +was placed on the left. So soon as she was seated he began:</p> + +<p class="normal">"My royal mother, brave Goths, noble Romans! We have assembled +you here +to make known to you our will. Dangers threatened this kingdom which +only we, its King, could avert."</p> + +<p class="normal">Such a speech had never yet been heard from his lips. All were +silent +and confounded; Cethegus from prudence; he waited for the proper +moment. At last Cassiodorus began:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your wise mother and your faithful servant Cassiodorus----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My faithful servant Cassiodorus will be silent until his lord +and King +asks his advice. We are discontented, highly discontented, with that +which the advisers of our mother have, until now, done and left undone. +It is high time that we ourselves should look to the right. Until now +we were too young and too ailing. We feel so no more. We announce to +you that we accordingly annul the regency, and take the reins of +government into our own hands."</p> + +<p class="normal">He ceased. Every one remained silent. None wished, like +Cassiodorus, to +speak and be rebuked.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length Amalaswintha, who was quite stunned by the sudden +energy +displayed by her son, again found her tongue:</p> + +<p class="normal">"My son, the age of minority is, according to the laws of the +Emperor----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Romans, mother, may abide by the Emperor's laws. We are +Goths and +live under Gothic law. German youths are of age when the assembled army +has declared them capable of bearing arms. We have therefore determined +to invite all the generals, counts, and freemen of our realm, as many +as will obey our call, from all the provinces of the kingdom, to a +review of the army at Ravenna. They will arrive at the next solstitial +feast."</p> + +<p class="normal">All were mute with surprise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That will be in fourteen days," said Cassiodorus at last. +"Will it be +possible to issue summonses in so short a time?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They are issued. Hildebrand, my old master-at-arms, and Earl +Witichis +have thought of everything."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who has signed the summonses!" asked Amalaswintha, taking +courage.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I alone, dear mother. It was necessary to show those invited +that I +was old enough to act alone."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And without my knowledge!" cried the Queen-regent.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was done without your knowledge, because otherwise it must +have +been done against your will."</p> + +<p class="normal">He ceased. All the Romans were confounded by the suddenly +developed +energy of the young King. Only Cethegus was at once resolved to prevent +the review at any price. He saw the foundations of all his plans +tottering. Gladly would he have come to the help of the regency, which +was thus sinking before his very eyes, with all the weight of his +oratory; he would have long since gladly crushed the bold efforts of +the youth with his calm superiority, but a strange circumstance held +his thoughts and tongue enchained as if in magic bonds.</p> + +<p class="normal">He fancied he heard a noise behind the curtain, and fixed a +keen look +upon it. He soon remarked beneath it, for the fringes did not quite +reach the ground, the feet of a man. But only as far up as the ankles.</p> + +<p class="normal">Upon these ankles, however, were steel greaves of peculiar +construction. He knew these greaves; he knew that they belonged to a +full suit of armour of the same make; he knew also, by an instinctive +connection of ideas, that the wearer of this armour was hateful and +dangerous to him. But still it was impossible for him to say who this +enemy was. If he could only have seen the greaves as far up as the +knee!</p> + +<p class="normal">His eyes wandered again and again to the same spot. Against +his will +his mind was occupied in guessing. And this circumstance kept his +attention fixed, at a moment when everything was at stake. He was angry +with himself, but he could not tear his thoughts and looks away from +the niche.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile the King continued without contradiction: "Further, +we have +recalled the noble Dukes Thulun, Ibba and Pitza, who have left our +court in ill-will, from Gaul and Spain. We find that too many Romans +and too few Goths surround us. These three brave warriors, together +with Earl Witichis, will examine the defences of our kingdom, the +fortresses and ships, and will discover and remedy all deficiencies. We +expect them to arrive shortly."</p> + +<p class="normal">"They must at once leave the place again," said Cethegus to +himself; +but his thoughts repeated, "not without reason is that man concealed +behind the curtain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Further," resumed Athalaric, "we have ordered Mataswintha, +our +beautiful sister, to return to court. She was banished to Tarento +because she refused to become the wife of an aged Roman. She shall +return, the loveliest flower of our realm and an ornament to our +court."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Impossible!" cried Amalaswintha; "you attack the rights, not +only of +the Queen, but of the mother."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am the head of the family as soon as I am of age."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My son, you know how feeble you were only a few weeks ago. Do +you +really believe that the Gothic warriors will declare you capable of +bearing arms?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The King became as scarlet as his royal purple, partly from +shame, +partly from anger. Before he could find an answer, a rough voice at his +side exclaimed:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be not troubled about that, your Majesty! I have been his +master," +continued the speaker, turning to the assembly: "I tell you that he can +measure his strength against any foe; and whom old Hildebrand declares +capable of bearing arms is considered so by all the Goths."</p> + +<p class="normal">Loud applause from all the Goths present confirmed this +assertion. +Again Cethegus would have put in his word, but a movement behind the +curtain drew his attention away. "It is one of my greatest enemies, but +who?" he thought.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is yet an important matter to make known to you," again +began +the King with a hasty glance at the niche, which did not escape +Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps an accusation against me," thought the latter; "they +want to +take me by surprise? They shall not succeed!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But it surprised him, after all, when the King suddenly called +in a +loud voice:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Prefect of Rome! Cethegus Cæsarius!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus started; but, quickly recovering himself, bent his +head and +answered: "My Lord and King!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Have you nothing to announce from Rome? What is the feeling +of the +Quirites? What do people think of the Goths?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They are honoured as the people of Theodoric."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are they feared?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no cause to fear them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are they loved?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gladly would the Prefect have replied, "There is no cause to +love +them;" but the King himself continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"So there is no trace of discontent? No cause for uneasiness? +Nothing +particular in preparation?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have nothing to communicate."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then you are badly informed, Prefect of Rome, or badly +disposed! What? +must I--who have scarcely risen from my sick-bed here at Ravenna--tell +you what happens in Rome under your very eyes? The workmen on your +bulwarks sing satirical songs against the Goths, against the Queen, +against me. Your legions use threatening words while practising the use +of their arms. Most probably there exists already a widespread +conspiracy, with senators and priests at its head. They assemble by +night in secret places. An accomplice of Boëthius, a banished man, +Albinus, has been seen in Rome, and do you know where? In the garden of +your house."</p> + +<p class="normal">All eyes--either in astonishment, rage, or fear--were fixed +upon +Cethegus. Amalaswintha trembled for the object of her trust. But he was +now quite himself again. Quiet, cool, and silent, he looked full at the +King.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Justify yourself!" exclaimed the King.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Justify myself? Against a shadow, a report? Against an +accusation +without accusers? Never!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We shall know how to force you."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Prefect's thin lips curled with contempt.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I may be murdered upon mere suspicion, without doubt--we +Italians have +experienced such a thing--but not condemned. There can be no +justification opposed to force."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Justice shall be done, doubt it not. We charge all Romans +present with +the examination, and leave the sentence to the Roman Senate. Choose a +defender."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I defend myself," said Cethegus coolly. "What is the +accusation? Who +is my accuser? Where is he?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here!" cried the King, and threw back the curtain.</p> + +<p class="normal">A Gothic warrior, in a full suit of black armour, stepped +forth. We +already know him. It was Teja.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Prefect turned away his eyes in deadly hatred.</p> + +<p class="normal">Teja spoke.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I, Teja, son of Tagila, accuse thee, Cethegus Cæsarius, of +treason +against the Goths. I accuse thee of having hidden the banished traitor, +Albinus, in thy house in Rome. Death is the penalty. And, besides this, +thou art plotting to subject this country to the Emperor of Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That least of all," said Cethegus coolly, "Prove your +accusation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I saw Albinus, with my own eyes, entering thy garden fourteen +days +ago," continued Teja, turning to the assembly. "He came from the Via +Sacra, enveloped in a mantle, a wide-brimmed hat upon his head. I had +seen him on two former occasions; this time I recognised him. As I went +towards him, he disappeared through a door, which closed behind him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Since when does my colleague, the brave Commandant of Rome, +play the +nightly spy?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Since he had a Cethegus at his side," retorted Teja. "But as +the +fugitive escaped, this roll fell from his mantle. It contains the names +of distinguished Romans, and opposite to each name notices in an +unknown cipher. Here is the roll."</p> + +<p class="normal">He gave it to the King, who read:</p> + +<p class="normal">"The names are Silverius, Cethegus, Licinius, Scævola, +Calpurnius, +Pomponius. Canst thou swear, Teja, that the disguised man was Albinus?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will swear it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Prefect of Rome, Earl Teja is a free, unblemished, honourable +man. Can +you deny it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I deny it. He is not unblemished. His parents lived in an +illegal, +incestuous marriage; they were sister's children. The Church has cursed +their connection and its fruit. He is a bastard, and can not bear +witness against a noble Roman of senatorial rank."</p> + +<p class="normal">A murmur of anger burst from all the Goths present. Teja's +pale face +became still paler. He grasped his sword.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I will defend my word with my sword," he said, in a +voice stifled +by rage. "I challenge thee to mortal combat! God shall judge between +us!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am a Roman, and do not act according to your barbaric +customs. But +even if I were a Goth, I would refuse to fight a bastard!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Patience," said Teja, and quietly returned his sword to its +sheath. +"Patience, my sword; thy day will come!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Romans in the room breathed again.</p> + +<p class="normal">The King resumed:</p> + +<p class="normal">"However that may be, the accusation is sufficiently well +founded to +justify the arrest of the said Roman. You, Cassiodorus, will decipher +the secret writing. You, Earl Witichis, will hasten to Rome and make +sure of the five suspected men; search their houses, and that of the +Prefect. Hildebrand, arrest the accused, and take his sword."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hold!" said Cethegus. "I will guarantee not to leave Ravenna +until +this question be settled, with the forfeiture of all my property. I +demand an examination upon a free footing; such is the right of a +senator."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Trouble not thyself about that, my son," cried old Hildebrand +to the +King. "Let me arrest him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let him alone," answered the King. "He shall have strict +justice. +Leave him. The accusation has taken him by surprise. He shall have time +to prepare his defence. To-morrow at this hour we will meet here again. +I dissolve the assembly."</p> + +<p class="normal">He made a sign with his sceptre. Amalaswintha hurried away in +the +greatest excitement.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goths surrounded Teja, greatly pleased; but the Romans +passed +quickly by Cethegus, avoiding any speech with him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cassiodorus alone stepped firmly up to him, laid his hand upon +his +shoulder, looking searchingly into his eyes, and then asked:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus, can I help you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; I will help myself," answered Cethegus, shaking him off, +and went +out alone with a proud step.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The heavy blow which the young King had so unexpectedly aimed +at the +whole system of the Regency soon filled the palace and the city with +astonishment, fright, or joy. Cassiodorus took the first decided news +to the family of Boëthius, at the same time sending Rusticiana to +comfort the agitated Queen.</p> + +<p class="normal">Overwhelmed with questions, he circumstantially related the +whole +proceeding; and disturbed and indignant though he was, his admiration +of the decision and courage of the young King shone unmistakably +through his unfriendly report.</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla listened with eagerness to every word; pride in the +beloved--love's happiest feeling--filled her whole soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no doubt," concluded Cassiodorus, sighing, "that +Athalaric is +our most decided adversary. He sticks to the Gothic party--to +Hildebrand and his friends. He will undo the Prefect. Who would have +believed it? I cannot help remembering, Rusticiana, how differently he +conducted himself with regard to the process against your husband."</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla listened attentively.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At that time we were convinced that he would be the most +ardent +friend, the most zealous advocate of the Romans."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know nothing of it," said Rusticiana.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was hushed up. The sentence of death had been pronounced +upon +Boëthius and his sons. In vain had we all, Amalaswintha foremost, +appealed to the clemency of the King: his ire was unappeasable. As I +again and again besieged him with petitions, he started up in anger and +swore by his crown, that he who again dared to petition for the +traitors, should repent it in the deepest dungeon of the palace. At +that we were all dumb, except one. Athalaric, the boy, would not be +repulsed; he wept and prayed, and clung to his grandfather's knees."</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla trembled and held her breath.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And he did not desist," Cassiodorus went on, "until +Theodoric, starting +up in a rage, pushed him violently away, and delivered him to the +guards. The King kept his oath. Athalaric was led into the castle +dungeon, and Boëthius was at once executed."</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla tottered, felt herself sinking, and caught at a +slender pillar +near which she was standing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But Athalaric had not spoken and suffered in vain," continued +Cassiodorus. "The next evening, while at table, the King sorely missed +his darling. He remembered with what noble courage the youth had begged +for his friend's life, when all men were dumb with fear. At last he +rose from his repast, at which he had sat reflecting for some time, and +descended in person to the prison, opened the doors, embraced his +grandson, and granted his petition to spare the lives of your sons, +Rusticiana."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Away! away to him!" exclaimed Camilla, and hurried, +unnoticed, out of +the hall.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At that time," concluded Cassiodorus, "Romans and their +friends +believed that in the young King they had found their best support; and +now--my unfortunate mistress, unhappy mother!" and with this lament +upon his lips, he departed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rusticiana sat for some time as if stunned. She saw the +foundations, +upon which she had built her plans of revenge, totter; she sank into a +moody reverie.</p> + +<p class="normal">Longer and longer stretched the shadows of the towers across +the court +of the palace, into which she was gazing. All at once she was roused by +the firm footsteps of a man; Cethegus stood before her. His countenance +was cold and dark, but icily calm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus!" cried the distressed woman, hurrying towards him; +and would +have taken his hand, but his coldness repulsed her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All is lost!" she sighed, stopping short.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nothing is lost. Calmness is all that is wanting--and +promptness," he +added, looking round the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">When he saw that he was alone with her, he put his hand into +the folds +of his toga.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your love-philtre has done no good, Rusticiana. Here is +another; more +potent. Take it," and he thrust into her hand a small phial made of +dark-coloured lava-stone.</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked into his face with anxious suspicion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you all at once believe in magic and charms? Who has mixed +it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I," he answered, "and <i>my</i> potions work."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You!" a cold shudder ran through her frame.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ask no questions, do not delay," he commanded. "It must be +done this +day! Do you hear? This very day!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Rusticiana still hesitated, and looked doubtfully at the +bottle in +her hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then Cethegus went close to her and lightly touched her +shoulder.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You hesitate?" he said slowly. "Do you know what is at stake? +Not only +our whole plan! No, blind mother. Still more. Camilla <i>loves</i>, loves +the King; with all the power of her young soul. Shall the daughter of +Boëthius become the paramour of the tyrant?"</p> + +<p class="normal">With a loud cry Rusticiana started back. That which, during +the last +few days, had crossed her mind with a terrible suspicion, now became a +certainty; she cast one glance at the man who had spoken the cruel +word, and hurried away, angrily grasping the phial.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus looked quietly after her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, young Prince, we shall see! You were quick, I am +quicker. It is +strange," he added, "I have long thought that I was incapable of such +violent emotion. Life has again a charm. I can again strive, hope, and +fear. Even hate. Yes, I hate this boy, who dares to meddle in +my affairs with his childish hand. He would defy me--hinder my +progress--he boldly crosses my path--he! Well, let him bear the +consequences!" And he slowly left the chamber, and turned towards the +audience-room of the Queen, where he intentionally showed himself to +the assembled crowd, and, by his calmness, gave some degree of +confidence to the troubled hearts of the Roman courtiers.</p> + +<p class="normal">At sunset he went with Cassiodorus and a few other +Romans--consulting +about his defence for the next day--into the gardens, where he looked +about in vain for Camilla.</p> + +<p class="normal">She, as soon as she had heard the end of Cassiodorus' report, +had +hurried to the court of the palace, where she hoped to find the King at +the exercise of arms with the other young Goths. She only wished to see +him, not yet to speak to him and beg pardon at his feet for the great +wrong she had done him.</p> + +<p class="normal">She had abhorred him, repulsed him, hated him as spotted with +the blood +of her father--him, who had suffered for her father's sake, who had +saved her brothers' lives!</p> + +<p class="normal">But she did not find the King in the court. The important +events of the +day kept him confined to his study. His comrades also did not fence +to-day. Standing in thick groups, they loudly praised the courage of +their young King. Camilla heard this praise with delight. Blushing with +pride, she wandered in happy dreams about the garden, seeking the +traces of her lover in all her favourite haunts.</p> + +<p class="normal">Yes, she loved him! Joyfully and proudly she confessed it to +herself; +he had a thousand times deserved it. What matter that he was a Goth, a +barbarian! He was a noble, generous youth, the King of her soul!</p> + +<p class="normal">She repeatedly told the slave who accompanied her to keep at a +distance, so that she might not hear how she again and again murmured +the beloved name.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last she arrived at the Temple of Venus, and sank into +sweet dreams +of the future, which lay indistinct, but golden-hued, before her. She +first of all resolved to declare to her mother and the Prefect that +they must no more reckon upon her assistance in any plot against the +King. Then she would ask pardon for her fault with moving words, and +then--then?</p> + +<p class="normal">She did not know what would happen then; but she blushed in +the midst +of her sweet reverie.</p> + +<p class="normal">Red and perfumed almond-blossoms fell from the bending trees; +in the +thick oleander near her sang a nightingale; the clear stream glided +purling past her to the blue sea, and the waves of this sea rolled +softly to her feet, as if doing homage to her love.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The sound of approaching footsteps upon the sandy path +startled her +from her reverie. The step was so rapid and firm, that she did not +expect Athalaric. But he it was, changed in appearance and carriage; +more manly, stronger, more decided.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Welcome, welcome, Camilla!" he cried, in a loud and lively +voice. "To +see you here is the best reward for this troublous day."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had never spoken to her so before.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My King!" she whispered, blushing. She cast a beaming look +upon him +from her dark eyes, then the long and silky lashes fell.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My King!" She had never before called him so, never given him +such a +look.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your King!" he said, seating himself beside her. "I fear you +will call +me so no longer, when you learn what has happened to-day."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know! Well then, Camilla, be just. Do not scold, I am no +tyrant----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The noble youth!" she thought. "He excuses himself for his +most manly +act."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heaven knows that I do not hate the Romans. Are they not your +people? +I honour them and their ancient greatness; I respect their rights; but +I must firmly protect my kingdom, Theodoric's creation, and woe to the +hand that threatens it! Perhaps," he continued, more slowly and +solemnly, "perhaps its doom is already written in the stars. 'Tis all +the same. I, its King, must with it stand or fall."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You say truly, Athalaric, and speak like a King!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thanks, Camilla; how just and good you are today! To such +goodness I +may well confide what blessing, what healing has come to me. I was a +sick and erring dreamer, without support, without joy, gladly sinking +to the grave. Then there suddenly came over me a feeling of the danger +which threatened this nation, an active anxiety for the welfare of my +people, and out of this anxiety grew a warm and mighty love for my +Goths; and this ardent and watchful love has strengthened and comforted +my heart for .... a bitterly painful renunciation. What matters <i>my</i> +happiness, if only my people flourish! See, this thought has made me +whole and strong, and truly, I could now venture upon the most daring +deed!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He sprang up and extended both his arms, exclaiming: "Oh, +Camilla! this +inaction destroys me! Oh that I were mounted and meeting a full-armed +foe! Look," he added, more calmly, "the sun is setting. The mirror-like +flood invites us. Come, Camilla, come with me in the boat."</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla hesitated. She looked around.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The slave?" asked Athalaric. "Ah, let her alone. There she +reposes +under the palm by the spring. She sleeps. Come, come quickly, ere the +sun sets. Look at the golden ripple on the water--it beckons us!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To the Isles of the Blessed?" asked the lovely girl, with a +shy look +and a slight blush.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, come to the Blessed Isles!" he answered, delighted, +lifted her +quickly into the boat, loosed the silver chain from the ram's head upon +the quay, sprang in, took the ornamental oar, and pushed off.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then he laid the oar into the notch at his left hand, and, +standing in +the stern of the boat, steered and rowed at the same time--a graceful +and picturesque movement, and a right Germanic ferryman's custom.</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla sat upon a <i>diphros</i>, or Grecian folding-stool, +in the bow of +the boat, and looked into Athalaric's noble face. His dark hair was +ruffled by the breeze, and it was pleasant to watch the lithe and +graceful motions of his agile form.</p> + +<p class="normal">Both were silent. Like an arrow the light bark shot through +the smooth +water. Flecked and rosy cloudlets passed slowly across the sky, the +faint breeze was laden with clouds of perfume from the blossoming +almond-trees upon the shore, and all around was peace and harmony.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last the King broke the silence, while giving the boat a +strong +impulse, so that it obediently shot forwards.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you know of what I am thinking? How splendid it would be +to steer a +nation--thousands of well-loved lives--securely forward through waves +and wind, to happiness and glory! But what were you thinking about, +Camilla? You looked so kind, you must have had pleasant thoughts."</p> + +<p class="normal">She blushed and looked aside into the water.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, speak! Be frank in this happy hour."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was thinking," she said, her pretty head still averted, +"how +delightful it must be to be steered through the heaving flood of life +by a faithful and beloved hand, to whose guidance one could implicitly +trust."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Camilla, even a barbarian may be trusted--"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are no barbarian! Whoever feels so tenderly, thinks so +nobly, so +generously controls himself, and rewards great ingratitude with +kindness, is no barbarian! He is as noble a man as ever Scipio was."</p> + +<p class="normal">The King ceased to row in his delight; the boat remained +motionless.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Camilla, am I dreaming? Did <i>you</i> say that? and to me V +9</p> + +<p class="normal">"More still, Athalaric! I beseech you to forgive that I have +repulsed +you so cruelly. Ah! it was from shame and fear."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Camilla, pearl of my soul----"</p> + +<p class="normal">Camilla, who had her face turned towards the shore, suddenly +cried out:</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is that? They follow us. The court! the women! my +mother!"</p> + +<p class="normal">It was so. Rusticiana, aroused by the Prefect's terrible +warning, had +sought for her daughter in the garden. She could not find her. She +hurried to the Temple of Venus. In vain. Looking around, she suddenly +caught sight of the two--her child, alone with Athalaric--in the boat, +far out upon the sea.</p> + +<p class="normal">Greatly angered, she rushed to the marble table, where the +slaves +were just preparing the King's evening draught, sent them down the +steps to unloose the gondola, won in this way an unobserved moment +near the table, and directly afterwards descended the steps with +Daphnidion--whom her angry cry had awakened--to the boat.</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment the Prefect and his friends, whose walk had +also led +them to this place, approached from a thick taxus-path. Cethegus +followed Rusticiana down the steps and gave her his hand to help her +into the gondola.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is done!" she whispered to him, and the boat pushed off.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was just then that the young pair became aware of the +movement upon +the beach. Camilla stood up; perhaps she suspected that the King would +turn the boat, but he cried:</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; they shall not rob me of this hour, the happiest of my +life! I +must sip still more of these sweet words. Oh, Camilla, you must tell me +more; you must tell me all! Come, we will land upon that island, they +may reach us there."</p> + +<p class="normal">And rowing rapidly, he pressed with all his might upon the +oar, so that +the boat flew forward as if winged.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you not speak again?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! my friend, my King--do not press me."</p> + +<p class="normal">He only looked into her lovely face, into her beaming eyes; he +paid no +more attention to his goal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, wait--there upon the island; there you shall----"</p> + +<p class="normal">A renewed and passionate effort, when all at once a dull crash +was +heard; the boat had struck, and drove, shaking violently, backwards.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Heaven!" cried Camilla, springing up and looking towards +the bow +of the boat. A whole volume of water came foaming towards her. "The +boat has burst! we sink!" she cried, turning pale.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come here to me; let me see!" cried Athalaric, starting up. +"Ah! it is +the 'Needles of the Amphitrites!' We are lost!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The "Needles of the Amphitrites"--we know that they could +scarcely be +seen from the terrace of the temple--were two narrow, sharp-pointed +rocks, lying between the shore and the nearest lagoon island. They +scarcely rose above the level of the water; with the slightest wind, +the waves washed quite over them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalaric knew the danger of the place, and had always easily +avoided +it; but this time he had only looked into Camilla's eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">At one glance he saw their fearful position.</p> + +<p class="normal">They could not be saved.</p> + +<p class="normal">A plank in the bottom of the slightly-made boat had sprung; +the water +rushed rapidly through the leak. The boat sank deeper and deeper every +moment.</p> + +<p class="normal">He could not hope, with Camilla, to gain the nearest island or +the +shore by swimming. On the narrow point of the rock scarcely the feet of +a sea-eagle could have found a moment's resting-place, and Rusticiana's +gondola had only just pushed off from the land.</p> + +<p class="normal">All this he had seen with lightning-like rapidity, and he cast +a +horrified look at Camilla.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Beloved, thou must die!" he cried despairingly. "And through +me!" He +embraced her passionately.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Die?" she cried. "Oh no! not so young--not now! Let me +live--live with +thee!" And she clung closely to his arm.</p> + +<p class="normal">The tone, the words, cut him to the heart. He tore himself +loose; he +looked about for rescue. In vain; in vain. The water rose higher and +higher; the boat sank more and more rapidly. He threw the oar away.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is over--all is over, beloved! Let us take leave!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; we part no more! If we must die--oh! then, away with all +the +restraints which bind the living!" And, glowing all over, she nestled +to his breast. "Oh! let me tell thee, let me confess to thee how much I +love thee; how long ago--since--since first I knew thee! All my hate +was only bashful love. Oh, God! I loved thee already when I thought I +ought to abhor thee! Yes, thou shalt know how I love thee!" And she +covered his eyes and mouth with hasty kisses. "Oh! now I will gladly +die. Rather die with thee than live without thee! But no"--and she +suddenly pushed him away--"thou shalt not die! Leave me here; go! +swim--you can easily reach the island alone. Try; and leave me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," he cried, in an ecstasy of joy; "rather die with thee +than live +without thee! After such painful doubt, at length joyous certainty! +From this hour we belong to each other for ever. Come, Camilla, +beloved, let us die together!"</p> + +<p class="normal">A shudder of horror and delight, of love and death, shook +their frames. +He drew her to him, embraced her with his left arm, and lifted her upon +the steer-board of the boat, which scarcely rose a hand's-breadth above +the water. Already he prepared for the fatal leap--when suddenly they +both uttered a joyful cry.</p> + +<p class="normal">Round a precipitous promontory which stretched far out into +the sea, at +a short distance, they saw a ship coming at full speed.</p> + +<p class="normal">The crew had heard their cry, and, at all events, saw their +danger; +perhaps had even recognised the person of the King. Forty oars, plunged +into the water at the same moment by the rowers on the double deck, +gave impetus to the course of the swift vessel, which rustled before +the wind with swelling sails.</p> + +<p class="normal">Those who crowded the deck shouted to them to stand firm; and +presently--it was high time--the prow of the bireme lay close over the +little boat, which sank immediately after the endangered pair had been +taken on board the ship through the opening of the lower deck.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a small Gothic guardship. The golden rampant lion, the +arms of +the Amelungs, shone upon the blue flag. Aligern, a cousin of Teja, +commanded it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thanks, brave friends!" said Athalaric, as soon as he could +find +words. "Thanks! you have not only saved your King, but also your +Queen!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Much astonished, soldiers and sailors surrounded the happy +man, who +held the weeping Camilla in his arms.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hail to our young and beautiful Queen!" cried the red-haired +Aligern; +and the crew shouted enthusiastically, "Hail! hail to our Queen!"</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment the sailing-vessel rustled past Rusticiana's +gondola. +The sound of this joyous shout aroused the unhappy woman from the +stupor of horror into which she had fallen when her two startled +oarsmen had discovered the danger of the young couple in the sinking +boat, and had at once declared that it was impossible to save them.</p> + +<p class="normal">On hearing this, she had sunk senseless into Daphnidion's +arms. Now she +came to herself, and cast a confused glance around her. She was amazed. +Was it a dream that she saw, or was it really her daughter who stood on +the deck of the Gothic ship, which proudly rustled past, lying on the +young King's breast? And did really joyous voices cry, "Hail, Camilla, +our Queen?" She stared at the passing vision, speechless and +confounded.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the swiftly-flying ship had already passed her boat and +drew near +the land. It anchored outside the shallow garden-bay; a boat was +lowered, the rescued couple, Aligern, and three sailors sprang into it, +and soon they climbed the steps of the quay, where, besides Cethegus +and his companions, a crowd of people had collected, who, from the +palace or the gardens, had with horror become aware of the danger of +the little boat, and now hurried to greet the rescued King.</p> + +<p class="normal">Accompanied by felicitations and blessings, Athalaric mounted +the +steps.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Behold!" he said, on arriving at the temple, "behold, Goths +and +Romans! behold your Queen, my bride! The God of Death has united us. Is +it not so, Camilla?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked up at him, but was terribly startled. The +excitement +and the sudden change from horror to joy had fearfully shaken the +scarcely-recovered King. His countenance was pale as marble; he +tottered and convulsively pressed his hand to his breast, as though +suffocating.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For God's sake!" cried Camilla, fearing an attack of his old +malady. +"The King is unwell! Quick with the wine, the medicine!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She flew to the table, caught up the silver cup which stood +ready, and +pressed it into the King's hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus stood close by, and followed Athalaric's every +movement with +eagerness. The latter had already lifted the cup to his lips, but +suddenly removed it, and said, smiling, to Camilla:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou must drink to me, as becomes a Gothic Queen at her +court."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he gave her the goblet. She took it out of his hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">For a moment the Prefect felt as if on fire.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was upon the point of darting forward to dash the cup from +her hand. +But he controlled himself. If he did so, he was irrevocably lost. Not +only tomorrow, as guilty of high treason, but at once arrested and +accused of poisoning. And with him would be lost the future of Rome and +all his ideal world. And for whom? For a love-sick girl, who had +faithlessly revolted to his deadly enemy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," he said coldly to himself, clenching his fist; "she or +Rome--therefore she!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And he quietly looked on while the girl, sweetly blushing, +sipped +somewhat of the wine, which the King then drank to the last dregs.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalaric shuddered as he replaced the cup upon the marble +table.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come up to the palace," he said, shivering, and threw his +mantle +across his shoulders; "I feel cold."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he turned away. In doing so he caught sight of Cethegus, +stood +still for a moment, and looked penetratingly into the Prefect's eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You here?" he said gloomily, and advanced a step towards him. +All at +once he shuddered again, and, with a sudden cry, fell prone near the +spring.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Athalaric!" cried Camilla, and threw herself upon him. The +old servant +Corbulo sprang to her from the group of domestics.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Help!" he cried; "she is dying--the King!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Water, quick! water!" called Cethegus, and he resolutely went +to the +table, took the silver cup, stooped, rinsed it quickly but thoroughly +in the spring, and then bent over the King, who lay in Cassiodorus' +arms, while Corbulo laid Camilla's head upon his knee.</p> + +<p class="normal">Helpless and horrified, the courtiers surrounded the two +apparently +lifeless forms.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has happened? My child!" With this cry Rusticiana, who +had just +landed, rushed to her daughter's side. "Camilla!" she screamed +desperately, "what ails you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nothing," said Cethegus quietly, examining the two bodies. +"It is only +a fainting-fit. But his heart-disease has carried off the young King! +He is dead!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>BOOK II.</h2> +<h3>AMALASWINTHA.</h3> + +<p class="center">"Amalaswintha did not despair like a woman, but vigorously +defended her +royalty."--<i>Procopius: Wars of the Goths</i>, i. 2.</p> + +<br> +<hr class="W10"> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Athalaric's sudden death fell like lightning from a clear sky +upon the +Gothic party, whose hopes, just at this very time, had been raised to +such a high pitch. All the measures which the King had taken at their +suggestion were paralysed, and the national party was left without a +representative in the State; at the head of which the Queen-regent was +now placed alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">Early in the morning of the next day Cassiodorus went to the +Prefect of +Rome. He found him in a sound and tranquil sleep.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you can sleep as quietly as a child after such a blow?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I sleep," answered Cethegus, raising himself on his elbow, +"in the +feeling of renewed security."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Security! yes, for you; but the kingdom!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The kingdom was in more danger through this boy than I. Where +is the +Queen?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"She sits speechless beside the open coffin of her son! She +has sat +there the whole night."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus sprang up.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That must not be! It does no good. She belongs to the State, +not to +this corpse. So much the less because I have heard whispers concerning +poison. The young tyrant had many enemies. How about that matter?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very uncertain. The Grecian physician, Elpidios, who examined +the +corpse, certainly speaks of some striking appearances. But he thinks +that if poison has been used it must be a very secret one, quite +unknown to him. In the cup from which the unfortunate boy drank there +could not be discovered the least trace of suspicious contents. So it +is generally believed that excitement had again brought on his former +malady, and that this was the cause of his death. But still it is well +that, since the moment of your leaving the assembly, <i>you</i> were always +in the presence of witnesses; grief breeds suspicion."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How is it with Camilla?" the Prefect inquired further.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She has never yet awakened from her stupor; the physicians +fear the +worst. But I came to ask you what shall now be done? The Queen speaks +of suppressing the examination concerning you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That must not be," cried Cethegus. "I demand an +investigation. We will +go to her immediately."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you intrude upon her at the coffin of her son?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, I will. Do you shrink from it in your tender +consideration? Well +then, come afterwards, when I have broken the ice."</p> + +<p class="normal">He dismissed his visitor and called his slaves to dress him. +Shortly +afterwards, enveloped in a dark mourning garment, he descended to the +vault where the corpse lay exposed. With an imperious gesture he +motioned aside the guard and the women of Amalaswintha, who kept watch +at the door, and entered noiselessly.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was the low vaulted hall, where, in former times, the +corpses of the +emperors had been prepared with salves and combustibles for the funeral +pyre.</p> + +<p class="normal">This quiet hall, flagged with dark-green serpentine, the roof +of which +was supported by short Doric columns of black marble, was never +illumined by a ray of sunshine, and at the present moment no other +light fell upon the gloomy Byzantine mosaics on the gold ground of the +walls than that from four torches, which flickered with an uncertain +light near the stone sarcophagus of the young King.</p> + +<p class="normal">There he lay upon a dark purple mantle; helm, sword, and +shield at his +head.</p> + +<p class="normal">Old Hildebrand had wound a wreath of oak-leaves amidst the +dark locks. +The noble features reposed in pallid and earnest beauty.</p> + +<p class="normal">At his feet, clad in a long mourning veil, sat the tall form +of the +Queen, supporting her head upon her left arm, which was laid upon the +sarcophagus. Her right hand hung languidly down. She could weep no +more.</p> + +<p class="normal">The crackling of the burning torches was the only sound in +this +stillness of the grave.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus entered noiselessly, not unmoved by the poetry of the +scene.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, contracting his brows, he smothered the passing feeling +of +compassion. He knew that it was necessary to be clear and composed.</p> + +<p class="normal">He gently drew near and took Amalaswintha's relaxed hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Rise, noble lady, you belong to the living, not to the dead."</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked up, startled.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You here, Cethegus? What seek you here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A Queen!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, you only find a weeping mother!" she cried, sobbing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That I cannot believe. The kingdom is in danger, and +Amalaswintha will +show that even a woman can sacrifice her sorrow to the fatherland."</p> + +<p class="normal">"She can!" replied the Queen, rising. "But look at him. How +young! how +beautiful! How could Heaven be so cruel!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, or never!" thought Cethegus, and said aloud: "Heaven is +just, +severe; not cruel."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of what do you speak? What wrong has my noble son committed? +Do you +dare to accuse him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not I! But a portion of Holy Writ has been fulfilled upon +him: 'Honour +thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the land!' The +commandment is also a threat. Yesterday he sinned against his mother +and dishonoured her by bold rebellion--to-day he lies here. Therein I +see the finger of God."</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha covered her face. She had heartily forgiven her +son while +watching beside his coffin. But still this view, these words, +powerfully affected her, and drew her attention away from her grief to +the well-loved habit of government.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You wish, O Queen, to suppress my examination, and recall +Witichis. +Witichis may be recalled. But I demand, as my right, that the +prosecution be continued, and I fully expect a solemn acquittal."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have never doubted your fidelity. Woe to me, should I be +obliged to +do so! Tell me that you know of no conspiracy, and all is ended."</p> + +<p class="normal">She seemed to expect his asseveration,</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus was silent for a short time. Then he quietly said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen, I know of a conspiracy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What say you?" cried the Queen, looking at him threateningly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have chosen this hour and place," continued Cethegus, with +a glance +at the corpse, "to put a seal to my devotion, so that it may be +indelibly impressed upon your heart. Hear and judge me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What shall I hear?" said the Queen, now upon her guard, and +firmly +resolved to allow herself to be neither deceived nor softened.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should be a bad Roman, Queen, and you would despise me, if +I did not +love my nation above all things. That proud nation, which even you, a +stranger, love! I know--as you know--that hatred against you as +heretics and barbarians still smoulders in the hearts of most Italians. +The last harsh deeds of your father have fanned this feeling into a +flame. I suspected a conspiracy. I sought and discovered it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And concealed it?" said the Queen, rising in anger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And concealed it. Until to-day. The blind fools would have +sought +assistance from the Greeks, and, after destroying the Goths, subjected +themselves to the Emperor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The vile traitors!" cried Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The fools! They had already gone so far, that only <i>one</i> +means was +left by which to keep them back: I placed myself at their head."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"In this manner I gained time, and was able to prevent noble, +though +blind men, from rushing to destruction. I opened their eyes by degrees, +and showed them that their plan, if it succeeded, would have only +exchanged a mild government for a despotic one. They acknowledged it; +they obeyed me; and no Byzantine will ever touch Italian soil, until I +call him, I--or you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I! Do you rave?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sophocles, your favourite, says, 'Forswear nothing.' Be +warned, Queen, +for you do not see the pressing danger. Another conspiracy, much more +dangerous than that of these Roman enthusiasts, and close to you, +threatens you, your kingdom, and the Amelungs' right of sovereignty--a +conspiracy of the Goths!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha turned pale.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have seen yesterday, to your sorrow, that your hand can +no more +guide the rudder of this realm. Just as little as could that of your +noble son, who was but the tool of your enemies. You know, Queen, that +many of your nation are bloodthirsty, barbarous, rapacious, and brutal; +they would like to levy contributions upon this land, where Virgil and +Tullius wandered. Yon know that your insolent nobles hate the +superiority of your royal house, and would make themselves its equal. +You know that the rude Goths think unworthily of woman's vocation for +government."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know it," she said, proudly and angrily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you do not know that both these parties are united. They +are +united against you and your Roman predilections. They will overthrow +you, or force you to do their will. Cassiodorus and I are to be +dismissed from your side, our Senate and our rights to be dissolved, +and the kingship to become a shadow. War is to be proclaimed against +the Emperor; and force, extortion, and rapine, let loose upon us +Romans."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You paint mere idle phantoms!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Was that which happened yesterday an idle phantom? If Heaven +had not +intervened, would not you--like me--be robbed of all your power? Would +you still be mistress in your kingdom, in your house? Are they not +already so strong, that the heathen Hildebrand, the countrified +Witichis, the gloomy Teja, openly defy your will in the name of your +befooled son? Have they not recalled the three rebel dukes? And your +perverse daughter, and----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"True, too true," sighed the Queen.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If these men should rule--then farewell science, art, and all +noble +culture! Farewell, Italia, mother of humanity! Then, burst into flame, +you white parchments! crumble into fragments, you beautiful statues! +Brutality and murder will run rife in these plains, and posterity will +bear witness: 'Such things happened in the reign of Amalaswintha, the +daughter of Theodoric.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never, never shall that happen! But----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You want proofs? I fear you will have them only too soon. +However, you +see, even now, that you cannot rely upon the Goths, if you wish to +prevent such horrors. We alone can protect you against them; we, to +whom you already belong by intellect and culture; we Romans. Then, when +the barbarians surround your throne with uproar, let me rally the men +around you who once conspired against you: the patriots of Rome! They +will protect you and themselves at the same time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus," said the distressed woman, "you influence men +easily! Who, +tell me, who will answer for the patriots? Who will answer for <i>your</i> +truth?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"This paper, Queen, and this! The first contains a correct +list of the +Roman conspirators. You see, there are many hundred names. This is a +list of the members of the Gothic league, whom I certainly could only +guess at. But I guess well. With these two papers I give both these +parties--I give myself--completely into your hands. You can at any +moment reveal me to my own party as a traitor, who, before all things, +sought <i>your</i> favour. You can expose me to the hatred of the Goths--as +soon as you will. I shall be left without adherents. I stand alone; +your favour is my only support."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Queen had glanced over the papers with sparkling eyes. +"Cethegus," +she exclaimed, "I will always remember your fidelity and this hour!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And she gave him her hand with emotion.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus slightly bent his head. "Still one thing more, O +Queen. The +patriots, henceforward your friends as they are mine, know that the +hate of the barbarians, the sword of destruction, hangs over their +heads. Their anxious hearts require encouragement. Let me assure them +of your high protection. Place your name at the head of this list, and +let me thereby give them a visible sign of your favour."</p> + +<p class="normal">She took the golden stylus and the waxen tablets which he +handed to +her. For one moment she hesitated; then she quickly signed her name, +and gave tablets and stylus back again. "Here! They must be faithful to +me; as faithful as yourself!"</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment Cassiodorus entered. "O Queen, the Gothic +nobles await +you. They wish to speak with you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I come! They shall learn my will!" she said vehemently; "but +you, +Cassiodorus, shall be the first to know the decision to which I have +come during this trying hour, and which will soon be known to my whole +kingdom. Henceforward the Prefect of Rome is the first of my servants, +as he is the most faithful. He has the place of honour in my trust and +near my throne."</p> + +<p class="normal">Much astonished, Cassiodorus led the Queen up the dark steps.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus followed slowly. He held up the tablets in his hand, +and said +to himself: "Now you are mine, daughter of Theodoric! Your name upon +this list severs you for ever from your people!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="continue">As Cethegus emerged from the subterranean chamber into the +ground-floor +of the palace, and prepared to follow the Queen, his ear was caught and +his progress arrested by the solemn and sorrowful tones of flutes. He +guessed what it meant.</p> + +<p class="normal">His first impulse was to turn aside. But he presently decided +to +remain.</p> + +<p class="normal">It would happen some time, therefore it was best at once. He +must find +out how far she was informed.</p> + +<p class="normal">The tones of the flutes came nearer, alternating with a +monotonous +dirge. Cethegus stepped into a wide niche of the dark corridor, into +which the head of a little procession already turned.</p> + +<p class="normal">Foremost came, two by two, six noble Roman maidens, covered +with grey +mourning veils, carrying reversed torches. Then followed a priest, +before whom was borne the tall banner of the Cross, with long +streamers. Next came a troop of the freedmen of the family of Boëthius, +led by Corbulo and the flute-players. Then followed, borne by four +Roman girls, an open coffin, covered with flowers. Upon it lay, on a +white linen cloth, the dead Camilla, in bridal ornaments, a wreath in +her dark hair, an expression of smiling peace upon her slightly-opened +lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">Behind the coffin, with loosened hair, staring fixedly before +her, came +the unhappy mother, surrounded by matrons, who supported her sinking +form.</p> + +<p class="normal">A company of female slaves closed the procession, which slowly +disappeared into the vault.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus recognised the sobbing Daphnidion, and stopped her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When did she die?" he asked calmly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, sir, a few hours ago! Oh, the good, kind, beautiful +Domna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Did she ever awaken to full consciousness?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, sir, never. Only quite at the last she once more opened +her large +eyes, and appeared to seek for something. 'Where has he gone?' she +asked her mother. 'Ah, I see him!' she then cried, and rose from her +cushions. 'Child, my child, where will you go?' cried my mistress, +weeping. 'Oh, there!' she replied with a rapturous smile; 'to the Isles +of the Blessed!' and she closed her eyes and fell back upon her couch; +that lovely smile remained upon her lips--and she was gone, gone for +ever!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who has caused her to be brought down here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Queen. She learned everything, and gave orders that the +deceased, +as the bride of her son, should be laid beside him and buried in the +same tomb."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But what says the physician? How could she die so suddenly?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas! the physician saw her only for a moment; he was too +much +occupied with the royal corpse; and then my mistress would not suffer +the strange man to touch her daughter. It is just her heart that has +been broken; one can easily die of that! But peace--they come!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The procession returned in the same order as before, but +without the +coffin. Daphnidion joined it. Only Rusticiana was missing.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus quietly walked up and down the corridor, to wait for +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last her bowed-down form came slowly up the steps. She +staggered and +seemed about to fall.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus quickly caught her arm. "Rusticiana, take courage!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You here? God! you also loved her! And we--we two have +murdered her!" +and she sank upon his shoulder.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Silence, unhappy woman!" he whispered, looking around.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas! I, her own mother, have killed her! I mixed the fatal +draught +that caused his death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"All is well," thought Cethegus. "She has no suspicion that +Camilla +drank, and still less that I saw her do so.--It is a terrible stroke of +Fate!" he said aloud. "But reflect, what would have followed had she +lived? She loved him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What would have followed?" cried Rusticiana, receding. "Oh, +if she but +lived! Who can prevent love? Oh that she had become his--his wife--his +mistress, provided only that she lived!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you forget that he <i>must</i> have died?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Must? Why must he have died? So that you might carry out your +ambitious plans? Oh, selfishness without example!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They are your plans that I carry out, not mine; how often +must I +repeat it? <i>You</i> have conjured up the God of Revenge, not I. Why do you +accuse me if he demand a sacrifice? Think better of it. Farewell."</p> + +<p class="normal">But Rusticiana violently seized his arm. "And that is all? And +you have +nothing more--not a word, not a tear for my child? And you would make +me believe that you have acted thus to avenge her, to avenge me? You +have never had a heart! You did not even love her--coldly you see her +die! Ha, curses, curses upon thee!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be silent, frantic woman!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Silent! no, I will speak and curse you! Oh that I knew of +something +that was as dear to you as Camilla was to me! Oh that you, like me, +could see your whole life's last and only joy torn away--that you could +see it vanish, and despair! If there be a God in heaven you will live +to do so!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus smiled.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You do not believe in heavenly vengeance? Well, then, believe +in the +vengeance of a miserable mother! You shall tremble! I will hasten to +the Queen and tell her all! You shall die!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you will die with me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"With a smile--if only I can see you perish!" and she would +have +hurried away, but Cethegus held her back with an iron grasp.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop, woman! Do you think that I am not on my guard with such +as you? +Your sons, Anicius and Severinus, are here in Italy, secretly--in +Rome--in my house. You know that death is the penalty of their return. +A word--and they die with us. Then you may take to your husband your +sons, as well as your daughter, who has died by your means. Her blood +upon your head!" and quickly turning the angle of the corridor, he +disappeared.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My sons!" cried Rusticiana, and sank down upon the marble +pavement.</p> + +<p class="normal">A few days after, the widow of Boëthius, with Corbulo and +Daphnidion, +left the court for ever. In vain the Queen sought to detain her.</p> + +<p class="normal">The faithful freedman took her back to the sheltered Villa of +Tifernum, +which she now deeply regretted ever having left. There, in the place of +the little Temple of Venus, she erected a basilica, in the crypt of +which an urn was placed, containing the hearts of the two lovers.</p> + +<p class="normal">In her passionate soul her prayers for the salvation of her +child were +inseparably bound up with a petition for revenge upon Cethegus, whose +real share in Camilla's death she did not even suspect; she only felt +that he had used mother and daughter as tools for his plans, and had +sacrificed the girl's happiness and life with heartless coldness.</p> + +<p class="normal">And scarcely less continuously than the flame of the eternal +lamp +before the urn, the prayer and the curse of the lonely mother rose up +to heaven.</p> + +<p class="normal">The hour came which disclosed to her all the Prefect's guilt, +and the +vengeance which she called down from heaven did not tarry.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="continue">At the court of Ravenna there ensued a bitter and obstinate +strife.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Gothic patriots, although deeply grieved at the sudden +death of +their youthful King, and, for the moment, overpowered, were very soon +re-encouraged by their indefatigable leaders.</p> + +<p class="normal">The high consideration in which Hildebrand was held, the quiet +strength +of Witichis, who had returned, and Teja's watchful zeal, operated +continuously.</p> + +<p class="normal">We have seen that these men had succeeded in inducing +Athalaric to +shake off the authority of his mother. It was now easy for them to find +ever new adherents amongst the Goths against a government in which the +hated Cethegus would come more than ever to the front.</p> + +<p class="normal">The feeling in the army and the Germanic population of Ravenna +was +sufficiently prepared for a decisive stroke. The old master-at-arms +with difficulty restrained the discontented, until, strengthened by +important confederates, they could be more certain of success.</p> + +<p class="normal">These confederates were the three dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and +Pitza, whom +Amalaswintha had driven away from court, and whom her son had so lately +recalled.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thulun and Ibba were brothers; Pitza was their cousin.</p> + +<p class="normal">Another brother of the former, Duke Alaric, had been condemned +to death +some years ago on account of a pretended conspiracy, and since his +flight (for he had succeeded in escaping) nothing had been heard of +him. They were the offspring of the celebrated race of the Balthe, who +had worn the crown of the Visigoths, and were scarcely inferior in +ancient descent and rank to the Amelungs. Their pedigree, like that of +the Royal House, descended from the gods. The wealth of their +possessions in land and dependent colonies, and the fame of their +warlike deeds, enhanced the power and glory of their house.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was said amongst the people that Theodoric had, for a +while, thought +of passing over his daughter and her son, and, in the interest of the +kingdom, of appointing the powerful Duke Thulun as his successor. And, +after the death of Athalaric, the patriots were decided, in case of the +worst--that is, if the Queen could not be persuaded to renounce her +system--once more to entertain this idea.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus saw the threatening tempest. He saw how Gothic +national +feeling, awakened by Hildebrand and his friends, grew more opposed to +the Romanising Regency. He indignantly confessed to himself that he had +no real power with which to keep down discontent. Ravenna was not his +Rome, where he controlled all proceedings, where he had again +accustomed the citizens to the use of arms, and attached them to his +person; here all the troops were Goths, and he could only fear that +they would reply to an order for the arrest of Hildebrand or Witichis +by open rebellion. So he took a bold resolution to free himself at one +stroke from the net which encompassed him in Ravenna. He decided to +take the Queen, if necessary by force, to Rome. There he was mighty, +had weapons and adherents; there Amalaswintha would be exclusively in +his power, and the Goths would be frustrated.</p> + +<p class="normal">To his delight, the Queen entered into his plan with +eagerness. She +longed to be out of these walls, where she appeared to be more a +prisoner than a ruler. She longed for Rome, freedom, and power.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus took his measures with his usual rapidity. He was +obliged to +renounce the shorter way by land, for upon the broad Via Flaminia, as +well as on the other roads from Ravenna to Rome, escorts of Gothic +troops were stationed, and it was therefore to be feared that their +flight by any of these ways would be easily discovered, and perhaps +impeded.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fortunately the Prefect remembered that the Navarchus, or +captain of +the galleys, Pomponius, one of the conspirators, was cruising about in +chase of African pirates on the east coast of the Adriatic, with three +triremes, manned by Romans. To him he sent an order to appear in the +harbour of Ravenna on the night of the Feast of Epiphany. He hoped, +while the town was occupied with religious festivities, to reach the +ships with Amalaswintha easily and safely from the gardens of the +palace, when they would be taken by sea past the Gothic positions to +Teate. Thence the way to Rome was short and safe.</p> + +<p class="normal">With this plan in his mind--his messenger had safely gone and +returned +with the promise of Pomponius to appear punctually--the Prefect smiled +at the daily increasing hate and insolence of the Goths, who observed +his position of favourite with bitter displeasure.</p> + +<p class="normal">He warned Amalaswintha to be patient and not, by an outbreak +of her +royal wrath against the "rebels," to occasion a collision before the +day of deliverance, which might easily render vain all plans of rescue.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Feast of Epiphany arrived. The people crowded the +basilicas and +squares of the city. The jewels of the treasury were ready ordered and +packed, as well as the most important documents of the archives. It was +mid-day.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha and the Prefect had just told their friend +Cassiodorus of +their plan, the boldness of which at first startled him, but he very +soon perceived its prudence.</p> + +<p class="normal">They were just about to leave the room where they had told him +of their +intentions, when suddenly the uproar made by the populace--who were +crowding before the palace--became louder and more violent; threats, +cries of exultation, and the clatter of arms arose promiscuously.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus threw back the curtain of the large bay-window, but +he only +saw the last of the crowd pressing through the open gates of the +palace.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was not possible to discover the cause of this excitement. +Already +the uproar was ascending the staircase of the palace. The noise of +altercations with the attendants was audible; the clash of weapons; and +soon approaching and heavy footsteps.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha did not tremble; she tightly grasped the dragon's +head +which decorated the throne-seat, to which Cassiodorus had again led +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile Cethegus hurried to meet the intruders.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Halt!" he called from the threshold of the chamber. "The +Queen is +visible for no one."</p> + +<p class="normal">For one moment there was complete silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then a powerful voice called out: "If for thee, Roman, also +for us, for +her Gothic brethren. Forwards!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And again the roar of voices arose, and in a moment Cethegus, +without +the application of any particular violence, was pushed by the press, as +if by an irresistible tide, into the farthest corner of the hall, and +the foremost intruders stood close before the throne.</p> + +<p class="normal">They were Hildebrand, Witichis, Teja, a gigantic Goth, unknown +to +Cethegus, and near this last--there was no doubt about it--the three +dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza, in full armour--three splendid +warriors.</p> + +<p class="normal">The intruders bowed before the throne. Then Duke Thulun called +to those +behind him, with the gesture of a born ruler:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Goths, wait yet a short time without! We will try; in your +name, to +adjust things with the Queen. If we do not succeed, we will call upon +you to act--you know in what manner."</p> + +<p class="normal">With a shout of applause, the crowd behind him willingly +withdrew, and +were soon lost in the outer passages and halls of the palace.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Daughter of Theodoric," began Duke Thulun, "we are come +because thy +son, the King, recalled us. Unfortunately we find he is no more alive. +We know that thou hast no delight in seeing us here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If you know it," said Amalaswintha with dignity, "how dare +you, +notwithstanding, appear before our eyes? Who allows you to intrude upon +us against our will?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Necessity enjoins it, Highness--necessity, which has often +forced +stronger bolts than the whims of a woman. We have to announce to thee +the demands of thy people, which thou wilt fulfil."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What language! Knowest thou before whom thou standest, Duke +Thulun?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Before the daughter of the Amelungs; whose child I honour, +even when +she errs and transgresses!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Rebel!" cried Amalaswintha, and rose indignantly from her +throne. "Thy +<i>King</i> stands before thee!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Thulun smiled.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would be wiser, Amalaswintha, to be silent upon this +point. King +Theodoric charged thee with the guardianship of thy son--thee, a woman! +It was against the law; but we Goths did not interfere between him and +his kindred. He wished this boy to be his successor. That was not +prudent; but the nobles and people have honoured the race of the +Amelungs and the wish of a King, who else was ever wise. But he never +wished, and we should never have allowed, that after the death of that +boy a woman should reign over us--the spindle over the spear."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So you refuse to acknowledge me as your Queen?" she cried +indignantly. "And thou, too, Hildebrand, old friend of Theodoric, thou +disownest his daughter?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen," said the old man, "would that thou wouldst prevent +it!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Thulun continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"We do not disown thee--not yet. I only answer thee thus +because thou +boastest of thy right, and thou must know that thou hast no right. But +as we gladly honour noble birth--in which we honour ourselves--and +because at this moment it might lead to evil dissensions in the kingdom +if we deprived thee of the crown, I will repeat the conditions under +which thou mayst continue to wear it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha suffered terribly. How gladly would she have +delivered the +bold man who spoke such words into the hands of the executioner! And +she was obliged to listen helplessly! Tears rose to her eyes; she +repressed them, but at the same time sank back exhausted upon the +throne, supported by Cassiodorus.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile Cethegus had made his way to her side.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Concede everything," he whispered; "it is forced and null. +And +to-night Pomponius will arrive.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Speak!" said Cassiodorus; "but spare the woman, barbarians!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha! ha!" laughed Duke Pitza. "She will not be treated like a +woman. +She is our <i>King</i>!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Peace, cousin!" said Duke Thulun reprovingly; "she is of +noble blood. +First," he continued, "thou must dismiss the Prefect of Rome. He is +said to be an enemy of the Goths; he may not advise the Gothic Queen. +Earl Witichis will take his place near thy throne."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Agreed!" said Cethegus himself, instead of Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Secondly, thou wilt declare, in a proclamation, that for the +future no +order of thine can be executed which is not signed by Hildebrand or +Witichis; and that no law is valid without the ratification of the +National Assembly."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Queen started up angrily; but Cethegus held her arm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pomponius comes to-night," he whispered. Then he said aloud, +"This +also is agreed to."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The third condition," resumed Thulun, "is one which thou wilt +as +willingly grant as we ask it. We three Balthes have not learned to bow +our heads in a prince's court. The roof here is too low for us. It is +better that Amelungs and Balthes live as far apart as the eagle and the +falcon. And the realm needs our weapons upon its boundaries. Our +neighbours think that the land is orphaned since thy great father died, +Avari, Gepidæ, and Sclavonians fearlessly overstep the frontiers. In +order to punish these three nations, thou wilt equip three armies, each +of thirty thousand; and we three Balthes will lead them, as thy +generals, to the east and to the north."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The whole military force also in their hands--not bad!" +thought +Cethegus. "Accepted!" he cried aloud, smiling.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what remains to me," asked Amalaswintha, "when I have +granted all +this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A golden crown upon a white forehead," said Duke Ibba.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou canst write like a Greek," re-commenced Thulun. "Such +arts are +not learned in vain. This parchment should contain all that we demand; +my slave has written it down." He gave it to Witichis to examine. "Is +it so? 'Tis well. That thou wilt sign, Princess. Good. We have +finished. Now, Hildebrand, speak with yonder Roman."</p> + +<p class="normal">But Teja was beforehand. He advanced to the Prefect, trembling +with +hate, his sword in his hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Prefect of Rome," said he, "blood has been shed--precious, +noble, +Gothic blood! It consecrates the furious strife which will soon be +kindled. Blood, which thou shalt atone----"</p> + +<p class="normal">His voice was suffocated with rage.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bah!" cried Hildebad--for he was the tall Goth--pushing him +aside. +"Make not such a to-do about it! My dear brother can easily part with a +little superfluous blood; and the others lost more than he could spare. +There, thou black devil!" he cried, turning to Cethegus, and holding a +broad-sword close before his eyes, "knowest thou that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pomponius's sword!" cried Cethegus, turning pale and +staggering back a +step.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha and Cassiodorus asked in alarm,</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pomponius?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Aha!" laughed Hildebad. "That is shocking, is it not? Nothing +will +come of the water-party!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where is Pomponius--my Navarchus?" asked Amalaswintha +vehemently.</p> + +<p class="normal">"With the sharks, Queen, in deep water."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha! death and destruction!" exclaimed Cethegus, now carried +away by +his anger. "How happened that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Merrily enough! My brother Totila--thou surely knowest +him?--lay in +the harbour of Ancona with two little ships. Thy friend Pomponius had +had for some days such an insolent expression of countenance, and had +let fall such bragging words, that it struck even my unsuspicious +brother. One morning Pomponius suddenly disappeared from the harbour +with his three triremes. Totila smelt a rat, spread all sail, pursued +him, overtook him off Pisaurum, stopped him, went on board with me and +a few others, and asked him whither he would be going."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He had no right to do so. Pomponius will have given him no +answer."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He did so, for all that, most excellent Cethegus! When he saw +that we +were only ten upon his ship, he laughed, and cried, 'Whither sail I? To +Ravenna, thou downy-beard, to save the Queen from your claws, and take +her to. Rome!' And he therewith made a sign to his crew. But we, too, +threw our shields before us, and--hurrah! how the swords flew from the +sheaths! It was hard work--ten to forty! But happily it did not last +long. Our comrades in the nearest ship heard the iron rattle, and were +quickly alongside with their boats, and climbed the bulwarks like cats. +Now we had the upper hand; but the Navarchus--to give the devil his +due!--would not yield; fought like to madman, and pierced my brother's +arm through his shield, so that the blood spouted. But then my brother +got into a rage too, and ran his spear through the other's body, so +that he fell like an ox. 'Greet the Prefect,' he said, as he lay dying, +'give him my sword, his gift, back again, and tell him that no one can +cheat Death, else I had kept my word!' I swore to him that I would +confirm his words. He was a brave man. Here is the sword."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus took it in silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The ships yielded, and my brother took them back to Ancona. +But I +sailed here with the swiftest, and met the three Balthes in the +harbour, just at the right moment."</p> + +<p class="normal">A pause ensued, during which Cethegus and Amalaswintha +bitterly +contemplated their desperate position. Cethegus had consented to +everything in the sure hope of flight, which was now frustrated. His +well-considered plan was balked; balked by Totila; and hatred of this +name entered deeply into the Prefect's soul. His grim reflections were +interrupted by the voice of Thulun, asking:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, Amalaswintha, wilt thou sign? or shall we call upon the +Goths to +choose a King?"</p> + +<p class="normal">At these words Cethegus quickly recovered himself. He took the +tablets +from the hand of the Duke and handed them to the Queen.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is necessary, O Queen," he said in a low voice; "you have +no +choice."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cassiodorus gave her the stylus, she wrote her name and Thulun +received +the tablets.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Tis well," said he; "we go to announce to the Goths that +their +kingdom is saved. Thou, Cassiodorus, accompany us to bear witness that +all has been done without violence."</p> + +<p class="normal">At a sign from Amalaswintha the senator obeyed, and followed +the Gothic +leaders to the Forum before the palace.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the Queen found herself alone with Cethegus, she started +from her +seat. She could no longer restrain her tears. She passionately struck +her forehead. Her pride was terribly humbled. She felt the shame of +this hour more deeply than the loss of husband, father, or even of her +son.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then this," she cried, weeping loudly, "this is man's +superiority! +Brutal, clumsy force! O, Cethegus, all is lost!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not all, Queen, only a plan. I beg you to keep me in kindly +remembrance," he added coldly. "I go to Rome."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What? you will leave me at this moment? You, you have made me +give all +these promises, which rob me of my throne, and now you forsake me! Oh! +it were better that I had resisted, I should then have remained indeed +a Queen, even if they had set the crown upon the head of that rebel +Duke!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly," thought Cethegus, "better for you, worse for me. +No, no +hero shall ever again wear this Gothic crown." He had quickly seen that +Amalaswintha could no longer serve him, and just as quickly he gave her +up. He was already thinking of a new tool for his plans. Yet he decided +to disclose to her a portion of his thoughts, in order that she might +not act upon her own account, contradict her promises, and thereby +cause the crown to obvert to Thulun. "I go, O Queen," he said; "but I +do not therefore forsake you. Here I can no longer serve you. They have +banished me from your side, and will guard you as jealously as a lover +his mistress."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But what shall I do with these promises? what with the three +dukes?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wait, and, at present, submit. And as to the three dukes," he +added +hesitatingly, "they go to the wars--perhaps they will never return."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps!" sighed the Queen. "Of what use is a 'perhaps?'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus came close to her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As soon as you wish it--they <i>shall</i> never return."</p> + +<p class="normal">The woman trembled:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Murder? Terrible man, of what are you thinking?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of what is necessary. Murder is a wrong expression. It is +self-defence. Or a punishment. If you had now the power, you would have +a perfect right to kill them. They are rebels. They force your royal +will. They kill your Navarchus; they deserve death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And they <i>shall</i> die," whispered Amalaswintha to +herself, clenching +her fist; "they shall not live, these brutal men, who force a Queen to +do their behest. You are right--they shall die!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They must die--they and," he added in a tone of intense +hatred, +"and--the young hero!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wherefore Totila? He is the handsomest and most valiant youth +in the +nation!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He dies!" growled Cethegus. "Oh that he would die ten times +over!" And +such bitter hatred flamed from his eyes, that, suddenly seen in a man +of such a cold nature, it both startled and terrified Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall send you from Rome," he continued rapidly in a low +tone, +"three trusty men, Isaurian mercenaries. These you will send after the +three Balthes, as soon as they have reached their several camps. You +understand that <i>you</i>, the Queen, send them; for they are executioners, +no murderers. The three dukes must fall on the same day--I myself will +care for handsome Totila--the bold stroke will alarm the whole nation. +During the first consternation of the Goths I will hurry here from +Rome, with troops, to your aid. Farewell."</p> + +<p class="normal">He departed, and left alone the helpless woman, upon whose ear +now +broke the shouts of the assembled multitude from the Forum in front of +the palace, extolling the success of their leaders and the submission +of Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">She felt quite forsaken. She suspected that the last promise +of the +Prefect was little more than an empty word of comfort to palliate his +departure. Overcome by sorrow, she rested her cheek upon her beautiful +hand, and was lost for some time in futile meditations.</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly the curtain at the entrance rustled. An officer of +the palace +stood before her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ambassadors from Byzantium desire an audience. Justinus is +dead. His +nephew Justinianus is Emperor. He tenders a brotherly greeting and his +friendship."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Justinianus!" This name penetrated the very soul of the +unhappy +woman. She saw herself robbed of her son, thwarted by her people, +forsaken by Cethegus. In her sad musings she had been seeking in vain +for help and support, and, with a sigh of relief, she again repeated, +"Justinianus--Byzantium!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">In the woods of Fiesole, a modern wanderer coming from +Florence will +find to the right of the high-road the ruins of an extensive villa-like +edifice. Ivy, saxifrage and wild roses vie with each other in +concealing the ruins. For centuries the peasants in the neighbouring +villages have carried away stones from this place in order to dam up +the earth of their vineyards on the slopes of the hills. But even yet +the remains clearly show where once stood the colonnade before the +house, where the central hall, and where the wall of the court.</p> + +<p class="normal">Weeds grow luxuriantly in the meadows where once lay in +shining order +the beautiful gardens; nothing has been left of them except the wide +marble basin of a long dried-up fountain, in whose pebble-filled +runnels the lizards now sun themselves.</p> + +<p class="normal">But in the days of our story the place looked very different. +"The +Villa of Mæcenas at Fæsulæ," as the building, probably with little or +no reason, was called at that time, was inhabited by happy people; the +house ordered by a woman's careful hand; the garden enlivened by +childhood's bright laughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">The climbing clematis was gracefully trained up the slender +shafts of +the Corinthian columns in front of the house, and the cheerful vine +shaded the flat roof. The winding walks in the garden were strewed with +white sand, and in the outhouses dedicated to domestic uses reigned an +order and cleanliness which was never to be found in a household served +by Roman slaves alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was sunset.</p> + +<p class="normal">The men and maid servants were returning from the fields. The +heavily-laden hay-carts swung along, drawn by horses which were +evidently not of Italian breed. The shepherds were driving goats and +sheep home from the hills, accompanied by large dogs, which scampered +on in front, barking joyously.</p> + +<p class="normal">Close before the yard gate, a couple of Roman slaves, with +shrill +voices and mad gestures, were urging on the panting horses of a cruelly +over-laden wagon, not with whips, but with sticks, the iron points of +which they stuck again and again into the same sore place upon the poor +animals' hides. In spite of this, no advance was made, for a large +stone lay just in front of the left fore-wheel of the wagon, which the +angry and impatient drivers did not notice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forwards, beast! and son of a beast!" screamed one of them to +the +struggling horse; "forwards, thou Gothic sluggard!" Another stab with +the iron point, a renewed and desperate pull; but the wheel did not go +over the stone, and the tortured animal fell on its knees, threatening +to upset the wagon by its struggles.</p> + +<p class="normal">At this the rage of the driver was redoubled. "Wait, thou +rascal!" he +shouted, and struck at the eye of the panting animal.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he only struck once; the next moment he himself fell under +a heavy +blow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Davus, thou wicked dog!" growled a powerful voice, and, twice +as tall, +and certainly twice as broad as the frightened tormentor, there stood +over the fallen man a gigantic Goth, who rained down blows upon him +with a thick cudgel. "Thou miserable coward," said he, giving him a +final kick, "I will teach thee how to treat a creature which is ten +times better than thyself. I verily believe, thou rascal, that thou +treatest the beast ill, because he comes from the other side of the +mountains! If I catch thee at it again, I will break every bone in thy +body. Now get up, and unload--thou shalt carry every swath that is too +much into the barn upon thine own back. Forwards!"</p> + +<p class="normal">With a malicious glance at his punisher the beaten man rose, +and, +limping, prepared to obey.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goth had immediately helped the struggling horse to its +feet, and +now carefully washed its broken knees with his own evening drink of +wine and water.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had scarcely finished his task, when the clear voice of a +boy called +urgently from a neighbouring stable:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wachis, come here; Wachis!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I'm coming, Athalwin, my boy! What's the matter?" And he +already stood +in the open door of the stable near a handsome boy of about seven years +of age, who angrily stroked his long yellow hair from his glowing face, +and with great trouble repressed two large tears of rage that <i>would</i> +spring into his blue eyes. He held a pretty wooden sword in his right +hand, and shook it threateningly at a black-browed slave who stood +opposite to him, with his head insolently thrust forward and his fists +clenched. "What is the matter here?" repeated Wachis, crossing the +threshold.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The chesnut has again nothing to drink; and only look! Two +gadflies +have sucked themselves fast upon his shoulder, where he cannot get at +them with his tail, and I cannot reach with my hand; and that bad Cacus +there won't do what I tell him; and I am sure he has been scolding at +me in Latin, which I don't understand."</p> + +<p class="normal">Wachis drew nearer with a threatening look.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I only said," said Cacus, slowly receding, "that I must first +eat my +millet. The beast may wait. In our country men come before beasts."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed, thou dunce!" said Wachis, as he killed the gadflies; +"in our +country the horse eats before the rider! Make haste!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cacus was strong and obstinate; he tossed his head and +said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here, we are in <i>our</i> country, and <i>our</i> customs +must be followed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oho, thou cursed blockhead! wilt thou obey?" asked Wachis, +raising his +hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Obey? Not thee! Thou art only a slave like me. And my parents +lived in +this house when such as thou were stealing cows and sheep on the other +side of the mountains."</p> + +<p class="normal">Wachis let his cudgel fall and swung his arms to and fro.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Listen, Cacus, I have another crow to pluck with thee +besides; thou +knowest wherefore. Now it can all be done with at the same time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha, ha!" cried Cacus with a mocking laugh, "about Liuta, the +flaxen-haired wench? Bah! I like her no longer, the barbarian. She +dances like a heifer!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now it's all up with thee," said Wachis quietly, and caught +hold of +his adversary.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cacus twisted himself like an eel out of the grasp of the +Goth, +pulled a sharp knife from the folds of his woollen frock and threw it +at him. As Wachis stooped the knife whistled only a hair's-breadth past +his head, and penetrated deeply into the door-post behind him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, wait, thou murderous worm!" cried the German, and would +have +thrown himself upon Cacus, but he felt himself clasped from behind.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was Davus, who had watched for this moment of revenge.</p> + +<p class="normal">But now Wachis became exceedingly wroth.</p> + +<p class="normal">He shook the man off, held him by the nape of the neck with +his left +hand, got hold of Cacus with his right, and, with the strength of a +bear, knocked the heads of his adversaries together, accompanying every +knock with an interjection, "There, my boys--that for the knife--and +that for the back-spring--and that for the heifer!" And who knows how +long this strange litany would have continued, if he had not been +interrupted by a loud call.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wachis! Cacus! let loose, I tell you," cried the strong fall +voice of +a woman; and a stately matron, clad in a blue Gothic garment, appeared +at the door.</p> + +<p class="normal">She was not tall, and yet imposing. Her fine figure was more +sturdy +than slender. Her gold-brown hair was bound in simple but rich braids +round her head; her features were regular; more firm than delicate.</p> + +<p class="normal">An expression of sincerity, worth, and trustfulness lay in her +large +blue eyes. Her round bare arms showed that she was no stranger to work. +At her broad girdle, over which puffed out her brown under-garment of +home-spun cloth, rattled a bunch of keys; she rested her left hand +quietly upon her hip, and stretched her right commandingly before her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Aye, aye, Rauthgundis, mistress mine," said Wachis, letting +loose, +"must you have your eyes everywhere?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Everywhere, when my servants are at mischief. When will you +learn to +agree? You Italians need a master in the house. But thou, Wachis, +shouldst not vex the housewife too. Come, Athalwin, come with me."</p> + +<p class="normal">And she led the boy away.</p> + +<p class="normal">She went into a side-yard, filled her raised skirt with grain +out of a +trough, and fed the fowls and pigeons, which immediately flocked around +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">For a little while Athalwin watched her silently. At last he +said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mother, is it true? Is father a robber?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Rauthgundis suspended her occupation, and looked at the child +in +surprise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who said so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who? Eh, the nephew of Calpurnius! We were playing on the +great heap +of hay in his meadow, and I showed him how far the land belongs to us +on the right of the hedge--far and wide--as far as our servants were +mowing, and the brook shone in the distance. Then he got angry and +said, 'Yes, and all that land once belonged to us, and thy father or +thy grandfather stole it, the robbers!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed! And what didst thou reply?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Eh, nothing at all, mother. I only threw him over the +hay-cock, with +his heels in the air. But now I should like to know if it is true."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, child, it is not true. Your father did not steal it, but +took it +openly, because he was stronger and better than these Italians. And +heroes have done the same in all ages. And when the Italians were +strong and their neighbours weak, they did so most of all. But now +come; we must look after the linen that is bleaching on the green."</p> + +<p class="normal">As they turned their backs upon the stables, and were going +towards the +grassy hill on the left of the house, they heard the rapid hoof-beats +of a horse, which was approaching on the old Roman high-road.</p> + +<p class="normal">Athalwin climbed quickly to the top of the hill and looked +towards the +road.</p> + +<p class="normal">A rider, mounted on an immense brown charger, galloped down +the woody +heights towards the villa. Brightly sparkled his helmet and the point +of the lance, which he carried across his shoulder.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is father, mother; it is father!" cried the boy, and ran +swift as +an arrow down the hill to meet the rider.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rauthgundis had just now reached the top of the hill. Her +heart beat. +She shaded her eyes with her hand, to look into the evening-red; then +she said in a low happy voice:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, it is he! my husband."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Meanwhile Athalwin had already reached his father and climbed +up his +knee, clinging to his foot.</p> + +<p class="normal">The rider lifted him up with a loving hand, set him before him +in the +saddle, and spurred his horse into a gallop. The noble animal, once the +charger of Theodoric, neighed lustily as he recognised his home and his +mistress, and shook his flowing mane.</p> + +<p class="normal">The rider now reached the hill, and dismounted with the boy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear wife!" he exclaimed, embracing her tenderly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My Witichis!" she answered, blushing with pleasure, and +clinging to +him; "welcome home!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I promised that I would come before the new moon--it was +difficult----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But thou hast kept thy word, as always."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My heart drew me here," he said, putting his arm around her.</p> + +<p class="normal">They went on slowly to the house.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It seems, Athalwin, that Wallada is of more consequence to +thee than +thy father," said Witichis, smiling, to the boy, who was leading the +horse carefully after them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, father; but give me the lance too--I have not often such +a +pleasure in this country life;" and dragging the long, heavy shaft of +the spear after him with difficulty, he cried out: "Eh! Wachis, +Ansbrand! father has come! Fetch the skin of Falernian from the cellar. +Father is thirsty after his rapid ride!"</p> + +<p class="normal">With a smile Witichis stroked the golden curls of the boy, who +now +hurried past them to the house.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, and how does all go on here?" asked Witichis, looking +at +Rauthgundis.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well, Witichis. The harvest is all brought in, the +grapes +crushed, the sheaves housed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not ask about that," said he, pressing her tenderly to +him--"how +art thou?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"As well as a poor woman can be," she answered, looking up at +him, "who +misses her well-loved husband. Work is the only thing that comforts me, +my friend; plenty of occupation, which benumbs a sensitive heart. I +often think how thou, far away amongst strange people, must trouble +thyself in court and camp, where there is none to cherish thee. At +least, I say to myself, he shall find his home well-kept and cheerful +when he returns. And it is that, seest thou, which sanctifies and +ennobles all the dull routine of work, and makes it dear to me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That's my brave wife! But dost thou not too much fatigue +thyself?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Work is healthy. But vexation, and the men's wickedness, <i> +that</i> hurts +me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Witichis stood still.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who dares to grieve thee?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah! the Italian servants, and our Italian neighbours! They +all hate +us. Woe to us, if they did not fear us. Calpurnius, our neighbour, is +so insolent when he knows thou art absent, and the Roman slaves are +disobedient and false; our Gothic servants alone are good."</p> + +<p class="normal">Witichis sighed. They had now arrived at the house, and sat +down at a +marble table under the colonnade.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou must remember," said Witichis, "that our neighbour was +forced to +give up to us the third part of his estate and slaves."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And has kept two-thirds, and his life into the bargain--he +ought to +thank God!" answered Rauthgundis contemptuously.</p> + +<p class="normal">Just then Athalwin came running with a basketful of apples, +which he +had plucked from the tree. Presently Wachis and the other German +servants came with wine, meat, and cheese, and greeted their master +with a frank clasp of the hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well done, my children. The mistress praises you. But where +are Davus, +Cacus, and the others?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pardon, sir," answered Wachis, grinning, "they have a bad +conscience."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why? What about?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Eh!--I think--because I have beaten them little; they are +ashamed."</p> + +<p class="normal">The other men laughed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, it will do them no harm," said Witichis; "go now to +your meal. +To-morrow I will examine your work."</p> + +<p class="normal">The men went.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is that about Calpurnius?" asked Witichis, pouring wine +into his +cup.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rauthgundis blushed and hesitated.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He has carried away the hay from the mountain meadow," she +then +replied, "which our men had mowed; and has put it into his barn by +night, and will not return it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He will return it quickly enough, I think," said her husband +quietly, +as he took up his cup and drank.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," cried Athalwin eagerly, "I think so too! And if he will +not, all +the better for me! Then we will declare war, and I will go over with +Wachis and all the great fellows, with weapons and pikes! He always +looks at me so wickedly, the black spy!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Rauthgundis told him to be silent, and sent him to bed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well, I will go," he said; "but, father, when thou +comest again, +thou wilt bring me a real weapon, instead of this stick, wilt thou +not?" and he ran into the house.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Contentions with these Italians never cease," said Witichis; +"the very +children inherit the feeling. But it causes thee far too much vexation +here. So much the more willingly wilt thou do what I now propose: come +with me to Ravenna, Rauthgundis, to court."</p> + +<p class="normal">His wife looked at him with astonishment.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou art joking!" she said incredulously. "Thou hast never +before +wished it! During the nine years of our married life, it has never +entered thy head to take me to court! I believe no one in all the +nation knows that a Rauthgundis exists. For a surety, thou hast kept +our marriage secret," she added, smiling, "like a crime!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Like a treasure!" said Witichis, embracing her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have never asked thee wherefore. I was and am happy; and I +thought +and think now: he has his reason."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had a good reason: it exists no longer. Now thou mayest +know all. A +few months after I had found thee amid the solitudes of thy mountains, +and had conceived an affection for thee, King Theodoric hit upon the +strange idea, to unite me in marriage with his sister Amalaberga, the +widow of the King of the Thuringians, who needed the protection of a +man against her wicked neighbours, the Franks."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou wert to wear a crown?" asked Rauthgundis, with sparkling +eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But Rauthgundis was dearer to me," continued Witichis, "than +Queen or +crown, and I said, No. It vexed the King exceedingly, and he only +forgave me when I told him that probably I should never marry. At that +time I could not hope ever to call thee mine; thou knowest how long thy +father suspiciously and sternly refused to trust thee to me; but when, +notwithstanding, thou wert become my wife, I considered that it would +not be wise to show the King the woman for whose sake I had refused his +sister."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But why hast thou concealed all this from me for nine long +years?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Because," he said, looking lovingly into her eyes, "because I +know my +Rauthgundis. Thou wouldst ever have imagined I had lost I know not what +with that crown! But now the King is dead, and I am permanently bound +to the court. Who knows when I shall again rest in the shadow of these +columns, in the peace of this roof?"</p> + +<p class="normal">And he related briefly the fall of the Prefect, and what +position he +now held near Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rauthgundis listened attentively; then she took his hand and +pressed +it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is good, Witichis, that the Goths gradually find out thy +worth, and +thou art more cheerful, I think, than usual."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes; I feel more contented since I can bear part of the +burden of the +time. It was much more difficult to stand idly by and see it pressing +heavily upon my nation. I am only sorry for the Queen, she is like a +prisoner."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bah! Why did the woman grasp at the office of a man? Such a +thing +would never enter my head."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou art no Queen, Rauthgundis, and Amalaswintha is proud."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am ten times prouder than she! but not so vain. She can +never have +loved a man, nor understood his nature and worth, otherwise she could +not wish to fill a man's place."</p> + +<p class="normal">"At court that is looked upon in a different manner. But do +come with +me to Ravenna."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Witichis," she quietly said, rising from her seat, "the +court is +not fit for me, nor I for the court. I am the child of a mountain +farmer, and far too uncultured. Look at this brown neck," she laughed, +"and these rough hands! I cannot tinkle on the lyre, or read verses. I +should be ill suited for the fine Roman ladies, and thou wouldst have +little honour with me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Surely thou dost not consider thyself too bad for the court?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Witichis, too good."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, people must learn to bear with and appreciate each +other."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could not do that. They could perhaps learn to bear with +me, out of +fear of thee. But I should daily tell them to their faces that they are +hollow, false, and bad!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"So, then, thou wilt rather do without thy husband for +months?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, rather do without him, than be near him in a false and +unfitting +position. Oh, my Witichis!" she added, encircling his neck with her +arm, "consider who I am and how thou foundest me! where the last +settlements of our people dot the edge of the Alps, high up upon the +steep precipices of the Scaranzia; where the youthful Isara breaks +foaming out of the ravines into the open plains, there stands my +father's lonely farm; there I knew of nought but the hard work of +summer upon the quiet alms, of winter in the smoke-blackened hall, +spinning with the maids. My mother died early, and my brothers were +killed by the Italians. So I grew up lonely, no one near me but my old +father, who was as true, but also as hard and close, as his native +rocks. There I saw nothing of the world which lay outside our +mountains. Only sometimes, from a height, I watched with curiosity a +pack-horse going along the road deep below in the valley, laden with +salt or wine. I sat through many a shining summer evening upon the +jagged peaks of the high Arn, and looked at the sun sinking splendidly +over the far-away river Licus; and I wondered what it had seen the +whole long summer day, since it had risen over the broad Œnus; and I +thought how I should like to know what things looked like at the other +side of the Karwändel, or away behind the Brennus, over which my +brothers had gone and had never returned. And yet I felt how beautiful +it was up there in the green solitude, where I heard the golden eagle +screaming in its near eyrie, and where I plucked more lovely flowers +than ever grow in the plains, and even, sometimes, heard by night the +mountain-wolf howling outside the stable-door, and frightened it away +with a torch. In early autumn, too, and in the long winter, I had time +to sit and muse; when the white mist-veils spun themselves over the +lofty pines; when the mountain wind tore the blocks of stone from our +straw-roof, and the avalanches thundered from the precipices. So I grew +up, strange to the world beyond the next forest, only at home in the +quiet world of my thoughts, and in the narrow life of the peasant. Then +thou earnest--I remember it as if it had happened yesterday----"</p> + +<p class="normal">She ceased, lost in recollection.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I remember it too, exactly," said Witichis. "I was leading a +centumvirate from Juvavia to the Augusta-town on the Licus. I had lost +my way and my people. For a long time I had wandered about in the +sultry summer day, without finding a path, when I saw smoke rising +above a fir-tree grove, and soon I found a hidden farm, and entered +the yard-gate. There stood a splendid girl at the pump, lifting a +bucket----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Look, even here in the valley, in this southern valley of the +Alps, it +is often too close for me; and I long for a breath of air from the +pine-woods of my mountains. But at court, in the narrow gilded +chambers! there I should languish and pine away. Leave me here; I shall +manage Calpurnius well enough. And thou, I know well, wilt still think +of home, wife, and child, when absent in the royal halls."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, God knows, with longing thoughts! Well then, remain +here, and God +keep thee, my good wife!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The second day after this conversation Witichis again rode +away up the +wooded heights.</p> + +<p class="normal">The parting hour had made him almost tender; but he had firmly +checked +the outbreak of feeling which it was so repugnant to his simple and +manly nature to indulge in. How the brave man's heart clung to his +trusty wife and darling boy!</p> + +<p class="normal">Behind him trotted Wachis, who would not be prevented from +accompanying +his master for a short distance.</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly he rode up to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sir," said he, "I know something."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed! Why didst not tell it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Because no one asked me about it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, I ask thee about it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes; if one is asked, then of course he must answer! The +mistress has +told you that Calpurnius is such a bad neighbour?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes; what about that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But she did not tell you since when?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; dost thou know?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, it was about half a year ago. About that time +Calpurnius once +met the mistress in the wood, alone as they both thought; but they were +not alone. Some one lay in a ditch, and was taking his mid-day nap."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou wert that sluggard!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Rightly guessed. And Calpurnius said something to the +mistress."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What did he say?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That I did not understand. But the mistress was not idle; she +lifted +her hand and struck him in the face with such a smack, that it +resounded. And since then our neighbour is a bad neighbour, and I +wanted to tell you, because I thought the mistress would not wish to +vex you about the rascal; but still it is better that you know it. And +see! there stands Calpurnius at his house door; do you see? and now +farewell, dear master."</p> + +<p class="normal">And with this he turned his horse and galloped home. But the +blood +rushed to Witichis' face.</p> + +<p class="normal">He rode up to his neighbour's door. Calpurnius was about to +retreat +into the house, but Witichis called to him in such a voice, that he was +obliged to remain.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you want with me, neighbour Witichis?" he asked, +looking up at +him askance.</p> + +<p class="normal">Witichis drew rein, and stopped his horse close to him. Then +he held +his clenched iron-gloved fist close before his neighbour's eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Neighbour Calpurnius," he said quietly, "if <i>I</i> ever +strike thee in +the face, thou wilt never rise again."</p> + +<p class="normal">Calpurnius started back in a fright.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Witichis gave his horse the spur, and rode proudly and +slowly upon +his way.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">In his study at Rome, comfortably stretched upon the soft +cushions of a +lectus, lay Cethegus the Prefect.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was of good cheer.</p> + +<p class="normal">His examination had ended with full acquittal. Only in case of +an +immediate search in his house--such as the young King had ordered, but +which his death had frustrated--could discovery have been apprehended.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had succeeded in gaining permission to complete the +fortifications +of Rome, supplying the funds out of his own exchequer, which +circumstance still more increased his influence in that city.</p> + +<p class="normal">The evening before he had held a meeting in the Catacombs. All +the +reports were favourable; the patriots were increasing in number and +means.</p> + +<p class="normal">The greater oppression which since the late occurrences at +Ravenna +weighed upon the Italians, could but serve to add to the ranks of the +malcontents; and, which was the main thing, Cethegus now held all the +threads of the conspiracy in his own hands. Even the most jealous +Republicans implicitly acknowledged the necessity of committing the +conduct of affairs, until the day of deliverance, to the most gifted of +men.</p> + +<p class="normal">The feeling against the barbarians had made such progress +amongst all +Italians, that Cethegus could entertain the project of striking a blow +without the help of the Byzantines, as soon as ever Rome was +sufficiently fortified.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For," he repeatedly told himself, "all foreign liberators are +easily +summoned, but with difficulty discarded."</p> + +<p class="normal">Musing thus, Cethegus reposed upon his lectus. He laid aside +Cæsar's +"Civil Wars," the leaves of which he had been turning over, and said to +himself:</p> + +<p class="normal">"The gods must have great things in store for me; whenever I +fall, it +is like a cat--upon my feet and unhurt. Ah! when things go well with +us, we like to share our content with others. But it is too dangerous a +pleasure to put trust in another, and Silence is the only faithful +goddess. And yet one is human, and would like----"</p> + +<p class="normal">Here a slave entered--the old Ostiarius Fidus--and silently +handed to +Cethegus a letter upon a flat golden salver.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The bearer waits," he said, and left the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus took up the letter. But as soon as he recognised the +design +upon the wax seal which secured the string twisted round the +tablets--the Dioscuri--he cried eagerly, "From Julius--at a happy +hour!" hastily untied the string, opened the tablets, and read, his +cold and pale countenance flushed with a warmth of pleasure usually +wholly strange to him:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'To Cethegus the Prefect, from Julius Montanus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'How long it is, my fatherly preceptor'--(by Jupiter! that +sounds +frosty)--'that I have delayed sending you the greeting which I owe you. +The last time I wrote from the green banks of the Ilissos, where I +sought for traces of Plato in the desolated groves of the Akademia, but +found none. I know well that my letter was not cheerful. The sad +philosophers, wandering in the lonely schools, surrounded by the +oppressions of the Emperor, the suspicion of the priests, and the +coldness of the multitude, could only arouse my compassion. My soul was +gloomy; I knew not wherefore. I blamed my ingratitude to you, the most +generous of all benefactors.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"He has never given me such intolerable names before," +observed +Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'For two years I have travelled, accompanied by your slaves +and +freedmen, endowed like a King of the Syrians with your riches, through +all Asia and Hellas; I have enjoyed all the beauty and wisdom of the +ancients, and my heart is still unsatisfied, my life empty. Not the +enthusiastic wisdom of Plato; not the gilded ivory of Phidias; not +Homer and not Thucydides gave me what I wanted! At last, at last, here +in Neapolis, in this blooming, God-endowed city; here I found what I +had unconsciously missed and sought for everywhere. Not dead wisdom, +but warm, living happiness.'--(He is in love! At last, thou coy +Hippolyte! Thanks, Eros and Anteros!)--'Oh! my guardian, my father! do +you know what happiness it is for the first time to call a heart that +completely understands you, your own?'--(Ah, Julius!" sighed the +Prefect, with a singular expression of softened sentiment, "as if I +knew it not?)--'a heart to which one can freely open his whole soul? +Oh! if you have ever proved it, rejoice with me! sacrifice to Jupiter, +the fulfiller! For the first time I have found a friend!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"What does he say?" cried Cethegus indignantly; and starting +up with a +look of jealous pain, "The ungrateful boy!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"'For thou wilt understand it well, until now I had no bosom +friend. +You, my fatherly preceptor----'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus threw the tablets upon the tortoise-shell table, and +walked +hastily up and down the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Folly!" he then said quietly, took up the letter again, and +read on:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'You, so much older, wiser, better, greater than I--you had +laid such +a weight of gratitude and reverence upon my young soul, that it could +never unfold itself to you without reserve. I have also often heard +with discouragement the biting wit with which you mocked at all warmth +and softness of feeling; and a sharp expression about your proud and +closely-compressed mouth has always killed such feelings in me, as the +night-frost kills the first violets.'--(Well, at all events, he is +sincere!)--'But now I have found a friend--frank, warm, young, and +enthusiastic--and I feel a delight hitherto unknown to me. We are one +in heart and soul; we wander together on sunny days and moonlight +nights through the Elysian fields, and are never at a loss for winged +words. But I must soon close this letter. He is a Goth'--(that too!" +cried Cethegus, angrily)--"'and is named Totila.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus let drop the hand which held the letter. He said +nothing. He +only shut his eyes for an instant, and then he quietly read on again:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'And is named Totila. The day after my arrival in Neapolis, +as I was +lounging through the Forum of Neptune, and admiring some statues under +the arches of a neighbouring house which had been exposed for sale by a +sculptor, there suddenly rushed at me, out of the door of this house, a +grey-haired man with a woollen apron, all over white with plaster, and +holding in his hand a pointed tool. He grasped my shoulder and shouted, +"Pollux, my Pollux! have I found thee at last!" I thought the old +fellow was mad, and said, "You mistake, old man, I am called Julius, +and come from Athens." "No," cried he; "thou art named Pollux, and come +from Olympus!" And before I knew what had happened, he had pushed me +into the house. There I gradually found out what was the matter. It was +the sculptor who had exposed the statues. In the ante-chamber stood +many half-finished works, and the sculptor explained to me that for +years he had been thinking of a group of the Dioscuri. For the Castor +he had found a charming model in a young Goth. "But in vain," he +continued, "have I prayed to Heaven for an inspiration for my Pollux. +He must resemble the Castor; like him, a brother of Helena and a son of +Jupiter. Complete similarity of feature and form must be there, and yet +the difference must be as apparent as the resemblance; they must each +be completely individual. In vain I sought in all the baths and +gymnasiums of Neapolis. I could not find the Leda-twin. And now a +god--Jupiter himself--has led thee to my door! It struck me like +lightning when I saw thee, 'There stands my Pollux, just as he ought to +look!' And I will never let thee depart living from my house until thou +hast promised me thy head and thy body." I willingly promised the +strange old man to come again the next day; and I did so the more +gladly when I afterwards learnt that my violent friend was Xenarchus, +the greatest sculptor in marble and bronze that Italia has known for a +long time. The next day I went again, and found my Castor. It was +Totila; and I cannot deny that the great resemblance surprised me, +although Totila is older, taller, stronger, and incomparably more +handsome than I. Xenarchus says that we are like a pale and a +gold-coloured citron--for Totila has fairer hair and beard--and just in +this manner, the master swears, were the two Dioscuri alike and unlike. +So we learnt to know and love each other amongst the statues of the +gods and goddesses in the studio of Xenarchus; became, in truth, Castor +and Pollux, inseparable and intimate as they; and already the merry +populace of Neapolis calls us by these names when we wander arm in arm +through the streets. But our new-made friendship was still more quickly +ripened by a threatened danger, which might easily have nipped it in +the bud. One evening, as usual, we had wandered out of the Porta Nolana +to seek refreshment after the heat of the day in the Baths of Tiberius. +After the bath--in a mood of sportive tenderness--you will blame it--I +had thrown my friend's mantle over me, and set his helmet, decorated +with the swan's wings, upon my head. He entered into the joke, and, +with a smile, threw my chlamys<a name="div2Ref_note04" href="#div2_note04"><sup>4</sup></a> around him; and, chatting peacefully, +we went back through the pine grove in the gloom of approaching night +to the city. All at once a man sprang upon me from a taxus-bush behind +me, and I felt cold steel at my throat. But the next moment the +murderer lay at my feet, Totila's sword in his breast. Only slightly +wounded, I bent over the dying man, and asked him what reason he had to +hate and murder me. But he stared in my face, and breathed out, "Not +thee--Totila, the Goth!" and he gave a convulsive shiver and was dead. +By his costume and weapons, we saw that he was an Isaurian mercenary.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Again the hand which held the letter dropped, and Cethegus +pressed the +other to his forehead.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Madness of chance!" he said; "to what mightest thou not have +led!" And +he read to the end. '"Totila said he had many enemies at Ravenna. We +reported the incident to Uliaris, the Gothic Earl at Neapolis. He +caused the corpse to be examined, and instituted an inquiry--without +result. But this grave event has cemented our youthful friendship and +consecrated it with blood for ever. It has united us in an earnest and +holy bond. The seal-ring of the Dioscuri, which you gave me at parting, +was a friendly omen, and it has been pleasantly fulfilled; and when I +ask myself to whom is owing all my happiness, it is to you, to you +alone, who sent me to this city, where I have found all that I wanted! +So may the gods requite you for it! Ah, I see that my letter speaks +only of myself and this friendship--write to me speedily, I beg, and +let me know how things go with you.--<i>Vale</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">A bitter smile passed across the Prefect's expressive mouth, +and he +again measured the room with rapid strides. At last he stopped, +supporting his chin in his hand:</p> + +<p class="normal">"How can I be so--childish--as to vex myself? It is all very +natural, +if very foolish. You are sick, Julius. Wait; I will write you a +prescription."</p> + +<p class="normal">And with an expression of pleased malice on his face, he +seated himself +upon the writing-divan, took a Cnidian reed-pen, and wrote with the red +ink from a cup of agate, in the shape of a lion's head, which was +screwed into the lectus:</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">"To Julius Montanus: Cethegus, Prefect of Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your touching epistle from Neapolis amused me much. It shows +that you +have not yet outlived the last childish ailments. When you have laid +them aside you will be a man. In order to precipitate this crisis, I +will prescribe the best means. You will at once seek for the trader in +purple, Valerius Procillus, the oldest friend that I have in Neapolis. +He is the richest merchant of the East, an inveterate enemy of the +Emperor of Byzantium, and as good a republican as Cato; merely on that +account he is my trusted friend. But his daughter, Valeria Procilla, is +the most beautiful Roman girl of our time, and a true daughter of the +ancient, the heathen world. She is only three years younger than you, +and therefore ten times as wise. At the same time her father will not +refuse you if you explain to him that Cethegus sues for you. But thou +wilt fall deeply in love at first sight! Of this I am sure; although I +tell it you beforehand, although you know that I wish it. In her arms +you will forget all the friends in the world; when the sun rises, the +moon pales. Besides, do you know that your Castor is one of the most +dangerous enemies of the Romans? And I once knew a certain Julius who +swore: 'Rome before all things!'--<i>Vale</i>."</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">Cethegus rolled the papyrus together, tied it with a string of +red +bast, fastened the knot with wax, and pressed his amethyst ring, +engraved with a splendid head of Jupiter, upon it. Then he touched a +silver eagle which protruded from the marble wainscoting of the room; +outside, upon the wall of the vestibule, a bronze thunderbolt struck +upon the silver shield of a fallen Titan with a clear bell-like tone. +The slave re-entered the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let the messenger have a bath; give him food and wine, a gold +solidus, +and this letter. To-morrow at sunrise he will return to Neapolis."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Several weeks later we find the grave Prefect in a circle +which seemed +very ill-suited to his lofty character, or even to his age.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the singular juxtaposition of heathenism and Christianity +which, +during the first century succeeding Constantine's conversion, filled +the life and manners of the Roman world with such harsh contrasts, the +peaceful mingling of the old and the new religious festivals played a +striking part. Generally the merry feasts of the ancient gods still +existed, together with the great holidays of the Christian Church, +though usually robbed of their original significance, of their +religious kernel. The people allowed themselves to be deprived of the +belief in Jupiter and Juno, of sacrifices and ceremonies, but not of +the games, the festivities, the dances and banquets, by which those +ceremonies had been accompanied; and the Church was at all times wise +and tolerant enough to suffer what she could not prevent. Thus, even +the truly heathen Lupercalia, which were distinguished by gross +superstition and all kinds of rude excess, were only, and with great +difficulty, abolished in the year 496.</p> + +<p class="normal">The days of the Floralia were come, which formerly were +celebrated over +the whole continent with noisy games and dances, as being specially a +feast of happy youth; and which, in the days we speak of, were at least +passed in banqueting and drinking.</p> + +<p class="normal">And so the two Licinii, with their circle of young gallants +and +patricians, had made an appointment to meet together for a symposium +upon the principal holiday of the Floralia, to which, as at our +picnics, every one contributed his share of food and wine.</p> + +<p class="normal">The guests assembled at the house of young Kallistratos, an +amiable and +rich Greek from Corinth, who had settled in Rome to enjoy an artistic +leisure, and had built, near the gardens of Sallust, a tasteful house, +which became the focus of luxury and polite society.</p> + +<p class="normal">Besides the rich Roman aristocracy, this house was +particularly +frequented by artists and scholars; and also by that stratum of the +Roman youth, which could spare little time and thought from its horses, +chariots and dogs for the State, and which until now had therefore been +inaccessible to the influence of the Prefect.</p> + +<p class="normal">For this reason Cethegus was well-pleased when young Lucius +Licinius, +now his most devoted adherent, brought him an invitation from the +Corinthian.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know," said Licinius modestly, "that we can offer you no +appropriate +entertainment; and if the Falernian and Cyprian, with which +Kallistratos regales his guests, do not entice you, you can decline to +come."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, my son; I will come," said Cethegus; "and it is not the +old +Cyprian which tempts me, but the young Romans."</p> + +<p class="normal">Kallistratos, who loved to display his Grecian origin, had +built his +house in the midst of Rome in Grecian style; not in the style then +prevalent, but in that of the free Greece of Pericles, which, by +contrast with the tasteless overcharging usual in Rome in those days, +made an impression of noble simplicity.</p> + +<p class="normal">Through a narrow passage one entered the peristyle, or open +court, +surrounded by a colonnade, in the centre of which a splashing fountain +fell into a coloured marble basin. The colonnade, open to the north, +contained, besides other rooms, the banqueting hall, in which the +company was now assembled.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus had stipulated that he should not be present at the +cœna, +or actual banquet, but only at the compotatio, the drinking-bout which +followed.</p> + +<p class="normal">So he found the friends in the elegant drinking-room, where +the bronze +lamps upon the tortoise-shell slabs on the walls were already lighted, +and the guests, crowned with roses and ivy, lay upon the cushions of +the horse-shoe-shaped triclinium.</p> + +<p class="normal">A stupefying mixture of wine-odours and flower-scents, a glare +of +torches and glow of colour, met him upon the threshold.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>Salve</i>, Cethegus!" cried the host, as he entered. "You +find but a +small party."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus ordered the slave who followed him, a beautiful and +slender +young Moor, whose finely-shaped limbs were rather revealed than hidden +by the scarlet gauze of his light tunic, to unloose his sandals. +Meanwhile he counted the guests.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not less than the Graces, nor more than the Muses," he said +with a +smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quick, choose a wreath," said Kallistratos, "and take your +place up +there, upon the seat of honour on the couch. We have chosen you +beforehand for the king of the feast."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Prefect was determined to charm these young people. He +knew how +well he could do so, and that day he wished to make a particular +impression. He chose a crown of roses, and took the ivory sceptre, +which a Syrian slave handed to him upon his knees.</p> + +<p class="normal">Placing the rose-wreath on his head, he raised the sceptre +with +dignity.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thus I put an end to your freedom!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A born ruler!" cried Kallistratos, half in joke, half in +earnest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I will be a gentle tyrant! My first law: one-third +water--two-thirds wine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oho!" cried Lucius Licinius, and drank to him, "<i>bene te!</i> +you govern +luxuriously. Equal parts is usually our strongest mixture."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, friend," said Cethegus, smiling, and seating himself +upon the +corner seat of the central triclinium, the "Consul's seat," "but I took +lessons in drinking amongst the Egyptians; they drink pure wine. Ho, +cupbearer--what is he called?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ganymede--he is from Phrygia. Fine fellow--eh?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"So, Ganymede, obey thy Jupiter, and place near each guest; a +patera of +Mamertine wine--but near Balbus two, because he is a countryman."</p> + +<p class="normal">The young people laughed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Balbus was a rich Sicilian proprietor, still quite young, and +already +very stout.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bah!" said he, laughing, "ivy round my head, and an amethyst +on my +finger--I defy the power of Bacchus!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, at which wine have you arrived?" asked Cethegus, at the +same +time signing to the Moor who now stood behind him, and who at once +brought a second wreath of roses, and, this time, wound it about his +neck.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Must of Setinum, with honey from Hymettus, was the last. +There, try +it!" said Piso, the roguish poet, whose epigrams and anacreontics could +not be copied quickly enough by the booksellers; and whose finances, +notwithstanding, were always in poetical disorder. He handed to the +Prefect what we should call a <i>vexing-cup</i>, a bronze serpent's-head, +which, lifted carelessly to the lips, violently shot a stream of wine +into the drinker's throat.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cethegus knew the trick, drank carefully, and returned the +cup.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I like your <i>dry</i> wit better, Piso," he said, laughing; +and snatched a +wax tablet from a fold in the other's garment.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, give it me back," said Piso; "it is no verses--just the +contrary--a list of my debts for wine and horses."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," observed Cethegus, "I have taken it--so it and they +are +mine. To-morrow you may fetch the quittance at my house; but not for +nothing--for one of your most spiteful epigrams upon my pious friend +Silverius."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Cethegus!" cried the poet, delighted and flattered, "how +spiteful +one can be for 40,000 solidi! Woe to the holy man of God!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">"And the dessert--how far have you got there?" asked Cethegus, +"already +at the apples? are these they?" and he looked, screwing up his eyes, at +two heaped-up fruit-baskets, which stood upon a bronze table with ivory +legs.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha, victory!" laughed Marcus Licinius, Lucius's younger +brother, who +amused himself with the then fashionable pastime of modelling in wax. +"There! you see my art, Kallistratos! The Prefect thinks that my waxen +apples, which I gave you yesterday, are real."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, indeed!" cried Cethegus, as if astonished, although he +had long +since noticed the smell of the wax with dislike. "Yes, art deceives the +most acute. With whom did you learn? I should like to put similar +ornaments in my Kyzikenian hall."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am an autodidact," said Marcus proudly, "and to-morrow I +will send +you my new Persian apples--for you honour art."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But is the sitting at an end?" asked the Prefect, resting his +left arm +on the cushions of the triclinium.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," cried the host, "I will confess the truth. As I could +not reckon +upon the king of our feast until the dessert, I have prepared a little +after-feast to be taken with the wine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, you sinner!" cried Balbus, wiping his greasy lips upon +the rough +purple Turkish table-cover, "and I have eaten such a terrible quantity +of your <i>becca-ficchi</i>!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is against the agreement!" cried Marcus Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It will spoil my manners," said the merry Piso gravely.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say, is that Hellenic simplicity?" asked Lucius Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Peace, friends!" and Cethegus comforted them with a +quotation: "'E'en +unexpected hurt, a Roman bears unmoved.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Hellenic host must adjust himself according to his +guests," said +Kallistratos, excusing himself. "I feared you would not come again if I +offered you Marathonian fare."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, at least confess with what you menace us," cried +Cethegus. +"Thou, Nomenclator! read the bill of fare. I will then decide upon the +suitable wines."</p> + +<p class="normal">The slave--a handsome Lydian boy, dressed in a garment of blue +Pelusian +linen, slit up to the knee--came close to Cethegus at the cypress-wood +table, and read from a little tablet which he carried fastened to a +golden chain about his neck:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fresh oysters from Britannia, in tunny-sauce, with lettuce."</p> + +<p class="normal">"With this dish, Falernian from Fundi," said Cethegus at once. +"But +where is the sideboard with the cups? Good wine deserves handsome +goblets."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is the sideboard!" And at a sign from the host, a +curtain, which +had concealed a corner of the room opposite the guests, dropped.</p> + +<p class="normal">A cry of astonishment ran round the table.</p> + +<p class="normal">The richness of the service displayed, and the taste with +which it was +arranged, surprised even these fastidious feasters.</p> + +<p class="normal">Upon the marble slab of a side-table stood a roomy silver +carriage, +with golden wheels and bronze horses. It was a model of a booty-wagon, +such as were used in Roman triumphal processions, and, like a costly +booty, within it was piled, in seeming disorder, but with an artistic +hand, a quantity of goblets, glasses, and salvers, of every shape and +material.</p> + +<p class="normal">"By Mars the Victor!" laughed the Prefect, "the first Roman +triumph for +two hundred years! A rare sight! Dare I destroy it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are the man to set it up again," said Lucius, with fire.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you think so? Let us try! First, we will have that goblet +of +pistachio-wood for the Falernian."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wind-thrushes from the Tagus, with asparagus from Tarento," +continued +the Lydian, reading the bill of fare.</p> + +<p class="normal">"With that, red Massikian from Sinuessa, to be drunk out of +that +amethyst goblet."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Young lobsters from Trapezunt, with flamingo-tongues."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop! By holy Bacchus!" cried Balbus, "it is the torture of +Tantalus. It is all the same to me out of what I drink, whether from +pistachio-wood or amethyst; but to listen to this list of divine +dainties with a dry throat, is more than I can stand. Down with +Cethegus, the tyrant! Let him die, if he lets us thirst!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I feel as if I were Emperor, and heard the roar of the +faithful Roman +populace! I will save my life and yield. Serve the dishes, slaves."</p> + +<p class="normal">At this the sound of flutes was heard from an outer room, and +six +slaves entered, marching in time to the music, with ivy in their +shining, anointed locks, and dressed in red mantles and white tunics. +They gave to each guest a snowy cloth of finest Sidonian linen, with +purple fringes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh," cried Massurius, a young merchant who traded principally +with +beautiful slaves of both sexes, and enjoyed the rather doubtful +reputation of being a great critic in such wares, "the best cloth is +beautiful hair," and he passed his hands through the locks of a +Ganymede who was kneeling near him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, Kallistratos, I hope those flutes are of the female sex. +Up with +the curtain; let the girls in."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not yet," ordered Cethegus. "First drink, then kiss. Without +Bacchus +and Ceres, you know----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Venus freezes, but not Massurius!"</p> + +<p class="normal">All at once lyres and citharas sounded from the side room, and +there +entered a procession of eight youths in shining silken garments of a +gold-green colour. Foremost the "dresser" and the "carver." The other +six bore dishes upon their heads. They passed the guests with measured +steps, and halted at the sideboard of citron-wood. While they were busy +there, castanets and cymbals were heard from another part of the house; +the large double doors turned upon their shining bronze hinges, and a +swarm of slaves in the becoming costume of Corinthian youths streamed +into the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some handed bread in ornamentally-perforated baskets; others +whisked +the flies away with fans of ostrich feathers and palm-leaves; some +gracefully poured oil into the wall-lamps from double-handled vases; +whilst others swept the crumbs from the mosaic pavement with besoms of +Egyptian reeds, or helped Ganymede to fill the cups, which now were +circling merrily.</p> + +<p class="normal">The conversation grew more rapid and animated, and Cethegus, +who, +although he remained cool and collected, seemed to be quite lost in the +enjoyment of the moment, charmed the young guests by his youthful +gaiety.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you say?" asked the host, "shall we play dice between +the +dishes? There stands the dice-box, near Piso."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, Massurius," observed Cethegus, with a sarcastic look at +the +slave-dealer, "will you try your luck with me once more? Will you bet +against me? Give him the dice-box, Syphax," he said to the Moor.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mercury forbid!" answered Massurius, with comical fright. +"Have +nothing to do with the Prefect he has inherited the luck of his +ancestor, Julius Cæsar."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Omen accipio!" laughed Cethegus. "I accept the omen, with the +dagger +of Brutus into the bargain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I tell you, he is a magician! Only lately he won an +unwinnable bet +against me about this black demon," and the speaker threw a cactus-fig +at the slave's face, but Syphax caught it cleverly with his shining +white teeth, and quietly ate it up.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well done, Syphax!" said Cethegus. "Roses from the thorns of +the +enemy! Thou canst become a conjurer as soon as I let thee free."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Syphax does not wish to be free: he will always be your +Syphax, and +save your life as you saved his."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is that--thy life?" asked Lucius Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Did you pardon him?" asked Marcus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"More than that, I bought him off."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, with my money!" grumbled Massurius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know that I immediately gave him the money I won from you +as his +private possession," answered Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What about this bet? Let us hear. Perhaps it will afford a +subject for +my epigrams," said Piso.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Retire, Syphax. There! the cook is bringing us his +masterpiece, it +seems."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<p class="continue">It was a turbot weighing six pounds, which for years had been +fed with +goose-liver in the sea-water fishponds of Kallistratos. The much-prized +"Rhombus" was served upon a silver dish, with a little golden crown on +its head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All ye gods, and thou, Prophet Jonah!" stammered Balbus, +sinking back +upon the cushions, "that fish is worth more than I!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Peace, friend," said Piso, "let not Cato hear thee, who said, +'Woe to +that city where a fish is worth more than an ox.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">A burst of laughter, and the loud call of "<i>Euge belle!</i>" +drowned the +angry exclamation of the half-drunken Sicilian.</p> + +<p class="normal">The fish was carved, and was found delicious.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, slaves, away with the weak Massikian. A noble fish must +swim in +noble liquid. Quick, Syphax, the wine which I have contributed to the +banquet will suit exactly. Go, and let the amphora, which the slaves +have set in snow outside, be brought in, and with it the cups of yellow +amber."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What rare thing have you brought--from what country?" asked +Kallistratos.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ask this far-travelled Odysseus, from what hemisphere," said +Piso.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must guess. And whoever guesses right, or whoever has +already +tasted this wine, shall have an amphora from me as large as this."</p> + +<p class="normal">Two slaves, crowned with ivy, dragged in the immense +dark-coloured +vase; it was of brown-black porphyry and of a singular shape, inscribed +with hieroglyphics and well closed at the neck with plaster.</p> + +<p class="normal">"By the Styx! does it come from Tartarus? It is indeed a black +fellow!" +said Marcus, laughing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But it has a white soul--show, Syphax."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Nubian carefully knocked off the plaster with an ebony +hammer which +Ganymede handed to him, took out the stopper of palm-rind with a bronze +hook, poured away the oil which swam at the top of the wine, and filled +the cups. A strong and intoxicating odour arose from the white and +sticky fluid.</p> + +<p class="normal">Every one drank with an air of examination.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A drink fit for the gods!" cried Balbus, setting down his +cup.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But as strong as liquid fire," said Kallistratos.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not know it," said Lucius Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nor I," affirmed Marcus Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I am happy to make its acquaintance," said Piso, and held +his +empty cup to Syphax.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said the host, turning to an, until now, almost silent +guest at +his right hand, "well, Furius, valiant sailor, discoverer and +adventurer! you who have sailed round the world, is <i>your</i> wisdom also +at fault?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The guest slightly raised himself from the cushions. He was a +handsome athletic man of about thirty years of age, with a bronzed +weather-beaten complexion, coal-black, deep-set eyes, dazzling white +teeth, and a full beard, trimmed in Oriental fashion. But before he +could speak Kallistratos interposed:</p> + +<p class="normal">"By Jupiter Xenios! I believe you do not know each other!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus measured his unknown and attractive companion with a +keen +look.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know the Prefect of Rome," said the silent guest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, Cethegus," said Kallistratos, "this is my Vulcanic +friend, +Furius Ahalla, from Corsica, the richest ship-owner of the West; deep +as night and hot as fire. He possesses fifty houses, villas and palaces +on all the coasts of Europe, Asia, and Africa; twenty galleys; a few +thousand slaves and sailors, and----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And a very talkative friend," concluded the Corsican. +"Prefect, I am +sorry for you, but the amphora is mine. I know the wine." And he took a +Kibitz-egg and broke the shell with a silver spoon.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hardly," said Cethegus with a sarcastic smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nevertheless I do know it. It is Isis-wine. From Memphis." +And the +Corsican quietly sipped the golden yolk of his egg.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus looked at him in surprise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well guessed!" he then said. "Where have you tasted it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Necessarily in the same place as you. It flows only from one +source," +said the Corsican, smiling.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Enough of your secrets! No riddles under the rose!" cried +Piso.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where have you two weasels found the same nest?" asked +Kallistratos.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed," said Cethegus, "you may as well know it. In Old +Egypt, and +particularly in holy Memphis, there remain near the Christian settlers +and monks in the deserts, men, and especially women, who still cling to +their old faith; who will not forsake Apis and Osiris, and cherish +faithfully the sweet worship of Isis. They fly from the surface, where +the Church has victoriously planted the cross of the ascetics, to the +secret bosom of Mother Earth with their holy and beloved religious +ceremonies. They still keep, hidden below the pyramids of Cheops, a few +hundred amphoras of the strong wine which intoxicated the initiated at +the orgies of joy and love. The secret is kept from generation to +generation, there is always only one priestess who knows the cellar and +keeps the key. I kissed the priestess and she let me in. She was like a +wild cat, but her wine was good; and at parting she gave me five +amphoras to take on board my ship."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I did not get as far as that with Smerda," said the Corsican. +"She let +me drink in the cellar, but at parting she only gave me this." And he +bared his brown throat.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A dagger-stab of jealousy!" laughed Cethegus. "Well, I am +glad that +the daughter has not degenerated. In my time, that is, when the mother +let me drink, the little Smerda still ran about in baby-frocks. Long +live the Nile and sweet Isis!" And the two men drank to each other. But +yet they were vexed that they shared a secret which each believed he +had possessed alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">The others, however, were charmed by the amiable humour of the +icy +Prefect, who chatted with them as youthfully as the youngest amongst +them, and who now, when the favourite theme of young men at the +wine-cup had been introduced--love adventures and stories of lovely +women--bubbled over with anecdotes of jests and tricks, of most of +which he had himself been witness. Every one stormed him with +questions. The Corsican alone remained dumb and cold.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say," cried the host, and signed to the cup-bearer just as a +burst of +mirth caused by one of these stories had ceased; "tell us, you man of +varied experience--Egyptian Isis-girls, Gallic Druidesses, black-haired +daughters of Syria, and my plastic sisters of Hellas--all these you +know and understand how to value; but tell us, have you ever loved a +Germanic woman?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said Cethegus, "they were always too insipid for me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oho!" said Kallistratos; "that is saying too much. I tell +you, I was +mad all the last calendars for a German girl; she was not at all +insipid."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What? you, Kallistratos of Corinth, the countryman of Aspasia +and +Helena, you could burn for a barbarian woman? Oh, wicked Eros, +sense-confuser, man-shamer!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, I acknowledge it was an error of the senses. I have +never before +experienced such."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Relate, relate!" cried all the others.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<p class="continue">"With pleasure," said the host, smoothing his cushions; +"although I +play no brilliant part in the story. Well, some time ago I was +returning home from the baths of Abaskanthus at about the eighth hour. +In the street I found a woman's litter, accompanied by four slaves, +who, I believe, were captive Gepidians. And exactly opposite the door +of my house stood two veiled women, their calanticas thrown over their +heads. One wore the garment of a slave, but the other was very richly +and tastefully dressed; and the little that could be seen of her figure +was divine. Such a graceful walk, such slender ankles, such an arched +instep! As I approached they entered the litter and were gone. But +I--you know that a sculptor's blood flows in the veins of every +Greek--I dreamt all night of the slender ankles and the light step. The +next day at noon, as I opened the door to go, as usual, to the +bibliographers in the Forum, I saw the same litter hurrying away. I +confess--though I am not usually vain--I thought that this time I had +made a conquest; I wished it so much. And I could no longer doubt it, +when, coming home again at the eighth hour, I saw my strange beauty, +this time unaccompanied, slip past me and hurry to her litter. I could +not follow the quick-footed slaves, so I entered my house, full of +happy thoughts. The ostiarius met me and said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Sir, a veiled female slave waits in the library.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hurried to the room with a beating heart. It was really the +slave +whom I had seen yesterday. She threw back her mantle; a handsome +coquettish Moor or Carthaginian--I know the sort--looked at me with sly +eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I claim the reward of a messenger, Kallistratos,' she said; +'I bring +you good news.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I took her hand and would have patted her cheek--for who +desires to +win the mistress must kiss the slave--but she laughed and said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'No, not Eros; Hermes sends me. My mistress'--I listened +eagerly. 'My +mistress is--a passionate lover of art. She offers you three thousand +solidi for the bust of Ares which stands in the niche at the door of +your house.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">The young guests laughed loudly, Cethegus joining in their +merriment.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, laugh away!" continued the host, smiling; "but I assure +you I +did not laugh. My dreams were dashed to pieces, and I said, greatly +vexed, 'I do not sell my busts.' The slave offered five thousand, ten +thousand solidi. I turned my back upon her and opened the door. Then +the sly puss said, 'I know that Kallistratos is indignant because he +expected an adventure, and only found a money-affair. He is a Greek, +and loves beauty; he burns with curiosity to see my mistress.' This +was so true, that I could only smile. 'Well,' she said, 'you shall see +her, and then I will renew my last offer. Should you still refuse, at +least you will have had the advantage of satisfying your curiosity. +To-morrow, at the eighth hour, the litter will come again. Then be +ready with your Ares.' And she slipped away. I cannot deny that my +curiosity was aroused. Quite decided not to give up my Ares, and yet to +see this beauteous art-enthusiast, I waited impatiently for the +appointed hour. It came, and with it the litter. I stood watching at my +open door. The slave descended. 'Come,' she called to me, 'you shall +see her.' Trembling with excitement, I stepped forward, the curtain +fell, and I saw----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well?" cried Marcus, bending forward, his cup in his hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What I shall never again forget! a face, friends, of +unimagined +beauty. Cypris and Artemis in one! I was dazzled. But I hurried back, +lifted the Ares from its niche, gave it to the Punic slave, refused her +money, and staggered into my house as confused as if I had seen a +wood-nymph."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, that is wonderful," laughed Massurius; "you are else no +novice +in the works of Eros."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," asked Cethegus, "how do you know that your charmer was +a Goth?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"She had dark-red hair, and a milk-white skin, and black +eyebrows."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, ye gods!" thought Cethegus. But he was silent and waited. +No one +present uttered the name. "They do not know her.--And when was this?" +he asked his host.</p> + +<p class="normal">"During the last calendars."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quite right," thought Cethegus. "She came at that time from +Tarentum +through Rome to Ravenna. She rested here for three days."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And so," said Piso, laughing, "you gave your Ares for a look +at a +beautiful woman! A bad bargain! This time, Mercury and Venus were +allies. Poor Kallistratos!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh," said Kallistratos, "the bust was not worth so very much. +It was +modern work. Ion of Neapolis made it three years, ago. But I tell you, +I would give a Phidias for such a look."</p> + +<p class="normal">"An ideal head?" asked Cethegus indifferently, and lifted +admiringly +the bronze mixing-vase which stood before him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; the model was a barbarian--some Gothic earl or +other--Watichis or +Witichas--who can remember these hyperborean names," said Kalistratos, +as he peeled a peach.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus reflectively sipped his wine from the cup of amber.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">"Well, one might put up with the barbarian women," cried +Marcus +Licinius, "but may Orcus devour their brothers!" and he tore the faded +rose-wreath from his head--the flowers could ill bear the close air of +the room--and replaced it by a fresh one. "Not only have they deprived +us of liberty--they even beat us upon the field of love, with the +daughters of Hesperia. Only lately, the beautiful Lavinia shut the door +upon my brother, and received the foxy-haired Aligern."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Barbaric taste!" observed Lucius, shrugging his shoulders, +and taking +to his Isis-wine, as if to comfort himself. "You know the Goths too, +Furius; is it not an error of taste?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not know your rival," answered the Corsican; "but there +are +youths enough among the Goths who might well be dangerous to a woman. +And an adventure occurs to me, which I lately discovered, but of which, +certainly, the point is still wanting."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That does not matter; tell it to us," said Kallistratos, +putting his +hands into the luke-warm water, which was now handed round in +Corinthian bronze vessels; "perhaps we can find the point."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The hero of my story," began Furius, "is the handsomest of +all the +Goths."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, the young Totila," interrupted Piso, and gave his +cameo-decorated +cup to be filled with iced wine.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The same. I have known him for years, and like him +exceedingly, as all +must who have ever looked into his sunny face; not to speak of the +fact"--and here the shadow of some grave remembrance flitted across the +Corsican's face, as he hesitated--"that I am under an obligation to +him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It seems that you are in love with the fair-haired youth," +said +Massurius sarcastically, and throwing to the slave he had brought with +him a kerchief full of Picentinian biscuits, to take home with him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; but he has been very friendly to me, as he is to every +one with +whom he comes into contact; and very often he had the harbour-watch in +the Italian ports where I landed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, he has rendered great services to the Gothic navy," said +Lucius +Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As well as to their cavalry," concurred Marcus. "The slender +youth is +the best rider in his nation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, I met him last in Neapolis. We were well-pleased to +meet, but it +was in vain that I pressed him to share our merry suppers on board my +ship."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, those suppers are both celebrated and ill-famed," +observed Balbus; +"you have always the most fiery wines."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the most fiery girls," added Massurius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"However that may be, Totila always pleaded business, and was +not to be +persuaded. Imagine that! business after the eighth hour in Neapolis, +when the most industrious are lazy! Naturally, it was only an excuse. I +promised myself to find out his pranks, and, at evening, loitered near +his house in the Via Lata. And truly, the very first evening he came +out, looking carefully about him, and, to my surprise, in disguise. He +was dressed like a gardener, with a travelling-cap well drawn down over +his face, and a cloak folded closely about him. I dogged his footsteps. +He went straight through the town to the Porta Capuana. Close to the +gate stands a large tower, inhabited by the gate-keeper, an old +patriarchal Jew, whom King Theodoric, on account of his great fidelity, +entrusted with the office of warder. My Goth stood still before the +house, and gently clapped his hands. A little side-door, which I had +not remarked before, opened noiselessly, and Totila slipped in like an +eel."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ho, ho!" interrupted Piso eagerly, "I know both the Jew and +his child +Miriam--a splendid large-eyed girl! The most beautiful daughter of +Israel, the pearl of the East! Her lips are red as pomegranates, her +eyes are deep sea-blue, her cheeks have the rosy bloom of the peach."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well done, Piso," said Cethegus, smiling; "your poem is very +beautiful."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," he answered, "Miriam herself is living poetry."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Jewess is proud," grumbled Massurius, "she scorned my +gold with a +look as if no one had ever bought a woman before."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So the haughty Goth," said Lucius Licinius, "who walks with +an air as +if he earned all heaven's stars upon his curly head, has condescended +to a Jewess."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So I thought, and I determined, at the next opportunity, to +laugh at +the youth for his predilection for musk. But nothing of the sort! A few +days later, I was obliged to go to Capua. I started before daybreak to +avoid the heat. I drove out of the town through the Porta Capuana, just +as it was dawning, and as I rattled over the hard stones before the +Jews' tower, I thought with envy of Totila, and said to myself that he +was then lying in the embrace of two white arms. But at the second +milestone from the gate, walking towards the town, with two empty +flower-baskets hanging over his breast and back, dressed in a +gardener's costume, just as before, whom should I meet but Totila! +Therefore he was not lying in Miriam's arms; the Jewess was not his +sweetheart, but perhaps his confidante; and who knows where the flower +that this gardener cherishes blooms? The lucky fellow! Only consider +that on the Via Capuana stand all the villas and pleasure-houses of the +first families of Neapolis, and that in these gardens flourish and +bloom the loveliest of women."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By my genius!" cried Lucius Licinius, lifting his wreathed +goblet, "in +that region live the most beautiful women of Italia--cursed be the +Goths!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," shouted Massurius, glowing with wine, "cursed be +Kallistratos and +the Corsican! who offer us strange love-stories, as the stork offered +the fox food from narrow-necked flasks. Now, O mine host, let your +girls in, if you have ordered any. You need not excite our expectation +any further."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes! the girls! the dancers! the players!" cried the +young guests +all together.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hold!" said the host. "When Aphrodite comes, she must tread +upon +flowers. This glass I dedicate to thee, Flora!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He sprang up, and dashed a costly crystal cup against the +tabled +ceiling, so that it broke with a loud ring. As soon as the glass struck +the ceiling, the whole of it opened like a trap-door, and a thick rain +of flowers of all kinds fell upon the heads of the astonished guests; +roses from Pæstum, violets from Thurii, myrtles from Tarentum; covering +with scented bunches the tesselated floor, the tables, the cushions, +and the heads of the drinkers.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never," cried Cethegus, "did Venus descend more beautifully +upon +Paphos!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Kallistratos clapped his hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">To the sound of lyre and flute the centre wall of the room, +directly +opposite the triclinium, parted; four short-robed female dancers, +chosen for their beauty, in Persian costume, that is, dressed in +transparent rose-coloured gauze, sprang, clashing their cymbals, from +behind a bush of blooming oleander.</p> + +<p class="normal">Behind them came a large carriage in the form of a fan-shaped +shell, +with golden wheels, pushed by eight young female slaves. Four girls, +playing on the flute, and dressed in Lydian garments--purple and white +with gold-embroidered mantles--walked before, and upon the seat of the +carriage rested, in a half-lying position, and covered with roses, +Aphrodite herself; a blooming girl of enchanting, voluptuous beauty, +whose almost only garment was an imitation of Aphrodite's girdle of the +Graces.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha, by Eros and Anteros!" cried Massurius, and sprang down +from the +triclinium with an unsteady step amidst the group.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us draw lots for the girls," said Piso; "I have new dice +made from +the bones of the gazelle. Let us inaugurate them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let our festal King decide," proposed Marcus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, freedom! freedom at least in love!" cried Massurius, and +roughly +caught the goddess by the arm; "and music. Hey there! Music!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Music!" ordered Kallistratos.</p> + +<p class="normal">But before the cymbal-players could begin, the entrance-doors +were +hastily thrown open, and pushing the slaves who tried to stop him +aside, Scævola rushed in. He was deadly pale.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You here! I really find you here, Cethegus! at this moment!" +he cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What's the matter?" asked the Prefect, quietly taking the +wreath of +roses off his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What's the matter!" repeated Scævola. "The fatherland +trembles between +Scylla and Charybdis! The Gothic Dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well?" asked Lucius Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are murdered!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Triumph!" shouted the young Roman, and let loose the dancer +whom he +held in his arms.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A fine triumph!" said the jurist angrily. "When the news +reached +Ravenna, the mob accused the Queen; they stormed the palace--but +Amalaswintha had escaped."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whither?" asked Cethegus, starting up.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whither! Upon a Grecian ship--to Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus frowned and silently set down his cup.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But the worst is that the Goths mean to dethrone her, and +choose a +King."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A King?" said Cethegus. "Well, I will call the Senate +together. The +Romans, too, shall choose."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whom? what shall we choose?" asked Scævola.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cethegus was not obliged to answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">Before he could speak Lucius shouted:</p> + +<p class="normal">"A Dictator! Away, away to the Senate!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To the Senate!" repeated Cethegus majestically. "Syphax, my +mantle!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here, master, and the sword as well," whispered the Moor. "I +always +bring it with me, in case of need."</p> + +<p class="normal">And host and guests, staggering, followed Cethegus, who, the +only +completely sober man amongst them, was the first out of the house and +into the street.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">In one of the small rooms of the Emperor's palace in +Byzantium, a short +time after the Feast of the Floralia, a little man of insignificant +appearance was pacing to and fro, lost in anxious thought.</p> + +<p class="normal">The room was quiet and lonely. Although outside it was broad +daylight, +the bay-window, which looked into the court of the extensive edifice, +was thickly hung with heavy curtains of gold-brocade. Equally costly +stuffs covered the mosaic floor, so that no noise accompanied the +footsteps of the solitary inmate.</p> + +<p class="normal">A softened light filled the room. Relieved against the golden +background of the walls, stood a row of small white busts of the +Christian Emperors since Constantine. Exactly over a writing divan, +hung a large cross of massive gold. Whenever the little man passed +this, he bent before it; for in the middle of the gold, and covered +with glass, a splinter of wood was enclosed, said to be a piece of the +true Cross. At last he stopped before a map, which, representing the +<i>orbis Romanus</i>, and traced upon a parchment with a purple border, +covered one of the walls.</p> + +<p class="normal">After a long and searching look, he sighed and covered his +eyes with +his hands. They were not beautiful, nor was his face noble; but his +features were exceedingly suggestive both of good and evil. Mistrust, +cunning and vigilance lay in the restless glance of his deep-set eyes; +deep wrinkles, more the result of care than of age, furrowed his +projecting forehead and hollow cheeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who can foresee the result?" he exclaimed, sighing again, and +rubbing +his long and bony hands. "I am unceasingly impelled to do it. A spirit +has entered my bosom, and it warns me repeatedly. But is it an angel of +the Lord or a demon? Who can interpret my dream? Forgive, Thou Triune +God, forgive Thy most zealous servant! Thou hast cursed him who +interprets dreams. And yet Joseph interpreted the dreams of King +Pharaoh, and Jacob saw the heavens open; and their dreams were from +Thee. Shall I, dare I venture?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Again he walked to and fro; and who knows how long he would +have +continued to do so, had not the purple curtains of the doorway been +gently drawn aside. A slave, glittering with gold, threw himself on the +ground before the little man, with his arms crossed on his breast.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Emperor, the patricians whom you summoned have arrived.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Patience!" said the Emperor to himself, and seated himself +upon a +couch, of which the supports were made of gold and ivory. "Quick with +the shoes and the chlamys!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The slave drew a pair of sandals with thick soles and high +heels upon +the Emperor's feet, which added some inches to his height, and threw +over his shoulders a rich mantle worked all over with stars of gold, +kissing each article as he touched it. After a repetition of the humble +prostration, which had lately been introduced at Byzantium in this +aggravated form of Oriental submission, the slave withdrew.</p> + +<p class="normal">Emperor Justinian placed himself opposite the entrance in the +attitude +in which he was accustomed to give audience, resting his left arm upon +a broken porphyry column from the Temple of Jerusalem.</p> + +<p class="normal">The curtain at the entrance was again parted, and three men +entered, +with the same salutation as the slave; and yet they were the first men +of the empire, as was shown by their characteristic heads and +intellectual features, still more than by their richly-decorated +garments.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We have summoned you," began the Emperor, without noticing +their +humble greeting, "to hear your advice concerning Italy. You have had +all necessary information--the letters of the Queen-regent, and the +documents of the patriotic party. You have also had three days to +reflect. Speak first, Magister Militum."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he turned to the tallest of the three, a man of stately +and heroic +figure, clad in a full suit of richly-gilded armour. His well-opened, +light-brown eyes were frank and confident; his large, straight nose and +full cheeks gave his face an expression of health and strength. There +was something Herculean about his broad chest and powerful thighs +and arms; but his mouth, in spite of the fierce beard, was mild and +good-humoured.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sire," he said, in a full, deep-chested voice, "the advice of +Belisarius is always, 'Attack the enemy!' At your command, I lately +destroyed the Kingdom of the Vandals, in Africa, with fifteen thousand +men. Give me thirty thousand, and I will lay the Gothic crown at your +feet."</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Tis well," said the Emperor approvingly. "Your words have +done me +good. What say you, Tribonianus, pearl of jurists?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The jurist was little shorter than Belisarius, but not so +broad-shouldered and stout-limbed. His high, grave forehead, quiet +eyes, and expressive mouth, bore witness to a powerful mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Emperor," said he firmly, "I warn you against this war. It is +unjust."</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinian started up indignantly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Unjust!--to recover that which belongs to the Roman Empire!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Which <i>did</i> belong. Your predecessor, Zeno, ceded the +West to +Theodoric and his Goths when they had overthrown the usurper Odoacer."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodoric was to be the Viceregent of the Emperor, not the +King of +Italy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Admitted. But after he had become King--as he could not fail +to do, +for a Theodoric could never be the servant of another--the Emperor +Anastasius, your uncle Justinus, and, later, you yourself, acknowledged +him and his kingdom."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That was under the pressure of necessity. Now that they are +in need, +and I the stronger, I revoke that acknowledgment."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is exactly what I call unjust."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are blunt and disagreeable, Tribonianus, and a tough +disputant. +You are excellently fitted to compile my pandects. I will never again +ask your advice in politics. What has justice to do with politics?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Justice, Justinianus, is the best policy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bah! Alexander and Cæsar thought differently."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, first, they never completed their work; and, +secondly----"</p> + +<p class="normal">He stopped.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, secondly?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Secondly, you are not Cæsar, nor are you Alexander."</p> + +<p class="normal">All were silent. After a pause, the Emperor said quietly:</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are very frank, Tribonianus."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Always, Justinianus."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Emperor quickly turned to the third of his advisers:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, what is your opinion, Narses?"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Narses was a stunted little man, considerably shorter than +Justinian, +for which reason the latter stooped, when speaking with him, much more +than was necessary. He was bald, his complexion a sickly yellow, his +right shoulder higher than his left, and he limped a little on the left +foot, supporting himself upon a stick with a golden crutch. But his +eagle eye was so commanding, that it annulled any disagreeable +impression made by his insignificant figure, and lent to his plain +countenance the consecration of intellectual greatness, while the +expression of painful resignation and cool superiority about his mouth +had even a singular charm. When addressed by the Emperor, Narses +quickly banished from his lips a cold smile, which had been excited by +the jurist's moral politics, and raised his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Emperor," he said, in a sharp, decided voice, "I would +dissuade you +from this war--for the present."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Emperor bit his lips in vexation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Also from reasons of justice?" he asked, almost +sarcastically.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I said: for the present."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Because what is necessary precedes what is pleasant. He who +has to +defend his own house should not break into strange dwellings."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What does that mean?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It means, that no danger threatens your empire from the West, +from the +Goths. The enemy who can, and perhaps will, destroy it, comes from the +East."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Persians!" cried Justinian contemptuously.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Since when," interposed Belisarius, "since when does Narses, +my great +rival, fear the Persians?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Narses fears no one," answered the latter, without looking at +his +interrogator, "neither the Persians whom he has beaten, nor you whom +the Persians have beaten. But he knows the Orient. If not the Persians, +then it will be others who follow them. The tempest which threatens +Byzantium approaches from the Tigris, not from the Tiber."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, and what does that mean?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It means, that it is a shameful thing for you, O Emperor, and +for the +Roman name which we still bear, that you should, year by year, buy +peace from Chosroes, the Persian Khan, at the cost of many +hundredweights of gold."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Emperor's face flushed scarlet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How can you put such a meaning upon gifts, subsidies?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gifts! If they are not forthcoming but a week after the day +of +payment, Chosroes, the son of Cabades, burns your villages! Subsidies! +With them he pays Huns and Saracens, the most dangerous enemies of your +frontiers!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinian walked rapidly through the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you then advise?" he said at last, stopping short +before +Narses.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not to attack the Goths without necessity or reason, when we +can +scarcely defend ourselves from the Persians. To put forth the whole +power of your empire in order to abolish this shameful tribute; to +prevent the depredations on your frontiers; to rebuild the burnt towns +of Antiochia, Dara, and Edessa; to win back the provinces which you +lost, in spite of the valiant sword of Belisarius; and to protect your +frontiers by a seven-fold girdle of fortresses from the Euphrates to +the Araxes. And when you have completed this necessary work--and I fear +much you cannot complete it--then you may follow where Fame leads."</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinianus slightly shook his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are displeasing to me, Narses," he said bitterly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I knew that long ago," Narses answered quietly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And not indispensable," cried Belisarius proudly. "Do not +listen, my +great Emperor, to this small doubter. Give me the thirty thousand, and +I wager my right hand that I will conquer Italy for you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I wager my head, which is more," said Narses, "that +Belisarius +will conquer Italy neither with thirty, nor with sixty, nor with a +hundred thousand men.",</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," asked Justinianus, "and who can do it, and with what +forces?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I," said Narses, "with eighty thousand."</p> + +<p class="normal">Belisarius grew red with anger; he was silent for want of +words.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have never yet, with all your self-esteem, Narses," said +the +jurist, "vaunted yourself thus highly above your rival."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not now, Tribonianus. See, the difference is this: +Belisarius is +a great hero, and I am not; but I am a great general, and Belisarius is +not, and none but a great general can conquer the Goths."</p> + +<p class="normal">Belisarius drew himself up to his full height, and angrily +grasped his +sword. He looked as if he would have gladly crushed the cripple near +him.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Emperor defended him. "Belisarius no great general! Envy +blinds +you, Narses."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I envy Belisarius nothing, not even," answered Narses, +slightly +sighing, "his health. He would h& a great general if he were not so +great a hero. Every battle which he has lost, he has lost through too +great heroism."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That can not be said of you, Narses," retorted Belisarius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Belisarius, for I have never yet lost a battle."</p> + +<p class="normal">An angry retort from Belisarius was cut short by the entrance +of a +slave, who, lifting the curtain, announced:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alexandros, sire, who was sent to Ravenna, has landed an hour +ago, and +asks----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bring him in! Here!" cried the Emperor, hastily starting from +his +seat. He impatiently signed to the ambassador, who entered at once, to +rise from his obeisance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, Alexandros, you came back alone?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The ambassador--a handsome and still young man--repeated: +"Alone."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But your last report said--In what condition have you left +the Gothic +kingdom?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"In great confusion. I wrote in my last report that the Queen +had +decided to rid herself of her three most haughty enemies. Should the +attempt fail, she would be no longer safe in Italy, and she begged to +be allowed, in that case, to go in my ship to Epidamnus, and from +thence to escape to Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I accepted the proposal readily. Well, and the attempt?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Succeeded. The three dukes are no more. But the rumour had +reached +Ravenna that the most dangerous of them, Duke Thulun, was only wounded. +This induced the Queen--as, besides, the Goths threateningly surrounded +the palace--to escape to my ship. We weighed anchor, but soon after we +had left the harbour, off Ariminum, Earl Witichis overtook us with +superior numbers, boarded us, and demanded that Amalaswintha should +return, guaranteeing her safety until a solemn examination had taken +place before the National Assembly. When she learnt from him that Duke +Thulun had succumbed to his wounds, and saw from the proposal of +Witichis that he and his powerful friends did not yet believe in her +guilt, and as, besides, she apprehended compulsion, she consented to +return with him to Ravenna. But first, on board the <i>Sophia</i>, she wrote +this letter to you, and sends you this present from her treasury."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of that later. Tell me further, how do things, stand now in +Italy?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well for you, O great Emperor! An exaggerated account of the +rebellion +of the Goths at Ravenna and of the flight of the Queen to Byzantium, +has flown through the whole country. Already many encounters have taken +place between Romans and barbarians. In Rome itself the patriots wished +to strike a blow at once; to choose a Dictator in the Senate, and call +for your assistance. But this step would have been premature, for the +Queen was in the hands of the Goths, and only the firmness of the +clever man who heads the conspiracy of the Catacombs prevented it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Prefect of Rome?" asked Justinian.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus. He mistrusted the reports. The conspirators wished +to +surprise the Goths, proclaim you Emperor of the West, and choose him, +meanwhile, for Dictator. But he literally allowed them to put the +dagger to his throat in the Curia, and said, No."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A courageous man!" said Belisarius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A dangerous man!" said Narses.</p> + +<p class="normal">"An hour after," continued the ambassador, "news, arrived of +Amalaswintha's return, and things remained as they were. That gloomy +warrior, Teja, had sworn to render Rome a pasture for cattle, if a drop +of Gothic blood were shed. I learned all this on my intentionally slow +coast voyage to Brundusium. But I have something still better to +announce. I have found zealous friends of Byzantium, not only among the +Romans, but also among the Goths, and even in the members of the Royal +Family."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whom mean you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"In Tuscany there lives a rich proprietor, Prince Theodahad, +the cousin +of Amalaswintha."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure! he is the last male of the Amelung family, is he +not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The last. He and, still more, Gothelindis, his clever but +wicked +wife, the proud daughter of the Balthe, mortally hate the Queen. He, +because she opposed the measureless avarice with which he sought to +appropriate the property of all his neighbours; she, from reasons which +I could not discover, but which, I believe, originated during the +girlhood of the two Princesses; enough, her hate is deadly. Now, these +two have promised me to help you in every possible way to win Italy +back. She will be satisfied, it seems, with the destruction of the +object of her hatred; he, however, demands a rich reward."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He shall have it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"His support is important, for he already possesses half +Tuscany--the +noble family of the Wölfungs owns the other half--and can easily bring +it into our power; and also because he expects, if Amalaswintha falls, +to seat himself upon her throne. Here are letters from him and +Gothelindis. But, first of all, read the writing from the Queen---- I +believe it is very important."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The Emperor opened the tablets, and read:</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">"To Justinian, Emperor of the Romans, Amalaswintha, Queen of +the Goths +and the Italians."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen of the Italians!" laughed Justinian; "what an insane +title!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"From Alexandros you will learn how Eris and Ate haunt this +land. I am +like a lonely palm-tree which is tossed by opposing winds. Each day +increases the barbarians' enmity to me, and daily I become more +estranged from them; and the Romans, however much I try to conciliate +them, can never forget that I am of Germanic origin. Till now I have +defied all danger with a firm spirit; but I can do so no longer, if my +palace and my person are not in security. I cannot rely upon any party +in this country. Therefore I appeal to you, as my royal brother. +It is the dignity of all rulers, and the peace of Italy, which +you will protect. Send me, I beseech you, a trustworthy troop, a +life-guard"--the Emperor cast a significant look at Belisarius--"a +troop of some thousand men, with a leader who will be unconditionally +devoted to me. They shall occupy the palace; it is a fortress in +itself. As to Rome, these troops must, above all things, keep from me +the Prefect Cethegus, who is as full of duplicity as he is powerful, +and who deserted me in the danger into which he himself had led me. If +necessary, they must ruin him. When I have overthrown my enemies, and +secured my kingdom, as I trust in Heaven and my own strength that I +shall, I will send back troops and leader richly laden with gifts, and +still more with warm thanks.--<i>Vale</i>."</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">Justinian clasped the wax-tablets tightly in his hand; his +eyes shone; +his plain features were ennobled by an expression of high intellectual +power; and the present moment showed, that together with many +weaknesses and littlenesses, he possessed strength and greatness: the +greatness of diplomatic genius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In this letter," he cried at last, with sparkling eyes, "I +hold Italy +and the Gothic kingdom!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And, much agitated, he paced the room with long strides, even +forgetting to bow before the Cross.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A life-guard! that she shall have! But not a few thousand +men; many +thousands--more than she will like; and you, Belisarias, shall lead +them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Deign to look at the presents," said Alexandros, pointing to +a costly +shrine of cypress-wood, inlaid with gold, which a slave had set down +behind him. "Here is the key."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he held out a little box of tortoise-shell, which was +closed with +the Queen's seal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Her picture is there too," he said, raising his voice as if +by +accident.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the moment in which Alexandros raised his voice, the head +of a woman +was protruded gently and unnoticed through the curtain, and two +sparkling black eyes looked keenly at the Emperor.</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinian opened the shrine, quickly pushed aside its costly +contents, +and hastily caught up a simple tablet of polished box-wood, with a +small golden frame.</p> + +<p class="normal">A cry of astonishment involuntarily burst from his lips, his +eyes +sparkled, and he showed the picture to Belisarius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A splendid woman! What majesty on her brow! One sees that she +is a +born ruler--a king's daughter!" and he gazed admiringly at the noble +features.</p> + +<p class="normal">The curtain rustled, and the listener entered.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was Theodora, the Empress. A seductive apparition.</p> + +<p class="normal">All the arts of woman's inventive genius in a time of refined +luxury, +and all the means of an empire, were daily called into requisition, in +order to keep the beauty of this woman--who had impaired it only too +much by a life of unbridled sensuality--fresh and dazzling. Gold-dust +gave to her blue-black hair a metallic brilliancy; it was carefully +combed up from the nape of her neck, in order to show the beautiful +shape of her head, and its fine set upon her shoulders. Her eyebrows +and eye-lashes were dyed black with Arabian antimony; and so carefully +was the red of her lips put on, that even Justinian, who kissed those +lips, never suspected an aid to Nature by means of Phœnician +scarlet. Every tiny hair on her alabaster arm had been carefully +destroyed: and the delicate rose-colour of her finger-nails was the +daily care of a specially-appointed slave.</p> + +<p class="normal">And yet, without all these arts, Theodora, who was not yet +forty years +of age, would have passed for an extremely lovely woman. Her +countenance was certainly not noble; no noble, or even proud spirit, +spoke from her fatigued and weirdly shining eyes; round her lips played +an habitual smile, the dimples of which indicated the place of the +first future wrinkle; and her cheeks, beneath the eyes, showed traces +of exhaustion.</p> + +<p class="normal">But as she now gracefully moved towards the Emperor, +delicately holding +up the heavy folds of her dark-yellow silk robes with her left hand, +her whole appearance produced a bewitching charm, similar to the sweet +and soothing scent of Indian balsam which she shed around her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What pleases my imperial lord so much? May I share his +delight?" she +asked in a sweet and flattering voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">Those present prostrated themselves before the Empress, +scarcely less +humbly than before the Emperor.</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinian started upon seeing her, as if he had been caught in +some +culpable act, and tried to conceal the portrait in the folds of his +chlamys. But it was too late. The Empress had already fixed her quick +eyes upon it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We are admiring," said the Emperor, "the--the fine chasing of +the gold +frame."</p> + +<p class="normal">And, blushing, he gave her the portrait.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Theodora, smiling, "there is not much to admire +in the +frame. But the picture is not bad. It is surely the Gothic Queen?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The ambassador bowed assent.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not bad, as I said before; but barbaric, severe, unwomanly. +How old +may she be, Alexandros?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"About forty-five."</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinian looked at the picture and then at the ambassador.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The picture was taken fifteen years ago," said Alexandros, as +if in. +explanation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said the Emperor, "you mistake; here stands the date, +according +to the indiction<a name="div2Ref_note05" href="#div2_note05"><sup>5</sup></a> and the consul, and the date of her accession; it +is of this year."</p> + +<p class="normal">An awkward pause ensued.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," stammered Alexandros, "then the artists flatter +like----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Like courtiers," concluded the Emperor.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Theodora came to the ambassador's aid.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why do we chatter about portraits and the age of strange +women, when +we should think only of the empire? What news brings Alexandras? Are +you decided, Justinianus?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Almost. I only wished to hear your opinion, and, I know, you +are in +favour of war."</p> + +<p class="normal">Narses quietly interposed. "Wherefore, sire, did you not at +once tell +us that the Empress was in favour of war? We could have spared our +words."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What! would you insinuate that I am the slave of my wife?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Guard your tongue better," said Theodora angrily. "Many who +seemed +invulnerable, have been stung by their own sharp tongues."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are very imprudent, Narses," said Justinian.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Emperor," he answered, "I have long since ceased to be +prudent. We +live in a time, in a realm, and at a court, where, for any word that we +speak or leave unspoken, we may fall into disgrace and be ruined. As +any word of mine may cause my death, I will at least die for words that +please me."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Emperor smiled.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must confess, patrician, that I can bear a great deal of +plain-speaking."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are by nature great, O Justinianus, and a magnanimous +ruler; else +Narses would not serve you. But Omphale rendered even Hercules small."</p> + +<p class="normal">The eyes of the Empress shone with hatred.</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinianus became uneasy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Go," he said, "I will consult with the Empress alone. +To-morrow you +shall hear my decision."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">No sooner were they gone, than Justinian went up to his wife, +and +pressed a kiss upon her white forehead.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forgive him," he said, "he means well."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know it," she answered, returning the kiss. "It is for this +reason, +and because he is indispensable as a foil to Belisarius, that he still +lives."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are right, as always," cried Justinian, putting his arm +round her, +and thus walking with her up and down the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What does he intend to do?" thought Theodora; "this +tenderness +indicates a bad conscience."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are right," he repeated, "God has denied me the spirit +which +decides the fate of battles, and, in compensation, has given me these +two men of victory---<i>fortunately</i> two of them. Their jealousy of each +other secures my dominion better than their fidelity. Either of these +generals alone would be a continual danger to the state, and on the day +that they become friends, my throne will shake. You continue to excite +their mutual dislike?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is easy to excite. There is as natural an antipathy +between them as +between fire and water. And every spiteful remark of the eunuch I tell +with indignation to my friend Antonina, the wife and mistress of the +hero Belisarius."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I repeat every rudeness of this hero to the irritable +cripple. But +to our consultation. Since receiving the report of Alexandros, I am +almost decided upon the expedition to Italy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whom will you send?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Belisarius, of course. He promises to accomplish with thirty +thousand, +that which Narses will scarcely undertake with eighty thousand."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you think that so small a force will be sufficient?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No. But the honour of Belisarius is engaged. He will exert +his utmost +strength, and yet will not quite succeed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That will be wholesome for him. For, since the war with the +Vandals, +his pride has become insupportable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," continued the Emperor, "he will accomplish +three-fourths of the +work. Then I will recall him, march myself with sixty thousand, taking +Narses with me, and easily finish the remaining fourth of the task. +Then I, too, shall be called a great general and a conqueror."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Finely thought out!" cried Theodora, with sincere admiration +of his +subtlety: "your plan is ripe."</p> + +<p class="normal">"However," said Justinian, sighing and stopping in his walk, +"Narses is +right; I must confess it. It would be better for my empire if I +defended it from the Persians, instead of attacking the Goths. It would +be wiser and safer policy. For, at some time or other, destruction will +come from the East."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let it come! It may not be for centuries, when the only thing +remembered of Justinianus will be the fame of having reconquered Italy +as well as Africa. Is it your office to take thought for the future? +Those who come after you may care for their present; let yours be your +only care."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But if it should then be said: had Justinian defended his +kingdom +instead of making conquests, it would now be better? If they say: +Justinian's victories have destroyed the empire?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No one will speak thus. Mankind is dazzled by the glory of +Fame. And +yet another thing--" and now the earnestness of deep conviction chased +the expression of cunning persuasiveness from the seductive features of +the Empress.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I suspect what you are about to say; but continue."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are not only an Emperor, you are a man. Your salvation +must be +dearer to you than even your kingdom. Many a bloody step was taken upon +the path, upon <i>our</i> path--which led to the height to which we have +attained, to the glory of our empire. Many harsh deeds were necessary; +life and treasures, and many a dangerous foe were--enough! It is true +that, with part of these treasures, we are building a temple to the +glory of Christ, which alone will make our name immortal upon earth. +But for Heaven--who knows if that be sufficient! Let us"--and her eyes +glowed with fanatic fire--"let us destroy the unbelievers, and seek the +path to grace and pardon over the bodies of the enemies of Christ!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinian pressed her hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Persians, too, are the enemies of Christ; they are even +heathens."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Have you forgotten the teaching of the Prophet: 'heretics are +seven +times worse than heathens?' The true faith has been revealed to them +and they have despised it. That is the sin against the Holy Ghost, +which will never be forgiven on earth or in heaven. But you are the +sword which shall destroy these God-forsaken Arians! They are the most +hated enemies of Christ; they know Him, and still deny that He is God. +Already you have overthrown the heretic Vandals in Africa, and +smothered error in blood and fire. Now Italy calls upon you; Rome, the +place where the blood of the prince of Apostles was shed, the holy +city, must no longer be subject to the heretics. Justinian, recall her +to the true faith!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She ceased.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Emperor looked up at the golden cross and sighed deeply.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You unveil the inmost depths of my heart. It is this feeling +which, +mightier still than love of fame and victory, urges me to this war. But +am I capable, am I worthy of achieving such a holy work to the honour +of God? Will He consummate such a great deed by my sinful hand? I +doubt; I waver. Was the dream which came to me last night sent from +Heaven? What was its meaning? did it incite to the attempt or warn me +off? Well, your mother, Komito, the prophetess of Cyprus, had great +wisdom in interpreting dreams and warnings----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you know that the gift is inherited. Did I not foretell +the result +of the war with the Vandals from your dreams?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then you shall also explain this last dream to me. You know +that I +waver in my best plans, if an omen speaks against them. Listen then. +But"--and he cast an uneasy glance at his wife--"but remember that it +was but a <i>dream</i>, and no man can answer for his dreams."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly; God sends them.--What shall I hear?" she added to +herself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Last night I fell asleep while meditating over the last +reports about +Amala--about Italy. I dreamed that I was wandering in a landscape with +seven hills. Under a laurel-tree there reposed the most beautiful woman +I had ever seen. I stood before her and looked at her with delight. +Suddenly there rushed out of a thicket at my right hand a growling +bear, and, from the rocks to the left, a hissing snake, and darted at +the sleeping woman. She woke and called my name. I quickly caught her +up, and, pressing her to my bosom, fled. Looking back, I saw that the +bear crushed the snake, while the snake stung the bear to death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, and the woman?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The woman pressed a hasty kiss upon my forehead and suddenly +vanished. +I awoke and stretched out my arms for her in vain. The woman," he +continued quickly, before Theodora had time to reflect, "is, of course, +Italy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly," said the Empress quietly, but her bosom heaved. +"Your +dream is most happy. The bear and the snake are barbarians and +Italians, who strive for the city upon the seven hills. You tear it +from their grasp, and let them mutually destroy each other."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But she vanishes--she does not remain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"She remains. She kisses you and disappears in your arms. So +will Italy +be swallowed up in your empire."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are right!" said Justinian, springing up. "Thanks, my +wise wife. +You are the light of my soul! I will venture. Belisarius shall march." +He was about to call the attendant, but suddenly stopped short. "One +thing more," and casting down his eyes he took Theodora's hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" thought Theodora, "now it is coming."</p> + +<p class="normal">"When we have destroyed the kingdom of the Goths, and have +with the +Queen's help taken Ravenna--what--what shall be done with her, the +Princess?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What shall be done with her?" repeated Theodora with +well-feigned +composure. "That which was done with the King of the Vandals. She shall +come here, to Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">Justinian breathed again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It rejoices me that you have at once interpreted my thought," +and he +kissed her slender white hand with real pleasure.</p> + +<p class="normal">"More than that," said Theodora. "She will enter into our +plans all the +more willingly if she can look forward to an honourable reception here. +So I will myself write her a sisterly epistle inviting her to come. In +case of need she shall ever find an asylum in my heart."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You do not know," interrupted Justinian eagerly, "how much +you will +assist our victory by so doing. The daughter of Theodoric must be +completely weaned from her people. She shall herself lead us to +Ravenna."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But if so, you cannot immediately send Belisarius with an +army. It +would only awaken her suspicions and make her rebellious. She must +first be completely in our power and the barbarians must have begun an +internecine war, before the sword of Belisarius flies from its sheath."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But at least he must henceforth be in the vicinity."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly, perhaps in Sicily. The disturbances in Africa +afford the +best excuse for sending a fleet into those waters. And as soon as the +net is sunk Belisarius must draw it together."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But who shall sink it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora reflected for a few moments; then she said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"The most gifted man in the West; Cethegus Cæsarius, the +Prefect of +Rome, the friend of my youth."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quite right. But not he alone. He is a Roman, no subject of +mine; and +I am not sure of him. Whom shall I send? Once again Alexandros?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said Theodora, "he is too young for such a task. No." +And she +became thoughtfully silent. "Justinian," she said at last, "you shall +see that I can sacrifice my personal dislikes for the sake of the +empire, when it is necessary to choose the right man. I propose my +enemy, Petros, the cousin of Narses, the fellow-student of the Prefect, +the sly rhetorician--send him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodora!" cried the Emperor, embracing her; "God himself has +given +you to me! Cethegus--Petros--Belisarius. Barbarians! you are lost!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The morning following this conversation the beautiful Empress +rose in +great good-humour from her swelling cushions, which were filled with +the delicate neck-feathers of the Pontian crane, and covered with pale +yellow silk.</p> + +<p class="normal">Before the bed stood a tripod holding a silver basin, +representing +Oceanus; in it lay a massive golden ball. The Empress lifted the ball +and let it fall clanging into the basin. The clear tone roused the +Syrian slave who slept in the ante-room. She entered, and, approaching +the bed of the Empress with her arms crossed upon her bosom, drew back +the heavy violet-coloured curtains of Chinese silk. Then she took a +soft Iberian sponge, which, soaked in asses' milk, lay in a crystal +dish, and carefully wiped off the coating of oily paste with which the +neck and face of her mistress were covered during the night.</p> + +<p class="normal">Next she kneeled down before the bed, her face bent almost to +the +earth, and stretched out her hand to the Empress, who, taking it, +slowly set her foot upon the neck of the kneeling girl, and sprang +elastically to the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">The slave rose and threw over her mistress, who, clad only in +an +under-tunic of the finest lawn, sat upon the palm-wood frame of the +bed--a fine dressing-mantle of rose-coloured stuff. Then she made a +profound obeisance, turned to the door, cried "Agave!" and disappeared.</p> + +<p class="normal">Agave, a young and beautiful Thessalian girl, entered the +room. She +rolled a washstand of citrean-wood, covered with countless boxes and +bottles, close before her mistress, and began to rub her face, neck, +and hands with soft cloths dipped in different wines and essences. This +task completed, the Empress rose from the bedside and stepped on to a +couch covered with panther's skins.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The large bath towards mid-day," she said.</p> + +<p class="normal">Agave pushed an oval bath of terebinthus-wood, covered outside +with +tortoise-shell and filled with deliciously-scented water, in front of +the divan, and lifted the little white feet of the Empress into it. +Afterwards she loosened the net of gold-thread which confined the +luxurious hair of her mistress during the night, letting the rich dark +coils fall over neck and shoulders, and departed in her turn, calling +"Galatea!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea was an aged slave, the nurse, attendant, and, we +regret to add, +the procuress of Theodora, when the latter was only the bespangled +daughter of Acacius the lion-keeper, and, while yet almost a child, the +already deeply-corrupted favourite of the great Circus.</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea had faithfully shared all the humiliations and +triumphs, the +vices and cunning of the adventuress's life until the latter had +attained to the imperial throne.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How hast thou slept, my dove?" asked Galatea, handing to +Theodora in a +vessel of amber the aromatic essence which the town of Adana, in +Sicily, was forced to send in large quantities for the Empress's use as +a yearly tribute.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well; I dreamt of him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of Alexandros?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, thou fool! of the handsome Anicius."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But Alexandros has been waiting for some time already; +outside in the +secret niche."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He is impatient," said the Empress, smiling; "well then, let +him in!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And she leaned back upon the long divan, drawing a cover of +purple silk +over her; but the delicate ankles of her beautiful feet remained +visible.</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea bolted the principal door, through which she had +entered, and +crossed the room to the opposite corner, which was filled by a colossal +bronze statue of Justinian. She touched a spring, and the seemingly +immovable mass turned on one side, exposing a small opening in the +wall, which was completely hidden by the statue in its normal position. +A dark curtain was drawn before this opening. Galatea lifted the +curtain and Alexandros hurried in. He threw himself on his knees before +the Empress, caught her small hand and covered it with kisses.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora gently drew it away.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is very imprudent, Alexandros," said she, leaning back her +lovely +head, "to admit a lover to the toilet of his mistress. What says the +poet: 'All things serve beauty. Yet it is no pleasant sight to see that +in preparation which only pleases when complete.' But I promised, when +you left for Ravenna, to admit you to my toilet, and you richly deserve +your reward. You have ventured much for me. Fasten the braids tighter," +she cried to Galatea, who had now commenced the task, entrusted to her +alone, of dressing the splendid hair of her mistress. "You have risked +your life for me, Alexandros!" and she gave him two fingers of her +right hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Theodora!" cried the youth, "to gain but this one moment +I would +die ten times over!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," she continued, "why did you not send me a copy of the +barbarian +Queen's last letter to Justinian?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was not possible; there was no time. I could send no more +messengers from my ship. I barely succeeded, after landing, in sending +you word that her picture was among the presents. You came just at the +right moment!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes; what would become of me if I did not pay Justinian's +door-keepers +twice as well as he? But, most imprudent of ambassadors! how stupid you +were about the date!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, loveliest daughter of Cyprus! I had not seen you for +months! I +could think of nothing but you and your wonderful beauty!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, I suppose I must forgive you.--Galatea, bring me the +black +fillet.--You are a better lover than a statesman, Alexandros. Therefore +I have kept you here. Yes, you were to have gone once more to Ravenna! +But I think I will send an older ambassador, and keep the young one for +myself. Shall I?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Alexandros, becoming bolder and more ardent, sprang up and +pressed a +kiss upon her rosy lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hold, traitor!" she scolded, and struck his cheek lightly +with a fan +of flamingo-feathers. "Enough for to-day. To-morrow you may come again, +and tell me about the barbarian beauties. I must have the next hour for +another."</p> + +<p class="normal">"For another!" cried Alexandros, starting back. "So what they +whisper in the gymnasiums and baths of Byzantium is true! You ever +faithless----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodora's friends must never be jealous," laughed the +Empress. It was +no sweet laughter. "But this time you may be quite easy; you shall meet +him yourself. Go."</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea took the reluctant lover by the shoulders, without +ceremony, +and pushed him behind the statue and out of the secret door.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora now seated herself upright, and fastened the loose +folds of +her long under-garment with her girdle.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Galatea appeared again immediately, accompanied by a little +round-backed man, who looked much older than his forty-years justified. +His wise, but pinched features, piercing eyes, and cunning mouth, made +a disagreeable impression on all who observed him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora returned his creeping salutation by a slight nod. +Galatea +began to paint her eyebrows.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Empress," the new-comer began, "I wonder at your courage. If +I were +seen here! A moment's rashness would render vain the prudence of nine +years!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you will not be seen, Petros," said Theodora quietly. +"This is the +only hour in which I am secure from Justinian's importunate tenderness. +It is his hour of prayer. I must profit by it as much as I can. God +preserve his piety! Galatea, my wine. What! Surely, thou dost not fear +to leave me alone with this dangerous seducer?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The old woman left the room with a hateful grin upon her lips, +and soon +returned with a jug of sweet heated Chian-wine in one hand, and a cup +of honey and water in the other.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could not arrange our meeting in the church as usual, +where, in the +dark confessional, you look exactly like a priest. The Emperor will +call you before church-time, and you must be thoroughly instructed +beforehand."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is then to be done?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Petros," answered Theodora, leaning comfortably back and +sipping the +sweet mixture which Galatea now handed to her, "the day has come which +will reward all our years of patience, and make you a great man."</p> + +<br> + +<p class="normal">"It is time, indeed!" observed Petros.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not be impatient, friend.--Galatea, a little more +honey.--In order +to put you into the right humour for to-day's business, it will be well +to remind you of the past, of the manner in which our--friendship +originated."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What mean you? Wherefore----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"For many reasons. To begin. You were the cousin and adherent +of my +deadly enemy, Narses. Consequently, you were my enemy too. For years +you acted against me in your cousin's service, hurting me but little, +and still less benefiting yourself. For Narses, your virtuous friend, +considers it a point of honour never to do anything for his relations; +so that, unlike other courtiers of the realm, he may never be accused +of nepotism. Out of pure friendship and virtue, he left you unpromoted. +You remained a simple writer and a poor man. But a clever man like you +knows how to help himself. You forged--you doubled the amount of the +Emperor's dues. Besides what was demanded by the Emperor, the provinces +paid another tax, which Petros and the tax-gatherers shared amongst +themselves. For a time all went on smoothly. But once----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Empress, I beseech you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall soon have finished, friend. But once you had the +misfortune to +have a new tax-gatherer, who valued the favour of the Empress more than +the share of booty which you promised him. He entered into your plans, +allowed you to forge the documents--and showed them to me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The wretch!" murmured Petros.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, it was bad enough," said Theodora smiling, and setting +down her +glass. "So I had the neck of my sly enemy, the confidant of the hated +eunuch, under my foot; and, I must confess, I had a great desire to +trample upon him. But I sacrificed a short revenge for a great and +enduring advantage. I called you to me, and told you to choose whether +you would die or serve me for life. You were kind enough to choose the +last, and, still the greatest enemies in the eyes of the world, we have +secretly worked together for years. No sooner has Narses formed a plan, +than you reveal it to me. I have rewarded you well. You are now a rich +man."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not worth mentioning."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, indeed, ungrateful man! My treasurer knows better. You +are <i>very</i> +rich."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, but without dignity or rank. My fellow-students are +patricians, +great men in the East and West; like Cethegus in Rome, and Procopius +here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Patience! From this day you will quickly climb the ladder of +ambition. +It was necessary to keep something in reserve. Listen; to-morrow you go +as ambassador to Ravenna."</p> + +<p class="normal">"As imperial ambassador!" cried Petros, rejoiced.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Through my influence. But that is not all. You will receive +circumstantial directions from Justinian to undermine the kingdom of +the Goths, and smooth the path of Belisarius in Italy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Shall I obey these directions, or not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Obey them. But you will receive another order, which +Justinian will +particularly recommend to your notice; that is, to save the daughter of +Theodoric from the hands of her enemies at any price, and bring her to +Byzantium. Here is a letter from me to her, which presses her to take +refuge in my arms."</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Tis well," said Petros, taking the letter. "I will bring her +here +immediately."</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora, like an angry snake, started up on her couch with +such +impetuosity, that Petros and Galatea retreated in affright.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no, Petros! no!" she exclaimed. "For this reason I send +you. She +must <i>not</i> come to Byzantium! She must not live!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Confounded, Petros let the letter fall.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Empress!" he whispered; "murder?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Peace!" cried Theodora, in a hoarse voice; and her eyes +sparkled +cruelly. "She must die!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Die? Oh, Empress! wherefore?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no need for you to know that. But stay; I will tell +you, for +it will give the spur to your courage. Listen." She seized his arm +wildly, and whispered in his ear, "Justinian, the traitor, has +conceived a passion for her!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodora!" cried Petros, startled.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Empress fell back upon her couch.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But he has never seen her," stammered Petros.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He has seen her portrait. He already dreams of her. He has +fallen in +love with her picture."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have never yet had a rival."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; nor ever will."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are so beautiful."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Amalaswintha is younger."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are so wise; you are Justinian's counsellor the confidant +of his +most secret thoughts."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is just this which annoys him. And"--she again caught his +arm--"remember, she is a King's daughter, a born ruler; and I--am the +plebeian daughter of a lion-keeper! Ridiculous and insane though it be, +Justinian, in his purple, forgets that he is the son of a shepherd from +the Dardanelles. He has imbibed the madness of Kings; he, himself an +adventurer, chatters about innate majesty, about the mystery of royal +blood! I have no protection against such whims. I fear nothing from all +the women in the world. But this King's daughter----" She angrily +started up, and clenched her small fist. "Beware, Justinian!" she +cried, pacing the room. "With this eye and hand I have subdued lions +and tigers; let us see if I cannot keep this fox in royal purple at my +feet." She re-seated herself. "In short, Amalaswintha dies," she said, +suddenly becoming quite cool again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said Petros, "but not through me. You have bloodthirsty +servants +enough; send them. I am a man who will talk----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a man who will die if you do not obey! You, my +supposed enemy, +must do it. None of my friends can venture it without arousing +suspicion."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodora," said Petros, forgetting himself, "take care! To +murder the +daughter of Theodoric, a born Queen----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha, ha!" said Theodora, in a rage, "you, too, miserable man, +are +dazzled by the 'born Queen!' All men are fools, still more than +rascals! Listen, Petros--the day when the news of her death arrives +from Ravenna, you shall be a senator and a patrician."</p> + +<p class="normal">The man's eyes sparkled, but cowardice or conscience were +still +stronger than ambition.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," he said decidedly, "I would rather lose the court and +all my +plans."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will lose your life, wretch!" cried Theodora. "Oh, you +think you +are safe, because I burnt the forged documents before your eyes! You +fool! they were false! Look here; here I hold your life in my hands!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She dragged a yellow parchment from a roll of documents, and +showed it +to Petros, who, completely subdued, fell upon his knees at her feet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Command me!" he stammered, "I obey." Just then a knocking was +heard at +the principal door.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Away!" cried the Empress, "take my letter to the Queen from +the +ground, and think over what I have said: patrician if she dies, torture +and death if she lives. Go!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea pushed the bewildered man through the secret entrance, +turned +the statue into its place again, and went to open the great door.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">There entered a stately woman, taller and of coarser frame +than the +small and delicate Empress; not so seductively beautiful, but younger +and more blooming, with a fresh complexion and natural manners.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Welcome, Antonina, sister of my heart! Come to my arms!" +cried the +Empress to the new-comer, who humbly bent before her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonina obeyed in silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How hollow her eyes have become," she thought, as she rose +from the +embrace.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How bony is the soldier's wife!" said the delicate Empress to +herself, +and looked at her friend.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are as blooming as Hebe!" she said aloud, "and how well +the white +silk becomes your fresh complexion. Have you anything to tell me of--of +him?" she asked indifferently, and took from the wash-stand a +much-dreaded instrument, a sharp lancet with an ivory handle, with +which clumsy, or even only unfortunate, slaves were often pricked by +their angry mistress.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not to-day," whispered Antonina, blushing. "I did not see him +yesterday."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I believe it!" said Theodora to herself, with a hidden smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, how painfully I shall miss you soon!" she added aloud, +stroking +Antonina's full round arm. "Perhaps Belisarius will sail next week, and +you, most faithful of all wives, will go with him. Which of your +friends will accompany you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Procopius," answered Antonina, "and--" she added, casting +down her +eyes--"the two sons of Boëthius."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, indeed," remarked the Empress, smiling, "I understand. In +the +freedom of the camp you hope to please yourself with the handsome +youth, undisturbed; and while our hero, Belisarius, fights battles and +conquers cities----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You guess rightly. But I have a request to make. You are +fortunate. +Alexandros, your handsome friend, has returned; he remains near you, +and is his own master; but Anicius, you know, is still under the strict +guardianship of his elder brother, Severinus. Never would he--who +thinks of nothing but fighting for freedom and revenge--suffer this +tender friendship. He would repeatedly disturb our intimacy. Therefore +do me a favour: do not let Severinus follow us! When we are on board +with Anicius, keep the elder brother in Byzantium, either by cunning or +by force. You can do it easily--you are the Empress!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is not bad," laughed Theodora. "What stratagems! One can +see that +you have learned from Belisarius."</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonina blushed violently.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, do not name him! Do not mock me! You know best from whom +I learnt +to do that for which I must blush."</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora shot a fierce glance at her friend, who, without +noticing it, +continued: "Heaven knows that Belisarius himself was not more faithful +than I, until I came to this court! It was you, Empress, who taught me +that these selfish men, occupied with affairs of state, war, and +ambition, neglect us when they have become our husbands, and no longer +value us when they possess us. You taught me that it is no sin to +accept the innocent homage, the flattering devotion which is denied to +us by our husbands, from friends who court us because they still hope. +God is my witness, that it is nothing but this sweet incense which +Belisarius denies me, and which my vain weak heart sorely needs, that I +expect from Anicius."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fortunately for me, it will soon tire him out," said Theodora +to +herself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And yet," continued Antonina, "even this, I fear, is a sin +against +Belisarius. Oh, how great, how noble he is! If only he were not too +great for this little heart." And she buried her face in her hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The pitiful creature!" thought the Empress, "too weak for +vice, as for +virtue."</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment Agave, the beautiful Thessalian slave, entered +the room +with a large bunch of splendid roses.</p> + +<p class="normal">"From him," she whispered to her mistress.</p> + +<p class="normal">"From whom?" asked Theodora.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Antonina just then looked up, and Agave made a sign of +warning. The +Empress, in order to occupy her, gave Antonina the roses.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If you please, put them into that marble vase."</p> + +<p class="normal">As Antonina turned her back upon them to obey, Agave +whispered: "From +him whom you kept hidden here all day yesterday; from the handsome +Anicius," the pretty girl added, blushing.</p> + +<p class="normal">But she had scarcely uttered the imprudent words, than she +gave a loud +cry, and held her left arm to her lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Empress struck her in the face with the still bloody +lancet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will teach you to notice whether men are handsome or ugly," +she +cried furiously. "You will keep to the spinning-room for four weeks. Go +at once! and do not show yourself again in my ante-rooms."</p> + +<p class="normal">The weeping girl left the room, hiding her face in her dress.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has she done?" asked Antonina, coming forward.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She let the scent-bottle fall," answered Galatea quickly, and +picked +one up from the floor. "Mistress, I have finished."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then let the dressers in, and whoever else waits in the +ante-room. +Will you, meanwhile, look at these verses, Antonina? They are the +newest poems of Arator, 'The Deeds of the Apostles,' and very edifying. +This particularly, 'The Stoning of St. Stephen.' But read, and judge +for yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea opened wide the doors of the principal entrance. A +whole troop +of slaves and freed-women streamed in. Some occupied themselves with +clearing away the articles of toilet hitherto used; others swung +censers with aromatic incense, or sprinkled balsam about the room from +narrow-necked flasks. But most of them were busy about the person of +the Empress, who now completed her toilet.</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea took off the rose-coloured tunic.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Berenice," she cried, "bring the Milesian tunic, with the +purple +stripe and gold tassels. To-day is Sunday ."</p> + +<p class="normal">While the experienced old woman was artfully fastening into +the knot of +the Empress's hair a costly gold needle, its head formed of a gem, +engraved with a head of Venus, the Empress asked: "What news, from the +city, Delphine?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have won, mistress!" answered Delphine, kneeling down +with the +gilded sandals; "your colours, the blue, have beaten the green; both +with the horses and the chariots!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What a triumph!" cried Theodora joyfully. "A bet of two +centenaria of +gold; it is mine! News? Whence? from Italy?" she cried to a slave who +just entered with letters.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, mistress, from Florence; from the Gothic Princess, +Gothelindis. I +know the Gorgon-seal; and from Silverius, the archdeacon."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Give me them," said Theodora, "I will take them with me to +church. The +mirror, Elpis."</p> + +<p class="normal">A young slave came forward with an oval plate of +brilliantly-polished +silver, in a gold frame, richly set with pearls, and standing on a +strong foot of ivory.</p> + +<p class="normal">Poor Elpis had a hard service.</p> + +<p class="normal">During the completion of the toilet she had to hold the heavy +plate, +and, following every movement of her restless mistress, turn it, so +that the latter could always look at her own reflection, and woe to +Elpis if she were too late in turning!</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is there to buy, Zephyris?" the Empress asked a +dark-skinned +Lybian freed-woman, who just then brought her a tame snake to caress, +which lay in a small basket upon soft moss.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, nothing particular," answered the Lybian. "Come, Glauke," +she +added, taking a snowy white chlamys, embroidered with gold, from a +clothes-press, and carefully spreading it out upon her arms, waited +until Glauke took it from her, and, at one throw, arranged it in +graceful folds upon the shoulders of the Empress, clasping it with the +white girdle, and fastening one end upon her pearly shoulder with a +golden brooch, which, formed in the shape of the dove of Venus, now +represented the sign of the Holy Ghost.</p> + +<p class="normal">Glauke, the daughter of an Athenian sculptor, had studied the +folds of +the chlamys for years, and for this reason had been bought by the +Empress at a cost of many thousand solidi. The whole day long this was +her sole occupation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sweet-scented soap-balls," said Zephyris, "have just arrived +from +Spain. A new Milesian fairy-tale has just come out. And the old +Egyptian is there again, with his Nile-water," she added in a low tone; +"he says it is unfailing. The Persian Queen, who was childless for +eight years----"</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora turned away sighing; a shadow passed across her +smooth face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Send him away," she said; "this hope is past forever." And, +for a +moment, it seemed as if she would have sunk into a melancholy reverie.</p> + +<p class="normal">But she roused herself, and, beckoning to Galatea, she went +back to her +bed, took a crushed wreath of ivy which lay upon the pillow, and gave +it to the old woman, whispering:</p> + +<p class="normal">"For Anicius, send it to him. The jewels, Erigone!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Erigone, with the help of two other slaves, brought forward, +with great +trouble, a heavy bronze casket, the lid of which, representing the +workshop of Vulcan in embossed figures, was closed with the seal of the +Empress.</p> + +<p class="normal">Erigone showed that the seal was intact, and then opened the +lid. Many +a girl stood upon her tiptoes to catch a glance at the shining +treasures.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you wear the summer rings, mistress?" asked Erigone.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said Theodora, looking into the casket, "the time for +those is +over. Give me the heavy ones, the emeralds."</p> + +<p class="normal">Erigone handed to her rings, earrings, and bracelet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How beautifully," said Antonina, looking up from her pious +verses, +"how beautifully the white of the pearls contrasts with the green of +the stones."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was one of Cleopatra's treasures," said the Empress +indifferently; +"the Jew swore to its pedigree."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you linger long," said Antonina. "Justinian's litter was +already +waiting as I came up."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, mistress," said a young slave anxiously, "the slave at +the +sundial has already announced the fourth hour. Hasten, mistress!"</p> + +<p class="normal">A prick with the lancet was the only answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Would you teach your Empress!" but she whispered to Antonina: +"We must +not spoil the men; they must always wait for us, never we for them. My +ostrich fan, Thais. Go, Ione, tell the Cappadocian slaves to come to my +litter." And she turned to go.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Theodora!" cried Antonina quickly, "do not forget my +request."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," answered Theodora, suddenly standing still, "certainly +not! And +that you may be quite sure, I will give the order into your own hands. +My wax-tablets and the stylus!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Galatea brought them in haste.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodora wrote, and whispered to her friend:</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Prefect of the harbour is one of my old friends. He +blindly obeys +me. Read what I write."</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">"To Aristarchus the Prefect, Theodora the Empress.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When Severinus, the son of Boëthius, is about to go on board +the ship +of Belisarius, keep him back, if necessary, by force; and send him to +my rooms. He is appointed my chamberlain."</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">"Is that right, dear sister?" she whispered.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A thousand thanks!" said Antonina, with beaming eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," said the Empress suddenly, putting her hand to her +neck, "have +we forgotten the principal thing? My amulet! the Mercury. Please, +Antonina; there it hangs."</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonina turned hastily to fetch the little golden Mercury, +which hung, +by a silk cord, on the bed of the Empress.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile Theodora quickly crossed out the word "Severinus," +and wrote +instead "Anicius." She closed the tablets, tied them, and fastened the +string with her seal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here is the amulet," said Antonina, returning.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And here is the order," said the Empress, smiling. "You can +give it to +Aristarchus yourself at the moment of departure. Now," she cried, "let +us go. To the church!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<p class="continue">In Neapolis, that Italian city over which the tempest then +gathering at +Byzantium was soon to burst in its first violence, no presentiment of +the coming danger was felt.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the charming declivities of Posilippo, or on the shore to +the +south-east of the city, there wandered, day by day, two handsome +youths, exchanging confidences with all the enthusiasm of youthful +friendship. They were the "Dioscuri," Julius and Totila.</p> + +<p class="normal">Oh, happy time! when the uncorrupted soul, breathing the fresh +morning +air of life, as yet untired and undeceived, and drunk with the ecstasy +of ambitious dreams, is urged to impart to an equally young, equally +rich and equally enthusiastic nature its overflowing sentiments!</p> + +<p class="normal">The noblest resolves are strengthened, and imagination wings +its way to +the very gates of heaven, in the happy certainty that he who listens +will understand.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the wreath upon our brows is faded, and the harvest of +our life is +ripe, we may smile at these dreams of youth and youthful friendship; +but it is no smile of mockery; it is tinged with the melancholy with +which we think of the sweet, exhilarating airs of spring, while +inhaling the breath of decay in autumn.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young Goth and the young Roman had met at the age most +favourable +to the formation of the bond of friendship. Totila's sunny soul had +preserved all the dewy bloom of youth; with smiling eyes he looked +forth into the smiling future. He loved his fellow-creatures, and won +all hearts by his amiability and the joyous frankness of his +disposition. He believed in the complete victory of good over evil. +Where meanness and wickedness met him in his path, he trod them into +the dust with the holy anger of an archangel; from the depths of his +gentle nature the latent heroic strength broke forth, and he did not +rest until the hated elements were destroyed. But the disturbance was +forgotten as soon as overcome, and life and the world again appeared to +him as harmonious as his own soul. He walked through the crowded +streets of Neapolis with a song upon his lips, the idol of the girls, +the pride of his brothers in arms.</p> + +<p class="normal">With such a nature Totila was the favourite of all who knew +him, +receiving and imparting happiness. Even his quiet friend imbibed +somewhat of the charm of his temperament.</p> + +<p class="normal">Julius Montanus, of a sensitive and thoughtful disposition, of +an +almost feminine nature, had been early left an orphan, and, awed by the +immense superiority of his guardian Cethegus, had grown up shy, lonely +and studious. More oppressed than elevated by the cheerless science of +his time, he was apt; to look upon life as earnest and almost sad. He +was inclined to subject all things to the severe test of superhuman +perfection, and his natural self-distrust might easily have darkened +into melancholy.</p> + +<p class="normal">At a happy moment Totila's friendship shone into the inmost +depths of +his heart, and penetrated it with such a sunny warmth that his noble +nature was thereby enabled to rise with elasticity from a severe shock +which it received by means of this very friendship.</p> + +<p class="normal">Let us hear what he himself wrote about this circumstance to +the +Prefect.</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">"To Cethegus the Prefect, Julius Montanus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The cold-hearted reply to my enthusiastic report of my +newly-formed +friendship to Totila, at first--surely contrary to your wish--hurt me +sorely, but later it was the means of enhancing the happiness of this +friendship in a manner, however, which you could neither foresee nor +wish. Sorrow caused by you was soon changed into sorrow for <i>you</i>. +Though at first I felt hurt because you treated my deepest feelings +as the mere enthusiasm of a sickly boy, and tried to assail my +profoundest convictions with bitter mockery--only <i>tried</i>, for they are +unassailable--this feeling was soon changed into one of compassion for +you. It is sad that a man like you, so rich in intellect, should be +so poor in heart. It is sad that you do not know the happiness of +self-denial, or of that unselfish love, which is called in the language +of a belief--more laughed at than credited by you, but to which each +day of pain draws me closer--<i>caritas</i>! Forgive the freedom of my +words. I know I have never yet addressed such to you, but I have only +lately become <i>what</i> I am. Perhaps it was not wholly with injustice +that, in your last letter, you blamed the traces of childishness which +you found in me. I believe that they have disappeared since then, and I +speak to you now as a <i>man</i>. Your 'medicine' has certainly accelerated +my development, but not in your sense of the word and not according to +your wish. It has brought me pain, holy and refining; it has put my +friendship to a severe test, and, God be thanked, the fire has not +destroyed it, but hardened it for ever. Read on and you will wonder at +the manner in which Heaven has carried out your plans! Though pained at +your letter, I very soon, with my habitual obedience, sought your +friend, Valerius Procillus, the trader in purple. He had already left +the town for his charming villa. There I followed him, and found a man +of much experience, and a zealous friend of freedom and of his country. +His daughter Valeria is a jewel! You prophesied truly. My intention of +being extremely reserved melted at her sight like mist before the sun. +It seemed to me as if Electra or Cassandra, Clœlia or Virginia, +stood before me! But still more than by her great beauty, I was charmed +by the grace of her mind as it unfolded itself before me. Her father at +once invited me to remain as his guest, and under his roof I have spent +the happiest days of my life. Valeria lives in the poetry of the +ancients. How her melodious voice lent splendour to the choruses of +Æschylus, and melancholy to Antigone's lament! We read together for +hours, and when she rose from her chair in her enthusiasm, when her +dark hair waved freely over her shoulders and her eyes flashed with an +almost unearthly fire, she looked indeed wonderfully beautiful. Her +character gains an additional charm from a circumstance which may cause +her much future grief, and which runs through her life like a cruel +rent. You will guess what I mean, for you know the history of her +family. You know better than I how it happened that her mother +dedicated Valeria at her birth to a lonely virgin life, passed in works +of piety, but that her rich father, more worldly than heavenly-minded, +bought her release from this vow at the cost of a church and a +cloister. But Valeria believes that Heaven will not accept dead gold +for a living soul; she does not feel released from this vow, of which +she thinks not with love but with fear. For you were right when you +wrote that she is a true child of the ancient heathen world. Not only +that, but she is the true child of her father, yet still she cannot +altogether renounce the pious Christianity of her mother; it lives +within her, not as a blessing, but as an overpowering curse; as the +inevitable fetter of that fatal vow. This strange conflict of feeling +tortures her, but it ennobles her also. Who knows how the struggle will +be ended? Heaven alone which will decide her fate. This inward strife +attracts me. You know that Christian faith and atheistic philosophy +struggle for the victory in my soul. To my astonishment, faith has +increased during these days of sorrow, and it almost seems to me that +happiness leads to heathen wisdom, and pain and misfortune to Christ. +But you have still to learn the cause of my suffering. When I became at +first aware of my growing passion, I was full of joyful hope. Valerius, +perhaps already influenced by you, observed my attention to Valeria +with no dislike; perhaps the only thing he disapproved in me was, that +I did not sufficiently share in his dreams of a renewed Roman Republic, +or his in hatred of the Byzantines; in whom he sees the deadly enemies, +not only of his family, but of Italy. Valeria, too, soon bestowed her +friendship upon me, and who knows if at that time this friendship and +her reverence to her father's wishes would not have sufficed to induce +her to accept my love. But I thank--shall I say God or Fate?--that this +did not happen. To sacrifice Valeria to a married life of indifference +would have been a sacrilege. I do not know what strange feeling +prevented me from speaking the word, which, at that time, would have +made her mine. I loved her deeply; but each time that I was about to +take courage and sue to her father for her hand, a feeling crept over +me as if I were trespassing on another's property; as if I were not +worthy of her, or not intended for her; and I was silent and controlled +my beating heart. One day, at the sixth hour--it was sultry and the sun +scorched both land and sea--I went to seek coolness and shade in the +grotto of the garden. I entered through the oleander-bushes. There +Valeria reposed upon a soft, mossy bank, one hand resting upon her +gently-heaving bosom, the other placed beneath her head, which was +still crowned with a wreath of asphodels worn during the evening meal. +I stood before her trembling; she had never looked so lovely. I bent +over her, lost in admiration; my heart beat quickly. I bent still +lower, and would have kissed her delicate rosy mouth, but all at once a +thought oppressed me: what you are about to do is a robbery! Totila! my +whole soul cried within me, and as gently as I had come I left her. +Totila! why had I never thought of him before? I reproached myself for +having almost forgotten the brother of my heart in my new happiness. +The next day I returned to Neapolis to fetch him. I praised the beauty +of the maiden, but I could not prevail on myself to tell him of my +love. I preferred that he should come and find it out for himself. On +our arrival at the villa we did not find Valeria in the house. So I led +Totila into the garden--Valeria is passionately fond of flowers--and as +we issued from an avenue, she appeared before us in all her dazzling +beauty. She was standing before a statue of her father and crowning it +with freshly-plucked roses, which she held heaped up in a fold of her +tunic.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was a surprisingly beautiful picture--this lovely girl, +framed in +the dark green of the taxus-bushes, her right hand uplifted to the +white marble statue, the other pressing the corner of her robe to her +bosom--and the effect upon Totila was overpowering. With a cry of +astonishment, he remained rooted to the ground before her. She looked +up and started. The roses fell from her dress to the ground; she did +not notice it. Their eyes had met, and her cheeks were covered with +blushes. At a glance I saw that her and my fate was decided. They loved +each other at first sight! This certainly pierced my soul like a +burning arrow. But only for a moment did I feel this unmixed pain. The +next, as I looked at the two, I felt unselfishly glad that they had +found each other; for it seemed as if the Power which creates the souls +and bodies of mortals, had formed them of one material for each other. +They belonged to each other, like morning sunshine and morning flowers. +Now I knew what mysterious feeling had kept me apart from Valeria, and +caused me to pronounce his name. By the wisdom of God, or in the course +of the stars, it had been decided that Valeria should be Totila's, and +that I should not step in between them.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Permit me to leave the rest untold; for my nature is still so +selfish, +the holy precept of self-denial has still so little power over me, +that--I am ashamed to confess it--my heart often fails me, instead of +beating with happiness at the good fortune of my friends. As two flames +mingle inseparably together, so their hearts were united. They love +each other, and are as happy as the immortal gods. To me remains the +joy of witnessing their bliss, and helping them to conceal it from the +eyes of their father, who will scarcely give his child to the barbarian +as long as he sees in Totila <i>only</i> the barbarian. But I keep my love +and its sacrificial death a secret from my friend; he does not guess, +nor shall he ever learn, that which would only disturb his happiness. +You see now, Cethegus, how far from your aim a god has turned your +plan. You would have given to me this jewel of Italy, and instead it is +laid at Totila's feet. You would have destroyed my friendship, and +have, instead, freed it, in the furnace of self-immolation, from all +earthly dross, and made it immortal. You would have made me a man +through the joy of love, and I have become a man through love's pain. +Farewell, and revere the guidance of Heaven!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<p class="continue">We will not attempt to describe the effect of this letter upon +the +Prefect, but will rather accompany the two friends upon one of their +evening walks on the charming shores of the Gulf of Neapolis.</p> + +<p class="normal">After an early cœna, they wandered through the city, and +out of the +Porta Nolana, which was still decorated with some half-ruined reliefs, +illustrating the victories of one of the Roman Emperors over the +barbarians.</p> + +<p class="normal">Totila stood still and admired the beautiful sculpture.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who can be that Emperor," he asked his friend, "on the car of +victory, +with the winged lightning in his hand, like a Jupiter Tonans?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is Marcus Aurelius," said Julius, and would have walked +on.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, stay a while! And who are those four prisoners in chains, +with the +long waving hair, who drag the car?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"They are Germanic Kings."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But of what family?" asked Totila. "Look there, an +inscription--'<i>Gothi extincti!</i>'--the Goths annihilated!" and, laughing +loudly, the young Goth struck the marble column with the palm of his +hand, and walked quickly through the gate. "A lie in marble!" he cried, +looking back. "That Emperor never thought that one day a Gothic Count +in Neapolis would give his boast the lie!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, nations are like the changing leaves upon the tree," +said Julius +thoughtfully. "Who will govern this land after you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Totila stood still.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<span class="sc">After us</span>?" he asked in astonishment.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What! You do not think that your Goths will endure for ever +amongst +the nations?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I don't know that," said Totila, walking on.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My friend, Babylonians and Persians, Greeks and Macedonians, +and, as +it seems, we Romans also, had their appointed time. They flourished, +ripened, and decayed. Will it be otherwise with the Goths?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not know," answered Totila uneasily. "I never thought +about it. +It has never occurred to me that a time might come when my nation----" +He hesitated, as if it were a sin even to express the thought. "How +can one imagine such a thing? I think as little about it as I do +about--death!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is like you, my Totila."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And it is like you, Julius, to tease yourself and others with +such +dreams."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dreams! You forget that for me and for my nation it has +already become +a reality. You forget that I am a Roman. I cannot deceive myself like +most men; it is all over with us. The sceptre has gone from us to you. +It was not without much painful thought that I learned to forget that +you, my bosom friend, are a barbarian, the enemy of my country."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But it is not so, by the light of the sun!" interrupted +Totila +eagerly. "Do I find this harsh thought in you too? Look around you! +When, tell me, when has Italy ever flourished more than under our +protection? Scarcely in the time of Augustus! You teach us science and +art; we give you peace and protection. Can one imagine a finer +correlation? Harmony amongst Romans and Goths may create an entirely +new era, more splendid than has ever existed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Harmony! But it does not exist. You are to us a strange +people, +divided from us by speech and faith, by race and customs, and by +centuries of hatred. Once we robbed you of your freedom; now you have +robbed us of ours. Between us yawns a wide abyss."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You reject my favourite idea."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is a dream!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, it is truth. I feel it, and perhaps the time will come +when I can +prove it. I would build all the fabric of my life upon it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then were it built upon a noble delusion. No bridge between +Romans and +barbarians!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then," said Totila, with some heat, "I do not understand how +you can +live--how you could take me----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not complete your sentence," said Julius gravely. "It was +not easy; +it was most painful self-denial. Only after a sharp struggle with +selfish feelings did I succeed. But at last I have ceased to live only +in my nation. The faith which already unites Romans and barbarians as +nothing else could; which more and more powerfully conquered my +repugnant reason by grief and pain--pain which turned to joy--brought +peace to me in the conflict of my soul. In this one thing I may already +boast that I am a Christian; I live for mankind, not alone for my +nation. I am a man, and no longer a mere Roman. Therefore I can love +you, the barbarian, like a brother. Are we not brothers of one +family--that of humanity? Therefore I can bear to live, even after +seeing my nation die. I live for humanity; that is my people."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No!" cried Totila vehemently; "that I could never do. I can, +and will, +live only for my nation. My nationality is the air in which alone my +soul can breathe. Why should we not endure eternally, or as long as +this earth endures? Persians and Greeks? We are of better stuff! Need +we fall because they have decayed? We are still in the strength of our +youth. Ah, no! If the day should ever come when the Goths fall, may I +not live to see it! Oh, ye gods! let us not linger like these sickly +Greeks, who cannot live and cannot die. No; if it must be, send a +fearful tempest, and let us perish suddenly and gloriously all, all! +and I the foremost!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had excited himself to the warmest enthusiasm. He sprang up +from the +marble bench upon which they had been seated, and shook his lance in +the air.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My friend," said Julius, looking at him kindly, "how well +this ardour +becomes you! But reflect; such a conflict could only be kindled against +<i>us</i>, against my nation, and should I----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"If ever such a strife arose, you should cling to your nation, +body and +soul, that is clear. You think that would interfere with our +friendship? Not in the least. Two heroes can cleave each other to the +marrow, and yet remain the best friends. Ha! I should rejoice to meet +you in battle, with spear and shield."</p> + +<p class="normal">Julius smiled: "My friendship is not of so grim a nature, my +savage +Goth! These doubts have tormented me for some time, and all my +philosophers together could give me no peace. Only since I learned, in +my sorrow, that I owe service to God in heaven alone, and must, on +earth, live for humanity, and not for a nation----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Softly, friend," cried Totila, "where is this humanity of +which you +rave? I do not see it. I see only Goths, Romans, and Byzantines! I know +of no humanity somewhere up in the sky, above the existing peoples. I +serve humanity by serving my nation! I cannot do otherwise. I can not +strip off the skin in which I was born. I speak like a Goth, in Gothic +words, not in a language of general humanity: there is no such thing. +And as I speak like a Goth, so I feel like a Goth. I can appreciate +strange nations certainly; I can admire your art, your science, and, in +part, your state, in which everything is so strictly ordered. We can +learn much from you; but I could not and would not exchange, even with +a people of angels. Ah! my brave Goths! At the bottom of my heart their +faults are dearer to me than your virtues!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"How differently I feel, and yet I am a Roman."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are no Roman! Forgive me, friend, it is long since a +Roman +existed, else I could never be the Count of the Harbour of Neapolis. No +one can feel as you do, whose nation yet exists; and all must feel as I +do, who belong to a living people."</p> + +<p class="normal">Julius was silent for a short time. "If it be indeed so, then +happy I! +If I have lost the earth, I have gained heaven! What are nations, what +are states, what is the earth? Not here below is the home of my +immortal soul, which longs for a kingdom where all is divine and +eternal!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop, Julius," said Totila, standing still, and striking his +lance +upon the ground. "Here upon earth have I a firm footing; here let me +stand and live, doing good, and enjoying what is beautiful. I will not +follow you into your heaven. I cannot. I honour your dreams and your +longing for holiness; but I do not share your feelings. You know," he +added, smiling, "that I am an inveterate heathen, like Valeria--my +Valeria! I remember her at the right moment. Your earth-forsaking +dreams make us forget the dearest things upon that earth! Look, we have +reached the city again; the sun sinks rapidly here in the south, and +before nightfall I must take some seeds to the garden of Valerius. A +fine gardener," he laughed, "to forget his flowers. Farewell. I turn to +the right."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Farewell. Greet Valeria for me. I shall go home and read."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What are you reading now? still Plato?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Augustinus. Farewell!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Totila, avoiding the more thickly populated parts of the inner +town, +hurried through the suburbs towards the Porta Capuana and the tower of +Isaac, the Jewish gate-keeper.</p> + +<p class="normal">This tower stood on the right of the gate, and had strong +walls and a +massive arched roof. It was divided into different stories, each being +smaller than the one below it. In the top story, close to the +battlements, were two low but roomy chambers, intended for the dwelling +of the gate-keeper.</p> + +<p class="normal">There lived the old Jew, with Miriam, his beautiful daughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the largest of these two rooms--where, against the walls, +hung +a row of heavy keys belonging to the principal and side doors of +this important gate, a curved signal-horn, and the spear of the +gate-keeper--sat Isaac, the aged warder, a tall, bony figure, with the +hooked nose and arched and bushy eyebrows of his nation. He sat upon a +reed mat, with his legs crossed, a long staff laid upon his knees, +listening attentively to the words of a young, ill-favoured-looking +man, evidently an Israelite, whose hard, sober features were expressive +of all the cunning of his race.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Look here, father Isaac," he was saying, in a thin, +unpleasant voice, +"my words are no vain words, and do not come only from the heart, which +is blind, but from the mind, which is sharp to discern. I have brought +letter and document for every word that I speak. Here is my appointment +as architect of all the aqueducts in Italy; fifty gold solidi yearly, +and ten more for every new undertaking. I have just reconstructed the +half-ruined aqueduct for this city of Neapolis; in this purse are the +ten solidi, money down. Thou seest I can keep a wife, and besides, I am +thy cousin Rachel's son, so do not let me speak in vain, but give me +Miriam, thy child, to wife, so that she may set my house in order."</p> + +<p class="normal">But the old man stroked his long grey beard, and shook his +head slowly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Jochem, son of Rachel, I say to thee, leave it alone, leave +it alone."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why, what hast thou against me? Who in Israel can speak +against +Jochem?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No one. Thou art just and peaceful and industrious, and +increasest thy +substance, and thy work flourisheth before the Lord. But hast thou ever +seen the nightingale mated with the sparrow, or the slender gazelle +with the beast of burden? They do not suit each other; and now, look +there, and tell me thyself if thou art fitted for Miriam?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He softly pushed aside the curtain which shut off the outer +chamber. At +a large bow-window which commanded a view of the splendid city, the +blue sea, and the distant mountains, stood a young girl, holding a +strangely-shaped stringed instrument in her arms. The room was filled +with the glowing light of the setting sun, which bathed the white +garments and the noble features of the girl with a rosy lustre. It +played upon her shining black hair, which, stroked back behind the +small ears, exposed the delicate temples; and, like this sunshine, a +poetical harmony seemed to envelop her whole figure, accompanying her +every movement, and every dreamy look of her dark blue eyes, which, +filled with gentle thoughts, gazed out over sea and city. Piso, the +poet, had called these eyes "dark sea-blue."</p> + +<p class="normal">As if in a half dream, her fingers touched the strings of her +instrument softly, while from her half-open lips there breathed an old +and melancholy song:</p> + +<div style="margin-left:10%"> +<p class="quote">"By the waters of Babylon<br> +We sat down and wept.<br> +When comes the day when Israel<br> +Shall cease to weep?"</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"Shall cease to weep?" she repeated dreamily, and leaned her +head upon +her arm, which, enclosing the harp, she rested upon the window-sill.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Look there!" said the old man in a low voice, "is she not as +lovely as +the rose of Sharon, or the hind upon the mountain, without spot or +fleck?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Before Jochem could answer, there sounded from below three +knocks upon +the small iron door. Miriam started from her reverie, and hurried down +the narrow winding staircase. Jochem went to the window, and his face +grew dark and frowning.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha! the Christian! the cursed Christian!" he growled, and +clenched his +fist. "That fair Goth again, with his insufferable pride! Father Isaac, +is that the stag that suits thee for thy hind?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Son, speak no mocking word against Isaac! Thou knowest that +the youth +has set his heart upon a Roman girl; he thinks not of the Pearl of +Judah!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But perhaps the Pearl of Judah thinks of him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"With joy and gratitude, as the lamb thinks of the strong +shepherd who +has saved it from the jaws of the wolf. Hast thou forgotten, that, when +last these cursed Romans hunted for the treasures and gold-heaps of +Israel, and burnt down the synagogue with unholy fire, a band of these +wicked men chased my poor child through the streets, like a pack of +wolves after a white lamb, and tore the veil from her face, and the +kerchief from her shoulders? Where was Jochem then, my cousin's son, +who had accompanied her? He had fled from danger with swift feet, and +had left the dove in the claws of the vulture!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am a man of peace," said Jochem uneasily; "my hand holds +not the +sword of force."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But Totila held it, brave as the Lion of Judah; and the Lord +was with +him. Alone he sprang amid the group of impudent robbers, struck the +boldest with his sharp sword, and drove away the others as a falcon +frighten crows. He covered my trembling child carefully with her veil, +and supporting her tottering footsteps, led her home, unhurt, to the +arms of her old father. May Jehovah the Lord bless him for this deed +with long life and happiness!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Jochem, taking up his papers, "then I will go: +this time +for a long while. I must travel over the great waters to transact an +important business."</p> + +<p class="normal">"An important business? With whom?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"With Justinianus, the Emperor of the East. A portion of the +great +church, which he is building to the glory of God, in the golden town of +Constantine, has fallen in. I have made a plan for the restoration of +the building."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man sprang up hastily, and struck his stick upon the +ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What, Jochem, son of Rachel! wilt thou serve the Romans? Wilt +thou +serve the Emperor, whose forefathers destroyed the holy city of Zion, +and reduced the Temple of the Lord to ashes? Wilt thou build a house +for the erring faith, thou, the son of the pious Manasseh? Woe, woe to +thee!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why callest thou 'woe,' and knowest not wherefore? Canst thou +smell +whether a gold piece comes from the hand of a Jew or from that of a +Christian? Does it not weigh as heavily and shine as brightly?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Son of Manasseh, thou canst not serve God and Mammon."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But thou thyself art a servant of the unbelievers! Do I not +see the +warder's keys on the walls of thy chamber? Dost thou not keep them for +these Goths, and openest the doors for their outgoing and incoming, and +guardest the castle of their strength?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, I do so," said the old man proudly; "and I will watch +for them +faithfully, day and night, like a dog for its master; and as long as +Isaac lives, no enemy of their nation shall enter these gates. For the +children of Israel owe fervent thanks to them and to their great King, +who was as wise as Solomon and as mighty as Gideon! We owe them such +thanks as our forefathers owed to Cyrus, who freed them from the +Babylonian captivity. The Romans destroyed the Temple of the Lord, and +scattered His people over the face of the earth. They have mocked and +beaten us, and burnt our holy places, and plundered our towns, and +defiled our houses, and forced our wives, all over this land, and have +made many a cruel law against us. But there came this great King from +the North, whose seed may Jehovah bless! and he rebuilt our synagogues, +and where the Romans had destroyed them, they were obliged to rebuild +them with their own hands and their own money. He protected our homes, +and whoever injured an Israelite was punished as if he had offended a +Christian. He left us our God and our belief, and protected our +commerce, and we celebrated the Paschal in such joy and peace as we had +never known since the time when the Temple still stood upon Zion. And +when a Roman noble had taken my Sarah from me by force, King Theodoric +ordered that his proud head should be struck off that very day, and +gave me back my wife unhurt. This I will remember as long as my days +endure, and I will serve the nation faithfully till death, and once +again it shall be said far and wide: as faithful and true as a Jew!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mayst thou not reap ingratitude where thou sowest gratitude," +said +Jochem, preparing to go; "it seems to me that the time will come, when +I shall again sue for Miriam--for the last time. Perhaps, father Isaac, +thou wilt then be less proud." And he went through Miriam's chamber and +down the steps, where he met Totila.</p> + +<p class="normal">With an ungracious bow and a piercing look, the little man +pressed +past the slender Goth, who was obliged to stoop, as he entered the +warder's dwelling.</p> + +<p class="normal">Miriam followed Totila immediately.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There hangs your gardener's dress," said she in a melodious +voice, +without raising her long lashes, "and here in the window I have placed +the flowers ready. You said lately that she loved the white narcissus. +I have taken care to procure some. They smell so sweet!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a good little maiden, Miriam," said Totila, taking +off his +helmet with the silver-white swan's wings, and setting it upon the +table. "Where is your father?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The blessing of the Lord rest upon thy golden locks," said +the old +man, as he entered the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good even, faithful Isaac!" cried Totila, taking off the long +white +mantle which hung from his shoulders, and enveloping himself in a brown +cloak, which Miriam took down from the wall. "You good people! without +you and your faithful silence, all Neapolis would know of my secret. +How can I thank you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thank?" said Miriam, fixing her beaming eyes upon him, "you +have +thanked us beforehand to all eternity!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Miriam," said Totila, pulling a broad-brimmed brown felt +hat low +down upon his forehead, "that was nothing. Tell me, father Isaac, who +is that little man who just went away, and whom I have often met here? +It seems to me that he has cast his eyes upon Miriam. Speak frankly. If +a dowry is wanting--I would gladly be of use."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Love is wanting--on her side," said Isaac quietly,</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I can certainly do no good! But if her heart has chosen +elsewhere--I should like to do something for my Miriam!" and he laid +his hand gently upon the maiden's shining hair.</p> + +<p class="normal">The touch was but slight, but as if a flash of lightning had +startled +her, Miriam fell suddenly upon her knees. Her head sank upon her bosom, +and, crossing her arms, she slipped down at Totila's feet like a flower +heavy with dew.</p> + +<p class="normal">Totila drew back a step in surprise. But the next moment the +girl had +risen.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forgive, it was only a rose--it fell at your feet," She +placed the +flower upon the table, and seemed so composed, that neither her father +nor Totila thought further of the occurrence. "It is growing dark +already; make haste, sir!" she said quietly, and gave him a basket +containing flowers and plants.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I go. Valeria is very thankful for all your kindness. I have +told her +a great deal about you, and she has long wished to see you. Well, +perhaps we can soon manage it--to-day is, probably, the last time that +I shall need this disguise."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you mean to carry off the daughter of Edom?" cried the old +man. +"Bring her here! here she will be well hidden!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," interposed Miriam, "not here! no, no!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why not, thou strange child?" asked her father in a tone of +annoyance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is no place for a bride--this chamber--it would bring +her no +blessing."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be not uneasy," said Totila, as he went to the door, "I shall +soon +put an end to secrecy by sueing for her hand openly. Farewell!" He +hastened out.</p> + +<p class="normal">Isaac took the spear, the horn, and several keys from the +wall, and +followed in order to open the gate for Totila, and make the round of +all the doors of the great tower.</p> + +<p class="normal">Miriam remained alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">For a long time she stood with closed eyes motionless on the +same spot.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last she passed both hands over her forehead and cheeks, +and looked +about her.</p> + +<p class="normal">The room was very quiet; through the open window stole the +first beam +of moonlight. It fell silvery upon Totila's white mantle, which hung in +long folds over a chair. Miriam ran and covered the hem of the mantle +with burning kisses. She took the glittering helmet, which stood near +her upon the table, and pressed it tenderly to her heart with both +arms. Then holding it a little way from her, she gazed upon it dreamily +for a few moments, and, at last--she could not resist--she lifted it up +and placed it upon her lovely head. She started as the heavy bronze +touched her forehead, and then, stroking back her dark braids, she +pressed the cold hard steel firmly upon her brow. She then took it off, +and set it, looking shyly round, in its former place, and going to +the window she looked out into the magic moonlight and the scented +night-air. Her lips moved as if in prayer, but the words of the prayer +were the same old song:</p> + +<div style="margin-left:10%"> +<p class="quote">"By the waters of Babylon<br> +We sat down and wept.<br> +O daughter of Zion, when comes the day<br> +Which stills thy heavy pain?"</p> +</div> +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">While Miriam was gazing silently at the first pale stars, +Totila's +impatience soon brought him to the villa of the rich trader, which lay +at about an hour's distance from the Porta Capuana.</p> + +<p class="normal">The slave who kept the gate told him to go to the old +Hortularius, +Valeria's freedman, who had the care of the garden. This freedman had +been admitted to the lovers' confidence, and now took the plants from +the supposed gardener's boy, and led him into his sleeping-room, the +low windows of which opened into the garden. The next day before +sunrise--so taught the mysteries of ancient horticulture--the flowers +must be planted, so that the first sunlight which shone upon them in +the new soil should be that of the fresh morning. The young Goth waited +impatiently in the narrow chamber for the hour at which Valeria would +be able to leave her father after their evening meal.</p> + +<p class="normal">He drew aside the curtain which covered the window and again +and again +looked up at the sky, measuring the flight of time by the rising of the +stars and the progress of the moon. The large garden before him lay +bathed in its peaceful light.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the distance, the plashing of a fountain could be heard, +and the +cicadas chirped in the myrtles. The warm south wind blew sultry through +the night, at times bearing clouds of sweet odour upon its wings; and, +from the blooming grove at the end of the garden, the clear song of the +nightingale filled the air with melody.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last Totila could wait no longer. He swung himself +noiselessly over +the marble sill of the window; the white sand of the narrow path +scarcely grated beneath his rapid footsteps, as, avoiding the stream of +moonlight, he hurried along under the shrubbery.</p> + +<p class="normal">On past the dark taxus-trees and the thick olive-groves; past +the tall +statue of Flora, whose white marble shone ghostly in the moonlight; +past the large basin, where six marble dolphins spouted water high into +the air; into the thick shrubbery of laurels and tamarinds, and, +pressing through the oleanders, he stood before the stalactite grotto, +in which a marble nymph of the spring leaned upon a large dark urn. As +he entered, a white figure glided from behind the statue.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Valeria, my lovely rose!" cried Totila, ardently embracing +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Leave me, leave me, my beloved!" she said, withdrawing from +his arms.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, sweet one! I will not leave you. How long, how painfully, +I have +missed you! Do you hear how sweetly and invitingly the nightingale +calls? Inhale the warm air of the summer night and the intoxicating +scent of the roses. All breathes joy and love! Oh, let us hold fast +these golden hours! My soul cannot contain all its bliss! All thy +beauty; all our youth; and this glowing, blooming summer night. Life +rolls in mighty waves through my heart, and bursts it with delight!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Totila, I would gladly lose myself, like you, in the +happiness of +these hours! But I cannot. The intoxicating perfume, the luxurious +warmth of these summer nights are but transient; they breed misfortune. +I cannot believe in the happiness of our love!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou dear fool, why not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know not. The unhappy doubt which troubles all my life +spreads its +curse even over our love. How gladly would I love and trust like you! +But a warning voice in my heart ever repeats: 'It will not last--thou +shalt not be happy!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then, even in my arms, you are not happy?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, and no! The feeling of concealment from my noble father +oppresses +me. See, Totila, what makes me love you most is not your youthful +beauty and strength, nor even your great love for me. It is my pride in +your character, in your frank, unclouded and noble character. I have +accustomed myself to see you walk through this dark world bright and +strong as the God of Light. The noble courage, sure of victory; the +enthusiasm and truth of your being, are my pride. That when you +approach, all that is mean, little, and unholy must vanish from before +you, is my delight. I love you as a mortal loves the Sun-god who +approaches him in the fulness of his glory, and therefore I can endure +nothing secret about you. Not even the delight of these hours--it is +enjoyed by stealth, and that must no longer be----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Valeria, and shall not! I feel exactly the same. I hate +the lie +of this disguise; I can bear it no longer! To-morrow I will throw it +off and speak openly and freely to your father."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This decision is the best, for----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"For it saves your life, young man!" suddenly cried a deep +voice, and +from the dark background of the grotto a man came forth, in the act of +sheathing his sword.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father!" cried Valeria, startled, but with courageous +composure. +Totila put one arm round her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Away, Valeria! leave the barbarian!" cried Valerius, +stretching out +his hand commandingly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Valerius," cried Totila, pressing Valeria close to his +breast; +"henceforward her place is on my bosom!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Audacious Goth!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hear me, Valerius, and be not angry with us for this deceit. +You +yourself heard that it was to end tomorrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fortunately for you, I did. Warned by an old friend, I could +still +scarcely believe that my daughter--would deceive me. When I was +compelled to believe my eyes, I was resolved that your life should pay +for her fault. Your words saved you. But now go; you will never again +see her face."</p> + +<p class="normal">Totila would have retorted angrily, but Valeria was +beforehand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Father," she said quietly, stepping between the two men, +"listen to +your child. I will not excuse my love, it needs no apology. It is as +innocent and heavenly as are the stars. My love is the life of my life. +You know me; truth is the air I breathe. By my soul! I will never leave +this man!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nor I her!" cried Totila, and took her right-hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young couple stood erect before the old man in the bright +moonlight, their noble features filled with sacred enthusiasm. They +looked so beautiful that a softened feeling took possession of the +angry father.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Valeria, my child!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my father! you have led all my childish steps with such +untiring +love that till now I have scarcely missed, though I have deeply +regretted, my lost mother. At this moment I miss her for the first +time; for now I feel that I need her advocacy. At least let her memory +plead for me. Let me bring her picture before you, and remind you of +the time when, dying, she called you for the last time to her bedside, +and, as you have often told me, confided to you my happiness as a holy +legacy."</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius pressed his right hand to his forehead; his daughter +ventured +to take the other; he did not repulse her. Evidently a struggle was +going on in his mind. At last he spoke.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Valeria, without knowing it, you have pleaded strongly. It +would be +unjust to withhold from you a fact upon which you have mysteriously +touched. Your mother's vow, which, however, we had long since annulled, +still oppressed her soul. 'If our child,' she said, 'is not to be the +bride of Heaven, at least swear to me to honour the freedom of her +choice. I know how Roman girls, particularly in our rank of life, are +given in marriage unasked, without love. Such an union is misery on +earth and a sin before God. My Valeria will choose nobly; swear to me +to give her to the husband of her choice, and to no other!'--and I +Swore it. But to give my child to a barbarian, to an enemy of Italy! +no, no!" And he broke from her grasp.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps I am not so barbarous, Valerius, as you think," began +Totila. +"At least I am the warmest friend of the Romans in all my nation. +Believe me, I do not hate you; those whom I abhor are your worst +enemies as well as ours--the Byzantines!"</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a happy speech, for in the heart of the old republican +the +hatred of Byzantium was the reverse side to his love of freedom and +Italy. He was silent, but his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the youth.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father," said Valeria, "your child could love no +barbarian. Learn +to know Totila; and if you still call him a barbarian--I will never +become his. I ask nothing of you but this: learn to know him. Decide +for yourself whether my choice be noble. He is beloved by all the +Goths, and all men are friendly to him--surely you alone will not +reject him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Again she took her father's hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, learn to know me, Valerius!" begged Totila earnestly, +taking his +other hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man sighed. At length he said: "Come with me to your +mother's +grave, Valeria; there it is amongst the cypresses; there stands the urn +containing her heart. Let us think of her--the noblest woman who ever +lived--and appeal to her shade. And if your love prove to be true and +well placed, then I will perform what I have promised."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">A few weeks later, we find Cethegus in the well-known room +containing +the statue of Cæsar, together with our new acquaintance, Petros, the +ambassador of the Emperor Justinian, or rather of the Empress.</p> + +<p class="normal">The two men had shared a simple meal and had emptied a flask +of old +Massikian together, exchanging reminiscences of past times--they had +been fellow-students, as we already know--and had just left the +dinner-room for the study of Cethegus, in order, undisturbed by the +attendants, to talk over more confidential affairs.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As soon as I had convinced myself," said Cethegus, concluding +his +account of late events, "that the alarming reports from Ravenna were +only rumours--perhaps inventions, and, at all events, exaggerated--I +opposed the utmost coolness to the excitement and zeal of my friends. +Lucius Lucinius, with his fiery temper and foolish enthusiasm, almost +spoilt everything. He repeatedly demanded that I should accept the +office of Dictator, and literally put his sword to my breast, shouting +that I should be compelled to serve the fatherland. He let out so many +secrets, that it was fortunate the dark Corsican--who seems to stick to +the Goths, no one knows why--took him to be more drunk than he really +was. At last news came that Amalaswintha had returned, and so people +and Senate gradually became more calm."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you," said Petros, "have saved Rome for the second time +from the +revenge of the barbarians--a service which can never be forgotten, and +for which all the world, but most of all the Queen, must thank you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Queen--poor woman!" answered Cethegus, shrugging his +shoulders. +"Who knows how long the Goths, or your imperial master at Byzantium, +will leave her upon her throne?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What! You mistake entirely!" interrupted Petros eagerly. "My +embassy +was intended, above all other things, to support her government; and I +was just upon the point of asking your advice," he added cunningly, "as +to how this can best be done."</p> + +<p class="normal">But the Prefect leaned back his head against the marble wall, +and +looked with a smile at the ambassador.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Petros! oh, Peter!" he said. "Why so secret? I thought we +knew +each other better."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you mean?" asked the Byzantine, embarrassed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I mean that we have not studied law and history together at +Berytus +and Athens in vain. I mean that at that time we already, while working +together and exchanging our wise thoughts, came to the conclusion that +the Emperor must drive out these barbarians, and rule again in Rome as +he does in Byzantium. And as I think now just as I did then, you also +will surely not have become a different man."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must subject my views to those of my master; and +Justinian----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Naturally burns to rule in Italy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But certainly," said Petros, much embarrassed, "cases might +occur----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Peter," said Cethegus, now rising indignantly, "use no +phrases and no +lies with me; they do no good. See, Petros, this is your old fault; you +are ever too cunning to be wise. You think that you must always lie, +and are never courageous enough to be truthful. How can you pretend to +me that the Emperor does not mean to have Italy again? Whether he will +uphold or overthrow the Queen depends upon whether he thinks he will +reach his goal more easily with or without her. What his opinion is I +am not to know. But, in spite of all your cunning, the next time we +meet I will tell you to your face what he intends to do."</p> + +<p class="normal">A wicked and bitter smile played upon the ambassador's thin +lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Still as proud as ever you were in the schools of logic at +Athens," he +said spitefully.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes; and at Athens, you know, I was always the first, +Procopius the +second, and you came third."</p> + +<p class="normal">Syphax just then entered the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A veiled woman, sir," he said, "awaits you in the Hall of +Jupiter."</p> + +<p class="normal">Glad that the conversation was thus interrupted, for he did +not feel +capable of arguing with the Prefect, Petros said, with a grin:</p> + +<p class="normal">"I wish you joy of such an interruption."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, for your own sake," answered Cethegus, smiling; and left +the +room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You shall one day repent your sarcasm, haughty man!" thought +the +Byzantine.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the hall--which received the name of Jupiter from a +beautiful +statue, sculptured by Glycon of Athens--Cethegus found a woman, clad +richly in the Gothic costume. On his entrance, she threw back the cowl +of her brown mantle.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Princess Gothelindis!" cried the Prefect in surprise. "What +leads you +to me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Revenge!" she answered, in a hoarse voice, and advanced +towards him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her features were sharp, but not plain; she would even have +been called +beautiful, but that her left eye was utterly destroyed, and the whole +of her left cheek disfigured by a long scar. The wound seemed to bleed +afresh as her cheeks flushed while pronouncing the angry word. Such +deadly hatred shone from her grey eye, that Cethegus involuntarily +retreated.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Revenge?" he asked. "On whom?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"On--of that later. Forgive that I disturb you," she added, +composing +herself. "Your friend Petros of Byzantium is with you, is he not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes; but how do you know?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! I saw him enter your door before supper," she answered, +with +assumed indifference.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is not true," said Cethegus to himself; "for he was +brought in by +the garden-gate. So they have made an appointment here, and I was not +to know it. What can they want with me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will not keep you long," continued Gothelindis. "I have +only one +question to ask of you. Answer briefly, 'yes' or 'no.' I have the power +to ruin that woman--the daughter of Theodoric--and I have the will. Are +you for me in this, or against me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! friend Petros," thought the Prefect. "Now I already know +what you +intend to do with Amalaswintha. But we will see how far you have +gone.--Gothelindis," he said aloud, "I readily believe that you wish to +ruin the Gothic Queen; but I doubt if you can do so."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Listen to me, and then decide whether I can or no. The woman +has +caused the three dukes to be murdered."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus shrugged his shoulders. "Many people think that."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I can prove it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You don't say so?" exclaimed Cethegus incredulously.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Duke Thulun, as you know, did not die immediately. He was +attacked on +the Æmilian Way, near my villa at Tannetum. My husbandmen found him and +brought him into my house. You know that he was my cousin--I belong to +the Balthe family. He died in my arms."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, and what said the sick man in his fever?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fever! Nothing of the sort! As Duke Thulun fell, he wounded +his +murderer, who was not able to fly far. My husbandmen sought for him, +and found him dying in the nearest wood. He confessed everything to +me."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus imperceptibly compressed his lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well? What was he? What did he say?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He was an Isaurian mercenary," said Gothelindis sharply, "an +overlooker of the works on the ramparts at Rome, and he said, +'Cethegus, the Prefect, sent me to the Queen, and the Queen sent me to +Duke Thulun!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who heard his confession besides you?" asked Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No one. And no one shall know of this, if you stand by me. +But if not, +then----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gothelindis," interrupted the Prefect, "no threats! They are +of no +use. You must comprehend that they can only aggravate, but not control +me. In case of need, I would allow it to come to an open accusation. +You are known as the bitter enemy of Amalaswintha, and your evidence +alone--you were imprudent enough to confess that no one else heard the +declaration of the dying man--would ruin neither her nor me. You cannot +force me to act against the Queen; at the most, you could persuade me, +if you can show that it would be to my advantage. And to do this, I +myself will propose an ally to you. You certainly know Petros, my +friend?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well; long since."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Permit me to fetch him to this conference."</p> + +<p class="normal">He returned to his study.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Petros, my visitor is the Princess Gothelindis, the wife of +Theodahad. +She wishes to speak to both of us. Do you know her?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I? oh no. I have never seen her," answered Petros quickly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Tis well; follow me."</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as they entered the hall, Gothelindis cried out:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Welcome, old friend! What a surprising meeting!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Petros was dumb. Cethegus, his hands clasped behind his back, +enjoyed +the confusion of the Byzantine.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you see, Petros? always too cunning, always unnecessary +subtleties! +But come, do not be so cast down by the discovery of a trick. So you +two have combined together for the Queen's ruin. You wish to persuade +me to help you. But before doing so, I must know your intentions +exactly. Whom will you place upon Amalaswintha's throne? For the way is +not yet open for Justinian."</p> + +<p class="normal">Both were silent for some moments. His clear perception of the +situation surprised them. At last Gothelindis spoke:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodahad, my husband, the last of the Amelungs."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodahad, the last of the Amelungs," Cethegus repeated +slowly.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile, he considered all the advantages and disadvantages +of this +plan. He reflected that Theodahad, unloved by the Goths, and raised to +the throne by Petros, would soon be entirely in the power of the +Byzantines, and that the catastrophe would be brought about in a +different manner and earlier than he intended. He reflected that he +must at all events keep the armies of the East Romans at a distance for +the longest possible time, and he decided to keep up the present state +of things and support Amalaswintha, because thus he would gain time for +his preparations. All this he had thought over, weighed, and decided +upon, in a few moments.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And how will you commence proceedings?" he asked gravely.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We shall desire the Queen to abdicate in favour of my +husband, +threatening, in case of refusal, to accuse her of murder."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And if she runs the risk?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will carry out our threat," said Petros, "and raise a +storm amongst +the Goths, which will----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cost her her life!" cried Gothelindis.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps cost her her throne," said Cethegus, "but hardly give +it to +Theodahad. No, if the Goths are allowed to <i>choose</i> a king, he will not +bear the name of 'Theodahad.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is too true," said Gothelindis angrily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then there might easily come a king who would be much less +welcome to +us all than Amalaswintha. And therefore I tell you openly, I am not on +your side; I will uphold the Queen."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then there is war between us," cried Gothelindis grimly, and +turned +towards the door. "Come, Petros."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Softly, friends," said the Byzantine. "Perhaps Cethegus will +change +his mind when he has read this paper," and he gave the Prefect the +letter which Alexandros had brought from Amalaswintha to Justinian.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus read; his features darkened.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Petros sarcastically, "will you still support the +Queen, +who has vowed your ruin? Where would you be if she carried out her +plan, and your friends did not watch over you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus scarcely listened to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pitiful fellow," he thought, "as if it were that! as if the +Queen were +not quite right! as if I could blame her for it! But the imprudent +woman has already done what I only feared from Theodahad. She has +ruined herself, and frustrated all my plans; she has already called the +Byzantines into the country, and now they will come, whether she will +or no. As long as Amalaswintha reigns, Justinian will play the part of +her protector." And now he turned, in seeming consternation, to the +ambassador, and, giving him the letter back, asked: "And if she carries +out her intention, when could your troops land?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Belisarius is already on the way to Sicily," said Petros, +proud of +having abashed the Prefect; "in a week he can anchor before Portus."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Unheard of!" cried Cethegus, this time in real dismay.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You see," said Gothelindis, who had meanwhile read the +letter, "those +whom you would uphold wish to ruin you. Be beforehand with them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the name of my Emperor," said Petros, "I summon you to +help me to +destroy this kingdom of the Goths, and to restore to Italy her freedom. +You and your talent are valued as they ought to be at the Emperor's +court, and, after the victory, Justinian promises you--the dignity of a +senator at Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is it possible?" cried Cethegus. "But not even this highest; +of +honours drives me with such eagerness into your plans as my indignation +against the ungrateful Queen, who in reward for all my services, +threatens my life.--But are you sure?" he asked anxiously, "that +Belisarius will not land at once?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not be uneasy," answered Petros; "it is my hand that will +beckon, +when it is time. First, Amalaswintha must be replaced by Theodahad."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is well," thought Cethegus; "with time all is won, and +the +Byzantines shall not land until I can receive them at the head of Italy +in arms.--I am yours," he added aloud, turning to Gothelindis, "and I +think I can bring Amalaswintha to set the crown upon your husband's +head with her own hands. She shall resign the sceptre."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Queen will never do that!" cried Gothelindis.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps! Her generosity is still greater than her ambition. +It is +possible to ruin one's enemies through their virtues," said Cethegus +thoughtfully. "I am now sure of the thing, and I greet you, Queen of +the Goths!" he concluded, with a slight bow.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">After the removal of the three dukes, Amalaswintha had +maintained an +expectant attitude. Although by the fall of the heads of the +aristocratic opposition she had obtained some freedom of action, yet +the National Assembly at Regeta, near Rome, was soon to be held, when +she must either completely exculpate herself from all suspicion of +murder, or lose her crown, and perhaps her life. Only until the +assembly had taken place did Witichis and his adherents promise her +their protection. She therefore made every effort to strengthen her +position before the decisive moment arrived. She hoped nothing more +from Cethegus; she had seen through his selfish motives.</p> + +<p class="normal">But she hoped that the Italians and the conspirators of the +Catacombs, +at the head of whose members her own name figured, would prefer her +rule, so friendly to the Romans, to that of a king who belonged to the +Gothic national party. She ardently longed for the arrival of the +body-guard from the Emperor, which would protect her in the first +moment of danger; and she was zealously employed in increasing the +number of her friends amongst the Goths themselves. She invited many of +her father's old followers--zealous adherents of the Amelungs, grey old +warriors of great influence with the people, brothers-at-arms and +almost play-fellows of old Hildebrand--to return to Ravenna; +particularly the white-bearded Grippa, Theodoric's cupbearer, whose +fame was scarcely less influential than that of the old master-at-arms. +She overwhelmed him and his comrades with honours, confided the castle +of Ravenna to their care, and made them swear to keep faith with the +Amelung family. As this connection with popular names was to form a +sort of counterbalance to the influence of Witichis, Hildebrand and +their friends--and Witichis could not justly prevent her from +distinguishing the old friends of Theodoric with honours--so the Queen +also looked about for aid against the family of the Balthes and their +revenge. With sharp discernment she perceived that this could best be +procured from the Wölfungs, whose family possessed great influence and +riches in central Italy. At that time the heads of this family were two +brothers, Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad.</p> + +<p class="normal">To win their alliance she had thought of a peculiarly +effective means. +For the friendship of the Wölfungs she would offer no less a price than +the hand of her beautiful daughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">In a richly decorated room at Ravenna the mother and daughter +were +engaged in an earnest but not amicable conversation on this subject.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Queen was measuring the narrow apartment with hasty steps; +all her +usual repose of manner gone. She frequently threw an angry look at the +beautiful girl, who, leaning against a marble table, stood quietly +before her with downcast eyelids.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Reflect well," cried Amalaswintha angrily, and suddenly +standing +still, "reflect once more! I give you three days' time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is in vain. I shall always speak as I have done to-day," +said +Mataswintha without raising her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then tell me, what have you to say against Earl Arahad?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nothing, except that I cannot love him."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Queen did not seem to hear her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is quite a different case from the other, when we would +have had +you marry Cyprianus," she said. "He was old and--which perhaps in your +eyes was a greater disadvantage," she added bitterly--"a Roman."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And yet I was banished to Tarentum because I refused him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hoped that severity would have induced you to change your +mind. For +months I kept you away from my court, from my motherly heart." A bitter +smile curled Mataswintha's lovely mouth. "In vain," continued the +Queen. "I now call you back----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You err. My brother Athalaric called me back!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I now offer you another husband. Young, handsome, a Goth of +the purest +nobility, his rank is at this moment the second in the kingdom. You +know, at least you suspect, how sorely my throne, surrounded by +enemies, needs protection. He and his powerful brother promise us the +help of their whole army. Earl Arahad loves you, and you, you refuse +him! Tell me why?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Because I do not love him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A girl's stupid speech! You are a King's daughter; you ought +to +sacrifice yourself to your rank, to your kingdom."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am a woman," answered Mataswintha, raising her sparkling +eyes, "and +will sacrifice my heart to no power in heaven or on earth!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And thus speaks my daughter? Look at me, foolish child. I +have striven +after great things, and have attained much. As long as men admire what +is great, they will name my name. I have won all that life can offer, +and yet I never----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Loved! I know it," sighed her daughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes; it was the curse of my childhood! I was indeed still a +child when +my father died. I knew not how to express it, but even then I could +feel that his heart missed something, when, sighing deeply, he embraced +Athalaric and me, and sighed again. And I loved him all the more +tenderly because I felt that he sought love most where it was wanting. +Now indeed I know what then I could not explain to myself. You became +our father's wife, because, after Theodoric, he stood next to the +throne. Ambition, and not love, led you to his arms, and you could only +give cold pride in return for his warm affection."</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha was startled, and stopped again in her restless +walk.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are very bold!" she said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am your daughter----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You speak of love so familiarly--you seem to know it at +twenty better +than I at fifty. You love!" she cried suddenly, "and thence comes this +obstinacy!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Mataswintha blushed and was silent.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Speak," cried her angry mother; "confess it or deny it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Mataswintha cast down her eyes and still kept silence. She had +never +looked more beautiful.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you deny the truth? Are you afraid, you, a daughter of +the +Amelungs?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The girl proudly raised her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am not afraid and I do not deny the truth. Yes, I love."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And whom, unhappy girl?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not even a god could force me to tell that!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked so decided that Amalaswintha did not attempt to +learn more.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," she said, "my daughter has no common nature. So I +demand of you +what is uncommon: to sacrifice all to the highest."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mother, I cherish a noble dream in my heart. To me it is the +highest. +To it I will sacrifice all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mataswintha," said the Queen, "how unqueenly! See, God has +blessed you +above thousands with beauty of body and mind. You are born to be a +queen."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will be a queen of love. All praise my beauty. I have +proposed to +myself, loving and beloved, happy and bestowing happiness, to be a true +woman!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A woman? is that all your ambition?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is. Oh, would it had been yours!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the realm is nothing to you, the grandchild of Theodoric? +Your +nation, the Goths, are they of no account?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, mother," said Mataswintha quietly; "it grieves me, it +almost makes +me ashamed, but I cannot pretend what I do not feel. The word 'Goth' +arouses no sentiment in me. Perhaps it is not my fault; you have always +despised these Goths and valued these 'barbarians' lightly; that was my +first impression; it is enduring. And I hate this crown, this kingdom +of the Goths; it has taken the place of my father, of my brother, and +of myself in your heart! The Gothic crown has never been anything to me +but a hated and inimical power."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my child, woe to me if I am guilty of this! If you will +not do it +for the sake of our kingdom, oh, do it for my sake! I am lost without +these Wölfungs. Do it for the sake of my love!" And she took her +daughter's hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mataswintha drew back with a bitter smile:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mother, do not blaspheme that holy name! Your love? You have +never +loved me. Nor my brother, nor my father."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My child! What should I have loved if not you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The crown, mother, and the hated monarchy! How often have you +repulsed +me before Athalaric's birth, because I was a girl, and you wished for a +crown-prince. Think of my father's grave and of----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cease!" cried Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And Athalaric? Have you ever loved him? Have you not rather +loved his +right to the throne? Oh, how often have we poor children wept, when we +sought the mother and found the Queen!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You never complained to me! you do it only now, when I ask +you for the +sacrifice----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mother, even now it was not for yourself, only for your crown +and +throne. Put off the crown and you are free from all care. It has +brought us no happiness, only pain. You are not threatened--I would +sacrifice everything for you--but only your throne, only the golden +diadem, the idol of your heart, the curse of my life! Never will I +sacrifice my love to this hated crown, never, never, never!" And she +crossed her white arms over her bosom as if she would protect her love +thus from all assailers.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" cried the Queen indignantly, "selfish, heartless child! +you +confess that you have no feeling for your people, no pride in the crown +of your great ancestors! You will not voluntarily obey the voice of +honour; well then, obey force! You deny my love? then feel my severity! +You will leave Ravenna at once with your attendants. You will go to +Florentia, as the guest of Duke Guntharis; his wife has invited you. +Earl Arahad will accompany you on your journey. Leave me. Time will +bend your stubborn will!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No power can do that," said Mataswintha, proudly raising her +head, and +she left the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Queen looked after her silently. Her daughter's reproofs +had made a +greater impression upon her than she was willing to allow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ambition?" she said to herself. "No, it is not that which +fills my +soul. I feel that I could protect my realm and render it happy, and +truly I could sacrifice my life, as well as my crown, if the well-being +of my nation demanded it. Could I not?" she asked herself, doubtfully +laying her hand upon her heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">She was roused from her reverie by Cassiodorus, who entered +with bent +head and slow steps.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Amalaswintha, struck by the sad expression of his +face, +"do you come to tell me of a misfortune?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; only to ask a question."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What question?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen," the old man solemnly commenced, "I have served you +and your +father faithfully for thirty years. I, a Roman, have served the +barbarians, for I honoured your virtues, and believed that Italy, no +longer capable of self-government, would flourish best under your rule, +for your rule was just and mild. I continued to serve you, even when +the blood of my best friends--and, as I believe, the most innocent +blood--was shed. But they died by law, and not by treachery. I was +obliged to honour your father, even where I could not praise him. But +now----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now? but now?" repeated the Queen proudly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I come now to beg from my friend, may I say my scholar----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You may," answered the Queen, softened.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To beg great Theodoric's noble daughter to speak one single +word, a +'yes.' If you can say this 'yes.'--and I pray to God that you can--then +I will serve you as faithfully as ever, so long as my grey hairs are +spared."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And if not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And if not, O Queen," answered the old man sadly--"oh, then +farewell +to you, and to my last joy in this world!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What have you to ask?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Amalaswintha, you know that I was far away on the northern +frontiers +of the realm, when the rebellion here broke out, when that terrible +rumour arose, and that fearful accusation was made. I believed +nothing--I hurried here from Tridentum--I arrived two days ago, +and not an hour passes, not a Goth do I meet, but a terrible doubt +falls heavily upon my heart. And you, too, are changed; restless, +inconstant--and yet I cannot believe it. One sincere word of yours will +dispel all these mists."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why use so many words?" she cried, supporting herself on the +arm of +her chair. "Ask briefly what you have to ask."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say but one simple 'yes.' Are you guiltless of the death of +the three +dukes?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And if I were not, have they not richly deserved their fate?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Amalaswintha--I beseech you--say 'yes.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You take a very sudden interest in the Gothic rebels!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beseech you," cried the old man, falling on his knees, +"daughter of +Theodoric, say 'yes,' if you can!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Rise!" she cried, turning away with a frown. "You have no +right to +question me thus."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said the old man quietly, and rising from his knees. +"No, not +now. From this moment I no longer belong to this world."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cassiodorus!" cried the Queen, alarmed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here are the keys of my rooms in the palace. There you will +find all +the gifts that I have received from you and Theodoric; the documents +which assert my dignities, and my seals of office. I go!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whither, my old friend, oh, whither?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To the cloister which I founded at Squillacium, in Apulia. +Henceforward, far from kings and their deeds, I shall only do God's +work upon earth. My soul has long since panted for peace, and now I +have nothing left on earth that is dear to me. Accept once more my +advice at parting: put away the sceptre from your blood-stained hands. +You can bless this realm no longer, you can only bring a curse upon the +nation. Think of the salvation of your soul, and may God be gracious to +you!" And before the Queen could recover from her consternation, he had +disappeared.</p> + +<p class="normal">She would have hurried after him to call him back but she was +met at +the door by Petros, the ambassador.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stay, Queen," he said in a low and rapid voice, "stay and +hear me. I +have no time to lose. I am followed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who follows you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"People who do not mean so well by you as I do. Deceive +yourself no +more; the fate of the kingdom is decided; you can hinder it no longer, +so save for yourself what you can. I repeat my proposal."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What proposal?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You heard it yesterday."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That treacherous advice! Never! I shall report it to your +master, the +Emperor, and beg him to recall you. With you I will confer no more."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen, this is not the moment to spare you. The next +ambassador of +Justinian is called Belisarius, and he will come with an army!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Impossible!" cried the forsaken Queen. "I recall my +petition."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Too late. The fleet of Belisarius already lies off Sicily. +The +proposal which you thought came from me you have rejected. Learn that +the Emperor, and not I, was the propounder, and meant it as a last +token of his favour."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Justinian, my friend, my protector, would thus ruin me and my +kingdom!" cried Amalaswintha, who began to see the terrible truth.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not ruin you, but save you! He will re-conquer this Italy, +the cradle +of the Roman Empire. This unnatural, impossible kingdom of the Goths is +condemned and lost. Leave the sinking ship. Justinian reaches out to +you a friendly hand, and the Empress offers you an asylum, if you will +deliver Neapolis, Rome, Ravenna, and all the fortresses into the hands +of Belisarius, and consent that the Goths shall be led, disarmed, over +the Alps."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wretched man! Shall I betray my people as you have betrayed +me? Too +late I see your schemes; I came to you for help, and you will destroy +me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not you, only the barbarians."</p> + +<p class="normal">"These barbarians are my people; they are my only friends! I +see it +now, and will stand by them to the death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But they will not stand by you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Insolent! Out of my sight! Leave my court!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will not listen? Reflect, O Queen! only on this condition +can I +answer for your life."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My people in arms shall answer for my life!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hardly. For the last time I ask you----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be silent! I will not give up my crown to Justinian without a +struggle."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, then," said Petros to himself, "another must, do it. +Enter!" he +called aloud at the entrance.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cethegus alone appeared from behind the curtain.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where is Gothelindis? Where is Theodahad?" whispered Petros.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I left them outside the palace. The two women hate each other +too +bitterly. Their passion would spoil all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are not my good angel, Prefect of Rome," said +Amalaswintha, +turning away from him gloomily, as he approached.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This time perhaps I am," whispered Cethegus, going close up +to her. +"You have rejected the proposals from Byzantium, as I expected you +would. Dismiss that false Greek."</p> + +<p class="normal">At a sign from the Queen, Petros retired into an ante-room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What would you with me, Cethegus? I trust you no longer."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have trusted the Emperor instead of me, and you see the +consequences."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do indeed," she answered in deep grief.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen, I have never deceived you in this: that I love Italy +and Rome +more than the Goths. You will remember that I never concealed it from +you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know it, and do not blame you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dearest wish is to see Italy free. In order to keep the +Emperor +off, I would uphold your government; but I tell you openly that there +is now no hope of this. If you proclaim war against Byzantium, the +Goths will no more obey or the Italians trust you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And why not? What separates me from the Italians and my +people?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your own acts: two unfortunate documents, which, are in +Justinian's +hands. You yourself first called his arms into Italy--a body-guard from +Byzantium!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha grew pale.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Unfortunately not I alone, but my friends, the conspirators +of the +Catacombs. Petros showed them, the letter, and they call down curses +upon you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then my Goths, at least, remain to me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No longer. Not alone do the adherents of the Balthes seek +your life; +but the conspirators of Rome have sworn, as soon as war breaks out, to +announce to all the world that your name stands at the head of their +conspiracy against the Goths--against your own nation! The document, +with your signature, is in my hands no longer; it lies in the archives +of the conspirators."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Faithless man!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"How could I know that you treated with Byzantium behind my +back, and +thus made enemies of my friends? You see that Byzantium, the Goths, and +Italy are all against you. If the war break out under your direction, +division will run rife in Italy. No one will obey you, and the kingdom +will fall helpless into the hands of Belisarius. Amalaswintha, there +must be a sacrifice! I demand it of you in the name of Italy, in the +name of your people and of mine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What sacrifice? I consent to any."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The greatest sacrifice--your crown. Give it to a man who is +capable of +uniting the Goths and Italians against Byzantium, and save both +nations."</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha looked at him searchingly. A terrible struggle +took place +in her soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My crown? It is very dear to me," she said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I always held Amalaswintha capable of any sacrifice."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dare I place confidence in your advice?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"If it were sweet, you might doubt it; if I flattered your +pride you +might mistrust me. But I offer you the bitter cup of renunciation. I +appeal to your generosity and courage. Make me not ashamed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your last advice was a crime," cried Amalaswintha, +shuddering.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I preserved your throne by every possible means as long as it +could be +upheld, as long as it was necessary for Italy; and I now demand that +you should love your people more than your sceptre."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By God! there you do not err. For my people I have not +hesitated to +sacrifice the lives of others"--she gladly dwelt on this thought, which +appeased her conscience--"and I shall not refuse now to sacrifice my +personal ambition. But who will be my successor?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your heir, to whom the crown belongs--Theodahad, the last of +the +Amelungs."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What! that feeble creature?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He is no hero, it is true; but heroes will obey the nephew of +Theodoric if you place him on the throne. And, consider, his Roman +education has won the Italians for him; they will stand by him. They +would both fear and hate a king after Hildebrand's heart."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And rightly," answered the Queen reflectively. "But +Gothelindis, +Queen!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus came nearer, and looked keenly into her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Amalaswintha is not so mean as to nourish a pitiful feminine +enmity +when there is need of a noble resolve. You have ever appeared to me +nobler than your sex. Now prove it, and decide."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not now," said Amalaswintha. "My head burns and my brain is +confused. +Let me alone to-night. You believe me capable of self-sacrifice. I +thank you for that at least. To-morrow I will decide."</p> + +<br> + +<h2>BOOK III.</h2> +<h3>THEODAHAD.</h3> + +<p class="center">"It seemed to Theodahad that to have neighbours was a kind <br> +of misfortune."--<i>Procopius: Wars of the Goths</i>, i. 3.</p> + +<br> +<hr class="W10"> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The morning after the events before described, a manifesto +announced to +the astonished inhabitants of Ravenna that the daughter of Theodoric +had resigned the crown in favour of her cousin Theodahad, the last male +scion o£ the House of Amelung.</p> + +<p class="normal">Italians and Goths were summoned to swear the oath of +allegiance to +their new sovereign.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus had judged rightly. Amalaswintha had felt her +conscience +oppressed by many a folly, and even by deadly sin. Noble natures seek +consolation and atonement in sacrifice and self-denial; and the unhappy +woman had been much affected by the reproaches of her daughter and +Cassiodorus; therefore the Prefect had found her in a mood favourable +for the reception of his advice. The very bitterness of this advice +induced her to follow it; indeed, to save her people and expiate her +guilt, she would even have endured much greater humiliation.</p> + +<p class="normal">The change of dynasty was accomplished without difficulty. The +Italians +at Ravenna were in nowise prepared for rebellion, and Cethegus fed them +with hopes of a more favourable opportunity. Besides this, the new King +was known and liked by them as a friend of Roman civilisation.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goths, however, did not seem inclined to submit to the +change +without more ado. Prince Theodahad was certainly a man--that was in his +favour and an Amelung, which last circumstance weighed heavily; but he +was by no means esteemed. Cowardly and unmartial, effeminate in body +and mind, he had none of the qualities which the Germans require in +their kings. One sole passion filled his soul--avarice, insatiable love +of gold. Though very rich, he was constantly engaged in mean quarrels +with his neighbours in Tuscany. He well understood the art of +increasing his estates by force and cunning, and the weight of his +royal rank, and how to wrest their property from his neighbours; "for," +says an author of that period, "it seemed to Theodahad that to have +neighbours was a kind of misfortune." At the same time, his weak nature +was entirely subject to that of his wicked but strong-minded wife.</p> + +<p class="normal">For all these reasons, the worthiest members of the Gothic +nation saw +the accession of such a man to the throne of Theodoric with great +dislike; and the manifesto had scarcely been published, when Earl Teja, +who had shortly before returned to Ravenna with Hildebad, summoned the +old master-at-arms and Witichis, and invited them to arouse and direct +the discontent of the people, and to set a more worthy man in +Theodahad's place.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know," he concluded his exhortation, "how favourable is +the temper +of the people. Since the night of our meeting in the Temple of Mercury, +we have incessantly stirred up the nation, and have succeeded in many +of our efforts. The noble self-assertion of Athalaric, the victory of +the Feast of Epiphany, the prevention of Amalaswintha's escape was all +our work. Now a favourable opportunity offers. Shall a man who is +weaker than a woman step into a woman's place? Have we no more worthy +man than Theodahad amongst us?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He is right, by Thor and Woden!" cried Hildebad. "Away with +these weak +Amelungs! Raise a hero upon our shield, and hit about on all sides! +Away with the Amelungs!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said Witichis calmly; "not yet. Perhaps it will come to +that at +last; but it must not happen sooner than is necessary. The Amelungs +have a great party. Theodahad would never part with the riches, nor +Gothelindis with the power of the crown without a struggle; they are +strong enough, if not for victory, at least for battle. But strife +between brothers is terrible. Necessity alone can justify it; and, at +present, that does not exist. Theodahad may try; he is weak, and may +easily be led. There is time enough to act if he prove incapable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who knows if then there will be time?" said Teja warningly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What dost thou advise, old man?" asked Hildebad, upon whose +mind the +remarks of Witichis had not been without effect.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Brothers," answered Hildebrand, stroking his long beard, "you +have the +choice, and therefore are plagued with doubt. I am spared both, for I +am bound. The King's old followers have sworn an oath that, as long as +a member of his House lives, they will allow no stranger to occupy the +throne."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What a foolish oath!" cried Hildebad.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am old, and yet I do not call it foolish. I know what a +blessing +rests upon the great and sacred law of inheritance; and the Amelungs +are descended from the gods!" he added mysteriously.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodahad is a fine child of the gods!" laughed Hildebad.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be silent!" cried the old man angrily. "You modern men +understand this +no longer. You think you can fathom everything with your miserable +reason. The mystery, the secrecy, the magic that lies in blood--for +this you have lost all sense. Therefore I have held my peace about such +things. But you cannot change me, with my near a hundred years. Do what +you like; I shall do what I must."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Earl Teja, yielding, "upon thy head be the +responsibility. +But when this last Amelung is no more----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then the followers of Theodoric are free from their oath."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps," said Witichis, "it is fortunate that your oath +spares us the +choice, for we certainly wish for no ruler whom thou canst not +acknowledge. Let us then go and pacify the people; and let us bear with +this King as long as it is possible."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But not an hour longer!" cried Teja, and went away in anger.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The very same day Theodahad and Gothelindis were crowned with +the +ancient crown of the Goths.</p> + +<p class="normal">A splendid banquet, at which all the Roman and Gothic +dignitaries of +the court and city were present, enlivened the old palace and the +usually quiet gardens, with which we have become acquainted as the +scene of Athalaric's and Camilla's loves.</p> + +<p class="normal">The revel lasted until deep into the night.</p> + +<p class="normal">The new King, no friend of the cup, or of barbaric revelry, +had retired +early.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gothelindis, on the contrary, sunned herself in the glory of +her new +rank. Proudly she sat upon her high seat, the golden circlet on her +dark hair. She seemed all ear for the loud hurrahs with which, again +and again, her own and her husband's names were greeted. But most of +all she enjoyed the thought that these shouts would penetrate into the +royal vault, where Amalaswintha, her hated and conquered rival, sat +mourning by the sarcophagus of her son.</p> + +<p class="normal">Among the crowd of such guests as need only a full cup to make +them +merry, many a grave face was to be seen; many a Roman who would rather +have seen the Emperor Justinian upon the throne at the head of the +table; many a Goth who, in the present precarious condition of affairs, +could not do homage to such a King as Theodahad without anxiety.</p> + +<p class="normal">To these last belonged Witichis, whose thoughts seemed far +absent from +the splendid scene around him. The golden cup before him stood +untouched, and he scarcely noticed the loud exclamations of Hildebad, +who sat opposite him.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last--the lamps were long since lit, and the stars stood in +the +sky--he rose and went into the greeny darkness of the garden. He slowly +wandered through the taxus-walks, his eyes fixed upon the sparkling +luminaries. His heart was with his wife, with his child, whom he had +not seen for months.</p> + +<p class="normal">He wandered on unconsciously, until at last he came to the +little +Temple of Venus by the quay, with which we are already acquainted.</p> + +<p class="normal">He looked out over the gleaming sea. All at once something +shining at +his feet attracted his attention. It was the glittering of the +moonlight upon a small Gothic harp, and upon a suit of mail. A man lay +before him upon the soft grass, and a pale face was uplifted towards +him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou here, Teja? Thou wert not at the banquet?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No; I was with the dead."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My thoughts, too, were absent; at home with wife and child," +said +Witichis.</p> + +<p class="normal">"With wife and child," repeated Teja, sighing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Many asked after thee, Teja."</p> + +<p class="normal">"After me? Should I sit by Cethegus, who has robbed me of my +honour, or +by Theodahad, who took inheritance?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thine inheritance?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"At least he possesses it. And over the place where once stood +my +cradle he now drives his ploughshare."</p> + +<p class="normal">His head sank upon his breast, and both were silent.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And thy harp," at last said Witichis, "will it never be heard +again? +They praise thee as our nation's best minstrel!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Like Gelimer, the last King of the Vandals, who was also the +best +singer of his nation.--But they shall never lead <i>me</i> in triumph to +Byzantium!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou singest but seldom now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Seldom or never. But it seems to me time is coming when I +shall sing +again."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A time of joy?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A time of deep and final sorrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">Again a long pause ensued.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My Teja," resumed Witichis, "I have ever found thee, in all +trouble of +peace or war, as true as steel. And although thou art so much younger +than I--and an elder man does not lightly bind himself to a youth--I +may call thee my best and bosom-friend. I know that thy heart cleaves +to me more than to thy youthful companions."</p> + +<p class="normal">Teja took the speaker's hand and pressed it. "Yes, even when +my ways +perplex thee, thou withholdest not thy respect and sympathy. The +others---- And yet, <i>one</i> of them I love much!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Whom?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He whom all love."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Totila?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes. I love him as the night loves the morning star. But he +is so +frank, that he cannot understand when others are, and must be, +reserved."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Must be! Why? Thou knowest that curiosity is not my failing. +And if, +at this earnest moment, I beg thee to lift the veil from thy grief, I +ask it only because I would gladly help and comfort thee, and because a +friend's eye often sees more clearly than one's own."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Help? Help me? Canst thou awaken the dead? My pain is +irrevocable as +the past! Whoever has, like me, seen the unmerciful wheel of Fate roll, +crushing everything before it, blind and dumb to all tenderness and +nobleness; yea, even crushing what is noble more easily and readily, +because it <i>is</i> tender; whoever has acknowledged that a dull necessity, +which fools call the wise providence of God, rules the universe and the +life of mankind, is past all help and comfort! If once he has caught +the sound, he hears for ever, with the sharp ear of despair, the +monotonous rumble of the cruel, insensible wheel in the centre of the +universe, which, at every revolution, indifferently produces or +destroys life. Whoever has felt this, and lived through it, renounces +all and for ever. For evermore, nothing can make him afraid. But +certainly--he has also for ever forgotten the sweetness of a smile."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou makest me shudder! God forbid that I should ever +entertain such a +delusion! How hast thou acquired, so young, such terrible wisdom?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Friend, by thought alone the truth cannot be reached; only +the +experience of life can teach it. And in order to understand what and +how a man thinks, it is necessary to know his life. Therefore, that I +may not appear to be an erring dreamer, or an effeminate weakling, who +delights in nursing his sorrow--and in honour of thy trust and +friendship--thou shalt hear a small portion of the cause of my grief. +The larger part, by far the larger, I will keep to myself," he added, +in evident pain, and pressing his hand to his heart. "The time for that +will come too. But now thou shalt only hear how the Star of Misfortune, +even at my birth, shone over my head. And amidst all the million stars +above, this one alone remains faithful. Thou wert present--thou wilt +remember--when the false Prefect taunted me before the whole assembly +with being a bastard, and refused to fight with me. I was obliged to +endure the insult. I am even worse than a bastard. My father, Tagila, +was a famous hero, but no noble. Poor, and of low birth. He had loved, +ever since his beard sprouted, the daughter of his father's brother, +Gisa. She lived far away on the outermost eastern frontier of the +realm; on the cold Ister, where continued battles raged with the Gepidæ +and the wild Sarmatian hordes, and where a man has little time to think +of the Church, or of the changing laws promulgated by her Conclaves. +For a long time my father was not able to lead Gisa to his home; ha had +nought but his helm and spear, and could not pay the tax, nor prepare a +home for his wife. At last fortune smiled upon him. In the war against +the Sarmatians, he conquered the king's stronghold on the Alutha, and +the rich treasures which the Sarmatians had gained by years of plunder, +and had there amassed, became his booty. In reward of his valour, +Theodoric gave him the rank of earl, and called him to Italy. My father +took with him Gisa, now become his wife, and all his treasure, and +bought a large and beautiful estate in Tuscany, between Florentia and +Luca. But his good fortune did not last long. Shortly after my birth, +some miserable fellow, some cowardly rascal, accused my parents of +incest before the Bishop of Florentia. They were Catholics, and not +Arians--and brothers' children; their marriage was null in the eyes of +the Church--and the Church ordered them to part. My father pressed his +wife to his heart, and laughed at the order. But the secret accuser did +not rest----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who was he?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, would that I knew it! I would reach him, even if he lived +amid all +the horrors of Vesuvius! The priests tormented my mother without +cessation, and tried to alarm her conscience. In vain; she stood fast +by her God and her husband, and defied the bishop and his messengers. +And whenever my father met one of the priests upon his estate, he gave +him such a welcome that he took care never to come again. But who can +strive with those who speak in God's name! A last term was appointed; +if, by that time, the disobedient couple had not separated, they were +to be excommunicated, and their property forfeited to the Church. My +father now hurried in despair to the King, to beg for the abolition of +the terrible sentence. But the verdict of the Conclave was too clear, +and Theodoric did not dare to offend the rights of the Orthodox Church. +When my father returned from Ravenna, he stared in horror at the place +where once his house had stood: the time had elapsed, and the threat +had been fulfilled. His home was destroyed, his wife and child had +disappeared. He madly sought for us all over Italy, and at last, +disguised as a peasant, he discovered Gisa in a convent at Ticinum. +They had torn her boy from her arms, and taken him to Rome. My father +arranged everything for her flight from the convent; at midnight they +escaped over the wall of the cloister garden. But the next morning the +sisters missed their prisoner at the <i>hora</i>--her cell was empty. The +convent servants followed the track of the horses--they were overtaken. +Fighting desperately, my father fell; my mother was taken back to the +convent. The pain of her loss and the severe discipline of the order +had such a terrible effect upon her brain, that she went mad and died. +Such was the fate of my parents."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And thou?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was discovered in Rome by old Hildebrand, who had been a +brother-at-arms of my grandfather and father. With the King's +assistance, he took me from the care of the priests, and brought me up +with his own grandchildren in Regium."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And thy estate, thine inheritance?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Was forfeited to the Church, which sold it, almost as a gift, +to +Theodahad. He was my father's neighbour; he is now my King!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My poor friend! But what happened to you later? I have heard +only +rumours--thou hast been in Greece----"</p> + +<p class="normal">Teja rose.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me keep silence on that subject; perhaps another time. I +was once +fool enough to believe in happiness and the beneficence of a loving +God. I have repented it bitterly. I shall never believe again. +Farewell, Witichis, and do not blame Teja, if he be different from +other men." He pressed the hand of his friend warmly; and quickly +disappeared into the dark avenues of the garden.</p> + +<p class="normal">Witichis sat for a long time in silent thought. Then he looked +up at +the sky, seeking in the bright stars a contradiction of the gloomy +thoughts which his friend's words had aroused in his mind. He longed +for their peaceful and clear light. But during the conversation, clouds +had risen rapidly from the lagoons, and covered the sky. All around was +dark and dismal. With a sigh, Witichis arose, and filled with sad +thoughts, sought his lonely couch.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="continue">While Italians and Goths feasted and drank together in the +halls on the +ground-floor of the palace at Ravenna, they little suspected that above +their heads, in the King's apartments, a negotiation was going on which +was to determine the fate of the kingdom.</p> + +<p class="normal">The King had left the banquet early, and had retired to his +rooms with +the Byzantine ambassador, and, for a long time, the two were occupied +in writing and consulting together.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last they seemed to have come to an agreement, and Petros +was about +once more to read what he had written, when the King interrupted him:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop," said the little man, who seemed almost lost in his +royal robes, +"stop--there is yet another thing."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he rose from his seat, softly crossed the room, and looked +behind +the curtain at the entrance to see if any were listening.</p> + +<p class="normal">Having reassured himself, he returned, and gently pulled the +sleeve of +the Byzantine. The light of the bronze lamp flickered in the draught, +and fell upon the withered yellow cheeks of his ugly face, as he +cunningly screwed up his already small eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yet another thing. If these wholesome changes are to be made, +it would +be well, indeed it is necessary, that some of the most daring of my +barbarian subjects should be rendered incapable of opposition."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have already thought of that," answered Petros. "There is +that old +half heathen, Hildebrand, that coarse Hildebad, and wise Witichis."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You seem to know men well," said Theodahad, "you have looked +sharply +about you. But," he added, "there is one whom you have not mentioned, +one who must be got rid of more than any other."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And he?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is Earl Teja, the son of Tagila."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is the melancholy dreamer so dangerous?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"More so than any of the others. Besides, he is my personal +enemy, as +was his father before him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"His father was my neighbour at Florentia, I wanted his acres. +In vain +I pressed him to give them up. Ha, ha!" and Theodahad laughed, "they +became mine at last! The holy Church dissolved his criminal marriage, +confiscated his property, and let me have it cheap. I had deserved well +of the Church during the process--your friend, the Bishop of Florentia; +can tell you the particulars."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I understand," said Petros. "Why did not the barbarian give +his acres +up with a good will? Does Teja know?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He knows nothing. But he hates me merely because I bought his +inheritance. He looks black at me, and the gloomy dreamer is just the +man to strangle an enemy at the very feet of God Himself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed?" said Petros, suddenly becoming very thoughtful. +"Well, enough +of him! He shall not hurt us. Let me read the treaty once more, point +by point; afterwards you can sign it. 'First: King Theodahad resigns +the sovereignty of Italy, and the subject islands and provinces of the +Gothic kingdom, namely: Dalmatia, Liburnia, Istria, the second +Pannonia, Savia, Noricum, Rhætia, and the Gothic provinces in Gaul, in +favour of Emperor Justinian, and of his successors. He promises to +deliver Ravenna, Rome, Neapolis, and all the fortresses in the kingdom, +into the hands of the Emperor.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodahad nodded.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Secondly: King Theodahad will use all the means in his power +to the +end that the Gothic army shall be disarmed and led away, in small +parties, over the Alps. The women and children will follow the army, or +be taken as slaves to Byzantium, according to the decision of the +imperial generals. The King will take care that any resistance on the +part of the Goths shall be without result. Thirdly: in return, the +Emperor Justinian leaves the titles and honours of royalty to King +Theodahad and his spouse for their lifetime. And fourthly----'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will read this paragraph myself," interrupted Theodahad, +and held +out his hand for the document.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Fourthly: the Emperor leaves to the King of the Goths not +only all +the lands and treasures which the latter possesses as private property, +but the whole of the royal Gothic treasury, which alone is valued at +forty thousand pounds of minted gold. Further, the Emperor assigns to +Theodahad, as his property and inheritance, the whole of Tuscany, from +Pistoria to Cære, from Populonia to Clusium; and lastly, he makes over +to him for life the half of all the public revenues of the kingdom thus +restored to its rightful sovereign.' Tell me, Petros, do not you think +that I might demand three-fourths?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You might certainly ask it, but I doubt exceedingly that +Justinian +would grant it. I have already overstepped the utmost limits of my +power."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will demand it, at all events," said the King, altering +the +figures, "then Justinian must either bargain for less, or grant +additional privileges."</p> + +<p class="normal">A false smile played over the thin lips of the ambassador.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a clever negotiator, O King," he said. "But in this +case you +reckon wrongly," he added to himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">Just at this moment the rustle of trailing garments was heard +in the +marble corridor, and Amalaswintha entered, dressed in a long black +mantle and a black veil sowed with silver stars. She was deadly pale, +but composed and dignified; a Queen in spite of having lost her crown. +Intense sorrow ennobled the expression of her countenance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"King of the Goths," she began, "forgive if a dark shadow +suddenly +rises from the realm of the dead to dim your joyous feast. It is for +the last time."</p> + +<p class="normal">Both the men were struck by her appearance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Queen," stammered Theodahad.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Queen!' oh, would that I had never borne the name. I come, +cousin, +from the grave of my noble son, where I have acknowledged my +infatuation, and repented of all my sins. I come to you, King of the +Goths, to warn you against similar infatuation and similar guilt."</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodahad's unsteady eyes avoided her grave and searching +looks.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is an evil guest," she continued, "that I find here as +your +confidant at the hour of midnight. There is no safety for a prince +except in his people. Too late I have found this out; too late for +myself; not too late, I hope, for my people. Do not trust Byzantium; it +is a shield that crushes him whom it should protect."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are unjust," said Petros, "and ungrateful."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg you, my royal cousin," continued Amalaswintha, +unheeding the +remark, "not to consent to what this man demands. Do not grant him that +which I refused. We were to surrender Sicily, and furnish three +thousand warriors to the Emperor for each of his wars. I rejected the +shameful proposal. I see," she went on, pointing to the document on the +table, "that you have already concluded your business. Retreat before +it is too late; they will deceive you always."</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodahad uneasily drew the document towards him, and cast a +suspicious +look at Petros. The latter went up to Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you want here, you queen of yesterday? Would you +control the +ruler of this realm? Your time is past and your power at an end."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Leave us," said Theodahad, taking courage. "I will do what I +think +good. You shall not succeed in parting me from my friends at Byzantium. +Look here, before your very eyes our treaty shall be concluded," And he +signed his name.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Petros with a smile, "the Princess comes just at +the right +moment to sign as a witness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No!" cried Amalaswintha, "I have come at the right moment to +frustrate +your plan. I will go straightway to the army, to the National Assembly, +which will soon take place at Regeta. There, before all the nation, I +will expose your proposals, the plans of the Emperor, and the treachery +of this feeble man."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That will do no good," said Petros quietly, "unless you +accuse +yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I <i>will</i> accuse myself. I will confess all my folly, all +my guilt, and +gladly suffer the death I have deserved. But my self-accusation shall +warn and alarm the whole nation from Etna to the Alps. A world in arms +shall be opposed to you, and I will save my Goths by my death, from the +dangers to which my life has exposed them!" And, filled with noble +enthusiasm, she hurried out of the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodahad looked with dismay at the ambassador. For some time +he could +not find a word to say.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Advise me, help--" he stammered out at last.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Advise? At this moment there is but one advice to give. That +insane +woman will ruin herself and us if we let her alone. She must not be +allowed to fulfil her threat. <i>You</i> must take care of that."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I?" cried Theodahad, alarmed. "I know nothings about such +things! +Where is Gothelindis? She, and she alone, can help us."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the Prefect," added Petros; "send for both of them."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gothelindis and Cethegus were summoned from the banquet. +Petros told +them what the Princess had said, but without mentioning the treaty as +the cause of her outburst. He had scarcely finished speaking, when +Gothelindis cried, "Enough! She must not go. Her every step must be +watched. She must speak neither to Goth nor Roman; she must not leave +the palace. That least of all!" And she hurried away to place +confidential slaves at the doors of Amalaswintha's apartments. +Presently she returned.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She is praying aloud in her cabinet," she cried +contemptuously. "Rouse +yourself, Cethegus, and let us thwart her prayers."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus, leaning against the wall, had observed all these +proceedings, +and listened to all that was said in thoughtful silence. He saw how +necessary it was that he should once more take the reins into his own +hands, and hold them more firmly. He saw Byzantium pressing more and +more into the foreground--and that he could not suffer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Speak, Cethegus," Gothelindis repeated. "What is most +necessary?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Clearness of purpose," he answered, standing erect. "In every +contract, the particular aim of each of the contracting parties must be +plain. If not, they will continually hinder each other by mistrust. You +have your aims, I have mine. Yours are evident--I have already told you +what they are. You, Petros, wish that Emperor Justinian should rule in +Italy in place of the Goths. You, Gothelindis and Theodahad, wish so +also, on condition that you receive a rich recompense in revenge, gold, +and honours. But I--I too, have my private aim. What is the use of +denying it? My sly Petros, you would not long believe that I was only +ambitious of serving as your tool, and of being a senator in Byzantium. +I, too, have my aim, and all your threefold cunning would never be able +to discover it, because it lies too close to your eyes. I must betray +it to you myself. My petrified heart still cherishes one ideal: Italy! +and I, like you, wish the Goths well out of this country. But I do not, +like you, wish that the Emperor should step unconditionally into their +shoes. I do not want the deluge instead of the shower. I, the +inveterate Republican, would like best--you know, Petros, that we were +both Republicans at eighteen years of age, and I have remained so; but +you need not tell it to your master, the Emperor; I have told him +myself long since--to cast out the barbarians, bag and baggage, but +without letting you in. Unfortunately, that is not now possible; we +cannot do without your help. But I will limit it to the unavoidable. +No Byzantine army shall enter this country, except--at the last +extremity--to receive it at the hands of the Italians. Italy must be +more a gift from the Italians than a conquest of the Emperor. The +blessing of generals and tax-gatherers, which Byzantium would bring +upon the land, must be spared us; we want your protection, but not your +tyranny."</p> + +<p class="normal">Over the face of Petros crept a sly smile, which Cethegus +seemed not to +observe. He continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hear my conditions. I know that Belisarius lies off Sicily +with his +fleet. He must not land. He must return home. I cannot do with him in +Italy; at least, not until I call him myself. And if you, Petros, do +not at once send him the order to return to Byzantium, our ways +separate. I know Belisarius and Narses, and their military government, +and I know what mild masters these Goths make. I am sorry for +Amalaswintha; she was a mother to my people. Therefore choose--choose +between Belisarius and Cethegus. If Belisarius lands, Cethegus and all +Italy will stand by Amalaswintha and the Goths, and then we will see +whether you can wrest from us a single foot of this soil. If you choose +Cethegus, he will break the power of the barbarians, and Italy will +subject herself to the Emperor, not as his slave, but as his consort. +Choose, Petros."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You proud man!" cried Gothelindis. "You dare to make +conditions to me, +your Queen?" And she lifted her hand with a threatening gesture.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cethegus caught the hand in his iron grasp, and drew it +quietly +down.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Leave such antics, you Queen of a day! Here only Italy and +Byzantium +negotiate. If you forget your want of power, you must be reminded of +it. You reign only so long as we uphold you."</p> + +<p class="normal">He stood before the angry woman in an attitude of such quiet +majesty, +that she was silenced, but her eyes flashed with inextinguishable +hatred.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cethegus," said Petros, who had meanwhile made up his mind, +"you are +right. For the moment, Byzantium can gain nothing better than your +help; for without it she can gain nothing. If Belisarius returns to +Byzantium, will you be for us unconditionally?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Unconditionally."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And Amalaswintha?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I abandon her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, then," said the Byzantine, "we are agreed."</p> + +<p class="normal">He wrote upon a waxen tablet a briefly-expressed order for the +return +of Belisarius to Byzantium, and gave it to the Prefect.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You may send the message yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus read it carefully.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is well," said he, putting the tablet into the bosom of +his dress. +"We are Agreed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"When will Italy proceed against the barbarians?" asked +Petros.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the first days of the next month. I shall now go to Rome. +Farewell."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are going? Will you not help us to get rid of +Amalaswintha? You +will take pity on her again?" asked the Queen, in a reproachful voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She is condemned," said Cethegus, turning as he reached the +door. "The +judge goes; the executioner will perform his duty." And he left them +with a proud mien.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodahad, who had listened to all that had passed in +speechless +astonishment, now caught the hand of Petros in great alarm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Petros," he cried, "for God's sake, what have you done? Our +contract, +and everything else, depends upon Belisarius; and you send him away?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And allow that insolent man to triumph?" added Gothelindis +indignantly.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Petros laughed; his whole face beamed with the ecstasy of +victorious cunning.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be quiet," he said. "This time the invincible Cethegus is +conquered by +Petros, at whom he has always scoffed."</p> + +<p class="normal">He took Theodahad and Gothelindis each by the hand, drew them +close to +him, looked round, and then whispered:</p> + +<p class="normal">"At the commencement of the message to Belisarius I have +placed a small +spot, which means: 'All that I have written is not meant in earnest, +and is null.' Yes, yes; one learns the art of writing at the court of +Byzantium!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Amalaswintha passed the two days following this midnight +interview in a +sort of real or imagined imprisonment. Whenever she left her chamber, +whenever she turned the corner of one of the passages of the palace, +she fancied that some one followed or accompanied her, now appearing, +now slipping past her, now disappearing, and seemingly as eager to +watch all her movements as to avoid her notice. She could not even +descend to the tomb of her son unobserved.</p> + +<p class="normal">In vain she asked for Witichis or Teja; they had left the city +the +morning after the coronation, by order of the King.</p> + +<p class="normal">The feeling that she was alone, surrounded by lurking enemies, +filled +her mind with vague alarms.</p> + +<p class="normal">Heavily and darkly the autumn rain-clouds hung over Ravenna, +as +Amalaswintha rose from her sleepless couch on the morning of the third +day. It affected her disagreeably when, upon going to the window of +sparry gypsum, a raven rose cawing from the marble sill, and flew +slowly over the garden with hoarse cries, heavily flapping its wings. +The Princess felt how much her nerves had been tried by the last few +days of pain, fear, and remorse; for she could not resist the dismal +impression made upon her by the early autumn mists, which rose from the +lagoons of the harbour city.</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked at the grey and marshy landscape with a deep sigh. +Her heart +was heavy with care and remorse. Her only hope lay in the thought of +saving the kingdom at the cost of her own life, by frankly accusing and +humiliating herself before the whole nation. She did not doubt that the +relations and blood-avengers of the murdered dukes would strictly +fulfil their duty.</p> + +<p class="normal">Buried in such reflections, she went through the empty halls +and +corridors of the palace--this time, as she believed, unobserved--to the +resting-place of her son, in order to confirm herself, with prayer and +penitence, in her pious resolution.</p> + +<p class="normal">As, after some time had elapsed, she re-ascended from the +vault and +turned into a gloomy arched passage, a man in the habit of a slave +stepped out of a niche--she thought that she had often seen his face +before--and put into her hand a little wax tablet, immediately +disappearing into a side passage.</p> + +<p class="normal">She at once recognised the handwriting of Cassiodorus.</p> + +<p class="normal">And now she guessed who was the secret messenger. It was +Dolios, the +letter-carrier of her faithful minister.</p> + +<p class="normal">Quickly concealing the tablet in her dress, she hastened to +her +chamber, where she read as follows:</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">"In pain, but not in anger, I parted from you. I would not +that you +should be called away from this world in an impenitent state, and lose +your immortal soul. Fly from the palace, from the city. You know how +bitter is the hatred of Gothelindis. Your life is not safe for an hour. +Trust no one except my secretary, and at sunset go to the Temple of +Venus in the garden. There you will find my litter, which will bring +you safely to my villa at the Lake of Bolsena. Obey and trust."</p> +<br> +<p class="normal">Much moved, Amalaswintha pressed the letter to her heart. +Faithful +Cassiodorus! He had not, then, quite forsaken her. He still feared and +cared for her life. And that charming villa upon the lonely island in +the blue Lake of Bolsena! There, many, many years ago, in the full +bloom of youth and beauty, as the guest of Cassiodorus, she had been +wedded to Eutharic, the noble Amelung, and, surrounded by all the +splendour of rank and power, had passed the proudest days of her youth.</p> + +<p class="normal">She was overcome with an intense longing to see once more the +scene of +her greatest happiness.</p> + +<p class="normal">This feeling powerfully induced her to listen to the warning +of +Cassiodorus. Still more the fear--not for her life, for she longed to +die--but that her enemies would make it impossible for her to warn the +nation and save the kingdom.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, finally, she reflected that the way to Regeta, near Rome, +where +the great National Assembly was shortly--as was usual every autumn--to +take place, led past the Lake of Bolsena; and that it was therefore +only a furthering of her plan, should she start at once in this +direction.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, in order to make sure in all cases, so that, even if she +never +arrived at the end of her journey, her warning voice might reach the +ears of the nation, she decided to write a letter to Cassiodorus--whom +she could not be sure of meeting at his villa--in which she would +entrust him with her confession, and expose to him all the plans of the +Byzantines and Theodahad.</p> + +<p class="normal">With closed doors she wrote the painful words. Hot tears of +gratitude +and remorse fell upon the parchment; she carefully sealed it, and +delivered it to the most faithful of her slaves, with the strict +injunction to carry it speedily and safely to the monastery at +Squillacium in Apulia, the monastical foundation and usual abode of +Cassiodorus.</p> + +<p class="normal">Slowly, slowly passed the dreary hours.</p> + +<p class="normal">She had grasped the offered hand of her friend with all her +heart. +Memory and hope vied with each other in painting the island in the lake +as a much-loved asylum. There she hoped to find repose and peace.</p> + +<p class="normal">She kept carefully within her apartment, in order to give no +cause for +suspicion to her spies, or any excuse to detain her.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last the sun had set.</p> + +<p class="normal">With light steps, Amalaswintha, forbidding the attendance of +her women, +and only hiding a few jewels and documents in the folds of her mantle, +hurried from her room into the wide colonnade which led to the garden.</p> + +<p class="normal">She feared to meet here as usual some lurking spy, and to be +stopped, +and perhaps detained. She frequently looked back, and even glanced +carefully into the niches of the statues--all was empty and quiet, no +spy followed her footsteps. Thus, unobserved, she reached the platform +of the terrace which united the palace and the garden, and afforded an +open view of the latter.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha examined the nearest path leading to the Temple +of Venus. +The way was open. Only the faded leaves fell rustling from the tall +pines on to the sandy path, where they were whirled about by the wind, +which drove the mist and clouds before it in ghostly shapes; it was +very dismal in the deserted garden, which looked grey and dim in the +twilight.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Princess shivered. The cold wind tore at her veil and +mantle. She +cast a shy glance at the heavy, gloomy mass of stone which she had left +behind--the building in whose precincts she had ruled so proudly, and +from which she was now escaping, lonely and fearfully as a criminal.</p> + +<p class="normal">She thought of her son, who reposed in the vault of the +palace. She +thought of her daughter, whom she herself had banished from these +walls.</p> + +<p class="normal">For a moment her pain threatened to overpower the forsaken +woman; she +tottered, and with difficulty supported herself by the broad balustrade +of the steps which she was descending. A feverish shudder shook her +frame, as the horror of despair shook her soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But my people," she said to herself, "and my atonement---- I +must and +will accomplish it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Strengthened by this thought, she again hurried down the +steps, and +entered an alley overhung by thick foliage, which led across the +garden, and ended at the Temple of Venus.</p> + +<p class="normal">She walked rapidly forward, trembling whenever the autumn +leaves, with +a sighing sound, were swept across her path from a side-walk.</p> + +<p class="normal">Breathless she arrived at the little temple, and looked +searchingly +around her.</p> + +<p class="normal">But no litter, no slaves were to be seen; all around was +quiet; only +the branches of the pines creaked in the wind.</p> + +<p class="normal">All at once the neighing of a horse struck upon her ear.</p> + +<p class="normal">She turned; around the corner of a wall a man approached with +hasty +steps.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was Dolios. He looked sharply about him, and then beckoned +to her to +come.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Princess hastened to follow him round the corner; there +stood +Cassiodorus's well-known Gallic travelling carriage, the comfortable +and elegant <i>carruca</i>, closed on all sides with movable latticed +shutters of polished wood, and to which were harnessed three +swift-footed Flemish horses.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We must hasten, Princess," whispered Dolios, as he lifted her +into the +soft cushions. "The litter was too slow for the hatred of your enemies. +Quiet and speed; so that no one may notice us."</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha looked back once more.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios opened the garden-gate and led the horses out. Two men +stepped +out of the bushes near. One took the driver's seat on the carriage, the +other mounted one of two saddle-horses which stood outside the gate. +Amalaswintha recognised the men as confidential slaves belonging to +Cassiodorus. Like Dolios, they were provided with weapons.</p> + +<p class="normal">The latter carefully closed the garden-gate, and let down the +shutters +of the carriage. Then he mounted the remaining horse and drew his +sword.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forward!" he cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">And the little company galloped away as if Death himself were +at their +heels.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Amalaswintha at first revelled in the feeling of gratitude, +freedom, +and safety. She made happy plans of reconciliation. She saw her people +saved from Byzantium by her warning voice--saved from the treachery of +their own King.</p> + +<p class="normal">She already heard the enthusiastic shouts of the valiant army, +announcing death to the enemy, and pardon to herself.</p> + +<p class="normal">Lost in such dreams, the hours, days, and nights passed +rapidly.</p> + +<p class="normal">The party hurried on without pause. Three or four times a day +the +horses were changed, so that mile after mile was passed with the utmost +velocity.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios carefully watched over the Princess. He stood at the +door of the +carriage with drawn sword, while his companions fetched meat and drink +from the stations which they passed.</p> + +<p class="normal">The speed at which they went, and the faithful attention of +Dolios, +freed the Princess from an anxiety which she had not been able for some +time to get rid of--it seemed to her that they were pursued.</p> + +<p class="normal">Twice, at Perusia and Clusium, where the carriage stopped, she +had +thought she heard the rattle of wheels and the sound of horses' hoofs +close behind.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, at Clusium, she had even fancied, as she looked through +the +lattices, that she saw a second <i>carruca</i>, likewise accompanied by +outriders, turn into the gate of that town.</p> + +<p class="normal">But when she had spoken of this to Dolios, he had at once +galloped back +to the gate, and shortly returned with the assurance that there was +nothing to be seen.</p> + +<p class="normal">From that time she had noticed nothing more; and the mad haste +with +which she was being carried to the wished-for island, encouraged the +hope that her enemies, even if they had discovered her flight and had +followed her for a time, had soon become tired and remained behind.</p> + +<p class="normal">An accident, insignificant in itself, but fraught with dread +because of +accompanying circumstances, suddenly darkened the brightening hopes of +the fugitive Princess.</p> + +<p class="normal">A desolate, treeless waste extended on all sides, farther than +the eye +could reach. Only reeds and tall marsh-plants stood in the damp ditches +on both sides of the Roman high-road, nodding and whispering +mysteriously in the night wind.</p> + +<p class="normal">The road was now and then bordered by walls grown over with +vines; or, +in old Roman style, by monuments, which, however, were often sadly +ruined, and the scattered stones of which, fallen across the road, +hindered the progress of the horses.</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly the carriage stopped with a violent shock, and Dolios +tore +open the door.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has happened?" cried the Princess; "have we fallen into +the hands +of our enemies?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said Dolios, who, though known to her as gloomy and +reserved, +seemed, during the journey, almost alarmingly silent; "a wheel is +broken. You must descend and wait until it is mended."</p> + +<p class="normal">A violent gust of wind just then extinguished his torch, and +chilly +drops of rain lashed the face of the terrified Princess.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Descend? here? whither shall I go? There is no house near, +not even a +tree which might afford a shelter from the rain and wind. I shall +remain in the carriage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The wheel must be taken off. That monument will afford some +shelter."</p> + +<p class="normal">Shivering with fright, Amalaswintha obeyed, and walked over +the +scattered stones to the right side of the road, where, across the +ditch, she saw a tall monument rise out of the darkness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios helped her over the ditch. All at once the neighing of +a horse +was heard on the road behind the carriage. Amalaswintha stopped short +in alarm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is our rear-guard," said Dolios quickly. "Come!" And he +led her +through the wet grass up the hill upon which stood the monument.</p> + +<p class="normal">Arrived at the top, she seated herself upon the broad slab of +a +sarcophagus. Dolios all at once disappeared into the darkness; in vain +she called him back. Presently she saw the light of his torch on the +road below; it shone redly through the mist of the marsh, and the +stormy wind rapidly bore away the sound of the hammer-strokes of the +slaves who were working at the wheel.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus sat the daughter of the great Theodoric, lonely and in +fear. The +cold rain slowly penetrated her clothing. The wind tore at her dress +and sighed dismally through the cypresses behind the monument; ragged +clouds drove across the sky and at intervals permitted a gleam of +moonlight to penetrate their folds, which only intensified the darkness +that followed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha's heart was sick with fear. Gradually her eyes +became +accustomed to the gloom, and, looking about her, she could distinguish +the outlines of the nearest objects. There!--her heart stood still with +horror--it seemed to her as if, close behind her on the raised corner +of the back of the sarcophagus, there sat a second figure--it was not +her own shadow--a shorter figure in a wide flowing garment, its arms +resting on its knees, its head supported on its hands, and its eyes +fixed upon her.</p> + +<p class="normal">She could scarcely breathe; she thought she heard a whisper; +she +feverishly tried to see, to hear.</p> + +<p class="normal">Again there came a whisper.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no; not yet!" this was what she thought she heard.</p> + +<p class="normal">She raised herself gently, and the figure, too, seemed to +move; she +distinctly heard the clang of steel upon stone. In mortal fear she +screamed out:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dolios! lights! help! lights!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She turned to descend the hill, but her knees trembled too +much; she +fell and hurt her cheek against the sharp stones.</p> + +<p class="normal">All at once Dolios stood beside her, and silently lifted her +up. He +asked no questions.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dolios," she said, trying to compose herself, "give me the +light! I +must see what was there; what is there now."</p> + +<p class="normal">She took the torch and walked with a firm step round the +corner of the +sarcophagus. There was nothing to be seen, but by the light of the +torch she now perceived that the monument was not old like the others, +but newly erected; so unsoiled was the white marble, so fresh the black +letters of the inscription.</p> + +<p class="normal">Irresistibly impelled by the strange curiosity which is +inseparable +from terror, she held the torch to the socle of the monument, and by +its flickering light read these words:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Eternal honour to the three Balthes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza. +An +eternal curse upon their murderers!"</p> + +<p class="normal">With a scream Amalaswintha staggered back.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios led her, half fainting, to the carriage. She passed the +remaining hours of her journey in an almost unconscious state. She felt +ill in body and mind. The nearer she came to the island the more the +feverish joy with which she had looked forward to reaching it was +replaced by a mysterious fear. With apprehension she saw the shrubs and +trees at the road-side fly past her faster and faster.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last the smoking horses stopped. She let down the shutters +and +looked out. It was that cold and dreary hour in which the first grey of +dawn struggles for the mastery with the still pervading night. They had +arrived, it seemed, at the shore of the lake, but nothing was to be +seen of its waters.</p> + +<p class="normal">A dismal grey mist lay, impenetrable as the future, before +Amalaswintha's eyes. Of the villa, even of the island, nothing could be +seen.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the right side of the road stood a low fisher-hut, +half-buried in +the tall, thick reeds, which bent their heads to the soughing of the +morning wind. Singular! they seemed to warn and beckon her away from +the hidden lake behind them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios had gone into the hut. He now returned and lifted the +Princess +out of the carriage. Silently he led her through the damp meadow to the +reeds. Among them lay a small boat, which seemed rather to float on the +mist than on the water.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the rudder sat an old man in a grey and ragged mantle; his +long +white hair hung dishevelled about his face. He seemed to sit dreaming +with closed eyes, which he did not even open when the Princess entered +the rocking boat and placed herself in the middle upon a camp-stool.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios entered the boat after her, and took the two oars; the +slaves +remained behind with the carriage.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dolios!" cried Amalaswintha anxiously, "it is very dark. Can +the old +man steer in this fog, and no light on either shore?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A light would be of no use, Queen. He is blind."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blind!" cried the terrified woman. "Let me land! Put back!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have guided the boat for twenty years," said the aged +ferryman; "no +seeing man knows the way as well as I."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Were you born blind then?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No. Theodoric the Amelung caused me to be blinded, believing +that +Alaric, the brother of Thulun, had hired me to murder him. I am a +servant of the Balthes, and a follower of Alaric, but I was innocent; +and so was my master, the banished Alaric. A curse upon the Amelungs!" +he cried with an angry pull at the rudder.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Silence, old man!" said Dolios.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why should I not say to-day what I have said at every +oar-stroke for +twenty years? It is the way I beat time. A curse upon the Amelungs!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Princess looked with horror at the old man, who, in fact, +steered +the boat with complete security, and as straight as an arrow.</p> + +<p class="normal">His wide mantle and dishevelled hair waved in the wind; all +around was +fog and silence; only the regular beat of the oars could be heard. +Empty air and grey mist enveloped the slight boat.</p> + +<p class="normal">It seemed to Amalaswintha as if Charon was rowing her over the +Styx to +the grey realm of shades.</p> + +<p class="normal">Shivering, she drew her mantle closely around her.</p> + +<p class="normal">A few more strokes of the oar, and they landed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios lifted the trembling Queen on to the land; but the old +man +silently turned his boat, and rowed as quickly and unerringly back as +he had come. With a sort of dismay Amalaswintha watched him disappear +into the thick mist.</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly it seemed to her as if she heard the sound of +oar-strokes from +a second boat, which approached nearer and nearer. She asked Dolios +what was the cause of this noise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I hear nothing," he answered; "you are over-excited. Come +into the +house."</p> + +<p class="normal">Supported by his arm she climbed the steps, hewn in the rock, +which led +to the tower-like, loftily-situated villa. Of the gardens, which, as +she distinctly remembered, extended on both sides of the narrow path, +scarcely the outlines of the rows of trees could be distinguished in +the mist.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last they reached the lofty entrance, a bronze door with +posts of +black marble.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dolios knocked upon it with the hilt of his sword; the stroke +reverberated dully through the vaulted halls--the door sprang open.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha remembered how she had once entered this door, +then almost +choked with wreaths of flowers, at the side of her young husband; she +remembered with what friendly warmth they had been welcomed by the +door-keeper and his wife, at that time also a newly-married couple.</p> + +<p class="normal">The dark-looking slave with tangled grey hair, who now stood +before her +with a lantern and a bunch of keys, was a stranger to her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where is Fuscina, the wife of the late ostiarius? Is she no +more in +the house?" she asked.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She was long since drowned in the lake," answered the +door-keeper +indifferently; and went forward with the light.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Princess followed shuddering; she could not help thinking +of the +cold black waves which had so dismally licked the planks of the little +boat.</p> + +<p class="normal">They went on through arched courts and pillared halls; all +were empty, +as if the inhabitants were dead. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the +deserted rooms--the whole villa seemed one vast catacomb.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The house is uninhabited? I need a female slave."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My wife will attend you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is no one else in the villa?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"One other slave--a Greek physician."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A physician? I will see him----"</p> + +<p class="normal">But at this moment a violent knocking was heard at the outer +door.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha started in terror.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What was that?" she asked, catching Dolios by the sleeve.</p> + +<p class="normal">She heard the banging of the heavy door as it was closed +again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was only some one demanding admittance," said the +ostiarius, as he +returned and unlocked the door of the room intended for the fugitive +Princess.</p> + +<p class="normal">The close air of a chamber which had not been opened for a +long time +half suffocated her; but she recognised with emotion the tortoise-shell +lining of the walls; it was the same room which she had occupied twenty +years ago.</p> + +<p class="normal">Overpowered by the recollection, she sank upon the small +couch, which +was covered with dark-coloured cushions.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dismissing the two men, she drew close the curtains of the +couch, and +soon sank into an uneasy slumber.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="continue">Thus she lay, she knew not how long, half awake, half +dreaming; picture +after picture arose in her excited mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">Eutharic with the expression of constant pain upon his +lips--Athalaric +as he lay stretched upon his bier, he seemed to sign to her--the +reproachful face of Mataswintha--then mist and clouds and leafless +trees--then three angry warriors with pale faces and bloody +garments--and the blind ferryman in the realm of shades.</p> + +<p class="normal">At another time it seemed to her as if she lay on the steps of +the +monument in the desolate waste, and again something rustled behind her, +and a shrouded figure bent over her, nearer and nearer, oppressing and +suffocating her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her heart was contracted by fear; she started up terrified, +and looked +about her. There!--it was no dream-fancy--something really rustled +behind the curtains, and a shrouded shadow glided along the wainscoted +walls.</p> + +<p class="normal">With a scream Amalaswintha opened the curtain wide--there was +nothing +to be seen.</p> + +<p class="normal">Was it, then, but a dream?</p> + +<p class="normal">It was impossible to remain alone with her torturing thoughts. +She +pressed a knob of agate on the wall, which set in motion a hammer +outside the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Very soon a slave appeared, whose features and costume +betrayed a +higher education.</p> + +<p class="normal">He introduced himself as the Greek physician. She told him of +the +terrible dreams and the feverish tremblings by which she had been +tormented during the last few hours. He explained the symptoms as the +consequence of excitement, perhaps of cold taken during her flight, +recommended a warm bath, and left her to order its preparation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha remembered the splendid baths, which, divided +into two +stories, occupied the whole right wing of the villa.</p> + +<p class="normal">The lower story of the large octagonal rotunda, designed for +the cold +bath, was in immediate connection with the lake. The water was +conducted into the bath through sieves, which excluded every impurity.</p> + +<p class="normal">The upper story, a smaller octagon, was erected over the +bath-room of +the lower story, the ceiling of which, made of a large circular metal +plate, formed the floor of the upper bath, and could be pushed, divided +into two semicircles, into the walls; so that both stories then formed +an undivided space, which, for the purposes of cleansing or for games +of swimming and diving, could be completely filled with the water of +the lake.</p> + +<p class="normal">Generally, however, the upper story was used only for the warm +bath, +and was provided with hundreds of pipes, and innumerable dolphin, +triton, and Medusa-heads of bronze or marble, through which flowed the +scented waters, mixed with oils and essences; while from the gallery +all round, upon which the bathers undressed, ornamental steps led down +into the shell-shaped porphyry basin of the bath.</p> + +<p class="normal">As the Princess was recalling these rooms to her memory, the +wife of +the door-keeper appeared to lead her to the bath.</p> + +<p class="normal">They passed through wide columned halls and libraries--where, +however, +the Princess missed the capsulas and rolls of Cassiodorus--in the +direction of the garden; the slave carrying fine bath-cloths, oil +flasks, and the salve for anointment.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last they arrived at the tower-like octagon of the +bath-rooms, which +was completely lined and paved with pale grey marble.</p> + +<p class="normal">They went through the halls and passages, which served for the +gymnastics and games of ball usually indulged in before and after the +bath, past the heating-rooms, undressing and anointing-rooms, directly +to the calidarium, or warm bath.</p> + +<p class="normal">The slave silently opened the door in the marble wall. +Amalaswintha +went in and stood upon the narrow gallery which ran round the basin. +Immediately before her was a flight of easy steps leading into the +bath, out of which warm and delicious odours already arose.</p> + +<p class="normal">The light fell from above through an octagonal dome of +artistically-cut +glass. Close to the entrance into the room a staircase of cedar-wood, +consisting of twelve steps, led on to a spring-board.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the marble walls of the gallery, as well as of the basin, +the +openings of the water-works and heating-pipes were concealed by marble +bas-reliefs.</p> + +<p class="normal">Without a word, the attendant laid the various articles for +the bath +upon the soft cushions and carpets which covered the gallery, and +turned to go.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How is it that I seem to know you?" asked the Princess, +looking +thoughtfully at her. "How long have you been here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Eight days," answered the slave, turning the handle of the +door.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How long have you served Cassiodorus?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I serve, and have always served, the Princess Gothelindis."</p> + +<p class="normal">At this name Amalaswintha started up with a cry and caught at +the +woman's skirt--too late; she was gone and the door closed, and +Amalaswintha heard the key taken from the lock outside.</p> + +<p class="normal">A great and unknown terror overcame her. She felt that she had +been +fearfully deceived; that some shocking secret lay behind. Her heart was +full of unspeakable anxiety; and flight--flight from the rooms was her +only thought.</p> + +<p class="normal">But flight seemed impossible. The door now appeared to be only +a thick +marble slab like those on the right and left; even a needle could not +have penetrated into the junctures. She looked desperately round the +walls of the gallery, but met only the marble stare of the tritons and +dolphins. At last her eyes rested upon a snake-encircled Medusa's head +directly opposite and a scream of horror escaped her lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">The face of the Medusa was pushed aside, and the oval opening +beneath, +the snaky hair was filled with a living countenance! Was it a human +face?</p> + +<p class="normal">The trembling woman clung to the marble balustrade of the +gallery, and +bent, over it, staring at the apparition. Yes, it was the distorted +features of Gothelindis! A hell of hate and mockery flashed from the +eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha fell upon her knees and hid her face in her +hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>You</i>--you here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A hoarse laugh was the reply.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, child of the Amelungs, I am here; to your ruin! Mine is +this +island; mine the house--it will become your grave--mine is Dolios, and +all the slaves of Cassiodorus; bought by me eight days ago. I have +decoyed you here; I have followed you like your shadow. I have endured +the torture of my hatred for long days and nights, in order to enjoy +full revenge at last. I will revel for hours in your death-agony. I +will see your tender frame shaken as with fever-frost, and your haughty +features convulsed with terror. Oh, I will drink a sea of revenge!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha rose from her knees wringing her hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Revenge? For what? Why this deadly hatred?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah! can you ask? Certainly years have passed, and the happy +easily +forget. But hate has a faithful memory. Have you forgotten how two +young girls once played under the shade of the plantains in the meadow +at Ravenna? They were the fairest among their play-fellows; both young, +beautiful, and amiable. A royal child the one, the other a daughter of +the Balthes. The girls were about to choose a queen of the games. They +chose Gothelindis, for she was still more handsome than you, and not so +tyrannical. And they chose her twice in succession. But the King's +daughter stood near, devoured by ungovernable pride and envy, and when +they chose me for the third time she took up a pair of sharp-pointed +gardener's scissors----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop! Oh! be silent, Gothelindis!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And hurled it at me. It hit me. Screaming' with pain and +bleeding, I +fell to the ground, my whole cheek one yawning wound, and my eye, my +eye pierced through! Ah! how it still pains, even to-day!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forgive, pardon me, Gothelindis!" cried Amalaswintha. "You +have +pardoned me long ago."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forgive? I forgive you? Shall I forgive you when you have +robbed me of +my eye, and of all my beauty? You conquered for life! Gothelindis was +no more dangerous as a rival. She lamented in secret; the disfigured +girl hid from the eyes of mankind. And years passed. Then there came to +the court of Ravenna a noble Amelung from Spain; Eutharic with his dark +eyes and tender soul. And he, himself sick, took pity upon the sick and +half-blind girl. He spoke to her with affection and kindness; spoke to +the ugly, disfigured creature whom all the others avoided. And it was +decided--in order to eradicate the ancient enmity between our families, +and to expiate old and new guilt--for Duke Alaric had been condemned in +consequence of a secret and unproved accusation--that the poor ill-used +daughter of the Balthes should become the wife of the noblest of the +Amelungs. But when you heard this, you, who had so terribly disfigured +me, were resolved to deprive me also of my lover! Not out of jealousy, +no; not because you loved him, no; but from mere pride. Because you +were determined to keep the first man in the kingdom and the heir to +the crown to yourself. And you succeeded; for your father could deny +you nothing, and Eutharic soon forgot his compassion for the one-eyed +girl, when the hand of the beautiful Amalaswintha was offered to him. +In recompense--or was it only in mockery?--they gave me, too, to an +Amelung; to Theodahad, that miserable coward?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gothelindis, I swear to you, I never suspected that you loved +Eutharic. How could I----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"To be sure! how could you believe that the disfigured girl +could +place her heart so high? Oh, you cursed woman, if you had really loved +him, and had made him happy--I could have forgiven all! But you never +loved him; you are only capable of ambition! His lot with you was +misery. For years I saw him wasting by your side, oppressed, unloved, +chilled to the very soul by your coldness. Grief soon killed him. You! +you have robbed me of my lover and brought him to the grave with +sorrow--revenge! revenge for him!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And the lofty dome echoed with the cry: "Revenge! Revenge!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Help!" cried Amalaswintha, and ran despairingly round the +circle of +the gallery, beating the smooth walls with her hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Aye! call! call! here no one can hear you but the God of +Revenge! Do +you think I have bridled my hate for months in vain? How often, how +easily could I have reached you, with dagger or poison, at Ravenna! But +no; I have decoyed you here. At the monument of my murdered cousins; an +hour ago at your bedside; I with difficulty restrained my uplifted +hand--but slowly, inch by inch, shall you die. I will watch for hours +the growing agony of your death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Terrible! Oh, terrible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What are hours compared with the long years during which I +was +martyred by the thought of my disfigurement, of your beauty and your +possession of my lover! But you shall repent it!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What will you do?" cried the terrified woman, again and again +seeking +some outlet in the walls.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will drown you, slowly and surely, in the waterworks of +this bath, +which your friend Cassiodorus built. You do not know what tortures of +jealousy and impotent rage I endured in this house when your wedding +with Eutharic was celebrated, and I was compelled to serve in your +train. In this room, you proud woman, I unloosed your sandals, and +dried your fair limbs--in this room you shall die?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She touched a spring in the wall.</p> + +<p class="normal">The floor of the basin, the round metal plate, divided into +two halves, +which slid slowly into the walls on the right and left.</p> + +<p class="normal">With horror the imprisoned woman looked down from the narrow +gallery +into the chasm thus opened at her feet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Remember that day in the meadow!" cried Gothelindis; and in +the lower +story the sluices were suddenly opened, and the waters of the lake +rushed in, roaring and hissing, and rose higher and higher with fearful +rapidity.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha saw certain death before her. She saw the +impossibility of +escape, or of softening her fiendish enemy by prayers. At this crisis, +the hereditary courage of the Amelungs returned to her; she composed +herself, and was reconciled to her fate.</p> + +<p class="normal">She descried, amid the numerous reliefs of mythological +subjects near +her, a representation of the death of Christ on the right of the +entrance. The sight strengthened her mind; she threw herself upon her +knees before the marble cross, clasped it with both ands, and prayed +quietly with closed eyes, while the water rose and rose; it already +splashed upon the steps of the gallery.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You pray, murderess? Away from the cross!" cried Gothelindis, +enraged; +"think of the three dukes!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly all the dolphin and triton heads on the right side of +the +octagon began to spout streams of hot rater; white steam rushed out of +the pipes.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amalaswintha sprang up and ran to the left side of the +gallery.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gothelindis, I forgive you! Kill me, but forgive me also!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And the water rose and rose; it already covered the topmost +step of the +bath, and slowly wetted the floor of the gallery.</p> + +<p class="normal">And now the streaming water-pipes spouted upon Amalaswintha +from the +left also. She took refuge in the middle of the gallery, directly +opposite the Medusa, the only place where no steam from the hot-water +pipe could reach her.</p> + +<p class="normal">If she mounted the spring-board, which was placed here, she +could +respite her life for some time longer. Gothelindis seemed to expect +that she would do so, and to revel in the prospect of the lengthened +torture of the agonised woman.</p> + +<p class="normal">The water already rushed over the marble flooring of the +gallery and +laved the feet of Amalaswintha. She ran quickly up the brown and +shining wooden steps, and leaned over the railing of the bridge.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hear me, Gothelindis! my last prayer! not for myself, but for +my +people, for <i>our</i> people. Petros will destroy them, and Theodahad----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, I know that the kingdom is your last anxiety! Despair. +It is +lost! These foolish Goths, who have always preferred the Amelungs to +the Balthes, are sold and betrayed by the Amelungs. Belisarius +approaches, and there is no one to warn them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You err, satanic woman; they <i>are</i> warned! I, their +Queen, have warned +them! Hail to my people! Destruction to their enemies! and may God have +mercy on my soul!" and she suddenly leapt from the spring-board into +the water, which closed whirling over her head.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gothelindis looked at the place which her victim had occupied +a moment +before.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She has disappeared," she said. Then she looked at the +water--on the +surface floated Amalaswintha's kerchief.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Even in death this woman conquers me," said Gothelindis +slowly. "How +long was my hate, and how short my revenge!"</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">A few days after these occurrences, there were assembled in +the +apartments of the Byzantine ambassador at Ravenna a number of +distinguished Romans of worldly and ecclesiastical rank. The Bishops +Hypatius and Demetrius from the Eastern Empire were also present.</p> + +<p class="normal">Great excitement, mixed with alarm and anger, was visible on +all faces, +as Petros, the rhetorician, concluded his address in these words:</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is for this reason, reverend bishops of the East and West, +and you, +noble Romans, that I have assembled you here. I protest loudly and +solemnly, in the name of the Emperor, against all secret acts of +cunning or force which may have been practised against the noble lady. +Nine days ago she disappeared from Ravenna; most likely taken by force +from your midst; she, who has ever been the friend and protector of the +Italians! On the same day, the Queen, her bitter enemy, also +disappeared. I have sent out expresses in all directions, but, until +now, am without news. But alas! if----"</p> + +<p class="normal">He could not complete the sentence.</p> + +<p class="normal">A confused tumult arose from the Forum of Hercules, and very +soon hasty +footsteps were heard in the vestibule; the curtain was parted, and one +of the Byzantine slaves of the ambassador hurried into the room, +covered with dust.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sir," he cried, "she is dead! she is murdered!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Murdered!" repeated many voices.</p> + +<p class="normal">"By whom?" asked Petros.</p> + +<p class="normal">"By Gothelindis; at the villa in the Lake of Bolsena!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where is the corpse? Where the murderess?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gothelindis pretends that the Princess was drowned in the +bath while +playing with the water-works, with which she was unacquainted. But it +is known that the Queen had followed her victim, step by step, ever +since she left the city. Romans and Goths have crowded by hundreds to +the villa to bring the corpse here in solemn procession. The Queen +escaped the fury of the people and fled to the fortress of Feretri."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Enough," cried Petros indignantly. "I go to the King, and +call upon +you all to follow me. I shall refer to your testimony of what passes in +my report to Emperor Justinian." And he at once hurried out at the head +of the assembly to the palace.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the streets they found a throng of people rushing hither +and +thither, full of rage and indignation. The news had arrived in the +city, and spread from house to house. On recognising the imperial +ambassador and the dignitaries of the city, the crowd gave way before +them, but immediately closed again behind them pressed after them to +the palace, and was with difficulty kept from entering the gates.</p> + +<p class="normal">Every moment increased the number and excitement of the +people. The +Roman citizens crowded together in the Forum of Honorius, and to their +grief for the fate of their protectress was added the hope that this +occurrence might cause the downfall of the barbarians. The appearance +of the ambassador encouraged this hope, and the feelings of the mass +took a direction which was by no means inimical alone to Theodahad and +Gothelindis.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile Petros, with his companions, hastened to the +apartments of +the helpless King, who, in the absence of his wife, had lost all +strength of resistance. He trembled at the excitement of the crowd +before the palace, and had already sent for Petros, to ask from him +help and counsel; for it was Petros himself who had decided upon the +murder of the Princess, and arranged with Gothelindis the manner of its +accomplishment. The King, therefore, now expected him to help to bear +the consequences.</p> + +<p class="normal">When, then, the Byzantine appeared upon the threshold, +Theodahad +hurried to him with open arms; but he suddenly stood still in +amazement, astonished to see what companions Petros had brought with +him, and still more astonished at his threatening aspect.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I call you to account, King of the Goths!" cried Petros, even +before +he had crossed the threshold. "In the name of Byzantium, I call you to +account for the disappearance of the daughter of Theodoric. You know +that Emperor Justinian had assured her of his particular protection; +every hair of her head is therefore sacred, and sacred every drop of +her blood. Where is Amalaswintha?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The King stared at him in speechless astonishment. He admired +this +power of dissimulation; but he did not understand its cause. He made no +answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where is Amalaswintha?" repeated Petros, advancing +threateningly: and +his companions also came a step forward.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She is dead," said Theodahad, who began to feel extremely +anxious.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She is murdered!" cried Petros. "So says all Italy. Murdered +by you +and your wife. Justinian, my illustrious Emperor, was the protector of +this woman, and he will be her avenger. In his name I declare war +against you--war against you and all your race!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"War against you and all your race!" repeated the Italians, +carried +away by the excitement of the moment, and giving vent to their +long-cherished hatred; and they pressed upon the trembling King.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Petros," he stammered in terror, "you will remember our +treaty, and +you will----"</p> + +<p class="normal">But the ambassador took a roll of papyrus out of his mantle, +and tore +it in two.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thus I tear all bonds between my Emperor and this +bloodthirsty house! +You yourselves by this cruel deed have forfeited all our former +forbearance, No treaties--war!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"For God's sake!" cried Theodahad; "no fighting! What do you +demand, +Petros?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Complete subjection. The evacuation of Italy. Yourself and +Gothelindis +I summon to Byzantium, before the throne of Justinian. There----"</p> + +<p class="normal">But his speech was interrupted by the sounding clang of the +Gothic +alarum, and into the room hurried a strong troop of Gothic warriors, +led by Earl Witichis.</p> + +<p class="normal">On hearing of Amalaswintha's death, the Gothic leaders had at +once +summoned the most valiant men of the nation in Ravenna to meet before +the Porta Romana, and there they had agreed upon the best means of +security. They had appeared in the Forum of Honorius just at the right +moment--when the excitement was becoming dangerous. Here and there a +dagger flashed, and the cry arose, "Woe to the barbarians!"</p> + +<p class="normal">These signs and voices ceased at once, as the hated Goths +advanced in +close ranks from the Forum of Hercules through the Via Palatina. +Without resistance, they marched through the murmuring groups; and +while Earl Teja and Hildebad guarded the gates and terraces of the +palace, Witichis and Hildebrand arrived in the King's rooms just in +time to hear the last words of the ambassador.</p> + +<p class="normal">Wheeling to the right, they placed their followers near the +throne, to +which the King had just retreated; and Witichis, leaning on his long +sword, went close up to Petros, and looked keenly into his eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">A pause of expectation ensued.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who dares," asked Witichis quietly, "to play the master here +in the +royal palace of the Goths?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Recovering from his surprise, Petros answered,</p> + +<p class="normal">"It does not become you, Earl Witichis, to interfere for the +protection +of a murderer. I have summoned the King before the court at Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And for this insult thou hast no reply, Amelung?" cried old +Hildebrand +angrily.</p> + +<p class="normal">But his bad conscience tied the King's tongue.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then we must speak for him," said Witichis "Know, Greek, and +understand it well, you false and ungrateful Ravennites, the nation of +the Goths is free and acknowledges no foreign master or judge or +earth."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not even for murder?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"If evil deeds occur amongst us, we ourselves will judge and +punish +them. It does not concern strangers; least of all our enemy, the +Emperor of Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My Emperor will revenge this woman, whom he could not save. +Deliver up +the murderers to Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We would not deliver up a Gothic hind, much less our King!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then you share his guilt and his punishment, and I declare +war against +you in the name of my master. Tremble before Justinian and Belisarius!"</p> + +<p class="normal">A movement of joy amongst the Gothic warriors was the only +answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">Old Hildebrand went to the window, and cried to the Goths, who +crowded +below:</p> + +<p class="normal">"News! joyful news! War with Byzantium!"</p> + +<p class="normal">At this a tumult broke loose below, as if the sea had burst +its dams; +weapons clashed, and a thousand voices shouted:</p> + +<p class="normal">"War! war with Byzantium!"</p> + +<p class="normal">This repetition of his words was not without effect upon +Petros or the +Italians. The fierceness of this enthusiasm alarmed them; they were +silent, and cast down their eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">While the Goths, shaking hands, congratulated each other, +Witichis went +up to Petros with an earnest mien, and said solemnly:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then it is war! We do not shun it; that you have heard. +Better open +war than this lurking, undermining enmity. War is good; but woe to him +who kindles it without reason and without a just cause! I see +beforehand years of blood and murder and conflagration; I see trampled +corn-fields, smoking towns, and numberless corpses swimming down the +rivers! Listen to our words. Upon your heads be this blood, this +misery! You have irritated and excited us for years; we bore it +quietly. And now you have declared war against us, judging where you +had no right to judge, and mixing yourselves in the affairs of a nation +which is as free as your own. On your heads be the responsibility! This +is our answer to Byzantium."</p> + +<p class="normal">Silently Petros listened to these words; silently he turned +and went +out, followed by his companions.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some of them accompanied him to his residence, amongst them +the Bishop +of Florentia.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Reverend friend," Petros said to the latter at parting, "the +letters +of Theodahad about the matter you know of, which you entrusted to me +for perusal, you must leave entirely at my disposal. I need them, and +they are no longer necessary to you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The process is long since decided," answered the Bishop, "and +the +property irrevocably acquired. The documents are yours."</p> + +<p class="normal">The ambassador then dismissed his friends, who hoped soon to +see him +again in Ravenna with the imperial army, and went to his chamber, where +he at once despatched a messenger to Belisarius, ordering him to invade +the country. Then he wrote a detailed report to the Emperor, which +concluded in the following words:</p> + +<p class="normal">"And so, my Emperor, you seem to have just reason to be +contented with +the services of your most faithful messenger, and the situation of +affairs. The barbarian nation split into parties; a hated Prince, +incapable and faithless, upon the throne; the enemy surprised, +unprepared and unarmed; the Italian population everywhere in your +favour. We cannot fail! If no miracle occur, the barbarians must +succumb almost without resistance; and, as often before, my great +Emperor appears as the protector of the weak and the avenger of wrongs. +It is a witty coincidence that the trireme which brought me here bears +the name of <i>Nemesis</i>. Only one thing afflicts me much, that, with all +my efforts, I have not succeeded in saving the unhappy daughter of +Theodoric. I beg you, at least, to assure my mistress, the Empress, who +was never very graciously disposed to me, that I tried most faithfully +to obey all her injunctions concerning the Princess, whose fate she +entrusted to me as her principal anxiety during our last interview. As +to the question about Theodahad and Gothelindis, by whose assistance +the Gothic Kingdom has been delivered into our hands, I will venture to +recall to the Empress's memory the first rule of prudence: it is too +dangerous to have the sharers of our profoundest secrets at court."</p> + +<p class="normal">This letter Petros sent on in advance with the two bishops, +Hypatius +and Demetrius, who were to go immediately to Brundusium, and thence +through Epidamnos by land to Byzantium.</p> + +<p class="normal">He himself intended to follow in a few days, sailing slowly +along the +Gothic coasts of the Ionian Gulf, in order to prove the temper and +excite the rebellion of the inhabitants of the harbour towns.</p> + +<p class="normal">He would afterwards sail round the Peloponnesus and Eubœa +to +Byzantium, for the Empress had ordered him to travel by sea, and had +given him commissions for Athens and Lampsacus.</p> + +<p class="normal">Before his departure from Ravenna, he already calculated the +rewards he +expected to receive at Byzantium for his successful operations in +Italy.</p> + +<p class="normal">He would return twice as rich as he had come, for he had never +confessed to the Queen, Gothelindis, that he had come into the country +with the order to overthrow Amalaswintha.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had rather, for some time, met her with representations of +the anger +of the Empress and Emperor, and had, with great show of repugnance, +allowed himself to be bribed with large sums to connive at her plans, +when, actually, he but used her as his tool.</p> + +<p class="normal">He looked forward with certainty to the proud rank of +patrician in +Byzantium, and already rejoiced that he would be able to meet his +haughty cousin, Narses--who had never used his influence to advance +him--on equal terms.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So everything has succeeded better than I could wish," he +said to +himself with great complacency, as he set his papers in order before +leaving Ravenna, "and this time, my proud friend Cethegus, cunning has +proved truly excellent. The little rhetorician from Thessalonica, with +his small and stealthy steps, has advanced farther than you with your +proud strides. Of one thing I must be careful: that Theodahad and +Gothelindis do not escape to Byzantium; it would be too dangerous. +Perhaps the question of the astute Empress was intended as a warning. +This royal couple must be put out of our way."</p> + +<p class="normal">Having completed his arrangements, Petros sent for the friend +with whom +he lodged, and took leave of him. At the same time he delivered to him +a dark-coloured narrow vase, such as those which were used for the +preservation of documents; he sealed the cover with his ring, which was +finely engraved with a scorpion, and wrote a name upon the wax-tablet +appended to it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Seek this man," he said to his host, "at the next assembly of +the +Goths at Regeta, and give him the vase; the contents are his. Farewell. +You shall soon see me again in Ravenna."</p> + +<p class="normal">He left the house with his slaves, and was soon on board the +ambassador's ship; filled with proud expectations, he was borne away by +the <i>Nemesis</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">As his ship, many weeks after, neared the harbour of +Byzantium--he had, +at the Empress's wish, announced his speedy arrival at Lampsacus, by +means of an imperial swift-sailer which was just leaving--Petros looked +at the handsome country houses on the shore, which shone whitely from +out of the evergreen shade of the surrounding gardens.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here you will live in future, amongst the senators of the +Empire," he +thought with great contentment.</p> + +<p class="normal">Before they ran into the harbour, the <i>Thetis</i>, the +splendid +pleasure-boat of the Empress, flew towards them, and, as soon as she +recognised the galley of the ambassador, hoisted the purple standard, +as a sign to lay to.</p> + +<p class="normal">Very soon a messenger from the Empress came on board the +galley. It was +Alexandros, the former ambassador to the court of Ravenna. He showed to +the captain of the galley a writing from the Emperor, at which the +captain appeared to be much startled; then he turned to Petros.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the name of the Emperor Justinian! You are condemned for +life, +convicted of long-practised forgery and embezzlement of the taxes, to +the metal-works in the mines of Cherson, with the Ultra-Ziagirian Huns. +You have delivered the daughter of Theodoric into the hands of her +enemies. The Emperor thought you excused when he read your letter; but +the Empress, inconsolable for the death of her royal sister, revealed +your former guilt to the Emperor, and a letter from the Prefect of Rome +proved that you had secretly planned the murder of the Princess with +Gothelindis. Your fortune is confiscated, and the Empress wishes you to +recollect--" here he whispered into the ear of Petros, who was +completely stunned and broken by this terrible blow--"that you +yourself, in your letter, advised her to get rid of all the sharers of +her secrets."</p> + +<p class="normal">With this, Alexandros returned to the <i>Thetis</i>, but the <i> +Nemesis</i> +turned her stern to Byzantium, and bore the criminal away for ever from +all civilised community with mankind.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<p class="continue">We have lost sight of Cethegus ever since his departure for +Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">During the events which we have described, he had been +extremely active +in that city, for he saw that things were coming to a crisis, and +looked forward with confidence to a favourable result.</p> + +<p class="normal">All Italy was united in hatred against the barbarians, and who +could so +well direct this hatred as the head of the conspiracy of the Catacombs, +and the master of Rome?</p> + +<p class="normal">For now he was so in fact. The legions were fully formed and +equipped, +and the fortifications of the city--the works of which had been carried +on for the last few months night and day--were almost completed.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, as he thought, he had finally succeeded preventing an +immediate +incursion of the Byzantine army into Italy, the greatest calamity which +threatened his ambitious plans. He had learned, through trustworthy +spies, that the Byzantine fleet--which, till now had been anchored off +Sicily--had really left that island, and sailed towards the African +coast, where seemed occupied in suppressing piracy.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus certainly foresaw that it would yet come to a landing +of the +Greeks in Italy; he could not do without their help. But it was +material to his plans that the Emperor's assistance should be of +secondary importance, and, to insure this, he must take care that, +before a single Byzantine had set foot in Italy, a rebellion of the +Italians should have taken place spontaneously, and have been already +carried to such a point, that the later co-operation of the Greeks +would appear to be a mere incident, and could be easily repaid by the +acknowledgment of a light supremacy of the Emperor.</p> + +<p class="normal">To this end he had prepared his plans with great nicety.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as the last tower on the Roman walls was under roof, +the Goths +were to be attacked on one and the same day all over Italy, and, at one +stroke, all the fortresses, castles, and towns--Rome, Ravenna, and +Neapolis foremost--were to be overpowered and taken.</p> + +<p class="normal">If the barbarians were once driven into the open country, +there was no +fear--considering their complete ignorance of the art of siege, and the +number and strength of the Italian fortresses--that they would be able +to take these last, and thereby again become masters of the peninsula.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then an allied army from Byzantium might aid in finally +driving the +Goths over the Alps; and Cethegus was resolved to prevent these allies +from entering the most important fortresses, so that, later, they also +might be got rid of without difficulty.</p> + +<p class="normal">To ensure the success of this plan, it was necessary that the +Goths +should be taken by surprise. If war with Byzantium were in prospect, +or, still worse, already broken out, it naturally followed that the +barbarians would not allow their fortified places to be wrested from +them by a mere stroke of the hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">Now as Cethegus--since he had penetrated the motives of the +embassy of +Petros--fully expected that Justinian would come forward at the first +opportunity, and as he had barely succeeded in preventing the landing +of Belisarius, he was resolved not to lose a moment's time.</p> + +<p class="normal">He had arranged that a general meeting of the conspirators +should take +place in the Catacombs on the day of the completion of the Roman +fortifications, when their successful termination should be celebrated, +the moment of the attack on the Goths decided, and Cethegus himself +designated as the leader of this purely Italian movement.</p> + +<p class="normal">He hoped to overcome the opposition of the timorous or the +bribed--who +were inclined to act only for and with the assistance of Byzantium--by +the enthusiasm of the Roman youth, whom he would promise to lead at +once to battle.</p> + +<p class="normal">Before the day of meeting arrived, he had heard the news of +Amalaswintha's murder, and of the confusion and division of the Goths, +and he impatiently longed for the crisis.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length the last tower of the Aurelian Grate was completed. +Cethegus +himself gave the finishing stroke, and as he did so it seemed to him +that he heard the sound of the blow which would liberate Rome and +Italy.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the banquet which he afterwards gave to thousands of +labourers in +the theatre of Pompey, most of the conspirators were present, and the +Prefect made use of the opportunity to show them how unlimited was his +popularity. Upon the younger members the impression which he wished and +expected to make was produced, but a small party, headed by Silverius, +retired from the tables with discontented and gloomy looks.</p> + +<p class="normal">The priest had lately seen that Cethegus would not consent to +be a mere +tool, but that he contrived to carry out his own plans, which might +prove extremely dangerous to the Church and to his (the priest's) +personal influence. He was decided to overthrow his colleague as soon +as he could be spared, and it had not been difficult for him to excite +the jealousy of many Romans against Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">The wily archbishop had taken advantage of the presence of the +two +bishops from the Eastern Empire, Hypatius of Ephesus and Demetrius of +Philippi--who secretly treated with the Pope in matters of faith, and +with King Theodahad in affairs of policy--to enter into a close and +secret alliance with Theodahad and Byzantium.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are right, Silverius," grumbled Scævola, as they issued +from the +doors of the theatre, "the Prefect unites Marius and Cæsar in one +person."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He does not throw away such immense sums for nothing," said +the +avaricious Albinus warningly; "we must not trust him too far."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Beloved brethren," said the priest, "see that you do not +lightly +condemn a member of our community. Who should do this would be worthy +of hell-fire! Certainly Cethegus commands the fists of the workmen as +well as the hearts of his young 'knights;' and it is well, for he can +therewith break the tyranny----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But at the same time he could replace it by new despotism," +interrupted +Calpurnius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That he shall not, if daggers can still kill, as in the time +of +Brutus!" cried Scævola.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bloodshed is not necessary. Consider; the nearer the tyrant, +the more +oppressive the tyranny; the farther the ruler, the more bearable his +government. The power of the Prefect must be balanced by the power of +the Emperor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," affirmed Albinus, who had received large sums from +Byzantium, +"the Emperor must become master of Italy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is," said Silverius, restraining Scævola, who would have +interrupted indignantly, "we must keep down the Prefect by means of the +Emperor, and the Emperor by means of the Prefect. See, we have arrived +at the door of my house. Let us enter. I must tell you in confidence +what will be made known to the assembly to-night. It will surprise you; +but other people still more."</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile the Prefect had also hurried home from the banquet, +to +prepare for his important work by lonely meditation.</p> + +<p class="normal">He did not think over his speech; he knew long ago what he had +to say; +and, a splendid orator, to whom words came as readily as thoughts, he +willingly left the mode of expression to the impulse of the moment, +knowing well that words which issue spontaneously from the heart, have +the liveliest effect.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he sought for inward composure; for his passions were +vividly +excited.</p> + +<p class="normal">He thought over the steps which he had taken in order to reach +his +goal, since first he had been drawn towards it with demoniac force. He +measured the short space which he had still to tread; he counted the +difficulties and hindrances which lay upon his path, and measured the +strength of mind with which he could overcome them; and the result of +all this examination awakened in him a certainty of victory which +filled him with youthful enthusiasm.</p> + +<p class="normal">He measured his room with rapid strides; the muscles of his +arms +swelled as if in the hour of battle; he girded himself with the broad +and victorious sword of his former campaigns, and convulsively grasped +the hilt as if he were about to fight for his Rome against two worlds: +against Byzantium and the barbarians.</p> + +<p class="normal">He paused before the statue of Cæsar, and looked long at the +silent +marble face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Farewell!" he cried, "give me thy good fortune upon my way. +More I do +not need."</p> + +<p class="normal">He turned quickly, and hurried out of the room and through the +atrium +into the street, where the first stars were already shining. The +conspirators had assembled in the Catacombs on this evening in greater +numbers than ever, for urgent invitations had been sent through all +Italy.</p> + +<p class="normal">According to the wish of the Prefect, all strategically +important +places were represented at this meeting. Deputies had been sent from +the strong warders of the frontiers, Tridentum, Tarvisium, and Verona, +which behold the ice of the Alps; from Otorantum and Consentia, which +are laved by the tepid waves of the Ausonian Sea; from all the +celebrated towns of Sicily and Italy, with the proud, beautiful, and +historic names: Syracuse and Catana, Panormus and Messana, Regium, +Neapolis and Cumæ, Capua and Beneventum, Antium and Ostia, Reate and +Narnia, Volsinii, Urbsvetus and Spoletum, Clusium and Perusia, Auximum +and Ancona, Florentia and Fæsulas, Pisa, Luca, Luna and Genua; +Ariminum, Casena, Faventia, and Ravenna; Parma, Dertona and Placentia; +Mantua, Cremona, and Ticinum (Pavia); Mediolanum, Comum, and Bergamum; +Asta and Pollentia; and from the northern and eastern coasts of the +Ionian Gulf: Concordia, Aquileja, Iadera, Scardona, and Salona.</p> + +<p class="normal">There were grave senators and judges, who had grown grey in +the +councils of their towns, where their ancestors had been leaders for +centuries; wise merchants, broad-shouldered proprietors, disputing +jurists, mocking rhetoricians, and in particular a great number of +clergy of all ranks and all ages: the only firmly organised party, and +which was implicitly obedient to Silverius.</p> + +<p class="normal">As Cethegus, still concealed behind the corner of the narrow +entrance, +overlooked the groups assembled in the rotunda of the grotto, he could +not restrain a contemptuous smile, which, however, ended in a sigh.</p> + +<p class="normal">Excepting the general dislike to the barbarians--which, +however, was by +no means strong enough to support the sacrifices and self-denial +necessary to the accomplishment of difficult political plans--what +different and often what small motives had led these men together!</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus knew exactly the motives of each individual: had he +not been +able to influence them by taking advantage of their foibles? And, after +all, he could not but rejoice at this, for he could never have brought +true Romans so completely under his influence as he had done these +conspirators.</p> + +<p class="normal">But as he now looked at the assembled patriots, and reflected +how one +had been induced to join the discontented, in the hope of a title from +Byzantium; another by bribery; another from revenge or on account of +some personal offence, or even from tedium, or debts, or some foolish +dilemma; and when he told himself that with <i>such</i> colleagues he must +meet the warriors of the Gothic army--he almost shrank from the +temerity of his plan.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was some relief to him, when the clear voice of Lucius +Licinius +attracted his looks to the troop of young "knights," whose truly +martial courage and national enthusiasm were expressed on their +features; there at least he had a few trustworthy weapons.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Welcome! Lucius Licinius," he said, as he stepped out of the +darkness +of the passage, "Ha, ha! you are mailed and armed as if we were going +straight from hence to meet the barbarians!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can scarcely contain myself for joy and hate!" cried the +handsome +youth. "Look here, all these I have won for you, for the cause of the +fatherland."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus looked round and greeted the others.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You here also, Kallistratos? you merry son of peace!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hellas will not desert her sister Italia in the hour of +danger," said +the Greek, and laid his white hand upon his elegant, ivory-hilted +sword.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus nodded to him and turned to the rest; Marcus +Licinius, Piso, +Massurius, Balbus, who, completely won for the Prefect since the feast +of the Floralia, had brought with them their brothers, cousins, and +friends.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus looked searchingly through the groups; he seemed to +miss some +one.</p> + +<p class="normal">Lucius Licinius guessed his thoughts.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You seek the dark Corsican, Furius Ahalla? You must not +reckon upon +him. I sounded him thoroughly, but he said: 'I am a Corsican--no Roman. +My trade flourishes under Gothic protection. Leave me out your game.' +And when I pressed him further--for I would gladly win his brave sword +and the many thousands of hands which he commands--he said abruptly: 'I +will not fight against Totila.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Gods alone know what binds the wild tiger to that +milksop," said +Piso.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus smiled, but frowned as well.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think we Romans will suffice," he said in a loud voice; and +the +youths looked at him with beating hearts.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Open the assembly," said Scævola impatiently to Silverius. +"You see +how he talks over the young people; he will win them all. Interrupt +him; speak!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Immediately. Are you sure that Albinus will come?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He will; he waits for the messengers at the Appian gate."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said the priest, "God be with us!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And he stepped into the middle of the rotunda, raised the +black cross +which he held, and began:</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the name of the Triune God! We have again assembled in the +gloom of +night for the works of light. Perhaps for the last time; for the Son of +God, to whom the heretics refuse all honour, has wonderfully blessed +our endeavours. Next to God, our warmest thanks are due to the noble +Emperor Justinian and his pious spouse, who listen to the sighs of the +suffering Church with active sympathy; and, lastly, to our friend and +leader here, the Prefect, who zealously works for the cause of our +master the Emperor----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop, priest!" cried Lucius Licinius. "Who calls the Emperor +of +Byzantium our <i>master</i>? We will not have the Greeks instead of the +Goths! We will be free!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will be free!" echoed the chorus of his friends.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We shall <i>become</i> free!" continued Silverius. +"Certainly! But that is +not possible unaided. The Emperor must help us. And do not think, +beloved youths, that the man whom you honour as your leader, Cethegus, +is of a different opinion. Justinian has sent him a costly ring--his +portrait in carneol--as a sign that he is contented with the Prefect's +services, and the Prefect has accepted the ring. Behold, he wears it on +his finger."</p> + +<p class="normal">Startled and indignant, the youths looked at Cethegus, who +silently +advanced into the middle of the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">A painful pause ensued.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Speak, General!" cried Lucius; "contradict him! It is not as +he says +with the ring!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Cethegus nodded and drew off the ring.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is as he says. The ring is from the Emperor, and I have +accepted +it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Lucius Licinius fell back a step.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As a sign?" asked Silverius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As a sign," cried Cethegus, in a threatening voice, "that I +am not the +ambitious egoist for which many take me. As a sign that I love Italy +more than my ambition. Yes, I built upon Byzantium, and would have +given up the leadership to the mighty Emperor; therefore I took this +ring. I build no more upon Byzantium, for she hesitates everlastingly: +therefore I have brought the ring with me to-day, in order to return it +to the Emperor. You, Silverius, have proved yourself the representative +of Byzantium; here, return his pledge to your master; he delays too +long. Tell him Italy will help herself!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Italy will help herself!" shouted the young Romans.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Reflect what you do!" cried the priest with restrained anger. +"I understand the hot courage of youth--but that my friend, the +ripe and experienced man, stretches forth his hand for what is +unattainable--<i>that</i> surprises me! Remember the strength and ferocity +of the barbarians! Reflect that the Italians are unused to arms, that +all the fortresses of the country are in the hands----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be silent, priest," thundered Cethegus. "You do not +understand such +matters! Speak where the psalms have to be explained or souls led to +heaven, for that is your office; but where war and fighting are +concerned, let those speak who understand! We will leave you all +heaven--leave the earth to us. Roman youths, you have the choice. Will +you wait until this cautious Byzantium vouchsafes to take pity upon +Italy?--you may become weary old men before then!--or will you in old +Roman fashion, win freedom with your own swords? You will; I see it by +your sparkling eyes. How? They tell us we are too weak to liberate +Italy! Ha! were not your fathers Romans, who conquered the world? +If I call upon you, man by man, there is not a name which does not ring +with the fame of a hero. Decius, Corvinus, Cornelius, Valerius, +Licinius--will you free the fatherland with me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We will! Lead us, Cethegus!" cried the youth with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p class="normal">After a pause Scævola began:</p> + +<p class="normal">"My name is Scævola. When the names of Roman heroes are cited, +the race +which inherits the heroism of the Celts might have been remembered. I +ask you, Cethegus, have you more than dreams and wishes, like these +young fools? have you a plan?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"More than that, Scævola, I have, and will keep, the victory! +Here is a +list of all the fortresses in Italy. At the next Ides, that is in +thirty days, they will fall, at one blow, into my hands."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What? must we still wait thirty days?" asked Lucius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Only till the deputies assembled here have again reached +their towns. +Only till my expresses have flown through Italy. You have <i>had</i> to wait +forty years!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But the impatience of the youths, which he himself had +excited, was not +to be subdued; they looked gloomy at the postponement--they murmured.</p> + +<p class="normal">The priest was quick to take advantage of this change of +humour.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Cethegus," he cried; "we cannot delay so long! Tyranny is +unbearable to the noble-minded; shame upon him who endures it longer +than he must! I know of better comfort, youths! In a few days the +spears of Belisarius may flash in Italian sunshine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Or shall we, perhaps," asked Scævola, "refuse to follow +Belisarius +because he is not Cethegus?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You speak of wishes," cried Cethegus, "not of realities. If +Belisarius +land, I shall be the first to join him. But he will not land. It is +this which has disgusted me; the Emperor does not keep his word."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus played a very bold game. But he could not do +otherwise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You may err," said Silverius, "and the Emperor may fulfil his +promise +sooner than you think. Belisarius lies off Sicily."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not now. He has gone towards Africa, towards home. Hope +nothing from +Belisarius."</p> + +<p class="normal">Just then hasty steps were heard in the passage, and Albinus +rushed in.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Triumph!" he cried. "Freedom! freedom!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What news?" asked the priest.</p> + +<p class="normal">"War! deliverance! Byzantium has declared war against the +Goths!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Freedom! war!" shouted the Romans.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is impossible!" said Cethegus.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is certain!" cried another voice from the entrance--it was +Calpurnius, who had followed close upon Albinus. "And, more than this, +the war has commenced. Belisarius has landed in Sicily, at Catana; +Syracusæ and Messana have surrendered; Panormus he has taken with the +fleet. He has crossed to Italy, from Messana to Regium; he is upon +Italian soil!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Freedom!" cried Marcus Licinius.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Everywhere the population joins him. The Goths, taken by +surprise, fly +from Apulia and Calabria. Belisarius presses on without pause, through +Bruttia and Lucania, to Neapolis."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is all lies--lies!" cried Cethegus, more to himself than +to the +others.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You do not seem pleased at the success of the good cause! But +the +messenger rode three horses to death. Belisarius has landed with thirty +thousand men."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who still doubts is a traitor!" cried Scævola.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now let us see," said Silverius to Cethegus sarcastically, +"if you +will keep your word. Will you be the first to join Belisarius?"</p> + +<p class="normal">At this bitter moment a whole world--<i>his</i> world--sank +before the eyes +of Cethegus. So, then, all had been in vain; worse than that--what he +had done, had been done for a hated enemy. Belisarius in Italy with a +strong army, and he deceived, powerless, conquered! Any other man would +have given up all further effort.</p> + +<p class="normal">But not a shadow of discouragement crossed the mind of the +Prefect. His +gigantic edifice was shattered; the noise of its fall still deafened +him, and yet at the same moment he had already resolved to begin again.</p> + +<p class="normal">His world was destroyed, and he had no time even to sigh, for +the eyes +of all were fixed upon him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, what will you do?" repeated Scævola.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cethegus disdained to look at him.</p> + +<p class="normal">He turned to the assembly, and spoke in a quiet voice:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Belisarius has landed," he said; "he is now our leader. I +shall at +once go to his camp."</p> + +<p class="normal">With this he walked, with measured steps and a composed +countenance, +past Silverius and his friends towards the exit.</p> + +<p class="normal">Silverius would have whispered a word of sarcasm, but he was +startled +at the glance which the Prefect cast upon him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not rejoice too soon, priest," it seemed to say; "you will +repent +this hour!" And Silverius, the victor, was dumb.</p> + +<br> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<p class="continue">The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and +Italians by +surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both +parties.</p> + +<p class="normal">Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy. He +had, in +his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain +warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged +for the power and means of defending Sicily.</p> + +<p class="normal">We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of +preventing +the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was +to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and +tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven +about this favourite of the gods.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, +had soon +been won by Totila's irresistible amiability. We have seen how strongly +the prayers of his daughter, the memory of his wife's last words, and +Totila's frankness, had influenced the worthy man, even when he was +irritated at the discovery of the lovers' secret meetings.</p> + +<p class="normal">Totila remained at the villa as a guest. Julius, with his +winning +affection, was called upon to help the lovers, and to their united +influence the father gradually yielded.</p> + +<p class="normal">But this was only possible because Totila assimilated to the +Romans +more nearly in manners, education, and inclinations than any other +Goth: so that Valerius soon saw that he could not call a youth a +"barbarian" who knew and appreciated the language, wisdom, and beauty +of Hellenic and Roman literature better than most Italians, and +admired the culture of the ancient world no less than he loved his +fellow-countrymen.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, in addition to all this, a common hatred of Byzantium +united the +old Roman and the young German.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Valerians had always belonged to the aristocratic +Republican +opposition against the Cæsars, and, since the time of Tiberius, many a +member of this family had sealed with his blood his fidelity to the +cause of Old Republicanism.</p> + +<p class="normal">The family had never really acknowledged the removal of the +Empire of +the World from the city on the Tiber to that on the Bosphorus. In the +Byzantine imperial dignity Valerius beheld the acme of all tyranny, +and, at any cost, would gladly have saved his Latium from the avarice, +religious intolerance, and Oriental despotism of the Byzantine +Emperors.</p> + +<p class="normal">Added to this, the father and brother of Valerius had been +arrested at +Byzantium by an avaricious predecessor of Justinian, while passing +through that city, and, on pretence of participation in a conspiracy, +had been executed, and all their eastern possessions had been +confiscated; so that private loss considerably strengthened the +political hatred of the patriot. When Cethegus introduced him to the +conspiracy of the Catacombs, he had eagerly taken up the idea of an +Italian rebellion; but had repulsed all advances of the imperial party +with the words, "Rather death than Byzantium!"</p> + +<p class="normal">So the two, Valerius and Totila, were unanimous in the +resolution to +tolerate no Byzantine in their beloved country, which was scarcely less +dear to the Goth than to the Roman.</p> + +<p class="normal">The lovers took care not to press the old man, at present, to +make any +formal promise; they contented themselves with the freedom of +intercourse allowed by Valerius, and waited quietly until the influence +of habit should gradually accustom him to the thought of their ultimate +union.</p> + +<p class="normal">Our young friends thus passed many happy days, and, added to +the bliss +of their mutual love, they had the delight of witnessing the growing +affection of Valerius for Totila.</p> + +<p class="normal">Julius was filled with the noble exaltation which lies in the +sacrifice +of one's own passion for the sake of another's happiness. His soul, +unsatisfied by the wisdom of old philosophy, turned more and more +to the doctrine which teaches that peace is only to be found in +self-denial.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valeria was of a very different nature. She was the true +expression of +the Roman ideal of her father, who had conducted her education in place +of her early-lost mother, and had imbued her with the spirit of the +antique Pagans. Christianity--to which she hard been dedicated by an +outward form at the very commencement of her life, and from which she +had afterwards been wrested by an equally external formality--seemed to +her a fearful power, by no means loved or understood, but which, +nevertheless, she could not exclude from the circle of her thoughts and +feelings.</p> + +<p class="normal">Like a true Roman, she noticed with joy and pride, not with +dismay, the +martial enthusiasm with which Totila spoke to her father in their +conversations concerning Byzantium. She felt that he was born to be a +hero, and so, when duty suddenly called him away from love and +friendship, she bore the parting with noble self-control.</p> + +<p class="normal">For as soon as the Byzantine fleet was known to be cruising +off +Syracusæ, the young Goth was inflamed with an insatiable thirst for +war. It was his duty, as commodore of the South Italian squadron, to +watch the movements of the enemy and protect the coast. He promptly set +sail to meet the Grecian fleet, and demanded the reason of its +appearance in those waters. Belisarius, who had orders to avoid all +inimical proceedings until called upon to commence hostilities by +Petros, gave a peaceful and plausible answer, alleging as his pretext +the disturbances in Africa and the piracies of Mauritanian ships. +Totila was obliged to content himself with this reply, but in his heart +he was sure that the war would soon break out; perhaps only because he +so ardently desired it.</p> + +<p class="normal">He therefore took all precautions: sent messengers with +warnings to +Ravenna, and, above all, essayed to protect the city of Neapolis at +least towards the sea, for the inland fortifications had fallen into +decay during the long peace, and old Uliaris, the commander of the +city, was not to be shaken out of his proud security and contempt of +the Greeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goths in general cherished the dangerous delusion that the +Byzantines would never dare to attack them; and their treacherous King +did all in his power to strengthen this belief.</p> + +<p class="normal">The warnings of Totila, therefore, were disregarded, and the +zealous +commodore was even deprived of his whole fleet, which was ordered to +the Harbour of Ravenna, on the pretext of an exchange; but the ships +which should have replaced those which had sailed away never arrived.</p> + +<p class="normal">So Totila had nothing left but a few small guardships, with +which, as +he declared to his friends, he could not even sufficiently watch the +movements of the enemy, much less prevent their advance.</p> + +<p class="normal">When apprised of all this, the merchant determined to leave +his +villa at Neapolis, and to go to his rich estates and mercantile +establishments at Regium, on the south point of the peninsula, in order +to remove all his most valuable property from that neighbourhood--where +Totila feared the first attack of the enemy--and bring it to Neapolis; +and also to make his preparations in case of a prolonged war.</p> + +<p class="normal">Julius was to accompany him on this journey; and Valeria was +not to be +persuaded to remain behind in the empty villa; so, as Totila assured +them that no danger was to be feared for the next few days, the three, +accompanied by a few slaves, journeyed to the villa on the estate near +the Pass of Jugum, to the north of Regium, which, situated close to the +sea, was partly, with all the luxury already so severely blamed by +Horace, "daringly built out" into the very sea itself.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius found things in a bad condition. His stewards, taking +advantage of the prolonged absence of their master, had made sad work, +and Valerius saw with indignation that, in order to repair the +mischief, his presence would be necessary, not for days, but for weeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile the threatening symptoms increased. Totila sent many +warning +messages; but Valeria decided that she could not leave her father while +in danger, and the latter scorned to fly before the "degenerate +Greeks," whom he still more despised than hated.</p> + +<p class="normal">One day they were surprised by the arrival of two boats, which +ran into +the little harbour of the villa at Regium almost at the same moment. +One brought Totila; the other the Corsican, Furius Ahalla.</p> + +<p class="normal">The two greeted each other with surprise, but, as old +acquaintances, +were well pleased to meet, and walked together through the taxus-hedges +and laurel walks to the villa. There they parted, Totila saying that he +wished to pay a visit to his friend Julius, while the Corsican had +business with the merchant, with whom he had for years been connected +in a commerce which was equally advantageous to both parties.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius was therefore much pleased to see the clever, bold, +and +handsome sailor enter his room, and after a hearty welcome, the two +business-friends turned to their books and accounts.</p> + +<p class="normal">After some short discussion, the Corsican rose from his +examination of +the books, and said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"So you see, Valerius, that Mercurius has again blessed our +connection. +My ships have brought you purple and costly woollen stuffs from +Phœnicia and Spain; and taken your exquisite manufactures of last +year to Byzantium and Alexandria, to Massilia and Antiochia. A +centenarius of gold more profit than last year! And so it will go on +rising from year to year, so long as the brave Goths uphold peace and +justice in the West."</p> + +<p class="normal">He ceased, as if in expectation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So long as they <i>can</i> uphold it!" sighed Valerius. "So +long as these +Greeks keep the peace! Who can guarantee that to-night the sea-breeze +may not drive the ships of Belisarius towards these coasts!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"So you, too, expect war? In confidence: it is more than +probable, it +is certain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Furius!" cried the Roman, "how do you know that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I come from Africa--from Sicily. I have seen the fleet of the +Emperor. +One does not arm against pirates in such a manner. I have spoken to the +captains of Belisarius; they dream night and day of the treasures of +Italy. Sicily is ripe for defection, as soon as the Greeks land."</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius grew pale with excitement.</p> + +<p class="normal">Furius remarked it, and continued.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For this reason I have come here to warn you. The enemy will +land in +this vicinity, and I know--that your daughter is with you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Valeria is a Roman."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, but these enemies are the most ferocious barbarians. For +it is +Huns, Massagetæ, Scythians, Avari, Sclavonians, and Saracens which this +Emperor of the Romans lets loose upon Italy! Woe to your lovely child +should she fall into their hands."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That she shall not!" cried Valerius, his hand upon his +dagger. "But +you are right--she must go--she must be placed in safety."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where is safety in Italy? Soon the billows of the conflict +will roll +over Neapolis--over Rome--and will scarcely break against the walls of +Ravenna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you think so highly of these Greeks? Yet Greece has never +sent +anything to Italy but mimes, pirates, and pickpockets!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"But Belisarius is the favourite of fortune. At all events, a +war will +be kindled, the end of which many of you will not outlive!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of <i>us</i>, you say? Will not <i>you</i> fight with us?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Valerius! You know that pure Corsican blood flows in my +veins, in +spite of my adopted Roman name. I am no Roman, no Greek, and no Goth. I +wish the Goths the victory, because they keep order on land and sea, +and my trade flourishes under their sway; but were I to fight openly on +their side, the exchequer of Byzantium would swallow up all that I +possess in ships and goods in the harbours of the East: three-fourths +of my whole fortune. No, I intend so to fortify my island--you know +that half Corsica is mine--that neither of the disputants can molest +me. My island shall be an asylum of peace, while round about land and +water echo with the noise of battle. I shall defend this asylum as a +king defends his crown, or a bridegroom his bride; and therefore"--his +eyes sparkled, and his voice trembled with excitement--"therefore I +wish--now--to speak a word which for years I have carried hidden in my +heart----"</p> + +<p class="normal">He hesitated.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius saw beforehand what was coming, and saw it with deep +regret. +For years he had pleased himself with the thought of entrusting his +daughter's happiness to this powerful merchant, the adopted son of an +old friend, of whose affection to Valeria he had long been aware. +Although he had learned to love Totila, he would far rather have had +his old friend for a son-in-law.</p> + +<p class="normal">And he knew the ungovernable pride and irritable temper of the +Corsican; he feared, in case of refusal, that the old love and +friendship would be speedily changed to burning hate. Dark stories were +told of the wild rage of this man, and Valerius would gladly have +spared both him and himself the pain of a rejection.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the other continued:</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think we are both men who do business in a business-like +manner. +And, according to old custom, I speak at once to the father, and not +first to the daughter. Give me your child to wife, Valerius! In part +you know my fortune--only in part--for it is far larger than you think. +I will match her dowry, be it never so splendid, with the double----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Furius!" interrupted the father.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think I am a man who can make his wife happy. At least, I +can +protect her better than any one else in these dangerous times. I will +take her in my ships, should Corsica be threatened, to Asia or to +Africa. On every coast there awaits her, not a house, but a palace. No +queen could envy her. I will cherish, her more dearly--more dearly than +my life!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He paused in extreme agitation, as if expecting a prompt +reply.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius was silent, he sought for an excuse--it was but a +moment, but +the bare appearance of hesitation on the father's part revolted the +Corsican. The blood rushed to his handsome face, which, just before +almost soft and mild, suddenly assumed an aspect of ferocity; a vivid +red flush spread over his brown cheeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Furius Ahalla," he said hastily, "is not accustomed to offer +a thing +twice. Usually my wares, at the first offer, are snatched at with both +hands. I now offer myself--by God! I am not worse than my purple----</p> + +<p class="normal">"My friend," began the old man, "we no longer live in ancient +times. +The new belief has almost deprived a father of the right to dispose of +his daughter. My <i>will</i> would give her to you and to no other, but her +heart----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"She loves another!" cried the Corsican, "whom?"</p> + +<p class="normal">And his hand caught at his dagger, as if he would gladly have +killed +his rival on the instant.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was something of the tiger in this movement, and in the +glare of +his rolling eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius felt how deadly would be his hatred, and would not +mention the +name.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who can it be?" asked Furius, in an under tone. "A Roman? +Montanus? +No! Oh, only--only not <i>he</i>--say no, old man! not he----" and he caught +Valerius by the sleeve.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who? Whom do you mean?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"He, who landed with me--the Goth! But yes it must be +he--every one +loves him--Totila!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is he," said Valerius, and kindly tried to take his +friend's hand. +But he released it again in terror; a fearful convulsion shook the iron +frame of the strong Corsican. He stretched forth his hand stiffly, as +if he would strangle the pain which tortured him. Then he tossed back +his head, and, laughing wildly, struck his forehead repeatedly.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius observed this mad fit with horror. At last the arms +of the +enraged man slowly dropped, and revealed an ashy-pale face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is over," said Furius in a trembling voice. "It is a curse +that +lies upon me. I am never to be happy in a wife. Once before--just +before accomplishment! And now! I know that Valeria's influence and +quiet composure would have brought peace into my wild life--I should +have become different, better. And if this could not have been"--his +eyes again sparkled--"it would have been almost equally sweet to murder +the destroyer of my happiness. Yes, I would have wallowed in his blood, +and torn his bride away from his corpse! And now it is <i>he</i>! He, the +only being to whom Ahalla owes gratitude--and what gratitude!----"</p> + +<p class="normal">He was silent, nodding his head as if lost in recollection.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Valerius," he then said, suddenly rousing himself, "I would +yield to +no man on earth--I could not have borne to give place to another--but +Totila! I will forgive her for not loving me, because she has chosen +Totila. Farewell, Valerius, old friend. I go to sea; to Persia, to +India--I know not whither--ah! everywhere I shall carry with me the +bitter pain of this hour!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He went quickly out, and immediately afterwards his +arrow-swift boat +bore him away from the little harbour of the villa.</p> + +<p class="normal">Valerius left the room sighing, and went in search of his +daughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the atrium he met Totila, who was obliged to take leave at +once. He +had only come to try to persuade them to return to Neapolis. For +Belisarius had left the African coast and was cruising near Panormus, +and any day a descent might be effected in Sicily or even Italy; and, +in spite of Totila's insistence, the King had sent no ships. He +himself was shortly going to Sicily to convince himself of the truth. +His friends, therefore, were here totally unprotected, and he begged +Valerius to return forthwith to Neapolis by land.</p> + +<p class="normal">But it revolted the old soldier to fly before the Greeks; he +could not +and would not leave his affairs before three days; and Totila could +scarcely persuade him to accept a small troop of twenty Goths as a poor +protection.</p> + +<p class="normal">With a heavy heart Totila entered his boat and was taken back +to his +guardship. It was almost dark when he arrived on board; a veil of mist +shrouded the nearest objects.</p> + +<p class="normal">All at once the sound of oars was heard to the west, and a +ship, +recognisable by the red light on the tall mast, turned the point of a +small promontory.</p> + +<p class="normal">Totila listened, and asked his look-out:</p> + +<p class="normal">"A sail to the left! what ship? what master?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is already signalled from the mast-head," was the reply, +"merchant-ship--Furius Ahalla--lay at anchor here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where bound?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"For the East--for India!"</p> +<br> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> +<p class="hang1"><a name="div2_note01" href="#div2Ref_note01">Footnote 1</a>: A place for wrestling and other exercises.</p> + +<p class="hang1"><a name="div2_note02" href="#div2Ref_note02">Footnote 2</a>: The most valued wood--not the modern +citron-tree.</p> + +<p class="hang1"><a name="div2_note03" href="#div2Ref_note03">Footnote 3</a>: Pine-wood.</p> + +<p class="hang1"><a name="div2_note04" href="#div2Ref_note04">Footnote 4</a>: A Grecian rider's upper garment, worn by the +Romans of that time.</p> + +<p class="hang1"><a name="div2_note05" href="#div2Ref_note05">Footnote 5</a>: An epocha of the Roman calendar instituted by +Constantine the Great.</p> + +<br> + +<h3>END OF VOL. I.</h3> + +<br> + +<h4>BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, SURREY.</h4> +<p class="right"><i>H. L. & Co.</i></p> + +<br> + + +<br> + +<br> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Struggle for Rome, v. 1, by Felix Dahn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRUGGLE FOR ROME, V. 1 *** + +***** This file should be named 32271-h.htm or 32271-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/7/32271/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Struggle for Rome, v. 1 + +Author: Felix Dahn + +Translator: Lily Wolffsohn + +Release Date: May 6, 2010 [EBook #32271] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRUGGLE FOR ROME, V. 1 *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: +1. Page scan source: + http://www.archive.org/details/astruggleforrom00dahngoog +2. The diphthong OE and oe are represented by [OE] and [oe]. + + + + + + + A STRUGGLE FOR ROME. + + BY + FELIX DAHN. + + + _T R A N S L A T E D F R O M T H E G E R M A N_ + BY + LILY WOLFFSOHN. + + + "If there be anything more powerful than Fate, + It is the courage which bears it undismayed." + GEIBEL. + + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + VOL. I. + + + + LONDON: + RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON. + 1878. + [_All Rights Reserved._] + + + + + + + PREFACE. + + +These pictures of the sixth century originated in my studies for the +following works: + +"The Kings of the Goths," vol. ii., iii., iv. Munich and Wuerzburg, +1862-66. + +"Procopius of Caesarea:" a contribution to the historiography of the +migration of nations and the decay of the Roman Empire. Berlin, 1865. + +By referring to these works, the reader may distinguish the details and +changes which the romance has added to the reality. + +In history the events here described filled a period of almost thirty +years' duration. From reasons easily understood, it was necessary to +shorten, or at least to disguise, this long interval. + +The character of the Roman hero of the story, Cethegus Caesarius, is a +pure invention. That such a person existed is, however, known. + +The work was begun at Munich in 1859, continued at Ravenna, Italy, and +concluded at Koenigsberg in 1876. + + FELIX DAHN. + +Koenigsberg: _January_, 1876. + + + + + A STRUGGLE FOR ROME. + + BOOK I. + THEODORIC. + "Dietericus de Berne, de quo cantant rustici usque hodie." + + + CHAPTER I. + + +It was a sultry summer night of the year five hundred and twenty-six, +A.D. + +Thick clouds lay low over the dark surface of the Adrea, whose shores +and waters were melted together in undistinguishable gloom; only now +and then a flash of distant lightning lit up the silent city of +Ravenna. At unequal intervals the wind swept through the ilexes and +pines on the range of hills which rise at some distance to the west of +the town, and which were once crowned by a temple of Neptune. At that +time already half ruined, it has now almost completely disappeared, +leaving only the most scanty traces. + +It was quiet on the bosky heights; only sometimes a piece of rock, +loosened by storms, clattered down the stony declivity, and at last +splashed into the marshy waters of the canals and ditches which belted +the entire circle of the sea-fortress; or a weather-beaten slab slipped +from the tabled roof of the old temple and fell breaking on to the +marble steps--forebodings of the threatened fall of the whole building. + +But these dismal sounds seemed to be unnoticed by a man who sat +immovable on the second step of the flight which led into the temple, +leaning his back against the topmost step and looking silently and +fixedly across the declivity in the direction of the city below. + +He sat thus motionless, but waiting eagerly, for a long time. He heeded +not that the wind drove the heavy drops which began to fell into his +face, and rudely worried the full long beard that flowed down to his +iron belt, almost entirely covering his broad breast with shining white +hair. + +At last he rose and descended several of the marble steps: "They come," +said he. + +The light of a torch which rapidly advanced from the city towards the +temple became visible; then quick and heavy footsteps were heard, and +shortly after three men ascended the flight of steps. + +"Hail, Master Hildebrand, son of Hilding!" cried the advancing +torch-bearer, as soon as he reached the row of columns of the Pronaos +or antehall, in which time had made some gaps. He spoke in the Gothic +tongue, and had a peculiarly melodious voice. He carried his torch in a +sort of lantern--beautiful Corinthian bronze-work on the handle, +transparent ivory forming the four-sided screen and the arched and +ornamentally-perforated lid--and lifting it high, put it into the iron +ring that held together the shattered centre column. + +The white light fell upon a face beautiful as that of Apollo, with +laughing light-blue eyes; his fair hair was parted in the middle of his +forehead into two long and flowing tresses, which fell right and left +upon his shoulders. His mouth and nose, finely, almost softly +chiselled, were of perfect form; the first down of a bright golden +beard covered his pleasant lip and gently-dimpled chin. He wore only +white garments--a war-mantle of fine wool, held up on the right +shoulder by a clasp in the form of a griffin, and a Roman tunic of soft +silk, both embroidered with a stripe of gold. White leather straps +fastened the sandals to his feet, and reached, laced cross-wise, to his +knees. Two broad gold rings encircled his naked and shining white arms. +And as he stood reposing after his exertion, his right hand clasping a +tall lance which served him both for staff and weapon, his left resting +on his hip, looking down upon his slower companions, it seemed as if +there had again entered the grey old temple some youthful godlike form +of its happiest days. + +The second of the new-comers had, in spite of a general family +likeness, an expression totally different from that of the +torch-bearer. + +He was some years older, his form was stouter and broader. Low down +upon his bull-neck grew his short, thick, and curly brown hair. He was +of almost gigantic height and strength. There were wanting in his face +the sunny shimmer, the trusting joy and hope which illumined the +features of his younger brother. Instead of these, there was in his +whole appearance an expression of bear-like strength and bear-like +courage; he wore a shaggy wolf-skin, the jaws of which shaded his head +like a cowl, a simple woollen doublet beneath, and on his right +shoulder he carried a short and heavy club made of the hard root of an +oak. + +The third comer followed the others with a cautious step; a middle-aged +man with a dignified and prudent expression of countenance. He wore the +steel helmet, the sword, and the brown war-mantle of the Gothic +footmen. His straight light-brown hair was cut square across the +forehead--an ancient Germanic mode of wearing the hair, which one often +sees represented on Roman triumphal columns, and which has been +preserved by the German peasant to this day. The regular features of +his open face, his grey and steady eyes, were full of reflective +manliness and sober repose. + +When he, too, had reached the cella of the temple, and had greeted the +old man, the torch-bearer cried in an eager voice: + +"Well, old Master Hildebrand, a fine adventure must it be to which thou +hast bidden us on such an inhospitable night, and in this wilderness of +art and nature! Speak--what is it?" + +Instead of replying, the old man turned to the last comer and asked: +"Where is the fourth whom I invited?" + +"He wished to go alone. He shunned us all. Thou knowest his manner +well." + +"There he comes!" cried the beautiful youth, pointing to another side +of the hill. And, in fact, a man of very peculiar appearance now drew +near. + +The full glare of the torch illumined a ghastly-pale face that seemed +almost bloodless. Long and shining black locks, like dark snakes, hung +dishevelled from his uncovered head. Arched black brows and long lashes +shaded large and melancholy dark eyes, full of repressed fire. A +sharply-cut eagle nose bent towards the fine and smoothly-shaven mouth, +around which resigned grief had traced deep lines. + +His form and bearing were still young; but pain seemed to have +prematurely ripened his soul. + +He wore a coat of mail and greaves of black steel, and in his right +hand gleamed a battle-axe with a long lance-like shaft. He merely +greeted the others with a nod of the head, and placing himself behind +the old man, who now bade them all four step close to the pillar on +which the torch was fixed, began in a suppressed voice: + +"I appointed you to meet me here to listen to earnest words, which must +be spoken, unheard, to faithful men. I have sought for months in all +the nation, and have chosen you. You are the right men. When you have +heard me, you will yourselves feel that you must be silent about this +night's meeting." + +The third comer, he with the steel helmet, looked at the old man with +earnest eyes. + +"Speak," said he quietly, "we hear and are silent. Of what wilt thou +speak to us?" + +"Of our people; of this kingdom of the Goths, which stands close to an +abyss!" + +"An abyss!" eagerly cried the fair youth. His gigantic brother smiled +and lifted his head attentively. + +"Yes, an abyss," repeated the old man; "and you alone can hold and save +it." + +"May Heaven pardon thee thy words!" interrupted the fair youth with +vivacity. "Have we not our King Theodoric, whom even his enemies call +the Great; the most magnificent hero, the wisest prince in the world? +Have we not this smiling land Italia, with all its treasures? What upon +earth can compare with the kingdom of the Goths?" + +The old man, without heeding his questions, continued: + +"Listen to me. The greatness and worth of King Theodoric, my beloved +master and my dear son, are best known by Hildebrand, son of Hilding. +More than fifty years ago I carried him in these arms, a struggling +boy, to his father, and said: 'There is an offspring of a strong +race--he will be a joy to thee.' And when he grew up I cut for him his +first arrow, and washed his first wound. I accompanied him to the +golden city of Byzantium, and guarded him body and soul. When he fought +for this lovely land, I went before him, foot by foot, and held the +shield over him in thirty battles. He may possibly, since then, have +found more learned advisers and friends than his old master-at-arms, +but hardly wiser, and surely not more faithful. Long ere the sun shone +upon thee, my young falcon, I had experienced a thousand times how +strong was his arm, how sharp his eye, how clear his head, how terrible +he could be in battle, how friendly over the cup, and how superior he +was even to the Greekling in shrewdness. But the old Eagle's wings have +become heavy. His battle-years weigh upon him; for he and you, and all +your race, cannot bear years like I and my play-fellows; he lies sick +in soul and body, mysteriously sick, in his golden hall down there in +the Raven-town. The physicians say that though his arm be yet strong, +any beat of his heart may kill him with lightning-like rapidity, and +with any setting sun he may journey down to the dead. And who is his +heir? who will then uphold this kingdom? Amalaswintha, his daughter; +and Athalaric, his grandson; a woman and a child!" + +"The Princess is wise," said he with the helmet and the sword. + +"Yes, she writes Greek to the Emperor, and speaks Latin with the pious +Cassiodorus. I doubt that she even thinks in Gothic. Woe to us, if she +should hold the rudder in a storm!" + +"But I see no signs of storm, old man," laughed the torch-bearer, and +shook his locks. "From whence will it blow? The Emperor is again +reconciled, the Bishop of Rome is installed by the King himself, the +Frank princes are his nephews, the Italians are better off under our +shield than ever before. I see no danger anywhere." + +"The Emperor Justinus is only a weak old man," said he of the sword, +assentingly. "I know him." + +"But his nephew, who will soon be his successor, and is already his +right arm--knowest thou him? Unfathomable as the night and false as the +sea is Justinian! I know him well, and fear that which he meditates. I +accompanied the last embassy to Byzantium. He came to our camp; he +thought me drunk--the fool! he little knows what Hilding's child can +drink!--and he questioned me about everything which must be known in +order to undo us. Well, he got the right answer from me! But I know as +well as I know my name, that this man will again get possession of +Italy; and he will not leave in it even the footprint of a Goth!" + +"If he can," grumblingly put in the brother of the fair youth. + +"Right, friend Hildebad, if he can. And he can do much. Byzantium can +do much." + +The other shrugged his shoulder + +"Knowest thou _how_ much?" asked the old man angrily. "For twelve long +years our great King struggled with Byzantium and did not prevail. But +at that time thou wast not yet born," he added more quietly. + +"Well," interposed the fair youth, coming to his brother's help, "but +at that time the Goths stood alone in the strange land. Now we have won +a second half. We have a home--Italy. We have brothers-at-arms--the +Italians!" + +"Italy our home!" cried the old man bitterly; "yes, that is the +mistake. And the Italians our allies against Byzantium? Thou young +fool!" + +"They were our King's own words," answered the rebuffed youth. + +"Yes, yes; I know these mad speeches well, that will destroy us all. We +are as strange here to-day as forty years ago, when we descended from +the mountains; and we shall still be strangers in the land after +another thousand years. Here we shall be for ever 'the barbarians.'" + +"That is true; but why do we remain barbarians? Whose fault is it but +ours? Why do we not learn from the Italians?" + +"Be silent," cried the old man, trembling with wrath, "be silent, +Totila, with such thoughts; they have become the curse of my house!" +Painfully recovering himself, he continued: "The Italians are our +deadly enemies, not our brothers. Woe to us if we trust them! Oh that +the King had followed my counsel after his victory, and slain all who +could carry sword and shield, from the stammering boy to the stammering +old man! They will hate us eternally. And they are right. But we, we +are the fools to trust them." + +There ensued a pause; the youth had become very grave, and asked: + +"So thou holdest friendship to be impossible 'twixt them and us?" + +"No peace between the sons of Gaul and the Southern folk! A man enters +the gold cave of a dragon--he holds the head of the dragon down with an +iron fist; the monster begs for life. The man feels compassion because +of his glittering scales, and feasts his eyes on the treasures of the +cavern. What will the poisonous reptile do? As soon as he can he will +sting him stealthily, so that he who spared him dies." + +"Well then, let them come, the despicable Greeks!" shouted the gigantic +Hildebad; "let the race of vipers dart their forked tongues at us. We +will beat them down--so!" And he lifted his club and let it fall +heavily, so that the marble slab split into pieces, and the old temple +resounded with the blow. + +"Yes, they shall try!" cried Totila, and from his eyes shone a martial +fire that made him look still more beautiful; "if these unthankful +Romans betray us, if the false Byzantines come," he looked with loving +pride at his strong brother, "see, old man, we have men like oaks!" + +The old master-at-arms nodded, well pleased: + +"Yes, Hildebad is very strong, though not quite as strong as Winither, +Walamer and others, who were young with me. Against North-men strength +is a good thing. But this Southern folk," he continued angrily, "fight +from towers and battlements. They carry on war as they might make a +reckoning, and at last they reckon a host of heroes into a corner, +where they can neither budge nor stir. I know one such arithmetician in +Byzantium, who is himself no man, but conquers men. Thou, too, knowest +him, Witichis?" So asking, he turned to the man with the sword. + +"I know Narses," answered Witichis reflectively. He had become very +grave. "What thou hast said, son of Hilding, is, alas! too true. Such +thoughts have often crossed my mind, but confusedly, darkly, more a +horror than a thought. Thy words are undeniable; the King is at the +point of death--the Princess has Grecian sympathies--Justinian is on +the watch--the Italians are false as serpents--the generals of +Byzantium are magicians in art, but"--here he took a deep breath--"we +Goths do not stand alone. Our wise King has made friends and allies in +abundance. The King of the Vandals is his brother-in-law, the King of +the West Goths his grandson, the Kings of the Burgundians, the +Herulians, the Thuringians, the Franks, are related to him; all people +honour him as their father; the Sarmatians, even the distant Esthonians +on the Baltic, send him skins and yellow amber in homage. Is all +that----" + +"All that is nothing! It is flattering words and coloured rags! Will +the Esthonians help us against Belisarius and Narses with their amber? +Woe to us, if we cannot win alone! These grandsons and sons-in-law +flatter as long as they tremble, and when they no more tremble, they +will threaten. I know the faith of kings! We have enemies around us, +open and secret, and no friends beyond ourselves." + +A silence ensued, during which all gravely considered the old man's +words; the storm rushed howling round the weather-beaten columns and +shook the crumbling temple. + +Then, looking up from the ground, Witichis was the first to speak: + +"The danger is great," said he, firmly and collectedly, "we will hope +not unavoidable. Certainly thou hast not bidden us hither to look +deedless at despair. There must be a remedy, so speak; how, thinkest +thou, can we help?" + +The old man advanced a step towards him and took his hand: + +"That's brave, Witichis, son of Waltari. I knew thee well, and will not +forget that thou wert the first to speak a word of bold assurance. Yes, +I too think we are not yet past help, and I have asked you all to come +here, where no Italian hears us, in order to decide upon what is best +to be done. First tell me your opinion, then I will speak." + +As all remained silent, he turned to the man with the black locks: + +"If thy thoughts are ours, speak, Teja! Why art thou ever silent?" + +"I am silent because I differ from you." + +The others were amazed. Hildebrand spoke: + +"What dost thou mean, my son?" + +"Hildebad and Totila do not see any danger; thou and Witichis see it +and hope; but I saw it long ago, and have no hope." + +"Thou seest too darkly; who dare despair before the battle?" said +Witichis. + +"Shall we perish with our swords in the sheath, without a struggle and +without fame?" cried Totila. + +"Not without a struggle, my Totila, and not without fame, I am sure," +answered Teja, slightly swinging his battle-axe. "We will fight so that +it shall never be forgotten in all future ages; fight with highest +fame, but without victory. The star of the Goths is setting." + +"Meseems, on the contrary, that it will rise very high," cried Totila +impatiently. "Let us go to the King; speak to him, Hildebrand, as thou +hast spoken to us. He is wise; he will devise means." + +The old man shook his head: + +"I have spoken to him twenty times. He listens no more. He is tired and +will die, and his soul is darkened, I know not by what shadows. What is +thy advice, Hildebad?" + +"I think," answered Hildebad, proudly raising his head, "that as soon +as the old lion has closed his tired eyes, we arm two hosts. Witichis +and Teja lead the one before Byzantium and burn it down; with the other +I and my brother climb the Alps and destroy Paris, that dragon's nest +of the Merovingians, and make it a heap of stones for ever. Then there +will be peace in East and West." + +"We have no ships against Byzantium," said Witichis. + +"And the Franks are seven to one against us," said Hildebrand. "But thy +intentions are valiant, Hildebad. Say, what advisest thou, Witichis?" + +"I advise a league--weighted with oaths, secured with hostages--of all +the Northern races against the Greeks." + +"Thou believest in fidelity, because thou thyself art true. My friend, +only the Goths can help the Goths. But they must be reminded that they +_are_ Goths. Listen to me. You are all young, love all manner of +things, and have many pleasures. One loves a woman, another weapons, a +third has some hope or some grief which is to him as a beloved one. But +believe me, a time will come--it may be during your young days--when +all these joys and even pains will become worthless as faded wreaths +from yesterday's banquet. + +"Then many will become soft and pious, forget that which is on earth, +and strive for that which is beyond the grave. But that neither you nor +I can do. I love the earth, with mountain and wood and meadow and +rushing stream; and I love life, with all its hate and long love, its +tenacious anger and dumb pride. Of the ethereal life in the wind-clouds +which is taught by the Christian priests, I know, and will know, +nothing. But there is one possession--when all else is gone--which a +true man never loses. Look at me. I am a leafless trunk. I have lost +all that rejoiced my life; my wife is dead long since; my sons, my +grandchildren are dead: except one, who is worse than dead--who has +become an Italian. + +"All, all are gone, and now my first love and last pride, my great +King, descends tired into his grave. What keeps me still alive? What +gives me still courage and will? What drives _me_, an old man, up to +this mountain in this night of storm like a youth? What glows beneath +my icy beard with pure love, with stubborn pride, and with defiant +sorrow? What but the impulse that lies indestructible in our blood, +the deep impulsion and attraction to my people, the glowing and +all-powerful love of the race that is called Goth; that speaks the +noble, sweet, and homely tongue of my parents! This love of race +remains like a sacrificial fire in the heart, when all other flames are +extinguished; this is the highest sentiment of the human heart; the +strongest power in the human soul, true to the death and invincible!" + +The old man had spoken with enthusiasm--his hair floated on the +wind--he stood like an old priest of the Huns amongst the young men, +who clenched their hands upon their weapons. + +At last Teja spoke: "Thou art in the right; these flames still glow +when all else is spent. They burn in thee--in us--perhaps in a hundred +other hearts amongst our brothers; but can this save a whole people? +No! And can these fires seize the mass, the thousands, the hundred +thousands?" + +"They can, my son, they can! Thanks to the gods, that they can!--Hear +me. It is now five-and-forty years ago that we Goths, many hundred +thousands, were shut up with our wives and children in the ravines of +the Haemus. We were in the greatest need. + +"The King's brother had been beaten and killed in a treacherous attack +by the Greeks, and all the provisions that he was to bring to us were +lost. We lay in the rocky ravines and suffered such hunger, that we +cooked grass and leather. Behind us rose the inaccessible precipices; +before, and to the left of us, the sea; to the right, in a narrow pass, +lay the enemy, threefold our number. Many thousands of us were +destroyed by famine or the hardships of the winter; twenty times had we +vainly tried to break through the pass. + +"We almost despaired. Then there came a messenger from the Emperor to +the King, and offered us life, freedom, wine, bread, meat--under one +condition: that, separated from each other, four by four, we should be +scattered over the whole Roman Empire; none of us should ever again woo +a Gothic woman; none should ever again teach his child our tongue or +customs; the name and being of Goth should cease to exist, we should +become Romans. + +"The King sprang up, called us together, and reported this condition +to us in a flaming speech, and asked at the end, whether we would +rather give up the language, customs and life of our people, or die +with him? His words spread like wildfire, the people shouted like a +hundred-voiced tumultuous sea; they brandished their weapons, rushed +into the pass; the Greeks were swept away as if they had never stood +there, and we were victors and free!" + +His eyes glittered with pride; after a pause he continued: + +"It is this alone which can save us now as then; if once the Goths feel +that they fight for their nationality, and to protect the secret jewel +that lies in the customs and speech of a people, like a miraculous +well-spring, then they may laugh at the hate of the Greeks and the +wiles of the Italians. And, first of all, I ask you solemnly: Do you +feel as strongly convinced as I do, that this love of our people is our +highest aim, our dearest treasure, our strongest shield? Can you say +with me: My people is to me the highest, all else is nothing; to my +people I will sacrifice all that I have and am. Will you say this, and +can you do it?" + +"We will; we can!" cried the four men. + +"'Tis well," continued the old man. "But Teja is right, all Goths do +not feel this as we do, and yet, if it is to be of any use, all _must_ +feel it. Therefore swear to me, to fill with the spirit of this hour +all those with whom you live and act, from now henceforward. Too many +of our folk have been dazzled by the foreign splendour; many have +donned Grecian clothing and Roman thoughts; they are ashamed to be +called barbarians; they wish to forget, and to make it forgotten, that +they are Goths--woe to the fools! They have torn their hearts out of +their bosoms, and yet wish to live; they are like leaves that have +proudly loosened themselves from the parent stem. The wind will come +and blow them into the mire and dirt to decay; but the stem will still +stand in the midst of the storm, and will keep alive whatever clings to +it faithfully. Therefore awaken and warn the people. Tell the boys the +legends of their forefathers, relate the battles of the Huns, the +victories over the Romans; show the men the threatening danger, and +that nationality alone is our shield; warn your sisters that they may +embrace no Roman and no would-be Roman; teach your wives and your +brides that they must sacrifice everything, even themselves and you, to +the fortune of the good Goths, so that when the enemy come, they may +find a strong, proud, united people, against which they shall break +themselves like waves upon a rock. Will you aid me in this?" + +"Yes," they cried, "we will!" + +"I believe you," continued the old man; "I believe you on your mere +word. Not to bind you faster--for what can bind the false?--but because +I cling to old custom, and because _that_ succeeds best which is done +after the manner of our forefathers--follow me." + + + + CHAPTER II. + +Hildebrand took the torch from the column, and went across the inner +space, past the cella of the temple, past the ruined high altar, past +the bases of the statues of the gods--long since fallen--to the +porticum or back of the edifice. Silently his companions followed the +old man, who led them down the steps into the open field. + +After a short walk they stopped under an ancient holm, whose mighty +boughs held off storm and rain like a roof. + +A strange sight presented itself under this oak, which, however, at +once reminded the old man's Gothic companions of a custom of ancient +heathen times in their distant Northern home. + +Under the oak a strip of thick turf, only a foot broad, but several +yards long, had been cut loose from the ground; the two ends of the +strip still lay in the shallow ditch thus formed, but in the middle it +was raised over and supported by three long spears of unequal length, +which were fixed into the ground, the tallest spear being in the +middle, so that the whole arrangement formed a triangle, under which +several men could stand commodiously between the shafts of the spears. + +In the ditch stood a brazen cauldron filled with water, near it lay a +pointed and sharp butcher's knife, of extremely ancient form; the haft +was made of the horn of the ure-ox, the blade of flint. + +The old man came forward, stuck the torch into the earth close to the +cauldron, and then stepped, right foot foremost, into the ditch; he +turned to the east and bent his head, then he beckoned to his friends +to join him, putting his finger to his lip in sign of silence. Without +a sound the four men stepped into the ditch beside him, Witichis and +Teja to his right, the two brothers to his left, and all five joined +hands in a solemn chain. + +Then the old man loosened his hands from those of Witichis and +Hildebad, who stood next to him, and knelt down. First he took up a +handful of the black mould and threw it over his left shoulder; then he +dipped his other hand into the cauldron and sprinkled the water to the +right behind him. After this he blew into the windy night-air that +rustled in his long beard; and, lastly, he swung the torch from right +to left over his head. Then he again stuck it into the earth and spoke +in murmuring tones: + +"Hear me, ancient earth, welling water, ethereal air, flickering flame! +Listen to me well and preserve my words. Here stand five men of the +race of Graut, Teja and Totila, Hildebad and Hildebrand, and Witichis, +Waltari's son. + + "We stand here in a quiet hour + To bind a bond between blood-brethren, + For ever and ever and every day. + In closest communion as kindred companions. + In friendship and feud, in revenge and right. + One hope, one hate, one love, one lament, + As we drop to one drop + Our blood as blood-brethren." + +At these words he bared his left arm, the others did the same; close +together they stretched their five arms over the cauldron, the old man +lifted the sharp flint-knife, and with one stroke scratched the skin of +his own and the others' forearms, so that the blood of all flowed in +red drops into the brazen cauldron. Then they retook their former +positions, and the old man continued murmuring: + + "And we swear the solemn oath, + To sacrifice all that is ours, + House, horse, and armour, + Court, kindred, and cattle, + Wife, weapons, and wares, + Son, and servants, and body, and life, + To the glance and glory of the race of Gaut, + To the good Goths. + And who of us would withdraw + From honouring the oath with all sacrifices--" + +here he, and at a sign, the others also, stepped out of the ditch from +under the strip of turf-- + + "His red blood shall run unrevenged + Like this water under the wood-sod--" + +he lifted the cauldron, poured its bloody contents into the ditch, and +then took it out, together with the other implements-- + + "Upon his head shall the halls of Heaven + Crash cumbrous down and crush him, + Solid as this sod." + +At one stroke he struck down the three supporting lance-shafts, and +dully fell the heavy turf-roof back into the ditch. The five men now +placed themselves again on the spot thus covered by the turf, with +their hands entwined, and the old man said in more rapid tones: + +"Whosoever does not keep this oath; whosoever does not protect his +blood-brother like his own brother during his life, and revenge his +death; whosoever refuses to sacrifice everything that he possesses to +the people of the Goths, when called upon to do so by a brother in case +of necessity, shall be for ever subject to the eternal and infernal +powers which reign under the green grass of the earth; good men shall +tread with their feet over the perjurer's head, and his name shall be +without honour wherever Christian folk ring bells and heathen folk +offer sacrifices, wherever mothers caress their children and the wind +blows over the wide world. Say, companions, shall it be thus with the +vile perjurer?" + +"Thus shall it be with him," repeated the four men. + +After a grave pause, Hildebrand loosened the chain of their hands, and +said: + +"That you may know why I bade you come hither, and how sacred this +place is to me, come and see." + +With this he lifted the torch and went before them behind the mighty +trunk of the oak, in front of which they had taken the oath. Silently +his friends followed, and saw with astonishment, that, exactly in a +line with the turfy ditch in which they had stood, there yawned a wide +and open grave, from which the slab of stone had been rolled away. At +the bottom, shining ghastly in the light of the torch, lay three long +white skeletons; a few rusty pieces of armour, lance-points, and +shield-bosses lay beside them. + +The men looked with surprise; now into the grave, now at Hildebrand. He +silently held the torch over the chasm for some minutes. At last he +said quietly: + +"My three sons. They have lain here for more than thirty years. They +fell on this mountain in the last battle for the city of Ravenna. They +fell in the same hour; to-day is the day. They rushed with joyous +shouts against the enemies' spears--for their people." + +He ceased. The men looked down with emotion. At last the old man drew +himself up and glanced at the sky. + +"It is enough," said he, "the stars are paling. Midnight is long since +past. You three return into the city. Thou, Teja, wilt surely remain +with me; to thee, more than to any other, is given the gift of sorrow, +as of song; and keep with me the guard of honour beside the dead." + +Teja nodded, and sat down without a word at the foot of the grave, just +where he was standing. The old man gave Totila the torch, and leaned +opposite Teja against the stone slab. The other three signed to him +with a parting gesture. Gravely, and buried in deep thought, they +descended to the city. + + + + CHAPTER III. + +A few weeks after this midnight meeting near Ravenna an assembly took +place in Rome; just as secret, also under protection of night, but held +by very different persons for very different aims. + +It took place on the Appian Way, near the C[oe]meterium of St. +Calixtus, in a half-ruined passage of the Catacombs; those mysterious +underground ways, which almost make a second city under the streets and +squares of Rome. + +These secret vaults--originally old burial-places, often the refuge of +young Christian communities--are so intricate, and their crossings, +terminations, exits, and entrances so difficult to thread, that they +can only be entered under the guidance of some one intimately +acquainted with their inner recesses. + +But the men, whose secret intercourse we are about to watch, feared no +danger. They were well led. For it was Silverius, the Catholic +archdeacon of the old church of St. Sebastian, who had led his friends +direct from the crypt of his basilica down a steep staircase into this +branch of the vaults; and the Roman priests had the reputation of +having studied the windings of these labyrinths since the days of the +first confessor. + +The persons assembled also seemed not to have met there for the first +time; the gloom of the place made little impression upon them. +Indifferently they leaned against the walls of the dismal semi-circular +room, which, scantily lighted by a hanging lamp of bronze, formed the +termination of the low passage. Indifferently they heard the drops of +damp fall from the roof to the floor, or, when their feet now and then +struck against white and mouldering bones, they calmly pushed them to +one side. + +Besides Silverius, there were present a few other orthodox priests, and +a number of aristocratic Romans, nobles of the Western Empire, who had +remained for centuries in almost hereditary possession of the higher +dignities of the state and city. + +Silently and attentively they observed the movements of the archdeacon; +who, after having mustered those present, and thrown several searching +glances into the neighbouring passages--where might be seen, keeping +watch in the gloom, some youths in clerical costume--now evidently +prepared to open the assembly in form. + +Yet once again he went up to a tall man who leaned motionless against +the wall opposite to him, and with whom he had repeatedly exchanged +glances; and when this man had replied to a questioning gesture by a +silent nod, he turned to the others and spoke. + +"Beloved in the name of the triune God! Once again are we assembled +here to do a holy work. The sword of Edom is brandished over our heads, +and King Pharaoh pants for the blood of the children of Israel. We, +however, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the +soul, we fear much more those who may destroy both body and soul in +hell-fire. We trust, during the terrors of night, to His help who led +His people through the wilderness, in the day by a cloud of smoke, at +night by a pillar of fire. And to this we will hold fast: that what we +suffer, we suffer for God's sake; what we do, we do to the honour of +His name. Thanks to Him, for He has blest our zeal. Small as those of +the Gospel were our beginnings, but we are already grown like a tree by +the fresh water-springs. With fear and trembling we first assembled +here; great was our danger, weak our hope; noble blood of the best has +been shed; to-day, if we remain firm in faith, we may boldly say that +the throne of King Pharaoh is supported on reeds, and that the days of +the heathen are counted in the land." + +"To business!" interrupted a young man with short curly black hair and +brilliant black eyes. Impatiently he threw his _sagum_ (or short cloak) +back over his right shoulder, so that his broad sword became visible. +"To business, priest! What shall be done to-night?" + +Silverius cast a look at the youth, which, with all its unctuous +repose, could not quite conceal his lively dissatisfaction at such bold +independence. In a sharp tone of voice he continued: + +"Those who do not believe in the holiness of our aim, should not, were +it only for the sake of their own worldly aims, try to disturb the +belief of others in its sanctity. But to-night, my Licinius, my hasty +young friend, a new and highly welcome member is to be added to our +league; his accession is a visible sign of the grace of God." + +"Who will you introduce? Are the conditions fulfilled? Do you answer +for him unconditionally, or have you other surety?" So asked another of +those present, a man of ripe years with regular features, who, a staff +between his feet, sat quietly on a projection of the wall. + +"I answer for him, my Scaevola; besides, his person? is sufficient----" + +"Nothing of the sort. The statutes of our league demand surety, and I +insist upon it," said Scaevola quietly. + +"Good, good; I will be surety, toughest of all jurists!" repeated the +priest with a smile. + +He made a sign towards one of the passages to the left. + +From thence appeared two young _ostiarii_ (doorkeepers), leading a man +into the middle of the vault, upon whose covered head all eyes were +fixed. After a pause, Silverius lifted the cover from the head and +shoulders of the new comer. + +"Albinus!" cried the others, in surprise, indignation, and anger. + +Young Licinius grasped his sword; Scaevola slowly rose; confused +exclamations sounded from all sides. + +"What! Albinus, the traitor?" + +The reviled man looked shyly about him; his relaxed features announced +inborn cowardice; as if beseeching help he turned his eyes towards the +priest. + +"Yes, Albinus!" said the latter quietly, thus appealed to. "Will any +one of the colleagues speak against him? Let him speak." + +"By my Genius!" cried Licinius, before any one could reply, "needs it +to be told? We all know who and what Albinus is. A cowardly shameful +traitor"--anger suffocated his voice. + +"Invectives are no proof," interposed Scaevola. "But I ask himself; he +shall confess here before us all. Albinus, was it you, or was it not, +who, when the existence of our league was betrayed to the tyrant and +you alone were accused, looked quietly on and saw the noble Boethius +and Symmachus, our confederates, because they defended you against the +tyrant, despoiled of their fortune, persecuted, taken prisoners and +executed; while you, the really accused, saved yourself by taking a +shameful oath that you would never more trouble yourself about the +state, and by suddenly disappearing? Speak, was it you for whose sake +the pride of our fatherland fell?" + +A murmur of indignation went through the assembly. The accused remained +dumb and trembled; even Silverius lost countenance for a moment. + +Then the man who was leaning against the wall opposite, raised himself +and took a step forward; his mere vicinity seemed to embolden the +priest, who again began: + +"Friends, what you say has happened, but not as you say it. Before all +things, know this: Albinus is the _least_ to blame. What he did, he did +by my advice." + +"By your advice!" + +"You dare to confess it?" + +"Albinus was accused through the treachery of a slave, who had +deciphered the secret writing in the letters to Byzantium. All the +tyrant's suspicion was aroused; every appearance of resistance or of +connection would increase the danger. The impetuosity of Boethius and +Symmachus, who courageously defended Albinus, was noble but foolish, +for it revealed to the barbarians the sentiments of the whole of the +Roman aristocracy; and showed that Albinus did not stand alone. They +acted against my advice, and alas! have suffered death for so doing. +But their zeal was superfluous; for the hand of the Lord suddenly +bereft the slave of life before further revelations, and the secret +writings of Albinus had been successfully destroyed before his arrest. + +"But do you believe that Albinus would have been silent under torture, +under the threat of death, if naming his co-conspirators could have +saved him? You do not believe it, Albinus himself did not believe it. +Therefore it was necessary, before all else, to gain time and to +prevent the use of torture. This was accomplished by his oath. +Meanwhile, it is true, Boethius and Symmachus suffered; they could not +be saved; but of their silence, even under torture, we were sure. + +"Albinus was freed from his prison by a miracle, like St. Paul at +Philippi. It was said that he had escaped to Athens, and the tyrant was +contented with prohibiting his return. But the triune God has prepared +a refuge for him here in His temple until the hour of freedom +approaches. In the solitude of His sacred asylum the Lord has touched +his heart in a wonderful manner, and, undismayed by the danger of +death, which once before had so nearly overtaken him, he again enters +into our circle, and offers to the service of God and the fatherland +his whole immense fortune. Listen: he has made over all his property to +the church of St. Maria Majoris for the uses of our league. Would you +despise him and his millions?" + +A pause of astonishment ensued; at last Licinius cried: + +"Priest, you are as wise as----as a priest. But such wisdom pleases me +not." + +"Silverius," said the jurist, "you may take the millions. It is fitting +that you should do so. But I was the friend of Boethius; it is not +fitting that I should have anything in common with that coward. I +cannot forgive him. Away with him!" + +"Away with him!" sounded from all sides. Scaevola had given utterance to +the sentiment of all present. Albinus grew pale; even Silverius quailed +under this general indignation. "Cethegus!" whispered he, claiming +assistance. + +This man, who, until now, had remained silent and had only regarded the +speakers with cool superiority, now stepped into the middle of the +assembly. + +He was tall and lean, but powerful, with a broad breast and muscles of +pure steel. + +A purple hem on his toga and delicate sandals betrayed riches, rank and +taste, but a long brown soldier's mantle hid the remainder of his +underclothing. His head was one of those which, once seen, are never +again forgotten. His thick and still glossy black hair was cut short, +after Roman fashion, round his lofty, almost too prominent forehead and +nobly-formed temples. Deep under his finely-arched brows were hidden +his narrow eyes, in whose undecided dark-grey colour lay a whole ocean +of sunken passions and a still more pronounced expression of the +coolest self-control. Round his sharply cut and beardless lips lurked a +trait of proud contempt of God and His whole creation. + +As he stepped forward, and, with quiet distinction, allowed his eyes to +wander over the excited assembly; as he commenced his insinuating yet +commanding speech, every one felt his superiority, and few could remain +in his presence without a consciousness of subordination. + +"Why do you wrangle," he said coldly, "about things that must be done? +Who wills the end, must will the means. You will not forgive? As you +please! That is of little consequence. But you must and you can forget. +I also was a friend of the dead, perhaps their dearest. And yet--I +will forget. I do so just because I was their friend. _He_ loves +them, Scaevola, and he alone, who avenges them. For the sake of +revenge---- Albinus, your hand!" + +All were silent, awed more by the personality than convinced by the +reasons of the speaker. + +But the jurist still objected: + +"Rusticiana, the influential woman, the widow of Boethius, the daughter +of Symmachus, is favourable to our league. Will she remain so if this +man enters it? Can she ever forget and forgive? Never!" + +"She can. Do not believe me, believe your eyes." + +With these words Cethegus quickly turned and entered one of the +side-passages, whose opening had been hidden until now by his own +person. + +Close to the entrance a veiled figure stood listening; he caught her +hand: + +"Come," whispered he, "come now." + +"I cannot! I will not!" was the almost inaudible answer of the +resisting woman. "I curse him! I cannot look at him, the wretch!" + +"It must be. Come; you can and you shall--for I will have it so." He +threw back her veil; one look, and she followed as if deprived of the +power of will. + +They turned the corner of the entrance: + +"Rusticiana!" cried the whole assembly. + +"A woman in our meeting!" exclaimed the jurist. "It is against the +statutes, the laws." + +"Yes, Scaevola; but the laws are made for the league, not the league for +the laws. And you would never have believed from _me_, that which you +now see with your own eyes." + +He laid the widow's hand within the trembling right hand of Albinus. + +"Look! Rusticiana forgives! Who will now resist?" + +Vanquished and overruled, all remained silent. For Cethegus all further +proceedings seemed to have lost interest. He retired into the +background with Rusticiana. But the priest now said: + +"Albinus is a member of the league." + +"And the oath that he swore to the tyrant?" hesitatingly asked Scaevola. + +"Was forced, and he is absolved from it by Holy Church. But now it is +time to depart. Let us only conclude the most pressing business. Here, +Licinius, is the plan of the fortress of Neapolis: you must have it +copied by to-morrow; it goes to Belisarius. Here, Scaevola, letters from +Byzantium, from Theodora, the pious wife of Justinian: you must answer +them. Here, Calpurnius, is an assignment of half a million _solidi_ +from Albinus: you will send them to the Frankish major domus; he has +great influence with his king. Here, Pomponius, is a list of the +patriots in Dalmatia; you know men and things there, take notice if +important names are omitted. And be it known to all of you, that, +according to news received to-day from Ravenna, the hand of the Lord +lies heavy on the tyrant. Deep melancholy, too tardy remorse for all +his sins, oppresses him, and the consolations of the true faith have +not yet penetrated into his soul. Have patience but a little while; the +angry voice of the Judge will soon summon him; then comes the day of +freedom. At the next Ides, at the same hour, we shall meet here again. +The blessing of the Lord be with you!" + +A motion of his hand dismissed the assembly; the young priests came out +of the side-passage with torches, and led the members, each one singly, +in different directions, to the secret exits of the Catacombs. + + + + CHAPTER IV. + +Silverius, Cethegus, and Rusticiana went together up the steps which +led to the crypt of the basilica of St. Sebastian. From thence they +passed through the church into the adjoining house of the archdeacon. +On arriving there, Silverius convinced himself that all the inhabitants +of the house were asleep, with the exception of an old slave, who was +watching in the atrium near a half-extinguished lamp. At a sign from +his master he lighted a silver lamp which stood near him, and pressed a +secret spring in the marble wainscot of the room. + +A slab of marble turned on its hinges and allowed the priest who had +taken up the lamp to pass, with his two companions, into a small, low +chamber, and then quickly and noiselessly closed behind them, leaving +no trace of an opening. + +The small chamber, now simply adorned by a tall wooden crucifix, a +fall-stool, and a few plain Christian symbols on a golden background, +had evidently, as the cushioned shelf which ran round the walls showed, +served for those small banquets of one or two guests, whose +unrestrained comfort Horace has so often celebrated in song. At the +time of which I speak it was the private chamber in which the +archdeacon brooded over his most secret priestly or worldly plans. + +Cethegus silently seated himself on the _lectus_ (a small couch), +throwing the superficial glance of a critic at a Mosaic picture +inserted into the opposite wall. While the priest was occupied in +pouring wine from an amphora with large curving handles into some cups +which stood ready, and placing a metal dish of fruit on the bronze +tripod table, Rusticiana stood opposite Cethegus, measuring him with an +expression of astonishment and indignation. + +Scarcely forty years of age, this woman showed traces of a rare--and +rather manly--beauty, which had suffered less from time than from +violent passions. Here and there her raven-black braids were streaked +with white, not grey, and strong lines lay round the mobile corners of +her mouth. + +She leaned her left hand on the table, and meditatively stroked her +brow with her right, while she gazed at Cethegus. At last she spoke. + +"Tell me, tell me, Cethegus, what power is this that you have over me? +I no more love you. I ought to hate you. I do hate you. And yet I must +involuntarily obey you, like a bird under the fascinating eye of a +snake. And you place my hand, _this_ hand, in that of that miserable +man! Say, you evil-doer, what is this power?" + +Cethegus was inattentively silent. At last, leaning back, he said: +"Habit, Rusticiana, habit." + +"Truly, 'tis habit! The habit of a slavery that has existed ever since +I can remember. It was natural that as a girl I should admire the +handsome son of our neighbours; that I believed in your love was +excusable, did you not kiss me? And who could--at that time--know that +you were incapable of loving anything--even yourself? That the wife of +Boethius did not smother the mad passion which, as if in sport, you +again fanned into a flame, was a sin; but God and the Church have +forgiven it. But that I should still, after knowing for years your +utter heartlessness, when the glow of passion is extinguished in my +veins, that I should still most blindly follow your demoniac will--that +is folly enough to make me laugh aloud." + +And she laughed wildly, and pressed her right hand to her brow. + +The priest stopped in his domestic occupations and looked stealthily at +Cethegus. He was intensely interested. + +Cethegus leaned his head back against the marble moulding, and with his +right hand grasped the drinking-cup which stood before him. + +"You are unjust, Rusticiana," he said quietly, "and confused. You mix +the sports of Eros with the works of Eris and the Fates. You know that +I was the friend of Boethius, although I kissed his wife. Perhaps just +for that reason. I see nothing particular in that. And you--well, +Silverius and the saints have forgiven you. You know further, that I +hate these Goths, mortally hate them; that I have the will and--more +than all others--the power to carry through that which is now your +greatest wish, to revenge your father, whom you loved, and your +husband, whom you honoured, on these barbarians. + +"Therefore you obey my instigations, and you are wise in so doing; for +you have a decided talent for intrigue, but your impetuosity often +clouds your judgment. It spoils your finest plans. Therefore it is well +that you follow cooler guidance. That is all. But now go. Your slave is +crouching, drunk with sleep, in the vestibule. She believes that you +are in the confessional with friend Silverius. The confession must not +last too long. And we also have business to transact. Greet Camilla, +your lovely child, for me, and farewell." + +He rose, took her hand, and led her gently to the door. She followed +reluctantly, nodded to the priest at parting, looked once more at +Cethegus, who appeared not to observe her inward emotion, and went out, +slightly shaking her head. + +Cethegus sat down again and emptied his cup of wine. + +"A strange struggle in this woman's nature," remarked Silverius, and +sat down by Cethegus with stylus, wax-tablets, letters and documents. + +"It is not strange. She wishes to atone for having wronged her husband +by avenging him," said Cethegus. "And that she can accomplish this by +means of her former lover, makes the sacred duty doubly sweet. To be +sure, she is not conscious of it.--But what have we to do?" + +The two men now began their business: to consider such points of the +conspiracy as they did not judge advisable to communicate to all the +members of the league. + +"At present," began the archdeacon, "it is above all things necessary +to ascertain the amount of this fortune of Albinus, and decide upon its +appropriation. We assuredly require money, much money." + +"Money affairs are your province,"--said Cethegus, drinking. "I +understand them, of course, but they annoy me." + +"Further," continued Silverius, "the most influential men in Sicilia, +Neapolis, and Apulia must be won over to our cause. Here is the list of +their names, with notes annexed. There are men amongst them who are not +to be allured by the usual means." + +"Give it to me," said Cethegus, "I will manage that," And he cut up a +Persian apple. + +After an hour's hard work, the most pressing business was settled, and +the host replaced the documents, in a secret drawer in the wall behind +the crucifix. + +The priest was tired, and looked with envy at his companion, whose +powerful frame and indefatigable spirit no late hours or exertion +seemed able to exhaust. + +He expressed something of the sort, as Cethegus again filled the silver +cup. + +"Practice, friend, strong nerves, and," added Cethegus, smiling, "a +good conscience; that is the whole secret." + +"Yes, but in earnest, Cethegus, you are a riddle to me in other +respects." + +"I should hope so." + +"Oh ho! do you consider yourself such a superior being that I cannot +fathom you?" + +"Not at all. But still sufficiently deep to be to others no less a +riddle than--to myself. Your pride in your knowledge of mankind may be +at ease. I am no wiser about myself than you are. Only fools are +transparent." + +"In fact," said the priest, expatiating on the subject, "the key to +your nature must be difficult to find. For example, look at the members +of our league. It is easy to say what motives have led them to join us. +The hot young courage of a Licinius; the pig-headed but honest sense of +justice of a Scaevola; as for myself and the other priests--our zeal for +the honour of God." + +"Naturally," said Cethegus, drinking. + +"Others are induced by ambition, or are in hopes that they may cut off +the heads of their creditors in a civil war; or they are tired of the +orderly condition of this country under the Goths, or have been +offended by one of these foreigners. Most of them have a natural +repugnance to the barbarians, and are in the habit of seeing in the +Emperor alone the master of Italy. But none of these reasons apply to +you, and----" + +"And," interrupted Cethegus, "that is very uncomfortable, is it not? +For by knowledge of their motives one can govern men. Well, I am sorry, +reverend friend, but I cannot help you. I really do not know myself +what my motive is. I am so curious about it, that I would gladly tell +it to you--and allow myself to be governed--if I could only find it +out. Only one thing I feel--that these Goths are my antipathy. I hate +these full-blooded fellows, with their broad flaxen beards. I cannot +bear their brutal good humour, their ingenuous youthfulness, their +stupid heroism, their unbroken natures. It is the impudence of chance, +which governs the world, that this country, after such a history, +possessing men like--like you and me--should be ruled by these Northern +bears!" + +He tossed his head indignantly, closed his eyes, and sipped a small +quantity of wine. + +"That the barbarians must go, we are agreed," said Silverius, "and with +this, all is gained as far as I am concerned. For I only await the +deliverance of the Church from these heretical barbarians, who deny the +divinity of Christ, and make Him a demi-god. I hope that the primacy of +all Christendom will, as is fitting, incontestably fall to the share of +the Roman Church. But as long as Rome is in the power of the heretics, +while the Bishop of Byzantium is supported by the only orthodox and +legitimate Emperor----" + +"The Bishop of Rome cannot be the first Bishop of Christendom, nor the +master of Italy; and therefore the Roman Apostolic See, even when +occupied by a Silverius, cannot be what it ought to be--the highest. +And yet that is what Silverius wishes." + +The priest looked up in surprise. + +"Do not be uneasy, reverend friend. I knew this long ago, and have kept +your secret, although you did not confide it to me. But further----" He +again filled his cup. "Your Falernian has been well stored, but it is +too sweet.--Properly speaking, you can but wish that these Goths may +evacuate the throne of the Caesars, and not that the Byzantines should +take their place; for in that case the Bishop of Rome would have again +a superior bishop and an emperor in Byzantium. You must therefore, +instead of the Goths, wish--not for an Emperor--Justinian--but--what +else?" + +"Either," eagerly interrupted Silverius, "a special Emperor of the +Western Empire----" + +"Who, however," said Cethegus, completing the sentence, "would be only +a puppet in the hands of the holy Petrus----" + +"Or a Roman republic, a State of the Church----" + +"In which the Bishop of Rome is master, Italy the principal country, +and the barbarian kings in Gaul, Germany, and Spain the obedient sons +of the Church. All very fine, my friend. But first the enemy must be +annihilated, whose spoils you already divide. Therefore let us drink an +old Roman toast: 'Woe to the barbarians!'" + +He rose and drank to the priest. + +"But," he added, "the last night-watch creeps on, and my slaves must +find me in the morning in my bedchamber. Farewell!" + +With this he drew the _cucullus_ (hood) of his mantle over his head and +departed. + +His host looked after him. "A very important tool!" he said to himself. +"It is a good thing that he is only a tool. May he always remain so!" + +Cethegus walked away from the Via Appia in a north-westerly direction, +towards the Capitol, beneath which, at the northern end of the Via +Sacra, his house was situated, to the north-east of the Forum Romanum. + +The cool morning air played refreshingly over his brow. He threw open +his mantle and deeply inflated his strong broad chest. + +"Yes, I am a riddle," he said to himself. "I join in a conspiracy and +go about by night, like a republican or a lover at twenty. And +wherefore? Who knows why he breathes? Because he must. And so I do what +I must. But one thing is certain, this priest may--perhaps must--become +Pope; but he must not remain so long, else farewell my scarcely-avowed +thoughts, which are yet but dreams and cloud-mists. Perhaps it may be +that from them will arise a storm that will decide my fate. See, it +lightens in the east! 'Tis well; I accept the omen!" + +With these words he entered his house. + +In his bed-chamber he found a letter on the cedar table before his bed, +tied with a silken string, and sealed with the royal seal. He cut the +string with his dagger, opened the double waxen tablets, and read: + +"To Cethegus Caesarius, the Princeps Senatus, Marcus Aurelius +Cassiodorus, Senator. + +"Our lord and king lies on his death-bed. His daughter and heiress, +Amalaswintha, wishes to speak with you before his end. + +"You are to undertake the most important office in the kingdom. + +"Hasten at once to Ravenna." + + + + CHAPTER V. + +Over the King's palace at Ravenna, with all its gloomy splendour and +inhospitable spaciousness, lay an air of breathless anxiety. + +The old castle of the Caesars had suffered many disfiguring changes in +the course of centuries, and since the Gothic kings, with all their +Germanic courtiers, had taken the place of the emperors, it had +assumed a very inharmonious aspect, for many chambers, intended +for the peculiar customs of Roman life, stood, still retaining +the old magnificence of their arrangements, unused and neglected. +Cobwebs covered the mosaic of the rich baths of Honorius, and in the +toilet-chamber of Placidia the lizards climbed over the marble frames +of the silver mirrors on the walls. On the one side, the necessities of +a more warlike court had obliged the removal of many walls, in order to +change the small rooms of the ancient building into wider halls for +arsenals, banqueting and guard-rooms, and, on the other, neighbouring +houses had been joined to the palace by new walls, so as to create a +stronghold in the middle of the city. + +In the dried-up _piscina maxima_ (large fish-pond) fair-haired boys now +romped, and in the marble halls of the _palaestra_[1] neighed the horses +of the Gothic guards. So the extensive edifice had the dismal +appearance partly of a scarcely-preserved ruin, and partly of a +half-finished new erection; and thus the palace of the present ruler +seemed a symbol of his Roman-Gothic kingdom, and of his whole +half-finished, half-decayed political creation. + +On the day, however, on which Cethegus, after years of absence, once +again entered the house, there lay heavy upon it a cloud of anxiety, +sorrow and gloom, for its royal soul was departing from it. + +The great man, who here had guided, for the space of a man's life, the +fate of Europe; who was wondered at, with love or with hate, by West +and by East; the hero of his age; the powerful Theodoric of Verona, of +whose name--even during his lifetime--Legend had possessed herself; the +great Amelung, King Theodoric, was about to die. + +So said the physicians--if not to himself, yet to his nearest +relations--and the report soon spread in the great and populous city. + +Although such an end to the secret sufferings of the aged King had been +long held possible, the news that the blow was at hand now filled all +hearts with the greatest excitement. + +The faithful Goths were anxious and grieved, and a dull fear was the +predominating feeling even of the Roman population, for here in +Ravenna, in the immediate vicinity of the King, the Italians had had +frequent opportunities of admiring his mildness and generosity, and of +experiencing his beneficence. + +And besides, it was feared that after the death of this King, who, +during his lifetime--with the single exception of the last contest with +the Emperor and the Senate, when Boethius and Symmachus bled--had +protected the Italians from the harshness and violence of his people--a +new rule of severity and oppression would commence on the part of the +Goths. + +And, finally, another and more noble influence was at work; the +personality of this hero-King had been so grand, so majestic, that even +those who had often wished for the destruction of himself and his +kingdom, could not--at the moment when this luminary was about to be +extinguished--revel in a feeling of malicious joy, and were unable to +overcome a deep depression. + +So, since early morning--when servants from the palace had been seen +rushing in all directions, and special messengers hurrying to the +houses of the most distinguished Goths and Romans--the town had been in +a state of great excitement. + +Men stood together by pairs or in groups in the streets, squares and +baths, questioning or imparting to each other what they knew; trying to +detain some person of importance who came from the palace, and talking +of the grave consequences of the approaching catastrophe. Women and +children, urged by curiosity, crouched on the thresholds of the houses. + +As the day advanced, even the populations of the nearest towns and +villages--principally consisting of sorrowing Goths--streamed into the +gates of the city to hear the news. + +The counsellors of the King, pre-eminently the pretorian prefect, +Cassiodorus, who earned great praise for preserving order in those +days, had foreseen this excitement, and perhaps expected something +worse. + +At midnight all the entrances to the palace had been closed, and +guarded by Goths. In the Forum Honorum, before the palace, a troop of +cavalry had been placed. On the broad marble steps that led up to the +grand colonnade of the principal entrance, lay, in picturesque groups, +strong companies of Gothic foot-soldiers, armed with shield and spear. + +Only there, according to the order of Cassiodorus, could admittance +be gained to the palace, and only the two leaders of the +infantry--Cyprian, the Roman, and Witichis, the Goth, were allowed to +grant permission to enter. + +It was to the first of these persons that Cethegus applied. + +As he took the well-known way to the King's apartments, he found all +the Goths and Romans whose rank or importance had procured them +admittance, scattered in groups about the halls and corridors. + +In the once noisy banqueting-hall the young leaders of the Gothic +hundreds and thousands stood together, silent and sorrowing, or +whispering their anxious inquiries, while here and there an elderly +man--a companion-at-arms of the dying hero--leaned in the niche of a +bow-window, seeking to hide his ungovernable sorrow. In the middle of +the hall stood--pressing his head against a pillar and weeping +loudly--a rich merchant of Ravenna. The King, now on the point of +death, had once pardoned him for joining in a conspiracy, and had +prevented his goods from being plundered by the enraged Goths. + +Cethegus passed by them all with a cold glance of contempt. + +In the next room--a saloon intended for the reception of foreign +embassies--he found a number of distinguished Goths--dukes, earls, and +other nobles--who evidently were assembled together to consult upon the +succession, and the threatened overthrow of all existing conditions. + +There was the brave Duke Thulun, who had heroically defended the town +of Arles against the Franks; Ibba, the conqueror of Spain; and Pitza, +who had been victorious over the Bulgarians and Gepidians--all mighty +warriors, proud of their nobility, which was little less than that of +the royal house of Amelung; for they were of the house of Balthe, +which, through Alaric, had won the crown of the Visigoths; and no less +proud of their services in war, which had protected and extended the +kingdom. + +Hildebad and Teja were with them. They were the leaders of the party +which had long since desired a more severe treatment of the Italians, +whom they at once hated and shunned; but had been forced, against their +will, to give way to the milder opinions of the King. + +What looks of hatred shot from their eyes upon the aristocratic Roman +who now came to witness the death of the great Gothic hero! + +Cethegus walked quietly past them, and lifted the heavy woollen curtain +that divided this from the next apartment--the ante-chamber of the +sick-room. + +On entering, he greeted with a profound inclination a tall and queenly +woman, enveloped in a black mourning veil, who, grave and silent, but +composed and without tears, stood before a marble table covered with +records. It was Amalaswintha, the widowed daughter of Theodoric. + +A woman above thirty years of age, she was still extremely, though +coldly, beautiful. She wore her rich dark hair parted and waved in the +fashion of the Greeks. Her high forehead, her large, open eyes, her +straight nose, the pride expressed in her almost manly features, and +the majesty of her full form, gave her an imposing dignity, and, clad +in a garment folded in true Grecian style, she resembled a Juno of +Polycletus which had descended from its pedestal. Her arm, more +supporting than supported, was laid within that of a youth of about +seventeen years of age--Athalaric, her son, the heir of the kingdom of +the Goths. + +He did not resemble his mother, but had the nature of his unhappy +father, Eutharic, whom a wasting heart disease had hurried to the grave +in the bloom of life. For this reason, Amalaswintha saw with sorrow +that her son grew daily more like his father; and it was no longer a +secret at the court of Ravenna that all the signs of the disease were +already visible in the young man. + +Athalaric was as beautiful as all the other members of this royal +house, descended from the gods. Heavy black eyebrows and long eyelashes +shaded his beautiful dark eyes, that now melted with an expression of +dreamy reverie, and now flashed with intellectual brilliancy. Dark +brown tangled locks hung over his pale temples, on which, when he was +excited, the blue veins swelled convulsively. On his noble brow +physical pain or sad resignation had traced deep lines, strange to see +on his youthful countenance. Marble paleness and vivid red quickly +alternated in his transparent cheeks. His tall but bent-frame generally +seemed to hang, so to speak, on its hinges, as if tired, and only at +times he drew himself up with startling suddenness. + +He did not notice Cethegus, for, leaning on his mother's breast, he had +in his sadness flung his Grecian mantle over that young head, which was +soon destined to wear a crown. + +At some distance from these two figures, near an open window that +afforded a view of the marble steps upon which lay the Gothic warriors, +stood, lost in thought, a woman--or was it a girl?--of surprising and +dazzling beauty; it was Mataswintha, the sister of Athalaric. + +She resembled her mother in height and nobleness of form, but her more +sharply-cut features were filled with fiery and passionate life, which +was only slightly concealed under an aspect of artificial coldness. + +Her figure, in which blooming fulness and delicate slenderness were +harmoniously blended, reminded one of that Artemis in the arms of +Endymion, in the group sculptured by Agesander, which, as legend +reports, was banished from the town by the Council of Rhodes because +the marble representation of the most perfect maidenly beauty and +highest sensuousness had driven the youths of the island to madness and +suicide. The magic of ripe virgin beauty trembled over the whole form +of Mataswintha. Her rich waving hair was of a dark-red colour, with a +glimmering metallic light upon it, and had such an extraordinary effect +that it had procured for the Princess, even amongst her own nation, +whose women were celebrated for their splendid golden locks, the +appellation of "Beautiful-hair." Her nose was finely-shaped, with +delicately-chiselled nostrils, which quivered at the slightest emotion; +and freshly bloomed the full and rosy lips of her lovely mouth. But the +most striking feature of this extraordinary beauty was the grey eye, +not so much on account of its changing colour as from the wonderful +expression with which, though generally lost in reverie, it could +sometimes flash with burning passion. + +Indeed, as she stood there leaning against the window, in the +half-Hellenic, half-Gothic costume, which her fancy had combined, her +full white arm wound round the dark column of porphyry, and gazing +thoughtfully out into the evening air, her seductive beauty resembled +that of those irresistible wood or water-nymphs, whose enchanting power +of love has always been celebrated in Northern legend. + +And so great was the power of this beauty, that even the burnt-out +bosom of Cethegus, who had long known the Princess, was moved to new +admiration as he entered. + +But his attention was immediately claimed by Cassiodorus--the learned +and faithful minister of the King, the first representative of that +benevolent but hopeless policy of reconciliation, which had been +practised in the Gothic Kingdom for many years--who was standing near +Amalaswintha. + +This old man, whose venerable and mild features were no less filled +with an expression of sorrow at the loss of his royal friend than by +anxiety for the future of the kingdom, rose, and went with tottering +steps towards Cethegus, who reverently bent his head. + +The aged man's eyes rested upon him for some moments, swimming in +tears; at last he sank sighing upon the cold breast of Cethegus, who +despised him for this weakness. + +"What a day!" complained Cassiodorus. + +"A fateful day," said Cethegus gravely. "Strength and presence of mind +are necessary." + +"You say truly, patrician, and speak like a Roman," said the Princess, +leaving Athalaric--"welcome!" + +She gave him her hand, which did not tremble. Her eye was clear and +tearless. + +"The disciple of the Stoics preserves, even on this day, the wisdom of +Zeno and her own composure," said Cethegus. + +"Say, rather, that the grace of God wonderfully upholds her soul," said +Cassiodorus reprovingly. + +"Patrician," began Amalaswintha, "the praetorian prefect has proposed you +to me for the performance of an important business. His word would be +sufficient, even had I not known you so long. You are the self-same +Cethegus who transposed the first two songs of the? 'AEneid' into +Grecian hexameters?" + +"Infandum renovare jubes, regina, dolorem. A youthful sin, Queen," said +Cethegus, smiling. "I bought up all the copies and burnt them on the +day on which Tullia's translation appeared." + +Tullia was the pseudonym of Amalaswintha. Cethegus knew it, but the +Princess had no suspicion of his knowledge. She was flattered in her +weakest point, and continued: + +"You know how it stands with us. My father's moments are counted; +according to the report of the physicians, he may, although yet strong +and active, die at any moment. Athalaric here is the heir to his crown. +But until he has reached the proper age, I shall conduct the regency, +and act as his guardian." + +"Such is the will of the King, and Goths and Romans have long since +agreed to this wise arrangement," said Cethegus. + +"They did so, but the mob is fickle. The rough men despise the +government of a woman"--and at this thought Amalaswintha knit her brow +in anger. + +"It is certainly contrary to the political principles both of Goths and +Romans," said Cassiodorus apologetically. "It is quite a new thing that +a woman----" + +"Whatever may be thought about it, it is a fact," interposed the +Princess. "Nevertheless, I count on the fidelity of the Goths in +general, though single aristocratic individuals may aim at the crown. I +also fear nothing from the Italians here in Ravenna, nor in most towns. +But I fear--Rome and the Romans!" + +The attention of Cethegus was arrested. His whole being was suddenly +excited, but his countenance remained impassive. + +"Rome will never accustom herself to the rule of the Goths; she will +always resist us--how can it be otherwise?" added Amalaswintha. + +It seemed as if the daughter of Theodoric had a Roman soul. + +"Therefore we fear," concluded Cassiodorus, "that, at the news of the +vacancy of the throne, a movement may break out in Rome against the +regency, be it for annexation to Byzantium, be it for the election of +an Emperor of the Western Empire." + +Cethegus, as if in reflection, cast down his eyes. + +"For this reason," quickly interposed the Princess, "everything must be +done before the news reaches Rome. A faithful, energetic man must +receive the oaths of the garrison for me--I mean for my son; must take +possession of the most important gates and squares, intimidate the +Senate and the nobles, win the people to my cause, and irrevocably +confirm my dominion before it is menaced. And to effect this, +Cassiodorus has proposed--you. Speak; will you undertake it?" + +At this moment the golden stylus which she held happened to fell to the +ground. + +Cethegus stooped to pick it up. + +He had only this one moment for the crowding thoughts that passed +through his mind on hearing this proposal. + +Was the conspiracy in the Catacombs betrayed? Was he himself betrayed? +Was this a snare laid by the crafty and ambitious woman? Or were the +fools really so blind as to press this offer upon him? And if it were +so, what should he do? Should he seize the occasion? Should he strike +at once, in order to win Rome? And for whom? For Byzantium or for an +Emperor of the West? And who should it be? Or were things not yet ripe? +Should he, for this once, seemingly practise fidelity? + +To resolve these and many other questions, he had only the one moment +in which he stooped. + +But his quick mind needed no more. He had seen, while in the act of +stooping, the unsuspicious, trusting look of Cassiodorus, and, giving +the stylus to the Princess, he spoke with decision: + +"Queen, I undertake the business." + +"That is well," said the Princess. + +Cassiodorus pressed his hand. + +"When Cassiodorus proposed me for this office," continued Cethegus, "he +gave another proof of his deep knowledge of mankind. He has seen the +kernel through the shell." + +"What do you mean?" asked Amalaswintha. + +"Queen, appearances might have deceived him. I confess that I do not +like to see the barbarians--pardon, the Goths--reigning in Italy." + +"This frankness honours you, and I pardon the feeling in a Roman." + +"Besides that, I have taken no interest in public affairs for some +years. After having experienced varied passions, I now live in the calm +and retirement of my country villas, cultivating the sportive muse, +enjoying my books, and untroubled by the cares of kings." + +"Beatus ille qui procul negotiis," quoted the learned lady, sighing. + +"But, because I honour science, because I, a scholar of Plato, desire +that the wise should govern, I wish that a Queen should reign over my +fatherland who is only a Goth by birth, but in her soul a Greek, and by +her virtues a Roman. For her sake I will sacrifice my leisure to hated +business. But only on condition that this shall be my last office of +state. I will undertake your commission, and answer for Rome with my +head." + +"Good; here you will find the legal documents which you will need." + +Cethegus looked rapidly through the records. + +"This is the manifesto of the young King to the Romans, with your +signature. _His_ is still wanting." + +Amalaswintha dipped the Cnidian reed-pen into the vessel filled with +crimson ink, which was used by the Amelungs as well as by the Roman +Emperors. + +"Come, write thy name, my son," she said. + +Athalaric, standing and leaning with both arms on the table, had keenly +observed Cethegus during the above conversation. Now he stood erect. He +was accustomed to act with the usual arrogance of a Crown Prince and +the petulancy of an invalid. + +"No," he said impatiently; "I will not write. Not only because I do +not trust this cold Roman--I do not trust you in the least, you proud +man--but it is revolting that, while my noble father still breathes, +you already quarrel about his crown. You dwarfs! About the crown of a +giant! Shame on your insensibility! Behind those curtains the greatest +hero of the century is dying, and you think already of the partition of +his garment!" + +He turned his back upon them and went slowly to the window, where he +passed his arm round his lovely sister, and stroked her shining hair. +He stood there for some time; she did not notice him. + +Suddenly she started from her reverie. + +"Athalaric," she whispered, hastily grasping his arm, and pointing at +the marble staircase, "who is that man in the blue steel helmet, who is +just coming round that pillar? Say, who is it?" + +"Let me see," said the youth, bending forward. "That? Oh! that is Earl +Witichis, the conqueror of the Gepidae, a famous hero." + +And he told her of the deeds and triumphs of the Earl in the last war. + +Meanwhile Cethegus had looked inquiringly at the Princess and the +minister. + +"Let him alone," sighed Amalaswintha. "If he will not, no power on +earth can make him." + +Further questions on the part of Cethegus were cut short, for the +three-fold curtain, that shut out all the noise of the ante-chamber +from the King's bedroom, was parted. + +It was Elpidios, the Greek physician, who, lifting the heavy folds, now +entered, and announced that the sick man, just awakened from a long +sleep, had sent him away, in order to be alone with old Hildebrand, who +never stirred from his side. + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +Theodoric's bed-chamber, which had served the same purpose under the +Emperors, was decorated with the heavy splendour of late Roman style. + +The superabundant reliefs of the walls and the gilded ornamentation of +the ceiling still pictured the victories and triumphal processions of +Roman consuls and emperors. Heathen gods and goddesses floated proudly +above. Everywhere reigned the same oppressive magnificence. + +The extreme simplicity of the Gothic King's couch formed a remarkable +contrast to all this pomp. + +The oval frame of unpolished oak was raised scarcely a foot from the +ground, and contained few cushions. Only the costly crimson cover +which hid the King's feet, and the lion's skin with golden claws +that lay before the bed--a present from the King of the Vandals, in +Africa--betrayed the royalty of the sick man. All the other furniture +of the room was simple, plain, and almost barbarously clumsy. + +On a pillar in the background hung the iron shield and broad-sword of +the King, which had not been used for many years. At the head of the +bed stood the old master-at-arms, with his eyes bent down, anxiously +examining the features of the patient, who, leaning on his left arm, +turned his majestic countenance towards him. + +The King's sparse hair, rubbed off on the temples by years of friction +caused by his heavy helmet, was still of a bright brown colour, and +without a trace of grey. His heavy brow, sparkling eyes, large nose, +and the deep lines in his cheeks, spoke of great tasks and great +strength to accomplish them. + +The expression of his face was commanding and even sublime; but +the benevolent softness of his mouth, in spite of the grim and +slightly-grey beard, gave evidence of the mildness and peaceful wisdom +by means of which he had raised his kingdom to such a flourishing +condition that it had already become a proverb and celebrated in story. + +His golden-brown and piercing eyes rested for some time upon his +gigantic sick-nurse, with an expression of love and favour. + +At last he stretched out his thin, but nervous, right hand. + +"Old friend," said he, "we must now take leave of each other." + +The old man sank upon his knees and pressed the King's hand to his +broad breast. + +"Come, my friend, rise! Must I comfort _thee_?" + +But Hildebrand remained upon his knees, and only lifted his head so +that he could look the King in the face. + +"See," said the King, "I know that thou, son of Hilding, hast received +from thy ancestors and thy father a deeper knowledge of the ailings of +mankind and their healing than all these Grecian physicians and Lydian +quack-salvers. And, more than that, thou art sincere. Therefore, I beg +thee honestly to confirm me in what I feel to be true. Tell me, must I +not die to-day--even before the night?" And he looked at him in a +manner that would brook no deception. + +But Hildebrand did not wish to deceive him; he had regained his natural +composure. + +"Yes, King of the Goths, heir of the Amelungs, thou must die; the hand +of Death has passed across thy brow. Never again wilt thou see the +sun's setting." + +"It is well," said Theodoric, without blenching. "Seest thou, the Greek +whom I dismissed has lied to me all the day long. And yet time is +precious to me." + +"Wilt thou again send for the priests?" asked Hildebrand reluctantly. + +"No; they can do me no good. I need them no more." + +"Sleep has strengthened thee, and lifted the veil from thy soul. Hail! +Theodoric, son of Walamer! thou wilt die like a hero!" + +"I know," said the King, smiling, "that it was repugnant to thy +feelings to see the priests near my couch. Thou art in the right. They +cannot help me." + +"And now--who or what has helped thee now?" + +"God and myself. Hear! And what I am about to say are my parting words. +In gratitude for thy fifty years' faithful service, I confide to thine +ear alone--not to my daughter, and not to Cassiodorus--that which has +so long troubled me. Tell me, what is reported among the people? What +is believed was the cause of the melancholy which suddenly overcame me, +and originated this disease?" + +"The Italians say that it was remorse for the death of Boethius and +Symmachus." + +"Didst thou believe this?" + +"No; I could not believe that the death of traitors could so affect +thee." + +"Thou art in the right. Perhaps, according to law, they were not +deserving of death; and I loved Boethius much. But they were traitors a +thousand times! Traitors in their thoughts, traitors to my trust, to my +heart. I prized these Romans more than the best of my people. And they +showed their gratitude by wishing that my crown were the Emperor's; +they wrote flattering letters to the Byzantines; they preferred a +Justinus and a Justinian to the friendship of a Theodoric! I am not +sorry for them; I despise them. Guess again. What didst thou believe?" + +"King, thy heir is a youth, and enemies encompass thy throne." + +The sick man frowned. + +"This time thou art nearer the mark. I always knew the weakness of my +kingdom. When at the evening banquet I have shown the proud face of +confidence to the foreign ambassadors, at night I have anxiously sighed +at its inward disease. Old man, I know that thou hast often considered +me all too confident. But none might see me tremble, neither friend nor +foe. Else my throne had trembled. I sighed only when alone, and have +borne my care in solitude." + +"Thou art wisdom itself, my King, and I was a fool!" cried the old man. + +"Thou seest," continued the King, stroking the old man's hand, "that I +knew in what I displeased thee. I knew also thy blind hatred of these +Italians. Believe me, it _is_ blind, as was, perhaps, my love of them." +Here he stopped and sighed. + +"Why wilt thou distress thyself?" + +"No, let me continue! I know that my kingdom--the work of my glorious +and toilsome life--may easily fall. Perhaps owing to my generosity to +these Romans. Be it so! No work of man is eternal, and the error of +over-kindness is easily borne!" + +"My great King!" + +"But, Hildebrand, one night, as I was lying awake, anxious about the +danger of my kingdom, there rose before my soul the ghost of another +sin! Not of too much kindness, but of bloody force! And woe, woe to me, +if my nation is to be destroyed in expiation of the crime of Theodoric! +His, _his_ image rises before me!" + +The sick man spoke with difficulty, and lay for a moment overwhelmed +with emotion. + +"Whose image? of whom dost thou speak?" asked the old man softly, +bending over him. + +"Odoacer!" whispered the King, and Hildebrand bowed his head. + +At last Theodoric broke the painful silence. + +"Yes, old friend, this right hand, as thou knowest, struck down the +mighty hero--my guest--at the banquet-table. His hot blood splashed +into my face, and an ardent hate flashed upon me from his filming eyes. +A few months past, during the night I speak of, his bloody, pale and +angry form rose before me like an avenging god. My heart was +contracted, my pulses beat with fever. The fearful conviction came over +me that my kingdom would fall and my nation decay, because of this my +bloody deed." + +This time, after a short pause, Hildebrand, looking up defiantly, said: + +"King, why dost thou fret like a woman? Hast thou not struck down +hundreds with thine own arm, and thy people thousands at thy behest? +Have we not descended from the mountains into this land in more than +thirty battles, wading ankle-deep in blood? What is the blood of _one_ +man to all this? And remember the circumstances. For four years he had +defied thee as the ure-ox defies the bear. Twice he had driven thee and +thy folk to the brink of destruction. Hunger, sword, and pestilence +carried off thy Goths. At last, at last, stubborn Ravenna fell, forced +by famine. The deadly enemy lay at thy feet. Then a warning came that +he contemplated treason; that he would renew the fearful strife; that +he would attack thee and thine that night. What couldest thou do? Call +him openly to account? If he were guilty, that could do no good, +therefore thou wert beforehand with him, and did that to him in the +evening which he intended doing to thee at night. That _one_ deed saved +thy people, and prevented the renewal of a fearful strife. Thou +forgavest all his followers, and for thirty years caused Goths and +Italians to live as if in Paradise. And now thou wilt torment thyself +with vain remorse? Two nations will ever thank thee for this deed! I--I +would have killed him seven times over!" + +The old man ceased; his eyes flashed; he looked like an angry giant. +But the King shook his head. + +"That is nothing, old warrior! I have repeated the same thing to myself +a hundred times, and put it into more flattering forms than is possible +to thy rude tongue. All in vain! He was a hero--the only one of my +kind--and I murdered him without proof of his guilt, for I was jealous, +suspicious, aye, it must be said, I was _afraid_--afraid that I should +be compelled again to strive with him. It was, and is, and ever will +be a sin! I have found no peace in self-excuses. Since that night +his image has followed me unceasingly. At the banquet and in the +council-chamber; at the hunt, in the church, waking and sleeping. Then +Cassiodorus sent the priests and bishops to me. They could not help me. +They heard my confession, saw my grief and my faith, and absolved me +from all my sins. But peace came not, and though they forgave me, I +could not forgive myself. I know not whether it be the old manner of +thought inherited from my heathen ancestors, but I cannot hide myself +behind the Cross from the ghost of the murdered man! I cannot believe I +am freed from my bloody deed by the blood of an innocent God who died +upon the Cross!" + +Hildebrand's face was suddenly lit up with joy. + +"Thou knowest," he whispered in the King's ear, "that I could never +believe the priests of the Cross. Speak, oh, speak! dost thou still +believe in Thor and Odin? Have _they_ helped thee?" + +The King smiled and shook his head. + +"No, thou incorrigible old heathen! Thy Walhalla is nothing for me. +Hear how I was helped. Yesterday I sent the bishops away, and retired +into the recesses of my own heart. I thought and wrestled and entreated +God, and I became calmer, and, behold! in the night a deep slumber came +upon me, such as I had not known for long months. When I awoke, no +fever of torture shook my limbs; I felt composed, and my mind clearer; +I felt that no grace or miracle of God could undo the deed that I had +committed. I knew that if God be indeed a God of vengeance, He could +punish me and my house unto the seventh generation, and I dedicated +myself and my kingdom to His eternal vengeance. But, if God be just, He +cannot visit the sins committed by their King upon the people of the +Goths. No, He will not do that. And if ever this people decay, I feel +that it will not be owing to my deed; and thus peace hath entered into +my soul, and I can die with courage." + +He was silent, but Hildebrand bowed his head and kissed the hand which +had killed Odoacer. + +"These are my parting words to thee, my legacy and thanks for a whole +life of fidelity. Now let us dedicate the remaining time to the Goths. +Come, assist me to rise, I cannot die amid these cushions. There hang +my weapons! Give them to me! No objections! I will, and I can!" + +Hildebrand was obliged to obey. With his help the sick man rose, and +threw a purple mantle over his shoulders, girded on his sword, set the +low helmet-crown on his head, and supporting himself on the shaft of +his heavy lance, leaned his back against the thick Doric column in the +middle of the room. + +"Now call my daughter, and Cassiodorus, and whoever else may be +outside." + + + + CHAPTER VII. + +The King remained quietly standing, while Hildebrand threw back the +curtains of the door on both sides, so that bed-chamber and ante-room +now formed one undivided apartment. All those assembled outside--for +many Goths and Romans had entered meanwhile--drew near to the King in +astonished and reverent silence. + +"My daughter," said the King, "are the letters written which are to +announce my death and the succession of my grandchild to Byzantium?" + +"Here they are," answered Amalaswintha. + +The King rapidly ran through the rolls of papyrus. + +"To Emperor Justinus.--A second: to his nephew, Justinianus. 'Tis true, +he will soon wear the crown, and is already the master of his masters. +I see by the fine similes that Cassiodorus has written these letters. +But hold!" A cloud passed across his face. "'Recommending my youth to +your imperial protection!' Protection! That is too much. Alas! if ever +you should be obliged to depend on the protection of Byzantium! +'Recommending myself to your _friendship_, is enough from the grandson +of Theodoric." And he gave the letters back. "Still a third letter to +Byzantium? To whom? 'To Theodora, the noble spouse of Justinianus?' +What! to the dancer of the circus? To the shameless daughter of the +lionkeeper?" + +His eye flashed. + +"She has great influence upon her husband," interposed Cassiodorus. + +"No, no. My daughter shall write to no female who has dishonoured the +name of her sex." + +And he tore the roll of papyrus into pieces and threw them on the +floor. Then, walking over the fragments, he advanced towards the Goths +who stood in the middle of the hall. + +"My brave Witichis, what will be thy office after my death?" + +"I shall review our foot at Tridentum." + +"None could do it better! Never yet hast thou claimed the favour which +was granted to thee beforehand, when thou wert victorious over the +Gepidae. Hast thou no wish even now?" + +"I _have_ a wish, my King." + +"At last!--that pleases me. Speak." + +"A poor jailer, for refusing to apply the torture and for striking at a +lictor, is himself condemned to be put to the torture to-day. Sire, set +the man free! To torture is shameful, and---- + +"The jailer is free; and from this moment torture is abolished in the +kingdom of the Goths. Look to it, Cassiodorus! Brave Witichis, give me +thy hand. To show to all how much I honour thee, I bequeath thee +Wallada, my chestnut charger, in remembrance of this parting hour. And +if ever thou art in danger, or--" here he lowered his voice, "would +avoid it, whisper my name into the horse's ear. Who will watch over +Neapolis? Duke Thulun was too rough. Those gay people must be won by +gentle looks." + +"Yes. Young Totila will be Count of the Harbour there," answered +Cassiodorus. + +"Totila! a sunny youth! a Siegfrid; a favourite of the gods! No heart +can withstand him. But truly, the hearts of these Italians--" He +sighed, and then continued, "Who will assure us of Rome and the +Senate?" + +"Cethegus Caesarius," said Cassiodorus, with a motion of his hand, "this +noble Roman." + +"Cethegus? I know him well. Look at me, Cethegus." + +Cethegus, thus addressed, reluctantly raised his eyes, which he had +quickly cast down before the steady look of the King. But now, +collecting himself, he quietly bore the eagle glance which seemed to +penetrate his soul. + +"It was a sickly whim, Cethegus, which made a man of your kind withhold +himself so long from affairs of state; and from us. Or it was +dangerous. Perhaps it is still more dangerous that you--_now_--again +take an interest in politics." + +"It was not my wish, O King." + +"I will answer for him!" cried Cassiodorus. + +"Peace, friend! On earth no one can answer for another!--scarcely for +himself! But," he continued with a searching look, "this proud +intellect--this Caesar-like intellect--will not betray Italia to the +Greeks." + +Cethegus had to endure one more sharp look from the golden eagle-eyes. +Then the King suddenly grasped his arm, and whispered in his ear: +"Listen to my warning. No Roman will ever again flourish on the throne +of the Western Empire. Peace! no contradiction. I have warned you. What +noise is that outside?" he asked, quickly turning to his daughter; who, +in a low voice, was speaking with a Roman messenger. + +"Nothing, my King; nothing of importance, my father." + +"What! secrets from me? By my crown! Wilt thou govern while I still +breathe? I hear the sound of strange tongues outside. Open the doors!" + +The doors which divided the outer hall from the ante-room were thrown +open. There, in the midst of a number of Goths and Romans, were to be +seen several strange and dwarfish forms, clothed in a curious costume, +with doublets of wolfskin, pointed caps, and shaggy sheep-skins hanging +down their backs. Surprised and impressed by the sudden apparition of +the King, they sank upon their knees. + +"Ah, messengers from the Avarians! Those robber border-ruffians on our +eastern boundaries! Have you brought the owing yearly tribute?" + +"Sire, once again we bring it: skins, woollen carpets, swords, shields. +There they hang--there they lie. But we hope that next year--we will +see----" + + + +"You will see whether the aged Theodoric has become a dotard? You hoped +that I was dead? You think that you can refuse the tribute to my +successor? You err, spies!" + +And he took up, as if proving its worth, one of the swords which the +messengers had laid at his feet, together with its sheath, held it +firmly by hilt and point, and with a slight effort snapped the steel in +two, and threw the pieces on the ground. + +"The Avari carry worthless swords," he said quietly. "Come, Athalaric, +heir to my kingdom. They do not believe that thou canst bear the weight +of my crown. Show them how thou canst throw my spear." + +The youth bounded to him. The scarlet hue of ambition flushed his pale +face. He swung the heavy spear of his grandfather, and hurled it with +such force at a shield which the messengers had leaned against one of +the wooden pillars, that it completely pierced it and penetrated deeply +into the wood. + +The King laid his left hand on the head of his grandchild, and said +proudly to the messengers: + +"Now go, and tell at home what you have seen." + +He turned away; the outer doors were closed, and shut out the amazed +Avarians. + +"Give me a cup of wine. It may possibly be the last! No, unmixed! In +Germanic fashion--" he repulsed the Grecian physician. "Thanks, old +Hildebrand, for this draught, so faithfully given. I drink prosperity +to the Goths!" + +He slowly emptied the goblet; and with a hand yet firm and strong he +replaced it on the marble table. + +But suddenly, like a flash of lightning, that which the physicians had +long expected took place. He staggered, pressed his hand to his heart, +and fell backwards into Hildebrand's arms; who, slowly kneeling down, +let him gently slide on to the marble pavement, supporting his +helm-crowned head. + +For one moment all present held their breath; but the King did not +move, and, with a loud cry, Athalaric threw himself upon the corpse. + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + +There was another man, besides Cassiodorus, who played a most +important, and, as it seemed to the Regency, a very deserving part, in +those days of transition. This was no other than Cethegus. He had +undertaken the momentous office of Prefect of Rome. As soon as the King +had closed his eyes for ever, Cethegus had instantly hurried to his +place of trust, and had arrived there before the news of the event had +reached that city. + +Before daybreak, he had collected the senators together in the +_Senatus_, that is, in the closed hall of Domitian, near the temple of +Janus Geminus, on the right of the arch of Septimus Severus, and had +surrounded the building with Gothic troops. He informed the surprised +senators (many of whom he had only recently met in the Catacombs, and +had incited to the expulsion of the barbarians) of the already +accomplished succession to the throne. He had also, not without many +mild hints as to the spears of the Gothic hundreds, which might easily +be seen from the hall, taken their oaths of allegiance to Athalaric +with a rapidity that brooked no contradiction. + +Then he left the "Senatus," where he kept the conscript fathers locked +up, until, with the support of the strong Gothic garrison, he had held +a meeting of the assembled Romans which he had called in the Flavian +amphitheatre, and had won the hearts of the easily-moved "Quirites" for +the young King. + +He enumerated the generous deeds of Theodoric, promised the same +beneficence from his grandson, who was, besides, already acknowledged +by all Italy and the provinces, and also by the fathers of the city; +announced a general feast for the Roman population, with the gift of +bread and wine, as the first act of the new government; and concluded +with the proclamation of seven days of games in the Circus (races +between twenty-four Spanish four-horsed chariots), with which he +himself would celebrate the accession of Athalaric, and his own +entrance into office. + +At once a thousand voices shouted, with loud huzzas, the names of the +Queen-Regent and her son; and still more loudly the name of Cethegus. +Then the people joyously dispersed, the imprisoned senators were +released, and the Eternal City was won for the Goths. + +The Prefect hurried to his house at the foot of the Capitol, locked +himself up, and eagerly wrote his report to the Queen-Regent. + +But he was soon disturbed by a violent knocking upon the iron door of +the house. It was Lucius Licinius, the young Roman whom we have already +met in the Catacombs. He struck with the hilt of his sword against the +door till the house echoed. + +He was followed by Scaevola, the jurist, with portentously frowning +brow, who had been amongst the imprisoned senators; and by Silverius, +the priest, with doubtful mien. + +The ostiarius looked prudently through a secret aperture in the wall, +and, on recognising Licinius, admitted them. + +Licinius rushed impetuously before the others through the well-known +vestibule and the colonnade of the atrium to the study of Cethegus. + +When Cethegus heard the hastily-approaching footsteps, he rose from the +lectus upon which he was lying writing, and put his letters into a +casket with a silver lid. + +"Ah, the saviours of the fatherland!" he said, smiling, and advanced +towards the door. + +"Vile traitor!" shouted Licinius, his hand on his sword--anger impeded +further speech; he half drew his sword from the sheath. + +"Stop! first let him defend himself, if he can," panted Scaevola, +holding the young man's arm, as he hastened into the room. + +"It is impossible that he can have deserted the cause of the Holy +Church," said Silverius, as he also entered. + +"Impossible!" laughed Licinius. "What! are you mad, or am I? Has he not +caused us to be confined in our houses? Has he not shut the gates, and +taken the oaths of the mob for the barbarians?" + +"Has he not," continued Cethegus, "caught the noble fathers of the +city, three hundred in number, and kept them in the Curia, like so many +mice in a trap; three hundred aristocratic mice?" + +"He dares to mock us? Will you suffer that?" cried Licinius. And +Scaevola turned pale with anger. + +"Well, and what would you have done had you been allowed to act?" asked +the Prefect quietly, crossing his arms on his broad breast. + +"What should we have done?" cried Licinius. "What we, and you with us, +have a hundred times decided upon. As soon as the news of the tyrant's +death had arrived, we should have killed all the Goths in the city, +proclaimed a Republic, and chosen two consuls----" + +"Of the names of Licinius and Scaevola; that is the first thing. Well, +and then? What then?" + +"What then? Freedom would have conquered!" + +"Folly would have conquered!" broke out Cethegus in a thundering voice, +which startled his accusers. "Well for us that your hands were bound; +you would have strangled Hope for ever. Look here, and thank me upon +your knees!" + +He took some records from another casket, and gave them to his +astonished companions. + +"There; read! The enemy had been warned, and had thrown the noose round +the neck of Rome in a masterly manner. If I had not acted as I did, +Earl Witichis would be standing at this moment before the Salarian Gate +in the north with ten thousand Goths; to-morrow young Totila would have +blockaded the mouth of the Tiber on the south with the fleet from +Neapolis; and Duke Thulun would have been approaching the Tomb of +Hadrian and the Aurelian Gate from the west, with twenty thousand men. +If, this morning early, you had touched a hair of a Goth's head, what +would have happened?" + +Silverius breathed again. The others were ashamed and silent. But +Licinius took heart. + +"We should have defied the Goths behind our walls," he said, with a +toss of his handsome head. + +"Yes, when these walls are restored as I will restore them--for +eternity, my Licinius: as they are now--not for a day." + +"Then we had died as free citizens," said Scaevola. + +"You might have done that in the Curie three hours ago," laughed +Cethegus, shrugging his shoulders. + +Silverius stepped forward with open arms, as if to embrace +him--Cethegus drew back. + +"You have saved us all, you have saved Church and fatherland! I never +doubted you!" exclaimed the priest. + +But Licinius grasped the hand of the Prefect, who willingly abandoned +it to him. + +"I _did_ doubt you," he said with charming frankness. "Forgive me, you +great Roman! This sword, with which I would have penetrated into your +very heart, is henceforward at your service. And when the day of +freedom dawns, then no consul, then _salve_, Dictator Cethegus!" + +He hurried out with flashing eyes. The Prefect cast a satisfied glance +after him. + +"Dictator, yes; but only until the Republic is in full security," said +the jurist, and followed Licinius. + +"To be sure," said Cethegus, with a smile; "then we will wake up +Camillus and Brutus, and take up the Republic from the point at which +they left it a thousand years ago. Is it not so, Silverius?" + +"Prefect of Rome," said the priest, "you know that I was ambitious to +conduct the affairs of the fatherland as well as of the Church. After +this, I am so no more. You shall lead, I will follow. Swear to me only +one thing: the freedom of the Roman Church--free choice of a Pope." + +"Certainly," said Cethegus; "but first Silverius must have become Pope. +So be it." + +The priest departed with a smile upon his lips, but with a weight upon +his mind. + +"Go," said Cethegus, after a pause, looking in the direction taken by +his three visitors. "You will never overthrow a tyrant--you need one!" + +This day and hour were decisive for Cethegus. Almost against his will, +he was driven by circumstances to entertain new views, feelings, and +plans, which he had never, until now, put to himself so clearly, +or confessed to be more than mere dreams. He acknowledged that +at this moment he was sole master of the situation. He had the +two great parties of the period--the Gothic Government and its +enemies--completely in his power. And the principal motive-power in the +heart of this powerful man, which he had for years thought paralysed, +was suddenly aroused to the greatest activity. The unlimited +desire--yes, the necessity--to _govern_, made itself all at once +serviceable to all the powers of his rich nature, and excited them to +violent emotion. + +Cornelius Cethegus Caesarius was the descendant of an old and immensely +rich family, whose ancestor had founded the splendour of his house as a +general and statesman under Caesar during the civil wars; it was even +rumoured that he was the son of the great Dictator. + +Our hero had received from nature various talents and violent passions, +and his immense riches gave him the means to develop the first and +satisfy the last to the fullest extent. He had received the most +careful education that was then possible for a young Roman noble. He +practised the fine arts under the best teachers; he studied law, +history, and philosophy in the famous schools of Berytus, Alexandria, +and Athens with brilliant success. But all this did not satisfy him. He +felt the breath of decay in all the art and science of his time. In +particular, his study of philosophy had only the effect of destroying +the last traces of belief in his soul, without affording him any +results. When he returned home from his studies, his father, according +to the custom of the time, introduced him to political life, and his +brilliant talents raised him quickly from office to office. + +But all at once he abandoned his career. As soon as he had made himself +master of the affairs of state, he would no longer be a wheel in the +great machine of a kingdom from which freedom was excluded, and which, +besides, was subject to a barbarian King. + +His father died, and Cethegus, being now his own master and possessor +of an immense fortune, rushed into the vortex of life, enjoyment, and +luxury with all the passion of his nature. + +He soon exhausted Rome, and travelled to Byzantium, into Egypt, and +even as far as India. + +There was no luxury, no innocent or criminal pleasure, in which he did +not revel; only a well-steeled frame could have borne the adventures, +privations, and dissipations of these journeys. + +After twelve years of absence, he returned to Rome. + +It was said that he would build magnificent edifices. People expected +that he would lead a luxurious life in his houses and villas. They were +sadly deceived. + +Cethegus only built for himself the convenient little house at the foot +of the Capitol, which he decorated in the most tasteful manner; and +there he lived in populous Rome like a hermit. + +He unexpectedly published a description of his travels, characterising +the people and countries which he had visited. The book had an +unheard-of success. Cassiodorus and Boethius sought his friendship, and +the great King invited him to his court. + +But on a sudden he disappeared from Rome. + +What had happened remained a mystery, in spite of all malicious, +curious, or sympathetic inquiries. + +People told each other that one morning a poor fisherman had found +Cethegus unconscious, almost dead, on the shores of the Tiber, outside +the gates of the city. + +A few weeks later he again was heard of on the north-east frontier of +the kingdom, in the inhospitable regions of the Danube, where a bloody +war with the Gepidae, Avari, and Sclavonians was raging. There he +fought the savage barbarians with death-despising courage, and followed +them with a few chosen troops, paid from his private means, into their +rocky fortresses, sleeping every night upon the frozen ground. And +once, when the Gothic general entrusted to him a larger detachment of +troops in order to make an inroad, instead of doing this, he attacked +and took Sirmium, the enemy's fortified capital, displaying no less +good generalship than courage. + +After the conclusion of peace, he travelled into Gaul, Spain, and again +to Byzantium; returned thence to Rome, and lived for years in an +embittered idleness and retirement, refusing all the military, civil, +or scientific offices and honours which Cassiodorus pressed, upon him. +He appeared to take no interest in anything but his studies. + +A few years before the period at which our story commences, he had +brought with him from Gaul a handsome youth, to whom he showed Rome and +Italy, and whom he treated with fatherly love and care. It was said +that he would adopt him. As long as his young guest was with him he +ceased his lonely life, invited the aristocratic youth of Rome to +brilliant feasts in his villas, and, accepting all invitations in +return, proved himself the most amiable of guests. + +But as soon as he had sent young Julius Montanus, with a stately suite +of pedagogues, freedmen, and slaves, to the learned schools of +Alexandria, he suddenly broke off all social ties, and retired into +impenetrable solitude, seemingly at war with God and the whole world. + +Silverius and Rusticiana had, with the greatest difficulty, persuaded +him to sacrifice his repose, and join in the conspiracy of the +Catacombs. He told them that he only became a patriot from tedium. And, +in fact, until the death of the King, he had taken part in the +conspiracy--the conduct of which, however, was wholly in his and the +archdeacon's hands--almost with dislike. + +It was now otherwise. + +Until now, the inmost sentiment of his being--the desire to test +himself in all possible fields of intellectual effort; to overcome all +difficulties; to outdo all rivals; to govern, alone and without +resistance, every circle that he entered; and, when he had won the +crown of victory, carelessly to cast it aside and seek for new +tasks--all this had never permitted him to find full satisfaction in +any of his aims. + +Art, science, luxury, office, fame. Each of these had charmed him. He +had excelled in all to an unusual degree, and yet all had left a void +in his soul. + +To govern, to be the first, to conquer opposing circumstances with all +his means of superior power and wisdom, and then to rule crouching men +with a rod of iron; this, consciously and unconsciously, had always +been his aim. In this alone could he find contentment. + +Therefore he now breathed proudly and freely. His icy heart glowed at +the thought that he ruled over the two great inimical powers of the +time, over both Goths and Romans, with a mere glance of his eye; and +from this exquisite feeling of mastery, the conviction arose with +demonic force, that there remained but one goal for him and his +ambition that was worth living for; but one goal, distant as the sun, +and out of the reach of every other man. He believed in his descent +from Julius Caesar, and felt the blood rush through his veins at the +thought--Caesar, Emperor of the West, ruler of the Roman Empire! + +A few months ago, when this thought first flashed across his mind--not +even a thought, not a wish, only a shadow, a dream--he was startled, +and could not help smiling at his own boundless assurance. + +_He_, Emperor and regenerator of the Empire! And Italy trembled under +the footsteps of three hundred thousand Goths! And the greatest of all +barbarian kings, whose fame filled the earth, sat on his powerful +throne in Ravenna! + +Even if the power of the Goths were broken, the Franks and Byzantines +would stretch their greedy hands over the Alps and across the sea to +seize the Italian booty. Two great kingdoms against a single man! For, +truly, he stood alone amid his people. How well he knew, how utterly he +despised his countrymen, the unworthy descendants of great ancestors! +How he laughed at the enthusiasm of a Licinius or a Scaevola, who +thought to renew the days of the Republic with these degenerate Romans! + +He stood alone. + +But the feeling only excited his ambition, and, at that moment, when +the conspirators had left him, when his superiority had been more +plainly proved than ever before, the thoughts which had been a +flattering amusement of his moody hours, suddenly ripened and formed +themselves into a clear resolve. + +Folding his arms across his mighty chest, and measuring the apartment +with heavy steps, like a lion in his cage, he spoke to himself in +abrupt sentences: + +"To drive out the Goths and prevent Franks and Greeks from entering, +would not be difficult, with a brave host at one's back; any other man +could do it. But alone, quite alone, more hindered than helped by these +knaves without marrow in their bones; to accomplish the impossible; to +make these cowards heroes; these slaves, Romans; these servants of the +priests and barbarians, masters of the world; that, _that_ is worth the +trouble. To create a new people, a new time, a new world, with the +power of his single will and the might of his intellect, is what no +mortal has yet accomplished--that would be greater than Caesar!--_he_ +led legions of heroes! and yet, it can be done, for it can be imagined. +And I, who can imagine it, can do it. Yes, Cethegus, that is an aim for +which it is easy to think, to live, to die! Up, and to work! and +henceforward, no thought, no feeling, except for this one thing!" + +He stood still at last before a colossal statue of Caesar, sculptured in +Parian marble, which--a masterpiece of Arkesilaus, and, according to +family tradition, given by Julius Caesar himself to his son--stood +before the writing-divan, the most sacred treasure of the house. + +"Hear me, divine Caesar! great ancestor!" exclaimed Cethegus, "thy +descendant dares to rival thee! There is still something higher than +anything which thou hast reached; even to soar at a higher quarry than +thou, is immortal; and to fall--to fall from such a height--is the most +glorious death. Hail! Once again I know why I live!" + +He passed the statue, and threw a glance at some military maps of the +Roman Empire, which lay unrolled upon the table. + +"First trample upon these barbarians: Rome! Then once more subdue the +North: Paris! Then reduce the rebellious East to its old subjection to +the Caesar-city: Byzantium! and farther, even farther, to the Tigris, to +the Indus; farther than Alexander; and back to the West, through +Scythia and Germania, to the Tiber; the path, Caesar, which Brutus' +dagger cut off for thee. And so to be greater than thou, greater than +Alexander----hold, my thought! Enough!" + +And the heart of the icy Cethegus flamed and glowed; the veins of his +temples throbbed violently; he pressed his burning forehead against the +cold marble breast of Julius Caesar, who majestically looked down upon +him. + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +The day of the King's death was not only decisive for Cethegus, but +also for the conspiracy in the Catacombs, for Italy, and for the Gothic +kingdom. + +Although the intrigues of the patriots--led by different men, who were +not agreed upon the means, nor even upon the aims of their plots--had, +till now, made slow and doubtful progress, this state of things was +completely altered from the moment when Cethegus took the conduct of +affairs into his own strong hands. Only then did the conspiracy become +really dangerous to the Goths. + +Cethegus untiringly sought to undermine the security of their kingdom. +With his great capacity for winning and governing men, and penetrating +their motives, he was able daily to increase the number of important +members and the means of success. He understood how to avoid the +suspicion of the Goths on the one hand, and to prevent any untimely +rebellion on the other. For it would have been easy to attack the +barbarians in all the towns of the Peninsula on some special day, and +to call upon the Byzantines--who had long since been on the watch for +such a crisis--to complete the conquest. But in this way the Prefect +would not have been able to carry out his secret plans. He would merely +have put Byzantine tyranny in the place of Gothic rule. And we know +that he had very different intentions. In order to fulfil them, he +wished first to create for himself a power in Italy, greater than any +other man possessed. Before the foot of a Byzantine was set upon +Italian soil, he must become--although in secret--the mightiest man in +the country. All must be so prepared that the barbarians should be +driven away by Italy itself, that is, by Cethegus, with the least +possible help from Byzantium; so that, after the victory, the Emperor +could not avoid giving the dominion over the country to its saviour, +even if only as a governor. Then he would soon gain time and +opportunity to excite the national pride of the Romans against the rule +of the "Greek-lings," as they contemptuously called the Byzantines. +For, although for two hundred years--since the days of the great +Constantine--the glory of the Empire of the world had been removed from +widowed Rome to the golden town on the Hellespont, and the sceptre of +the sons of Romulus seemed to have passed over to the Greeks; though +East and West formed _one_ state of antique culture opposed to the +barbarian world; yet even now the Romans hated and despised the Greeks +as much as in the days when Flaminius declared humbled Hellas to be a +freedman of Rome. The old hate was now increased by envy. + +Therefore Cethegus was sure of the enthusiasm and support of all Italy, +which, after the removal of the barbarians, would also banish the +Byzantines from the country; and the crown of Rome, the crown of the +Western Empire, would be his certain reward. + +And if he succeeded in exciting the newly-awakened national feeling to +an offensive war on the other side of the Alps, when he had again +erected the throne of the Roman Empire on the ruins of the Frankish +Kingdom at Orleans and Paris, then the attempt would not be too rash +once again to subdue the Eastern Empire and continue the Empire of the +World in the Eternal City from the point at which Trajan and Hadrian +had left it. + +In order to reach this distant and shining goal, every step on the +dizzy path must be taken with the greatest prudence; any stumble might +precipitate him into an abyss. In order to gain his end, Cethegus must +first of all make sure of Rome; on Rome alone could his plans be based. + +Therefore the new Prefect bestowed the greatest care upon the city that +had been entrusted to him. He wished to make Rome, morally and +physically, his surety of dominion, belonging alone to him, and not to +be wrested from him. + +His office gave him the best pretext for carrying out his plans. Was it +not the duty of the _Praefectus Urbi_ to care for the well-being of the +populace, and for the preservation and security of the city? He +understood perfectly well how to use the rights of his office for the +furtherance of his own aims. He easily won the sympathies of all ranks; +the nobles honoured in him the head of the conspiracy; he governed the +clergy through Silverius, who was the right hand of the pope, and, by +public opinion, appointed his successor, and who showed to the Prefect +a devotion that was even surprising to its object. He gained the common +people, not only by occasional gifts of bread, and games in the Circus, +but also by promoting great undertakings, which, at the cost of the +Gothic Government, provided work and sustenance for thousands. + +He persuaded Amalaswintha to give orders that the fortifications of +Rome, which had suffered much more since the reign of Honorius from the +inroads of time and the selfishness of Roman architects, than from the +Visigoths and Vandals, should be quickly and completely restored "to +the honour of the Eternal City, and," as she imagined, "for protection +against the Byzantines." + +Cethegus himself, and, as was afterwards proved by the unsuccessful +sieges of the Goths and Byzantines, with great strategic genius, made +the plan of the magnificent works. With the greatest zeal he set about +the gigantic task of transforming the immense city, with its +circumference of many miles, into a stronghold of the first rank. The +thousands of workmen, who well knew to whom they owed their well-paid +employment, applauded the Prefect whenever he showed himself upon the +ramparts, to examine what progress had been made, or excite to new +industry, and, sometimes, to put his own hand to the work. And the +deceived Princess assigned one million _solidi_ after another for the +expenses of fortifications, against which the whole power of her people +was shortly to be wrecked and annihilated. + +The most important point of these fortifications was the Tomb of +Hadrian, known now under the name of Castle St. Angelo. This +magnificent edifice, built of blocks of Parian marble, which were laid +one upon the other without any uniting cement, lay, at that time, about +a stone's-throw from the Aurelian Grate, the flanking walls of which it +by far overtopped. + +Cethegus had seen at a glance that this incomparably strong building, +which until now had been designed for offence _against_ the city, +might, by very simple means, be converted into a powerful bulwark of +defence _for_ the city; he caused two walls to be built from the +Aurelian Grate towards and around the Mausoleum. + +And soon the towering marble castle formed an assault-proof rampart for +the Aurelian Grate, so much the more because the Tiber formed a natural +fosse close before it. On the top of the wall of the Mausoleum stood +about three hundred of the most beautiful statues of bronze, marble, +and iron, mostly placed there by Hadrian and his successors. Amongst +them were that of the Divus Hadrianus; his beautiful favourite +Antinous; a Jupiter of Soter; a Pallas "town-protectress;" and many +others. Cethegus rejoiced at the fulfilment of his ideas, and became +exceedingly fond of this place, where he used to wander every evening +with his beloved Rome spread out at his feet, examining the progress of +the works. He had even caused a number of beautiful statues from his +own villas to be added to those already existing, in order to increase +the splendour of his creation. + + + + CHAPTER X. + + +Cethegus was obliged to be more prudent in the execution of a second +plan, not less necessary for the success of his projects. In order to +be able to defy the Goths, and, if needful, the Greeks, from within +_his_ Rome, as he loved to call it, he was in want--not only of walls, +but of soldiers to defend them. + +At first he thought of mercenaries, of a body-guard such as had been +often kept by high officials, statesmen and generals in those times, +such as Belisarius and Narses possessed in Byzantium. + +It would have been very easy for him, by means of his riches and the +connections he had formed during his travels in Asia, to hire brave +troops of the savage Isaurian mountain people, who then played the part +of the Swiss of the sixteenth century; but this procedure had two very +straitened limits. On the one side he could not, without exhausting the +means that were indispensable for other purposes, keep more than a +comparatively small band, the kernel of an army, not an army itself. On +the other side it was impossible to bring these mercenaries in larger +numbers to Italy or Rome, without arousing suspicion. He was obliged to +smuggle them over with much cunning--by pairs, singly, or in small +groups, to his scattered villas and estates, as his slaves, freedmen, +clients, or guests; and to employ them as sailors and ship-officials in +the harbour of Ostia, or as workmen in Rome. + +Lastly, the Romans themselves would, after all, have to save and defend +Rome, and all his plans urged him to re-accustom his fellow-citizens to +the use of arms. But Theodoric had wisely excluded the Italians from +the army--exceptions were only made in favour of persons who were +considered as particularly reliable and in the late unquiet times of +his reign, during the process against Boethius, he had issued orders +for the general disarming of all Romans. This measure had certainly +never been strictly carried out, but still Cethegus dared not hope that +the Queen-Regent would allow him, against the expressed will of her +august father and the evident interests of the Goths, to form any +considerable forces of Italians. + +He contented himself with representing to her, that, by means of a very +innocent concession, she could procure for herself the merit of having +cancelled Theodoric's hateful measure by a noble trust; proposing to +her that she should allow him to drill and keep under arms only two +thousand Roman citizens as a guard for the city; the Romans would be +for ever grateful to her that the city did not appear to be solely +protected by barbarians. + +Amalaswintha, who was enthusiastic about Rome, and whose dearest wish +was to gain the love of the Romans, gave her consent, and Cethegus +began to form his militia, as we should call it. In a proclamation, +which sounded like a trumpet-call, he "bid the sons of Scipio take up +their old weapons." He promised to double the pay fixed upon by the +Princess from his own pocket, to any Roman who voluntarily presented +himself. From the thousands who pressed forward he chose the most able. +He armed the poor; gave to those who distinguished themselves in the +service, Gallic helmets and Spanish swords from his own collections; +and, as the most important step, he regularly discharged those who were +sufficiently drilled as soon as possible, leaving them their weapons, +and enlisted new recruits, so that although at no time more were on the +service than the number allowed by Amalaswintha, yet, in an incredibly +short space of time, many thousands of armed and practised Romans were +at the disposal of their adored leader. + +While Cethegus added in this manner to the strength of his future +capital and formed his future pretorians, he put off his +co-conspirators, who constantly urged him to strike, and comforted them +with the hope that the proper moment would soon arrive, which, however, +he alone could determine. At the same time he kept up constant +communication with Byzantium. He wanted to make sure of assistance +thence, which could appear upon the scene of action at any hour in +which he might desire it, but which would not come without a call, or +in such force that it could not easily be again removed. He wished for +a good general from Byzantium, who, however, must not be a great +statesman; bringing an army sufficiently powerful to support the +Italians, but not strong enough to gain the victory without them, or to +remain in the country against their will. + +We shall see later how, with regard to this, much occurred in +accordance with the Prefect's wishes, but just as much against them. + +As to the Goths--who at this time were in undisturbed possession of the +booty for which Cethegus already mentally quarrelled with the Emperor-- +all his endeavour was to rock them into unsuspicious security, to +split them into parties, and to uphold a weak government at their head. + +The first task was not difficult; for that strong Teutonic race +despised, with barbarian pride, all open and secret foes--we have +already seen how difficult it was to convince such a youth as Totila, +who was otherwise sharp-sighted and clear-headed, of the approach of +danger--and the stubborn trust of Hildebrand fully expressed the +general disposition of the Goths. + +Party spirit was also not wanting in this people. + +There were the proud race of the Balthe, with their widely-spread +kindred; at their head the three Dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza. The +rich Woelfungs, under the two brothers, Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad; +and many others, who were not much inferior to the Amelungs in the +splendour of their ancestry, and jealously guarded their position near +the throne. There were also many who endured the guardianship of a +woman and the rule of a boy with strong dislike, and who would gladly, +according to the ancient rights of the nation, have passed over the +royal line, and chosen one of the tried heroes of the nation for their +King, But the Amelungs counted many blindly-devoted adherents, who +abhorred such sentiments as treasonable. + +And, lastly, the whole nation was divided into two parties, one of +which, long discontented with the clemency shown to the Italians by +Theodoric and his daughter, would gladly have retrieved the mistake +which, as they thought, had been made when the country was conquered, +and punished the Italians for their secret hate with open violence. The +number of those who held milder and nobler opinions--who, like +Theodoric himself, were more susceptible to the higher culture of the +subjected Italians, and desirous to raise themselves and their people +to the same level--was naturally much smaller. At the head of this +party stood the Queen. + +This woman Cethegus now sought to uphold in the possession of power; +for her feminine, weak, and divided government was calculated to +undermine the strength of the nation, to excite party spirit and +discontent, and to exclude all augmentation of national feeling. + +Cethegus trembled at the thought that he might see an energetic man +unite the strength of the whole nation. And often the traits of +sublimity which occasionally were to be seen in Amalaswintha, and, +still more, the fiery sparks of repressed feeling which sometimes +blazed out in Athalaric's soul, caused him serious uneasiness. Should +mother and son betray such feelings more frequently, then, certainly, +he would be compelled to overthrow their government as zealously as he +had hitherto upheld it. + +Meanwhile he rejoiced in the unlimited command which he possessed over +the mind of Amalaswintha. It had been easy for him to gain it; not only +because he, with great subtlety, took advantage of her predilection for +learned discussions--in which he was so often vanquished by the +seemingly superior knowledge of the Princess that Cassiodorus, who was +a witness of their arguments, could not refrain from regretting that +the genius of Cethegus, once so brilliant, had rusted for want of +practice--but he had touched the proud woman on a much more sensitive +subject. + +Her great father had been blessed with no son; only this one daughter +had been born unto him. The wish for a male heir had been often heard +in the mouths of the King and of his people, and had penetrated to the +daughter's ears in her childish years. It outraged the feelings of the +highly-gifted girl that, merely on account of her sex, she should be +put lower than a possible brother, who, as a matter of course, would be +more capable and more worthy of governing. So, when a child, she often +wept bitter tears because she was not a boy. Of course, as she grew up, +she only heard the offensive wish from the lips of her father; every +other mouth praised the wonderful talent, the manly spirit and courage +of the brilliant Princess. And these praises were not flattery; +Amalaswintha was, indeed, a wonderful creature. The strength of her +will, the power of her intellect, her love of authority, and cold +abruptness of manner, far exceeded the limits which generally bound the +sphere of feminine grace. The consciousness that when her hand was +bestowed, the highest position in the kingdom, and perhaps the crown +itself, would be given with it, did not contribute to render her more +modest; and her deepest, strongest sentiment was no longer the wish to +be a man, but the conviction that, even as a woman, she was as capable +of performing all the duties of life and of government as the most +gifted man--much more capable than most men--and that she was fated to +refute the general prejudice, and to prove the equality of her sex. + +The married life of this cold woman with Eutharic, a member of another +branch of the family, a man of a genial temperament and high intellect, +was of short duration--in a few years Eutharic fell a victim to +disease--and not at all happy. She had unwillingly obeyed her husband, +and, as a widow, gloried in her freedom. She burnt with the desire to +verify her favourite theory in her position as Queen-regent and +guardian of her son. She would govern in such a manner, that the +proudest man must acknowledge her superiority. We have seen how the +anticipation of ruling had enabled her to bear the death of her great +father with considerable equanimity. She assumed her high office with +the greatest zeal and the most untiring activity. She wished to do +everything alone. She thrust aside the aged Cassiodorus, for he was +unable to keep pace with the eagerness of her spirit. She would endure +no man's advice, and jealously watched over her absolute monarchy. + +To none but one of her servants did she willingly and frequently lend +her ear: to him who often and loudly praised the manly independence of +her mind, and still more often seemed to admire it in secret, and who +appeared incapable of conceiving the desire to govern any of her +actions: she trusted Cethegus alone. + +For he constantly evinced only _one_ ambition--that of carrying out all +the ideas and plans of the Queen with the most zealous care. He never +opposed her favourite endeavours, like Cassiodorus and the heads of the +Gothic parties, but supported her therein. He helped her to surround +herself with Greeks and Romans; to exclude the young king, as far as +possible, from all share in the government; gradually to remove from +the court the old Gothic friends of her father, who, in the +consciousness of their services and according to old custom, often took +upon themselves to speak a word of open blame; to use the money which +was intended for men-of-war, horses, and the armament of the Gothic +forces, for art and science, or for the embellishment, preservation, +and security of Rome; in short, he aided her in every act that would +estrange her from her people, or render her government an object of +hatred, and her kingdom defenceless. + +And if he himself had a plan he always knew how to give his +transactions with the Queen such a turn, that she considered herself +the promoter of every scheme, and ordered him to execute his most +secret wishes as _her_ commands. + + + + CHAPTER XI. + +In order to gain and support this influence, it can easily be +understood that Cethegus was forced to be more at court, and oftener +absent from Rome, than was advantageous for his interests in that city. + +He therefore endeavoured to bring persons into close connection with +the Queen, who would, in part, take his place, warmly defend his +interests, and keep him _au fait_ of all that passed in the court of +Ravenna. + +Many Gothic nobles had left the court in anger, and it was necessary to +replace their wives in their office near the Queen; and Cethegus +determined to use this opportunity to bring Rusticiana, the daughter of +Symmachus and wife of Boethius, once more to court. It was no easy +task. For the family of Boethius, who had been executed as a traitor, +had been banished the capital. Before anything could be done, the +feeling which the Queen entertained towards this family must be +completely altered. Cethegus, however, soon succeeded in appealing to +the compassion and magnanimity of Amalaswintha, who possessed a noble +heart. At the same time she had never really believed in the unproved +guilt of the two noble Romans, one of whom, the husband of Rusticiana, +she had honoured as an extremely learned man, and, in some points, as +her teacher. Cethegus proved to her that by showing favour to this +family, either as an act of grace or of justice, she would touch the +hearts of all her Roman subjects, and he thus easily persuaded her to +pardon the deeply degraded family. + +It was much more difficult to persuade the proud and passionate widow +of the murdered man to accept this favour, for her whole soul was +filled with bitterness against the royal house, and thirst for revenge. +Cethegus even feared that when she was in the presence of the +"tyrants," her ungovernable hatred might betray itself. In spite of the +great influence he had over her, she had repeatedly rejected this plan. + +Matters had come to this pass, when, one day, Rusticiana made a +discovery which shortly led to the fulfilment of the Prefect's wish. + +Rusticiana had a daughter of scarcely sixteen years of age, named +Camilla. She was a lovely girl, with a face of the true Roman type, +with nobly-formed features and chiselled lips. Intense feeling beamed +from her dark eyes; her figure, slender almost to delicacy, was elegant +and light as that of a gazelle, and all her movements were agile and +graceful. She had loved her unhappy father with all the energy of +filial devotion. The stroke that had laid his beloved head low had +entered deeply into her own young life; and inconsolable and sacred +grief, mixed with passionate admiration for his heroism, filled all her +youthful thoughts. A welcome guest at court before her father's death, +she had fled with her mother after the catastrophe over the Alps to +Gaul, where they had found an asylum with an old friend, while Anicius +and Severinus, Camilla's brothers, who had been also condemned, but who +were afterwards reprieved and sent into banishment, hastened at once to +the court at Byzantium, where they tried to move heaven and earth +against the barbarians. + +When the first heat of persecution had abated, the two women had +returned to Italy, and led a retired life in the house of one of their +faithful freedmen at Perusia, whence, as we have seen, Rusticiana had +easily found means to join the conspiracy in Rome. + +It was in June, that season of the year when the Roman +aristocracy--then as at this day--fled the sultry air of the towns, and +sought a refuge in their cool villas on the Sabine mountains, or at the +sea-coast. The two noble women, used to every luxury, felt extremely +ill at ease in the hot and narrow streets of Perusia, and thought with +regret of their beautiful villas in Florence and Neapolis, which, +together with all the rest of their fortune, had been confiscated by +the Gothic Government. + +One day, their faithful servant, Corbulo, came to Rusticiana with a +strangely embarrassed expression of countenance, and explained to her +"how, having long since noticed how much the 'Patrona' suffered +under his unworthy roof, and had to endure much annoyance from his +handiwork--he being a mason--he had bought a small, a very small, +estate, with a still smaller house, in the mountains near Tifernum. +However, she must not compare it with the villa near Florentia; but +still there ran a little brook near it, which never dried up, even +under the dog-star; oaks and cornel-trees gave broad and pleasant +shade; ivy grew luxuriantly over a ruined Temple of Faunus; and in the +garden he had planted roses, lilies, and violets, such as Donna Camilla +loved; and so he hoped that they would mount their mules or litter, and +go to their villa like other noble dames." + +The ladies, much touched by their old servant's fidelity, gratefully +accepted his kindness, and Camilla, who rejoiced like a child in the +anticipation of a little change, was more cheerful and animated than +she had ever been since her father's death. + +Impatiently she urged their departure, and hurried off beforehand the +very same day, with Corbulo and his daughter, Daphnidion, leaving her +mother to follow as soon as possible with the slaves and baggage. + +The sun was already sinking behind the hills of Tifernum when Corbulo, +leading Camilla's mule by the bridle, reached an open place in the +wood, from whence they first caught sight of the little estate. He had +long pleased himself with the thought of the young girl's surprise when +he should show her the prettily situated villa. + +But he suddenly stood still, struck with surprise; he held his hand +before his eyes, fancying that the evening sun dazzled him; he looked +around to see if he were really in the right place; but there was no +doubt about it! There stood, on the ridge where wood and meadow met, +the grey border-stone, in the form of the old frontier-god Terminus, +with his pointed head. It was the right place, but the little house was +nowhere to be seen; where it should have been, was a thick group of +pines and plantains; and besides this, the whole place was changed; +green hedges and flowerbeds stood where once cabbages and turnips grew; +and where sandpits and the high-road had, till now, marked the limits +of his modest property, rose an elegant pavilion. + +"The Mother of God and all the superior gods save me!" Cried the mason; +"some magic must be at work!" + +His daughter hastily handed him the amulet that she carried at her +girdle; but she was no wiser than he, for it was the first time that +she had visited the new property; and so there was nothing left but to +drive the mules forward as fast as possible. Father and daughter, +leaping from stone to stone, accompanied the trotting mules to the +bottom of the declivity with cries of encouragement. + +As they approached, Corbulo certainly discovered the house that he had +bought behind the group of trees, but so changed, renewed, and +beautified, that he scarcely recognised it. + +His astonishment at the transformation of the whole place tended to +increase his superstitious fears. His mouth opened wide, he let the +reins fall, stood stock-still, and he was beginning another wonderful +speech, intermixed with heathen and Christian interjections, when +Camilla, equally astounded, called out: + +"But that is the garden where we once lived, the Viridarium of Honorius +at Ravenna! The same trees, the same flower-beds, and, by the lake, the +little Temple of Venus, just as it once stood on the sea-shore at +Ravenna! Oh, how beautiful! What a faithful memory! Corbulo, how did +you manage it?" and tears of grateful emotion filled her eyes. + +"The devil and all the Lemures take me, if I had anything to do with +it! But there comes Cappadox with his club foot; he at least is not +bewitched. Speak, then, Cyclops, what has happened here?" + +Cappadox, a gigantic, broad-shouldered slave, came limping along with +an uncouth smile, and after many questions, told a puzzling tale. + +About three weeks ago, a few days after he had been sent to the estate +to manage it for his master, who had gone to the marble quarries of +Luna, there came from Tifernum a noble Roman with a troop of slaves and +workmen and heavily-packed wagons. He inquired if this was the estate +bought by the sculptor Corbulo of Perusia for the widow of Boethius. +Upon being answered in the affirmative, he had introduced himself as +the Hortulanus Princeps, that is, the superior intendant of the gardens +at Ravenna. An old friend of Boethius--who wished not to tell his name, +for fear of the Gothic tyrants--desired to care for his family in +secret, and had given orders that their summer residence should be +improved and embellished with all possible art. He (Cappadox) was by no +means to spoil the intended surprise, and, half-kindly, half by force, +they had kept him fast in the villa. Then the intendant had immediately +made his plan, and set his men to work. Many neighbouring fields were +bought at a high price; and there began such a pulling-down and +building-up, such a planting and digging, hammering and knocking, such +a cleaning and painting, that it had made him both blind and deaf. When +he ventured to meddle or ask questions the workmen laughed in his face. + +"And," concluded Cappadox, "it went on in this way till the day before +yesterday. Then they had finished, and went away. At first I was +afraid, and trembled when I saw all these splendid things growing out +of the earth. I thought, if Master Corbulo has to pay for all this, +then mercy on my poor back! and I wanted to come and tell you. But they +would not let me go; and besides, I knew you were not at home. And when +I saw what a ridiculous amount of money the intendant had with him, and +how he threw the gold pieces about, as children throw pebbles, I got +easier by degrees, and let things go on as they would. Now, master, I +know well that you can set me in the stocks, and have me whipped with +the vine-branch or even with the scorpion; for you are the master, and +Cappadox the servant. But, master, it would scarcely be just! By all +the saints and all the gods! For you set me over a few cabbage-fields, +and see! they have become an Emperor's garden under my care!" + +Camilla had long since dismounted and disappeared, when the servant +ended his account. + +Her heart beating with joy, she hurried through the garden, the bowers, +the house; she flew as if on wings; the active Daphnidion could +scarcely follow her. Repeated cries of astonishment and pleasure +escaped her lips. Whenever she turned the corner of a path, or round a +group of trees, a new picture of the garden at Ravenna met her +delighted eyes. + +But when she entered the house, and in it found a small room painted, +furnished, and decorated exactly like the room in the Imperial Palace, +in which she had played away the last days of her childhood, and +dreamed the first dreams of her maidenhood; the same pictures upon the +hempen tapestry; the same vases and delicate citrean-wood[2] boxes; +and, upon the same small tortoise-shell table, her pretty little harp +with its swan's wings; overpowered by so many remembrances, and still +more by the feeling of gratitude for such tender friendship, she sank +sobbing on the soft cushions of the lectus. + +Scarcely could Daphnidion calm her. + +"There are still noble hearts in the world; there are still friends of +the house of Boethius!" and she breathed a prayer of deep thankfulness +to Heaven. + +When her mother arrived the next day, she was scarcely less moved by +the strange surprise. She wrote at once to Cethegus in Rome, and asked: +"In which of her husband's friends she should seek this secret +benefactor?" Within her heart she hoped that it might turn out to be +himself. + +But the Prefect shook his head over her letter and wrote back: "He knew +no one of whom this delicate mode of proceeding reminded him. She +should carefully watch for every trace that might lead to the solving +of the riddle." + +It was not long ere it was solved. Camilla was never tired of +traversing the garden, and continually discovering resemblances to its +well-known original. + +She often extended her rambles beyond the park into the neighbouring +wood. She was generally accompanied by the merry Daphnidion, whose +similar youth and faithful affection soon won her confidence. +Daphnidion had repeatedly remarked to her that they must be followed by +a wood-sprite, for it often snapped in the branches and rustled in the +grass near them, and yet there nowhere was a man or an animal to be +seen. + +But Camilla laughed at her superstition, and often persuaded her to +venture out again, far away under the green shadows of the elms and +plantains. + +One hot day, as the two girls penetrated deeper and deeper into the +greenwood they discovered a clear-running spring, that issued copiously +from a dark porphyry rock. But it had no decided channel, and the +thirsty maidens with difficulty collected the single silvery drops. + +"What a pity!" cried Camilla, "the delicious water! You should have +seen the fountain of the Tritons in the Pinetum[3] at Ravenna. How +prettily the water rushed from the inflated cheeks of the bronze +sea-god, into the wide shell of brown marble! What a pity!" And they +passed on. + +Some days after they both came again to the same place. Daphnidion, who +was walking in front, suddenly stood still with a loud scream, and +silently pointed at the spring. + +The woodland streamlet had been enclosed. From a bronze Triton's head +the water fell, in a bright stream, into a delicate shell of brown +marble. Daphnidion, now firmly believing in some magic, turned to fly +without further ado; her hands pressed over her eyes, so as not to see +the wood-sprite, which was considered to be extremely dangerous, she +fled towards the house, calling loudly to her mistress to follow her. + +But a thought flashed through Camilla's mind. The spy who had lately +followed them was certainly in the vicinity, revelling in their +astonishment. + +She looked carefully about her. The blossoms of a 'wild rose-bush fell +from its shaking boughs to the earth. She quickly stepped towards the +thicket, and lo! a young hunter, with spear and game-bag, advanced +towards her from out the bushes. + +"I am discovered," he said, in a low, shy voice. He looked very +handsome in his embarrassment. + +But, with a cry of fear, Camilla started back. + +"Athalaric!" she stammered, "the King!" + +A whole sea of thoughts and feelings rushed through her brain and +heart, and, half fainting, she sank upon, the grassy bank beside the +spring. + +The young King, alarmed and delighted, stood for a few moments +speechless before the tender figure lying at his feet. Thirstily his +burning eye dwelt upon the beautiful features and noble form. A vivid +flush shot like lightning over his pale face. + +"Oh, she--she is my death!" he breathed, pressing both hands to his +beating heart. "To die now--to die with her!" + +Camilla moved her arm, which movement brought him to his senses; he +kneeled down beside her, and wetted her temples with the cool water of +the spring. She opened her eyes. + +"Barbarian! murderer!" she cried shrilly, thrust his hand away, sprang +up, and fled like a frightened doe. + +Athalaric made no attempt to follow her. + +"Barbarian! murderer!" he murmured to himself, in great grief, and +buried his glowing forehead in his hands. + + + + CHAPTER XII. + +Camilla came home in such extreme excitement, that Daphnidion would not +be convinced that she had not seen the nymphs, or even the venerable +sylvan god, Picus, himself. + +But the maiden threw herself with wild emotion into the arms of her +alarmed mother. The strife of confused feelings within her resolved +itself into a flood of hot tears, and only later was she able to answer +Rusticiana's anxious questions. + +A terrible struggle was taking place in the soul of this child. At the +court of Ravenna it had not escaped the growing girl that the dark eyes +of the beautiful Athalaric often rested upon her with a strange and +dreamy expression, and that he eagerly listened to every tone of her +voice. But a suspicion of deeper affection had never entered into her +mind. The Prince, reserved and shy, cast down his eyes whenever she met +his look with an unembarrassed and inquisitive glance. Were they not +both at that time almost children? + +She did not know how to interpret Athalaric's manner--he scarcely could +do so himself--and it had never occurred to her to reflect why she so +gladly lived near him; why she liked to follow the bold flights of his +thoughts and imaginations, differing so much from those of all other +playfellows; why she loved to wander silently through the quiet gardens +in the evening-light by the side of the silent boy, who often, in the +midst of his reverie, addressed her with abrupt, but always +significant, words; whose poetical feelings--the feelings of +enthusiastic youth--she so completely understood and appreciated. + +The tender tissue of this budding inclination was violently torn by the +catastrophe of her father's death, and not only gentle sorrow for the +murdered man, but glowing hatred of his murderers, took possession of +the passionate Roman girl's soul. + +At all times Boethius, even when in the height of his favour at court, +had displayed a haughty condescension to the barbarism of the Goths, +and, since the catastrophe, all Camilla's companions--her mother, her +two brothers (who thirsted for vengeance), and the friends of the +house--breathed hatred and contempt, not only for the bloody murderer +and tyrant, Theodoric, but for all Goths, and particularly for the +daughter and grandson of the King, who, in their eyes, shared his guilt +because they had not hindered it. + +So the maiden had almost ceased to think of Athalaric, and if he were +named, or if, as often happened, his picture entered into her dreams, +her hatred of the barbarians was concentrated in a feeling of the +greatest abhorrence towards him, perhaps just because, in the depths of +her heart, there lurked an involuntary suspicion of the secret +inclination which she nourished for the handsome and noble youth. + +And now--now he had dared to lay a snare for her unsuspicious heart! + +No sooner had she seen him step from the bushes--no sooner did she +recognise him, than she at once understood that it was he who had not +only enclosed the spring, but caused the alteration of the whole +estate. He, the hated enemy; he, the offspring of the cursed race which +had shed the blood of her father: the King of the Goths! + +The joy with which, during the last few days, she had examined house +and garden, was now changed into bitterness. The deadly enemy of her +people, of her race, had dared to enrich her; to give her pleasure; to +make her happy; for him she had breathed thankful prayers to Heaven! He +had been bold enough to follow her steps, to listen to her words, to +fulfil her lightest wish; and at the bottom of her soul lay the +dreadful certainty that he loved her! The barbarian was insolent enough +to show it. The tyrant of Italy dared to hope that the daughter of +Boethius---- Oh, it was too much! and, sobbing violently, she buried +her head in the cushions of her couch, to which she had retired, until +deep sleep of exhaustion overcame her. + +Not long after, Cethegus, who had been hastily sent for, came to visit +the troubled woman. + +Rusticiana would fain have followed her own and Camilla's first +impulse, to fly from the villa and the hated vicinity of the King, and +hide her child on the other side of the Alps. But Camilla's condition +had, till then, prevented their departure, and as soon as the Prefect +entered the house, the flame of their excitement seemed to sink before +his cold glances. + +He took Rusticiana alone with him into the garden. Leaning his back +against a laurel-tree, and supporting his chin on his hand, he listened +quietly and attentively to her passionate recital. + +"And now, speak," she concluded; "what shall I do? How shall I save my +poor child? Whither shall I take her?" + +"Whither shall you take Camilla?" he repeated. "To the court, to +Ravenna." + +Rusticiana started. "Why this ill-timed joke?" + +But Cethegus quickly stood erect. "I am in earnest. Be quiet and +listen. Fate, that wills the destruction of the barbarians, could have +laid no more gracious gifts upon our path. You know how completely I +rule the Queen-regent, but you do not know how powerless I am over that +obstinate enthusiast, Athalaric. It is enigmatical. The sick youth is, +amongst all the nation, the only one who suspects, if he does not see +through, me; and I do not know whether he most fears or hates me. That +would be a matter of indifference to me if the audacious fellow did not +very decidedly and very successfully act against me. Naturally, his +opinion weighs heavily with his mother; often more than mine; and he +will always grow older, riper, and more dangerous. His spirit exceeds +his years; he takes a grave part in the councils of the Regency, and +always speaks against me; he often prevails. 'Twas but lately that, +against my will, he succeeded in giving the command of the Gothic +troops in Rome, in _my_ Rome, to that bilious Teja. In short, the young +King becomes highly dangerous. Until now I have not the shadow of +authority over him. He loves Camilla to his peril; through her we will +rule the unruly one." + +"Never!" cried Rusticiana; "never as long as I breathe! _I_ at the +court of the tyrants! My child, Boethius's daughter, the beloved of +Athalaric! Her father's bloody ghost would----" + + + +"Would you avenge that ghost? Yes. Would you ruin the Goths? Yes. +Therefore you must consent to everything which will lead to this end." + +"Never, by my oath!" + +"Woman, do not irritate me, do not oppose me! You know me. By your +oath? Have you not sworn blind and unconditional obedience to me, +calling down curses on yourself and your children should you break that +oath? Caution is necessary when dealing with women! Obey, or tremble +for your soul!" + +"Fearful man! Shall I sacrifice all my hatred to you and your +projects?" + +"To me? who speaks of me? I plead _your_ cause, I complete _your_ +revenge. The Goths have done nothing to _me_. _You_ disturbed me from +my books, _you_ called upon me to aid you in destroying these Amelungs; +do you repent? Very well. I will return to Horatius and the Stoics. +Farewell!" + +"Remain, remain! But must Camilla be sacrificed?" + +"Folly! Athalaric will be the victim. She shall not love him, she shall +only influence him--or," he added, looking sharply at her, "do you fear +for her heart?" + +"May your tongue be paralysed! _My_ daughter love _him_! Rather would I +strangle her with these hands!" + +But Cethegus had become thoughtful. "It is not for the girl's sake," he +thought, "that would not matter--but should she really love him?--the +Goth is handsome, intellectual, enthusiastic--Where is your daughter?" +he asked aloud. + +"In the women's apartment. Even should I wish it, she will never +consent--never!" + +"We will attempt it. I will go to her." + +And they went into the house. + +Rusticiana would have entered the room with Cethegus, but he repulsed +her. + +"I must have her alone," he said, and passed through the curtain. + +On seeing him, the beautiful girl rose from the cushions on which she +had been resting, lost in helpless reverie. Accustomed to find in this +wise and commanding man, her father's old friend, a constant adviser, +she greeted him trustfully, as a patient greets his physician. + +"You know, Cethegus?" + +"Everything!" + +"And you bring me help and comfort?" + +"I bring you revenge, Camilla!" + +That was a new and startling idea! Hitherto to fly, to save herself +from this torturing position, had been her only thought. At the most, +an angry rejection of the royal gift. But now, revenge! Compensation +for all the pain she had suffered! Revenge upon the murderers of her +father! Her heart was deeply wounded, and in her veins boiled the hot +blood of the south. She rejoiced at the words of her tempter. + +"Revenge? Who will revenge me? You?" + +"You will revenge yourself; that will be sweeter." + +Her eyes flashed. + +"On whom?" + +"On him. On his house. On all your enemies." + +"How can I, a weak and timid girl?" + +"Listen to me, Camilla. To you only, to the noble daughter of the noble +Boethius, will I unfold what I would trust to no other woman on earth. +There exists a powerful league of patriots, who have sworn to extirpate +the barbarians from the face of this country. The sword of revenge +hangs trembling over the heads of the tyrants. The fatherland and the +shade of your father call upon you to cause it to fall." + +"Upon me? _I_--revenge my father? Speak!" cried the maiden, her face +glowing as she stroked back the dark locks from her temples. + +"There must be a sacrifice. Rome demands it." + +"My blood, my life! Like Virginia will I die!" + +"No; you shall live to triumph in your revenge. The King loves you. You +must go to Ravenna, to court. You shall destroy him by means of his +love. We have no power over him, but you will gain the mastery over his +soul." + +"Destroy him!" + +She seemed strangely moved as she spoke thus in a low voice. Her bosom +heaved; her voice trembled with the force of her opposing feelings. +Tears burst from her eyes, she buried her face in her hands. + +Cethegus rose from his seat. + +"Pardon me," he said, "I will go. I knew not--that you _loved_ the +King." + +A scream of anger, like that of physical pain, escaped the maiden's +lips; she sprang up and grasped his arm. + +"Man! who said so? I hate him! Hate him more than I ever knew I could +hate!" + +"Then prove it, for I do not believe it." + +"I will prove it!" she cried; "he shall die!" + +She threw back her head; her eyes sparkled fiercely; her dark tresses +fell over her shoulders. + +"She loves him," thought Cethegus; "but it matters not, for she does +not know it. She is only conscious of hating him. All is well." + +"He shall not live," repeated Camilla. "You shall see," she added with +a wild laugh--"you shall see how I love him! What must I do?" + +"Obey me in everything." + +"And what do you promise in return? What shall he suffer?" + +"Unrequited love." + +"Yes, yes, that he shall!" + +"His kingdom and his race shall be ruined," continued Cethegus. + +"And he will know that it is through _me_!" + +"I will take care that he shall know that. When shall we start for +Ravenna?" + +"To-morrow! No; to-day, this instant." She stopped and grasped his +hand. "Cethegus, tell me, am I beautiful?" + +"Yes, most beautiful!" + +"Ah!" she cried, tossing back her flowing hair, "Athalaric shall love +me and perish! Away to Ravenna! I will and must see him!" + +And she rushed out of the room. + +Her whole soul was thirsting to be with the object of her love and +hate. + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + +That same day the inhabitants of the villa entered upon their journey +to Ravenna. + +Cethegus sent a courier forward with a letter from Rusticiana to the +Queen-regent. Therein the widow of Boethius declared, "that by the +mediation of the Prefect of Rome, she was now ready to accept the +repeated invitation to return to court. She did not accept it as an act +of pardon, but of conciliation; as a sign that the heirs of Theodoric +wished to make amends for the injustice done to the deceased." + +This proud letter was written from Rusticiana's very heart, and +Cethegus knew that such a step would do no harm, and would only exclude +any suspicious construction that might be laid upon the sudden change +in her sentiments. + +Half-way the travellers were met by a messenger bearing the Queen's +answer, which bade them welcome to her court. + +Arrived in Ravenna, they were received by the Queen with all honours, +provided with a retinue, and led into the rooms which they had formerly +occupied. They were warmly welcomed by all the Romans at court. + +But the anger of the Goths--who abhorred Symmachus and Boethius as +ungrateful traitors--was greatly excited by this measure, which seemed +to imply an indirect condemnation of Theodoric. The last remaining +friends of that great King indignantly left the Italianised court. + +Meanwhile, time, the diversions of the journey, and the arrival at +Ravenna, had softened Camilla's excitement. Her anger had the more time +to abate, as many weeks elapsed before she met Athalaric; for the young +King was dangerously ill. + +It was said at court, that while on a visit to Aretium, whither he had +gone to enjoy the mountain air, the baths, and the chase, he had drank +from a rocky spring in the woods of Tifernum while heated with hunting, +and had thereby brought on a violent attack of his former malady. The +fact was, that his followers had found him lying senseless by the side +of the spring where he had met Camilla. + +The effect of this story upon Camilla was strange. To the hate she bore +to Athalaric was now added a slight feeling of compassion, and even a +sort of self-reproach. But on the other side, she thanked Heaven that, +by this illness, the meeting was postponed, which, now that she was in +Ravenna, she feared no less than she had longed for it while far away +in Tifernum. + +And as she wandered in the wide-spread grounds of the magnificent +palace-gardens, she was repeatedly reminded of the anxious care with +which Corbulo's little estate had been fashioned after this model. + +Days and weeks passed. Nothing was heard of the patient except that he +was convalescent, but forbidden to leave his rooms. The physicians and +courtiers who surrounded him often expressed to Camilla their +admiration of his patience and strength of mind while suffering the +most acute pains, his gratitude for the slightest service, and the +noble mildness of his disposition. + +But when she caught herself listening with pleasure to these words of +praise, she frowned angrily, and the thought arose within her: "And he +did not oppose the murder of my father!" + +One hot July night, after long and restless wakefulness, Camilla +towards daybreak had sunk into an uneasy slumber. + +Anxious dreams disturbed her. + +It seemed to her as if the ceiling of the room, with all its +bas-reliefs, were sinking down upon her. Directly over her head was a +beautiful young Hypnos, the gentle God of Sleep, modelled by the hand +of a Greek. + +She dreamed that the drowsy god assumed the earnest, sorrowful features +of his pale brother Thanatos. + +Softly and slowly the God of Death bent his countenance above her. He +approached nearer and nearer. His features became more and more +distinct. She already felt his breath upon her forehead. His beautiful +lips almost touched her mouth. Then she recognised with affright the +pale features--the dark eyes. It was Athalaric! With a scream she +started up. + +The silver lamp had long since burnt out. The room was dim. + +A red light gleamed faintly through the window of spar-gypsum. She rose +and opened it. The cocks were crowing, the first rays of the sun gently +stole over the sea, of which, beyond the garden, she had a full view. +She could no longer bear to remain in the close chamber. + +She threw a mantle over her shoulders and hurried softly out of the +still silent palace, down the marble steps, and into the garden; across +which the fresh morning wind from the neighbouring sea blew towards +her. + +She hastened towards the sun and the sea, for, to the east, the high +walls of the palace gardens rose directly out of the blue waves of the +Adriatic. + +A gilded lattice-gate, and, beyond it, ten broad steps of white +Hymettus marble, led to the little garden-harbour, in which rocked the +light-oared gondolas with their lateen sails of purple linen-cloth, +fastened with silver chains to the ornamental rams'-heads fixed right +and left upon the marble quay. + +At the side of the lattice-gate towards the garden, the grounds ended +in a spacious rotunda, which was surrounded with broad and shady pines. +The ground was laid out with carefully-tended grassplots, intersected +by neat paths, and diversified by gay beds of sweet-scented flowers. A +spring, ornamentally enclosed, ran down the declivity into the sea. In +the centre of this place was a small and antique Temple of Venus, +overtopped by a single palm-tree, while burning-red saxifrage grew +in the now empty niches of its outer walls. At the right of its +long-closed door stood a bronze statue of AEneas. The Julius Caesar to +the left had fallen centuries ago. Theodoric had placed upon its +pedestal a bronze statue of Amala, the mythic forefather of his house. + +Between these statues, from the steps of the little fane, was a +splendid view through the lattice-gate over the sea, with its woody +lagoon-islands, and a group of jagged rocks, called "the Needles of the +Amphitrites." + +This had been a favourite resort of Camilla's childhood. And it was +hither that she now bent her steps, lightly brushing the plentiful dew +from the high grass as, with slightly-lifted garments, she hastened +along the narrow pathway. She wished to behold the sun rise glowing +from the sea. + +She advanced from behind the temple, passed to the estrade on the left, +and had just set her foot upon the first step which led from the front +of the temple to the lattice-gate, when she caught sight of a white +figure reclining on the second step, with the head leaning against the +balustrade and the face turned towards the sea. + +She recognised the black and silky hair; it was the young King. + +The meeting was so unexpected that there was no possibility of avoiding +it. As if rooted to the ground, she stood still upon the first step. + +Athalaric sprang up and quickly turned. His pallid face was illumined +by a vivid flush. But he was the first to recover himself, and said: + +"Forgive, Camilla. I could not expect you to come here at this hour. I +will go; and leave you alone with the rising sun." + +And he flung his white mantle over his shoulder. + +"Remain, King of the Goths. I have no right to scare you away--and no +intention," she added. + +Athalaric came a step nearer. + +"I thank you. And I beg one favour," he added, smiling. "Do not betray +me to my physicians nor to my mother. All day long they shut me up so +carefully, that I am obliged to escape before sunrise. For the fresh +air, the sea-breeze, does me good; I feel that it cools me. You will +not betray me?" + +He spoke so quietly. He looked so unembarrassed. This freedom from +embarrassment confused Camilla. She would have felt more courageous if +he had been more moved. She observed his coolness with pain, but not +because she really cared for the Prefect's plans. So, in answer, she +only shook her head in silence, and cast down her eyes. + +At that moment the rays of the sun reached the spot on which the pair +were standing. + +The old temple and the bronze of the statues shone in the rosy light; +and from the east a broad path of trembling gold was laid upon the +smooth flood. + +"See, how beautiful!" cried Athalaric, carried away by his admiration. +"Look at that bridge of light and glory!" + +She joined in his admiration, and looked out over the sea. + +"Do you remember, Camilla," he continued slowly, as if lost in +recollection, and not looking at her, "do you remember how we played +here when we were children? How we dreamed? We said that the golden +path painted on the waters by the sun, led to the Islands of the +Blessed." + +"To the Islands of the Blessed!" repeated Camilla. In secret she was +wondering at the delicacy and ease with which, avoiding every allusion +to their last meeting, he conversed with her in a manner, which +completely disarmed her. + +"And look, how the statues glitter, that wonderful pair, AEneas +and--Amala! Listen, Camilla, I have something to beg pardon for." + +Her heart beat rapidly. He was going to speak of the rebuilding of the +Villa and the fountain. The blood rose to her cheeks. She remained +silent in painful expectation. + +But the youth continued quietly: + +"You know how often--you the Roman, and I the Goth--vied with each +other here in praises of the glory and fame and manners of our people. +Then you stood under the statue of AEneas, and told me of Brutus and +Camillus, of Marcellus and the Scipios. And I, leaning against the +shield of my ancestor Amala, praised Ermanaric and Alaric and +Theodoric. But you spoke more eloquently than I. And often, when the +glory of your heroes threatened to outshine mine, I laughed at your +dead greatness, and cried, 'The living present and the glowing future +belong to my people!'" + +"Well, and now?" + +"I speak so no more. You have won, Camilla!" + +But even while he spoke thus, he looked prouder than ever. + +And this expression of superiority revolted the Roman girl. Besides +that, she was irritated by the unapproachable coolness with which the +King, upon whose passion for her such plans were being founded, stood +before her. She did not understand this tranquillity. She had hated him +because he had dared to show her his love, and now her hate revived +because he was able to conceal it. With the intention to hurt his +feelings she slowly said: + +"So you acknowledge, King of the Goths, that your barbarians are +inferior to the civilised nations?" + +"Yes, Camilla," he answered quietly; "but only in one thing: in good +luck. In the favours of Fate as well as of Nature. Look at that group +of fishermen, who are hanging up their nets on the olive-trees upon the +strand. How beautiful are their forms! In motion and repose, in spite +of their rags, they are complete statues! Look at that girl with the +amphora on her head. And there, at that old woman, who, leaning her +head on her arm, lies upon the sand and gazes out dreamily over the +sea. Each beggar amongst them looks like a dethroned king. How +beautiful they are! At one with themselves and happy! The glory of +uninterrupted happiness lies upon them, as it does upon children, or +upon noble animals! This is wanting to us barbarians!" + +"Is that alone wanting to you?" + +"No, Fate is not gracious to us--my poor, glorious people! We have been +carried away into a strange world, in which we do not flourish. We +resemble the flower of the high Alps, the Edelweiss, which has been +carried by the stormy wind to the hot sands of the low-levels. We +cannot take root here. We fade and die." And overcome with noble +sadness, he turned away and looked over the blue waves. + +But Camilla was not in the humour to reflect upon these prophetic words +spoken by a king of his people. + +"Why did you overstep the mountains which God set as an eternal +boundary between your people and ours?" she asked. "Say, why?" + +"Do you know," answered Athalaric, without looking at her, almost as if +thinking aloud, "do you know why the dark moth flies to the bright +flame? Again and again! Warned by no pain, until it is devoured by the +beautiful but dangerous element? From what motive? From a sweet +madness! And it is just such a sweet madness that has enticed my +fellow-Goths away from the fir and the oak to the laurel and the olive. +They will burn their wings, the foolish heroes, and will not cease to +do so. Who can blame them for it? Look around you! How deeply blue the +sky! How deeply blue the sea! And in it are reflected the summits of +the pines and the white glitter of the marble temples! And away in the +distance arise blue mountains; and out in the waters swim green +islands, where the vine clings to the elm. And, above all, the soft, +warm and caressing air that illumines the whole with a magic light. +What wonders of form and colour does the eye drink, and what sweetness +do the delighted senses breathe! This is the magic charm which will for +ever entice and undo us!" + +The deep emotion of the young King did not fail to make an impression +upon Camilla. The tragic force of his words affected her; but she +_would_ not be moved. She defended herself against the increasing +softness of her feelings. She said coldly: + +"A whole nation enchanted by this magic, in spite of reason and +judgment?" and she looked at him incredulously. + +But she was startled; for like lightning flashed the eyes of the youth, +and his long-withheld passion broke out suddenly without restraint. + +"Yes, I tell thee, maiden! a whole people can nourish a foolish +passion, a sweet destructive madness, a deadly longing, as well as--as +well as a single man! Yes, Camilla, there is a power in the heart, +which, stronger than reason and will, forcibly draws us with open eyes +to destruction. But thou knowest it not, and mayst thou never +experience it. Never! Farewell!" + +He quickly turned away and entered a bowery walk of climbing vines to +the right of the temple, which immediately hid him from Camilla, as +well as from the windows of the palace. The girl remained standing in +deep reflection. His last words echoed strangely in her ears. For a +long time she looked out dreamily over the open sea, and at last +returned to the palace, filled with strangely conflicting feelings, and +in an altered mood. + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + +On the same day Cethegus paid a visit to the two ladies. He had +come over from Rome on important business, and had just left the +privy-council which had been held in the invalid King's room. His +energetic features were full of repressed anger. + +"To work, Camilla!" he cried. "You are too long about it. This +impertinent boy becomes more and more unmanageable. He defies me and +Cassiodorus, and even his mother. He is intimate with dangerous people. +With old Hildebrand and Witichis and their friends. He sends and +receives letters behind our backs. He has managed that the Queen may +never hold a council of the regency except in his presence. And in the +council he crosses all our plans. This must cease. In one way or +another." + +"I have no more hope of influencing the King," said Camilla gravely. + +"Why? Have you already seen him?" + +The girl reflected. She had promised Athalaric not to allow his +disobedience to come to the ears of his physicians; and besides, it +went against her feelings to desecrate and betray their meeting. So she +avoided the question and said: + +"If the King refuses to obey his mother, the Queen-regent, he is not +likely to suffer himself to be controlled by a young girl." + +"What sweet simplicity!" laughed Cethegus. And he dropped the +conversation as long as the girl remained in the room. But afterwards, +in private, he forced from Rusticiana a promise to manage matters so +that her daughter in future might frequently see and speak to the King. +It was possible to do this, for Athalaric's health rapidly improved. He +became daily more manly and more decided. It seemed as if his +opposition to Cethegus strengthened him both bodily and mentally. + +In a very short time he again spent many hours of the day in the +extensive pleasure-grounds. It was here that his mother and the family +of Boethius frequently met him in the evening. + +And while Rusticiana appeared to receive the gracious courtesies of the +Queen with answering friendship, listening attentively to her +confidential remarks, in order afterwards to report them, word for +word, to the Prefect, the two young people walked before them through +the shady paths of the garden. Often this select company entered one of +the light gondolas in the little harbour, and Athalaric rowed them +himself over the blue sea to one of the small wooded isles which lay +not far away. On the return home, the purple sails were spread, and the +fresh breeze, which always arose at sunset, carried them gently and +idly back. Camilla and the King, accompanied by Daphnidion, frequently +enjoyed this trip over the waves alone. + +Amalaswintha naturally saw the danger of increasing by such freedom the +inclination of her son for Camilla, which had not escaped her notice; +but, above all other considerations, she was thankful for the +favourable influence which this companionship evidently exercised upon +her son. In Camilla's presence he was quieter and more cheerful; and at +the same time more gentle in his manner to herself, which had often +been abrupt and violent. He also controlled his feelings with a mastery +which was doubly surprising in such an irritable invalid. And, lastly, +the Queen-regent, supposing that his inclination should indeed ripen to +earnest love, would not be averse to an alliance which promised +completely to win the Roman aristocracy, and erase all memory of a +cruel deed. + +In Camilla a wonderful change was going forward. Day by day, as she +more and more clearly saw the noble tenderness, the gifted soul, and +the deep and poetical feelings of the young King develop, she felt her +hate melt away. With difficulty she recalled to her memory the fate of +her father, as an antidote to this sweet poison; she learnt better to +distinguish justly which of the Goths and Amelungs had contributed to +that fate, and, with growing certainty, she felt that it was unjust to +hate Athalaric for a misfortune which he had merely not opposed, and +indeed would hardly have been able to prevent. She would have liked, +long ago, to speak to him openly, but she mistrusted her own weakness; +she shunned it as a sin against father, fatherland, and her own +freedom; she trembled as she felt how indispensable this noble youth +had become to her, how much she thirsted to hear his melodious voice, +and look into his dark and thoughtful eyes. She feared this sinful +love--which she could now scarcely conceal from herself--and she would +not part with the only weapon that remained to her: the reproach of his +passive acquiescence in her father's death. + +So she fluctuated from feeling to feeling; all the more hesitatingly, +the more mysterious Athalaric's strange reserve became. After all that +had happened, she could not doubt that he loved her; and yet-- + +Not a syllable, not a look betrayed this love. The exclamation with +which he had left her at the Temple of Venus was the most important, +the only important speech that had escaped him. She could not suspect +what the youth had suffered before his love had become not +extinguished, but self-denying. And still less in what new feeling he +had found manly strength enough for such renunciation. + +Her mother, who watched Athalaric with all the keenness of hate, and, +in doing so, forgot to observe her own child, appeared even more +astonished at his coldness. + +"But patience," she said to Cethegus, with whom she often consulted +behind Camilla's back. "Patience! soon, in three days' time, you will +see him alter." + +"It is high time," answered Cethegus. "But upon what grounds do you +build?" + +"Upon a means which has never yet failed me." + +"You will not, surely, mix a love-philtre for him?" asked the Prefect, +smiling. + +"Certainly I shall. I have done so already." + +He looked at her mockingly. + +"And are you, then, so superstitious, you, the widow of the great +philosopher, Boethius? Upon my word, in love affairs all women are mad +alike!" + +"It is neither madness nor superstition," replied Rusticiana quietly. +"Our family has possessed this secret charm for more than a hundred +years. An Egyptian woman once gave it to one of my female ancestors on +the Nile, and it has always proved its power. No woman of my family has +ever loved without requital." + +"That required no magic," observed the Prefect. "You are a handsome +race." + +"Spare your sarcasm. The love-philtre is unfailing, and if it has not +yet taken effect----" + +"So you have really---- What imprudence! How could you, unobserved----" + +"Every evening, when he returns from a walk or a row with us, Athalaric +takes a cup of spiced Falernian. The physicians ordered it. There are +some drops of Arabian balsam in it. The cup always stands ready upon +the marble table in front of the temple. Three times I have succeeded +in pouring in my potion." + +"Well," observed Cethegus, "until now it has done no particular good." + +"That is only owing to my impatience. The herbs must be gathered during +the new moon. I knew it well enough; but, hurried by your insistence, I +tried it during the full moon, and, you see, it was not effectual." + +Cethegus shrugged his shoulders. + +"But yesterday," she went on, "it was new moon. I was not idle with my +golden scissors, and when he drinks now----" + +"A second Locusta! Well, _my_ comfort is Camilla's beautiful eyes! Does +she know of your arts?" + +"Not a word to her! She would never suffer it. Silence! She comes!" + +The girl entered in great excitement; her oval cheeks were red; a plait +of her hair had got loose, and floated over her lovely neck. + +"Tell me," she cried, "you who are wise and experienced, tell me what +to think! I come from the boat. Oh, he has never loved me, the haughty +man! He pities, he is sorry for me! No, that is not the right word. I +cannot explain it." And bursting into tears, she hid her face upon her +mother's neck. + +"What has happened, Camilla?" asked Cethegus. + +"Very often before," she began, with a heavy sigh, "an expression played +about his mouth, and filled his eyes, as if _he_ had been deeply +offended by _me_, as if _he_ had to forgive, as if _he_ had made a +great sacrifice for me----" + +"Raw boys always imagine it to be a sacrifice, when they are in love." + +At this Camilla's eyes flashed; she tossed her head, and turned quickly +upon Cethegus. + +"Athalaric is no boy, and no one shall laugh at him!" + +Cethegus was silent, and quietly dropped his eyelids; but Rusticiana +asked in surprise: + +"Do you hate the King no more?" + +"To the death! He shall be undone, but not mocked!" + +"What has happened?" repeated Cethegus. + +"To-day I again noticed that puzzling, proud, and cold expression upon +his face more distinctly than ever. A little incident occurred which +caused the King to speak more plainly. An insect--a beetle--had fallen +into the water. The King stooped and took it out, but the little +creature turned against the beneficent hand, and bit the fingers that +held it. 'The ungrateful thing!' I exclaimed. 'Oh,' said Athalaric, +with a bitter smile, 'we wound most those to whom we are most +indebted!' and he glanced at me with a sad and proud expression. But, +as if he had said too much, he briefly bid me farewell, and went +away; but I----" and her bosom heaved, her finely-cut lips were +compressed--"I can bear it no longer! The haughty one! He _shall_ love +me--or die!" + +"That shall he," said Cethegus inaudibly; "one or the other." + + + + CHAPTER XV. + +A few days later the court was surprised by a new step towards +independence on the part of the young King. He himself summoned a +council, a prerogative which, until now, had only been assumed by +Amalaswintha. + +The Queen-regent was not a little astonished when a messenger from her +son bade her repair to his apartments, where the King had already +assembled several of the highest officials of the realm, both Goths and +Romans. Amongst these last were Cassiodorus and Cethegus. + +At first the latter had intended to absent himself, in order not by his +presence to acknowledge the right which the youth had assumed; he +suspected nothing good. But just for this reason he altered his mind. + +"I must not turn my back upon danger, I must face it," he said as he +prepared for the distasteful assembly. + +He found all those who had been invited already collected in the King's +chamber. The Queen alone was still absent. When she at last entered, +Athalaric, who wore a long and wide purple robe, with the crown of +Theodoric shining upon his brow, and his sword at his side, rose from +his throne (behind which was a niche covered by a curtain), advanced to +the Queen and led her to a second and higher throne, which, however, +was placed on the left. So soon as she was seated he began: + +"My royal mother, brave Goths, noble Romans! We have assembled you here +to make known to you our will. Dangers threatened this kingdom which +only we, its King, could avert." + +Such a speech had never yet been heard from his lips. All were silent +and confounded; Cethegus from prudence; he waited for the proper +moment. At last Cassiodorus began: + +"Your wise mother and your faithful servant Cassiodorus----" + +"My faithful servant Cassiodorus will be silent until his lord and King +asks his advice. We are discontented, highly discontented, with that +which the advisers of our mother have, until now, done and left undone. +It is high time that we ourselves should look to the right. Until now +we were too young and too ailing. We feel so no more. We announce to +you that we accordingly annul the regency, and take the reins of +government into our own hands." + +He ceased. Every one remained silent. None wished, like Cassiodorus, to +speak and be rebuked. + +At length Amalaswintha, who was quite stunned by the sudden energy +displayed by her son, again found her tongue: + +"My son, the age of minority is, according to the laws of the +Emperor----" + +"The Romans, mother, may abide by the Emperor's laws. We are Goths and +live under Gothic law. German youths are of age when the assembled army +has declared them capable of bearing arms. We have therefore determined +to invite all the generals, counts, and freemen of our realm, as many +as will obey our call, from all the provinces of the kingdom, to a +review of the army at Ravenna. They will arrive at the next solstitial +feast." + +All were mute with surprise. + +"That will be in fourteen days," said Cassiodorus at last. "Will it be +possible to issue summonses in so short a time?" + +"They are issued. Hildebrand, my old master-at-arms, and Earl Witichis +have thought of everything." + +"Who has signed the summonses!" asked Amalaswintha, taking courage. + +"I alone, dear mother. It was necessary to show those invited that I +was old enough to act alone." + +"And without my knowledge!" cried the Queen-regent. + +"It was done without your knowledge, because otherwise it must have +been done against your will." + +He ceased. All the Romans were confounded by the suddenly developed +energy of the young King. Only Cethegus was at once resolved to prevent +the review at any price. He saw the foundations of all his plans +tottering. Gladly would he have come to the help of the regency, which +was thus sinking before his very eyes, with all the weight of his +oratory; he would have long since gladly crushed the bold efforts of +the youth with his calm superiority, but a strange circumstance held +his thoughts and tongue enchained as if in magic bonds. + +He fancied he heard a noise behind the curtain, and fixed a keen look +upon it. He soon remarked beneath it, for the fringes did not quite +reach the ground, the feet of a man. But only as far up as the ankles. + +Upon these ankles, however, were steel greaves of peculiar +construction. He knew these greaves; he knew that they belonged to a +full suit of armour of the same make; he knew also, by an instinctive +connection of ideas, that the wearer of this armour was hateful and +dangerous to him. But still it was impossible for him to say who this +enemy was. If he could only have seen the greaves as far up as the +knee! + +His eyes wandered again and again to the same spot. Against his will +his mind was occupied in guessing. And this circumstance kept his +attention fixed, at a moment when everything was at stake. He was angry +with himself, but he could not tear his thoughts and looks away from +the niche. + +Meanwhile the King continued without contradiction: "Further, we have +recalled the noble Dukes Thulun, Ibba and Pitza, who have left our +court in ill-will, from Gaul and Spain. We find that too many Romans +and too few Goths surround us. These three brave warriors, together +with Earl Witichis, will examine the defences of our kingdom, the +fortresses and ships, and will discover and remedy all deficiencies. We +expect them to arrive shortly." + +"They must at once leave the place again," said Cethegus to himself; +but his thoughts repeated, "not without reason is that man concealed +behind the curtain." + +"Further," resumed Athalaric, "we have ordered Mataswintha, our +beautiful sister, to return to court. She was banished to Tarento +because she refused to become the wife of an aged Roman. She shall +return, the loveliest flower of our realm and an ornament to our +court." + +"Impossible!" cried Amalaswintha; "you attack the rights, not only of +the Queen, but of the mother." + +"I am the head of the family as soon as I am of age." + +"My son, you know how feeble you were only a few weeks ago. Do you +really believe that the Gothic warriors will declare you capable of +bearing arms?" + +The King became as scarlet as his royal purple, partly from shame, +partly from anger. Before he could find an answer, a rough voice at his +side exclaimed: + +"Be not troubled about that, your Majesty! I have been his master," +continued the speaker, turning to the assembly: "I tell you that he can +measure his strength against any foe; and whom old Hildebrand declares +capable of bearing arms is considered so by all the Goths." + +Loud applause from all the Goths present confirmed this assertion. +Again Cethegus would have put in his word, but a movement behind the +curtain drew his attention away. "It is one of my greatest enemies, but +who?" he thought. + +"There is yet an important matter to make known to you," again began +the King with a hasty glance at the niche, which did not escape +Cethegus. + +"Perhaps an accusation against me," thought the latter; "they want to +take me by surprise? They shall not succeed!" + +But it surprised him, after all, when the King suddenly called in a +loud voice: + +"Prefect of Rome! Cethegus Caesarius!" + +Cethegus started; but, quickly recovering himself, bent his head and +answered: "My Lord and King!" + +"Have you nothing to announce from Rome? What is the feeling of the +Quirites? What do people think of the Goths?" + +"They are honoured as the people of Theodoric." + +"Are they feared?" + +"There is no cause to fear them." + +"Are they loved?" + +Gladly would the Prefect have replied, "There is no cause to love +them;" but the King himself continued: + +"So there is no trace of discontent? No cause for uneasiness? Nothing +particular in preparation?" + +"I have nothing to communicate." + +"Then you are badly informed, Prefect of Rome, or badly disposed! What? +must I--who have scarcely risen from my sick-bed here at Ravenna--tell +you what happens in Rome under your very eyes? The workmen on your +bulwarks sing satirical songs against the Goths, against the Queen, +against me. Your legions use threatening words while practising the use +of their arms. Most probably there exists already a widespread +conspiracy, with senators and priests at its head. They assemble by +night in secret places. An accomplice of Boethius, a banished man, +Albinus, has been seen in Rome, and do you know where? In the garden of +your house." + +All eyes--either in astonishment, rage, or fear--were fixed upon +Cethegus. Amalaswintha trembled for the object of her trust. But he was +now quite himself again. Quiet, cool, and silent, he looked full at the +King. + +"Justify yourself!" exclaimed the King. + +"Justify myself? Against a shadow, a report? Against an accusation +without accusers? Never!" + +"We shall know how to force you." + +The Prefect's thin lips curled with contempt. + +"I may be murdered upon mere suspicion, without doubt--we Italians have +experienced such a thing--but not condemned. There can be no +justification opposed to force." + +"Justice shall be done, doubt it not. We charge all Romans present with +the examination, and leave the sentence to the Roman Senate. Choose a +defender." + +"I defend myself," said Cethegus coolly. "What is the accusation? Who +is my accuser? Where is he?" + +"Here!" cried the King, and threw back the curtain. + +A Gothic warrior, in a full suit of black armour, stepped forth. We +already know him. It was Teja. + +The Prefect turned away his eyes in deadly hatred. + +Teja spoke. + +"I, Teja, son of Tagila, accuse thee, Cethegus Caesarius, of treason +against the Goths. I accuse thee of having hidden the banished traitor, +Albinus, in thy house in Rome. Death is the penalty. And, besides this, +thou art plotting to subject this country to the Emperor of Byzantium." + +"That least of all," said Cethegus coolly, "Prove your accusation." + +"I saw Albinus, with my own eyes, entering thy garden fourteen days +ago," continued Teja, turning to the assembly. "He came from the Via +Sacra, enveloped in a mantle, a wide-brimmed hat upon his head. I had +seen him on two former occasions; this time I recognised him. As I went +towards him, he disappeared through a door, which closed behind him." + +"Since when does my colleague, the brave Commandant of Rome, play the +nightly spy?" + +"Since he had a Cethegus at his side," retorted Teja. "But as the +fugitive escaped, this roll fell from his mantle. It contains the names +of distinguished Romans, and opposite to each name notices in an +unknown cipher. Here is the roll." + +He gave it to the King, who read: + +"The names are Silverius, Cethegus, Licinius, Scaevola, Calpurnius, +Pomponius. Canst thou swear, Teja, that the disguised man was Albinus?" + +"I will swear it." + +"Prefect of Rome, Earl Teja is a free, unblemished, honourable man. Can +you deny it?" + +"I deny it. He is not unblemished. His parents lived in an illegal, +incestuous marriage; they were sister's children. The Church has cursed +their connection and its fruit. He is a bastard, and can not bear +witness against a noble Roman of senatorial rank." + +A murmur of anger burst from all the Goths present. Teja's pale face +became still paler. He grasped his sword. + +"Then I will defend my word with my sword," he said, in a voice stifled +by rage. "I challenge thee to mortal combat! God shall judge between +us!" + +"I am a Roman, and do not act according to your barbaric customs. But +even if I were a Goth, I would refuse to fight a bastard!" + +"Patience," said Teja, and quietly returned his sword to its sheath. +"Patience, my sword; thy day will come!" + +The Romans in the room breathed again. + +The King resumed: + +"However that may be, the accusation is sufficiently well founded to +justify the arrest of the said Roman. You, Cassiodorus, will decipher +the secret writing. You, Earl Witichis, will hasten to Rome and make +sure of the five suspected men; search their houses, and that of the +Prefect. Hildebrand, arrest the accused, and take his sword." + +"Hold!" said Cethegus. "I will guarantee not to leave Ravenna until +this question be settled, with the forfeiture of all my property. I +demand an examination upon a free footing; such is the right of a +senator." + +"Trouble not thyself about that, my son," cried old Hildebrand to the +King. "Let me arrest him!" + +"Let him alone," answered the King. "He shall have strict justice. +Leave him. The accusation has taken him by surprise. He shall have time +to prepare his defence. To-morrow at this hour we will meet here again. +I dissolve the assembly." + +He made a sign with his sceptre. Amalaswintha hurried away in the +greatest excitement. + +The Goths surrounded Teja, greatly pleased; but the Romans passed +quickly by Cethegus, avoiding any speech with him. + +Cassiodorus alone stepped firmly up to him, laid his hand upon his +shoulder, looking searchingly into his eyes, and then asked: + +"Cethegus, can I help you?" + +"No; I will help myself," answered Cethegus, shaking him off, and went +out alone with a proud step. + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + +The heavy blow which the young King had so unexpectedly aimed at the +whole system of the Regency soon filled the palace and the city with +astonishment, fright, or joy. Cassiodorus took the first decided news +to the family of Boethius, at the same time sending Rusticiana to +comfort the agitated Queen. + +Overwhelmed with questions, he circumstantially related the whole +proceeding; and disturbed and indignant though he was, his admiration +of the decision and courage of the young King shone unmistakably +through his unfriendly report. + +Camilla listened with eagerness to every word; pride in the +beloved--love's happiest feeling--filled her whole soul. + +"There is no doubt," concluded Cassiodorus, sighing, "that Athalaric is +our most decided adversary. He sticks to the Gothic party--to +Hildebrand and his friends. He will undo the Prefect. Who would have +believed it? I cannot help remembering, Rusticiana, how differently he +conducted himself with regard to the process against your husband." + +Camilla listened attentively. + +"At that time we were convinced that he would be the most ardent +friend, the most zealous advocate of the Romans." + +"I know nothing of it," said Rusticiana. + +"It was hushed up. The sentence of death had been pronounced upon +Boethius and his sons. In vain had we all, Amalaswintha foremost, +appealed to the clemency of the King: his ire was unappeasable. As I +again and again besieged him with petitions, he started up in anger and +swore by his crown, that he who again dared to petition for the +traitors, should repent it in the deepest dungeon of the palace. At +that we were all dumb, except one. Athalaric, the boy, would not be +repulsed; he wept and prayed, and clung to his grandfather's knees." + +Camilla trembled and held her breath. + +"And he did not desist," Cassiodorus went on, "until Theodoric, starting +up in a rage, pushed him violently away, and delivered him to the +guards. The King kept his oath. Athalaric was led into the castle +dungeon, and Boethius was at once executed." + +Camilla tottered, felt herself sinking, and caught at a slender pillar +near which she was standing. + +"But Athalaric had not spoken and suffered in vain," continued +Cassiodorus. "The next evening, while at table, the King sorely missed +his darling. He remembered with what noble courage the youth had begged +for his friend's life, when all men were dumb with fear. At last he +rose from his repast, at which he had sat reflecting for some time, and +descended in person to the prison, opened the doors, embraced his +grandson, and granted his petition to spare the lives of your sons, +Rusticiana." + +"Away! away to him!" exclaimed Camilla, and hurried, unnoticed, out of +the hall. + +"At that time," concluded Cassiodorus, "Romans and their friends +believed that in the young King they had found their best support; and +now--my unfortunate mistress, unhappy mother!" and with this lament +upon his lips, he departed. + +Rusticiana sat for some time as if stunned. She saw the foundations, +upon which she had built her plans of revenge, totter; she sank into a +moody reverie. + +Longer and longer stretched the shadows of the towers across the court +of the palace, into which she was gazing. All at once she was roused by +the firm footsteps of a man; Cethegus stood before her. His countenance +was cold and dark, but icily calm. + +"Cethegus!" cried the distressed woman, hurrying towards him; and would +have taken his hand, but his coldness repulsed her. + +"All is lost!" she sighed, stopping short. + +"Nothing is lost. Calmness is all that is wanting--and promptness," he +added, looking round the room. + +When he saw that he was alone with her, he put his hand into the folds +of his toga. + +"Your love-philtre has done no good, Rusticiana. Here is another; more +potent. Take it," and he thrust into her hand a small phial made of +dark-coloured lava-stone. + +She looked into his face with anxious suspicion. + +"Do you all at once believe in magic and charms? Who has mixed it?" + +"I," he answered, "and _my_ potions work." + +"You!" a cold shudder ran through her frame. + +"Ask no questions, do not delay," he commanded. "It must be done this +day! Do you hear? This very day!" + +But Rusticiana still hesitated, and looked doubtfully at the bottle in +her hand. + +Then Cethegus went close to her and lightly touched her shoulder. + +"You hesitate?" he said slowly. "Do you know what is at stake? Not only +our whole plan! No, blind mother. Still more. Camilla _loves_, loves +the King; with all the power of her young soul. Shall the daughter of +Boethius become the paramour of the tyrant?" + +With a loud cry Rusticiana started back. That which, during the last +few days, had crossed her mind with a terrible suspicion, now became a +certainty; she cast one glance at the man who had spoken the cruel +word, and hurried away, angrily grasping the phial. + +Cethegus looked quietly after her. + +"Now, young Prince, we shall see! You were quick, I am quicker. It is +strange," he added, "I have long thought that I was incapable of such +violent emotion. Life has again a charm. I can again strive, hope, and +fear. Even hate. Yes, I hate this boy, who dares to meddle in +my affairs with his childish hand. He would defy me--hinder my +progress--he boldly crosses my path--he! Well, let him bear the +consequences!" And he slowly left the chamber, and turned towards the +audience-room of the Queen, where he intentionally showed himself to +the assembled crowd, and, by his calmness, gave some degree of +confidence to the troubled hearts of the Roman courtiers. + +At sunset he went with Cassiodorus and a few other Romans--consulting +about his defence for the next day--into the gardens, where he looked +about in vain for Camilla. + +She, as soon as she had heard the end of Cassiodorus' report, had +hurried to the court of the palace, where she hoped to find the King at +the exercise of arms with the other young Goths. She only wished to see +him, not yet to speak to him and beg pardon at his feet for the great +wrong she had done him. + +She had abhorred him, repulsed him, hated him as spotted with the blood +of her father--him, who had suffered for her father's sake, who had +saved her brothers' lives! + +But she did not find the King in the court. The important events of the +day kept him confined to his study. His comrades also did not fence +to-day. Standing in thick groups, they loudly praised the courage of +their young King. Camilla heard this praise with delight. Blushing with +pride, she wandered in happy dreams about the garden, seeking the +traces of her lover in all her favourite haunts. + +Yes, she loved him! Joyfully and proudly she confessed it to herself; +he had a thousand times deserved it. What matter that he was a Goth, a +barbarian! He was a noble, generous youth, the King of her soul! + +She repeatedly told the slave who accompanied her to keep at a +distance, so that she might not hear how she again and again murmured +the beloved name. + +At last she arrived at the Temple of Venus, and sank into sweet dreams +of the future, which lay indistinct, but golden-hued, before her. She +first of all resolved to declare to her mother and the Prefect that +they must no more reckon upon her assistance in any plot against the +King. Then she would ask pardon for her fault with moving words, and +then--then? + +She did not know what would happen then; but she blushed in the midst +of her sweet reverie. + +Red and perfumed almond-blossoms fell from the bending trees; in the +thick oleander near her sang a nightingale; the clear stream glided +purling past her to the blue sea, and the waves of this sea rolled +softly to her feet, as if doing homage to her love. + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + +The sound of approaching footsteps upon the sandy path startled her +from her reverie. The step was so rapid and firm, that she did not +expect Athalaric. But he it was, changed in appearance and carriage; +more manly, stronger, more decided. + +"Welcome, welcome, Camilla!" he cried, in a loud and lively voice. "To +see you here is the best reward for this troublous day." + +He had never spoken to her so before. + +"My King!" she whispered, blushing. She cast a beaming look upon him +from her dark eyes, then the long and silky lashes fell. + +"My King!" She had never before called him so, never given him such a +look. + +"Your King!" he said, seating himself beside her. "I fear you will call +me so no longer, when you learn what has happened to-day." + +"I know all." + +"You know! Well then, Camilla, be just. Do not scold, I am no +tyrant----" + +"The noble youth!" she thought. "He excuses himself for his most manly +act." + +"Heaven knows that I do not hate the Romans. Are they not your people? +I honour them and their ancient greatness; I respect their rights; but +I must firmly protect my kingdom, Theodoric's creation, and woe to the +hand that threatens it! Perhaps," he continued, more slowly and +solemnly, "perhaps its doom is already written in the stars. 'Tis all +the same. I, its King, must with it stand or fall." + +"You say truly, Athalaric, and speak like a King!" + +"Thanks, Camilla; how just and good you are today! To such goodness I +may well confide what blessing, what healing has come to me. I was a +sick and erring dreamer, without support, without joy, gladly sinking +to the grave. Then there suddenly came over me a feeling of the danger +which threatened this nation, an active anxiety for the welfare of my +people, and out of this anxiety grew a warm and mighty love for my +Goths; and this ardent and watchful love has strengthened and comforted +my heart for .... a bitterly painful renunciation. What matters _my_ +happiness, if only my people flourish! See, this thought has made me +whole and strong, and truly, I could now venture upon the most daring +deed!" + +He sprang up and extended both his arms, exclaiming: "Oh, Camilla! this +inaction destroys me! Oh that I were mounted and meeting a full-armed +foe! Look," he added, more calmly, "the sun is setting. The mirror-like +flood invites us. Come, Camilla, come with me in the boat." + +Camilla hesitated. She looked around. + +"The slave?" asked Athalaric. "Ah, let her alone. There she reposes +under the palm by the spring. She sleeps. Come, come quickly, ere the +sun sets. Look at the golden ripple on the water--it beckons us!" + +"To the Isles of the Blessed?" asked the lovely girl, with a shy look +and a slight blush. + +"Yes, come to the Blessed Isles!" he answered, delighted, lifted her +quickly into the boat, loosed the silver chain from the ram's head upon +the quay, sprang in, took the ornamental oar, and pushed off. + +Then he laid the oar into the notch at his left hand, and, standing in +the stern of the boat, steered and rowed at the same time--a graceful +and picturesque movement, and a right Germanic ferryman's custom. + +Camilla sat upon a _diphros_, or Grecian folding-stool, in the bow of +the boat, and looked into Athalaric's noble face. His dark hair was +ruffled by the breeze, and it was pleasant to watch the lithe and +graceful motions of his agile form. + +Both were silent. Like an arrow the light bark shot through the smooth +water. Flecked and rosy cloudlets passed slowly across the sky, the +faint breeze was laden with clouds of perfume from the blossoming +almond-trees upon the shore, and all around was peace and harmony. + +At last the King broke the silence, while giving the boat a strong +impulse, so that it obediently shot forwards. + +"Do you know of what I am thinking? How splendid it would be to steer a +nation--thousands of well-loved lives--securely forward through waves +and wind, to happiness and glory! But what were you thinking about, +Camilla? You looked so kind, you must have had pleasant thoughts." + +She blushed and looked aside into the water. + +"Oh, speak! Be frank in this happy hour." + +"I was thinking," she said, her pretty head still averted, "how +delightful it must be to be steered through the heaving flood of life +by a faithful and beloved hand, to whose guidance one could implicitly +trust." + +"Oh, Camilla, even a barbarian may be trusted--" + +"You are no barbarian! Whoever feels so tenderly, thinks so nobly, so +generously controls himself, and rewards great ingratitude with +kindness, is no barbarian! He is as noble a man as ever Scipio was." + +The King ceased to row in his delight; the boat remained motionless. + +"Camilla, am I dreaming? Did _you_ say that? and to me V 9 + +"More still, Athalaric! I beseech you to forgive that I have repulsed +you so cruelly. Ah! it was from shame and fear." + +"Camilla, pearl of my soul----" + +Camilla, who had her face turned towards the shore, suddenly cried out: + +"What is that? They follow us. The court! the women! my mother!" + +It was so. Rusticiana, aroused by the Prefect's terrible warning, had +sought for her daughter in the garden. She could not find her. She +hurried to the Temple of Venus. In vain. Looking around, she suddenly +caught sight of the two--her child, alone with Athalaric--in the boat, +far out upon the sea. + +Greatly angered, she rushed to the marble table, where the slaves +were just preparing the King's evening draught, sent them down the +steps to unloose the gondola, won in this way an unobserved moment +near the table, and directly afterwards descended the steps with +Daphnidion--whom her angry cry had awakened--to the boat. + +At this moment the Prefect and his friends, whose walk had also led +them to this place, approached from a thick taxus-path. Cethegus +followed Rusticiana down the steps and gave her his hand to help her +into the gondola. + +"It is done!" she whispered to him, and the boat pushed off. + +It was just then that the young pair became aware of the movement upon +the beach. Camilla stood up; perhaps she suspected that the King would +turn the boat, but he cried: + +"No; they shall not rob me of this hour, the happiest of my life! I +must sip still more of these sweet words. Oh, Camilla, you must tell me +more; you must tell me all! Come, we will land upon that island, they +may reach us there." + +And rowing rapidly, he pressed with all his might upon the oar, so that +the boat flew forward as if winged. + +"Will you not speak again?" + +"Oh! my friend, my King--do not press me." + +He only looked into her lovely face, into her beaming eyes; he paid no +more attention to his goal. + +"Well, wait--there upon the island; there you shall----" + +A renewed and passionate effort, when all at once a dull crash was +heard; the boat had struck, and drove, shaking violently, backwards. + +"Oh, Heaven!" cried Camilla, springing up and looking towards the bow +of the boat. A whole volume of water came foaming towards her. "The +boat has burst! we sink!" she cried, turning pale. + +"Come here to me; let me see!" cried Athalaric, starting up. "Ah! it is +the 'Needles of the Amphitrites!' We are lost!" + +The "Needles of the Amphitrites"--we know that they could scarcely be +seen from the terrace of the temple--were two narrow, sharp-pointed +rocks, lying between the shore and the nearest lagoon island. They +scarcely rose above the level of the water; with the slightest wind, +the waves washed quite over them. + +Athalaric knew the danger of the place, and had always easily avoided +it; but this time he had only looked into Camilla's eyes. + +At one glance he saw their fearful position. + +They could not be saved. + +A plank in the bottom of the slightly-made boat had sprung; the water +rushed rapidly through the leak. The boat sank deeper and deeper every +moment. + +He could not hope, with Camilla, to gain the nearest island or the +shore by swimming. On the narrow point of the rock scarcely the feet of +a sea-eagle could have found a moment's resting-place, and Rusticiana's +gondola had only just pushed off from the land. + +All this he had seen with lightning-like rapidity, and he cast a +horrified look at Camilla. + +"Beloved, thou must die!" he cried despairingly. "And through me!" He +embraced her passionately. + +"Die?" she cried. "Oh no! not so young--not now! Let me live--live with +thee!" And she clung closely to his arm. + +The tone, the words, cut him to the heart. He tore himself loose; he +looked about for rescue. In vain; in vain. The water rose higher and +higher; the boat sank more and more rapidly. He threw the oar away. + +"It is over--all is over, beloved! Let us take leave!" + +"No; we part no more! If we must die--oh! then, away with all the +restraints which bind the living!" And, glowing all over, she nestled +to his breast. "Oh! let me tell thee, let me confess to thee how much I +love thee; how long ago--since--since first I knew thee! All my hate +was only bashful love. Oh, God! I loved thee already when I thought I +ought to abhor thee! Yes, thou shalt know how I love thee!" And she +covered his eyes and mouth with hasty kisses. "Oh! now I will gladly +die. Rather die with thee than live without thee! But no"--and she +suddenly pushed him away--"thou shalt not die! Leave me here; go! +swim--you can easily reach the island alone. Try; and leave me." + +"No," he cried, in an ecstasy of joy; "rather die with thee than live +without thee! After such painful doubt, at length joyous certainty! +From this hour we belong to each other for ever. Come, Camilla, +beloved, let us die together!" + +A shudder of horror and delight, of love and death, shook their frames. +He drew her to him, embraced her with his left arm, and lifted her upon +the steer-board of the boat, which scarcely rose a hand's-breadth above +the water. Already he prepared for the fatal leap--when suddenly they +both uttered a joyful cry. + +Round a precipitous promontory which stretched far out into the sea, at +a short distance, they saw a ship coming at full speed. + +The crew had heard their cry, and, at all events, saw their danger; +perhaps had even recognised the person of the King. Forty oars, plunged +into the water at the same moment by the rowers on the double deck, +gave impetus to the course of the swift vessel, which rustled before +the wind with swelling sails. + +Those who crowded the deck shouted to them to stand firm; and +presently--it was high time--the prow of the bireme lay close over the +little boat, which sank immediately after the endangered pair had been +taken on board the ship through the opening of the lower deck. + +It was a small Gothic guardship. The golden rampant lion, the arms of +the Amelungs, shone upon the blue flag. Aligern, a cousin of Teja, +commanded it. + +"Thanks, brave friends!" said Athalaric, as soon as he could find +words. "Thanks! you have not only saved your King, but also your +Queen!" + +Much astonished, soldiers and sailors surrounded the happy man, who +held the weeping Camilla in his arms. + +"Hail to our young and beautiful Queen!" cried the red-haired Aligern; +and the crew shouted enthusiastically, "Hail! hail to our Queen!" + +At this moment the sailing-vessel rustled past Rusticiana's gondola. +The sound of this joyous shout aroused the unhappy woman from the +stupor of horror into which she had fallen when her two startled +oarsmen had discovered the danger of the young couple in the sinking +boat, and had at once declared that it was impossible to save them. + +On hearing this, she had sunk senseless into Daphnidion's arms. Now she +came to herself, and cast a confused glance around her. She was amazed. +Was it a dream that she saw, or was it really her daughter who stood on +the deck of the Gothic ship, which proudly rustled past, lying on the +young King's breast? And did really joyous voices cry, "Hail, Camilla, +our Queen?" She stared at the passing vision, speechless and +confounded. + +But the swiftly-flying ship had already passed her boat and drew near +the land. It anchored outside the shallow garden-bay; a boat was +lowered, the rescued couple, Aligern, and three sailors sprang into it, +and soon they climbed the steps of the quay, where, besides Cethegus +and his companions, a crowd of people had collected, who, from the +palace or the gardens, had with horror become aware of the danger of +the little boat, and now hurried to greet the rescued King. + +Accompanied by felicitations and blessings, Athalaric mounted the +steps. + +"Behold!" he said, on arriving at the temple, "behold, Goths and +Romans! behold your Queen, my bride! The God of Death has united us. Is +it not so, Camilla?" + +She looked up at him, but was terribly startled. The excitement +and the sudden change from horror to joy had fearfully shaken the +scarcely-recovered King. His countenance was pale as marble; he +tottered and convulsively pressed his hand to his breast, as though +suffocating. + +"For God's sake!" cried Camilla, fearing an attack of his old malady. +"The King is unwell! Quick with the wine, the medicine!" + +She flew to the table, caught up the silver cup which stood ready, and +pressed it into the King's hand. + +Cethegus stood close by, and followed Athalaric's every movement with +eagerness. The latter had already lifted the cup to his lips, but +suddenly removed it, and said, smiling, to Camilla: + +"Thou must drink to me, as becomes a Gothic Queen at her court." + +And he gave her the goblet. She took it out of his hand. + +For a moment the Prefect felt as if on fire. + +He was upon the point of darting forward to dash the cup from her hand. +But he controlled himself. If he did so, he was irrevocably lost. Not +only tomorrow, as guilty of high treason, but at once arrested and +accused of poisoning. And with him would be lost the future of Rome and +all his ideal world. And for whom? For a love-sick girl, who had +faithlessly revolted to his deadly enemy. + +"No," he said coldly to himself, clenching his fist; "she or +Rome--therefore she!" + +And he quietly looked on while the girl, sweetly blushing, sipped +somewhat of the wine, which the King then drank to the last dregs. + +Athalaric shuddered as he replaced the cup upon the marble table. + +"Come up to the palace," he said, shivering, and threw his mantle +across his shoulders; "I feel cold." + +And he turned away. In doing so he caught sight of Cethegus, stood +still for a moment, and looked penetratingly into the Prefect's eyes. + +"You here?" he said gloomily, and advanced a step towards him. All at +once he shuddered again, and, with a sudden cry, fell prone near the +spring. + +"Athalaric!" cried Camilla, and threw herself upon him. The old servant +Corbulo sprang to her from the group of domestics. + +"Help!" he cried; "she is dying--the King!" + +"Water, quick! water!" called Cethegus, and he resolutely went to the +table, took the silver cup, stooped, rinsed it quickly but thoroughly +in the spring, and then bent over the King, who lay in Cassiodorus' +arms, while Corbulo laid Camilla's head upon his knee. + +Helpless and horrified, the courtiers surrounded the two apparently +lifeless forms. + +"What has happened? My child!" With this cry Rusticiana, who had just +landed, rushed to her daughter's side. "Camilla!" she screamed +desperately, "what ails you?" + +"Nothing," said Cethegus quietly, examining the two bodies. "It is only +a fainting-fit. But his heart-disease has carried off the young King! +He is dead!" + + + + + BOOK II. + AMALASWINTHA. + +"Amalaswintha did not despair like a woman, but vigorously defended her +royalty."--_Procopius: Wars of the Goths_, i. 2. + + + + CHAPTER I. + +Athalaric's sudden death fell like lightning from a clear sky upon the +Gothic party, whose hopes, just at this very time, had been raised to +such a high pitch. All the measures which the King had taken at their +suggestion were paralysed, and the national party was left without a +representative in the State; at the head of which the Queen-regent was +now placed alone. + +Early in the morning of the next day Cassiodorus went to the Prefect of +Rome. He found him in a sound and tranquil sleep. + +"And you can sleep as quietly as a child after such a blow?" + +"I sleep," answered Cethegus, raising himself on his elbow, "in the +feeling of renewed security." + +"Security! yes, for you; but the kingdom!" + +"The kingdom was in more danger through this boy than I. Where is the +Queen?" + +"She sits speechless beside the open coffin of her son! She has sat +there the whole night." + +Cethegus sprang up. + +"That must not be! It does no good. She belongs to the State, not to +this corpse. So much the less because I have heard whispers concerning +poison. The young tyrant had many enemies. How about that matter?" + +"Very uncertain. The Grecian physician, Elpidios, who examined the +corpse, certainly speaks of some striking appearances. But he thinks +that if poison has been used it must be a very secret one, quite +unknown to him. In the cup from which the unfortunate boy drank there +could not be discovered the least trace of suspicious contents. So it +is generally believed that excitement had again brought on his former +malady, and that this was the cause of his death. But still it is well +that, since the moment of your leaving the assembly, _you_ were always +in the presence of witnesses; grief breeds suspicion." + +"How is it with Camilla?" the Prefect inquired further. + +"She has never yet awakened from her stupor; the physicians fear the +worst. But I came to ask you what shall now be done? The Queen speaks +of suppressing the examination concerning you." + +"That must not be," cried Cethegus. "I demand an investigation. We will +go to her immediately." + +"Will you intrude upon her at the coffin of her son?" + +"Yes, I will. Do you shrink from it in your tender consideration? Well +then, come afterwards, when I have broken the ice." + +He dismissed his visitor and called his slaves to dress him. Shortly +afterwards, enveloped in a dark mourning garment, he descended to the +vault where the corpse lay exposed. With an imperious gesture he +motioned aside the guard and the women of Amalaswintha, who kept watch +at the door, and entered noiselessly. + +It was the low vaulted hall, where, in former times, the corpses of the +emperors had been prepared with salves and combustibles for the funeral +pyre. + +This quiet hall, flagged with dark-green serpentine, the roof of which +was supported by short Doric columns of black marble, was never +illumined by a ray of sunshine, and at the present moment no other +light fell upon the gloomy Byzantine mosaics on the gold ground of the +walls than that from four torches, which flickered with an uncertain +light near the stone sarcophagus of the young King. + +There he lay upon a dark purple mantle; helm, sword, and shield at his +head. + +Old Hildebrand had wound a wreath of oak-leaves amidst the dark locks. +The noble features reposed in pallid and earnest beauty. + +At his feet, clad in a long mourning veil, sat the tall form of the +Queen, supporting her head upon her left arm, which was laid upon the +sarcophagus. Her right hand hung languidly down. She could weep no +more. + +The crackling of the burning torches was the only sound in this +stillness of the grave. + +Cethegus entered noiselessly, not unmoved by the poetry of the scene. + +But, contracting his brows, he smothered the passing feeling of +compassion. He knew that it was necessary to be clear and composed. + +He gently drew near and took Amalaswintha's relaxed hand. + +"Rise, noble lady, you belong to the living, not to the dead." + +She looked up, startled. + +"You here, Cethegus? What seek you here?" + +"A Queen!" + +"Oh, you only find a weeping mother!" she cried, sobbing. + +"That I cannot believe. The kingdom is in danger, and Amalaswintha will +show that even a woman can sacrifice her sorrow to the fatherland." + +"She can!" replied the Queen, rising. "But look at him. How young! how +beautiful! How could Heaven be so cruel!" + +"Now, or never!" thought Cethegus, and said aloud: "Heaven is just, +severe; not cruel." + +"Of what do you speak? What wrong has my noble son committed? Do you +dare to accuse him?" + +"Not I! But a portion of Holy Writ has been fulfilled upon him: 'Honour +thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the land!' The +commandment is also a threat. Yesterday he sinned against his mother +and dishonoured her by bold rebellion--to-day he lies here. Therein I +see the finger of God." + +Amalaswintha covered her face. She had heartily forgiven her son while +watching beside his coffin. But still this view, these words, +powerfully affected her, and drew her attention away from her grief to +the well-loved habit of government. + +"You wish, O Queen, to suppress my examination, and recall Witichis. +Witichis may be recalled. But I demand, as my right, that the +prosecution be continued, and I fully expect a solemn acquittal." + +"I have never doubted your fidelity. Woe to me, should I be obliged to +do so! Tell me that you know of no conspiracy, and all is ended." + +She seemed to expect his asseveration, + +Cethegus was silent for a short time. Then he quietly said: + +"Queen, I know of a conspiracy." + +"What say you?" cried the Queen, looking at him threateningly. + +"I have chosen this hour and place," continued Cethegus, with a glance +at the corpse, "to put a seal to my devotion, so that it may be +indelibly impressed upon your heart. Hear and judge me." + +"What shall I hear?" said the Queen, now upon her guard, and firmly +resolved to allow herself to be neither deceived nor softened. + +"I should be a bad Roman, Queen, and you would despise me, if I did not +love my nation above all things. That proud nation, which even you, a +stranger, love! I know--as you know--that hatred against you as +heretics and barbarians still smoulders in the hearts of most Italians. +The last harsh deeds of your father have fanned this feeling into a +flame. I suspected a conspiracy. I sought and discovered it." + +"And concealed it?" said the Queen, rising in anger. + +"And concealed it. Until to-day. The blind fools would have sought +assistance from the Greeks, and, after destroying the Goths, subjected +themselves to the Emperor." + +"The vile traitors!" cried Amalaswintha. + +"The fools! They had already gone so far, that only _one_ means was +left by which to keep them back: I placed myself at their head." + +"Cethegus!" + +"In this manner I gained time, and was able to prevent noble, though +blind men, from rushing to destruction. I opened their eyes by degrees, +and showed them that their plan, if it succeeded, would have only +exchanged a mild government for a despotic one. They acknowledged it; +they obeyed me; and no Byzantine will ever touch Italian soil, until I +call him, I--or you." + +"I! Do you rave?" + +"Sophocles, your favourite, says, 'Forswear nothing.' Be warned, Queen, +for you do not see the pressing danger. Another conspiracy, much more +dangerous than that of these Roman enthusiasts, and close to you, +threatens you, your kingdom, and the Amelungs' right of sovereignty--a +conspiracy of the Goths!" + +Amalaswintha turned pale. + +"You have seen yesterday, to your sorrow, that your hand can no more +guide the rudder of this realm. Just as little as could that of your +noble son, who was but the tool of your enemies. You know, Queen, that +many of your nation are bloodthirsty, barbarous, rapacious, and brutal; +they would like to levy contributions upon this land, where Virgil and +Tullius wandered. Yon know that your insolent nobles hate the +superiority of your royal house, and would make themselves its equal. +You know that the rude Goths think unworthily of woman's vocation for +government." + +"I know it," she said, proudly and angrily. + +"But you do not know that both these parties are united. They are +united against you and your Roman predilections. They will overthrow +you, or force you to do their will. Cassiodorus and I are to be +dismissed from your side, our Senate and our rights to be dissolved, +and the kingship to become a shadow. War is to be proclaimed against +the Emperor; and force, extortion, and rapine, let loose upon us +Romans." + +"You paint mere idle phantoms!" + +"Was that which happened yesterday an idle phantom? If Heaven had not +intervened, would not you--like me--be robbed of all your power? Would +you still be mistress in your kingdom, in your house? Are they not +already so strong, that the heathen Hildebrand, the countrified +Witichis, the gloomy Teja, openly defy your will in the name of your +befooled son? Have they not recalled the three rebel dukes? And your +perverse daughter, and----" + +"True, too true," sighed the Queen. + +"If these men should rule--then farewell science, art, and all noble +culture! Farewell, Italia, mother of humanity! Then, burst into flame, +you white parchments! crumble into fragments, you beautiful statues! +Brutality and murder will run rife in these plains, and posterity will +bear witness: 'Such things happened in the reign of Amalaswintha, the +daughter of Theodoric.'" + +"Never, never shall that happen! But----" + +"You want proofs? I fear you will have them only too soon. However, you +see, even now, that you cannot rely upon the Goths, if you wish to +prevent such horrors. We alone can protect you against them; we, to +whom you already belong by intellect and culture; we Romans. Then, when +the barbarians surround your throne with uproar, let me rally the men +around you who once conspired against you: the patriots of Rome! They +will protect you and themselves at the same time." + +"Cethegus," said the distressed woman, "you influence men easily! Who, +tell me, who will answer for the patriots? Who will answer for _your_ +truth?" + +"This paper, Queen, and this! The first contains a correct list of the +Roman conspirators. You see, there are many hundred names. This is a +list of the members of the Gothic league, whom I certainly could only +guess at. But I guess well. With these two papers I give both these +parties--I give myself--completely into your hands. You can at any +moment reveal me to my own party as a traitor, who, before all things, +sought _your_ favour. You can expose me to the hatred of the Goths--as +soon as you will. I shall be left without adherents. I stand alone; +your favour is my only support." + +The Queen had glanced over the papers with sparkling eyes. "Cethegus," +she exclaimed, "I will always remember your fidelity and this hour!" + +And she gave him her hand with emotion. + +Cethegus slightly bent his head. "Still one thing more, O Queen. The +patriots, henceforward your friends as they are mine, know that the +hate of the barbarians, the sword of destruction, hangs over their +heads. Their anxious hearts require encouragement. Let me assure them +of your high protection. Place your name at the head of this list, and +let me thereby give them a visible sign of your favour." + +She took the golden stylus and the waxen tablets which he handed to +her. For one moment she hesitated; then she quickly signed her name, +and gave tablets and stylus back again. "Here! They must be faithful to +me; as faithful as yourself!" + +At this moment Cassiodorus entered. "O Queen, the Gothic nobles await +you. They wish to speak with you." + +"I come! They shall learn my will!" she said vehemently; "but you, +Cassiodorus, shall be the first to know the decision to which I have +come during this trying hour, and which will soon be known to my whole +kingdom. Henceforward the Prefect of Rome is the first of my servants, +as he is the most faithful. He has the place of honour in my trust and +near my throne." + +Much astonished, Cassiodorus led the Queen up the dark steps. + +Cethegus followed slowly. He held up the tablets in his hand, and said +to himself: "Now you are mine, daughter of Theodoric! Your name upon +this list severs you for ever from your people!" + + + + CHAPTER II. + +As Cethegus emerged from the subterranean chamber into the ground-floor +of the palace, and prepared to follow the Queen, his ear was caught and +his progress arrested by the solemn and sorrowful tones of flutes. He +guessed what it meant. + +His first impulse was to turn aside. But he presently decided to +remain. + +It would happen some time, therefore it was best at once. He must find +out how far she was informed. + +The tones of the flutes came nearer, alternating with a monotonous +dirge. Cethegus stepped into a wide niche of the dark corridor, into +which the head of a little procession already turned. + +Foremost came, two by two, six noble Roman maidens, covered with grey +mourning veils, carrying reversed torches. Then followed a priest, +before whom was borne the tall banner of the Cross, with long +streamers. Next came a troop of the freedmen of the family of Boethius, +led by Corbulo and the flute-players. Then followed, borne by four +Roman girls, an open coffin, covered with flowers. Upon it lay, on a +white linen cloth, the dead Camilla, in bridal ornaments, a wreath in +her dark hair, an expression of smiling peace upon her slightly-opened +lips. + +Behind the coffin, with loosened hair, staring fixedly before her, came +the unhappy mother, surrounded by matrons, who supported her sinking +form. + +A company of female slaves closed the procession, which slowly +disappeared into the vault. + +Cethegus recognised the sobbing Daphnidion, and stopped her. + +"When did she die?" he asked calmly. + +"Oh, sir, a few hours ago! Oh, the good, kind, beautiful Domna!" + +"Did she ever awaken to full consciousness?" + +"No, sir, never. Only quite at the last she once more opened her large +eyes, and appeared to seek for something. 'Where has he gone?' she +asked her mother. 'Ah, I see him!' she then cried, and rose from her +cushions. 'Child, my child, where will you go?' cried my mistress, +weeping. 'Oh, there!' she replied with a rapturous smile; 'to the Isles +of the Blessed!' and she closed her eyes and fell back upon her couch; +that lovely smile remained upon her lips--and she was gone, gone for +ever!" + +"Who has caused her to be brought down here?" + +"The Queen. She learned everything, and gave orders that the deceased, +as the bride of her son, should be laid beside him and buried in the +same tomb." + +"But what says the physician? How could she die so suddenly?" + +"Alas! the physician saw her only for a moment; he was too much +occupied with the royal corpse; and then my mistress would not suffer +the strange man to touch her daughter. It is just her heart that has +been broken; one can easily die of that! But peace--they come!" + +The procession returned in the same order as before, but without the +coffin. Daphnidion joined it. Only Rusticiana was missing. + +Cethegus quietly walked up and down the corridor, to wait for her. + +At last her bowed-down form came slowly up the steps. She staggered and +seemed about to fall. + +Cethegus quickly caught her arm. "Rusticiana, take courage!" + +"You here? God! you also loved her! And we--we two have murdered her!" +and she sank upon his shoulder. + +"Silence, unhappy woman!" he whispered, looking around. + +"Alas! I, her own mother, have killed her! I mixed the fatal draught +that caused his death." + +"All is well," thought Cethegus. "She has no suspicion that Camilla +drank, and still less that I saw her do so.--It is a terrible stroke of +Fate!" he said aloud. "But reflect, what would have followed had she +lived? She loved him!" + +"What would have followed?" cried Rusticiana, receding. "Oh, if she but +lived! Who can prevent love? Oh that she had become his--his wife--his +mistress, provided only that she lived!" + +"But you forget that he _must_ have died?" + +"Must? Why must he have died? So that you might carry out your +ambitious plans? Oh, selfishness without example!" + +"They are your plans that I carry out, not mine; how often must I +repeat it? _You_ have conjured up the God of Revenge, not I. Why do you +accuse me if he demand a sacrifice? Think better of it. Farewell." + +But Rusticiana violently seized his arm. "And that is all? And you have +nothing more--not a word, not a tear for my child? And you would make +me believe that you have acted thus to avenge her, to avenge me? You +have never had a heart! You did not even love her--coldly you see her +die! Ha, curses, curses upon thee!" + +"Be silent, frantic woman!" + +"Silent! no, I will speak and curse you! Oh that I knew of something +that was as dear to you as Camilla was to me! Oh that you, like me, +could see your whole life's last and only joy torn away--that you could +see it vanish, and despair! If there be a God in heaven you will live +to do so!" + +Cethegus smiled. + +"You do not believe in heavenly vengeance? Well, then, believe in the +vengeance of a miserable mother! You shall tremble! I will hasten to +the Queen and tell her all! You shall die!" + +"And you will die with me." + +"With a smile--if only I can see you perish!" and she would have +hurried away, but Cethegus held her back with an iron grasp. + +"Stop, woman! Do you think that I am not on my guard with such as you? +Your sons, Anicius and Severinus, are here in Italy, secretly--in +Rome--in my house. You know that death is the penalty of their return. +A word--and they die with us. Then you may take to your husband your +sons, as well as your daughter, who has died by your means. Her blood +upon your head!" and quickly turning the angle of the corridor, he +disappeared. + +"My sons!" cried Rusticiana, and sank down upon the marble pavement. + +A few days after, the widow of Boethius, with Corbulo and Daphnidion, +left the court for ever. In vain the Queen sought to detain her. + +The faithful freedman took her back to the sheltered Villa of Tifernum, +which she now deeply regretted ever having left. There, in the place of +the little Temple of Venus, she erected a basilica, in the crypt of +which an urn was placed, containing the hearts of the two lovers. + +In her passionate soul her prayers for the salvation of her child were +inseparably bound up with a petition for revenge upon Cethegus, whose +real share in Camilla's death she did not even suspect; she only felt +that he had used mother and daughter as tools for his plans, and had +sacrificed the girl's happiness and life with heartless coldness. + +And scarcely less continuously than the flame of the eternal lamp +before the urn, the prayer and the curse of the lonely mother rose up +to heaven. + +The hour came which disclosed to her all the Prefect's guilt, and the +vengeance which she called down from heaven did not tarry. + + + + CHAPTER III. + +At the court of Ravenna there ensued a bitter and obstinate strife. + +The Gothic patriots, although deeply grieved at the sudden death of +their youthful King, and, for the moment, overpowered, were very soon +re-encouraged by their indefatigable leaders. + +The high consideration in which Hildebrand was held, the quiet strength +of Witichis, who had returned, and Teja's watchful zeal, operated +continuously. + +We have seen that these men had succeeded in inducing Athalaric to +shake off the authority of his mother. It was now easy for them to find +ever new adherents amongst the Goths against a government in which the +hated Cethegus would come more than ever to the front. + +The feeling in the army and the Germanic population of Ravenna was +sufficiently prepared for a decisive stroke. The old master-at-arms +with difficulty restrained the discontented, until, strengthened by +important confederates, they could be more certain of success. + +These confederates were the three dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza, whom +Amalaswintha had driven away from court, and whom her son had so lately +recalled. + +Thulun and Ibba were brothers; Pitza was their cousin. + +Another brother of the former, Duke Alaric, had been condemned to death +some years ago on account of a pretended conspiracy, and since his +flight (for he had succeeded in escaping) nothing had been heard of +him. They were the offspring of the celebrated race of the Balthe, who +had worn the crown of the Visigoths, and were scarcely inferior in +ancient descent and rank to the Amelungs. Their pedigree, like that of +the Royal House, descended from the gods. The wealth of their +possessions in land and dependent colonies, and the fame of their +warlike deeds, enhanced the power and glory of their house. + +It was said amongst the people that Theodoric had, for a while, thought +of passing over his daughter and her son, and, in the interest of the +kingdom, of appointing the powerful Duke Thulun as his successor. And, +after the death of Athalaric, the patriots were decided, in case of the +worst--that is, if the Queen could not be persuaded to renounce her +system--once more to entertain this idea. + +Cethegus saw the threatening tempest. He saw how Gothic national +feeling, awakened by Hildebrand and his friends, grew more opposed to +the Romanising Regency. He indignantly confessed to himself that he had +no real power with which to keep down discontent. Ravenna was not his +Rome, where he controlled all proceedings, where he had again +accustomed the citizens to the use of arms, and attached them to his +person; here all the troops were Goths, and he could only fear that +they would reply to an order for the arrest of Hildebrand or Witichis +by open rebellion. So he took a bold resolution to free himself at one +stroke from the net which encompassed him in Ravenna. He decided to +take the Queen, if necessary by force, to Rome. There he was mighty, +had weapons and adherents; there Amalaswintha would be exclusively in +his power, and the Goths would be frustrated. + +To his delight, the Queen entered into his plan with eagerness. She +longed to be out of these walls, where she appeared to be more a +prisoner than a ruler. She longed for Rome, freedom, and power. + +Cethegus took his measures with his usual rapidity. He was obliged to +renounce the shorter way by land, for upon the broad Via Flaminia, as +well as on the other roads from Ravenna to Rome, escorts of Gothic +troops were stationed, and it was therefore to be feared that their +flight by any of these ways would be easily discovered, and perhaps +impeded. + +Fortunately the Prefect remembered that the Navarchus, or captain of +the galleys, Pomponius, one of the conspirators, was cruising about in +chase of African pirates on the east coast of the Adriatic, with three +triremes, manned by Romans. To him he sent an order to appear in the +harbour of Ravenna on the night of the Feast of Epiphany. He hoped, +while the town was occupied with religious festivities, to reach the +ships with Amalaswintha easily and safely from the gardens of the +palace, when they would be taken by sea past the Gothic positions to +Teate. Thence the way to Rome was short and safe. + +With this plan in his mind--his messenger had safely gone and returned +with the promise of Pomponius to appear punctually--the Prefect smiled +at the daily increasing hate and insolence of the Goths, who observed +his position of favourite with bitter displeasure. + +He warned Amalaswintha to be patient and not, by an outbreak of her +royal wrath against the "rebels," to occasion a collision before the +day of deliverance, which might easily render vain all plans of rescue. + +The Feast of Epiphany arrived. The people crowded the basilicas and +squares of the city. The jewels of the treasury were ready ordered and +packed, as well as the most important documents of the archives. It was +mid-day. + +Amalaswintha and the Prefect had just told their friend Cassiodorus of +their plan, the boldness of which at first startled him, but he very +soon perceived its prudence. + +They were just about to leave the room where they had told him of their +intentions, when suddenly the uproar made by the populace--who were +crowding before the palace--became louder and more violent; threats, +cries of exultation, and the clatter of arms arose promiscuously. + +Cethegus threw back the curtain of the large bay-window, but he only +saw the last of the crowd pressing through the open gates of the +palace. + +It was not possible to discover the cause of this excitement. Already +the uproar was ascending the staircase of the palace. The noise of +altercations with the attendants was audible; the clash of weapons; and +soon approaching and heavy footsteps. + +Amalaswintha did not tremble; she tightly grasped the dragon's head +which decorated the throne-seat, to which Cassiodorus had again led +her. + +Meanwhile Cethegus hurried to meet the intruders. + +"Halt!" he called from the threshold of the chamber. "The Queen is +visible for no one." + +For one moment there was complete silence. + +Then a powerful voice called out: "If for thee, Roman, also for us, for +her Gothic brethren. Forwards!" + +And again the roar of voices arose, and in a moment Cethegus, without +the application of any particular violence, was pushed by the press, as +if by an irresistible tide, into the farthest corner of the hall, and +the foremost intruders stood close before the throne. + +They were Hildebrand, Witichis, Teja, a gigantic Goth, unknown to +Cethegus, and near this last--there was no doubt about it--the three +dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza, in full armour--three splendid +warriors. + +The intruders bowed before the throne. Then Duke Thulun called to those +behind him, with the gesture of a born ruler: + +"Goths, wait yet a short time without! We will try; in your name, to +adjust things with the Queen. If we do not succeed, we will call upon +you to act--you know in what manner." + +With a shout of applause, the crowd behind him willingly withdrew, and +were soon lost in the outer passages and halls of the palace. + +"Daughter of Theodoric," began Duke Thulun, "we are come because thy +son, the King, recalled us. Unfortunately we find he is no more alive. +We know that thou hast no delight in seeing us here." + +"If you know it," said Amalaswintha with dignity, "how dare you, +notwithstanding, appear before our eyes? Who allows you to intrude upon +us against our will?" + +"Necessity enjoins it, Highness--necessity, which has often forced +stronger bolts than the whims of a woman. We have to announce to thee +the demands of thy people, which thou wilt fulfil." + +"What language! Knowest thou before whom thou standest, Duke Thulun?" + +"Before the daughter of the Amelungs; whose child I honour, even when +she errs and transgresses!" + +"Rebel!" cried Amalaswintha, and rose indignantly from her throne. "Thy +_King_ stands before thee!" + +But Thulun smiled. + +"It would be wiser, Amalaswintha, to be silent upon this point. King +Theodoric charged thee with the guardianship of thy son--thee, a woman! +It was against the law; but we Goths did not interfere between him and +his kindred. He wished this boy to be his successor. That was not +prudent; but the nobles and people have honoured the race of the +Amelungs and the wish of a King, who else was ever wise. But he never +wished, and we should never have allowed, that after the death of that +boy a woman should reign over us--the spindle over the spear." + +"So you refuse to acknowledge me as your Queen?" she cried +indignantly. "And thou, too, Hildebrand, old friend of Theodoric, thou +disownest his daughter?" + +"Queen," said the old man, "would that thou wouldst prevent it!" + +Thulun continued: + +"We do not disown thee--not yet. I only answer thee thus because thou +boastest of thy right, and thou must know that thou hast no right. But +as we gladly honour noble birth--in which we honour ourselves--and +because at this moment it might lead to evil dissensions in the kingdom +if we deprived thee of the crown, I will repeat the conditions under +which thou mayst continue to wear it." + +Amalaswintha suffered terribly. How gladly would she have delivered the +bold man who spoke such words into the hands of the executioner! And +she was obliged to listen helplessly! Tears rose to her eyes; she +repressed them, but at the same time sank back exhausted upon the +throne, supported by Cassiodorus. + +Meanwhile Cethegus had made his way to her side. + +"Concede everything," he whispered; "it is forced and null. And +to-night Pomponius will arrive. + +"Speak!" said Cassiodorus; "but spare the woman, barbarians!" + +"Ha! ha!" laughed Duke Pitza. "She will not be treated like a woman. +She is our _King_!" + +"Peace, cousin!" said Duke Thulun reprovingly; "she is of noble blood. +First," he continued, "thou must dismiss the Prefect of Rome. He is +said to be an enemy of the Goths; he may not advise the Gothic Queen. +Earl Witichis will take his place near thy throne." + +"Agreed!" said Cethegus himself, instead of Amalaswintha. + +"Secondly, thou wilt declare, in a proclamation, that for the future no +order of thine can be executed which is not signed by Hildebrand or +Witichis; and that no law is valid without the ratification of the +National Assembly." + +The Queen started up angrily; but Cethegus held her arm. + +"Pomponius comes to-night," he whispered. Then he said aloud, "This +also is agreed to." + +"The third condition," resumed Thulun, "is one which thou wilt as +willingly grant as we ask it. We three Balthes have not learned to bow +our heads in a prince's court. The roof here is too low for us. It is +better that Amelungs and Balthes live as far apart as the eagle and the +falcon. And the realm needs our weapons upon its boundaries. Our +neighbours think that the land is orphaned since thy great father died, +Avari, Gepidae, and Sclavonians fearlessly overstep the frontiers. In +order to punish these three nations, thou wilt equip three armies, each +of thirty thousand; and we three Balthes will lead them, as thy +generals, to the east and to the north." + +"The whole military force also in their hands--not bad!" thought +Cethegus. "Accepted!" he cried aloud, smiling. + +"And what remains to me," asked Amalaswintha, "when I have granted all +this?" + +"A golden crown upon a white forehead," said Duke Ibba. + +"Thou canst write like a Greek," re-commenced Thulun. "Such arts are +not learned in vain. This parchment should contain all that we demand; +my slave has written it down." He gave it to Witichis to examine. "Is +it so? 'Tis well. That thou wilt sign, Princess. Good. We have +finished. Now, Hildebrand, speak with yonder Roman." + +But Teja was beforehand. He advanced to the Prefect, trembling with +hate, his sword in his hand. + +"Prefect of Rome," said he, "blood has been shed--precious, noble, +Gothic blood! It consecrates the furious strife which will soon be +kindled. Blood, which thou shalt atone----" + +His voice was suffocated with rage. + +"Bah!" cried Hildebad--for he was the tall Goth--pushing him aside. +"Make not such a to-do about it! My dear brother can easily part with a +little superfluous blood; and the others lost more than he could spare. +There, thou black devil!" he cried, turning to Cethegus, and holding a +broad-sword close before his eyes, "knowest thou that?" + +"Pomponius's sword!" cried Cethegus, turning pale and staggering back a +step. + +Amalaswintha and Cassiodorus asked in alarm, + +"Pomponius?" + +"Aha!" laughed Hildebad. "That is shocking, is it not? Nothing will +come of the water-party!" + +"Where is Pomponius--my Navarchus?" asked Amalaswintha vehemently. + +"With the sharks, Queen, in deep water." + +"Ha! death and destruction!" exclaimed Cethegus, now carried away by +his anger. "How happened that?" + +"Merrily enough! My brother Totila--thou surely knowest him?--lay in +the harbour of Ancona with two little ships. Thy friend Pomponius had +had for some days such an insolent expression of countenance, and had +let fall such bragging words, that it struck even my unsuspicious +brother. One morning Pomponius suddenly disappeared from the harbour +with his three triremes. Totila smelt a rat, spread all sail, pursued +him, overtook him off Pisaurum, stopped him, went on board with me and +a few others, and asked him whither he would be going." + +"He had no right to do so. Pomponius will have given him no answer." + +"He did so, for all that, most excellent Cethegus! When he saw that we +were only ten upon his ship, he laughed, and cried, 'Whither sail I? To +Ravenna, thou downy-beard, to save the Queen from your claws, and take +her to. Rome!' And he therewith made a sign to his crew. But we, too, +threw our shields before us, and--hurrah! how the swords flew from the +sheaths! It was hard work--ten to forty! But happily it did not last +long. Our comrades in the nearest ship heard the iron rattle, and were +quickly alongside with their boats, and climbed the bulwarks like cats. +Now we had the upper hand; but the Navarchus--to give the devil his +due!--would not yield; fought like to madman, and pierced my brother's +arm through his shield, so that the blood spouted. But then my brother +got into a rage too, and ran his spear through the other's body, so +that he fell like an ox. 'Greet the Prefect,' he said, as he lay dying, +'give him my sword, his gift, back again, and tell him that no one can +cheat Death, else I had kept my word!' I swore to him that I would +confirm his words. He was a brave man. Here is the sword." + +Cethegus took it in silence. + +"The ships yielded, and my brother took them back to Ancona. But I +sailed here with the swiftest, and met the three Balthes in the +harbour, just at the right moment." + +A pause ensued, during which Cethegus and Amalaswintha bitterly +contemplated their desperate position. Cethegus had consented to +everything in the sure hope of flight, which was now frustrated. His +well-considered plan was balked; balked by Totila; and hatred of this +name entered deeply into the Prefect's soul. His grim reflections were +interrupted by the voice of Thulun, asking: + +"Well, Amalaswintha, wilt thou sign? or shall we call upon the Goths to +choose a King?" + +At these words Cethegus quickly recovered himself. He took the tablets +from the hand of the Duke and handed them to the Queen. + +"It is necessary, O Queen," he said in a low voice; "you have no +choice." + +Cassiodorus gave her the stylus, she wrote her name and Thulun received +the tablets. + +"'Tis well," said he; "we go to announce to the Goths that their +kingdom is saved. Thou, Cassiodorus, accompany us to bear witness that +all has been done without violence." + +At a sign from Amalaswintha the senator obeyed, and followed the Gothic +leaders to the Forum before the palace. + +When the Queen found herself alone with Cethegus, she started from her +seat. She could no longer restrain her tears. She passionately struck +her forehead. Her pride was terribly humbled. She felt the shame of +this hour more deeply than the loss of husband, father, or even of her +son. + +"Then this," she cried, weeping loudly, "this is man's superiority! +Brutal, clumsy force! O, Cethegus, all is lost!" + +"Not all, Queen, only a plan. I beg you to keep me in kindly +remembrance," he added coldly. "I go to Rome." + +"What? you will leave me at this moment? You, you have made me give all +these promises, which rob me of my throne, and now you forsake me! Oh! +it were better that I had resisted, I should then have remained indeed +a Queen, even if they had set the crown upon the head of that rebel +Duke!" + +"Certainly," thought Cethegus, "better for you, worse for me. No, no +hero shall ever again wear this Gothic crown." He had quickly seen that +Amalaswintha could no longer serve him, and just as quickly he gave her +up. He was already thinking of a new tool for his plans. Yet he decided +to disclose to her a portion of his thoughts, in order that she might +not act upon her own account, contradict her promises, and thereby +cause the crown to obvert to Thulun. "I go, O Queen," he said; "but I +do not therefore forsake you. Here I can no longer serve you. They have +banished me from your side, and will guard you as jealously as a lover +his mistress." + +"But what shall I do with these promises? what with the three dukes?" + +"Wait, and, at present, submit. And as to the three dukes," he added +hesitatingly, "they go to the wars--perhaps they will never return." + +"Perhaps!" sighed the Queen. "Of what use is a 'perhaps?'" + +Cethegus came close to her. + +"As soon as you wish it--they _shall_ never return." + +The woman trembled: + +"Murder? Terrible man, of what are you thinking?" + +"Of what is necessary. Murder is a wrong expression. It is +self-defence. Or a punishment. If you had now the power, you would have +a perfect right to kill them. They are rebels. They force your royal +will. They kill your Navarchus; they deserve death." + +"And they _shall_ die," whispered Amalaswintha to herself, clenching +her fist; "they shall not live, these brutal men, who force a Queen to +do their behest. You are right--they shall die!" + +"They must die--they and," he added in a tone of intense hatred, +"and--the young hero!" + +"Wherefore Totila? He is the handsomest and most valiant youth in the +nation!" + +"He dies!" growled Cethegus. "Oh that he would die ten times over!" And +such bitter hatred flamed from his eyes, that, suddenly seen in a man +of such a cold nature, it both startled and terrified Amalaswintha. + +"I shall send you from Rome," he continued rapidly in a low tone, +"three trusty men, Isaurian mercenaries. These you will send after the +three Balthes, as soon as they have reached their several camps. You +understand that _you_, the Queen, send them; for they are executioners, +no murderers. The three dukes must fall on the same day--I myself will +care for handsome Totila--the bold stroke will alarm the whole nation. +During the first consternation of the Goths I will hurry here from +Rome, with troops, to your aid. Farewell." + +He departed, and left alone the helpless woman, upon whose ear now +broke the shouts of the assembled multitude from the Forum in front of +the palace, extolling the success of their leaders and the submission +of Amalaswintha. + +She felt quite forsaken. She suspected that the last promise of the +Prefect was little more than an empty word of comfort to palliate his +departure. Overcome by sorrow, she rested her cheek upon her beautiful +hand, and was lost for some time in futile meditations. + +Suddenly the curtain at the entrance rustled. An officer of the palace +stood before her. + +"Ambassadors from Byzantium desire an audience. Justinus is dead. His +nephew Justinianus is Emperor. He tenders a brotherly greeting and his +friendship." + +"Justinianus!" This name penetrated the very soul of the unhappy +woman. She saw herself robbed of her son, thwarted by her people, +forsaken by Cethegus. In her sad musings she had been seeking in vain +for help and support, and, with a sigh of relief, she again repeated, +"Justinianus--Byzantium!" + + + + CHAPTER IV. + +In the woods of Fiesole, a modern wanderer coming from Florence will +find to the right of the high-road the ruins of an extensive villa-like +edifice. Ivy, saxifrage and wild roses vie with each other in +concealing the ruins. For centuries the peasants in the neighbouring +villages have carried away stones from this place in order to dam up +the earth of their vineyards on the slopes of the hills. But even yet +the remains clearly show where once stood the colonnade before the +house, where the central hall, and where the wall of the court. + +Weeds grow luxuriantly in the meadows where once lay in shining order +the beautiful gardens; nothing has been left of them except the wide +marble basin of a long dried-up fountain, in whose pebble-filled +runnels the lizards now sun themselves. + +But in the days of our story the place looked very different. "The +Villa of Maecenas at Faesulae," as the building, probably with little or +no reason, was called at that time, was inhabited by happy people; the +house ordered by a woman's careful hand; the garden enlivened by +childhood's bright laughter. + +The climbing clematis was gracefully trained up the slender shafts of +the Corinthian columns in front of the house, and the cheerful vine +shaded the flat roof. The winding walks in the garden were strewed with +white sand, and in the outhouses dedicated to domestic uses reigned an +order and cleanliness which was never to be found in a household served +by Roman slaves alone. + +It was sunset. + +The men and maid servants were returning from the fields. The +heavily-laden hay-carts swung along, drawn by horses which were +evidently not of Italian breed. The shepherds were driving goats and +sheep home from the hills, accompanied by large dogs, which scampered +on in front, barking joyously. + +Close before the yard gate, a couple of Roman slaves, with shrill +voices and mad gestures, were urging on the panting horses of a cruelly +over-laden wagon, not with whips, but with sticks, the iron points of +which they stuck again and again into the same sore place upon the poor +animals' hides. In spite of this, no advance was made, for a large +stone lay just in front of the left fore-wheel of the wagon, which the +angry and impatient drivers did not notice. + +"Forwards, beast! and son of a beast!" screamed one of them to the +struggling horse; "forwards, thou Gothic sluggard!" Another stab with +the iron point, a renewed and desperate pull; but the wheel did not go +over the stone, and the tortured animal fell on its knees, threatening +to upset the wagon by its struggles. + +At this the rage of the driver was redoubled. "Wait, thou rascal!" he +shouted, and struck at the eye of the panting animal. + +But he only struck once; the next moment he himself fell under a heavy +blow. + +"Davus, thou wicked dog!" growled a powerful voice, and, twice as tall, +and certainly twice as broad as the frightened tormentor, there stood +over the fallen man a gigantic Goth, who rained down blows upon him +with a thick cudgel. "Thou miserable coward," said he, giving him a +final kick, "I will teach thee how to treat a creature which is ten +times better than thyself. I verily believe, thou rascal, that thou +treatest the beast ill, because he comes from the other side of the +mountains! If I catch thee at it again, I will break every bone in thy +body. Now get up, and unload--thou shalt carry every swath that is too +much into the barn upon thine own back. Forwards!" + +With a malicious glance at his punisher the beaten man rose, and, +limping, prepared to obey. + +The Goth had immediately helped the struggling horse to its feet, and +now carefully washed its broken knees with his own evening drink of +wine and water. + +He had scarcely finished his task, when the clear voice of a boy called +urgently from a neighbouring stable: + +"Wachis, come here; Wachis!" + +"I'm coming, Athalwin, my boy! What's the matter?" And he already stood +in the open door of the stable near a handsome boy of about seven years +of age, who angrily stroked his long yellow hair from his glowing face, +and with great trouble repressed two large tears of rage that _would_ +spring into his blue eyes. He held a pretty wooden sword in his right +hand, and shook it threateningly at a black-browed slave who stood +opposite to him, with his head insolently thrust forward and his fists +clenched. "What is the matter here?" repeated Wachis, crossing the +threshold. + +"The chesnut has again nothing to drink; and only look! Two gadflies +have sucked themselves fast upon his shoulder, where he cannot get at +them with his tail, and I cannot reach with my hand; and that bad Cacus +there won't do what I tell him; and I am sure he has been scolding at +me in Latin, which I don't understand." + +Wachis drew nearer with a threatening look. + +"I only said," said Cacus, slowly receding, "that I must first eat my +millet. The beast may wait. In our country men come before beasts." + +"Indeed, thou dunce!" said Wachis, as he killed the gadflies; "in our +country the horse eats before the rider! Make haste!" + +But Cacus was strong and obstinate; he tossed his head and said: + +"Here, we are in _our_ country, and _our_ customs must be followed." + +"Oho, thou cursed blockhead! wilt thou obey?" asked Wachis, raising his +hand. + +"Obey? Not thee! Thou art only a slave like me. And my parents lived in +this house when such as thou were stealing cows and sheep on the other +side of the mountains." + +Wachis let his cudgel fall and swung his arms to and fro. + +"Listen, Cacus, I have another crow to pluck with thee besides; thou +knowest wherefore. Now it can all be done with at the same time." + +"Ha, ha!" cried Cacus with a mocking laugh, "about Liuta, the +flaxen-haired wench? Bah! I like her no longer, the barbarian. She +dances like a heifer!" + +"Now it's all up with thee," said Wachis quietly, and caught hold of +his adversary. + +But Cacus twisted himself like an eel out of the grasp of the Goth, +pulled a sharp knife from the folds of his woollen frock and threw it +at him. As Wachis stooped the knife whistled only a hair's-breadth past +his head, and penetrated deeply into the door-post behind him. + +"Well, wait, thou murderous worm!" cried the German, and would have +thrown himself upon Cacus, but he felt himself clasped from behind. + +It was Davus, who had watched for this moment of revenge. + +But now Wachis became exceedingly wroth. + +He shook the man off, held him by the nape of the neck with his left +hand, got hold of Cacus with his right, and, with the strength of a +bear, knocked the heads of his adversaries together, accompanying every +knock with an interjection, "There, my boys--that for the knife--and +that for the back-spring--and that for the heifer!" And who knows how +long this strange litany would have continued, if he had not been +interrupted by a loud call. + +"Wachis! Cacus! let loose, I tell you," cried the strong fall voice of +a woman; and a stately matron, clad in a blue Gothic garment, appeared +at the door. + +She was not tall, and yet imposing. Her fine figure was more sturdy +than slender. Her gold-brown hair was bound in simple but rich braids +round her head; her features were regular; more firm than delicate. + +An expression of sincerity, worth, and trustfulness lay in her large +blue eyes. Her round bare arms showed that she was no stranger to work. +At her broad girdle, over which puffed out her brown under-garment of +home-spun cloth, rattled a bunch of keys; she rested her left hand +quietly upon her hip, and stretched her right commandingly before her. + +"Aye, aye, Rauthgundis, mistress mine," said Wachis, letting loose, +"must you have your eyes everywhere?" + +"Everywhere, when my servants are at mischief. When will you learn to +agree? You Italians need a master in the house. But thou, Wachis, +shouldst not vex the housewife too. Come, Athalwin, come with me." + +And she led the boy away. + +She went into a side-yard, filled her raised skirt with grain out of a +trough, and fed the fowls and pigeons, which immediately flocked around +her. + +For a little while Athalwin watched her silently. At last he said: + +"Mother, is it true? Is father a robber?" + +Rauthgundis suspended her occupation, and looked at the child in +surprise. + +"Who said so?" + +"Who? Eh, the nephew of Calpurnius! We were playing on the great heap +of hay in his meadow, and I showed him how far the land belongs to us +on the right of the hedge--far and wide--as far as our servants were +mowing, and the brook shone in the distance. Then he got angry and +said, 'Yes, and all that land once belonged to us, and thy father or +thy grandfather stole it, the robbers!'" + +"Indeed! And what didst thou reply?" + +"Eh, nothing at all, mother. I only threw him over the hay-cock, with +his heels in the air. But now I should like to know if it is true." + +"No, child, it is not true. Your father did not steal it, but took it +openly, because he was stronger and better than these Italians. And +heroes have done the same in all ages. And when the Italians were +strong and their neighbours weak, they did so most of all. But now +come; we must look after the linen that is bleaching on the green." + +As they turned their backs upon the stables, and were going towards the +grassy hill on the left of the house, they heard the rapid hoof-beats +of a horse, which was approaching on the old Roman high-road. + +Athalwin climbed quickly to the top of the hill and looked towards the +road. + +A rider, mounted on an immense brown charger, galloped down the woody +heights towards the villa. Brightly sparkled his helmet and the point +of the lance, which he carried across his shoulder. + +"It is father, mother; it is father!" cried the boy, and ran swift as +an arrow down the hill to meet the rider. + +Rauthgundis had just now reached the top of the hill. Her heart beat. +She shaded her eyes with her hand, to look into the evening-red; then +she said in a low happy voice: + +"Yes, it is he! my husband." + + + + CHAPTER V. + +Meanwhile Athalwin had already reached his father and climbed up his +knee, clinging to his foot. + +The rider lifted him up with a loving hand, set him before him in the +saddle, and spurred his horse into a gallop. The noble animal, once the +charger of Theodoric, neighed lustily as he recognised his home and his +mistress, and shook his flowing mane. + +The rider now reached the hill, and dismounted with the boy. + +"My dear wife!" he exclaimed, embracing her tenderly. + +"My Witichis!" she answered, blushing with pleasure, and clinging to +him; "welcome home!" + +"I promised that I would come before the new moon--it was +difficult----" + +"But thou hast kept thy word, as always." + +"My heart drew me here," he said, putting his arm around her. + +They went on slowly to the house. + +"It seems, Athalwin, that Wallada is of more consequence to thee than +thy father," said Witichis, smiling, to the boy, who was leading the +horse carefully after them. + +"No, father; but give me the lance too--I have not often such a +pleasure in this country life;" and dragging the long, heavy shaft of +the spear after him with difficulty, he cried out: "Eh! Wachis, +Ansbrand! father has come! Fetch the skin of Falernian from the cellar. +Father is thirsty after his rapid ride!" + +With a smile Witichis stroked the golden curls of the boy, who now +hurried past them to the house. + +"Well, and how does all go on here?" asked Witichis, looking at +Rauthgundis. + +"Very well, Witichis. The harvest is all brought in, the grapes +crushed, the sheaves housed." + +"I do not ask about that," said he, pressing her tenderly to him--"how +art thou?" + +"As well as a poor woman can be," she answered, looking up at him, "who +misses her well-loved husband. Work is the only thing that comforts me, +my friend; plenty of occupation, which benumbs a sensitive heart. I +often think how thou, far away amongst strange people, must trouble +thyself in court and camp, where there is none to cherish thee. At +least, I say to myself, he shall find his home well-kept and cheerful +when he returns. And it is that, seest thou, which sanctifies and +ennobles all the dull routine of work, and makes it dear to me." + +"That's my brave wife! But dost thou not too much fatigue thyself?" + +"Work is healthy. But vexation, and the men's wickedness, _that_ hurts +me!" + +Witichis stood still. + +"Who dares to grieve thee?" + +"Ah! the Italian servants, and our Italian neighbours! They all hate +us. Woe to us, if they did not fear us. Calpurnius, our neighbour, is +so insolent when he knows thou art absent, and the Roman slaves are +disobedient and false; our Gothic servants alone are good." + +Witichis sighed. They had now arrived at the house, and sat down at a +marble table under the colonnade. + +"Thou must remember," said Witichis, "that our neighbour was forced to +give up to us the third part of his estate and slaves." + +"And has kept two-thirds, and his life into the bargain--he ought to +thank God!" answered Rauthgundis contemptuously. + +Just then Athalwin came running with a basketful of apples, which he +had plucked from the tree. Presently Wachis and the other German +servants came with wine, meat, and cheese, and greeted their master +with a frank clasp of the hand. + +"Well done, my children. The mistress praises you. But where are Davus, +Cacus, and the others?" + +"Pardon, sir," answered Wachis, grinning, "they have a bad conscience." + +"Why? What about?" + +"Eh!--I think--because I have beaten them little; they are ashamed." + +The other men laughed. + +"Well, it will do them no harm," said Witichis; "go now to your meal. +To-morrow I will examine your work." + +The men went. + +"What is that about Calpurnius?" asked Witichis, pouring wine into his +cup. + +Rauthgundis blushed and hesitated. + +"He has carried away the hay from the mountain meadow," she then +replied, "which our men had mowed; and has put it into his barn by +night, and will not return it." + +"He will return it quickly enough, I think," said her husband quietly, +as he took up his cup and drank. + +"Yes," cried Athalwin eagerly, "I think so too! And if he will not, all +the better for me! Then we will declare war, and I will go over with +Wachis and all the great fellows, with weapons and pikes! He always +looks at me so wickedly, the black spy!" + +Rauthgundis told him to be silent, and sent him to bed. + +"Very well, I will go," he said; "but, father, when thou comest again, +thou wilt bring me a real weapon, instead of this stick, wilt thou +not?" and he ran into the house. + +"Contentions with these Italians never cease," said Witichis; "the very +children inherit the feeling. But it causes thee far too much vexation +here. So much the more willingly wilt thou do what I now propose: come +with me to Ravenna, Rauthgundis, to court." + +His wife looked at him with astonishment. + +"Thou art joking!" she said incredulously. "Thou hast never before +wished it! During the nine years of our married life, it has never +entered thy head to take me to court! I believe no one in all the +nation knows that a Rauthgundis exists. For a surety, thou hast kept +our marriage secret," she added, smiling, "like a crime!" + +"Like a treasure!" said Witichis, embracing her. + +"I have never asked thee wherefore. I was and am happy; and I thought +and think now: he has his reason." + +"I had a good reason: it exists no longer. Now thou mayest know all. A +few months after I had found thee amid the solitudes of thy mountains, +and had conceived an affection for thee, King Theodoric hit upon the +strange idea, to unite me in marriage with his sister Amalaberga, the +widow of the King of the Thuringians, who needed the protection of a +man against her wicked neighbours, the Franks." + +"Thou wert to wear a crown?" asked Rauthgundis, with sparkling eyes. + +"But Rauthgundis was dearer to me," continued Witichis, "than Queen or +crown, and I said, No. It vexed the King exceedingly, and he only +forgave me when I told him that probably I should never marry. At that +time I could not hope ever to call thee mine; thou knowest how long thy +father suspiciously and sternly refused to trust thee to me; but when, +notwithstanding, thou wert become my wife, I considered that it would +not be wise to show the King the woman for whose sake I had refused his +sister." + +"But why hast thou concealed all this from me for nine long years?" + +"Because," he said, looking lovingly into her eyes, "because I know my +Rauthgundis. Thou wouldst ever have imagined I had lost I know not what +with that crown! But now the King is dead, and I am permanently bound +to the court. Who knows when I shall again rest in the shadow of these +columns, in the peace of this roof?" + +And he related briefly the fall of the Prefect, and what position he +now held near Amalaswintha. + +Rauthgundis listened attentively; then she took his hand and pressed +it. + +"It is good, Witichis, that the Goths gradually find out thy worth, and +thou art more cheerful, I think, than usual." + +"Yes; I feel more contented since I can bear part of the burden of the +time. It was much more difficult to stand idly by and see it pressing +heavily upon my nation. I am only sorry for the Queen, she is like a +prisoner." + +"Bah! Why did the woman grasp at the office of a man? Such a thing +would never enter my head." + +"Thou art no Queen, Rauthgundis, and Amalaswintha is proud." + +"I am ten times prouder than she! but not so vain. She can never have +loved a man, nor understood his nature and worth, otherwise she could +not wish to fill a man's place." + +"At court that is looked upon in a different manner. But do come with +me to Ravenna." + +"No, Witichis," she quietly said, rising from her seat, "the court is +not fit for me, nor I for the court. I am the child of a mountain +farmer, and far too uncultured. Look at this brown neck," she laughed, +"and these rough hands! I cannot tinkle on the lyre, or read verses. I +should be ill suited for the fine Roman ladies, and thou wouldst have +little honour with me." + +"Surely thou dost not consider thyself too bad for the court?" + +"No, Witichis, too good." + +"Well, people must learn to bear with and appreciate each other." + +"I could not do that. They could perhaps learn to bear with me, out of +fear of thee. But I should daily tell them to their faces that they are +hollow, false, and bad!" + +"So, then, thou wilt rather do without thy husband for months?" + +"Yes, rather do without him, than be near him in a false and unfitting +position. Oh, my Witichis!" she added, encircling his neck with her +arm, "consider who I am and how thou foundest me! where the last +settlements of our people dot the edge of the Alps, high up upon the +steep precipices of the Scaranzia; where the youthful Isara breaks +foaming out of the ravines into the open plains, there stands my +father's lonely farm; there I knew of nought but the hard work of +summer upon the quiet alms, of winter in the smoke-blackened hall, +spinning with the maids. My mother died early, and my brothers were +killed by the Italians. So I grew up lonely, no one near me but my old +father, who was as true, but also as hard and close, as his native +rocks. There I saw nothing of the world which lay outside our +mountains. Only sometimes, from a height, I watched with curiosity a +pack-horse going along the road deep below in the valley, laden with +salt or wine. I sat through many a shining summer evening upon the +jagged peaks of the high Arn, and looked at the sun sinking splendidly +over the far-away river Licus; and I wondered what it had seen the +whole long summer day, since it had risen over the broad [OE]nus; and I +thought how I should like to know what things looked like at the other +side of the Karwaendel, or away behind the Brennus, over which my +brothers had gone and had never returned. And yet I felt how beautiful +it was up there in the green solitude, where I heard the golden eagle +screaming in its near eyrie, and where I plucked more lovely flowers +than ever grow in the plains, and even, sometimes, heard by night the +mountain-wolf howling outside the stable-door, and frightened it away +with a torch. In early autumn, too, and in the long winter, I had time +to sit and muse; when the white mist-veils spun themselves over the +lofty pines; when the mountain wind tore the blocks of stone from our +straw-roof, and the avalanches thundered from the precipices. So I grew +up, strange to the world beyond the next forest, only at home in the +quiet world of my thoughts, and in the narrow life of the peasant. Then +thou earnest--I remember it as if it had happened yesterday----" + +She ceased, lost in recollection. + +"I remember it too, exactly," said Witichis. "I was leading a +centumvirate from Juvavia to the Augusta-town on the Licus. I had lost +my way and my people. For a long time I had wandered about in the +sultry summer day, without finding a path, when I saw smoke rising +above a fir-tree grove, and soon I found a hidden farm, and entered +the yard-gate. There stood a splendid girl at the pump, lifting a +bucket----" + +"Look, even here in the valley, in this southern valley of the Alps, it +is often too close for me; and I long for a breath of air from the +pine-woods of my mountains. But at court, in the narrow gilded +chambers! there I should languish and pine away. Leave me here; I shall +manage Calpurnius well enough. And thou, I know well, wilt still think +of home, wife, and child, when absent in the royal halls." + +"Yes, God knows, with longing thoughts! Well then, remain here, and God +keep thee, my good wife!" + +The second day after this conversation Witichis again rode away up the +wooded heights. + +The parting hour had made him almost tender; but he had firmly checked +the outbreak of feeling which it was so repugnant to his simple and +manly nature to indulge in. How the brave man's heart clung to his +trusty wife and darling boy! + +Behind him trotted Wachis, who would not be prevented from accompanying +his master for a short distance. + +Suddenly he rode up to him. + +"Sir," said he, "I know something." + +"Indeed! Why didst not tell it?" + +"Because no one asked me about it." + +"Well, I ask thee about it." + +"Yes; if one is asked, then of course he must answer! The mistress has +told you that Calpurnius is such a bad neighbour?" + +"Yes; what about that?" + +"But she did not tell you since when?" + +"No; dost thou know?" + +"Well, it was about half a year ago. About that time Calpurnius once +met the mistress in the wood, alone as they both thought; but they were +not alone. Some one lay in a ditch, and was taking his mid-day nap." + +"Thou wert that sluggard!" + +"Rightly guessed. And Calpurnius said something to the mistress." + +"What did he say?" + +"That I did not understand. But the mistress was not idle; she lifted +her hand and struck him in the face with such a smack, that it +resounded. And since then our neighbour is a bad neighbour, and I +wanted to tell you, because I thought the mistress would not wish to +vex you about the rascal; but still it is better that you know it. And +see! there stands Calpurnius at his house door; do you see? and now +farewell, dear master." + +And with this he turned his horse and galloped home. But the blood +rushed to Witichis' face. + +He rode up to his neighbour's door. Calpurnius was about to retreat +into the house, but Witichis called to him in such a voice, that he was +obliged to remain. + +"What do you want with me, neighbour Witichis?" he asked, looking up at +him askance. + +Witichis drew rein, and stopped his horse close to him. Then he held +his clenched iron-gloved fist close before his neighbour's eyes. + +"Neighbour Calpurnius," he said quietly, "if _I_ ever strike thee in +the face, thou wilt never rise again." + +Calpurnius started back in a fright. + +But Witichis gave his horse the spur, and rode proudly and slowly upon +his way. + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +In his study at Rome, comfortably stretched upon the soft cushions of a +lectus, lay Cethegus the Prefect. + +He was of good cheer. + +His examination had ended with full acquittal. Only in case of an +immediate search in his house--such as the young King had ordered, but +which his death had frustrated--could discovery have been apprehended. + +He had succeeded in gaining permission to complete the fortifications +of Rome, supplying the funds out of his own exchequer, which +circumstance still more increased his influence in that city. + +The evening before he had held a meeting in the Catacombs. All the +reports were favourable; the patriots were increasing in number and +means. + +The greater oppression which since the late occurrences at Ravenna +weighed upon the Italians, could but serve to add to the ranks of the +malcontents; and, which was the main thing, Cethegus now held all the +threads of the conspiracy in his own hands. Even the most jealous +Republicans implicitly acknowledged the necessity of committing the +conduct of affairs, until the day of deliverance, to the most gifted of +men. + +The feeling against the barbarians had made such progress amongst all +Italians, that Cethegus could entertain the project of striking a blow +without the help of the Byzantines, as soon as ever Rome was +sufficiently fortified. + +"For," he repeatedly told himself, "all foreign liberators are easily +summoned, but with difficulty discarded." + +Musing thus, Cethegus reposed upon his lectus. He laid aside Caesar's +"Civil Wars," the leaves of which he had been turning over, and said to +himself: + +"The gods must have great things in store for me; whenever I fall, it +is like a cat--upon my feet and unhurt. Ah! when things go well with +us, we like to share our content with others. But it is too dangerous a +pleasure to put trust in another, and Silence is the only faithful +goddess. And yet one is human, and would like----" + +Here a slave entered--the old Ostiarius Fidus--and silently handed to +Cethegus a letter upon a flat golden salver. + +"The bearer waits," he said, and left the room. + +Cethegus took up the letter. But as soon as he recognised the design +upon the wax seal which secured the string twisted round the +tablets--the Dioscuri--he cried eagerly, "From Julius--at a happy +hour!" hastily untied the string, opened the tablets, and read, his +cold and pale countenance flushed with a warmth of pleasure usually +wholly strange to him: + + +"'To Cethegus the Prefect, from Julius Montanus. + +"'How long it is, my fatherly preceptor'--(by Jupiter! that sounds +frosty)--'that I have delayed sending you the greeting which I owe you. +The last time I wrote from the green banks of the Ilissos, where I +sought for traces of Plato in the desolated groves of the Akademia, but +found none. I know well that my letter was not cheerful. The sad +philosophers, wandering in the lonely schools, surrounded by the +oppressions of the Emperor, the suspicion of the priests, and the +coldness of the multitude, could only arouse my compassion. My soul was +gloomy; I knew not wherefore. I blamed my ingratitude to you, the most +generous of all benefactors.' + +"He has never given me such intolerable names before," observed +Cethegus. + +"'For two years I have travelled, accompanied by your slaves and +freedmen, endowed like a King of the Syrians with your riches, through +all Asia and Hellas; I have enjoyed all the beauty and wisdom of the +ancients, and my heart is still unsatisfied, my life empty. Not the +enthusiastic wisdom of Plato; not the gilded ivory of Phidias; not +Homer and not Thucydides gave me what I wanted! At last, at last, here +in Neapolis, in this blooming, God-endowed city; here I found what I +had unconsciously missed and sought for everywhere. Not dead wisdom, +but warm, living happiness.'--(He is in love! At last, thou coy +Hippolyte! Thanks, Eros and Anteros!)--'Oh! my guardian, my father! do +you know what happiness it is for the first time to call a heart that +completely understands you, your own?'--(Ah, Julius!" sighed the +Prefect, with a singular expression of softened sentiment, "as if I +knew it not?)--'a heart to which one can freely open his whole soul? +Oh! if you have ever proved it, rejoice with me! sacrifice to Jupiter, +the fulfiller! For the first time I have found a friend!' + +"What does he say?" cried Cethegus indignantly; and starting up with a +look of jealous pain, "The ungrateful boy!" + +"'For thou wilt understand it well, until now I had no bosom friend. +You, my fatherly preceptor----'" + +Cethegus threw the tablets upon the tortoise-shell table, and walked +hastily up and down the room. + +"Folly!" he then said quietly, took up the letter again, and read on: + +"'You, so much older, wiser, better, greater than I--you had laid such +a weight of gratitude and reverence upon my young soul, that it could +never unfold itself to you without reserve. I have also often heard +with discouragement the biting wit with which you mocked at all warmth +and softness of feeling; and a sharp expression about your proud and +closely-compressed mouth has always killed such feelings in me, as the +night-frost kills the first violets.'--(Well, at all events, he is +sincere!)--'But now I have found a friend--frank, warm, young, and +enthusiastic--and I feel a delight hitherto unknown to me. We are one +in heart and soul; we wander together on sunny days and moonlight +nights through the Elysian fields, and are never at a loss for winged +words. But I must soon close this letter. He is a Goth'--(that too!" +cried Cethegus, angrily)--"'and is named Totila.'" + +Cethegus let drop the hand which held the letter. He said nothing. He +only shut his eyes for an instant, and then he quietly read on again: + +"'And is named Totila. The day after my arrival in Neapolis, as I was +lounging through the Forum of Neptune, and admiring some statues under +the arches of a neighbouring house which had been exposed for sale by a +sculptor, there suddenly rushed at me, out of the door of this house, a +grey-haired man with a woollen apron, all over white with plaster, and +holding in his hand a pointed tool. He grasped my shoulder and shouted, +"Pollux, my Pollux! have I found thee at last!" I thought the old +fellow was mad, and said, "You mistake, old man, I am called Julius, +and come from Athens." "No," cried he; "thou art named Pollux, and come +from Olympus!" And before I knew what had happened, he had pushed me +into the house. There I gradually found out what was the matter. It was +the sculptor who had exposed the statues. In the ante-chamber stood +many half-finished works, and the sculptor explained to me that for +years he had been thinking of a group of the Dioscuri. For the Castor +he had found a charming model in a young Goth. "But in vain," he +continued, "have I prayed to Heaven for an inspiration for my Pollux. +He must resemble the Castor; like him, a brother of Helena and a son of +Jupiter. Complete similarity of feature and form must be there, and yet +the difference must be as apparent as the resemblance; they must each +be completely individual. In vain I sought in all the baths and +gymnasiums of Neapolis. I could not find the Leda-twin. And now a +god--Jupiter himself--has led thee to my door! It struck me like +lightning when I saw thee, 'There stands my Pollux, just as he ought to +look!' And I will never let thee depart living from my house until thou +hast promised me thy head and thy body." I willingly promised the +strange old man to come again the next day; and I did so the more +gladly when I afterwards learnt that my violent friend was Xenarchus, +the greatest sculptor in marble and bronze that Italia has known for a +long time. The next day I went again, and found my Castor. It was +Totila; and I cannot deny that the great resemblance surprised me, +although Totila is older, taller, stronger, and incomparably more +handsome than I. Xenarchus says that we are like a pale and a +gold-coloured citron--for Totila has fairer hair and beard--and just in +this manner, the master swears, were the two Dioscuri alike and unlike. +So we learnt to know and love each other amongst the statues of the +gods and goddesses in the studio of Xenarchus; became, in truth, Castor +and Pollux, inseparable and intimate as they; and already the merry +populace of Neapolis calls us by these names when we wander arm in arm +through the streets. But our new-made friendship was still more quickly +ripened by a threatened danger, which might easily have nipped it in +the bud. One evening, as usual, we had wandered out of the Porta Nolana +to seek refreshment after the heat of the day in the Baths of Tiberius. +After the bath--in a mood of sportive tenderness--you will blame it--I +had thrown my friend's mantle over me, and set his helmet, decorated +with the swan's wings, upon my head. He entered into the joke, and, +with a smile, threw my chlamys[4] around him; and, chatting peacefully, +we went back through the pine grove in the gloom of approaching night +to the city. All at once a man sprang upon me from a taxus-bush behind +me, and I felt cold steel at my throat. But the next moment the +murderer lay at my feet, Totila's sword in his breast. Only slightly +wounded, I bent over the dying man, and asked him what reason he had to +hate and murder me. But he stared in my face, and breathed out, "Not +thee--Totila, the Goth!" and he gave a convulsive shiver and was dead. +By his costume and weapons, we saw that he was an Isaurian mercenary.'" + +Again the hand which held the letter dropped, and Cethegus pressed the +other to his forehead. + +"Madness of chance!" he said; "to what mightest thou not have led!" And +he read to the end. '"Totila said he had many enemies at Ravenna. We +reported the incident to Uliaris, the Gothic Earl at Neapolis. He +caused the corpse to be examined, and instituted an inquiry--without +result. But this grave event has cemented our youthful friendship and +consecrated it with blood for ever. It has united us in an earnest and +holy bond. The seal-ring of the Dioscuri, which you gave me at parting, +was a friendly omen, and it has been pleasantly fulfilled; and when I +ask myself to whom is owing all my happiness, it is to you, to you +alone, who sent me to this city, where I have found all that I wanted! +So may the gods requite you for it! Ah, I see that my letter speaks +only of myself and this friendship--write to me speedily, I beg, and +let me know how things go with you.--_Vale_." + +A bitter smile passed across the Prefect's expressive mouth, and he +again measured the room with rapid strides. At last he stopped, +supporting his chin in his hand: + +"How can I be so--childish--as to vex myself? It is all very natural, +if very foolish. You are sick, Julius. Wait; I will write you a +prescription." + +And with an expression of pleased malice on his face, he seated himself +upon the writing-divan, took a Cnidian reed-pen, and wrote with the red +ink from a cup of agate, in the shape of a lion's head, which was +screwed into the lectus: + + +"To Julius Montanus: Cethegus, Prefect of Rome. + +"Your touching epistle from Neapolis amused me much. It shows that you +have not yet outlived the last childish ailments. When you have laid +them aside you will be a man. In order to precipitate this crisis, I +will prescribe the best means. You will at once seek for the trader in +purple, Valerius Procillus, the oldest friend that I have in Neapolis. +He is the richest merchant of the East, an inveterate enemy of the +Emperor of Byzantium, and as good a republican as Cato; merely on that +account he is my trusted friend. But his daughter, Valeria Procilla, is +the most beautiful Roman girl of our time, and a true daughter of the +ancient, the heathen world. She is only three years younger than you, +and therefore ten times as wise. At the same time her father will not +refuse you if you explain to him that Cethegus sues for you. But thou +wilt fall deeply in love at first sight! Of this I am sure; although I +tell it you beforehand, although you know that I wish it. In her arms +you will forget all the friends in the world; when the sun rises, the +moon pales. Besides, do you know that your Castor is one of the most +dangerous enemies of the Romans? And I once knew a certain Julius who +swore: 'Rome before all things!'--_Vale_." + +Cethegus rolled the papyrus together, tied it with a string of red +bast, fastened the knot with wax, and pressed his amethyst ring, +engraved with a splendid head of Jupiter, upon it. Then he touched a +silver eagle which protruded from the marble wainscoting of the room; +outside, upon the wall of the vestibule, a bronze thunderbolt struck +upon the silver shield of a fallen Titan with a clear bell-like tone. +The slave re-entered the room. + +"Let the messenger have a bath; give him food and wine, a gold solidus, +and this letter. To-morrow at sunrise he will return to Neapolis." + + + + CHAPTER VII. + +Several weeks later we find the grave Prefect in a circle which seemed +very ill-suited to his lofty character, or even to his age. + +In the singular juxtaposition of heathenism and Christianity which, +during the first century succeeding Constantine's conversion, filled +the life and manners of the Roman world with such harsh contrasts, the +peaceful mingling of the old and the new religious festivals played a +striking part. Generally the merry feasts of the ancient gods still +existed, together with the great holidays of the Christian Church, +though usually robbed of their original significance, of their +religious kernel. The people allowed themselves to be deprived of the +belief in Jupiter and Juno, of sacrifices and ceremonies, but not of +the games, the festivities, the dances and banquets, by which those +ceremonies had been accompanied; and the Church was at all times wise +and tolerant enough to suffer what she could not prevent. Thus, even +the truly heathen Lupercalia, which were distinguished by gross +superstition and all kinds of rude excess, were only, and with great +difficulty, abolished in the year 496. + +The days of the Floralia were come, which formerly were celebrated over +the whole continent with noisy games and dances, as being specially a +feast of happy youth; and which, in the days we speak of, were at least +passed in banqueting and drinking. + +And so the two Licinii, with their circle of young gallants and +patricians, had made an appointment to meet together for a symposium +upon the principal holiday of the Floralia, to which, as at our +picnics, every one contributed his share of food and wine. + +The guests assembled at the house of young Kallistratos, an amiable and +rich Greek from Corinth, who had settled in Rome to enjoy an artistic +leisure, and had built, near the gardens of Sallust, a tasteful house, +which became the focus of luxury and polite society. + +Besides the rich Roman aristocracy, this house was particularly +frequented by artists and scholars; and also by that stratum of the +Roman youth, which could spare little time and thought from its horses, +chariots and dogs for the State, and which until now had therefore been +inaccessible to the influence of the Prefect. + +For this reason Cethegus was well-pleased when young Lucius Licinius, +now his most devoted adherent, brought him an invitation from the +Corinthian. + +"I know," said Licinius modestly, "that we can offer you no appropriate +entertainment; and if the Falernian and Cyprian, with which +Kallistratos regales his guests, do not entice you, you can decline to +come." + +"No, my son; I will come," said Cethegus; "and it is not the old +Cyprian which tempts me, but the young Romans." + +Kallistratos, who loved to display his Grecian origin, had built his +house in the midst of Rome in Grecian style; not in the style then +prevalent, but in that of the free Greece of Pericles, which, by +contrast with the tasteless overcharging usual in Rome in those days, +made an impression of noble simplicity. + +Through a narrow passage one entered the peristyle, or open court, +surrounded by a colonnade, in the centre of which a splashing fountain +fell into a coloured marble basin. The colonnade, open to the north, +contained, besides other rooms, the banqueting hall, in which the +company was now assembled. + +Cethegus had stipulated that he should not be present at the c[oe]na, +or actual banquet, but only at the compotatio, the drinking-bout which +followed. + +So he found the friends in the elegant drinking-room, where the bronze +lamps upon the tortoise-shell slabs on the walls were already lighted, +and the guests, crowned with roses and ivy, lay upon the cushions of +the horse-shoe-shaped triclinium. + +A stupefying mixture of wine-odours and flower-scents, a glare of +torches and glow of colour, met him upon the threshold. + +"_Salve_, Cethegus!" cried the host, as he entered. "You find but a +small party." + +Cethegus ordered the slave who followed him, a beautiful and slender +young Moor, whose finely-shaped limbs were rather revealed than hidden +by the scarlet gauze of his light tunic, to unloose his sandals. +Meanwhile he counted the guests. + +"Not less than the Graces, nor more than the Muses," he said with a +smile. + +"Quick, choose a wreath," said Kallistratos, "and take your place up +there, upon the seat of honour on the couch. We have chosen you +beforehand for the king of the feast." + +The Prefect was determined to charm these young people. He knew how +well he could do so, and that day he wished to make a particular +impression. He chose a crown of roses, and took the ivory sceptre, +which a Syrian slave handed to him upon his knees. + +Placing the rose-wreath on his head, he raised the sceptre with +dignity. + +"Thus I put an end to your freedom!" + +"A born ruler!" cried Kallistratos, half in joke, half in earnest. + +"But I will be a gentle tyrant! My first law: one-third +water--two-thirds wine." + +"Oho!" cried Lucius Licinius, and drank to him, "_bene te!_ you govern +luxuriously. Equal parts is usually our strongest mixture." + +"Yes, friend," said Cethegus, smiling, and seating himself upon the +corner seat of the central triclinium, the "Consul's seat," "but I took +lessons in drinking amongst the Egyptians; they drink pure wine. Ho, +cupbearer--what is he called?" + +"Ganymede--he is from Phrygia. Fine fellow--eh?" + +"So, Ganymede, obey thy Jupiter, and place near each guest; a patera of +Mamertine wine--but near Balbus two, because he is a countryman." + +The young people laughed. + +Balbus was a rich Sicilian proprietor, still quite young, and already +very stout. + +"Bah!" said he, laughing, "ivy round my head, and an amethyst on my +finger--I defy the power of Bacchus!" + +"Well, at which wine have you arrived?" asked Cethegus, at the same +time signing to the Moor who now stood behind him, and who at once +brought a second wreath of roses, and, this time, wound it about his +neck. + +"Must of Setinum, with honey from Hymettus, was the last. There, try +it!" said Piso, the roguish poet, whose epigrams and anacreontics could +not be copied quickly enough by the booksellers; and whose finances, +notwithstanding, were always in poetical disorder. He handed to the +Prefect what we should call a _vexing-cup_, a bronze serpent's-head, +which, lifted carelessly to the lips, violently shot a stream of wine +into the drinker's throat. + +But Cethegus knew the trick, drank carefully, and returned the cup. + +"I like your _dry_ wit better, Piso," he said, laughing; and snatched a +wax tablet from a fold in the other's garment. + +"Oh, give it me back," said Piso; "it is no verses--just the +contrary--a list of my debts for wine and horses." + +"Well," observed Cethegus, "I have taken it--so it and they are +mine. To-morrow you may fetch the quittance at my house; but not for +nothing--for one of your most spiteful epigrams upon my pious friend +Silverius." + +"Oh, Cethegus!" cried the poet, delighted and flattered, "how spiteful +one can be for 40,000 solidi! Woe to the holy man of God!" + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + +"And the dessert--how far have you got there?" asked Cethegus, "already +at the apples? are these they?" and he looked, screwing up his eyes, at +two heaped-up fruit-baskets, which stood upon a bronze table with ivory +legs. + +"Ha, victory!" laughed Marcus Licinius, Lucius's younger brother, who +amused himself with the then fashionable pastime of modelling in wax. +"There! you see my art, Kallistratos! The Prefect thinks that my waxen +apples, which I gave you yesterday, are real." + +"Ah, indeed!" cried Cethegus, as if astonished, although he had long +since noticed the smell of the wax with dislike. "Yes, art deceives the +most acute. With whom did you learn? I should like to put similar +ornaments in my Kyzikenian hall." + +"I am an autodidact," said Marcus proudly, "and to-morrow I will send +you my new Persian apples--for you honour art." + +"But is the sitting at an end?" asked the Prefect, resting his left arm +on the cushions of the triclinium. + +"No," cried the host, "I will confess the truth. As I could not reckon +upon the king of our feast until the dessert, I have prepared a little +after-feast to be taken with the wine." + +"Oh, you sinner!" cried Balbus, wiping his greasy lips upon the rough +purple Turkish table-cover, "and I have eaten such a terrible quantity +of your _becca-ficchi_!" + +"It is against the agreement!" cried Marcus Licinius. + +"It will spoil my manners," said the merry Piso gravely. + +"Say, is that Hellenic simplicity?" asked Lucius Licinius. + +"Peace, friends!" and Cethegus comforted them with a quotation: "'E'en +unexpected hurt, a Roman bears unmoved.'" + +"The Hellenic host must adjust himself according to his guests," said +Kallistratos, excusing himself. "I feared you would not come again if I +offered you Marathonian fare." + +"Well, at least confess with what you menace us," cried Cethegus. +"Thou, Nomenclator! read the bill of fare. I will then decide upon the +suitable wines." + +The slave--a handsome Lydian boy, dressed in a garment of blue Pelusian +linen, slit up to the knee--came close to Cethegus at the cypress-wood +table, and read from a little tablet which he carried fastened to a +golden chain about his neck: + +"Fresh oysters from Britannia, in tunny-sauce, with lettuce." + +"With this dish, Falernian from Fundi," said Cethegus at once. "But +where is the sideboard with the cups? Good wine deserves handsome +goblets." + +"There is the sideboard!" And at a sign from the host, a curtain, which +had concealed a corner of the room opposite the guests, dropped. + +A cry of astonishment ran round the table. + +The richness of the service displayed, and the taste with which it was +arranged, surprised even these fastidious feasters. + +Upon the marble slab of a side-table stood a roomy silver carriage, +with golden wheels and bronze horses. It was a model of a booty-wagon, +such as were used in Roman triumphal processions, and, like a costly +booty, within it was piled, in seeming disorder, but with an artistic +hand, a quantity of goblets, glasses, and salvers, of every shape and +material. + +"By Mars the Victor!" laughed the Prefect, "the first Roman triumph for +two hundred years! A rare sight! Dare I destroy it?" + +"You are the man to set it up again," said Lucius, with fire. + +"Do you think so? Let us try! First, we will have that goblet of +pistachio-wood for the Falernian." + +"Wind-thrushes from the Tagus, with asparagus from Tarento," continued +the Lydian, reading the bill of fare. + +"With that, red Massikian from Sinuessa, to be drunk out of that +amethyst goblet." + +"Young lobsters from Trapezunt, with flamingo-tongues." + +"Stop! By holy Bacchus!" cried Balbus, "it is the torture of +Tantalus. It is all the same to me out of what I drink, whether from +pistachio-wood or amethyst; but to listen to this list of divine +dainties with a dry throat, is more than I can stand. Down with +Cethegus, the tyrant! Let him die, if he lets us thirst!" + +"I feel as if I were Emperor, and heard the roar of the faithful Roman +populace! I will save my life and yield. Serve the dishes, slaves." + +At this the sound of flutes was heard from an outer room, and six +slaves entered, marching in time to the music, with ivy in their +shining, anointed locks, and dressed in red mantles and white tunics. +They gave to each guest a snowy cloth of finest Sidonian linen, with +purple fringes. + +"Oh," cried Massurius, a young merchant who traded principally with +beautiful slaves of both sexes, and enjoyed the rather doubtful +reputation of being a great critic in such wares, "the best cloth is +beautiful hair," and he passed his hands through the locks of a +Ganymede who was kneeling near him. + +"But, Kallistratos, I hope those flutes are of the female sex. Up with +the curtain; let the girls in." + +"Not yet," ordered Cethegus. "First drink, then kiss. Without Bacchus +and Ceres, you know----" + +"Venus freezes, but not Massurius!" + +All at once lyres and citharas sounded from the side room, and there +entered a procession of eight youths in shining silken garments of a +gold-green colour. Foremost the "dresser" and the "carver." The other +six bore dishes upon their heads. They passed the guests with measured +steps, and halted at the sideboard of citron-wood. While they were busy +there, castanets and cymbals were heard from another part of the house; +the large double doors turned upon their shining bronze hinges, and a +swarm of slaves in the becoming costume of Corinthian youths streamed +into the room. + +Some handed bread in ornamentally-perforated baskets; others whisked +the flies away with fans of ostrich feathers and palm-leaves; some +gracefully poured oil into the wall-lamps from double-handled vases; +whilst others swept the crumbs from the mosaic pavement with besoms of +Egyptian reeds, or helped Ganymede to fill the cups, which now were +circling merrily. + +The conversation grew more rapid and animated, and Cethegus, who, +although he remained cool and collected, seemed to be quite lost in the +enjoyment of the moment, charmed the young guests by his youthful +gaiety. + +"What do you say?" asked the host, "shall we play dice between the +dishes? There stands the dice-box, near Piso." + +"Well, Massurius," observed Cethegus, with a sarcastic look at the +slave-dealer, "will you try your luck with me once more? Will you bet +against me? Give him the dice-box, Syphax," he said to the Moor. + +"Mercury forbid!" answered Massurius, with comical fright. "Have +nothing to do with the Prefect he has inherited the luck of his +ancestor, Julius Caesar." + +"Omen accipio!" laughed Cethegus. "I accept the omen, with the dagger +of Brutus into the bargain." + +"I tell you, he is a magician! Only lately he won an unwinnable bet +against me about this black demon," and the speaker threw a cactus-fig +at the slave's face, but Syphax caught it cleverly with his shining +white teeth, and quietly ate it up. + +"Well done, Syphax!" said Cethegus. "Roses from the thorns of the +enemy! Thou canst become a conjurer as soon as I let thee free." + +"Syphax does not wish to be free: he will always be your Syphax, and +save your life as you saved his." + +"What is that--thy life?" asked Lucius Licinius. + +"Did you pardon him?" asked Marcus. + +"More than that, I bought him off." + +"Yes, with my money!" grumbled Massurius. + +"You know that I immediately gave him the money I won from you as his +private possession," answered Cethegus. + +"What about this bet? Let us hear. Perhaps it will afford a subject for +my epigrams," said Piso. + +"Retire, Syphax. There! the cook is bringing us his masterpiece, it +seems." + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +It was a turbot weighing six pounds, which for years had been fed with +goose-liver in the sea-water fishponds of Kallistratos. The much-prized +"Rhombus" was served upon a silver dish, with a little golden crown on +its head. + +"All ye gods, and thou, Prophet Jonah!" stammered Balbus, sinking back +upon the cushions, "that fish is worth more than I!" + +"Peace, friend," said Piso, "let not Cato hear thee, who said, 'Woe to +that city where a fish is worth more than an ox.'" + +A burst of laughter, and the loud call of "_Euge belle!_" drowned the +angry exclamation of the half-drunken Sicilian. + +The fish was carved, and was found delicious. + +"Now, slaves, away with the weak Massikian. A noble fish must swim in +noble liquid. Quick, Syphax, the wine which I have contributed to the +banquet will suit exactly. Go, and let the amphora, which the slaves +have set in snow outside, be brought in, and with it the cups of yellow +amber." + +"What rare thing have you brought--from what country?" asked +Kallistratos. + +"Ask this far-travelled Odysseus, from what hemisphere," said Piso. + +"You must guess. And whoever guesses right, or whoever has already +tasted this wine, shall have an amphora from me as large as this." + +Two slaves, crowned with ivy, dragged in the immense dark-coloured +vase; it was of brown-black porphyry and of a singular shape, inscribed +with hieroglyphics and well closed at the neck with plaster. + +"By the Styx! does it come from Tartarus? It is indeed a black fellow!" +said Marcus, laughing. + +"But it has a white soul--show, Syphax." + +The Nubian carefully knocked off the plaster with an ebony hammer which +Ganymede handed to him, took out the stopper of palm-rind with a bronze +hook, poured away the oil which swam at the top of the wine, and filled +the cups. A strong and intoxicating odour arose from the white and +sticky fluid. + +Every one drank with an air of examination. + +"A drink fit for the gods!" cried Balbus, setting down his cup. + +"But as strong as liquid fire," said Kallistratos. + +"I do not know it," said Lucius Licinius. + +"Nor I," affirmed Marcus Licinius. + +"And I am happy to make its acquaintance," said Piso, and held his +empty cup to Syphax. + +"Well," said the host, turning to an, until now, almost silent guest at +his right hand, "well, Furius, valiant sailor, discoverer and +adventurer! you who have sailed round the world, is _your_ wisdom also +at fault?" + +The guest slightly raised himself from the cushions. He was a +handsome athletic man of about thirty years of age, with a bronzed +weather-beaten complexion, coal-black, deep-set eyes, dazzling white +teeth, and a full beard, trimmed in Oriental fashion. But before he +could speak Kallistratos interposed: + +"By Jupiter Xenios! I believe you do not know each other!" + +Cethegus measured his unknown and attractive companion with a keen +look. + +"I know the Prefect of Rome," said the silent guest. + +"Well, Cethegus," said Kallistratos, "this is my Vulcanic friend, +Furius Ahalla, from Corsica, the richest ship-owner of the West; deep +as night and hot as fire. He possesses fifty houses, villas and palaces +on all the coasts of Europe, Asia, and Africa; twenty galleys; a few +thousand slaves and sailors, and----" + +"And a very talkative friend," concluded the Corsican. "Prefect, I am +sorry for you, but the amphora is mine. I know the wine." And he took a +Kibitz-egg and broke the shell with a silver spoon. + +"Hardly," said Cethegus with a sarcastic smile. + +"Nevertheless I do know it. It is Isis-wine. From Memphis." And the +Corsican quietly sipped the golden yolk of his egg. + +Cethegus looked at him in surprise. + +"Well guessed!" he then said. "Where have you tasted it?" + +"Necessarily in the same place as you. It flows only from one source," +said the Corsican, smiling. + +"Enough of your secrets! No riddles under the rose!" cried Piso. + +"Where have you two weasels found the same nest?" asked Kallistratos. + +"Indeed," said Cethegus, "you may as well know it. In Old Egypt, and +particularly in holy Memphis, there remain near the Christian settlers +and monks in the deserts, men, and especially women, who still cling to +their old faith; who will not forsake Apis and Osiris, and cherish +faithfully the sweet worship of Isis. They fly from the surface, where +the Church has victoriously planted the cross of the ascetics, to the +secret bosom of Mother Earth with their holy and beloved religious +ceremonies. They still keep, hidden below the pyramids of Cheops, a few +hundred amphoras of the strong wine which intoxicated the initiated at +the orgies of joy and love. The secret is kept from generation to +generation, there is always only one priestess who knows the cellar and +keeps the key. I kissed the priestess and she let me in. She was like a +wild cat, but her wine was good; and at parting she gave me five +amphoras to take on board my ship." + +"I did not get as far as that with Smerda," said the Corsican. "She let +me drink in the cellar, but at parting she only gave me this." And he +bared his brown throat. + +"A dagger-stab of jealousy!" laughed Cethegus. "Well, I am glad that +the daughter has not degenerated. In my time, that is, when the mother +let me drink, the little Smerda still ran about in baby-frocks. Long +live the Nile and sweet Isis!" And the two men drank to each other. But +yet they were vexed that they shared a secret which each believed he +had possessed alone. + +The others, however, were charmed by the amiable humour of the icy +Prefect, who chatted with them as youthfully as the youngest amongst +them, and who now, when the favourite theme of young men at the +wine-cup had been introduced--love adventures and stories of lovely +women--bubbled over with anecdotes of jests and tricks, of most of +which he had himself been witness. Every one stormed him with +questions. The Corsican alone remained dumb and cold. + +"Say," cried the host, and signed to the cup-bearer just as a burst of +mirth caused by one of these stories had ceased; "tell us, you man of +varied experience--Egyptian Isis-girls, Gallic Druidesses, black-haired +daughters of Syria, and my plastic sisters of Hellas--all these you +know and understand how to value; but tell us, have you ever loved a +Germanic woman?" + +"No," said Cethegus, "they were always too insipid for me." + +"Oho!" said Kallistratos; "that is saying too much. I tell you, I was +mad all the last calendars for a German girl; she was not at all +insipid." + +"What? you, Kallistratos of Corinth, the countryman of Aspasia and +Helena, you could burn for a barbarian woman? Oh, wicked Eros, +sense-confuser, man-shamer!" + +"Well, I acknowledge it was an error of the senses. I have never before +experienced such." + +"Relate, relate!" cried all the others. + + + + CHAPTER X. + +"With pleasure," said the host, smoothing his cushions; "although I +play no brilliant part in the story. Well, some time ago I was +returning home from the baths of Abaskanthus at about the eighth hour. +In the street I found a woman's litter, accompanied by four slaves, +who, I believe, were captive Gepidians. And exactly opposite the door +of my house stood two veiled women, their calanticas thrown over their +heads. One wore the garment of a slave, but the other was very richly +and tastefully dressed; and the little that could be seen of her figure +was divine. Such a graceful walk, such slender ankles, such an arched +instep! As I approached they entered the litter and were gone. But +I--you know that a sculptor's blood flows in the veins of every +Greek--I dreamt all night of the slender ankles and the light step. The +next day at noon, as I opened the door to go, as usual, to the +bibliographers in the Forum, I saw the same litter hurrying away. I +confess--though I am not usually vain--I thought that this time I had +made a conquest; I wished it so much. And I could no longer doubt it, +when, coming home again at the eighth hour, I saw my strange beauty, +this time unaccompanied, slip past me and hurry to her litter. I could +not follow the quick-footed slaves, so I entered my house, full of +happy thoughts. The ostiarius met me and said: + +"'Sir, a veiled female slave waits in the library.' + +"I hurried to the room with a beating heart. It was really the slave +whom I had seen yesterday. She threw back her mantle; a handsome +coquettish Moor or Carthaginian--I know the sort--looked at me with sly +eyes. + +"'I claim the reward of a messenger, Kallistratos,' she said; 'I bring +you good news.' + +"I took her hand and would have patted her cheek--for who desires to +win the mistress must kiss the slave--but she laughed and said: + +"'No, not Eros; Hermes sends me. My mistress'--I listened eagerly. 'My +mistress is--a passionate lover of art. She offers you three thousand +solidi for the bust of Ares which stands in the niche at the door of +your house.'" + +The young guests laughed loudly, Cethegus joining in their merriment. + +"Well, laugh away!" continued the host, smiling; "but I assure you I +did not laugh. My dreams were dashed to pieces, and I said, greatly +vexed, 'I do not sell my busts.' The slave offered five thousand, ten +thousand solidi. I turned my back upon her and opened the door. Then +the sly puss said, 'I know that Kallistratos is indignant because he +expected an adventure, and only found a money-affair. He is a Greek, +and loves beauty; he burns with curiosity to see my mistress.' This +was so true, that I could only smile. 'Well,' she said, 'you shall see +her, and then I will renew my last offer. Should you still refuse, at +least you will have had the advantage of satisfying your curiosity. +To-morrow, at the eighth hour, the litter will come again. Then be +ready with your Ares.' And she slipped away. I cannot deny that my +curiosity was aroused. Quite decided not to give up my Ares, and yet to +see this beauteous art-enthusiast, I waited impatiently for the +appointed hour. It came, and with it the litter. I stood watching at my +open door. The slave descended. 'Come,' she called to me, 'you shall +see her.' Trembling with excitement, I stepped forward, the curtain +fell, and I saw----" + +"Well?" cried Marcus, bending forward, his cup in his hand. + +"What I shall never again forget! a face, friends, of unimagined +beauty. Cypris and Artemis in one! I was dazzled. But I hurried back, +lifted the Ares from its niche, gave it to the Punic slave, refused her +money, and staggered into my house as confused as if I had seen a +wood-nymph." + +"Well, that is wonderful," laughed Massurius; "you are else no novice +in the works of Eros." + +"But," asked Cethegus, "how do you know that your charmer was a Goth?" + +"She had dark-red hair, and a milk-white skin, and black eyebrows." + +"Oh, ye gods!" thought Cethegus. But he was silent and waited. No one +present uttered the name. "They do not know her.--And when was this?" +he asked his host. + +"During the last calendars." + +"Quite right," thought Cethegus. "She came at that time from Tarentum +through Rome to Ravenna. She rested here for three days." + +"And so," said Piso, laughing, "you gave your Ares for a look at a +beautiful woman! A bad bargain! This time, Mercury and Venus were +allies. Poor Kallistratos!" + +"Oh," said Kallistratos, "the bust was not worth so very much. It was +modern work. Ion of Neapolis made it three years, ago. But I tell you, +I would give a Phidias for such a look." + +"An ideal head?" asked Cethegus indifferently, and lifted admiringly +the bronze mixing-vase which stood before him. + +"No; the model was a barbarian--some Gothic earl or other--Watichis or +Witichas--who can remember these hyperborean names," said Kalistratos, +as he peeled a peach. + +Cethegus reflectively sipped his wine from the cup of amber. + + + + CHAPTER XI. + +"Well, one might put up with the barbarian women," cried Marcus +Licinius, "but may Orcus devour their brothers!" and he tore the faded +rose-wreath from his head--the flowers could ill bear the close air of +the room--and replaced it by a fresh one. "Not only have they deprived +us of liberty--they even beat us upon the field of love, with the +daughters of Hesperia. Only lately, the beautiful Lavinia shut the door +upon my brother, and received the foxy-haired Aligern." + +"Barbaric taste!" observed Lucius, shrugging his shoulders, and taking +to his Isis-wine, as if to comfort himself. "You know the Goths too, +Furius; is it not an error of taste?" + +"I do not know your rival," answered the Corsican; "but there are +youths enough among the Goths who might well be dangerous to a woman. +And an adventure occurs to me, which I lately discovered, but of which, +certainly, the point is still wanting." + +"That does not matter; tell it to us," said Kallistratos, putting his +hands into the luke-warm water, which was now handed round in +Corinthian bronze vessels; "perhaps we can find the point." + +"The hero of my story," began Furius, "is the handsomest of all the +Goths." + +"Ah, the young Totila," interrupted Piso, and gave his cameo-decorated +cup to be filled with iced wine. + +"The same. I have known him for years, and like him exceedingly, as all +must who have ever looked into his sunny face; not to speak of the +fact"--and here the shadow of some grave remembrance flitted across the +Corsican's face, as he hesitated--"that I am under an obligation to +him." + +"It seems that you are in love with the fair-haired youth," said +Massurius sarcastically, and throwing to the slave he had brought with +him a kerchief full of Picentinian biscuits, to take home with him. + +"No; but he has been very friendly to me, as he is to every one with +whom he comes into contact; and very often he had the harbour-watch in +the Italian ports where I landed." + +"Yes, he has rendered great services to the Gothic navy," said Lucius +Licinius. + +"As well as to their cavalry," concurred Marcus. "The slender youth is +the best rider in his nation." + +"Well, I met him last in Neapolis. We were well-pleased to meet, but it +was in vain that I pressed him to share our merry suppers on board my +ship." + +"Oh, those suppers are both celebrated and ill-famed," observed Balbus; +"you have always the most fiery wines." + +"And the most fiery girls," added Massurius. + +"However that may be, Totila always pleaded business, and was not to be +persuaded. Imagine that! business after the eighth hour in Neapolis, +when the most industrious are lazy! Naturally, it was only an excuse. I +promised myself to find out his pranks, and, at evening, loitered near +his house in the Via Lata. And truly, the very first evening he came +out, looking carefully about him, and, to my surprise, in disguise. He +was dressed like a gardener, with a travelling-cap well drawn down over +his face, and a cloak folded closely about him. I dogged his footsteps. +He went straight through the town to the Porta Capuana. Close to the +gate stands a large tower, inhabited by the gate-keeper, an old +patriarchal Jew, whom King Theodoric, on account of his great fidelity, +entrusted with the office of warder. My Goth stood still before the +house, and gently clapped his hands. A little side-door, which I had +not remarked before, opened noiselessly, and Totila slipped in like an +eel." + +"Ho, ho!" interrupted Piso eagerly, "I know both the Jew and his child +Miriam--a splendid large-eyed girl! The most beautiful daughter of +Israel, the pearl of the East! Her lips are red as pomegranates, her +eyes are deep sea-blue, her cheeks have the rosy bloom of the peach." + +"Well done, Piso," said Cethegus, smiling; "your poem is very +beautiful." + +"No," he answered, "Miriam herself is living poetry." + +"The Jewess is proud," grumbled Massurius, "she scorned my gold with a +look as if no one had ever bought a woman before." + +"So the haughty Goth," said Lucius Licinius, "who walks with an air as +if he earned all heaven's stars upon his curly head, has condescended +to a Jewess." + +"So I thought, and I determined, at the next opportunity, to laugh at +the youth for his predilection for musk. But nothing of the sort! A few +days later, I was obliged to go to Capua. I started before daybreak to +avoid the heat. I drove out of the town through the Porta Capuana, just +as it was dawning, and as I rattled over the hard stones before the +Jews' tower, I thought with envy of Totila, and said to myself that he +was then lying in the embrace of two white arms. But at the second +milestone from the gate, walking towards the town, with two empty +flower-baskets hanging over his breast and back, dressed in a +gardener's costume, just as before, whom should I meet but Totila! +Therefore he was not lying in Miriam's arms; the Jewess was not his +sweetheart, but perhaps his confidante; and who knows where the flower +that this gardener cherishes blooms? The lucky fellow! Only consider +that on the Via Capuana stand all the villas and pleasure-houses of the +first families of Neapolis, and that in these gardens flourish and +bloom the loveliest of women." + +"By my genius!" cried Lucius Licinius, lifting his wreathed goblet, "in +that region live the most beautiful women of Italia--cursed be the +Goths!" + +"No," shouted Massurius, glowing with wine, "cursed be Kallistratos and +the Corsican! who offer us strange love-stories, as the stork offered +the fox food from narrow-necked flasks. Now, O mine host, let your +girls in, if you have ordered any. You need not excite our expectation +any further." + +"Yes, yes! the girls! the dancers! the players!" cried the young guests +all together. + +"Hold!" said the host. "When Aphrodite comes, she must tread upon +flowers. This glass I dedicate to thee, Flora!" + +He sprang up, and dashed a costly crystal cup against the tabled +ceiling, so that it broke with a loud ring. As soon as the glass struck +the ceiling, the whole of it opened like a trap-door, and a thick rain +of flowers of all kinds fell upon the heads of the astonished guests; +roses from Paestum, violets from Thurii, myrtles from Tarentum; covering +with scented bunches the tesselated floor, the tables, the cushions, +and the heads of the drinkers. + +"Never," cried Cethegus, "did Venus descend more beautifully upon +Paphos!" + +Kallistratos clapped his hands. + +To the sound of lyre and flute the centre wall of the room, directly +opposite the triclinium, parted; four short-robed female dancers, +chosen for their beauty, in Persian costume, that is, dressed in +transparent rose-coloured gauze, sprang, clashing their cymbals, from +behind a bush of blooming oleander. + +Behind them came a large carriage in the form of a fan-shaped shell, +with golden wheels, pushed by eight young female slaves. Four girls, +playing on the flute, and dressed in Lydian garments--purple and white +with gold-embroidered mantles--walked before, and upon the seat of the +carriage rested, in a half-lying position, and covered with roses, +Aphrodite herself; a blooming girl of enchanting, voluptuous beauty, +whose almost only garment was an imitation of Aphrodite's girdle of the +Graces. + +"Ha, by Eros and Anteros!" cried Massurius, and sprang down from the +triclinium with an unsteady step amidst the group. + +"Let us draw lots for the girls," said Piso; "I have new dice made from +the bones of the gazelle. Let us inaugurate them." + +"Let our festal King decide," proposed Marcus. + +"No, freedom! freedom at least in love!" cried Massurius, and roughly +caught the goddess by the arm; "and music. Hey there! Music!" + +"Music!" ordered Kallistratos. + +But before the cymbal-players could begin, the entrance-doors were +hastily thrown open, and pushing the slaves who tried to stop him +aside, Scaevola rushed in. He was deadly pale. + +"You here! I really find you here, Cethegus! at this moment!" he cried. + +"What's the matter?" asked the Prefect, quietly taking the wreath of +roses off his head. + +"What's the matter!" repeated Scaevola. "The fatherland trembles between +Scylla and Charybdis! The Gothic Dukes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza----" + +"Well?" asked Lucius Licinius. + +"Are murdered!" + +"Triumph!" shouted the young Roman, and let loose the dancer whom he +held in his arms. + +"A fine triumph!" said the jurist angrily. "When the news reached +Ravenna, the mob accused the Queen; they stormed the palace--but +Amalaswintha had escaped." + +"Whither?" asked Cethegus, starting up. + +"Whither! Upon a Grecian ship--to Byzantium." + +Cethegus frowned and silently set down his cup. + +"But the worst is that the Goths mean to dethrone her, and choose a +King." + +"A King?" said Cethegus. "Well, I will call the Senate together. The +Romans, too, shall choose." + +"Whom? what shall we choose?" asked Scaevola. + +But Cethegus was not obliged to answer. + +Before he could speak Lucius shouted: + +"A Dictator! Away, away to the Senate!" + +"To the Senate!" repeated Cethegus majestically. "Syphax, my mantle!" + +"Here, master, and the sword as well," whispered the Moor. "I always +bring it with me, in case of need." + +And host and guests, staggering, followed Cethegus, who, the only +completely sober man amongst them, was the first out of the house and +into the street. + + + + CHAPTER XII. + +In one of the small rooms of the Emperor's palace in Byzantium, a short +time after the Feast of the Floralia, a little man of insignificant +appearance was pacing to and fro, lost in anxious thought. + +The room was quiet and lonely. Although outside it was broad daylight, +the bay-window, which looked into the court of the extensive edifice, +was thickly hung with heavy curtains of gold-brocade. Equally costly +stuffs covered the mosaic floor, so that no noise accompanied the +footsteps of the solitary inmate. + +A softened light filled the room. Relieved against the golden +background of the walls, stood a row of small white busts of the +Christian Emperors since Constantine. Exactly over a writing divan, +hung a large cross of massive gold. Whenever the little man passed +this, he bent before it; for in the middle of the gold, and covered +with glass, a splinter of wood was enclosed, said to be a piece of the +true Cross. At last he stopped before a map, which, representing the +_orbis Romanus_, and traced upon a parchment with a purple border, +covered one of the walls. + +After a long and searching look, he sighed and covered his eyes with +his hands. They were not beautiful, nor was his face noble; but his +features were exceedingly suggestive both of good and evil. Mistrust, +cunning and vigilance lay in the restless glance of his deep-set eyes; +deep wrinkles, more the result of care than of age, furrowed his +projecting forehead and hollow cheeks. + +"Who can foresee the result?" he exclaimed, sighing again, and rubbing +his long and bony hands. "I am unceasingly impelled to do it. A spirit +has entered my bosom, and it warns me repeatedly. But is it an angel of +the Lord or a demon? Who can interpret my dream? Forgive, Thou Triune +God, forgive Thy most zealous servant! Thou hast cursed him who +interprets dreams. And yet Joseph interpreted the dreams of King +Pharaoh, and Jacob saw the heavens open; and their dreams were from +Thee. Shall I, dare I venture?" + +Again he walked to and fro; and who knows how long he would have +continued to do so, had not the purple curtains of the doorway been +gently drawn aside. A slave, glittering with gold, threw himself on the +ground before the little man, with his arms crossed on his breast. + +"Emperor, the patricians whom you summoned have arrived. + +"Patience!" said the Emperor to himself, and seated himself upon a +couch, of which the supports were made of gold and ivory. "Quick with +the shoes and the chlamys!" + +The slave drew a pair of sandals with thick soles and high heels upon +the Emperor's feet, which added some inches to his height, and threw +over his shoulders a rich mantle worked all over with stars of gold, +kissing each article as he touched it. After a repetition of the humble +prostration, which had lately been introduced at Byzantium in this +aggravated form of Oriental submission, the slave withdrew. + +Emperor Justinian placed himself opposite the entrance in the attitude +in which he was accustomed to give audience, resting his left arm upon +a broken porphyry column from the Temple of Jerusalem. + +The curtain at the entrance was again parted, and three men entered, +with the same salutation as the slave; and yet they were the first men +of the empire, as was shown by their characteristic heads and +intellectual features, still more than by their richly-decorated +garments. + +"We have summoned you," began the Emperor, without noticing their +humble greeting, "to hear your advice concerning Italy. You have had +all necessary information--the letters of the Queen-regent, and the +documents of the patriotic party. You have also had three days to +reflect. Speak first, Magister Militum." + +And he turned to the tallest of the three, a man of stately and heroic +figure, clad in a full suit of richly-gilded armour. His well-opened, +light-brown eyes were frank and confident; his large, straight nose and +full cheeks gave his face an expression of health and strength. There +was something Herculean about his broad chest and powerful thighs +and arms; but his mouth, in spite of the fierce beard, was mild and +good-humoured. + +"Sire," he said, in a full, deep-chested voice, "the advice of +Belisarius is always, 'Attack the enemy!' At your command, I lately +destroyed the Kingdom of the Vandals, in Africa, with fifteen thousand +men. Give me thirty thousand, and I will lay the Gothic crown at your +feet." + +"'Tis well," said the Emperor approvingly. "Your words have done me +good. What say you, Tribonianus, pearl of jurists?" + +The jurist was little shorter than Belisarius, but not so +broad-shouldered and stout-limbed. His high, grave forehead, quiet +eyes, and expressive mouth, bore witness to a powerful mind. + +"Emperor," said he firmly, "I warn you against this war. It is unjust." + +Justinian started up indignantly. + +"Unjust!--to recover that which belongs to the Roman Empire!" + +"Which _did_ belong. Your predecessor, Zeno, ceded the West to +Theodoric and his Goths when they had overthrown the usurper Odoacer." + +"Theodoric was to be the Viceregent of the Emperor, not the King of +Italy." + +"Admitted. But after he had become King--as he could not fail to do, +for a Theodoric could never be the servant of another--the Emperor +Anastasius, your uncle Justinus, and, later, you yourself, acknowledged +him and his kingdom." + +"That was under the pressure of necessity. Now that they are in need, +and I the stronger, I revoke that acknowledgment." + +"That is exactly what I call unjust." + +"You are blunt and disagreeable, Tribonianus, and a tough disputant. +You are excellently fitted to compile my pandects. I will never again +ask your advice in politics. What has justice to do with politics?" + +"Justice, Justinianus, is the best policy." + +"Bah! Alexander and Caesar thought differently." + +"But, first, they never completed their work; and, secondly----" + +He stopped. + +"Well, secondly?" + +"Secondly, you are not Caesar, nor are you Alexander." + +All were silent. After a pause, the Emperor said quietly: + +"You are very frank, Tribonianus." + +"Always, Justinianus." + +The Emperor quickly turned to the third of his advisers: + +"Well, what is your opinion, Narses?" + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + +Narses was a stunted little man, considerably shorter than Justinian, +for which reason the latter stooped, when speaking with him, much more +than was necessary. He was bald, his complexion a sickly yellow, his +right shoulder higher than his left, and he limped a little on the left +foot, supporting himself upon a stick with a golden crutch. But his +eagle eye was so commanding, that it annulled any disagreeable +impression made by his insignificant figure, and lent to his plain +countenance the consecration of intellectual greatness, while the +expression of painful resignation and cool superiority about his mouth +had even a singular charm. When addressed by the Emperor, Narses +quickly banished from his lips a cold smile, which had been excited by +the jurist's moral politics, and raised his head. + +"Emperor," he said, in a sharp, decided voice, "I would dissuade you +from this war--for the present." + +The Emperor bit his lips in vexation. + +"Also from reasons of justice?" he asked, almost sarcastically. + +"I said: for the present." + +"Why?" + +"Because what is necessary precedes what is pleasant. He who has to +defend his own house should not break into strange dwellings." + +"What does that mean?" + +"It means, that no danger threatens your empire from the West, from the +Goths. The enemy who can, and perhaps will, destroy it, comes from the +East." + +"The Persians!" cried Justinian contemptuously. + +"Since when," interposed Belisarius, "since when does Narses, my great +rival, fear the Persians?" + +"Narses fears no one," answered the latter, without looking at his +interrogator, "neither the Persians whom he has beaten, nor you whom +the Persians have beaten. But he knows the Orient. If not the Persians, +then it will be others who follow them. The tempest which threatens +Byzantium approaches from the Tigris, not from the Tiber." + +"Well, and what does that mean?" + +"It means, that it is a shameful thing for you, O Emperor, and for the +Roman name which we still bear, that you should, year by year, buy +peace from Chosroes, the Persian Khan, at the cost of many +hundredweights of gold." + +The Emperor's face flushed scarlet. + +"How can you put such a meaning upon gifts, subsidies?" + +"Gifts! If they are not forthcoming but a week after the day of +payment, Chosroes, the son of Cabades, burns your villages! Subsidies! +With them he pays Huns and Saracens, the most dangerous enemies of your +frontiers!" + +Justinian walked rapidly through the room. + +"What do you then advise?" he said at last, stopping short before +Narses. + +"Not to attack the Goths without necessity or reason, when we can +scarcely defend ourselves from the Persians. To put forth the whole +power of your empire in order to abolish this shameful tribute; to +prevent the depredations on your frontiers; to rebuild the burnt towns +of Antiochia, Dara, and Edessa; to win back the provinces which you +lost, in spite of the valiant sword of Belisarius; and to protect your +frontiers by a seven-fold girdle of fortresses from the Euphrates to +the Araxes. And when you have completed this necessary work--and I fear +much you cannot complete it--then you may follow where Fame leads." + +Justinianus slightly shook his head. + +"You are displeasing to me, Narses," he said bitterly. + +"I knew that long ago," Narses answered quietly. + +"And not indispensable," cried Belisarius proudly. "Do not listen, my +great Emperor, to this small doubter. Give me the thirty thousand, and +I wager my right hand that I will conquer Italy for you." + +"And I wager my head, which is more," said Narses, "that Belisarius +will conquer Italy neither with thirty, nor with sixty, nor with a +hundred thousand men.", + +"Well," asked Justinianus, "and who can do it, and with what forces?" + +"I," said Narses, "with eighty thousand." + +Belisarius grew red with anger; he was silent for want of words. + +"You have never yet, with all your self-esteem, Narses," said the +jurist, "vaunted yourself thus highly above your rival." + +"I do not now, Tribonianus. See, the difference is this: Belisarius is +a great hero, and I am not; but I am a great general, and Belisarius is +not, and none but a great general can conquer the Goths." + +Belisarius drew himself up to his full height, and angrily grasped his +sword. He looked as if he would have gladly crushed the cripple near +him. + +The Emperor defended him. "Belisarius no great general! Envy blinds +you, Narses." + +"I envy Belisarius nothing, not even," answered Narses, slightly +sighing, "his health. He would h& a great general if he were not so +great a hero. Every battle which he has lost, he has lost through too +great heroism." + +"That can not be said of you, Narses," retorted Belisarius. + +"No, Belisarius, for I have never yet lost a battle." + +An angry retort from Belisarius was cut short by the entrance of a +slave, who, lifting the curtain, announced: + +"Alexandros, sire, who was sent to Ravenna, has landed an hour ago, and +asks----" + +"Bring him in! Here!" cried the Emperor, hastily starting from his +seat. He impatiently signed to the ambassador, who entered at once, to +rise from his obeisance. + +"Well, Alexandros, you came back alone?" + +The ambassador--a handsome and still young man--repeated: "Alone." + +"But your last report said--In what condition have you left the Gothic +kingdom?" + +"In great confusion. I wrote in my last report that the Queen had +decided to rid herself of her three most haughty enemies. Should the +attempt fail, she would be no longer safe in Italy, and she begged to +be allowed, in that case, to go in my ship to Epidamnus, and from +thence to escape to Byzantium." + +"And I accepted the proposal readily. Well, and the attempt?" + +"Succeeded. The three dukes are no more. But the rumour had reached +Ravenna that the most dangerous of them, Duke Thulun, was only wounded. +This induced the Queen--as, besides, the Goths threateningly surrounded +the palace--to escape to my ship. We weighed anchor, but soon after we +had left the harbour, off Ariminum, Earl Witichis overtook us with +superior numbers, boarded us, and demanded that Amalaswintha should +return, guaranteeing her safety until a solemn examination had taken +place before the National Assembly. When she learnt from him that Duke +Thulun had succumbed to his wounds, and saw from the proposal of +Witichis that he and his powerful friends did not yet believe in her +guilt, and as, besides, she apprehended compulsion, she consented to +return with him to Ravenna. But first, on board the _Sophia_, she wrote +this letter to you, and sends you this present from her treasury." + +"Of that later. Tell me further, how do things, stand now in Italy?" + +"Well for you, O great Emperor! An exaggerated account of the rebellion +of the Goths at Ravenna and of the flight of the Queen to Byzantium, +has flown through the whole country. Already many encounters have taken +place between Romans and barbarians. In Rome itself the patriots wished +to strike a blow at once; to choose a Dictator in the Senate, and call +for your assistance. But this step would have been premature, for the +Queen was in the hands of the Goths, and only the firmness of the +clever man who heads the conspiracy of the Catacombs prevented it." + +"The Prefect of Rome?" asked Justinian. + +"Cethegus. He mistrusted the reports. The conspirators wished to +surprise the Goths, proclaim you Emperor of the West, and choose him, +meanwhile, for Dictator. But he literally allowed them to put the +dagger to his throat in the Curia, and said, No." + +"A courageous man!" said Belisarius. + +"A dangerous man!" said Narses. + +"An hour after," continued the ambassador, "news, arrived of +Amalaswintha's return, and things remained as they were. That gloomy +warrior, Teja, had sworn to render Rome a pasture for cattle, if a drop +of Gothic blood were shed. I learned all this on my intentionally slow +coast voyage to Brundusium. But I have something still better to +announce. I have found zealous friends of Byzantium, not only among the +Romans, but also among the Goths, and even in the members of the Royal +Family." + +"Whom mean you?" + +"In Tuscany there lives a rich proprietor, Prince Theodahad, the cousin +of Amalaswintha." + +"To be sure! he is the last male of the Amelung family, is he not?" + +"The last. He and, still more, Gothelindis, his clever but wicked +wife, the proud daughter of the Balthe, mortally hate the Queen. He, +because she opposed the measureless avarice with which he sought to +appropriate the property of all his neighbours; she, from reasons which +I could not discover, but which, I believe, originated during the +girlhood of the two Princesses; enough, her hate is deadly. Now, these +two have promised me to help you in every possible way to win Italy +back. She will be satisfied, it seems, with the destruction of the +object of her hatred; he, however, demands a rich reward." + +"He shall have it." + +"His support is important, for he already possesses half Tuscany--the +noble family of the Woelfungs owns the other half--and can easily bring +it into our power; and also because he expects, if Amalaswintha falls, +to seat himself upon her throne. Here are letters from him and +Gothelindis. But, first of all, read the writing from the Queen---- I +believe it is very important." + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + +The Emperor opened the tablets, and read: + +"To Justinian, Emperor of the Romans, Amalaswintha, Queen of the Goths +and the Italians." + +"Queen of the Italians!" laughed Justinian; "what an insane title!" + + +"From Alexandros you will learn how Eris and Ate haunt this land. I am +like a lonely palm-tree which is tossed by opposing winds. Each day +increases the barbarians' enmity to me, and daily I become more +estranged from them; and the Romans, however much I try to conciliate +them, can never forget that I am of Germanic origin. Till now I have +defied all danger with a firm spirit; but I can do so no longer, if my +palace and my person are not in security. I cannot rely upon any party +in this country. Therefore I appeal to you, as my royal brother. +It is the dignity of all rulers, and the peace of Italy, which +you will protect. Send me, I beseech you, a trustworthy troop, a +life-guard"--the Emperor cast a significant look at Belisarius--"a +troop of some thousand men, with a leader who will be unconditionally +devoted to me. They shall occupy the palace; it is a fortress in +itself. As to Rome, these troops must, above all things, keep from me +the Prefect Cethegus, who is as full of duplicity as he is powerful, +and who deserted me in the danger into which he himself had led me. If +necessary, they must ruin him. When I have overthrown my enemies, and +secured my kingdom, as I trust in Heaven and my own strength that I +shall, I will send back troops and leader richly laden with gifts, and +still more with warm thanks.--_Vale_." + + +Justinian clasped the wax-tablets tightly in his hand; his eyes shone; +his plain features were ennobled by an expression of high intellectual +power; and the present moment showed, that together with many +weaknesses and littlenesses, he possessed strength and greatness: the +greatness of diplomatic genius. + +"In this letter," he cried at last, with sparkling eyes, "I hold Italy +and the Gothic kingdom!" + +And, much agitated, he paced the room with long strides, even +forgetting to bow before the Cross. + +"A life-guard! that she shall have! But not a few thousand men; many +thousands--more than she will like; and you, Belisarias, shall lead +them." + +"Deign to look at the presents," said Alexandros, pointing to a costly +shrine of cypress-wood, inlaid with gold, which a slave had set down +behind him. "Here is the key." + +And he held out a little box of tortoise-shell, which was closed with +the Queen's seal. + +"Her picture is there too," he said, raising his voice as if by +accident. + +At the moment in which Alexandros raised his voice, the head of a woman +was protruded gently and unnoticed through the curtain, and two +sparkling black eyes looked keenly at the Emperor. + +Justinian opened the shrine, quickly pushed aside its costly contents, +and hastily caught up a simple tablet of polished box-wood, with a +small golden frame. + +A cry of astonishment involuntarily burst from his lips, his eyes +sparkled, and he showed the picture to Belisarius. + +"A splendid woman! What majesty on her brow! One sees that she is a +born ruler--a king's daughter!" and he gazed admiringly at the noble +features. + +The curtain rustled, and the listener entered. + +It was Theodora, the Empress. A seductive apparition. + +All the arts of woman's inventive genius in a time of refined luxury, +and all the means of an empire, were daily called into requisition, in +order to keep the beauty of this woman--who had impaired it only too +much by a life of unbridled sensuality--fresh and dazzling. Gold-dust +gave to her blue-black hair a metallic brilliancy; it was carefully +combed up from the nape of her neck, in order to show the beautiful +shape of her head, and its fine set upon her shoulders. Her eyebrows +and eye-lashes were dyed black with Arabian antimony; and so carefully +was the red of her lips put on, that even Justinian, who kissed those +lips, never suspected an aid to Nature by means of Ph[oe]nician +scarlet. Every tiny hair on her alabaster arm had been carefully +destroyed: and the delicate rose-colour of her finger-nails was the +daily care of a specially-appointed slave. + +And yet, without all these arts, Theodora, who was not yet forty years +of age, would have passed for an extremely lovely woman. Her +countenance was certainly not noble; no noble, or even proud spirit, +spoke from her fatigued and weirdly shining eyes; round her lips played +an habitual smile, the dimples of which indicated the place of the +first future wrinkle; and her cheeks, beneath the eyes, showed traces +of exhaustion. + +But as she now gracefully moved towards the Emperor, delicately holding +up the heavy folds of her dark-yellow silk robes with her left hand, +her whole appearance produced a bewitching charm, similar to the sweet +and soothing scent of Indian balsam which she shed around her. + +"What pleases my imperial lord so much? May I share his delight?" she +asked in a sweet and flattering voice. + +Those present prostrated themselves before the Empress, scarcely less +humbly than before the Emperor. + +Justinian started upon seeing her, as if he had been caught in some +culpable act, and tried to conceal the portrait in the folds of his +chlamys. But it was too late. The Empress had already fixed her quick +eyes upon it. + +"We are admiring," said the Emperor, "the--the fine chasing of the gold +frame." + +And, blushing, he gave her the portrait. + +"Well," said Theodora, smiling, "there is not much to admire in the +frame. But the picture is not bad. It is surely the Gothic Queen?" + +The ambassador bowed assent. + +"Not bad, as I said before; but barbaric, severe, unwomanly. How old +may she be, Alexandros?" + +"About forty-five." + +Justinian looked at the picture and then at the ambassador. + +"The picture was taken fifteen years ago," said Alexandros, as if in. +explanation. + +"No," said the Emperor, "you mistake; here stands the date, according +to the indiction[5] and the consul, and the date of her accession; it +is of this year." + +An awkward pause ensued. + +"Well," stammered Alexandros, "then the artists flatter like----" + +"Like courtiers," concluded the Emperor. + +But Theodora came to the ambassador's aid. + +"Why do we chatter about portraits and the age of strange women, when +we should think only of the empire? What news brings Alexandras? Are +you decided, Justinianus?" + +"Almost. I only wished to hear your opinion, and, I know, you are in +favour of war." + +Narses quietly interposed. "Wherefore, sire, did you not at once tell +us that the Empress was in favour of war? We could have spared our +words." + +"What! would you insinuate that I am the slave of my wife?" + +"Guard your tongue better," said Theodora angrily. "Many who seemed +invulnerable, have been stung by their own sharp tongues." + +"You are very imprudent, Narses," said Justinian. + +"Emperor," he answered, "I have long since ceased to be prudent. We +live in a time, in a realm, and at a court, where, for any word that we +speak or leave unspoken, we may fall into disgrace and be ruined. As +any word of mine may cause my death, I will at least die for words that +please me." + +The Emperor smiled. + +"You must confess, patrician, that I can bear a great deal of +plain-speaking." + +"You are by nature great, O Justinianus, and a magnanimous ruler; else +Narses would not serve you. But Omphale rendered even Hercules small." + +The eyes of the Empress shone with hatred. + +Justinianus became uneasy. + +"Go," he said, "I will consult with the Empress alone. To-morrow you +shall hear my decision." + + + + CHAPTER XV. + +No sooner were they gone, than Justinian went up to his wife, and +pressed a kiss upon her white forehead. + +"Forgive him," he said, "he means well." + +"I know it," she answered, returning the kiss. "It is for this reason, +and because he is indispensable as a foil to Belisarius, that he still +lives." + +"You are right, as always," cried Justinian, putting his arm round her, +and thus walking with her up and down the room. + +"What does he intend to do?" thought Theodora; "this tenderness +indicates a bad conscience." + +"You are right," he repeated, "God has denied me the spirit which +decides the fate of battles, and, in compensation, has given me these +two men of victory---_fortunately_ two of them. Their jealousy of each +other secures my dominion better than their fidelity. Either of these +generals alone would be a continual danger to the state, and on the day +that they become friends, my throne will shake. You continue to excite +their mutual dislike?" + +"It is easy to excite. There is as natural an antipathy between them as +between fire and water. And every spiteful remark of the eunuch I tell +with indignation to my friend Antonina, the wife and mistress of the +hero Belisarius." + +"And I repeat every rudeness of this hero to the irritable cripple. But +to our consultation. Since receiving the report of Alexandros, I am +almost decided upon the expedition to Italy." + +"Whom will you send?" + +"Belisarius, of course. He promises to accomplish with thirty thousand, +that which Narses will scarcely undertake with eighty thousand." + +"Do you think that so small a force will be sufficient?" + +"No. But the honour of Belisarius is engaged. He will exert his utmost +strength, and yet will not quite succeed." + +"That will be wholesome for him. For, since the war with the Vandals, +his pride has become insupportable." + +"But," continued the Emperor, "he will accomplish three-fourths of the +work. Then I will recall him, march myself with sixty thousand, taking +Narses with me, and easily finish the remaining fourth of the task. +Then I, too, shall be called a great general and a conqueror." + +"Finely thought out!" cried Theodora, with sincere admiration of his +subtlety: "your plan is ripe." + +"However," said Justinian, sighing and stopping in his walk, "Narses is +right; I must confess it. It would be better for my empire if I +defended it from the Persians, instead of attacking the Goths. It would +be wiser and safer policy. For, at some time or other, destruction will +come from the East." + +"Let it come! It may not be for centuries, when the only thing +remembered of Justinianus will be the fame of having reconquered Italy +as well as Africa. Is it your office to take thought for the future? +Those who come after you may care for their present; let yours be your +only care." + +"But if it should then be said: had Justinian defended his kingdom +instead of making conquests, it would now be better? If they say: +Justinian's victories have destroyed the empire?" + +"No one will speak thus. Mankind is dazzled by the glory of Fame. And +yet another thing--" and now the earnestness of deep conviction chased +the expression of cunning persuasiveness from the seductive features of +the Empress. + +"I suspect what you are about to say; but continue." + +"You are not only an Emperor, you are a man. Your salvation must be +dearer to you than even your kingdom. Many a bloody step was taken upon +the path, upon _our_ path--which led to the height to which we have +attained, to the glory of our empire. Many harsh deeds were necessary; +life and treasures, and many a dangerous foe were--enough! It is true +that, with part of these treasures, we are building a temple to the +glory of Christ, which alone will make our name immortal upon earth. +But for Heaven--who knows if that be sufficient! Let us"--and her eyes +glowed with fanatic fire--"let us destroy the unbelievers, and seek the +path to grace and pardon over the bodies of the enemies of Christ!" + +Justinian pressed her hand. + +"The Persians, too, are the enemies of Christ; they are even heathens." + +"Have you forgotten the teaching of the Prophet: 'heretics are seven +times worse than heathens?' The true faith has been revealed to them +and they have despised it. That is the sin against the Holy Ghost, +which will never be forgiven on earth or in heaven. But you are the +sword which shall destroy these God-forsaken Arians! They are the most +hated enemies of Christ; they know Him, and still deny that He is God. +Already you have overthrown the heretic Vandals in Africa, and +smothered error in blood and fire. Now Italy calls upon you; Rome, the +place where the blood of the prince of Apostles was shed, the holy +city, must no longer be subject to the heretics. Justinian, recall her +to the true faith!" + +She ceased. + +The Emperor looked up at the golden cross and sighed deeply. + +"You unveil the inmost depths of my heart. It is this feeling which, +mightier still than love of fame and victory, urges me to this war. But +am I capable, am I worthy of achieving such a holy work to the honour +of God? Will He consummate such a great deed by my sinful hand? I +doubt; I waver. Was the dream which came to me last night sent from +Heaven? What was its meaning? did it incite to the attempt or warn me +off? Well, your mother, Komito, the prophetess of Cyprus, had great +wisdom in interpreting dreams and warnings----" + +"And you know that the gift is inherited. Did I not foretell the result +of the war with the Vandals from your dreams?" + +"Then you shall also explain this last dream to me. You know that I +waver in my best plans, if an omen speaks against them. Listen then. +But"--and he cast an uneasy glance at his wife--"but remember that it +was but a _dream_, and no man can answer for his dreams." + +"Certainly; God sends them.--What shall I hear?" she added to herself. + +"Last night I fell asleep while meditating over the last reports about +Amala--about Italy. I dreamed that I was wandering in a landscape with +seven hills. Under a laurel-tree there reposed the most beautiful woman +I had ever seen. I stood before her and looked at her with delight. +Suddenly there rushed out of a thicket at my right hand a growling +bear, and, from the rocks to the left, a hissing snake, and darted at +the sleeping woman. She woke and called my name. I quickly caught her +up, and, pressing her to my bosom, fled. Looking back, I saw that the +bear crushed the snake, while the snake stung the bear to death." + +"Well, and the woman?" + +"The woman pressed a hasty kiss upon my forehead and suddenly vanished. +I awoke and stretched out my arms for her in vain. The woman," he +continued quickly, before Theodora had time to reflect, "is, of course, +Italy." + +"Certainly," said the Empress quietly, but her bosom heaved. "Your +dream is most happy. The bear and the snake are barbarians and +Italians, who strive for the city upon the seven hills. You tear it +from their grasp, and let them mutually destroy each other." + +"But she vanishes--she does not remain." + +"She remains. She kisses you and disappears in your arms. So will Italy +be swallowed up in your empire." + +"You are right!" said Justinian, springing up. "Thanks, my wise wife. +You are the light of my soul! I will venture. Belisarius shall march." +He was about to call the attendant, but suddenly stopped short. "One +thing more," and casting down his eyes he took Theodora's hand. + +"Ah!" thought Theodora, "now it is coming." + +"When we have destroyed the kingdom of the Goths, and have with the +Queen's help taken Ravenna--what--what shall be done with her, the +Princess?" + +"What shall be done with her?" repeated Theodora with well-feigned +composure. "That which was done with the King of the Vandals. She shall +come here, to Byzantium." + +Justinian breathed again. + +"It rejoices me that you have at once interpreted my thought," and he +kissed her slender white hand with real pleasure. + +"More than that," said Theodora. "She will enter into our plans all the +more willingly if she can look forward to an honourable reception here. +So I will myself write her a sisterly epistle inviting her to come. In +case of need she shall ever find an asylum in my heart." + +"You do not know," interrupted Justinian eagerly, "how much you will +assist our victory by so doing. The daughter of Theodoric must be +completely weaned from her people. She shall herself lead us to +Ravenna." + +"But if so, you cannot immediately send Belisarius with an army. It +would only awaken her suspicions and make her rebellious. She must +first be completely in our power and the barbarians must have begun an +internecine war, before the sword of Belisarius flies from its sheath." + +"But at least he must henceforth be in the vicinity." + +"Certainly, perhaps in Sicily. The disturbances in Africa afford the +best excuse for sending a fleet into those waters. And as soon as the +net is sunk Belisarius must draw it together." + +"But who shall sink it?" + +Theodora reflected for a few moments; then she said: + +"The most gifted man in the West; Cethegus Caesarius, the Prefect of +Rome, the friend of my youth." + +"Quite right. But not he alone. He is a Roman, no subject of mine; and +I am not sure of him. Whom shall I send? Once again Alexandros?" + +"No," said Theodora, "he is too young for such a task. No." And she +became thoughtfully silent. "Justinian," she said at last, "you shall +see that I can sacrifice my personal dislikes for the sake of the +empire, when it is necessary to choose the right man. I propose my +enemy, Petros, the cousin of Narses, the fellow-student of the Prefect, +the sly rhetorician--send him!" + +"Theodora!" cried the Emperor, embracing her; "God himself has given +you to me! Cethegus--Petros--Belisarius. Barbarians! you are lost!" + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + +The morning following this conversation the beautiful Empress rose in +great good-humour from her swelling cushions, which were filled with +the delicate neck-feathers of the Pontian crane, and covered with pale +yellow silk. + +Before the bed stood a tripod holding a silver basin, representing +Oceanus; in it lay a massive golden ball. The Empress lifted the ball +and let it fall clanging into the basin. The clear tone roused the +Syrian slave who slept in the ante-room. She entered, and, approaching +the bed of the Empress with her arms crossed upon her bosom, drew back +the heavy violet-coloured curtains of Chinese silk. Then she took a +soft Iberian sponge, which, soaked in asses' milk, lay in a crystal +dish, and carefully wiped off the coating of oily paste with which the +neck and face of her mistress were covered during the night. + +Next she kneeled down before the bed, her face bent almost to the +earth, and stretched out her hand to the Empress, who, taking it, +slowly set her foot upon the neck of the kneeling girl, and sprang +elastically to the ground. + +The slave rose and threw over her mistress, who, clad only in an +under-tunic of the finest lawn, sat upon the palm-wood frame of the +bed--a fine dressing-mantle of rose-coloured stuff. Then she made a +profound obeisance, turned to the door, cried "Agave!" and disappeared. + +Agave, a young and beautiful Thessalian girl, entered the room. She +rolled a washstand of citrean-wood, covered with countless boxes and +bottles, close before her mistress, and began to rub her face, neck, +and hands with soft cloths dipped in different wines and essences. This +task completed, the Empress rose from the bedside and stepped on to a +couch covered with panther's skins. + +"The large bath towards mid-day," she said. + +Agave pushed an oval bath of terebinthus-wood, covered outside with +tortoise-shell and filled with deliciously-scented water, in front of +the divan, and lifted the little white feet of the Empress into it. +Afterwards she loosened the net of gold-thread which confined the +luxurious hair of her mistress during the night, letting the rich dark +coils fall over neck and shoulders, and departed in her turn, calling +"Galatea!" + +Galatea was an aged slave, the nurse, attendant, and, we regret to add, +the procuress of Theodora, when the latter was only the bespangled +daughter of Acacius the lion-keeper, and, while yet almost a child, the +already deeply-corrupted favourite of the great Circus. + +Galatea had faithfully shared all the humiliations and triumphs, the +vices and cunning of the adventuress's life until the latter had +attained to the imperial throne. + +"How hast thou slept, my dove?" asked Galatea, handing to Theodora in a +vessel of amber the aromatic essence which the town of Adana, in +Sicily, was forced to send in large quantities for the Empress's use as +a yearly tribute. + +"Well; I dreamt of him." + +"Of Alexandros?" + +"No, thou fool! of the handsome Anicius." + +"But Alexandros has been waiting for some time already; outside in the +secret niche." + +"He is impatient," said the Empress, smiling; "well then, let him in!" + +And she leaned back upon the long divan, drawing a cover of purple silk +over her; but the delicate ankles of her beautiful feet remained +visible. + +Galatea bolted the principal door, through which she had entered, and +crossed the room to the opposite corner, which was filled by a colossal +bronze statue of Justinian. She touched a spring, and the seemingly +immovable mass turned on one side, exposing a small opening in the +wall, which was completely hidden by the statue in its normal position. +A dark curtain was drawn before this opening. Galatea lifted the +curtain and Alexandros hurried in. He threw himself on his knees before +the Empress, caught her small hand and covered it with kisses. + +Theodora gently drew it away. + +"It is very imprudent, Alexandros," said she, leaning back her lovely +head, "to admit a lover to the toilet of his mistress. What says the +poet: 'All things serve beauty. Yet it is no pleasant sight to see that +in preparation which only pleases when complete.' But I promised, when +you left for Ravenna, to admit you to my toilet, and you richly deserve +your reward. You have ventured much for me. Fasten the braids tighter," +she cried to Galatea, who had now commenced the task, entrusted to her +alone, of dressing the splendid hair of her mistress. "You have risked +your life for me, Alexandros!" and she gave him two fingers of her +right hand. + +"Oh, Theodora!" cried the youth, "to gain but this one moment I would +die ten times over!" + +"But," she continued, "why did you not send me a copy of the barbarian +Queen's last letter to Justinian?" + +"It was not possible; there was no time. I could send no more +messengers from my ship. I barely succeeded, after landing, in sending +you word that her picture was among the presents. You came just at the +right moment!" + +"Yes; what would become of me if I did not pay Justinian's door-keepers +twice as well as he? But, most imprudent of ambassadors! how stupid you +were about the date!" + +"Oh, loveliest daughter of Cyprus! I had not seen you for months! I +could think of nothing but you and your wonderful beauty!" + +"Well, I suppose I must forgive you.--Galatea, bring me the black +fillet.--You are a better lover than a statesman, Alexandros. Therefore +I have kept you here. Yes, you were to have gone once more to Ravenna! +But I think I will send an older ambassador, and keep the young one for +myself. Shall I?" + +Alexandros, becoming bolder and more ardent, sprang up and pressed a +kiss upon her rosy lips. + +"Hold, traitor!" she scolded, and struck his cheek lightly with a fan +of flamingo-feathers. "Enough for to-day. To-morrow you may come again, +and tell me about the barbarian beauties. I must have the next hour for +another." + +"For another!" cried Alexandros, starting back. "So what they +whisper in the gymnasiums and baths of Byzantium is true! You ever +faithless----" + +"Theodora's friends must never be jealous," laughed the Empress. It was +no sweet laughter. "But this time you may be quite easy; you shall meet +him yourself. Go." + +Galatea took the reluctant lover by the shoulders, without ceremony, +and pushed him behind the statue and out of the secret door. + +Theodora now seated herself upright, and fastened the loose folds of +her long under-garment with her girdle. + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + +Galatea appeared again immediately, accompanied by a little +round-backed man, who looked much older than his forty-years justified. +His wise, but pinched features, piercing eyes, and cunning mouth, made +a disagreeable impression on all who observed him. + +Theodora returned his creeping salutation by a slight nod. Galatea +began to paint her eyebrows. + +"Empress," the new-comer began, "I wonder at your courage. If I were +seen here! A moment's rashness would render vain the prudence of nine +years!" + +"But you will not be seen, Petros," said Theodora quietly. "This is the +only hour in which I am secure from Justinian's importunate tenderness. +It is his hour of prayer. I must profit by it as much as I can. God +preserve his piety! Galatea, my wine. What! Surely, thou dost not fear +to leave me alone with this dangerous seducer?" + +The old woman left the room with a hateful grin upon her lips, and soon +returned with a jug of sweet heated Chian-wine in one hand, and a cup +of honey and water in the other. + +"I could not arrange our meeting in the church as usual, where, in the +dark confessional, you look exactly like a priest. The Emperor will +call you before church-time, and you must be thoroughly instructed +beforehand." + +"What is then to be done?" + +"Petros," answered Theodora, leaning comfortably back and sipping the +sweet mixture which Galatea now handed to her, "the day has come which +will reward all our years of patience, and make you a great man." + + + +"It is time, indeed!" observed Petros. + +"Do not be impatient, friend.--Galatea, a little more honey.--In order +to put you into the right humour for to-day's business, it will be well +to remind you of the past, of the manner in which our--friendship +originated." + +"What mean you? Wherefore----" + +"For many reasons. To begin. You were the cousin and adherent of my +deadly enemy, Narses. Consequently, you were my enemy too. For years +you acted against me in your cousin's service, hurting me but little, +and still less benefiting yourself. For Narses, your virtuous friend, +considers it a point of honour never to do anything for his relations; +so that, unlike other courtiers of the realm, he may never be accused +of nepotism. Out of pure friendship and virtue, he left you unpromoted. +You remained a simple writer and a poor man. But a clever man like you +knows how to help himself. You forged--you doubled the amount of the +Emperor's dues. Besides what was demanded by the Emperor, the provinces +paid another tax, which Petros and the tax-gatherers shared amongst +themselves. For a time all went on smoothly. But once----" + +"Empress, I beseech you!" + +"I shall soon have finished, friend. But once you had the misfortune to +have a new tax-gatherer, who valued the favour of the Empress more than +the share of booty which you promised him. He entered into your plans, +allowed you to forge the documents--and showed them to me!" + +"The wretch!" murmured Petros. + +"Yes, it was bad enough," said Theodora smiling, and setting down her +glass. "So I had the neck of my sly enemy, the confidant of the hated +eunuch, under my foot; and, I must confess, I had a great desire to +trample upon him. But I sacrificed a short revenge for a great and +enduring advantage. I called you to me, and told you to choose whether +you would die or serve me for life. You were kind enough to choose the +last, and, still the greatest enemies in the eyes of the world, we have +secretly worked together for years. No sooner has Narses formed a plan, +than you reveal it to me. I have rewarded you well. You are now a rich +man." + +"Not worth mentioning." + +"Oh, indeed, ungrateful man! My treasurer knows better. You are _very_ +rich." + +"Yes, but without dignity or rank. My fellow-students are patricians, +great men in the East and West; like Cethegus in Rome, and Procopius +here." + +"Patience! From this day you will quickly climb the ladder of ambition. +It was necessary to keep something in reserve. Listen; to-morrow you go +as ambassador to Ravenna." + +"As imperial ambassador!" cried Petros, rejoiced. + +"Through my influence. But that is not all. You will receive +circumstantial directions from Justinian to undermine the kingdom of +the Goths, and smooth the path of Belisarius in Italy." + +"Shall I obey these directions, or not?" + +"Obey them. But you will receive another order, which Justinian will +particularly recommend to your notice; that is, to save the daughter of +Theodoric from the hands of her enemies at any price, and bring her to +Byzantium. Here is a letter from me to her, which presses her to take +refuge in my arms." + +"'Tis well," said Petros, taking the letter. "I will bring her here +immediately." + +Theodora, like an angry snake, started up on her couch with such +impetuosity, that Petros and Galatea retreated in affright. + +"No, no, Petros! no!" she exclaimed. "For this reason I send you. She +must _not_ come to Byzantium! She must not live!" + +Confounded, Petros let the letter fall. + +"Oh, Empress!" he whispered; "murder?" + +"Peace!" cried Theodora, in a hoarse voice; and her eyes sparkled +cruelly. "She must die!" + +"Die? Oh, Empress! wherefore?" + +"There is no need for you to know that. But stay; I will tell you, for +it will give the spur to your courage. Listen." She seized his arm +wildly, and whispered in his ear, "Justinian, the traitor, has +conceived a passion for her!" + +"Theodora!" cried Petros, startled. + +The Empress fell back upon her couch. + +"But he has never seen her," stammered Petros. + +"He has seen her portrait. He already dreams of her. He has fallen in +love with her picture." + +"You have never yet had a rival." + +"No; nor ever will." + +"You are so beautiful." + +"Amalaswintha is younger." + +"You are so wise; you are Justinian's counsellor the confidant of his +most secret thoughts." + +"It is just this which annoys him. And"--she again caught his +arm--"remember, she is a King's daughter, a born ruler; and I--am the +plebeian daughter of a lion-keeper! Ridiculous and insane though it be, +Justinian, in his purple, forgets that he is the son of a shepherd from +the Dardanelles. He has imbibed the madness of Kings; he, himself an +adventurer, chatters about innate majesty, about the mystery of royal +blood! I have no protection against such whims. I fear nothing from all +the women in the world. But this King's daughter----" She angrily +started up, and clenched her small fist. "Beware, Justinian!" she +cried, pacing the room. "With this eye and hand I have subdued lions +and tigers; let us see if I cannot keep this fox in royal purple at my +feet." She re-seated herself. "In short, Amalaswintha dies," she said, +suddenly becoming quite cool again. + +"Yes," said Petros, "but not through me. You have bloodthirsty servants +enough; send them. I am a man who will talk----" + +"You are a man who will die if you do not obey! You, my supposed enemy, +must do it. None of my friends can venture it without arousing +suspicion." + +"Theodora," said Petros, forgetting himself, "take care! To murder the +daughter of Theodoric, a born Queen----" + +"Ha, ha!" said Theodora, in a rage, "you, too, miserable man, are +dazzled by the 'born Queen!' All men are fools, still more than +rascals! Listen, Petros--the day when the news of her death arrives +from Ravenna, you shall be a senator and a patrician." + +The man's eyes sparkled, but cowardice or conscience were still +stronger than ambition. + +"No," he said decidedly, "I would rather lose the court and all my +plans." + +"You will lose your life, wretch!" cried Theodora. "Oh, you think you +are safe, because I burnt the forged documents before your eyes! You +fool! they were false! Look here; here I hold your life in my hands!" + +She dragged a yellow parchment from a roll of documents, and showed it +to Petros, who, completely subdued, fell upon his knees at her feet. + +"Command me!" he stammered, "I obey." Just then a knocking was heard at +the principal door. + +"Away!" cried the Empress, "take my letter to the Queen from the +ground, and think over what I have said: patrician if she dies, torture +and death if she lives. Go!" + +Galatea pushed the bewildered man through the secret entrance, turned +the statue into its place again, and went to open the great door. + + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + +There entered a stately woman, taller and of coarser frame than the +small and delicate Empress; not so seductively beautiful, but younger +and more blooming, with a fresh complexion and natural manners. + +"Welcome, Antonina, sister of my heart! Come to my arms!" cried the +Empress to the new-comer, who humbly bent before her. + +Antonina obeyed in silence. + +"How hollow her eyes have become," she thought, as she rose from the +embrace. + +"How bony is the soldier's wife!" said the delicate Empress to herself, +and looked at her friend. + +"You are as blooming as Hebe!" she said aloud, "and how well the white +silk becomes your fresh complexion. Have you anything to tell me of--of +him?" she asked indifferently, and took from the wash-stand a +much-dreaded instrument, a sharp lancet with an ivory handle, with +which clumsy, or even only unfortunate, slaves were often pricked by +their angry mistress. + +"Not to-day," whispered Antonina, blushing. "I did not see him +yesterday." + +"I believe it!" said Theodora to herself, with a hidden smile. + +"Oh, how painfully I shall miss you soon!" she added aloud, stroking +Antonina's full round arm. "Perhaps Belisarius will sail next week, and +you, most faithful of all wives, will go with him. Which of your +friends will accompany you?" + +"Procopius," answered Antonina, "and--" she added, casting down her +eyes--"the two sons of Boethius." + +"Ah, indeed," remarked the Empress, smiling, "I understand. In the +freedom of the camp you hope to please yourself with the handsome +youth, undisturbed; and while our hero, Belisarius, fights battles and +conquers cities----" + +"You guess rightly. But I have a request to make. You are fortunate. +Alexandros, your handsome friend, has returned; he remains near you, +and is his own master; but Anicius, you know, is still under the strict +guardianship of his elder brother, Severinus. Never would he--who +thinks of nothing but fighting for freedom and revenge--suffer this +tender friendship. He would repeatedly disturb our intimacy. Therefore +do me a favour: do not let Severinus follow us! When we are on board +with Anicius, keep the elder brother in Byzantium, either by cunning or +by force. You can do it easily--you are the Empress!" + +"That is not bad," laughed Theodora. "What stratagems! One can see that +you have learned from Belisarius." + +Antonina blushed violently. + +"Oh, do not name him! Do not mock me! You know best from whom I learnt +to do that for which I must blush." + +Theodora shot a fierce glance at her friend, who, without noticing it, +continued: "Heaven knows that Belisarius himself was not more faithful +than I, until I came to this court! It was you, Empress, who taught me +that these selfish men, occupied with affairs of state, war, and +ambition, neglect us when they have become our husbands, and no longer +value us when they possess us. You taught me that it is no sin to +accept the innocent homage, the flattering devotion which is denied to +us by our husbands, from friends who court us because they still hope. +God is my witness, that it is nothing but this sweet incense which +Belisarius denies me, and which my vain weak heart sorely needs, that I +expect from Anicius." + +"Fortunately for me, it will soon tire him out," said Theodora to +herself. + +"And yet," continued Antonina, "even this, I fear, is a sin against +Belisarius. Oh, how great, how noble he is! If only he were not too +great for this little heart." And she buried her face in her hands. + +"The pitiful creature!" thought the Empress, "too weak for vice, as for +virtue." + +At this moment Agave, the beautiful Thessalian slave, entered the room +with a large bunch of splendid roses. + +"From him," she whispered to her mistress. + +"From whom?" asked Theodora. + +But Antonina just then looked up, and Agave made a sign of warning. The +Empress, in order to occupy her, gave Antonina the roses. + +"If you please, put them into that marble vase." + +As Antonina turned her back upon them to obey, Agave whispered: "From +him whom you kept hidden here all day yesterday; from the handsome +Anicius," the pretty girl added, blushing. + +But she had scarcely uttered the imprudent words, than she gave a loud +cry, and held her left arm to her lips. + +The Empress struck her in the face with the still bloody lancet. + +"I will teach you to notice whether men are handsome or ugly," she +cried furiously. "You will keep to the spinning-room for four weeks. Go +at once! and do not show yourself again in my ante-rooms." + +The weeping girl left the room, hiding her face in her dress. + +"What has she done?" asked Antonina, coming forward. + +"She let the scent-bottle fall," answered Galatea quickly, and picked +one up from the floor. "Mistress, I have finished." + +"Then let the dressers in, and whoever else waits in the ante-room. +Will you, meanwhile, look at these verses, Antonina? They are the +newest poems of Arator, 'The Deeds of the Apostles,' and very edifying. +This particularly, 'The Stoning of St. Stephen.' But read, and judge +for yourself." + +Galatea opened wide the doors of the principal entrance. A whole troop +of slaves and freed-women streamed in. Some occupied themselves with +clearing away the articles of toilet hitherto used; others swung +censers with aromatic incense, or sprinkled balsam about the room from +narrow-necked flasks. But most of them were busy about the person of +the Empress, who now completed her toilet. + +Galatea took off the rose-coloured tunic. + +"Berenice," she cried, "bring the Milesian tunic, with the purple +stripe and gold tassels. To-day is Sunday ." + +While the experienced old woman was artfully fastening into the knot of +the Empress's hair a costly gold needle, its head formed of a gem, +engraved with a head of Venus, the Empress asked: "What news, from the +city, Delphine?" + +"You have won, mistress!" answered Delphine, kneeling down with the +gilded sandals; "your colours, the blue, have beaten the green; both +with the horses and the chariots!" + +"What a triumph!" cried Theodora joyfully. "A bet of two centenaria of +gold; it is mine! News? Whence? from Italy?" she cried to a slave who +just entered with letters. + +"Yes, mistress, from Florence; from the Gothic Princess, Gothelindis. I +know the Gorgon-seal; and from Silverius, the archdeacon." + +"Give me them," said Theodora, "I will take them with me to church. The +mirror, Elpis." + +A young slave came forward with an oval plate of brilliantly-polished +silver, in a gold frame, richly set with pearls, and standing on a +strong foot of ivory. + +Poor Elpis had a hard service. + +During the completion of the toilet she had to hold the heavy plate, +and, following every movement of her restless mistress, turn it, so +that the latter could always look at her own reflection, and woe to +Elpis if she were too late in turning! + +"What is there to buy, Zephyris?" the Empress asked a dark-skinned +Lybian freed-woman, who just then brought her a tame snake to caress, +which lay in a small basket upon soft moss. + +"Oh, nothing particular," answered the Lybian. "Come, Glauke," she +added, taking a snowy white chlamys, embroidered with gold, from a +clothes-press, and carefully spreading it out upon her arms, waited +until Glauke took it from her, and, at one throw, arranged it in +graceful folds upon the shoulders of the Empress, clasping it with the +white girdle, and fastening one end upon her pearly shoulder with a +golden brooch, which, formed in the shape of the dove of Venus, now +represented the sign of the Holy Ghost. + +Glauke, the daughter of an Athenian sculptor, had studied the folds of +the chlamys for years, and for this reason had been bought by the +Empress at a cost of many thousand solidi. The whole day long this was +her sole occupation. + +"Sweet-scented soap-balls," said Zephyris, "have just arrived from +Spain. A new Milesian fairy-tale has just come out. And the old +Egyptian is there again, with his Nile-water," she added in a low tone; +"he says it is unfailing. The Persian Queen, who was childless for +eight years----" + +Theodora turned away sighing; a shadow passed across her smooth face. + +"Send him away," she said; "this hope is past forever." And, for a +moment, it seemed as if she would have sunk into a melancholy reverie. + +But she roused herself, and, beckoning to Galatea, she went back to her +bed, took a crushed wreath of ivy which lay upon the pillow, and gave +it to the old woman, whispering: + +"For Anicius, send it to him. The jewels, Erigone!" + +Erigone, with the help of two other slaves, brought forward, with great +trouble, a heavy bronze casket, the lid of which, representing the +workshop of Vulcan in embossed figures, was closed with the seal of the +Empress. + +Erigone showed that the seal was intact, and then opened the lid. Many +a girl stood upon her tiptoes to catch a glance at the shining +treasures. + +"Will you wear the summer rings, mistress?" asked Erigone. + +"No," said Theodora, looking into the casket, "the time for those is +over. Give me the heavy ones, the emeralds." + +Erigone handed to her rings, earrings, and bracelet. + +"How beautifully," said Antonina, looking up from her pious verses, +"how beautifully the white of the pearls contrasts with the green of +the stones." + +"It was one of Cleopatra's treasures," said the Empress indifferently; +"the Jew swore to its pedigree." + +"But you linger long," said Antonina. "Justinian's litter was already +waiting as I came up." + +"Yes, mistress," said a young slave anxiously, "the slave at the +sundial has already announced the fourth hour. Hasten, mistress!" + +A prick with the lancet was the only answer. + +"Would you teach your Empress!" but she whispered to Antonina: "We must +not spoil the men; they must always wait for us, never we for them. My +ostrich fan, Thais. Go, Ione, tell the Cappadocian slaves to come to my +litter." And she turned to go. + +"Oh, Theodora!" cried Antonina quickly, "do not forget my request." + +"No," answered Theodora, suddenly standing still, "certainly not! And +that you may be quite sure, I will give the order into your own hands. +My wax-tablets and the stylus!" + +Galatea brought them in haste. + +Theodora wrote, and whispered to her friend: + +"The Prefect of the harbour is one of my old friends. He blindly obeys +me. Read what I write." + + +"To Aristarchus the Prefect, Theodora the Empress. + +"When Severinus, the son of Boethius, is about to go on board the ship +of Belisarius, keep him back, if necessary, by force; and send him to +my rooms. He is appointed my chamberlain." + + +"Is that right, dear sister?" she whispered. + +"A thousand thanks!" said Antonina, with beaming eyes. + +"But," said the Empress suddenly, putting her hand to her neck, "have +we forgotten the principal thing? My amulet! the Mercury. Please, +Antonina; there it hangs." + +Antonina turned hastily to fetch the little golden Mercury, which hung, +by a silk cord, on the bed of the Empress. + +Meanwhile Theodora quickly crossed out the word "Severinus," and wrote +instead "Anicius." She closed the tablets, tied them, and fastened the +string with her seal. + +"Here is the amulet," said Antonina, returning. + +"And here is the order," said the Empress, smiling. "You can give it to +Aristarchus yourself at the moment of departure. Now," she cried, "let +us go. To the church!" + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + +In Neapolis, that Italian city over which the tempest then gathering at +Byzantium was soon to burst in its first violence, no presentiment of +the coming danger was felt. + +On the charming declivities of Posilippo, or on the shore to the +south-east of the city, there wandered, day by day, two handsome +youths, exchanging confidences with all the enthusiasm of youthful +friendship. They were the "Dioscuri," Julius and Totila. + +Oh, happy time! when the uncorrupted soul, breathing the fresh morning +air of life, as yet untired and undeceived, and drunk with the ecstasy +of ambitious dreams, is urged to impart to an equally young, equally +rich and equally enthusiastic nature its overflowing sentiments! + +The noblest resolves are strengthened, and imagination wings its way to +the very gates of heaven, in the happy certainty that he who listens +will understand. + +When the wreath upon our brows is faded, and the harvest of our life is +ripe, we may smile at these dreams of youth and youthful friendship; +but it is no smile of mockery; it is tinged with the melancholy with +which we think of the sweet, exhilarating airs of spring, while +inhaling the breath of decay in autumn. + +The young Goth and the young Roman had met at the age most favourable +to the formation of the bond of friendship. Totila's sunny soul had +preserved all the dewy bloom of youth; with smiling eyes he looked +forth into the smiling future. He loved his fellow-creatures, and won +all hearts by his amiability and the joyous frankness of his +disposition. He believed in the complete victory of good over evil. +Where meanness and wickedness met him in his path, he trod them into +the dust with the holy anger of an archangel; from the depths of his +gentle nature the latent heroic strength broke forth, and he did not +rest until the hated elements were destroyed. But the disturbance was +forgotten as soon as overcome, and life and the world again appeared to +him as harmonious as his own soul. He walked through the crowded +streets of Neapolis with a song upon his lips, the idol of the girls, +the pride of his brothers in arms. + +With such a nature Totila was the favourite of all who knew him, +receiving and imparting happiness. Even his quiet friend imbibed +somewhat of the charm of his temperament. + +Julius Montanus, of a sensitive and thoughtful disposition, of an +almost feminine nature, had been early left an orphan, and, awed by the +immense superiority of his guardian Cethegus, had grown up shy, lonely +and studious. More oppressed than elevated by the cheerless science of +his time, he was apt; to look upon life as earnest and almost sad. He +was inclined to subject all things to the severe test of superhuman +perfection, and his natural self-distrust might easily have darkened +into melancholy. + +At a happy moment Totila's friendship shone into the inmost depths of +his heart, and penetrated it with such a sunny warmth that his noble +nature was thereby enabled to rise with elasticity from a severe shock +which it received by means of this very friendship. + +Let us hear what he himself wrote about this circumstance to the +Prefect. + + +"To Cethegus the Prefect, Julius Montanus. + +"The cold-hearted reply to my enthusiastic report of my newly-formed +friendship to Totila, at first--surely contrary to your wish--hurt me +sorely, but later it was the means of enhancing the happiness of this +friendship in a manner, however, which you could neither foresee nor +wish. Sorrow caused by you was soon changed into sorrow for _you_. +Though at first I felt hurt because you treated my deepest feelings +as the mere enthusiasm of a sickly boy, and tried to assail my +profoundest convictions with bitter mockery--only _tried_, for they are +unassailable--this feeling was soon changed into one of compassion for +you. It is sad that a man like you, so rich in intellect, should be +so poor in heart. It is sad that you do not know the happiness of +self-denial, or of that unselfish love, which is called in the language +of a belief--more laughed at than credited by you, but to which each +day of pain draws me closer--_caritas_! Forgive the freedom of my +words. I know I have never yet addressed such to you, but I have only +lately become _what_ I am. Perhaps it was not wholly with injustice +that, in your last letter, you blamed the traces of childishness which +you found in me. I believe that they have disappeared since then, and I +speak to you now as a _man_. Your 'medicine' has certainly accelerated +my development, but not in your sense of the word and not according to +your wish. It has brought me pain, holy and refining; it has put my +friendship to a severe test, and, God be thanked, the fire has not +destroyed it, but hardened it for ever. Read on and you will wonder at +the manner in which Heaven has carried out your plans! Though pained at +your letter, I very soon, with my habitual obedience, sought your +friend, Valerius Procillus, the trader in purple. He had already left +the town for his charming villa. There I followed him, and found a man +of much experience, and a zealous friend of freedom and of his country. +His daughter Valeria is a jewel! You prophesied truly. My intention of +being extremely reserved melted at her sight like mist before the sun. +It seemed to me as if Electra or Cassandra, Cl[oe]lia or Virginia, +stood before me! But still more than by her great beauty, I was charmed +by the grace of her mind as it unfolded itself before me. Her father at +once invited me to remain as his guest, and under his roof I have spent +the happiest days of my life. Valeria lives in the poetry of the +ancients. How her melodious voice lent splendour to the choruses of +AEschylus, and melancholy to Antigone's lament! We read together for +hours, and when she rose from her chair in her enthusiasm, when her +dark hair waved freely over her shoulders and her eyes flashed with an +almost unearthly fire, she looked indeed wonderfully beautiful. Her +character gains an additional charm from a circumstance which may cause +her much future grief, and which runs through her life like a cruel +rent. You will guess what I mean, for you know the history of her +family. You know better than I how it happened that her mother +dedicated Valeria at her birth to a lonely virgin life, passed in works +of piety, but that her rich father, more worldly than heavenly-minded, +bought her release from this vow at the cost of a church and a +cloister. But Valeria believes that Heaven will not accept dead gold +for a living soul; she does not feel released from this vow, of which +she thinks not with love but with fear. For you were right when you +wrote that she is a true child of the ancient heathen world. Not only +that, but she is the true child of her father, yet still she cannot +altogether renounce the pious Christianity of her mother; it lives +within her, not as a blessing, but as an overpowering curse; as the +inevitable fetter of that fatal vow. This strange conflict of feeling +tortures her, but it ennobles her also. Who knows how the struggle will +be ended? Heaven alone which will decide her fate. This inward strife +attracts me. You know that Christian faith and atheistic philosophy +struggle for the victory in my soul. To my astonishment, faith has +increased during these days of sorrow, and it almost seems to me that +happiness leads to heathen wisdom, and pain and misfortune to Christ. +But you have still to learn the cause of my suffering. When I became at +first aware of my growing passion, I was full of joyful hope. Valerius, +perhaps already influenced by you, observed my attention to Valeria +with no dislike; perhaps the only thing he disapproved in me was, that +I did not sufficiently share in his dreams of a renewed Roman Republic, +or his in hatred of the Byzantines; in whom he sees the deadly enemies, +not only of his family, but of Italy. Valeria, too, soon bestowed her +friendship upon me, and who knows if at that time this friendship and +her reverence to her father's wishes would not have sufficed to induce +her to accept my love. But I thank--shall I say God or Fate?--that this +did not happen. To sacrifice Valeria to a married life of indifference +would have been a sacrilege. I do not know what strange feeling +prevented me from speaking the word, which, at that time, would have +made her mine. I loved her deeply; but each time that I was about to +take courage and sue to her father for her hand, a feeling crept over +me as if I were trespassing on another's property; as if I were not +worthy of her, or not intended for her; and I was silent and controlled +my beating heart. One day, at the sixth hour--it was sultry and the sun +scorched both land and sea--I went to seek coolness and shade in the +grotto of the garden. I entered through the oleander-bushes. There +Valeria reposed upon a soft, mossy bank, one hand resting upon her +gently-heaving bosom, the other placed beneath her head, which was +still crowned with a wreath of asphodels worn during the evening meal. +I stood before her trembling; she had never looked so lovely. I bent +over her, lost in admiration; my heart beat quickly. I bent still +lower, and would have kissed her delicate rosy mouth, but all at once a +thought oppressed me: what you are about to do is a robbery! Totila! my +whole soul cried within me, and as gently as I had come I left her. +Totila! why had I never thought of him before? I reproached myself for +having almost forgotten the brother of my heart in my new happiness. +The next day I returned to Neapolis to fetch him. I praised the beauty +of the maiden, but I could not prevail on myself to tell him of my +love. I preferred that he should come and find it out for himself. On +our arrival at the villa we did not find Valeria in the house. So I led +Totila into the garden--Valeria is passionately fond of flowers--and as +we issued from an avenue, she appeared before us in all her dazzling +beauty. She was standing before a statue of her father and crowning it +with freshly-plucked roses, which she held heaped up in a fold of her +tunic. + +"It was a surprisingly beautiful picture--this lovely girl, framed in +the dark green of the taxus-bushes, her right hand uplifted to the +white marble statue, the other pressing the corner of her robe to her +bosom--and the effect upon Totila was overpowering. With a cry of +astonishment, he remained rooted to the ground before her. She looked +up and started. The roses fell from her dress to the ground; she did +not notice it. Their eyes had met, and her cheeks were covered with +blushes. At a glance I saw that her and my fate was decided. They loved +each other at first sight! This certainly pierced my soul like a +burning arrow. But only for a moment did I feel this unmixed pain. The +next, as I looked at the two, I felt unselfishly glad that they had +found each other; for it seemed as if the Power which creates the souls +and bodies of mortals, had formed them of one material for each other. +They belonged to each other, like morning sunshine and morning flowers. +Now I knew what mysterious feeling had kept me apart from Valeria, and +caused me to pronounce his name. By the wisdom of God, or in the course +of the stars, it had been decided that Valeria should be Totila's, and +that I should not step in between them. + +"Permit me to leave the rest untold; for my nature is still so selfish, +the holy precept of self-denial has still so little power over me, +that--I am ashamed to confess it--my heart often fails me, instead of +beating with happiness at the good fortune of my friends. As two flames +mingle inseparably together, so their hearts were united. They love +each other, and are as happy as the immortal gods. To me remains the +joy of witnessing their bliss, and helping them to conceal it from the +eyes of their father, who will scarcely give his child to the barbarian +as long as he sees in Totila _only_ the barbarian. But I keep my love +and its sacrificial death a secret from my friend; he does not guess, +nor shall he ever learn, that which would only disturb his happiness. +You see now, Cethegus, how far from your aim a god has turned your +plan. You would have given to me this jewel of Italy, and instead it is +laid at Totila's feet. You would have destroyed my friendship, and +have, instead, freed it, in the furnace of self-immolation, from all +earthly dross, and made it immortal. You would have made me a man +through the joy of love, and I have become a man through love's pain. +Farewell, and revere the guidance of Heaven!" + + + + CHAPTER XX. + +We will not attempt to describe the effect of this letter upon the +Prefect, but will rather accompany the two friends upon one of their +evening walks on the charming shores of the Gulf of Neapolis. + +After an early c[oe]na, they wandered through the city, and out of the +Porta Nolana, which was still decorated with some half-ruined reliefs, +illustrating the victories of one of the Roman Emperors over the +barbarians. + +Totila stood still and admired the beautiful sculpture. + +"Who can be that Emperor," he asked his friend, "on the car of victory, +with the winged lightning in his hand, like a Jupiter Tonans?" + +"That is Marcus Aurelius," said Julius, and would have walked on. + +"Oh, stay a while! And who are those four prisoners in chains, with the +long waving hair, who drag the car?" + +"They are Germanic Kings." + +"But of what family?" asked Totila. "Look there, an +inscription--'_Gothi extincti!_'--the Goths annihilated!" and, laughing +loudly, the young Goth struck the marble column with the palm of his +hand, and walked quickly through the gate. "A lie in marble!" he cried, +looking back. "That Emperor never thought that one day a Gothic Count +in Neapolis would give his boast the lie!" + +"Yes, nations are like the changing leaves upon the tree," said Julius +thoughtfully. "Who will govern this land after you?" + +Totila stood still. + +"AFTER US?" he asked in astonishment. + +"What! You do not think that your Goths will endure for ever amongst +the nations?" + +"I don't know that," said Totila, walking on. + +"My friend, Babylonians and Persians, Greeks and Macedonians, and, as +it seems, we Romans also, had their appointed time. They flourished, +ripened, and decayed. Will it be otherwise with the Goths?" + +"I do not know," answered Totila uneasily. "I never thought about it. +It has never occurred to me that a time might come when my nation----" +He hesitated, as if it were a sin even to express the thought. "How +can one imagine such a thing? I think as little about it as I do +about--death!" + +"That is like you, my Totila." + +"And it is like you, Julius, to tease yourself and others with such +dreams." + +"Dreams! You forget that for me and for my nation it has already become +a reality. You forget that I am a Roman. I cannot deceive myself like +most men; it is all over with us. The sceptre has gone from us to you. +It was not without much painful thought that I learned to forget that +you, my bosom friend, are a barbarian, the enemy of my country." + +"But it is not so, by the light of the sun!" interrupted Totila +eagerly. "Do I find this harsh thought in you too? Look around you! +When, tell me, when has Italy ever flourished more than under our +protection? Scarcely in the time of Augustus! You teach us science and +art; we give you peace and protection. Can one imagine a finer +correlation? Harmony amongst Romans and Goths may create an entirely +new era, more splendid than has ever existed." + +"Harmony! But it does not exist. You are to us a strange people, +divided from us by speech and faith, by race and customs, and by +centuries of hatred. Once we robbed you of your freedom; now you have +robbed us of ours. Between us yawns a wide abyss." + +"You reject my favourite idea." + +"It is a dream!" + +"No, it is truth. I feel it, and perhaps the time will come when I can +prove it. I would build all the fabric of my life upon it." + +"Then were it built upon a noble delusion. No bridge between Romans and +barbarians!" + +"Then," said Totila, with some heat, "I do not understand how you can +live--how you could take me----" + +"Do not complete your sentence," said Julius gravely. "It was not easy; +it was most painful self-denial. Only after a sharp struggle with +selfish feelings did I succeed. But at last I have ceased to live only +in my nation. The faith which already unites Romans and barbarians as +nothing else could; which more and more powerfully conquered my +repugnant reason by grief and pain--pain which turned to joy--brought +peace to me in the conflict of my soul. In this one thing I may already +boast that I am a Christian; I live for mankind, not alone for my +nation. I am a man, and no longer a mere Roman. Therefore I can love +you, the barbarian, like a brother. Are we not brothers of one +family--that of humanity? Therefore I can bear to live, even after +seeing my nation die. I live for humanity; that is my people." + +"No!" cried Totila vehemently; "that I could never do. I can, and will, +live only for my nation. My nationality is the air in which alone my +soul can breathe. Why should we not endure eternally, or as long as +this earth endures? Persians and Greeks? We are of better stuff! Need +we fall because they have decayed? We are still in the strength of our +youth. Ah, no! If the day should ever come when the Goths fall, may I +not live to see it! Oh, ye gods! let us not linger like these sickly +Greeks, who cannot live and cannot die. No; if it must be, send a +fearful tempest, and let us perish suddenly and gloriously all, all! +and I the foremost!" + +He had excited himself to the warmest enthusiasm. He sprang up from the +marble bench upon which they had been seated, and shook his lance in +the air. + +"My friend," said Julius, looking at him kindly, "how well this ardour +becomes you! But reflect; such a conflict could only be kindled against +_us_, against my nation, and should I----" + +"If ever such a strife arose, you should cling to your nation, body and +soul, that is clear. You think that would interfere with our +friendship? Not in the least. Two heroes can cleave each other to the +marrow, and yet remain the best friends. Ha! I should rejoice to meet +you in battle, with spear and shield." + +Julius smiled: "My friendship is not of so grim a nature, my savage +Goth! These doubts have tormented me for some time, and all my +philosophers together could give me no peace. Only since I learned, in +my sorrow, that I owe service to God in heaven alone, and must, on +earth, live for humanity, and not for a nation----" + +"Softly, friend," cried Totila, "where is this humanity of which you +rave? I do not see it. I see only Goths, Romans, and Byzantines! I know +of no humanity somewhere up in the sky, above the existing peoples. I +serve humanity by serving my nation! I cannot do otherwise. I can not +strip off the skin in which I was born. I speak like a Goth, in Gothic +words, not in a language of general humanity: there is no such thing. +And as I speak like a Goth, so I feel like a Goth. I can appreciate +strange nations certainly; I can admire your art, your science, and, in +part, your state, in which everything is so strictly ordered. We can +learn much from you; but I could not and would not exchange, even with +a people of angels. Ah! my brave Goths! At the bottom of my heart their +faults are dearer to me than your virtues!" + +"How differently I feel, and yet I am a Roman." + +"You are no Roman! Forgive me, friend, it is long since a Roman +existed, else I could never be the Count of the Harbour of Neapolis. No +one can feel as you do, whose nation yet exists; and all must feel as I +do, who belong to a living people." + +Julius was silent for a short time. "If it be indeed so, then happy I! +If I have lost the earth, I have gained heaven! What are nations, what +are states, what is the earth? Not here below is the home of my +immortal soul, which longs for a kingdom where all is divine and +eternal!" + +"Stop, Julius," said Totila, standing still, and striking his lance +upon the ground. "Here upon earth have I a firm footing; here let me +stand and live, doing good, and enjoying what is beautiful. I will not +follow you into your heaven. I cannot. I honour your dreams and your +longing for holiness; but I do not share your feelings. You know," he +added, smiling, "that I am an inveterate heathen, like Valeria--my +Valeria! I remember her at the right moment. Your earth-forsaking +dreams make us forget the dearest things upon that earth! Look, we have +reached the city again; the sun sinks rapidly here in the south, and +before nightfall I must take some seeds to the garden of Valerius. A +fine gardener," he laughed, "to forget his flowers. Farewell. I turn to +the right." + +"Farewell. Greet Valeria for me. I shall go home and read." + +"What are you reading now? still Plato?" + +"No, Augustinus. Farewell!" + + + + CHAPTER XXI. + +Totila, avoiding the more thickly populated parts of the inner town, +hurried through the suburbs towards the Porta Capuana and the tower of +Isaac, the Jewish gate-keeper. + +This tower stood on the right of the gate, and had strong walls and a +massive arched roof. It was divided into different stories, each being +smaller than the one below it. In the top story, close to the +battlements, were two low but roomy chambers, intended for the dwelling +of the gate-keeper. + +There lived the old Jew, with Miriam, his beautiful daughter. + +In the largest of these two rooms--where, against the walls, hung +a row of heavy keys belonging to the principal and side doors of +this important gate, a curved signal-horn, and the spear of the +gate-keeper--sat Isaac, the aged warder, a tall, bony figure, with the +hooked nose and arched and bushy eyebrows of his nation. He sat upon a +reed mat, with his legs crossed, a long staff laid upon his knees, +listening attentively to the words of a young, ill-favoured-looking +man, evidently an Israelite, whose hard, sober features were expressive +of all the cunning of his race. + +"Look here, father Isaac," he was saying, in a thin, unpleasant voice, +"my words are no vain words, and do not come only from the heart, which +is blind, but from the mind, which is sharp to discern. I have brought +letter and document for every word that I speak. Here is my appointment +as architect of all the aqueducts in Italy; fifty gold solidi yearly, +and ten more for every new undertaking. I have just reconstructed the +half-ruined aqueduct for this city of Neapolis; in this purse are the +ten solidi, money down. Thou seest I can keep a wife, and besides, I am +thy cousin Rachel's son, so do not let me speak in vain, but give me +Miriam, thy child, to wife, so that she may set my house in order." + +But the old man stroked his long grey beard, and shook his head slowly. + +"Jochem, son of Rachel, I say to thee, leave it alone, leave it alone." + +"Why, what hast thou against me? Who in Israel can speak against +Jochem?" + +"No one. Thou art just and peaceful and industrious, and increasest thy +substance, and thy work flourisheth before the Lord. But hast thou ever +seen the nightingale mated with the sparrow, or the slender gazelle +with the beast of burden? They do not suit each other; and now, look +there, and tell me thyself if thou art fitted for Miriam?" + +He softly pushed aside the curtain which shut off the outer chamber. At +a large bow-window which commanded a view of the splendid city, the +blue sea, and the distant mountains, stood a young girl, holding a +strangely-shaped stringed instrument in her arms. The room was filled +with the glowing light of the setting sun, which bathed the white +garments and the noble features of the girl with a rosy lustre. It +played upon her shining black hair, which, stroked back behind the +small ears, exposed the delicate temples; and, like this sunshine, a +poetical harmony seemed to envelop her whole figure, accompanying her +every movement, and every dreamy look of her dark blue eyes, which, +filled with gentle thoughts, gazed out over sea and city. Piso, the +poet, had called these eyes "dark sea-blue." + +As if in a half dream, her fingers touched the strings of her +instrument softly, while from her half-open lips there breathed an old +and melancholy song: + + "By the waters of Babylon + We sat down and wept. + When comes the day when Israel + Shall cease to weep?" + +"Shall cease to weep?" she repeated dreamily, and leaned her head upon +her arm, which, enclosing the harp, she rested upon the window-sill. + +"Look there!" said the old man in a low voice, "is she not as lovely as +the rose of Sharon, or the hind upon the mountain, without spot or +fleck?" + +Before Jochem could answer, there sounded from below three knocks upon +the small iron door. Miriam started from her reverie, and hurried down +the narrow winding staircase. Jochem went to the window, and his face +grew dark and frowning. + +"Ha! the Christian! the cursed Christian!" he growled, and clenched his +fist. "That fair Goth again, with his insufferable pride! Father Isaac, +is that the stag that suits thee for thy hind?" + +"Son, speak no mocking word against Isaac! Thou knowest that the youth +has set his heart upon a Roman girl; he thinks not of the Pearl of +Judah!" + +"But perhaps the Pearl of Judah thinks of him!" + +"With joy and gratitude, as the lamb thinks of the strong shepherd who +has saved it from the jaws of the wolf. Hast thou forgotten, that, when +last these cursed Romans hunted for the treasures and gold-heaps of +Israel, and burnt down the synagogue with unholy fire, a band of these +wicked men chased my poor child through the streets, like a pack of +wolves after a white lamb, and tore the veil from her face, and the +kerchief from her shoulders? Where was Jochem then, my cousin's son, +who had accompanied her? He had fled from danger with swift feet, and +had left the dove in the claws of the vulture!" + +"I am a man of peace," said Jochem uneasily; "my hand holds not the +sword of force." + +"But Totila held it, brave as the Lion of Judah; and the Lord was with +him. Alone he sprang amid the group of impudent robbers, struck the +boldest with his sharp sword, and drove away the others as a falcon +frighten crows. He covered my trembling child carefully with her veil, +and supporting her tottering footsteps, led her home, unhurt, to the +arms of her old father. May Jehovah the Lord bless him for this deed +with long life and happiness!" + +"Well," said Jochem, taking up his papers, "then I will go: this time +for a long while. I must travel over the great waters to transact an +important business." + +"An important business? With whom?" + +"With Justinianus, the Emperor of the East. A portion of the great +church, which he is building to the glory of God, in the golden town of +Constantine, has fallen in. I have made a plan for the restoration of +the building." + +The old man sprang up hastily, and struck his stick upon the ground. + +"What, Jochem, son of Rachel! wilt thou serve the Romans? Wilt thou +serve the Emperor, whose forefathers destroyed the holy city of Zion, +and reduced the Temple of the Lord to ashes? Wilt thou build a house +for the erring faith, thou, the son of the pious Manasseh? Woe, woe to +thee!" + +"Why callest thou 'woe,' and knowest not wherefore? Canst thou smell +whether a gold piece comes from the hand of a Jew or from that of a +Christian? Does it not weigh as heavily and shine as brightly?" + +"Son of Manasseh, thou canst not serve God and Mammon." + +"But thou thyself art a servant of the unbelievers! Do I not see the +warder's keys on the walls of thy chamber? Dost thou not keep them for +these Goths, and openest the doors for their outgoing and incoming, and +guardest the castle of their strength?" + +"Yes, I do so," said the old man proudly; "and I will watch for them +faithfully, day and night, like a dog for its master; and as long as +Isaac lives, no enemy of their nation shall enter these gates. For the +children of Israel owe fervent thanks to them and to their great King, +who was as wise as Solomon and as mighty as Gideon! We owe them such +thanks as our forefathers owed to Cyrus, who freed them from the +Babylonian captivity. The Romans destroyed the Temple of the Lord, and +scattered His people over the face of the earth. They have mocked and +beaten us, and burnt our holy places, and plundered our towns, and +defiled our houses, and forced our wives, all over this land, and have +made many a cruel law against us. But there came this great King from +the North, whose seed may Jehovah bless! and he rebuilt our synagogues, +and where the Romans had destroyed them, they were obliged to rebuild +them with their own hands and their own money. He protected our homes, +and whoever injured an Israelite was punished as if he had offended a +Christian. He left us our God and our belief, and protected our +commerce, and we celebrated the Paschal in such joy and peace as we had +never known since the time when the Temple still stood upon Zion. And +when a Roman noble had taken my Sarah from me by force, King Theodoric +ordered that his proud head should be struck off that very day, and +gave me back my wife unhurt. This I will remember as long as my days +endure, and I will serve the nation faithfully till death, and once +again it shall be said far and wide: as faithful and true as a Jew!" + +"Mayst thou not reap ingratitude where thou sowest gratitude," said +Jochem, preparing to go; "it seems to me that the time will come, when +I shall again sue for Miriam--for the last time. Perhaps, father Isaac, +thou wilt then be less proud." And he went through Miriam's chamber and +down the steps, where he met Totila. + +With an ungracious bow and a piercing look, the little man pressed +past the slender Goth, who was obliged to stoop, as he entered the +warder's dwelling. + +Miriam followed Totila immediately. + +"There hangs your gardener's dress," said she in a melodious voice, +without raising her long lashes, "and here in the window I have placed +the flowers ready. You said lately that she loved the white narcissus. +I have taken care to procure some. They smell so sweet!" + +"You are a good little maiden, Miriam," said Totila, taking off his +helmet with the silver-white swan's wings, and setting it upon the +table. "Where is your father?" + +"The blessing of the Lord rest upon thy golden locks," said the old +man, as he entered the room. + +"Good even, faithful Isaac!" cried Totila, taking off the long white +mantle which hung from his shoulders, and enveloping himself in a brown +cloak, which Miriam took down from the wall. "You good people! without +you and your faithful silence, all Neapolis would know of my secret. +How can I thank you!" + +"Thank?" said Miriam, fixing her beaming eyes upon him, "you have +thanked us beforehand to all eternity!" + +"No, Miriam," said Totila, pulling a broad-brimmed brown felt hat low +down upon his forehead, "that was nothing. Tell me, father Isaac, who +is that little man who just went away, and whom I have often met here? +It seems to me that he has cast his eyes upon Miriam. Speak frankly. If +a dowry is wanting--I would gladly be of use." + +"Love is wanting--on her side," said Isaac quietly, + +"Then I can certainly do no good! But if her heart has chosen +elsewhere--I should like to do something for my Miriam!" and he laid +his hand gently upon the maiden's shining hair. + +The touch was but slight, but as if a flash of lightning had startled +her, Miriam fell suddenly upon her knees. Her head sank upon her bosom, +and, crossing her arms, she slipped down at Totila's feet like a flower +heavy with dew. + +Totila drew back a step in surprise. But the next moment the girl had +risen. + +"Forgive, it was only a rose--it fell at your feet," She placed the +flower upon the table, and seemed so composed, that neither her father +nor Totila thought further of the occurrence. "It is growing dark +already; make haste, sir!" she said quietly, and gave him a basket +containing flowers and plants. + +"I go. Valeria is very thankful for all your kindness. I have told her +a great deal about you, and she has long wished to see you. Well, +perhaps we can soon manage it--to-day is, probably, the last time that +I shall need this disguise." + +"Do you mean to carry off the daughter of Edom?" cried the old man. +"Bring her here! here she will be well hidden!" + +"No," interposed Miriam, "not here! no, no!" + +"Why not, thou strange child?" asked her father in a tone of annoyance. + +"This is no place for a bride--this chamber--it would bring her no +blessing." + +"Be not uneasy," said Totila, as he went to the door, "I shall soon +put an end to secrecy by sueing for her hand openly. Farewell!" He +hastened out. + +Isaac took the spear, the horn, and several keys from the wall, and +followed in order to open the gate for Totila, and make the round of +all the doors of the great tower. + +Miriam remained alone. + +For a long time she stood with closed eyes motionless on the same spot. + +At last she passed both hands over her forehead and cheeks, and looked +about her. + +The room was very quiet; through the open window stole the first beam +of moonlight. It fell silvery upon Totila's white mantle, which hung in +long folds over a chair. Miriam ran and covered the hem of the mantle +with burning kisses. She took the glittering helmet, which stood near +her upon the table, and pressed it tenderly to her heart with both +arms. Then holding it a little way from her, she gazed upon it dreamily +for a few moments, and, at last--she could not resist--she lifted it up +and placed it upon her lovely head. She started as the heavy bronze +touched her forehead, and then, stroking back her dark braids, she +pressed the cold hard steel firmly upon her brow. She then took it off, +and set it, looking shyly round, in its former place, and going to +the window she looked out into the magic moonlight and the scented +night-air. Her lips moved as if in prayer, but the words of the prayer +were the same old song: + + "By the waters of Babylon + We sat down and wept. + O daughter of Zion, when comes the day + Which stills thy heavy pain?" + + + + CHAPTER XXII. + +While Miriam was gazing silently at the first pale stars, Totila's +impatience soon brought him to the villa of the rich trader, which lay +at about an hour's distance from the Porta Capuana. + +The slave who kept the gate told him to go to the old Hortularius, +Valeria's freedman, who had the care of the garden. This freedman had +been admitted to the lovers' confidence, and now took the plants from +the supposed gardener's boy, and led him into his sleeping-room, the +low windows of which opened into the garden. The next day before +sunrise--so taught the mysteries of ancient horticulture--the flowers +must be planted, so that the first sunlight which shone upon them in +the new soil should be that of the fresh morning. The young Goth waited +impatiently in the narrow chamber for the hour at which Valeria would +be able to leave her father after their evening meal. + +He drew aside the curtain which covered the window and again and again +looked up at the sky, measuring the flight of time by the rising of the +stars and the progress of the moon. The large garden before him lay +bathed in its peaceful light. + +In the distance, the plashing of a fountain could be heard, and the +cicadas chirped in the myrtles. The warm south wind blew sultry through +the night, at times bearing clouds of sweet odour upon its wings; and, +from the blooming grove at the end of the garden, the clear song of the +nightingale filled the air with melody. + +At last Totila could wait no longer. He swung himself noiselessly over +the marble sill of the window; the white sand of the narrow path +scarcely grated beneath his rapid footsteps, as, avoiding the stream of +moonlight, he hurried along under the shrubbery. + +On past the dark taxus-trees and the thick olive-groves; past the tall +statue of Flora, whose white marble shone ghostly in the moonlight; +past the large basin, where six marble dolphins spouted water high into +the air; into the thick shrubbery of laurels and tamarinds, and, +pressing through the oleanders, he stood before the stalactite grotto, +in which a marble nymph of the spring leaned upon a large dark urn. As +he entered, a white figure glided from behind the statue. + +"Valeria, my lovely rose!" cried Totila, ardently embracing her. + +"Leave me, leave me, my beloved!" she said, withdrawing from his arms. + +"No, sweet one! I will not leave you. How long, how painfully, I have +missed you! Do you hear how sweetly and invitingly the nightingale +calls? Inhale the warm air of the summer night and the intoxicating +scent of the roses. All breathes joy and love! Oh, let us hold fast +these golden hours! My soul cannot contain all its bliss! All thy +beauty; all our youth; and this glowing, blooming summer night. Life +rolls in mighty waves through my heart, and bursts it with delight!" + +"Oh, Totila, I would gladly lose myself, like you, in the happiness of +these hours! But I cannot. The intoxicating perfume, the luxurious +warmth of these summer nights are but transient; they breed misfortune. +I cannot believe in the happiness of our love!" + +"Thou dear fool, why not?" + +"I know not. The unhappy doubt which troubles all my life spreads its +curse even over our love. How gladly would I love and trust like you! +But a warning voice in my heart ever repeats: 'It will not last--thou +shalt not be happy!'" + +"Then, even in my arms, you are not happy?" + +"Yes, and no! The feeling of concealment from my noble father oppresses +me. See, Totila, what makes me love you most is not your youthful +beauty and strength, nor even your great love for me. It is my pride in +your character, in your frank, unclouded and noble character. I have +accustomed myself to see you walk through this dark world bright and +strong as the God of Light. The noble courage, sure of victory; the +enthusiasm and truth of your being, are my pride. That when you +approach, all that is mean, little, and unholy must vanish from before +you, is my delight. I love you as a mortal loves the Sun-god who +approaches him in the fulness of his glory, and therefore I can endure +nothing secret about you. Not even the delight of these hours--it is +enjoyed by stealth, and that must no longer be----" + +"No, Valeria, and shall not! I feel exactly the same. I hate the lie +of this disguise; I can bear it no longer! To-morrow I will throw it +off and speak openly and freely to your father." + +"This decision is the best, for----" + +"For it saves your life, young man!" suddenly cried a deep voice, and +from the dark background of the grotto a man came forth, in the act of +sheathing his sword. + +"My father!" cried Valeria, startled, but with courageous composure. +Totila put one arm round her. + +"Away, Valeria! leave the barbarian!" cried Valerius, stretching out +his hand commandingly. + +"No, Valerius," cried Totila, pressing Valeria close to his breast; +"henceforward her place is on my bosom!" + +"Audacious Goth!" + +"Hear me, Valerius, and be not angry with us for this deceit. You +yourself heard that it was to end tomorrow." + +"Fortunately for you, I did. Warned by an old friend, I could still +scarcely believe that my daughter--would deceive me. When I was +compelled to believe my eyes, I was resolved that your life should pay +for her fault. Your words saved you. But now go; you will never again +see her face." + +Totila would have retorted angrily, but Valeria was beforehand. + +"Father," she said quietly, stepping between the two men, "listen to +your child. I will not excuse my love, it needs no apology. It is as +innocent and heavenly as are the stars. My love is the life of my life. +You know me; truth is the air I breathe. By my soul! I will never leave +this man!" + +"Nor I her!" cried Totila, and took her right-hand. + +The young couple stood erect before the old man in the bright +moonlight, their noble features filled with sacred enthusiasm. They +looked so beautiful that a softened feeling took possession of the +angry father. + +"Valeria, my child!" + +"Oh, my father! you have led all my childish steps with such untiring +love that till now I have scarcely missed, though I have deeply +regretted, my lost mother. At this moment I miss her for the first +time; for now I feel that I need her advocacy. At least let her memory +plead for me. Let me bring her picture before you, and remind you of +the time when, dying, she called you for the last time to her bedside, +and, as you have often told me, confided to you my happiness as a holy +legacy." + +Valerius pressed his right hand to his forehead; his daughter ventured +to take the other; he did not repulse her. Evidently a struggle was +going on in his mind. At last he spoke. + +"Valeria, without knowing it, you have pleaded strongly. It would be +unjust to withhold from you a fact upon which you have mysteriously +touched. Your mother's vow, which, however, we had long since annulled, +still oppressed her soul. 'If our child,' she said, 'is not to be the +bride of Heaven, at least swear to me to honour the freedom of her +choice. I know how Roman girls, particularly in our rank of life, are +given in marriage unasked, without love. Such an union is misery on +earth and a sin before God. My Valeria will choose nobly; swear to me +to give her to the husband of her choice, and to no other!'--and I +Swore it. But to give my child to a barbarian, to an enemy of Italy! +no, no!" And he broke from her grasp. + +"Perhaps I am not so barbarous, Valerius, as you think," began Totila. +"At least I am the warmest friend of the Romans in all my nation. +Believe me, I do not hate you; those whom I abhor are your worst +enemies as well as ours--the Byzantines!" + +It was a happy speech, for in the heart of the old republican the +hatred of Byzantium was the reverse side to his love of freedom and +Italy. He was silent, but his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the youth. + +"My father," said Valeria, "your child could love no barbarian. Learn +to know Totila; and if you still call him a barbarian--I will never +become his. I ask nothing of you but this: learn to know him. Decide +for yourself whether my choice be noble. He is beloved by all the +Goths, and all men are friendly to him--surely you alone will not +reject him?" + +Again she took her father's hand. + +"Oh, learn to know me, Valerius!" begged Totila earnestly, taking his +other hand. + +The old man sighed. At length he said: "Come with me to your mother's +grave, Valeria; there it is amongst the cypresses; there stands the urn +containing her heart. Let us think of her--the noblest woman who ever +lived--and appeal to her shade. And if your love prove to be true and +well placed, then I will perform what I have promised." + + + + CHAPTER XXIII. + +A few weeks later, we find Cethegus in the well-known room containing +the statue of Caesar, together with our new acquaintance, Petros, the +ambassador of the Emperor Justinian, or rather of the Empress. + +The two men had shared a simple meal and had emptied a flask of old +Massikian together, exchanging reminiscences of past times--they had +been fellow-students, as we already know--and had just left the +dinner-room for the study of Cethegus, in order, undisturbed by the +attendants, to talk over more confidential affairs. + +"As soon as I had convinced myself," said Cethegus, concluding his +account of late events, "that the alarming reports from Ravenna were +only rumours--perhaps inventions, and, at all events, exaggerated--I +opposed the utmost coolness to the excitement and zeal of my friends. +Lucius Lucinius, with his fiery temper and foolish enthusiasm, almost +spoilt everything. He repeatedly demanded that I should accept the +office of Dictator, and literally put his sword to my breast, shouting +that I should be compelled to serve the fatherland. He let out so many +secrets, that it was fortunate the dark Corsican--who seems to stick to +the Goths, no one knows why--took him to be more drunk than he really +was. At last news came that Amalaswintha had returned, and so people +and Senate gradually became more calm." + +"And you," said Petros, "have saved Rome for the second time from the +revenge of the barbarians--a service which can never be forgotten, and +for which all the world, but most of all the Queen, must thank you." + +"The Queen--poor woman!" answered Cethegus, shrugging his shoulders. +"Who knows how long the Goths, or your imperial master at Byzantium, +will leave her upon her throne?" + +"What! You mistake entirely!" interrupted Petros eagerly. "My embassy +was intended, above all other things, to support her government; and I +was just upon the point of asking your advice," he added cunningly, "as +to how this can best be done." + +But the Prefect leaned back his head against the marble wall, and +looked with a smile at the ambassador. + +"Oh, Petros! oh, Peter!" he said. "Why so secret? I thought we knew +each other better." + +"What do you mean?" asked the Byzantine, embarrassed. + +"I mean that we have not studied law and history together at Berytus +and Athens in vain. I mean that at that time we already, while working +together and exchanging our wise thoughts, came to the conclusion that +the Emperor must drive out these barbarians, and rule again in Rome as +he does in Byzantium. And as I think now just as I did then, you also +will surely not have become a different man." + +"I must subject my views to those of my master; and Justinian----" + +"Naturally burns to rule in Italy." + +"But certainly," said Petros, much embarrassed, "cases might occur----" + +"Peter," said Cethegus, now rising indignantly, "use no phrases and no +lies with me; they do no good. See, Petros, this is your old fault; you +are ever too cunning to be wise. You think that you must always lie, +and are never courageous enough to be truthful. How can you pretend to +me that the Emperor does not mean to have Italy again? Whether he will +uphold or overthrow the Queen depends upon whether he thinks he will +reach his goal more easily with or without her. What his opinion is I +am not to know. But, in spite of all your cunning, the next time we +meet I will tell you to your face what he intends to do." + +A wicked and bitter smile played upon the ambassador's thin lips. + +"Still as proud as ever you were in the schools of logic at Athens," he +said spitefully. + +"Yes; and at Athens, you know, I was always the first, Procopius the +second, and you came third." + +Syphax just then entered the room. + +"A veiled woman, sir," he said, "awaits you in the Hall of Jupiter." + +Glad that the conversation was thus interrupted, for he did not feel +capable of arguing with the Prefect, Petros said, with a grin: + +"I wish you joy of such an interruption." + +"Yes, for your own sake," answered Cethegus, smiling; and left the +room. + +"You shall one day repent your sarcasm, haughty man!" thought the +Byzantine. + +In the hall--which received the name of Jupiter from a beautiful +statue, sculptured by Glycon of Athens--Cethegus found a woman, clad +richly in the Gothic costume. On his entrance, she threw back the cowl +of her brown mantle. + +"Princess Gothelindis!" cried the Prefect in surprise. "What leads you +to me?" + +"Revenge!" she answered, in a hoarse voice, and advanced towards him. + +Her features were sharp, but not plain; she would even have been called +beautiful, but that her left eye was utterly destroyed, and the whole +of her left cheek disfigured by a long scar. The wound seemed to bleed +afresh as her cheeks flushed while pronouncing the angry word. Such +deadly hatred shone from her grey eye, that Cethegus involuntarily +retreated. + +"Revenge?" he asked. "On whom?" + +"On--of that later. Forgive that I disturb you," she added, composing +herself. "Your friend Petros of Byzantium is with you, is he not?" + +"Yes; but how do you know?" + +"Oh! I saw him enter your door before supper," she answered, with +assumed indifference. + +"That is not true," said Cethegus to himself; "for he was brought in by +the garden-gate. So they have made an appointment here, and I was not +to know it. What can they want with me?" + +"I will not keep you long," continued Gothelindis. "I have only one +question to ask of you. Answer briefly, 'yes' or 'no.' I have the power +to ruin that woman--the daughter of Theodoric--and I have the will. Are +you for me in this, or against me?" + +"Oh! friend Petros," thought the Prefect. "Now I already know what you +intend to do with Amalaswintha. But we will see how far you have +gone.--Gothelindis," he said aloud, "I readily believe that you wish to +ruin the Gothic Queen; but I doubt if you can do so." + +"Listen to me, and then decide whether I can or no. The woman has +caused the three dukes to be murdered." + +Cethegus shrugged his shoulders. "Many people think that." + +"But I can prove it." + +"You don't say so?" exclaimed Cethegus incredulously. + +"Duke Thulun, as you know, did not die immediately. He was attacked on +the AEmilian Way, near my villa at Tannetum. My husbandmen found him and +brought him into my house. You know that he was my cousin--I belong to +the Balthe family. He died in my arms." + +"Well, and what said the sick man in his fever?" + +"Fever! Nothing of the sort! As Duke Thulun fell, he wounded his +murderer, who was not able to fly far. My husbandmen sought for him, +and found him dying in the nearest wood. He confessed everything to +me." + +Cethegus imperceptibly compressed his lips. + +"Well? What was he? What did he say?" + +"He was an Isaurian mercenary," said Gothelindis sharply, "an +overlooker of the works on the ramparts at Rome, and he said, +'Cethegus, the Prefect, sent me to the Queen, and the Queen sent me to +Duke Thulun!'" + +"Who heard his confession besides you?" asked Cethegus. + +"No one. And no one shall know of this, if you stand by me. But if not, +then----" + +"Gothelindis," interrupted the Prefect, "no threats! They are of no +use. You must comprehend that they can only aggravate, but not control +me. In case of need, I would allow it to come to an open accusation. +You are known as the bitter enemy of Amalaswintha, and your evidence +alone--you were imprudent enough to confess that no one else heard the +declaration of the dying man--would ruin neither her nor me. You cannot +force me to act against the Queen; at the most, you could persuade me, +if you can show that it would be to my advantage. And to do this, I +myself will propose an ally to you. You certainly know Petros, my +friend?" + +"Very well; long since." + +"Permit me to fetch him to this conference." + +He returned to his study. + +"Petros, my visitor is the Princess Gothelindis, the wife of Theodahad. +She wishes to speak to both of us. Do you know her?" + +"I? oh no. I have never seen her," answered Petros quickly. + +"'Tis well; follow me." + +As soon as they entered the hall, Gothelindis cried out: + +"Welcome, old friend! What a surprising meeting!" + +Petros was dumb. Cethegus, his hands clasped behind his back, enjoyed +the confusion of the Byzantine. + +"Do you see, Petros? always too cunning, always unnecessary subtleties! +But come, do not be so cast down by the discovery of a trick. So you +two have combined together for the Queen's ruin. You wish to persuade +me to help you. But before doing so, I must know your intentions +exactly. Whom will you place upon Amalaswintha's throne? For the way is +not yet open for Justinian." + +Both were silent for some moments. His clear perception of the +situation surprised them. At last Gothelindis spoke: + +"Theodahad, my husband, the last of the Amelungs." + +"Theodahad, the last of the Amelungs," Cethegus repeated slowly. + +Meanwhile, he considered all the advantages and disadvantages of this +plan. He reflected that Theodahad, unloved by the Goths, and raised to +the throne by Petros, would soon be entirely in the power of the +Byzantines, and that the catastrophe would be brought about in a +different manner and earlier than he intended. He reflected that he +must at all events keep the armies of the East Romans at a distance for +the longest possible time, and he decided to keep up the present state +of things and support Amalaswintha, because thus he would gain time for +his preparations. All this he had thought over, weighed, and decided +upon, in a few moments. + +"And how will you commence proceedings?" he asked gravely. + +"We shall desire the Queen to abdicate in favour of my husband, +threatening, in case of refusal, to accuse her of murder." + +"And if she runs the risk?" + +"We will carry out our threat," said Petros, "and raise a storm amongst +the Goths, which will----" + +"Cost her her life!" cried Gothelindis. + +"Perhaps cost her her throne," said Cethegus, "but hardly give it to +Theodahad. No, if the Goths are allowed to _choose_ a king, he will not +bear the name of 'Theodahad.'" + +"That is too true," said Gothelindis angrily. + +"Then there might easily come a king who would be much less welcome to +us all than Amalaswintha. And therefore I tell you openly, I am not on +your side; I will uphold the Queen." + +"Then there is war between us," cried Gothelindis grimly, and turned +towards the door. "Come, Petros." + +"Softly, friends," said the Byzantine. "Perhaps Cethegus will change +his mind when he has read this paper," and he gave the Prefect the +letter which Alexandros had brought from Amalaswintha to Justinian. + +Cethegus read; his features darkened. + +"Well," said Petros sarcastically, "will you still support the Queen, +who has vowed your ruin? Where would you be if she carried out her +plan, and your friends did not watch over you?" + +Cethegus scarcely listened to him. + +"Pitiful fellow," he thought, "as if it were that! as if the Queen were +not quite right! as if I could blame her for it! But the imprudent +woman has already done what I only feared from Theodahad. She has +ruined herself, and frustrated all my plans; she has already called the +Byzantines into the country, and now they will come, whether she will +or no. As long as Amalaswintha reigns, Justinian will play the part of +her protector." And now he turned, in seeming consternation, to the +ambassador, and, giving him the letter back, asked: "And if she carries +out her intention, when could your troops land?" + +"Belisarius is already on the way to Sicily," said Petros, proud of +having abashed the Prefect; "in a week he can anchor before Portus." + +"Unheard of!" cried Cethegus, this time in real dismay. + +"You see," said Gothelindis, who had meanwhile read the letter, "those +whom you would uphold wish to ruin you. Be beforehand with them." + +"In the name of my Emperor," said Petros, "I summon you to help me to +destroy this kingdom of the Goths, and to restore to Italy her freedom. +You and your talent are valued as they ought to be at the Emperor's +court, and, after the victory, Justinian promises you--the dignity of a +senator at Byzantium." + +"Is it possible?" cried Cethegus. "But not even this highest; of +honours drives me with such eagerness into your plans as my indignation +against the ungrateful Queen, who in reward for all my services, +threatens my life.--But are you sure?" he asked anxiously, "that +Belisarius will not land at once?" + +"Do not be uneasy," answered Petros; "it is my hand that will beckon, +when it is time. First, Amalaswintha must be replaced by Theodahad." + +"That is well," thought Cethegus; "with time all is won, and the +Byzantines shall not land until I can receive them at the head of Italy +in arms.--I am yours," he added aloud, turning to Gothelindis, "and I +think I can bring Amalaswintha to set the crown upon your husband's +head with her own hands. She shall resign the sceptre." + +"The Queen will never do that!" cried Gothelindis. + +"Perhaps! Her generosity is still greater than her ambition. It is +possible to ruin one's enemies through their virtues," said Cethegus +thoughtfully. "I am now sure of the thing, and I greet you, Queen of +the Goths!" he concluded, with a slight bow. + + + + CHAPTER XXIV. + +After the removal of the three dukes, Amalaswintha had maintained an +expectant attitude. Although by the fall of the heads of the +aristocratic opposition she had obtained some freedom of action, yet +the National Assembly at Regeta, near Rome, was soon to be held, when +she must either completely exculpate herself from all suspicion of +murder, or lose her crown, and perhaps her life. Only until the +assembly had taken place did Witichis and his adherents promise her +their protection. She therefore made every effort to strengthen her +position before the decisive moment arrived. She hoped nothing more +from Cethegus; she had seen through his selfish motives. + +But she hoped that the Italians and the conspirators of the Catacombs, +at the head of whose members her own name figured, would prefer her +rule, so friendly to the Romans, to that of a king who belonged to the +Gothic national party. She ardently longed for the arrival of the +body-guard from the Emperor, which would protect her in the first +moment of danger; and she was zealously employed in increasing the +number of her friends amongst the Goths themselves. She invited many of +her father's old followers--zealous adherents of the Amelungs, grey old +warriors of great influence with the people, brothers-at-arms and +almost play-fellows of old Hildebrand--to return to Ravenna; +particularly the white-bearded Grippa, Theodoric's cupbearer, whose +fame was scarcely less influential than that of the old master-at-arms. +She overwhelmed him and his comrades with honours, confided the castle +of Ravenna to their care, and made them swear to keep faith with the +Amelung family. As this connection with popular names was to form a +sort of counterbalance to the influence of Witichis, Hildebrand and +their friends--and Witichis could not justly prevent her from +distinguishing the old friends of Theodoric with honours--so the Queen +also looked about for aid against the family of the Balthes and their +revenge. With sharp discernment she perceived that this could best be +procured from the Woelfungs, whose family possessed great influence and +riches in central Italy. At that time the heads of this family were two +brothers, Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad. + +To win their alliance she had thought of a peculiarly effective means. +For the friendship of the Woelfungs she would offer no less a price than +the hand of her beautiful daughter. + +In a richly decorated room at Ravenna the mother and daughter were +engaged in an earnest but not amicable conversation on this subject. + +The Queen was measuring the narrow apartment with hasty steps; all her +usual repose of manner gone. She frequently threw an angry look at the +beautiful girl, who, leaning against a marble table, stood quietly +before her with downcast eyelids. + +"Reflect well," cried Amalaswintha angrily, and suddenly standing +still, "reflect once more! I give you three days' time." + +"It is in vain. I shall always speak as I have done to-day," said +Mataswintha without raising her eyes. + +"Then tell me, what have you to say against Earl Arahad?" + +"Nothing, except that I cannot love him." + +The Queen did not seem to hear her. + +"This is quite a different case from the other, when we would have had +you marry Cyprianus," she said. "He was old and--which perhaps in your +eyes was a greater disadvantage," she added bitterly--"a Roman." + +"And yet I was banished to Tarentum because I refused him." + +"I hoped that severity would have induced you to change your mind. For +months I kept you away from my court, from my motherly heart." A bitter +smile curled Mataswintha's lovely mouth. "In vain," continued the +Queen. "I now call you back----" + +"You err. My brother Athalaric called me back!" + +"I now offer you another husband. Young, handsome, a Goth of the purest +nobility, his rank is at this moment the second in the kingdom. You +know, at least you suspect, how sorely my throne, surrounded by +enemies, needs protection. He and his powerful brother promise us the +help of their whole army. Earl Arahad loves you, and you, you refuse +him! Tell me why?" + +"Because I do not love him." + +"A girl's stupid speech! You are a King's daughter; you ought to +sacrifice yourself to your rank, to your kingdom." + +"I am a woman," answered Mataswintha, raising her sparkling eyes, "and +will sacrifice my heart to no power in heaven or on earth!" + +"And thus speaks my daughter? Look at me, foolish child. I have striven +after great things, and have attained much. As long as men admire what +is great, they will name my name. I have won all that life can offer, +and yet I never----" + +"Loved! I know it," sighed her daughter. + +"You know it?" + +"Yes; it was the curse of my childhood! I was indeed still a child when +my father died. I knew not how to express it, but even then I could +feel that his heart missed something, when, sighing deeply, he embraced +Athalaric and me, and sighed again. And I loved him all the more +tenderly because I felt that he sought love most where it was wanting. +Now indeed I know what then I could not explain to myself. You became +our father's wife, because, after Theodoric, he stood next to the +throne. Ambition, and not love, led you to his arms, and you could only +give cold pride in return for his warm affection." + +Amalaswintha was startled, and stopped again in her restless walk. + +"You are very bold!" she said. + +"I am your daughter----" + +"You speak of love so familiarly--you seem to know it at twenty better +than I at fifty. You love!" she cried suddenly, "and thence comes this +obstinacy!" + +Mataswintha blushed and was silent. + +"Speak," cried her angry mother; "confess it or deny it." + +Mataswintha cast down her eyes and still kept silence. She had never +looked more beautiful. + +"Will you deny the truth? Are you afraid, you, a daughter of the +Amelungs?" + +The girl proudly raised her eyes. + +"I am not afraid and I do not deny the truth. Yes, I love." + +"And whom, unhappy girl?" + +"Not even a god could force me to tell that!" + +She looked so decided that Amalaswintha did not attempt to learn more. + +"Well," she said, "my daughter has no common nature. So I demand of you +what is uncommon: to sacrifice all to the highest." + +"Mother, I cherish a noble dream in my heart. To me it is the highest. +To it I will sacrifice all." + +"Mataswintha," said the Queen, "how unqueenly! See, God has blessed you +above thousands with beauty of body and mind. You are born to be a +queen." + +"I will be a queen of love. All praise my beauty. I have proposed to +myself, loving and beloved, happy and bestowing happiness, to be a true +woman!" + +"A woman? is that all your ambition?" + +"It is. Oh, would it had been yours!" + +"And the realm is nothing to you, the grandchild of Theodoric? Your +nation, the Goths, are they of no account?" + +"No, mother," said Mataswintha quietly; "it grieves me, it almost makes +me ashamed, but I cannot pretend what I do not feel. The word 'Goth' +arouses no sentiment in me. Perhaps it is not my fault; you have always +despised these Goths and valued these 'barbarians' lightly; that was my +first impression; it is enduring. And I hate this crown, this kingdom +of the Goths; it has taken the place of my father, of my brother, and +of myself in your heart! The Gothic crown has never been anything to me +but a hated and inimical power." + +"Oh, my child, woe to me if I am guilty of this! If you will not do it +for the sake of our kingdom, oh, do it for my sake! I am lost without +these Woelfungs. Do it for the sake of my love!" And she took her +daughter's hand. + +Mataswintha drew back with a bitter smile: + +"Mother, do not blaspheme that holy name! Your love? You have never +loved me. Nor my brother, nor my father." + +"My child! What should I have loved if not you?" + +"The crown, mother, and the hated monarchy! How often have you repulsed +me before Athalaric's birth, because I was a girl, and you wished for a +crown-prince. Think of my father's grave and of----" + +"Cease!" cried Amalaswintha. + +"And Athalaric? Have you ever loved him? Have you not rather loved his +right to the throne? Oh, how often have we poor children wept, when we +sought the mother and found the Queen!" + +"You never complained to me! you do it only now, when I ask you for the +sacrifice----" + +"Mother, even now it was not for yourself, only for your crown and +throne. Put off the crown and you are free from all care. It has +brought us no happiness, only pain. You are not threatened--I would +sacrifice everything for you--but only your throne, only the golden +diadem, the idol of your heart, the curse of my life! Never will I +sacrifice my love to this hated crown, never, never, never!" And she +crossed her white arms over her bosom as if she would protect her love +thus from all assailers. + +"Ha!" cried the Queen indignantly, "selfish, heartless child! you +confess that you have no feeling for your people, no pride in the crown +of your great ancestors! You will not voluntarily obey the voice of +honour; well then, obey force! You deny my love? then feel my severity! +You will leave Ravenna at once with your attendants. You will go to +Florentia, as the guest of Duke Guntharis; his wife has invited you. +Earl Arahad will accompany you on your journey. Leave me. Time will +bend your stubborn will!" + +"No power can do that," said Mataswintha, proudly raising her head, and +she left the room. + +The Queen looked after her silently. Her daughter's reproofs had made a +greater impression upon her than she was willing to allow. + +"Ambition?" she said to herself. "No, it is not that which fills my +soul. I feel that I could protect my realm and render it happy, and +truly I could sacrifice my life, as well as my crown, if the well-being +of my nation demanded it. Could I not?" she asked herself, doubtfully +laying her hand upon her heart. + +She was roused from her reverie by Cassiodorus, who entered with bent +head and slow steps. + +"Well," said Amalaswintha, struck by the sad expression of his face, +"do you come to tell me of a misfortune?" + +"No; only to ask a question." + +"What question?" + +"Queen," the old man solemnly commenced, "I have served you and your +father faithfully for thirty years. I, a Roman, have served the +barbarians, for I honoured your virtues, and believed that Italy, no +longer capable of self-government, would flourish best under your rule, +for your rule was just and mild. I continued to serve you, even when +the blood of my best friends--and, as I believe, the most innocent +blood--was shed. But they died by law, and not by treachery. I was +obliged to honour your father, even where I could not praise him. But +now----" + +"Now? but now?" repeated the Queen proudly. + +"I come now to beg from my friend, may I say my scholar----" + +"You may," answered the Queen, softened. + +"To beg great Theodoric's noble daughter to speak one single word, a +'yes.' If you can say this 'yes.'--and I pray to God that you can--then +I will serve you as faithfully as ever, so long as my grey hairs are +spared." + +"And if not?" + +"And if not, O Queen," answered the old man sadly--"oh, then farewell +to you, and to my last joy in this world!" + +"What have you to ask?" + +"Amalaswintha, you know that I was far away on the northern frontiers +of the realm, when the rebellion here broke out, when that terrible +rumour arose, and that fearful accusation was made. I believed +nothing--I hurried here from Tridentum--I arrived two days ago, +and not an hour passes, not a Goth do I meet, but a terrible doubt +falls heavily upon my heart. And you, too, are changed; restless, +inconstant--and yet I cannot believe it. One sincere word of yours will +dispel all these mists." + +"Why use so many words?" she cried, supporting herself on the arm of +her chair. "Ask briefly what you have to ask." + +"Say but one simple 'yes.' Are you guiltless of the death of the three +dukes?" + +"And if I were not, have they not richly deserved their fate?" + +"Amalaswintha--I beseech you--say 'yes.'" + +"You take a very sudden interest in the Gothic rebels!" + +"I beseech you," cried the old man, falling on his knees, "daughter of +Theodoric, say 'yes,' if you can!" + +"Rise!" she cried, turning away with a frown. "You have no right to +question me thus." + +"No," said the old man quietly, and rising from his knees. "No, not +now. From this moment I no longer belong to this world." + +"Cassiodorus!" cried the Queen, alarmed. + +"Here are the keys of my rooms in the palace. There you will find all +the gifts that I have received from you and Theodoric; the documents +which assert my dignities, and my seals of office. I go!" + +"Whither, my old friend, oh, whither?" + +"To the cloister which I founded at Squillacium, in Apulia. +Henceforward, far from kings and their deeds, I shall only do God's +work upon earth. My soul has long since panted for peace, and now I +have nothing left on earth that is dear to me. Accept once more my +advice at parting: put away the sceptre from your blood-stained hands. +You can bless this realm no longer, you can only bring a curse upon the +nation. Think of the salvation of your soul, and may God be gracious to +you!" And before the Queen could recover from her consternation, he had +disappeared. + +She would have hurried after him to call him back but she was met at +the door by Petros, the ambassador. + +"Stay, Queen," he said in a low and rapid voice, "stay and hear me. I +have no time to lose. I am followed." + +"Who follows you?" + +"People who do not mean so well by you as I do. Deceive yourself no +more; the fate of the kingdom is decided; you can hinder it no longer, +so save for yourself what you can. I repeat my proposal." + +"What proposal?" + +"You heard it yesterday." + +"That treacherous advice! Never! I shall report it to your master, the +Emperor, and beg him to recall you. With you I will confer no more." + +"Queen, this is not the moment to spare you. The next ambassador of +Justinian is called Belisarius, and he will come with an army!" + +"Impossible!" cried the forsaken Queen. "I recall my petition." + +"Too late. The fleet of Belisarius already lies off Sicily. The +proposal which you thought came from me you have rejected. Learn that +the Emperor, and not I, was the propounder, and meant it as a last +token of his favour." + +"Justinian, my friend, my protector, would thus ruin me and my +kingdom!" cried Amalaswintha, who began to see the terrible truth. + +"Not ruin you, but save you! He will re-conquer this Italy, the cradle +of the Roman Empire. This unnatural, impossible kingdom of the Goths is +condemned and lost. Leave the sinking ship. Justinian reaches out to +you a friendly hand, and the Empress offers you an asylum, if you will +deliver Neapolis, Rome, Ravenna, and all the fortresses into the hands +of Belisarius, and consent that the Goths shall be led, disarmed, over +the Alps." + +"Wretched man! Shall I betray my people as you have betrayed me? Too +late I see your schemes; I came to you for help, and you will destroy +me!" + +"Not you, only the barbarians." + +"These barbarians are my people; they are my only friends! I see it +now, and will stand by them to the death." + +"But they will not stand by you." + +"Insolent! Out of my sight! Leave my court!" + +"You will not listen? Reflect, O Queen! only on this condition can I +answer for your life." + +"My people in arms shall answer for my life!" + +"Hardly. For the last time I ask you----" + +"Be silent! I will not give up my crown to Justinian without a +struggle." + +"Well, then," said Petros to himself, "another must, do it. Enter!" he +called aloud at the entrance. + +But Cethegus alone appeared from behind the curtain. + +"Where is Gothelindis? Where is Theodahad?" whispered Petros. + +"I left them outside the palace. The two women hate each other too +bitterly. Their passion would spoil all." + +"You are not my good angel, Prefect of Rome," said Amalaswintha, +turning away from him gloomily, as he approached. + +"This time perhaps I am," whispered Cethegus, going close up to her. +"You have rejected the proposals from Byzantium, as I expected you +would. Dismiss that false Greek." + +At a sign from the Queen, Petros retired into an ante-room. + +"What would you with me, Cethegus? I trust you no longer." + +"You have trusted the Emperor instead of me, and you see the +consequences." + +"I do indeed," she answered in deep grief. + +"Queen, I have never deceived you in this: that I love Italy and Rome +more than the Goths. You will remember that I never concealed it from +you." + +"I know it, and do not blame you." + +"My dearest wish is to see Italy free. In order to keep the Emperor +off, I would uphold your government; but I tell you openly that there +is now no hope of this. If you proclaim war against Byzantium, the +Goths will no more obey or the Italians trust you." + +"And why not? What separates me from the Italians and my people?" + +"Your own acts: two unfortunate documents, which, are in Justinian's +hands. You yourself first called his arms into Italy--a body-guard from +Byzantium!" + +Amalaswintha grew pale. + +"You know----" + +"Unfortunately not I alone, but my friends, the conspirators of the +Catacombs. Petros showed them, the letter, and they call down curses +upon you." + +"Then my Goths, at least, remain to me!" + +"No longer. Not alone do the adherents of the Balthes seek your life; +but the conspirators of Rome have sworn, as soon as war breaks out, to +announce to all the world that your name stands at the head of their +conspiracy against the Goths--against your own nation! The document, +with your signature, is in my hands no longer; it lies in the archives +of the conspirators." + +"Faithless man!" + +"How could I know that you treated with Byzantium behind my back, and +thus made enemies of my friends? You see that Byzantium, the Goths, and +Italy are all against you. If the war break out under your direction, +division will run rife in Italy. No one will obey you, and the kingdom +will fall helpless into the hands of Belisarius. Amalaswintha, there +must be a sacrifice! I demand it of you in the name of Italy, in the +name of your people and of mine." + +"What sacrifice? I consent to any." + +"The greatest sacrifice--your crown. Give it to a man who is capable of +uniting the Goths and Italians against Byzantium, and save both +nations." + +Amalaswintha looked at him searchingly. A terrible struggle took place +in her soul. + +"My crown? It is very dear to me," she said. + +"I always held Amalaswintha capable of any sacrifice." + +"Dare I place confidence in your advice?" + +"If it were sweet, you might doubt it; if I flattered your pride you +might mistrust me. But I offer you the bitter cup of renunciation. I +appeal to your generosity and courage. Make me not ashamed." + +"Your last advice was a crime," cried Amalaswintha, shuddering. + +"I preserved your throne by every possible means as long as it could be +upheld, as long as it was necessary for Italy; and I now demand that +you should love your people more than your sceptre." + +"By God! there you do not err. For my people I have not hesitated to +sacrifice the lives of others"--she gladly dwelt on this thought, which +appeased her conscience--"and I shall not refuse now to sacrifice my +personal ambition. But who will be my successor?" + +"Your heir, to whom the crown belongs--Theodahad, the last of the +Amelungs." + +"What! that feeble creature?" + +"He is no hero, it is true; but heroes will obey the nephew of +Theodoric if you place him on the throne. And, consider, his Roman +education has won the Italians for him; they will stand by him. They +would both fear and hate a king after Hildebrand's heart." + +"And rightly," answered the Queen reflectively. "But Gothelindis, +Queen!" + +Cethegus came nearer, and looked keenly into her eyes. + +"Amalaswintha is not so mean as to nourish a pitiful feminine enmity +when there is need of a noble resolve. You have ever appeared to me +nobler than your sex. Now prove it, and decide." + +"Not now," said Amalaswintha. "My head burns and my brain is confused. +Let me alone to-night. You believe me capable of self-sacrifice. I +thank you for that at least. To-morrow I will decide." + + + + + BOOK III. + THEODAHAD. + + +"It seemed to Theodahad that to have neighbours was a kind of +misfortune."--_Procopius: Wars of the Goths_, i. 3. + + + + CHAPTER I. + +The morning after the events before described, a manifesto announced to +the astonished inhabitants of Ravenna that the daughter of Theodoric +had resigned the crown in favour of her cousin Theodahad, the last male +scion oL the House of Amelung. + +Italians and Goths were summoned to swear the oath of allegiance to +their new sovereign. + +Cethegus had judged rightly. Amalaswintha had felt her conscience +oppressed by many a folly, and even by deadly sin. Noble natures seek +consolation and atonement in sacrifice and self-denial; and the unhappy +woman had been much affected by the reproaches of her daughter and +Cassiodorus; therefore the Prefect had found her in a mood favourable +for the reception of his advice. The very bitterness of this advice +induced her to follow it; indeed, to save her people and expiate her +guilt, she would even have endured much greater humiliation. + +The change of dynasty was accomplished without difficulty. The Italians +at Ravenna were in nowise prepared for rebellion, and Cethegus fed them +with hopes of a more favourable opportunity. Besides this, the new King +was known and liked by them as a friend of Roman civilisation. + +The Goths, however, did not seem inclined to submit to the change +without more ado. Prince Theodahad was certainly a man--that was in his +favour and an Amelung, which last circumstance weighed heavily; but he +was by no means esteemed. Cowardly and unmartial, effeminate in body +and mind, he had none of the qualities which the Germans require in +their kings. One sole passion filled his soul--avarice, insatiable love +of gold. Though very rich, he was constantly engaged in mean quarrels +with his neighbours in Tuscany. He well understood the art of +increasing his estates by force and cunning, and the weight of his +royal rank, and how to wrest their property from his neighbours; "for," +says an author of that period, "it seemed to Theodahad that to have +neighbours was a kind of misfortune." At the same time, his weak nature +was entirely subject to that of his wicked but strong-minded wife. + +For all these reasons, the worthiest members of the Gothic nation saw +the accession of such a man to the throne of Theodoric with great +dislike; and the manifesto had scarcely been published, when Earl Teja, +who had shortly before returned to Ravenna with Hildebad, summoned the +old master-at-arms and Witichis, and invited them to arouse and direct +the discontent of the people, and to set a more worthy man in +Theodahad's place. + +"You know," he concluded his exhortation, "how favourable is the temper +of the people. Since the night of our meeting in the Temple of Mercury, +we have incessantly stirred up the nation, and have succeeded in many +of our efforts. The noble self-assertion of Athalaric, the victory of +the Feast of Epiphany, the prevention of Amalaswintha's escape was all +our work. Now a favourable opportunity offers. Shall a man who is +weaker than a woman step into a woman's place? Have we no more worthy +man than Theodahad amongst us?" + +"He is right, by Thor and Woden!" cried Hildebad. "Away with these weak +Amelungs! Raise a hero upon our shield, and hit about on all sides! +Away with the Amelungs!" + +"No," said Witichis calmly; "not yet. Perhaps it will come to that at +last; but it must not happen sooner than is necessary. The Amelungs +have a great party. Theodahad would never part with the riches, nor +Gothelindis with the power of the crown without a struggle; they are +strong enough, if not for victory, at least for battle. But strife +between brothers is terrible. Necessity alone can justify it; and, at +present, that does not exist. Theodahad may try; he is weak, and may +easily be led. There is time enough to act if he prove incapable." + +"Who knows if then there will be time?" said Teja warningly. + +"What dost thou advise, old man?" asked Hildebad, upon whose mind the +remarks of Witichis had not been without effect. + +"Brothers," answered Hildebrand, stroking his long beard, "you have the +choice, and therefore are plagued with doubt. I am spared both, for I +am bound. The King's old followers have sworn an oath that, as long as +a member of his House lives, they will allow no stranger to occupy the +throne." + +"What a foolish oath!" cried Hildebad. + +"I am old, and yet I do not call it foolish. I know what a blessing +rests upon the great and sacred law of inheritance; and the Amelungs +are descended from the gods!" he added mysteriously. + +"Theodahad is a fine child of the gods!" laughed Hildebad. + +"Be silent!" cried the old man angrily. "You modern men understand this +no longer. You think you can fathom everything with your miserable +reason. The mystery, the secrecy, the magic that lies in blood--for +this you have lost all sense. Therefore I have held my peace about such +things. But you cannot change me, with my near a hundred years. Do what +you like; I shall do what I must." + +"Well," said Earl Teja, yielding, "upon thy head be the responsibility. +But when this last Amelung is no more----" + +"Then the followers of Theodoric are free from their oath." + +"Perhaps," said Witichis, "it is fortunate that your oath spares us the +choice, for we certainly wish for no ruler whom thou canst not +acknowledge. Let us then go and pacify the people; and let us bear with +this King as long as it is possible." + +"But not an hour longer!" cried Teja, and went away in anger. + + + + CHAPTER II. + +The very same day Theodahad and Gothelindis were crowned with the +ancient crown of the Goths. + +A splendid banquet, at which all the Roman and Gothic dignitaries of +the court and city were present, enlivened the old palace and the +usually quiet gardens, with which we have become acquainted as the +scene of Athalaric's and Camilla's loves. + +The revel lasted until deep into the night. + +The new King, no friend of the cup, or of barbaric revelry, had retired +early. + +Gothelindis, on the contrary, sunned herself in the glory of her new +rank. Proudly she sat upon her high seat, the golden circlet on her +dark hair. She seemed all ear for the loud hurrahs with which, again +and again, her own and her husband's names were greeted. But most of +all she enjoyed the thought that these shouts would penetrate into the +royal vault, where Amalaswintha, her hated and conquered rival, sat +mourning by the sarcophagus of her son. + +Among the crowd of such guests as need only a full cup to make them +merry, many a grave face was to be seen; many a Roman who would rather +have seen the Emperor Justinian upon the throne at the head of the +table; many a Goth who, in the present precarious condition of affairs, +could not do homage to such a King as Theodahad without anxiety. + +To these last belonged Witichis, whose thoughts seemed far absent from +the splendid scene around him. The golden cup before him stood +untouched, and he scarcely noticed the loud exclamations of Hildebad, +who sat opposite him. + +At last--the lamps were long since lit, and the stars stood in the +sky--he rose and went into the greeny darkness of the garden. He slowly +wandered through the taxus-walks, his eyes fixed upon the sparkling +luminaries. His heart was with his wife, with his child, whom he had +not seen for months. + +He wandered on unconsciously, until at last he came to the little +Temple of Venus by the quay, with which we are already acquainted. + +He looked out over the gleaming sea. All at once something shining at +his feet attracted his attention. It was the glittering of the +moonlight upon a small Gothic harp, and upon a suit of mail. A man lay +before him upon the soft grass, and a pale face was uplifted towards +him. + +"Thou here, Teja? Thou wert not at the banquet?" + +"No; I was with the dead." + +"My thoughts, too, were absent; at home with wife and child," said +Witichis. + +"With wife and child," repeated Teja, sighing. + +"Many asked after thee, Teja." + +"After me? Should I sit by Cethegus, who has robbed me of my honour, or +by Theodahad, who took inheritance?" + +"Thine inheritance?" + +"At least he possesses it. And over the place where once stood my +cradle he now drives his ploughshare." + +His head sank upon his breast, and both were silent. + +"And thy harp," at last said Witichis, "will it never be heard again? +They praise thee as our nation's best minstrel!" + +"Like Gelimer, the last King of the Vandals, who was also the best +singer of his nation.--But they shall never lead _me_ in triumph to +Byzantium!" + +"Thou singest but seldom now?" + +"Seldom or never. But it seems to me time is coming when I shall sing +again." + +"A time of joy?" + +"A time of deep and final sorrow." + +Again a long pause ensued. + +"My Teja," resumed Witichis, "I have ever found thee, in all trouble of +peace or war, as true as steel. And although thou art so much younger +than I--and an elder man does not lightly bind himself to a youth--I +may call thee my best and bosom-friend. I know that thy heart cleaves +to me more than to thy youthful companions." + +Teja took the speaker's hand and pressed it. "Yes, even when my ways +perplex thee, thou withholdest not thy respect and sympathy. The +others---- And yet, _one_ of them I love much!" + +"Whom?" + +"He whom all love." + +"Totila?" + +"Yes. I love him as the night loves the morning star. But he is so +frank, that he cannot understand when others are, and must be, +reserved." + +"Must be! Why? Thou knowest that curiosity is not my failing. And if, +at this earnest moment, I beg thee to lift the veil from thy grief, I +ask it only because I would gladly help and comfort thee, and because a +friend's eye often sees more clearly than one's own." + +"Help? Help me? Canst thou awaken the dead? My pain is irrevocable as +the past! Whoever has, like me, seen the unmerciful wheel of Fate roll, +crushing everything before it, blind and dumb to all tenderness and +nobleness; yea, even crushing what is noble more easily and readily, +because it _is_ tender; whoever has acknowledged that a dull necessity, +which fools call the wise providence of God, rules the universe and the +life of mankind, is past all help and comfort! If once he has caught +the sound, he hears for ever, with the sharp ear of despair, the +monotonous rumble of the cruel, insensible wheel in the centre of the +universe, which, at every revolution, indifferently produces or +destroys life. Whoever has felt this, and lived through it, renounces +all and for ever. For evermore, nothing can make him afraid. But +certainly--he has also for ever forgotten the sweetness of a smile." + +"Thou makest me shudder! God forbid that I should ever entertain such a +delusion! How hast thou acquired, so young, such terrible wisdom?" + +"Friend, by thought alone the truth cannot be reached; only the +experience of life can teach it. And in order to understand what and +how a man thinks, it is necessary to know his life. Therefore, that I +may not appear to be an erring dreamer, or an effeminate weakling, who +delights in nursing his sorrow--and in honour of thy trust and +friendship--thou shalt hear a small portion of the cause of my grief. +The larger part, by far the larger, I will keep to myself," he added, +in evident pain, and pressing his hand to his heart. "The time for that +will come too. But now thou shalt only hear how the Star of Misfortune, +even at my birth, shone over my head. And amidst all the million stars +above, this one alone remains faithful. Thou wert present--thou wilt +remember--when the false Prefect taunted me before the whole assembly +with being a bastard, and refused to fight with me. I was obliged to +endure the insult. I am even worse than a bastard. My father, Tagila, +was a famous hero, but no noble. Poor, and of low birth. He had loved, +ever since his beard sprouted, the daughter of his father's brother, +Gisa. She lived far away on the outermost eastern frontier of the +realm; on the cold Ister, where continued battles raged with the Gepidae +and the wild Sarmatian hordes, and where a man has little time to think +of the Church, or of the changing laws promulgated by her Conclaves. +For a long time my father was not able to lead Gisa to his home; ha had +nought but his helm and spear, and could not pay the tax, nor prepare a +home for his wife. At last fortune smiled upon him. In the war against +the Sarmatians, he conquered the king's stronghold on the Alutha, and +the rich treasures which the Sarmatians had gained by years of plunder, +and had there amassed, became his booty. In reward of his valour, +Theodoric gave him the rank of earl, and called him to Italy. My father +took with him Gisa, now become his wife, and all his treasure, and +bought a large and beautiful estate in Tuscany, between Florentia and +Luca. But his good fortune did not last long. Shortly after my birth, +some miserable fellow, some cowardly rascal, accused my parents of +incest before the Bishop of Florentia. They were Catholics, and not +Arians--and brothers' children; their marriage was null in the eyes of +the Church--and the Church ordered them to part. My father pressed his +wife to his heart, and laughed at the order. But the secret accuser did +not rest----" + +"Who was he?" + +"Oh, would that I knew it! I would reach him, even if he lived amid all +the horrors of Vesuvius! The priests tormented my mother without +cessation, and tried to alarm her conscience. In vain; she stood fast +by her God and her husband, and defied the bishop and his messengers. +And whenever my father met one of the priests upon his estate, he gave +him such a welcome that he took care never to come again. But who can +strive with those who speak in God's name! A last term was appointed; +if, by that time, the disobedient couple had not separated, they were +to be excommunicated, and their property forfeited to the Church. My +father now hurried in despair to the King, to beg for the abolition of +the terrible sentence. But the verdict of the Conclave was too clear, +and Theodoric did not dare to offend the rights of the Orthodox Church. +When my father returned from Ravenna, he stared in horror at the place +where once his house had stood: the time had elapsed, and the threat +had been fulfilled. His home was destroyed, his wife and child had +disappeared. He madly sought for us all over Italy, and at last, +disguised as a peasant, he discovered Gisa in a convent at Ticinum. +They had torn her boy from her arms, and taken him to Rome. My father +arranged everything for her flight from the convent; at midnight they +escaped over the wall of the cloister garden. But the next morning the +sisters missed their prisoner at the _hora_--her cell was empty. The +convent servants followed the track of the horses--they were overtaken. +Fighting desperately, my father fell; my mother was taken back to the +convent. The pain of her loss and the severe discipline of the order +had such a terrible effect upon her brain, that she went mad and died. +Such was the fate of my parents." + +"And thou?" + +"I was discovered in Rome by old Hildebrand, who had been a +brother-at-arms of my grandfather and father. With the King's +assistance, he took me from the care of the priests, and brought me up +with his own grandchildren in Regium." + +"And thy estate, thine inheritance?" + +"Was forfeited to the Church, which sold it, almost as a gift, to +Theodahad. He was my father's neighbour; he is now my King!" + +"My poor friend! But what happened to you later? I have heard only +rumours--thou hast been in Greece----" + +Teja rose. + +"Let me keep silence on that subject; perhaps another time. I was once +fool enough to believe in happiness and the beneficence of a loving +God. I have repented it bitterly. I shall never believe again. +Farewell, Witichis, and do not blame Teja, if he be different from +other men." He pressed the hand of his friend warmly; and quickly +disappeared into the dark avenues of the garden. + +Witichis sat for a long time in silent thought. Then he looked up at +the sky, seeking in the bright stars a contradiction of the gloomy +thoughts which his friend's words had aroused in his mind. He longed +for their peaceful and clear light. But during the conversation, clouds +had risen rapidly from the lagoons, and covered the sky. All around was +dark and dismal. With a sigh, Witichis arose, and filled with sad +thoughts, sought his lonely couch. + + + + CHAPTER III. + +While Italians and Goths feasted and drank together in the halls on the +ground-floor of the palace at Ravenna, they little suspected that above +their heads, in the King's apartments, a negotiation was going on which +was to determine the fate of the kingdom. + +The King had left the banquet early, and had retired to his rooms with +the Byzantine ambassador, and, for a long time, the two were occupied +in writing and consulting together. + +At last they seemed to have come to an agreement, and Petros was about +once more to read what he had written, when the King interrupted him: + +"Stop," said the little man, who seemed almost lost in his royal robes, +"stop--there is yet another thing." + +And he rose from his seat, softly crossed the room, and looked behind +the curtain at the entrance to see if any were listening. + +Having reassured himself, he returned, and gently pulled the sleeve of +the Byzantine. The light of the bronze lamp flickered in the draught, +and fell upon the withered yellow cheeks of his ugly face, as he +cunningly screwed up his already small eyes. + +"Yet another thing. If these wholesome changes are to be made, it would +be well, indeed it is necessary, that some of the most daring of my +barbarian subjects should be rendered incapable of opposition." + +"I have already thought of that," answered Petros. "There is that old +half heathen, Hildebrand, that coarse Hildebad, and wise Witichis." + +"You seem to know men well," said Theodahad, "you have looked sharply +about you. But," he added, "there is one whom you have not mentioned, +one who must be got rid of more than any other." + +"And he?" + +"Is Earl Teja, the son of Tagila." + +"Is the melancholy dreamer so dangerous?" + +"More so than any of the others. Besides, he is my personal enemy, as +was his father before him." + +"How so?" + +"His father was my neighbour at Florentia, I wanted his acres. In vain +I pressed him to give them up. Ha, ha!" and Theodahad laughed, "they +became mine at last! The holy Church dissolved his criminal marriage, +confiscated his property, and let me have it cheap. I had deserved well +of the Church during the process--your friend, the Bishop of Florentia; +can tell you the particulars." + +"I understand," said Petros. "Why did not the barbarian give his acres +up with a good will? Does Teja know?" + +"He knows nothing. But he hates me merely because I bought his +inheritance. He looks black at me, and the gloomy dreamer is just the +man to strangle an enemy at the very feet of God Himself." + +"Indeed?" said Petros, suddenly becoming very thoughtful. "Well, enough +of him! He shall not hurt us. Let me read the treaty once more, point +by point; afterwards you can sign it. 'First: King Theodahad resigns +the sovereignty of Italy, and the subject islands and provinces of the +Gothic kingdom, namely: Dalmatia, Liburnia, Istria, the second +Pannonia, Savia, Noricum, Rhaetia, and the Gothic provinces in Gaul, in +favour of Emperor Justinian, and of his successors. He promises to +deliver Ravenna, Rome, Neapolis, and all the fortresses in the kingdom, +into the hands of the Emperor.'" + +Theodahad nodded. + +"'Secondly: King Theodahad will use all the means in his power to the +end that the Gothic army shall be disarmed and led away, in small +parties, over the Alps. The women and children will follow the army, or +be taken as slaves to Byzantium, according to the decision of the +imperial generals. The King will take care that any resistance on the +part of the Goths shall be without result. Thirdly: in return, the +Emperor Justinian leaves the titles and honours of royalty to King +Theodahad and his spouse for their lifetime. And fourthly----'" + +"I will read this paragraph myself," interrupted Theodahad, and held +out his hand for the document. + +"'Fourthly: the Emperor leaves to the King of the Goths not only all +the lands and treasures which the latter possesses as private property, +but the whole of the royal Gothic treasury, which alone is valued at +forty thousand pounds of minted gold. Further, the Emperor assigns to +Theodahad, as his property and inheritance, the whole of Tuscany, from +Pistoria to Caere, from Populonia to Clusium; and lastly, he makes over +to him for life the half of all the public revenues of the kingdom thus +restored to its rightful sovereign.' Tell me, Petros, do not you think +that I might demand three-fourths?" + +"You might certainly ask it, but I doubt exceedingly that Justinian +would grant it. I have already overstepped the utmost limits of my +power." + +"We will demand it, at all events," said the King, altering the +figures, "then Justinian must either bargain for less, or grant +additional privileges." + +A false smile played over the thin lips of the ambassador. + +"You are a clever negotiator, O King," he said. "But in this case you +reckon wrongly," he added to himself. + +Just at this moment the rustle of trailing garments was heard in the +marble corridor, and Amalaswintha entered, dressed in a long black +mantle and a black veil sowed with silver stars. She was deadly pale, +but composed and dignified; a Queen in spite of having lost her crown. +Intense sorrow ennobled the expression of her countenance. + +"King of the Goths," she began, "forgive if a dark shadow suddenly +rises from the realm of the dead to dim your joyous feast. It is for +the last time." + +Both the men were struck by her appearance. + +"Queen," stammered Theodahad. + +"'Queen!' oh, would that I had never borne the name. I come, cousin, +from the grave of my noble son, where I have acknowledged my +infatuation, and repented of all my sins. I come to you, King of the +Goths, to warn you against similar infatuation and similar guilt." + +Theodahad's unsteady eyes avoided her grave and searching looks. + +"It is an evil guest," she continued, "that I find here as your +confidant at the hour of midnight. There is no safety for a prince +except in his people. Too late I have found this out; too late for +myself; not too late, I hope, for my people. Do not trust Byzantium; it +is a shield that crushes him whom it should protect." + +"You are unjust," said Petros, "and ungrateful." + +"I beg you, my royal cousin," continued Amalaswintha, unheeding the +remark, "not to consent to what this man demands. Do not grant him that +which I refused. We were to surrender Sicily, and furnish three +thousand warriors to the Emperor for each of his wars. I rejected the +shameful proposal. I see," she went on, pointing to the document on the +table, "that you have already concluded your business. Retreat before +it is too late; they will deceive you always." + +Theodahad uneasily drew the document towards him, and cast a suspicious +look at Petros. The latter went up to Amalaswintha. + +"What do you want here, you queen of yesterday? Would you control the +ruler of this realm? Your time is past and your power at an end." + +"Leave us," said Theodahad, taking courage. "I will do what I think +good. You shall not succeed in parting me from my friends at Byzantium. +Look here, before your very eyes our treaty shall be concluded," And he +signed his name. + +"Well," said Petros with a smile, "the Princess comes just at the right +moment to sign as a witness." + +"No!" cried Amalaswintha, "I have come at the right moment to frustrate +your plan. I will go straightway to the army, to the National Assembly, +which will soon take place at Regeta. There, before all the nation, I +will expose your proposals, the plans of the Emperor, and the treachery +of this feeble man." + +"That will do no good," said Petros quietly, "unless you accuse +yourself." + +"I _will_ accuse myself. I will confess all my folly, all my guilt, and +gladly suffer the death I have deserved. But my self-accusation shall +warn and alarm the whole nation from Etna to the Alps. A world in arms +shall be opposed to you, and I will save my Goths by my death, from the +dangers to which my life has exposed them!" And, filled with noble +enthusiasm, she hurried out of the room. + +Theodahad looked with dismay at the ambassador. For some time he could +not find a word to say. + +"Advise me, help--" he stammered out at last. + +"Advise? At this moment there is but one advice to give. That insane +woman will ruin herself and us if we let her alone. She must not be +allowed to fulfil her threat. _You_ must take care of that." + +"I?" cried Theodahad, alarmed. "I know nothings about such things! +Where is Gothelindis? She, and she alone, can help us." + +"And the Prefect," added Petros; "send for both of them." + +Gothelindis and Cethegus were summoned from the banquet. Petros told +them what the Princess had said, but without mentioning the treaty as +the cause of her outburst. He had scarcely finished speaking, when +Gothelindis cried, "Enough! She must not go. Her every step must be +watched. She must speak neither to Goth nor Roman; she must not leave +the palace. That least of all!" And she hurried away to place +confidential slaves at the doors of Amalaswintha's apartments. +Presently she returned. + +"She is praying aloud in her cabinet," she cried contemptuously. "Rouse +yourself, Cethegus, and let us thwart her prayers." + +Cethegus, leaning against the wall, had observed all these proceedings, +and listened to all that was said in thoughtful silence. He saw how +necessary it was that he should once more take the reins into his own +hands, and hold them more firmly. He saw Byzantium pressing more and +more into the foreground--and that he could not suffer. + +"Speak, Cethegus," Gothelindis repeated. "What is most necessary?" + +"Clearness of purpose," he answered, standing erect. "In every +contract, the particular aim of each of the contracting parties must be +plain. If not, they will continually hinder each other by mistrust. You +have your aims, I have mine. Yours are evident--I have already told you +what they are. You, Petros, wish that Emperor Justinian should rule in +Italy in place of the Goths. You, Gothelindis and Theodahad, wish so +also, on condition that you receive a rich recompense in revenge, gold, +and honours. But I--I too, have my private aim. What is the use of +denying it? My sly Petros, you would not long believe that I was only +ambitious of serving as your tool, and of being a senator in Byzantium. +I, too, have my aim, and all your threefold cunning would never be able +to discover it, because it lies too close to your eyes. I must betray +it to you myself. My petrified heart still cherishes one ideal: Italy! +and I, like you, wish the Goths well out of this country. But I do not, +like you, wish that the Emperor should step unconditionally into their +shoes. I do not want the deluge instead of the shower. I, the +inveterate Republican, would like best--you know, Petros, that we were +both Republicans at eighteen years of age, and I have remained so; but +you need not tell it to your master, the Emperor; I have told him +myself long since--to cast out the barbarians, bag and baggage, but +without letting you in. Unfortunately, that is not now possible; we +cannot do without your help. But I will limit it to the unavoidable. +No Byzantine army shall enter this country, except--at the last +extremity--to receive it at the hands of the Italians. Italy must be +more a gift from the Italians than a conquest of the Emperor. The +blessing of generals and tax-gatherers, which Byzantium would bring +upon the land, must be spared us; we want your protection, but not your +tyranny." + +Over the face of Petros crept a sly smile, which Cethegus seemed not to +observe. He continued: + +"Hear my conditions. I know that Belisarius lies off Sicily with his +fleet. He must not land. He must return home. I cannot do with him in +Italy; at least, not until I call him myself. And if you, Petros, do +not at once send him the order to return to Byzantium, our ways +separate. I know Belisarius and Narses, and their military government, +and I know what mild masters these Goths make. I am sorry for +Amalaswintha; she was a mother to my people. Therefore choose--choose +between Belisarius and Cethegus. If Belisarius lands, Cethegus and all +Italy will stand by Amalaswintha and the Goths, and then we will see +whether you can wrest from us a single foot of this soil. If you choose +Cethegus, he will break the power of the barbarians, and Italy will +subject herself to the Emperor, not as his slave, but as his consort. +Choose, Petros." + +"You proud man!" cried Gothelindis. "You dare to make conditions to me, +your Queen?" And she lifted her hand with a threatening gesture. + +But Cethegus caught the hand in his iron grasp, and drew it quietly +down. + +"Leave such antics, you Queen of a day! Here only Italy and Byzantium +negotiate. If you forget your want of power, you must be reminded of +it. You reign only so long as we uphold you." + +He stood before the angry woman in an attitude of such quiet majesty, +that she was silenced, but her eyes flashed with inextinguishable +hatred. + +"Cethegus," said Petros, who had meanwhile made up his mind, "you are +right. For the moment, Byzantium can gain nothing better than your +help; for without it she can gain nothing. If Belisarius returns to +Byzantium, will you be for us unconditionally?" + +"Unconditionally." + +"And Amalaswintha?" + +"I abandon her." + +"Well, then," said the Byzantine, "we are agreed." + +He wrote upon a waxen tablet a briefly-expressed order for the return +of Belisarius to Byzantium, and gave it to the Prefect. + +"You may send the message yourself." + +Cethegus read it carefully. + +"It is well," said he, putting the tablet into the bosom of his dress. +"We are Agreed." + +"When will Italy proceed against the barbarians?" asked Petros. + +"In the first days of the next month. I shall now go to Rome. +Farewell." + +"You are going? Will you not help us to get rid of Amalaswintha? You +will take pity on her again?" asked the Queen, in a reproachful voice. + +"She is condemned," said Cethegus, turning as he reached the door. "The +judge goes; the executioner will perform his duty." And he left them +with a proud mien. + +Theodahad, who had listened to all that had passed in speechless +astonishment, now caught the hand of Petros in great alarm. + +"Petros," he cried, "for God's sake, what have you done? Our contract, +and everything else, depends upon Belisarius; and you send him away?" + +"And allow that insolent man to triumph?" added Gothelindis +indignantly. + +But Petros laughed; his whole face beamed with the ecstasy of +victorious cunning. + +"Be quiet," he said. "This time the invincible Cethegus is conquered by +Petros, at whom he has always scoffed." + +He took Theodahad and Gothelindis each by the hand, drew them close to +him, looked round, and then whispered: + +"At the commencement of the message to Belisarius I have placed a small +spot, which means: 'All that I have written is not meant in earnest, +and is null.' Yes, yes; one learns the art of writing at the court of +Byzantium!" + + + + CHAPTER IV. + +Amalaswintha passed the two days following this midnight interview in a +sort of real or imagined imprisonment. Whenever she left her chamber, +whenever she turned the corner of one of the passages of the palace, +she fancied that some one followed or accompanied her, now appearing, +now slipping past her, now disappearing, and seemingly as eager to +watch all her movements as to avoid her notice. She could not even +descend to the tomb of her son unobserved. + +In vain she asked for Witichis or Teja; they had left the city the +morning after the coronation, by order of the King. + +The feeling that she was alone, surrounded by lurking enemies, filled +her mind with vague alarms. + +Heavily and darkly the autumn rain-clouds hung over Ravenna, as +Amalaswintha rose from her sleepless couch on the morning of the third +day. It affected her disagreeably when, upon going to the window of +sparry gypsum, a raven rose cawing from the marble sill, and flew +slowly over the garden with hoarse cries, heavily flapping its wings. +The Princess felt how much her nerves had been tried by the last few +days of pain, fear, and remorse; for she could not resist the dismal +impression made upon her by the early autumn mists, which rose from the +lagoons of the harbour city. + +She looked at the grey and marshy landscape with a deep sigh. Her heart +was heavy with care and remorse. Her only hope lay in the thought of +saving the kingdom at the cost of her own life, by frankly accusing and +humiliating herself before the whole nation. She did not doubt that the +relations and blood-avengers of the murdered dukes would strictly +fulfil their duty. + +Buried in such reflections, she went through the empty halls and +corridors of the palace--this time, as she believed, unobserved--to the +resting-place of her son, in order to confirm herself, with prayer and +penitence, in her pious resolution. + +As, after some time had elapsed, she re-ascended from the vault and +turned into a gloomy arched passage, a man in the habit of a slave +stepped out of a niche--she thought that she had often seen his face +before--and put into her hand a little wax tablet, immediately +disappearing into a side passage. + +She at once recognised the handwriting of Cassiodorus. + +And now she guessed who was the secret messenger. It was Dolios, the +letter-carrier of her faithful minister. + +Quickly concealing the tablet in her dress, she hastened to her +chamber, where she read as follows: + + +"In pain, but not in anger, I parted from you. I would not that you +should be called away from this world in an impenitent state, and lose +your immortal soul. Fly from the palace, from the city. You know how +bitter is the hatred of Gothelindis. Your life is not safe for an hour. +Trust no one except my secretary, and at sunset go to the Temple of +Venus in the garden. There you will find my litter, which will bring +you safely to my villa at the Lake of Bolsena. Obey and trust." + + +Much moved, Amalaswintha pressed the letter to her heart. Faithful +Cassiodorus! He had not, then, quite forsaken her. He still feared and +cared for her life. And that charming villa upon the lonely island in +the blue Lake of Bolsena! There, many, many years ago, in the full +bloom of youth and beauty, as the guest of Cassiodorus, she had been +wedded to Eutharic, the noble Amelung, and, surrounded by all the +splendour of rank and power, had passed the proudest days of her youth. + +She was overcome with an intense longing to see once more the scene of +her greatest happiness. + +This feeling powerfully induced her to listen to the warning of +Cassiodorus. Still more the fear--not for her life, for she longed to +die--but that her enemies would make it impossible for her to warn the +nation and save the kingdom. + +And, finally, she reflected that the way to Regeta, near Rome, where +the great National Assembly was shortly--as was usual every autumn--to +take place, led past the Lake of Bolsena; and that it was therefore +only a furthering of her plan, should she start at once in this +direction. + +But, in order to make sure in all cases, so that, even if she never +arrived at the end of her journey, her warning voice might reach the +ears of the nation, she decided to write a letter to Cassiodorus--whom +she could not be sure of meeting at his villa--in which she would +entrust him with her confession, and expose to him all the plans of the +Byzantines and Theodahad. + +With closed doors she wrote the painful words. Hot tears of gratitude +and remorse fell upon the parchment; she carefully sealed it, and +delivered it to the most faithful of her slaves, with the strict +injunction to carry it speedily and safely to the monastery at +Squillacium in Apulia, the monastical foundation and usual abode of +Cassiodorus. + +Slowly, slowly passed the dreary hours. + +She had grasped the offered hand of her friend with all her heart. +Memory and hope vied with each other in painting the island in the lake +as a much-loved asylum. There she hoped to find repose and peace. + +She kept carefully within her apartment, in order to give no cause for +suspicion to her spies, or any excuse to detain her. + +At last the sun had set. + +With light steps, Amalaswintha, forbidding the attendance of her women, +and only hiding a few jewels and documents in the folds of her mantle, +hurried from her room into the wide colonnade which led to the garden. + +She feared to meet here as usual some lurking spy, and to be stopped, +and perhaps detained. She frequently looked back, and even glanced +carefully into the niches of the statues--all was empty and quiet, no +spy followed her footsteps. Thus, unobserved, she reached the platform +of the terrace which united the palace and the garden, and afforded an +open view of the latter. + +Amalaswintha examined the nearest path leading to the Temple of Venus. +The way was open. Only the faded leaves fell rustling from the tall +pines on to the sandy path, where they were whirled about by the wind, +which drove the mist and clouds before it in ghostly shapes; it was +very dismal in the deserted garden, which looked grey and dim in the +twilight. + +The Princess shivered. The cold wind tore at her veil and mantle. She +cast a shy glance at the heavy, gloomy mass of stone which she had left +behind--the building in whose precincts she had ruled so proudly, and +from which she was now escaping, lonely and fearfully as a criminal. + +She thought of her son, who reposed in the vault of the palace. She +thought of her daughter, whom she herself had banished from these +walls. + +For a moment her pain threatened to overpower the forsaken woman; she +tottered, and with difficulty supported herself by the broad balustrade +of the steps which she was descending. A feverish shudder shook her +frame, as the horror of despair shook her soul. + +"But my people," she said to herself, "and my atonement---- I must and +will accomplish it." + +Strengthened by this thought, she again hurried down the steps, and +entered an alley overhung by thick foliage, which led across the +garden, and ended at the Temple of Venus. + +She walked rapidly forward, trembling whenever the autumn leaves, with +a sighing sound, were swept across her path from a side-walk. + +Breathless she arrived at the little temple, and looked searchingly +around her. + +But no litter, no slaves were to be seen; all around was quiet; only +the branches of the pines creaked in the wind. + +All at once the neighing of a horse struck upon her ear. + +She turned; around the corner of a wall a man approached with hasty +steps. + +It was Dolios. He looked sharply about him, and then beckoned to her to +come. + +The Princess hastened to follow him round the corner; there stood +Cassiodorus's well-known Gallic travelling carriage, the comfortable +and elegant _carruca_, closed on all sides with movable latticed +shutters of polished wood, and to which were harnessed three +swift-footed Flemish horses. + +"We must hasten, Princess," whispered Dolios, as he lifted her into the +soft cushions. "The litter was too slow for the hatred of your enemies. +Quiet and speed; so that no one may notice us." + +Amalaswintha looked back once more. + +Dolios opened the garden-gate and led the horses out. Two men stepped +out of the bushes near. One took the driver's seat on the carriage, the +other mounted one of two saddle-horses which stood outside the gate. +Amalaswintha recognised the men as confidential slaves belonging to +Cassiodorus. Like Dolios, they were provided with weapons. + +The latter carefully closed the garden-gate, and let down the shutters +of the carriage. Then he mounted the remaining horse and drew his +sword. + +"Forward!" he cried. + +And the little company galloped away as if Death himself were at their +heels. + + + + CHAPTER V. + +Amalaswintha at first revelled in the feeling of gratitude, freedom, +and safety. She made happy plans of reconciliation. She saw her people +saved from Byzantium by her warning voice--saved from the treachery of +their own King. + +She already heard the enthusiastic shouts of the valiant army, +announcing death to the enemy, and pardon to herself. + +Lost in such dreams, the hours, days, and nights passed rapidly. + +The party hurried on without pause. Three or four times a day the +horses were changed, so that mile after mile was passed with the utmost +velocity. + +Dolios carefully watched over the Princess. He stood at the door of the +carriage with drawn sword, while his companions fetched meat and drink +from the stations which they passed. + +The speed at which they went, and the faithful attention of Dolios, +freed the Princess from an anxiety which she had not been able for some +time to get rid of--it seemed to her that they were pursued. + +Twice, at Perusia and Clusium, where the carriage stopped, she had +thought she heard the rattle of wheels and the sound of horses' hoofs +close behind. + +And, at Clusium, she had even fancied, as she looked through the +lattices, that she saw a second _carruca_, likewise accompanied by +outriders, turn into the gate of that town. + +But when she had spoken of this to Dolios, he had at once galloped back +to the gate, and shortly returned with the assurance that there was +nothing to be seen. + +From that time she had noticed nothing more; and the mad haste with +which she was being carried to the wished-for island, encouraged the +hope that her enemies, even if they had discovered her flight and had +followed her for a time, had soon become tired and remained behind. + +An accident, insignificant in itself, but fraught with dread because of +accompanying circumstances, suddenly darkened the brightening hopes of +the fugitive Princess. + +A desolate, treeless waste extended on all sides, farther than the eye +could reach. Only reeds and tall marsh-plants stood in the damp ditches +on both sides of the Roman high-road, nodding and whispering +mysteriously in the night wind. + +The road was now and then bordered by walls grown over with vines; or, +in old Roman style, by monuments, which, however, were often sadly +ruined, and the scattered stones of which, fallen across the road, +hindered the progress of the horses. + +Suddenly the carriage stopped with a violent shock, and Dolios tore +open the door. + +"What has happened?" cried the Princess; "have we fallen into the hands +of our enemies?" + +"No," said Dolios, who, though known to her as gloomy and reserved, +seemed, during the journey, almost alarmingly silent; "a wheel is +broken. You must descend and wait until it is mended." + +A violent gust of wind just then extinguished his torch, and chilly +drops of rain lashed the face of the terrified Princess. + +"Descend? here? whither shall I go? There is no house near, not even a +tree which might afford a shelter from the rain and wind. I shall +remain in the carriage." + +"The wheel must be taken off. That monument will afford some shelter." + +Shivering with fright, Amalaswintha obeyed, and walked over the +scattered stones to the right side of the road, where, across the +ditch, she saw a tall monument rise out of the darkness. + +Dolios helped her over the ditch. All at once the neighing of a horse +was heard on the road behind the carriage. Amalaswintha stopped short +in alarm. + +"It is our rear-guard," said Dolios quickly. "Come!" And he led her +through the wet grass up the hill upon which stood the monument. + +Arrived at the top, she seated herself upon the broad slab of a +sarcophagus. Dolios all at once disappeared into the darkness; in vain +she called him back. Presently she saw the light of his torch on the +road below; it shone redly through the mist of the marsh, and the +stormy wind rapidly bore away the sound of the hammer-strokes of the +slaves who were working at the wheel. + +Thus sat the daughter of the great Theodoric, lonely and in fear. The +cold rain slowly penetrated her clothing. The wind tore at her dress +and sighed dismally through the cypresses behind the monument; ragged +clouds drove across the sky and at intervals permitted a gleam of +moonlight to penetrate their folds, which only intensified the darkness +that followed. + +Amalaswintha's heart was sick with fear. Gradually her eyes became +accustomed to the gloom, and, looking about her, she could distinguish +the outlines of the nearest objects. There!--her heart stood still with +horror--it seemed to her as if, close behind her on the raised corner +of the back of the sarcophagus, there sat a second figure--it was not +her own shadow--a shorter figure in a wide flowing garment, its arms +resting on its knees, its head supported on its hands, and its eyes +fixed upon her. + +She could scarcely breathe; she thought she heard a whisper; she +feverishly tried to see, to hear. + +Again there came a whisper. + +"No, no; not yet!" this was what she thought she heard. + +She raised herself gently, and the figure, too, seemed to move; she +distinctly heard the clang of steel upon stone. In mortal fear she +screamed out: + +"Dolios! lights! help! lights!" + +She turned to descend the hill, but her knees trembled too much; she +fell and hurt her cheek against the sharp stones. + +All at once Dolios stood beside her, and silently lifted her up. He +asked no questions. + +"Dolios," she said, trying to compose herself, "give me the light! I +must see what was there; what is there now." + +She took the torch and walked with a firm step round the corner of the +sarcophagus. There was nothing to be seen, but by the light of the +torch she now perceived that the monument was not old like the others, +but newly erected; so unsoiled was the white marble, so fresh the black +letters of the inscription. + +Irresistibly impelled by the strange curiosity which is inseparable +from terror, she held the torch to the socle of the monument, and by +its flickering light read these words: + +"Eternal honour to the three Balthes, Thulun, Ibba, and Pitza. An +eternal curse upon their murderers!" + +With a scream Amalaswintha staggered back. + +Dolios led her, half fainting, to the carriage. She passed the +remaining hours of her journey in an almost unconscious state. She felt +ill in body and mind. The nearer she came to the island the more the +feverish joy with which she had looked forward to reaching it was +replaced by a mysterious fear. With apprehension she saw the shrubs and +trees at the road-side fly past her faster and faster. + +At last the smoking horses stopped. She let down the shutters and +looked out. It was that cold and dreary hour in which the first grey of +dawn struggles for the mastery with the still pervading night. They had +arrived, it seemed, at the shore of the lake, but nothing was to be +seen of its waters. + +A dismal grey mist lay, impenetrable as the future, before +Amalaswintha's eyes. Of the villa, even of the island, nothing could be +seen. + +On the right side of the road stood a low fisher-hut, half-buried in +the tall, thick reeds, which bent their heads to the soughing of the +morning wind. Singular! they seemed to warn and beckon her away from +the hidden lake behind them. + +Dolios had gone into the hut. He now returned and lifted the Princess +out of the carriage. Silently he led her through the damp meadow to the +reeds. Among them lay a small boat, which seemed rather to float on the +mist than on the water. + +At the rudder sat an old man in a grey and ragged mantle; his long +white hair hung dishevelled about his face. He seemed to sit dreaming +with closed eyes, which he did not even open when the Princess entered +the rocking boat and placed herself in the middle upon a camp-stool. + +Dolios entered the boat after her, and took the two oars; the slaves +remained behind with the carriage. + +"Dolios!" cried Amalaswintha anxiously, "it is very dark. Can the old +man steer in this fog, and no light on either shore?" + +"A light would be of no use, Queen. He is blind." + +"Blind!" cried the terrified woman. "Let me land! Put back!" + +"I have guided the boat for twenty years," said the aged ferryman; "no +seeing man knows the way as well as I." + +"Were you born blind then?" + +"No. Theodoric the Amelung caused me to be blinded, believing that +Alaric, the brother of Thulun, had hired me to murder him. I am a +servant of the Balthes, and a follower of Alaric, but I was innocent; +and so was my master, the banished Alaric. A curse upon the Amelungs!" +he cried with an angry pull at the rudder. + +"Silence, old man!" said Dolios. + +"Why should I not say to-day what I have said at every oar-stroke for +twenty years? It is the way I beat time. A curse upon the Amelungs!" + +The Princess looked with horror at the old man, who, in fact, steered +the boat with complete security, and as straight as an arrow. + +His wide mantle and dishevelled hair waved in the wind; all around was +fog and silence; only the regular beat of the oars could be heard. +Empty air and grey mist enveloped the slight boat. + +It seemed to Amalaswintha as if Charon was rowing her over the Styx to +the grey realm of shades. + +Shivering, she drew her mantle closely around her. + +A few more strokes of the oar, and they landed. + +Dolios lifted the trembling Queen on to the land; but the old man +silently turned his boat, and rowed as quickly and unerringly back as +he had come. With a sort of dismay Amalaswintha watched him disappear +into the thick mist. + +Suddenly it seemed to her as if she heard the sound of oar-strokes from +a second boat, which approached nearer and nearer. She asked Dolios +what was the cause of this noise. + +"I hear nothing," he answered; "you are over-excited. Come into the +house." + +Supported by his arm she climbed the steps, hewn in the rock, which led +to the tower-like, loftily-situated villa. Of the gardens, which, as +she distinctly remembered, extended on both sides of the narrow path, +scarcely the outlines of the rows of trees could be distinguished in +the mist. + +At last they reached the lofty entrance, a bronze door with posts of +black marble. + +Dolios knocked upon it with the hilt of his sword; the stroke +reverberated dully through the vaulted halls--the door sprang open. + +Amalaswintha remembered how she had once entered this door, then almost +choked with wreaths of flowers, at the side of her young husband; she +remembered with what friendly warmth they had been welcomed by the +door-keeper and his wife, at that time also a newly-married couple. + +The dark-looking slave with tangled grey hair, who now stood before her +with a lantern and a bunch of keys, was a stranger to her. + +"Where is Fuscina, the wife of the late ostiarius? Is she no more in +the house?" she asked. + +"She was long since drowned in the lake," answered the door-keeper +indifferently; and went forward with the light. + +The Princess followed shuddering; she could not help thinking of the +cold black waves which had so dismally licked the planks of the little +boat. + +They went on through arched courts and pillared halls; all were empty, +as if the inhabitants were dead. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the +deserted rooms--the whole villa seemed one vast catacomb. + +"The house is uninhabited? I need a female slave." + +"My wife will attend you." + +"Is no one else in the villa?" + +"One other slave--a Greek physician." + +"A physician? I will see him----" + +But at this moment a violent knocking was heard at the outer door. + +Amalaswintha started in terror. + +"What was that?" she asked, catching Dolios by the sleeve. + +She heard the banging of the heavy door as it was closed again. + +"It was only some one demanding admittance," said the ostiarius, as he +returned and unlocked the door of the room intended for the fugitive +Princess. + +The close air of a chamber which had not been opened for a long time +half suffocated her; but she recognised with emotion the tortoise-shell +lining of the walls; it was the same room which she had occupied twenty +years ago. + +Overpowered by the recollection, she sank upon the small couch, which +was covered with dark-coloured cushions. + +Dismissing the two men, she drew close the curtains of the couch, and +soon sank into an uneasy slumber. + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +Thus she lay, she knew not how long, half awake, half dreaming; picture +after picture arose in her excited mind. + +Eutharic with the expression of constant pain upon his lips--Athalaric +as he lay stretched upon his bier, he seemed to sign to her--the +reproachful face of Mataswintha--then mist and clouds and leafless +trees--then three angry warriors with pale faces and bloody +garments--and the blind ferryman in the realm of shades. + +At another time it seemed to her as if she lay on the steps of the +monument in the desolate waste, and again something rustled behind her, +and a shrouded figure bent over her, nearer and nearer, oppressing and +suffocating her. + +Her heart was contracted by fear; she started up terrified, and looked +about her. There!--it was no dream-fancy--something really rustled +behind the curtains, and a shrouded shadow glided along the wainscoted +walls. + +With a scream Amalaswintha opened the curtain wide--there was nothing +to be seen. + +Was it, then, but a dream? + +It was impossible to remain alone with her torturing thoughts. She +pressed a knob of agate on the wall, which set in motion a hammer +outside the room. + +Very soon a slave appeared, whose features and costume betrayed a +higher education. + +He introduced himself as the Greek physician. She told him of the +terrible dreams and the feverish tremblings by which she had been +tormented during the last few hours. He explained the symptoms as the +consequence of excitement, perhaps of cold taken during her flight, +recommended a warm bath, and left her to order its preparation. + +Amalaswintha remembered the splendid baths, which, divided into two +stories, occupied the whole right wing of the villa. + +The lower story of the large octagonal rotunda, designed for the cold +bath, was in immediate connection with the lake. The water was +conducted into the bath through sieves, which excluded every impurity. + +The upper story, a smaller octagon, was erected over the bath-room of +the lower story, the ceiling of which, made of a large circular metal +plate, formed the floor of the upper bath, and could be pushed, divided +into two semicircles, into the walls; so that both stories then formed +an undivided space, which, for the purposes of cleansing or for games +of swimming and diving, could be completely filled with the water of +the lake. + +Generally, however, the upper story was used only for the warm bath, +and was provided with hundreds of pipes, and innumerable dolphin, +triton, and Medusa-heads of bronze or marble, through which flowed the +scented waters, mixed with oils and essences; while from the gallery +all round, upon which the bathers undressed, ornamental steps led down +into the shell-shaped porphyry basin of the bath. + +As the Princess was recalling these rooms to her memory, the wife of +the door-keeper appeared to lead her to the bath. + +They passed through wide columned halls and libraries--where, however, +the Princess missed the capsulas and rolls of Cassiodorus--in the +direction of the garden; the slave carrying fine bath-cloths, oil +flasks, and the salve for anointment. + +At last they arrived at the tower-like octagon of the bath-rooms, which +was completely lined and paved with pale grey marble. + +They went through the halls and passages, which served for the +gymnastics and games of ball usually indulged in before and after the +bath, past the heating-rooms, undressing and anointing-rooms, directly +to the calidarium, or warm bath. + +The slave silently opened the door in the marble wall. Amalaswintha +went in and stood upon the narrow gallery which ran round the basin. +Immediately before her was a flight of easy steps leading into the +bath, out of which warm and delicious odours already arose. + +The light fell from above through an octagonal dome of artistically-cut +glass. Close to the entrance into the room a staircase of cedar-wood, +consisting of twelve steps, led on to a spring-board. + +On the marble walls of the gallery, as well as of the basin, the +openings of the water-works and heating-pipes were concealed by marble +bas-reliefs. + +Without a word, the attendant laid the various articles for the bath +upon the soft cushions and carpets which covered the gallery, and +turned to go. + +"How is it that I seem to know you?" asked the Princess, looking +thoughtfully at her. "How long have you been here?" + +"Eight days," answered the slave, turning the handle of the door. + +"How long have you served Cassiodorus?" + +"I serve, and have always served, the Princess Gothelindis." + +At this name Amalaswintha started up with a cry and caught at the +woman's skirt--too late; she was gone and the door closed, and +Amalaswintha heard the key taken from the lock outside. + +A great and unknown terror overcame her. She felt that she had been +fearfully deceived; that some shocking secret lay behind. Her heart was +full of unspeakable anxiety; and flight--flight from the rooms was her +only thought. + +But flight seemed impossible. The door now appeared to be only a thick +marble slab like those on the right and left; even a needle could not +have penetrated into the junctures. She looked desperately round the +walls of the gallery, but met only the marble stare of the tritons and +dolphins. At last her eyes rested upon a snake-encircled Medusa's head +directly opposite and a scream of horror escaped her lips. + +The face of the Medusa was pushed aside, and the oval opening beneath, +the snaky hair was filled with a living countenance! Was it a human +face? + +The trembling woman clung to the marble balustrade of the gallery, and +bent, over it, staring at the apparition. Yes, it was the distorted +features of Gothelindis! A hell of hate and mockery flashed from the +eyes. + +Amalaswintha fell upon her knees and hid her face in her hands. + +"_You_--you here?" + +A hoarse laugh was the reply. + +"Yes, child of the Amelungs, I am here; to your ruin! Mine is this +island; mine the house--it will become your grave--mine is Dolios, and +all the slaves of Cassiodorus; bought by me eight days ago. I have +decoyed you here; I have followed you like your shadow. I have endured +the torture of my hatred for long days and nights, in order to enjoy +full revenge at last. I will revel for hours in your death-agony. I +will see your tender frame shaken as with fever-frost, and your haughty +features convulsed with terror. Oh, I will drink a sea of revenge!" + +Amalaswintha rose from her knees wringing her hands. + +"Revenge? For what? Why this deadly hatred?" + +"Ah! can you ask? Certainly years have passed, and the happy easily +forget. But hate has a faithful memory. Have you forgotten how two +young girls once played under the shade of the plantains in the meadow +at Ravenna? They were the fairest among their play-fellows; both young, +beautiful, and amiable. A royal child the one, the other a daughter of +the Balthes. The girls were about to choose a queen of the games. They +chose Gothelindis, for she was still more handsome than you, and not so +tyrannical. And they chose her twice in succession. But the King's +daughter stood near, devoured by ungovernable pride and envy, and when +they chose me for the third time she took up a pair of sharp-pointed +gardener's scissors----" + +"Stop! Oh! be silent, Gothelindis!" + +"And hurled it at me. It hit me. Screaming' with pain and bleeding, I +fell to the ground, my whole cheek one yawning wound, and my eye, my +eye pierced through! Ah! how it still pains, even to-day!" + +"Forgive, pardon me, Gothelindis!" cried Amalaswintha. "You have +pardoned me long ago." + +"Forgive? I forgive you? Shall I forgive you when you have robbed me of +my eye, and of all my beauty? You conquered for life! Gothelindis was +no more dangerous as a rival. She lamented in secret; the disfigured +girl hid from the eyes of mankind. And years passed. Then there came to +the court of Ravenna a noble Amelung from Spain; Eutharic with his dark +eyes and tender soul. And he, himself sick, took pity upon the sick and +half-blind girl. He spoke to her with affection and kindness; spoke to +the ugly, disfigured creature whom all the others avoided. And it was +decided--in order to eradicate the ancient enmity between our families, +and to expiate old and new guilt--for Duke Alaric had been condemned in +consequence of a secret and unproved accusation--that the poor ill-used +daughter of the Balthes should become the wife of the noblest of the +Amelungs. But when you heard this, you, who had so terribly disfigured +me, were resolved to deprive me also of my lover! Not out of jealousy, +no; not because you loved him, no; but from mere pride. Because you +were determined to keep the first man in the kingdom and the heir to +the crown to yourself. And you succeeded; for your father could deny +you nothing, and Eutharic soon forgot his compassion for the one-eyed +girl, when the hand of the beautiful Amalaswintha was offered to him. +In recompense--or was it only in mockery?--they gave me, too, to an +Amelung; to Theodahad, that miserable coward?" + +"Gothelindis, I swear to you, I never suspected that you loved +Eutharic. How could I----" + +"To be sure! how could you believe that the disfigured girl could +place her heart so high? Oh, you cursed woman, if you had really loved +him, and had made him happy--I could have forgiven all! But you never +loved him; you are only capable of ambition! His lot with you was +misery. For years I saw him wasting by your side, oppressed, unloved, +chilled to the very soul by your coldness. Grief soon killed him. You! +you have robbed me of my lover and brought him to the grave with +sorrow--revenge! revenge for him!" + +And the lofty dome echoed with the cry: "Revenge! Revenge!" + +"Help!" cried Amalaswintha, and ran despairingly round the circle of +the gallery, beating the smooth walls with her hands. + +"Aye! call! call! here no one can hear you but the God of Revenge! Do +you think I have bridled my hate for months in vain? How often, how +easily could I have reached you, with dagger or poison, at Ravenna! But +no; I have decoyed you here. At the monument of my murdered cousins; an +hour ago at your bedside; I with difficulty restrained my uplifted +hand--but slowly, inch by inch, shall you die. I will watch for hours +the growing agony of your death." + +"Terrible! Oh, terrible!" + +"What are hours compared with the long years during which I was +martyred by the thought of my disfigurement, of your beauty and your +possession of my lover! But you shall repent it!" + +"What will you do?" cried the terrified woman, again and again seeking +some outlet in the walls. + +"I will drown you, slowly and surely, in the waterworks of this bath, +which your friend Cassiodorus built. You do not know what tortures of +jealousy and impotent rage I endured in this house when your wedding +with Eutharic was celebrated, and I was compelled to serve in your +train. In this room, you proud woman, I unloosed your sandals, and +dried your fair limbs--in this room you shall die?" + +She touched a spring in the wall. + +The floor of the basin, the round metal plate, divided into two halves, +which slid slowly into the walls on the right and left. + +With horror the imprisoned woman looked down from the narrow gallery +into the chasm thus opened at her feet. + +"Remember that day in the meadow!" cried Gothelindis; and in the lower +story the sluices were suddenly opened, and the waters of the lake +rushed in, roaring and hissing, and rose higher and higher with fearful +rapidity. + +Amalaswintha saw certain death before her. She saw the impossibility of +escape, or of softening her fiendish enemy by prayers. At this crisis, +the hereditary courage of the Amelungs returned to her; she composed +herself, and was reconciled to her fate. + +She descried, amid the numerous reliefs of mythological subjects near +her, a representation of the death of Christ on the right of the +entrance. The sight strengthened her mind; she threw herself upon her +knees before the marble cross, clasped it with both ands, and prayed +quietly with closed eyes, while the water rose and rose; it already +splashed upon the steps of the gallery. + +"You pray, murderess? Away from the cross!" cried Gothelindis, enraged; +"think of the three dukes!" + +Suddenly all the dolphin and triton heads on the right side of the +octagon began to spout streams of hot rater; white steam rushed out of +the pipes. + +Amalaswintha sprang up and ran to the left side of the gallery. + +"Gothelindis, I forgive you! Kill me, but forgive me also!" + +And the water rose and rose; it already covered the topmost step of the +bath, and slowly wetted the floor of the gallery. + +And now the streaming water-pipes spouted upon Amalaswintha from the +left also. She took refuge in the middle of the gallery, directly +opposite the Medusa, the only place where no steam from the hot-water +pipe could reach her. + +If she mounted the spring-board, which was placed here, she could +respite her life for some time longer. Gothelindis seemed to expect +that she would do so, and to revel in the prospect of the lengthened +torture of the agonised woman. + +The water already rushed over the marble flooring of the gallery and +laved the feet of Amalaswintha. She ran quickly up the brown and +shining wooden steps, and leaned over the railing of the bridge. + +"Hear me, Gothelindis! my last prayer! not for myself, but for my +people, for _our_ people. Petros will destroy them, and Theodahad----" + +"Yes, I know that the kingdom is your last anxiety! Despair. It is +lost! These foolish Goths, who have always preferred the Amelungs to +the Balthes, are sold and betrayed by the Amelungs. Belisarius +approaches, and there is no one to warn them." + +"You err, satanic woman; they _are_ warned! I, their Queen, have warned +them! Hail to my people! Destruction to their enemies! and may God have +mercy on my soul!" and she suddenly leapt from the spring-board into +the water, which closed whirling over her head. + +Gothelindis looked at the place which her victim had occupied a moment +before. + +"She has disappeared," she said. Then she looked at the water--on the +surface floated Amalaswintha's kerchief. + +"Even in death this woman conquers me," said Gothelindis slowly. "How +long was my hate, and how short my revenge!" + + + + CHAPTER VII. + +A few days after these occurrences, there were assembled in the +apartments of the Byzantine ambassador at Ravenna a number of +distinguished Romans of worldly and ecclesiastical rank. The Bishops +Hypatius and Demetrius from the Eastern Empire were also present. + +Great excitement, mixed with alarm and anger, was visible on all faces, +as Petros, the rhetorician, concluded his address in these words: + +"It is for this reason, reverend bishops of the East and West, and you, +noble Romans, that I have assembled you here. I protest loudly and +solemnly, in the name of the Emperor, against all secret acts of +cunning or force which may have been practised against the noble lady. +Nine days ago she disappeared from Ravenna; most likely taken by force +from your midst; she, who has ever been the friend and protector of the +Italians! On the same day, the Queen, her bitter enemy, also +disappeared. I have sent out expresses in all directions, but, until +now, am without news. But alas! if----" + +He could not complete the sentence. + +A confused tumult arose from the Forum of Hercules, and very soon hasty +footsteps were heard in the vestibule; the curtain was parted, and one +of the Byzantine slaves of the ambassador hurried into the room, +covered with dust. + +"Sir," he cried, "she is dead! she is murdered!" + +"Murdered!" repeated many voices. + +"By whom?" asked Petros. + +"By Gothelindis; at the villa in the Lake of Bolsena!" + +"Where is the corpse? Where the murderess?" + +"Gothelindis pretends that the Princess was drowned in the bath while +playing with the water-works, with which she was unacquainted. But it +is known that the Queen had followed her victim, step by step, ever +since she left the city. Romans and Goths have crowded by hundreds to +the villa to bring the corpse here in solemn procession. The Queen +escaped the fury of the people and fled to the fortress of Feretri." + +"Enough," cried Petros indignantly. "I go to the King, and call upon +you all to follow me. I shall refer to your testimony of what passes in +my report to Emperor Justinian." And he at once hurried out at the head +of the assembly to the palace. + +In the streets they found a throng of people rushing hither and +thither, full of rage and indignation. The news had arrived in the +city, and spread from house to house. On recognising the imperial +ambassador and the dignitaries of the city, the crowd gave way before +them, but immediately closed again behind them pressed after them to +the palace, and was with difficulty kept from entering the gates. + +Every moment increased the number and excitement of the people. The +Roman citizens crowded together in the Forum of Honorius, and to their +grief for the fate of their protectress was added the hope that this +occurrence might cause the downfall of the barbarians. The appearance +of the ambassador encouraged this hope, and the feelings of the mass +took a direction which was by no means inimical alone to Theodahad and +Gothelindis. + +Meanwhile Petros, with his companions, hastened to the apartments of +the helpless King, who, in the absence of his wife, had lost all +strength of resistance. He trembled at the excitement of the crowd +before the palace, and had already sent for Petros, to ask from him +help and counsel; for it was Petros himself who had decided upon the +murder of the Princess, and arranged with Gothelindis the manner of its +accomplishment. The King, therefore, now expected him to help to bear +the consequences. + +When, then, the Byzantine appeared upon the threshold, Theodahad +hurried to him with open arms; but he suddenly stood still in +amazement, astonished to see what companions Petros had brought with +him, and still more astonished at his threatening aspect. + +"I call you to account, King of the Goths!" cried Petros, even before +he had crossed the threshold. "In the name of Byzantium, I call you to +account for the disappearance of the daughter of Theodoric. You know +that Emperor Justinian had assured her of his particular protection; +every hair of her head is therefore sacred, and sacred every drop of +her blood. Where is Amalaswintha?" + +The King stared at him in speechless astonishment. He admired this +power of dissimulation; but he did not understand its cause. He made no +answer. + +"Where is Amalaswintha?" repeated Petros, advancing threateningly: and +his companions also came a step forward. + +"She is dead," said Theodahad, who began to feel extremely anxious. + +"She is murdered!" cried Petros. "So says all Italy. Murdered by you +and your wife. Justinian, my illustrious Emperor, was the protector of +this woman, and he will be her avenger. In his name I declare war +against you--war against you and all your race!" + +"War against you and all your race!" repeated the Italians, carried +away by the excitement of the moment, and giving vent to their +long-cherished hatred; and they pressed upon the trembling King. + +"Petros," he stammered in terror, "you will remember our treaty, and +you will----" + +But the ambassador took a roll of papyrus out of his mantle, and tore +it in two. + +"Thus I tear all bonds between my Emperor and this bloodthirsty house! +You yourselves by this cruel deed have forfeited all our former +forbearance, No treaties--war!" + +"For God's sake!" cried Theodahad; "no fighting! What do you demand, +Petros?" + +"Complete subjection. The evacuation of Italy. Yourself and Gothelindis +I summon to Byzantium, before the throne of Justinian. There----" + +But his speech was interrupted by the sounding clang of the Gothic +alarum, and into the room hurried a strong troop of Gothic warriors, +led by Earl Witichis. + +On hearing of Amalaswintha's death, the Gothic leaders had at once +summoned the most valiant men of the nation in Ravenna to meet before +the Porta Romana, and there they had agreed upon the best means of +security. They had appeared in the Forum of Honorius just at the right +moment--when the excitement was becoming dangerous. Here and there a +dagger flashed, and the cry arose, "Woe to the barbarians!" + +These signs and voices ceased at once, as the hated Goths advanced in +close ranks from the Forum of Hercules through the Via Palatina. +Without resistance, they marched through the murmuring groups; and +while Earl Teja and Hildebad guarded the gates and terraces of the +palace, Witichis and Hildebrand arrived in the King's rooms just in +time to hear the last words of the ambassador. + +Wheeling to the right, they placed their followers near the throne, to +which the King had just retreated; and Witichis, leaning on his long +sword, went close up to Petros, and looked keenly into his eyes. + +A pause of expectation ensued. + +"Who dares," asked Witichis quietly, "to play the master here in the +royal palace of the Goths?" + +Recovering from his surprise, Petros answered, + +"It does not become you, Earl Witichis, to interfere for the protection +of a murderer. I have summoned the King before the court at Byzantium." + +"And for this insult thou hast no reply, Amelung?" cried old Hildebrand +angrily. + +But his bad conscience tied the King's tongue. + +"Then we must speak for him," said Witichis "Know, Greek, and +understand it well, you false and ungrateful Ravennites, the nation of +the Goths is free and acknowledges no foreign master or judge or +earth." + +"Not even for murder?" + +"If evil deeds occur amongst us, we ourselves will judge and punish +them. It does not concern strangers; least of all our enemy, the +Emperor of Byzantium." + +"My Emperor will revenge this woman, whom he could not save. Deliver up +the murderers to Byzantium." + +"We would not deliver up a Gothic hind, much less our King!" + +"Then you share his guilt and his punishment, and I declare war against +you in the name of my master. Tremble before Justinian and Belisarius!" + +A movement of joy amongst the Gothic warriors was the only answer. + +Old Hildebrand went to the window, and cried to the Goths, who crowded +below: + +"News! joyful news! War with Byzantium!" + +At this a tumult broke loose below, as if the sea had burst its dams; +weapons clashed, and a thousand voices shouted: + +"War! war with Byzantium!" + +This repetition of his words was not without effect upon Petros or the +Italians. The fierceness of this enthusiasm alarmed them; they were +silent, and cast down their eyes. + +While the Goths, shaking hands, congratulated each other, Witichis went +up to Petros with an earnest mien, and said solemnly: + +"Then it is war! We do not shun it; that you have heard. Better open +war than this lurking, undermining enmity. War is good; but woe to him +who kindles it without reason and without a just cause! I see +beforehand years of blood and murder and conflagration; I see trampled +corn-fields, smoking towns, and numberless corpses swimming down the +rivers! Listen to our words. Upon your heads be this blood, this +misery! You have irritated and excited us for years; we bore it +quietly. And now you have declared war against us, judging where you +had no right to judge, and mixing yourselves in the affairs of a nation +which is as free as your own. On your heads be the responsibility! This +is our answer to Byzantium." + +Silently Petros listened to these words; silently he turned and went +out, followed by his companions. + +Some of them accompanied him to his residence, amongst them the Bishop +of Florentia. + +"Reverend friend," Petros said to the latter at parting, "the letters +of Theodahad about the matter you know of, which you entrusted to me +for perusal, you must leave entirely at my disposal. I need them, and +they are no longer necessary to you." + +"The process is long since decided," answered the Bishop, "and the +property irrevocably acquired. The documents are yours." + +The ambassador then dismissed his friends, who hoped soon to see him +again in Ravenna with the imperial army, and went to his chamber, where +he at once despatched a messenger to Belisarius, ordering him to invade +the country. Then he wrote a detailed report to the Emperor, which +concluded in the following words: + + +"And so, my Emperor, you seem to have just reason to be contented with +the services of your most faithful messenger, and the situation of +affairs. The barbarian nation split into parties; a hated Prince, +incapable and faithless, upon the throne; the enemy surprised, +unprepared and unarmed; the Italian population everywhere in your +favour. We cannot fail! If no miracle occur, the barbarians must +succumb almost without resistance; and, as often before, my great +Emperor appears as the protector of the weak and the avenger of wrongs. +It is a witty coincidence that the trireme which brought me here bears +the name of _Nemesis_. Only one thing afflicts me much, that, with all +my efforts, I have not succeeded in saving the unhappy daughter of +Theodoric. I beg you, at least, to assure my mistress, the Empress, who +was never very graciously disposed to me, that I tried most faithfully +to obey all her injunctions concerning the Princess, whose fate she +entrusted to me as her principal anxiety during our last interview. As +to the question about Theodahad and Gothelindis, by whose assistance +the Gothic Kingdom has been delivered into our hands, I will venture to +recall to the Empress's memory the first rule of prudence: it is too +dangerous to have the sharers of our profoundest secrets at court." + +This letter Petros sent on in advance with the two bishops, Hypatius +and Demetrius, who were to go immediately to Brundusium, and thence +through Epidamnos by land to Byzantium. + +He himself intended to follow in a few days, sailing slowly along the +Gothic coasts of the Ionian Gulf, in order to prove the temper and +excite the rebellion of the inhabitants of the harbour towns. + +He would afterwards sail round the Peloponnesus and Eub[oe]a to +Byzantium, for the Empress had ordered him to travel by sea, and had +given him commissions for Athens and Lampsacus. + +Before his departure from Ravenna, he already calculated the rewards he +expected to receive at Byzantium for his successful operations in +Italy. + +He would return twice as rich as he had come, for he had never +confessed to the Queen, Gothelindis, that he had come into the country +with the order to overthrow Amalaswintha. + +He had rather, for some time, met her with representations of the anger +of the Empress and Emperor, and had, with great show of repugnance, +allowed himself to be bribed with large sums to connive at her plans, +when, actually, he but used her as his tool. + +He looked forward with certainty to the proud rank of patrician in +Byzantium, and already rejoiced that he would be able to meet his +haughty cousin, Narses--who had never used his influence to advance +him--on equal terms. + +"So everything has succeeded better than I could wish," he said to +himself with great complacency, as he set his papers in order before +leaving Ravenna, "and this time, my proud friend Cethegus, cunning has +proved truly excellent. The little rhetorician from Thessalonica, with +his small and stealthy steps, has advanced farther than you with your +proud strides. Of one thing I must be careful: that Theodahad and +Gothelindis do not escape to Byzantium; it would be too dangerous. +Perhaps the question of the astute Empress was intended as a warning. +This royal couple must be put out of our way." + +Having completed his arrangements, Petros sent for the friend with whom +he lodged, and took leave of him. At the same time he delivered to him +a dark-coloured narrow vase, such as those which were used for the +preservation of documents; he sealed the cover with his ring, which was +finely engraved with a scorpion, and wrote a name upon the wax-tablet +appended to it. + +"Seek this man," he said to his host, "at the next assembly of the +Goths at Regeta, and give him the vase; the contents are his. Farewell. +You shall soon see me again in Ravenna." + +He left the house with his slaves, and was soon on board the +ambassador's ship; filled with proud expectations, he was borne away by +the _Nemesis_. + +As his ship, many weeks after, neared the harbour of Byzantium--he had, +at the Empress's wish, announced his speedy arrival at Lampsacus, by +means of an imperial swift-sailer which was just leaving--Petros looked +at the handsome country houses on the shore, which shone whitely from +out of the evergreen shade of the surrounding gardens. + +"Here you will live in future, amongst the senators of the Empire," he +thought with great contentment. + +Before they ran into the harbour, the _Thetis_, the splendid +pleasure-boat of the Empress, flew towards them, and, as soon as she +recognised the galley of the ambassador, hoisted the purple standard, +as a sign to lay to. + +Very soon a messenger from the Empress came on board the galley. It was +Alexandros, the former ambassador to the court of Ravenna. He showed to +the captain of the galley a writing from the Emperor, at which the +captain appeared to be much startled; then he turned to Petros. + +"In the name of the Emperor Justinian! You are condemned for life, +convicted of long-practised forgery and embezzlement of the taxes, to +the metal-works in the mines of Cherson, with the Ultra-Ziagirian Huns. +You have delivered the daughter of Theodoric into the hands of her +enemies. The Emperor thought you excused when he read your letter; but +the Empress, inconsolable for the death of her royal sister, revealed +your former guilt to the Emperor, and a letter from the Prefect of Rome +proved that you had secretly planned the murder of the Princess with +Gothelindis. Your fortune is confiscated, and the Empress wishes you to +recollect--" here he whispered into the ear of Petros, who was +completely stunned and broken by this terrible blow--"that you +yourself, in your letter, advised her to get rid of all the sharers of +her secrets." + +With this, Alexandros returned to the _Thetis_, but the _Nemesis_ +turned her stern to Byzantium, and bore the criminal away for ever from +all civilised community with mankind. + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + +We have lost sight of Cethegus ever since his departure for Rome. + +During the events which we have described, he had been extremely active +in that city, for he saw that things were coming to a crisis, and +looked forward with confidence to a favourable result. + +All Italy was united in hatred against the barbarians, and who could so +well direct this hatred as the head of the conspiracy of the Catacombs, +and the master of Rome? + +For now he was so in fact. The legions were fully formed and equipped, +and the fortifications of the city--the works of which had been carried +on for the last few months night and day--were almost completed. + +And, as he thought, he had finally succeeded preventing an immediate +incursion of the Byzantine army into Italy, the greatest calamity which +threatened his ambitious plans. He had learned, through trustworthy +spies, that the Byzantine fleet--which, till now had been anchored off +Sicily--had really left that island, and sailed towards the African +coast, where seemed occupied in suppressing piracy. + +Cethegus certainly foresaw that it would yet come to a landing of the +Greeks in Italy; he could not do without their help. But it was +material to his plans that the Emperor's assistance should be of +secondary importance, and, to insure this, he must take care that, +before a single Byzantine had set foot in Italy, a rebellion of the +Italians should have taken place spontaneously, and have been already +carried to such a point, that the later co-operation of the Greeks +would appear to be a mere incident, and could be easily repaid by the +acknowledgment of a light supremacy of the Emperor. + +To this end he had prepared his plans with great nicety. + +As soon as the last tower on the Roman walls was under roof, the Goths +were to be attacked on one and the same day all over Italy, and, at one +stroke, all the fortresses, castles, and towns--Rome, Ravenna, and +Neapolis foremost--were to be overpowered and taken. + +If the barbarians were once driven into the open country, there was no +fear--considering their complete ignorance of the art of siege, and the +number and strength of the Italian fortresses--that they would be able +to take these last, and thereby again become masters of the peninsula. + +Then an allied army from Byzantium might aid in finally driving the +Goths over the Alps; and Cethegus was resolved to prevent these allies +from entering the most important fortresses, so that, later, they also +might be got rid of without difficulty. + +To ensure the success of this plan, it was necessary that the Goths +should be taken by surprise. If war with Byzantium were in prospect, +or, still worse, already broken out, it naturally followed that the +barbarians would not allow their fortified places to be wrested from +them by a mere stroke of the hand. + +Now as Cethegus--since he had penetrated the motives of the embassy of +Petros--fully expected that Justinian would come forward at the first +opportunity, and as he had barely succeeded in preventing the landing +of Belisarius, he was resolved not to lose a moment's time. + +He had arranged that a general meeting of the conspirators should take +place in the Catacombs on the day of the completion of the Roman +fortifications, when their successful termination should be celebrated, +the moment of the attack on the Goths decided, and Cethegus himself +designated as the leader of this purely Italian movement. + +He hoped to overcome the opposition of the timorous or the bribed--who +were inclined to act only for and with the assistance of Byzantium--by +the enthusiasm of the Roman youth, whom he would promise to lead at +once to battle. + +Before the day of meeting arrived, he had heard the news of +Amalaswintha's murder, and of the confusion and division of the Goths, +and he impatiently longed for the crisis. + +At length the last tower of the Aurelian Grate was completed. Cethegus +himself gave the finishing stroke, and as he did so it seemed to him +that he heard the sound of the blow which would liberate Rome and +Italy. + +At the banquet which he afterwards gave to thousands of labourers in +the theatre of Pompey, most of the conspirators were present, and the +Prefect made use of the opportunity to show them how unlimited was his +popularity. Upon the younger members the impression which he wished and +expected to make was produced, but a small party, headed by Silverius, +retired from the tables with discontented and gloomy looks. + +The priest had lately seen that Cethegus would not consent to be a mere +tool, but that he contrived to carry out his own plans, which might +prove extremely dangerous to the Church and to his (the priest's) +personal influence. He was decided to overthrow his colleague as soon +as he could be spared, and it had not been difficult for him to excite +the jealousy of many Romans against Cethegus. + +The wily archbishop had taken advantage of the presence of the two +bishops from the Eastern Empire, Hypatius of Ephesus and Demetrius of +Philippi--who secretly treated with the Pope in matters of faith, and +with King Theodahad in affairs of policy--to enter into a close and +secret alliance with Theodahad and Byzantium. + +"You are right, Silverius," grumbled Scaevola, as they issued from the +doors of the theatre, "the Prefect unites Marius and Caesar in one +person." + +"He does not throw away such immense sums for nothing," said the +avaricious Albinus warningly; "we must not trust him too far." + +"Beloved brethren," said the priest, "see that you do not lightly +condemn a member of our community. Who should do this would be worthy +of hell-fire! Certainly Cethegus commands the fists of the workmen as +well as the hearts of his young 'knights;' and it is well, for he can +therewith break the tyranny----" + +"But at the same time he could replace it by new despotism," interrupted +Calpurnius. + +"That he shall not, if daggers can still kill, as in the time of +Brutus!" cried Scaevola. + +"Bloodshed is not necessary. Consider; the nearer the tyrant, the more +oppressive the tyranny; the farther the ruler, the more bearable his +government. The power of the Prefect must be balanced by the power of +the Emperor." + +"Yes," affirmed Albinus, who had received large sums from Byzantium, +"the Emperor must become master of Italy." + +"That is," said Silverius, restraining Scaevola, who would have +interrupted indignantly, "we must keep down the Prefect by means of the +Emperor, and the Emperor by means of the Prefect. See, we have arrived +at the door of my house. Let us enter. I must tell you in confidence +what will be made known to the assembly to-night. It will surprise you; +but other people still more." + +Meanwhile the Prefect had also hurried home from the banquet, to +prepare for his important work by lonely meditation. + +He did not think over his speech; he knew long ago what he had to say; +and, a splendid orator, to whom words came as readily as thoughts, he +willingly left the mode of expression to the impulse of the moment, +knowing well that words which issue spontaneously from the heart, have +the liveliest effect. + +But he sought for inward composure; for his passions were vividly +excited. + +He thought over the steps which he had taken in order to reach his +goal, since first he had been drawn towards it with demoniac force. He +measured the short space which he had still to tread; he counted the +difficulties and hindrances which lay upon his path, and measured the +strength of mind with which he could overcome them; and the result of +all this examination awakened in him a certainty of victory which +filled him with youthful enthusiasm. + +He measured his room with rapid strides; the muscles of his arms +swelled as if in the hour of battle; he girded himself with the broad +and victorious sword of his former campaigns, and convulsively grasped +the hilt as if he were about to fight for his Rome against two worlds: +against Byzantium and the barbarians. + +He paused before the statue of Caesar, and looked long at the silent +marble face. + +"Farewell!" he cried, "give me thy good fortune upon my way. More I do +not need." + +He turned quickly, and hurried out of the room and through the atrium +into the street, where the first stars were already shining. The +conspirators had assembled in the Catacombs on this evening in greater +numbers than ever, for urgent invitations had been sent through all +Italy. + +According to the wish of the Prefect, all strategically important +places were represented at this meeting. Deputies had been sent from +the strong warders of the frontiers, Tridentum, Tarvisium, and Verona, +which behold the ice of the Alps; from Otorantum and Consentia, which +are laved by the tepid waves of the Ausonian Sea; from all the +celebrated towns of Sicily and Italy, with the proud, beautiful, and +historic names: Syracuse and Catana, Panormus and Messana, Regium, +Neapolis and Cumae, Capua and Beneventum, Antium and Ostia, Reate and +Narnia, Volsinii, Urbsvetus and Spoletum, Clusium and Perusia, Auximum +and Ancona, Florentia and Faesulas, Pisa, Luca, Luna and Genua; +Ariminum, Casena, Faventia, and Ravenna; Parma, Dertona and Placentia; +Mantua, Cremona, and Ticinum (Pavia); Mediolanum, Comum, and Bergamum; +Asta and Pollentia; and from the northern and eastern coasts of the +Ionian Gulf: Concordia, Aquileja, Iadera, Scardona, and Salona. + +There were grave senators and judges, who had grown grey in the +councils of their towns, where their ancestors had been leaders for +centuries; wise merchants, broad-shouldered proprietors, disputing +jurists, mocking rhetoricians, and in particular a great number of +clergy of all ranks and all ages: the only firmly organised party, and +which was implicitly obedient to Silverius. + +As Cethegus, still concealed behind the corner of the narrow entrance, +overlooked the groups assembled in the rotunda of the grotto, he could +not restrain a contemptuous smile, which, however, ended in a sigh. + +Excepting the general dislike to the barbarians--which, however, was by +no means strong enough to support the sacrifices and self-denial +necessary to the accomplishment of difficult political plans--what +different and often what small motives had led these men together! + +Cethegus knew exactly the motives of each individual: had he not been +able to influence them by taking advantage of their foibles? And, after +all, he could not but rejoice at this, for he could never have brought +true Romans so completely under his influence as he had done these +conspirators. + +But as he now looked at the assembled patriots, and reflected how one +had been induced to join the discontented, in the hope of a title from +Byzantium; another by bribery; another from revenge or on account of +some personal offence, or even from tedium, or debts, or some foolish +dilemma; and when he told himself that with _such_ colleagues he must +meet the warriors of the Gothic army--he almost shrank from the +temerity of his plan. + +It was some relief to him, when the clear voice of Lucius Licinius +attracted his looks to the troop of young "knights," whose truly +martial courage and national enthusiasm were expressed on their +features; there at least he had a few trustworthy weapons. + +"Welcome! Lucius Licinius," he said, as he stepped out of the darkness +of the passage, "Ha, ha! you are mailed and armed as if we were going +straight from hence to meet the barbarians!" + +"I can scarcely contain myself for joy and hate!" cried the handsome +youth. "Look here, all these I have won for you, for the cause of the +fatherland." + +Cethegus looked round and greeted the others. + +"You here also, Kallistratos? you merry son of peace!" + +"Hellas will not desert her sister Italia in the hour of danger," said +the Greek, and laid his white hand upon his elegant, ivory-hilted +sword. + +Cethegus nodded to him and turned to the rest; Marcus Licinius, Piso, +Massurius, Balbus, who, completely won for the Prefect since the feast +of the Floralia, had brought with them their brothers, cousins, and +friends. + +Cethegus looked searchingly through the groups; he seemed to miss some +one. + +Lucius Licinius guessed his thoughts. + +"You seek the dark Corsican, Furius Ahalla? You must not reckon upon +him. I sounded him thoroughly, but he said: 'I am a Corsican--no Roman. +My trade flourishes under Gothic protection. Leave me out your game.' +And when I pressed him further--for I would gladly win his brave sword +and the many thousands of hands which he commands--he said abruptly: 'I +will not fight against Totila.'" + +"The Gods alone know what binds the wild tiger to that milksop," said +Piso. + +Cethegus smiled, but frowned as well. + +"I think we Romans will suffice," he said in a loud voice; and the +youths looked at him with beating hearts. + +"Open the assembly," said Scaevola impatiently to Silverius. "You see +how he talks over the young people; he will win them all. Interrupt +him; speak!" + +"Immediately. Are you sure that Albinus will come?" + +"He will; he waits for the messengers at the Appian gate." + +"Well," said the priest, "God be with us!" + +And he stepped into the middle of the rotunda, raised the black cross +which he held, and began: + +"In the name of the Triune God! We have again assembled in the gloom of +night for the works of light. Perhaps for the last time; for the Son of +God, to whom the heretics refuse all honour, has wonderfully blessed +our endeavours. Next to God, our warmest thanks are due to the noble +Emperor Justinian and his pious spouse, who listen to the sighs of the +suffering Church with active sympathy; and, lastly, to our friend and +leader here, the Prefect, who zealously works for the cause of our +master the Emperor----" + +"Stop, priest!" cried Lucius Licinius. "Who calls the Emperor of +Byzantium our _master_? We will not have the Greeks instead of the +Goths! We will be free!" + +"We will be free!" echoed the chorus of his friends. + +"We shall _become_ free!" continued Silverius. "Certainly! But that is +not possible unaided. The Emperor must help us. And do not think, +beloved youths, that the man whom you honour as your leader, Cethegus, +is of a different opinion. Justinian has sent him a costly ring--his +portrait in carneol--as a sign that he is contented with the Prefect's +services, and the Prefect has accepted the ring. Behold, he wears it on +his finger." + +Startled and indignant, the youths looked at Cethegus, who silently +advanced into the middle of the room. + +A painful pause ensued. + +"Speak, General!" cried Lucius; "contradict him! It is not as he says +with the ring!" + +But Cethegus nodded and drew off the ring. + +"It is as he says. The ring is from the Emperor, and I have accepted +it." + +Lucius Licinius fell back a step. + +"As a sign?" asked Silverius. + +"As a sign," cried Cethegus, in a threatening voice, "that I am not the +ambitious egoist for which many take me. As a sign that I love Italy +more than my ambition. Yes, I built upon Byzantium, and would have +given up the leadership to the mighty Emperor; therefore I took this +ring. I build no more upon Byzantium, for she hesitates everlastingly: +therefore I have brought the ring with me to-day, in order to return it +to the Emperor. You, Silverius, have proved yourself the representative +of Byzantium; here, return his pledge to your master; he delays too +long. Tell him Italy will help herself!" + +"Italy will help herself!" shouted the young Romans. + +"Reflect what you do!" cried the priest with restrained anger. +"I understand the hot courage of youth--but that my friend, the +ripe and experienced man, stretches forth his hand for what is +unattainable--_that_ surprises me! Remember the strength and ferocity +of the barbarians! Reflect that the Italians are unused to arms, that +all the fortresses of the country are in the hands----" + +"Be silent, priest," thundered Cethegus. "You do not understand such +matters! Speak where the psalms have to be explained or souls led to +heaven, for that is your office; but where war and fighting are +concerned, let those speak who understand! We will leave you all +heaven--leave the earth to us. Roman youths, you have the choice. Will +you wait until this cautious Byzantium vouchsafes to take pity upon +Italy?--you may become weary old men before then!--or will you in old +Roman fashion, win freedom with your own swords? You will; I see it by +your sparkling eyes. How? They tell us we are too weak to liberate +Italy! Ha! were not your fathers Romans, who conquered the world? +If I call upon you, man by man, there is not a name which does not ring +with the fame of a hero. Decius, Corvinus, Cornelius, Valerius, +Licinius--will you free the fatherland with me?" + +"We will! Lead us, Cethegus!" cried the youth with enthusiasm. + +After a pause Scaevola began: + +"My name is Scaevola. When the names of Roman heroes are cited, the race +which inherits the heroism of the Celts might have been remembered. I +ask you, Cethegus, have you more than dreams and wishes, like these +young fools? have you a plan?" + +"More than that, Scaevola, I have, and will keep, the victory! Here is a +list of all the fortresses in Italy. At the next Ides, that is in +thirty days, they will fall, at one blow, into my hands." + +"What? must we still wait thirty days?" asked Lucius. + +"Only till the deputies assembled here have again reached their towns. +Only till my expresses have flown through Italy. You have _had_ to wait +forty years!" + +But the impatience of the youths, which he himself had excited, was not +to be subdued; they looked gloomy at the postponement--they murmured. + +The priest was quick to take advantage of this change of humour. + +"No, Cethegus," he cried; "we cannot delay so long! Tyranny is +unbearable to the noble-minded; shame upon him who endures it longer +than he must! I know of better comfort, youths! In a few days the +spears of Belisarius may flash in Italian sunshine." + +"Or shall we, perhaps," asked Scaevola, "refuse to follow Belisarius +because he is not Cethegus?" + +"You speak of wishes," cried Cethegus, "not of realities. If Belisarius +land, I shall be the first to join him. But he will not land. It is +this which has disgusted me; the Emperor does not keep his word." + +Cethegus played a very bold game. But he could not do otherwise. + +"You may err," said Silverius, "and the Emperor may fulfil his promise +sooner than you think. Belisarius lies off Sicily." + +"Not now. He has gone towards Africa, towards home. Hope nothing from +Belisarius." + +Just then hasty steps were heard in the passage, and Albinus rushed in. + +"Triumph!" he cried. "Freedom! freedom!" + +"What news?" asked the priest. + +"War! deliverance! Byzantium has declared war against the Goths!" + +"Freedom! war!" shouted the Romans. + +"It is impossible!" said Cethegus. + +"It is certain!" cried another voice from the entrance--it was +Calpurnius, who had followed close upon Albinus. "And, more than this, +the war has commenced. Belisarius has landed in Sicily, at Catana; +Syracusae and Messana have surrendered; Panormus he has taken with the +fleet. He has crossed to Italy, from Messana to Regium; he is upon +Italian soil!" + +"Freedom!" cried Marcus Licinius. + +"Everywhere the population joins him. The Goths, taken by surprise, fly +from Apulia and Calabria. Belisarius presses on without pause, through +Bruttia and Lucania, to Neapolis." + +"It is all lies--lies!" cried Cethegus, more to himself than to the +others. + +"You do not seem pleased at the success of the good cause! But the +messenger rode three horses to death. Belisarius has landed with thirty +thousand men." + +"Who still doubts is a traitor!" cried Scaevola. + +"Now let us see," said Silverius to Cethegus sarcastically, "if you +will keep your word. Will you be the first to join Belisarius?" + +At this bitter moment a whole world--_his_ world--sank before the eyes +of Cethegus. So, then, all had been in vain; worse than that--what he +had done, had been done for a hated enemy. Belisarius in Italy with a +strong army, and he deceived, powerless, conquered! Any other man would +have given up all further effort. + +But not a shadow of discouragement crossed the mind of the Prefect. His +gigantic edifice was shattered; the noise of its fall still deafened +him, and yet at the same moment he had already resolved to begin again. + +His world was destroyed, and he had no time even to sigh, for the eyes +of all were fixed upon him. + +"Well, what will you do?" repeated Scaevola. + +Cethegus disdained to look at him. + +He turned to the assembly, and spoke in a quiet voice: + +"Belisarius has landed," he said; "he is now our leader. I shall at +once go to his camp." + +With this he walked, with measured steps and a composed countenance, +past Silverius and his friends towards the exit. + +Silverius would have whispered a word of sarcasm, but he was startled +at the glance which the Prefect cast upon him. + +"Do not rejoice too soon, priest," it seemed to say; "you will repent +this hour!" And Silverius, the victor, was dumb. + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +The landing of the Byzantines had taken both Goths and Italians by +surprise; for the last move of Belisarius to the east had misled both +parties. + +Of all our Gothic friends, Totila alone was in South Italy. He had, in +his office as commodore and Count of the Harbour of Neapolis, in vain +warned the Government of Ravenna of the impending danger, and begged +for the power and means of defending Sicily. + +We shall see how he had been deprived of all possibility of preventing +the catastrophe which threatened to overwhelm his nation, and which was +to throw the first shadow upon the brilliant path of his own life, and +tear the web of good fortune which a happy fate had, until now, woven +about this favourite of the gods. + +Valerius, who, though stern, had a noble and kindly nature, had soon +been won by Totila's irresistible amiability. We have seen how strongly +the prayers of his daughter, the memory of his wife's last words, and +Totila's frankness, had influenced the worthy man, even when he was +irritated at the discovery of the lovers' secret meetings. + +Totila remained at the villa as a guest. Julius, with his winning +affection, was called upon to help the lovers, and to their united +influence the father gradually yielded. + +But this was only possible because Totila assimilated to the Romans +more nearly in manners, education, and inclinations than any other +Goth: so that Valerius soon saw that he could not call a youth a +"barbarian" who knew and appreciated the language, wisdom, and beauty +of Hellenic and Roman literature better than most Italians, and +admired the culture of the ancient world no less than he loved his +fellow-countrymen. + +And, in addition to all this, a common hatred of Byzantium united the +old Roman and the young German. + +The Valerians had always belonged to the aristocratic Republican +opposition against the Caesars, and, since the time of Tiberius, many a +member of this family had sealed with his blood his fidelity to the +cause of Old Republicanism. + +The family had never really acknowledged the removal of the Empire of +the World from the city on the Tiber to that on the Bosphorus. In the +Byzantine imperial dignity Valerius beheld the acme of all tyranny, +and, at any cost, would gladly have saved his Latium from the avarice, +religious intolerance, and Oriental despotism of the Byzantine +Emperors. + +Added to this, the father and brother of Valerius had been arrested at +Byzantium by an avaricious predecessor of Justinian, while passing +through that city, and, on pretence of participation in a conspiracy, +had been executed, and all their eastern possessions had been +confiscated; so that private loss considerably strengthened the +political hatred of the patriot. When Cethegus introduced him to the +conspiracy of the Catacombs, he had eagerly taken up the idea of an +Italian rebellion; but had repulsed all advances of the imperial party +with the words, "Rather death than Byzantium!" + +So the two, Valerius and Totila, were unanimous in the resolution to +tolerate no Byzantine in their beloved country, which was scarcely less +dear to the Goth than to the Roman. + +The lovers took care not to press the old man, at present, to make any +formal promise; they contented themselves with the freedom of +intercourse allowed by Valerius, and waited quietly until the influence +of habit should gradually accustom him to the thought of their ultimate +union. + +Our young friends thus passed many happy days, and, added to the bliss +of their mutual love, they had the delight of witnessing the growing +affection of Valerius for Totila. + +Julius was filled with the noble exaltation which lies in the sacrifice +of one's own passion for the sake of another's happiness. His soul, +unsatisfied by the wisdom of old philosophy, turned more and more +to the doctrine which teaches that peace is only to be found in +self-denial. + +Valeria was of a very different nature. She was the true expression of +the Roman ideal of her father, who had conducted her education in place +of her early-lost mother, and had imbued her with the spirit of the +antique Pagans. Christianity--to which she hard been dedicated by an +outward form at the very commencement of her life, and from which she +had afterwards been wrested by an equally external formality--seemed to +her a fearful power, by no means loved or understood, but which, +nevertheless, she could not exclude from the circle of her thoughts and +feelings. + +Like a true Roman, she noticed with joy and pride, not with dismay, the +martial enthusiasm with which Totila spoke to her father in their +conversations concerning Byzantium. She felt that he was born to be a +hero, and so, when duty suddenly called him away from love and +friendship, she bore the parting with noble self-control. + +For as soon as the Byzantine fleet was known to be cruising off +Syracusae, the young Goth was inflamed with an insatiable thirst for +war. It was his duty, as commodore of the South Italian squadron, to +watch the movements of the enemy and protect the coast. He promptly set +sail to meet the Grecian fleet, and demanded the reason of its +appearance in those waters. Belisarius, who had orders to avoid all +inimical proceedings until called upon to commence hostilities by +Petros, gave a peaceful and plausible answer, alleging as his pretext +the disturbances in Africa and the piracies of Mauritanian ships. +Totila was obliged to content himself with this reply, but in his heart +he was sure that the war would soon break out; perhaps only because he +so ardently desired it. + +He therefore took all precautions: sent messengers with warnings to +Ravenna, and, above all, essayed to protect the city of Neapolis at +least towards the sea, for the inland fortifications had fallen into +decay during the long peace, and old Uliaris, the commander of the +city, was not to be shaken out of his proud security and contempt of +the Greeks. + +The Goths in general cherished the dangerous delusion that the +Byzantines would never dare to attack them; and their treacherous King +did all in his power to strengthen this belief. + +The warnings of Totila, therefore, were disregarded, and the zealous +commodore was even deprived of his whole fleet, which was ordered to +the Harbour of Ravenna, on the pretext of an exchange; but the ships +which should have replaced those which had sailed away never arrived. + +So Totila had nothing left but a few small guardships, with which, as +he declared to his friends, he could not even sufficiently watch the +movements of the enemy, much less prevent their advance. + +When apprised of all this, the merchant determined to leave his +villa at Neapolis, and to go to his rich estates and mercantile +establishments at Regium, on the south point of the peninsula, in order +to remove all his most valuable property from that neighbourhood--where +Totila feared the first attack of the enemy--and bring it to Neapolis; +and also to make his preparations in case of a prolonged war. + +Julius was to accompany him on this journey; and Valeria was not to be +persuaded to remain behind in the empty villa; so, as Totila assured +them that no danger was to be feared for the next few days, the three, +accompanied by a few slaves, journeyed to the villa on the estate near +the Pass of Jugum, to the north of Regium, which, situated close to the +sea, was partly, with all the luxury already so severely blamed by +Horace, "daringly built out" into the very sea itself. + +Valerius found things in a bad condition. His stewards, taking +advantage of the prolonged absence of their master, had made sad work, +and Valerius saw with indignation that, in order to repair the +mischief, his presence would be necessary, not for days, but for weeks. + +Meanwhile the threatening symptoms increased. Totila sent many warning +messages; but Valeria decided that she could not leave her father while +in danger, and the latter scorned to fly before the "degenerate +Greeks," whom he still more despised than hated. + +One day they were surprised by the arrival of two boats, which ran into +the little harbour of the villa at Regium almost at the same moment. +One brought Totila; the other the Corsican, Furius Ahalla. + +The two greeted each other with surprise, but, as old acquaintances, +were well pleased to meet, and walked together through the taxus-hedges +and laurel walks to the villa. There they parted, Totila saying that he +wished to pay a visit to his friend Julius, while the Corsican had +business with the merchant, with whom he had for years been connected +in a commerce which was equally advantageous to both parties. + +Valerius was therefore much pleased to see the clever, bold, and +handsome sailor enter his room, and after a hearty welcome, the two +business-friends turned to their books and accounts. + +After some short discussion, the Corsican rose from his examination of +the books, and said: + +"So you see, Valerius, that Mercurius has again blessed our connection. +My ships have brought you purple and costly woollen stuffs from +Ph[oe]nicia and Spain; and taken your exquisite manufactures of last +year to Byzantium and Alexandria, to Massilia and Antiochia. A +centenarius of gold more profit than last year! And so it will go on +rising from year to year, so long as the brave Goths uphold peace and +justice in the West." + +He ceased, as if in expectation. + +"So long as they _can_ uphold it!" sighed Valerius. "So long as these +Greeks keep the peace! Who can guarantee that to-night the sea-breeze +may not drive the ships of Belisarius towards these coasts!" + +"So you, too, expect war? In confidence: it is more than probable, it +is certain." + +"Furius!" cried the Roman, "how do you know that?" + +"I come from Africa--from Sicily. I have seen the fleet of the Emperor. +One does not arm against pirates in such a manner. I have spoken to the +captains of Belisarius; they dream night and day of the treasures of +Italy. Sicily is ripe for defection, as soon as the Greeks land." + +Valerius grew pale with excitement. + +Furius remarked it, and continued. + +"For this reason I have come here to warn you. The enemy will land in +this vicinity, and I know--that your daughter is with you." + +"Valeria is a Roman." + +"Yes, but these enemies are the most ferocious barbarians. For it is +Huns, Massagetae, Scythians, Avari, Sclavonians, and Saracens which this +Emperor of the Romans lets loose upon Italy! Woe to your lovely child +should she fall into their hands." + +"That she shall not!" cried Valerius, his hand upon his dagger. "But +you are right--she must go--she must be placed in safety." + +"Where is safety in Italy? Soon the billows of the conflict will roll +over Neapolis--over Rome--and will scarcely break against the walls of +Ravenna!" + +"Do you think so highly of these Greeks? Yet Greece has never sent +anything to Italy but mimes, pirates, and pickpockets!" + +"But Belisarius is the favourite of fortune. At all events, a war will +be kindled, the end of which many of you will not outlive!" + +"Of _us_, you say? Will not _you_ fight with us?" + +"No, Valerius! You know that pure Corsican blood flows in my veins, in +spite of my adopted Roman name. I am no Roman, no Greek, and no Goth. I +wish the Goths the victory, because they keep order on land and sea, +and my trade flourishes under their sway; but were I to fight openly on +their side, the exchequer of Byzantium would swallow up all that I +possess in ships and goods in the harbours of the East: three-fourths +of my whole fortune. No, I intend so to fortify my island--you know +that half Corsica is mine--that neither of the disputants can molest +me. My island shall be an asylum of peace, while round about land and +water echo with the noise of battle. I shall defend this asylum as a +king defends his crown, or a bridegroom his bride; and therefore"--his +eyes sparkled, and his voice trembled with excitement--"therefore I +wish--now--to speak a word which for years I have carried hidden in my +heart----" + +He hesitated. + +Valerius saw beforehand what was coming, and saw it with deep regret. +For years he had pleased himself with the thought of entrusting his +daughter's happiness to this powerful merchant, the adopted son of an +old friend, of whose affection to Valeria he had long been aware. +Although he had learned to love Totila, he would far rather have had +his old friend for a son-in-law. + +And he knew the ungovernable pride and irritable temper of the +Corsican; he feared, in case of refusal, that the old love and +friendship would be speedily changed to burning hate. Dark stories were +told of the wild rage of this man, and Valerius would gladly have +spared both him and himself the pain of a rejection. + +But the other continued: + +"I think we are both men who do business in a business-like manner. +And, according to old custom, I speak at once to the father, and not +first to the daughter. Give me your child to wife, Valerius! In part +you know my fortune--only in part--for it is far larger than you think. +I will match her dowry, be it never so splendid, with the double----" + +"Furius!" interrupted the father. + +"I think I am a man who can make his wife happy. At least, I can +protect her better than any one else in these dangerous times. I will +take her in my ships, should Corsica be threatened, to Asia or to +Africa. On every coast there awaits her, not a house, but a palace. No +queen could envy her. I will cherish, her more dearly--more dearly than +my life!" + +He paused in extreme agitation, as if expecting a prompt reply. + +Valerius was silent, he sought for an excuse--it was but a moment, but +the bare appearance of hesitation on the father's part revolted the +Corsican. The blood rushed to his handsome face, which, just before +almost soft and mild, suddenly assumed an aspect of ferocity; a vivid +red flush spread over his brown cheeks. + +"Furius Ahalla," he said hastily, "is not accustomed to offer a thing +twice. Usually my wares, at the first offer, are snatched at with both +hands. I now offer myself--by God! I am not worse than my purple---- + +"My friend," began the old man, "we no longer live in ancient times. +The new belief has almost deprived a father of the right to dispose of +his daughter. My _will_ would give her to you and to no other, but her +heart----" + +"She loves another!" cried the Corsican, "whom?" + +And his hand caught at his dagger, as if he would gladly have killed +his rival on the instant. + +There was something of the tiger in this movement, and in the glare of +his rolling eyes. + +Valerius felt how deadly would be his hatred, and would not mention the +name. + +"Who can it be?" asked Furius, in an under tone. "A Roman? Montanus? +No! Oh, only--only not _he_--say no, old man! not he----" and he caught +Valerius by the sleeve. + +"Who? Whom do you mean?" + +"He, who landed with me--the Goth! But yes it must be he--every one +loves him--Totila!" + +"It is he," said Valerius, and kindly tried to take his friend's hand. +But he released it again in terror; a fearful convulsion shook the iron +frame of the strong Corsican. He stretched forth his hand stiffly, as +if he would strangle the pain which tortured him. Then he tossed back +his head, and, laughing wildly, struck his forehead repeatedly. + +Valerius observed this mad fit with horror. At last the arms of the +enraged man slowly dropped, and revealed an ashy-pale face. + +"It is over," said Furius in a trembling voice. "It is a curse that +lies upon me. I am never to be happy in a wife. Once before--just +before accomplishment! And now! I know that Valeria's influence and +quiet composure would have brought peace into my wild life--I should +have become different, better. And if this could not have been"--his +eyes again sparkled--"it would have been almost equally sweet to murder +the destroyer of my happiness. Yes, I would have wallowed in his blood, +and torn his bride away from his corpse! And now it is _he_! He, the +only being to whom Ahalla owes gratitude--and what gratitude!----" + +He was silent, nodding his head as if lost in recollection. + +"Valerius," he then said, suddenly rousing himself, "I would yield to +no man on earth--I could not have borne to give place to another--but +Totila! I will forgive her for not loving me, because she has chosen +Totila. Farewell, Valerius, old friend. I go to sea; to Persia, to +India--I know not whither--ah! everywhere I shall carry with me the +bitter pain of this hour!" + +He went quickly out, and immediately afterwards his arrow-swift boat +bore him away from the little harbour of the villa. + +Valerius left the room sighing, and went in search of his daughter. + +In the atrium he met Totila, who was obliged to take leave at once. He +had only come to try to persuade them to return to Neapolis. For +Belisarius had left the African coast and was cruising near Panormus, +and any day a descent might be effected in Sicily or even Italy; and, +in spite of Totila's insistence, the King had sent no ships. He +himself was shortly going to Sicily to convince himself of the truth. +His friends, therefore, were here totally unprotected, and he begged +Valerius to return forthwith to Neapolis by land. + +But it revolted the old soldier to fly before the Greeks; he could not +and would not leave his affairs before three days; and Totila could +scarcely persuade him to accept a small troop of twenty Goths as a poor +protection. + +With a heavy heart Totila entered his boat and was taken back to his +guardship. It was almost dark when he arrived on board; a veil of mist +shrouded the nearest objects. + +All at once the sound of oars was heard to the west, and a ship, +recognisable by the red light on the tall mast, turned the point of a +small promontory. + +Totila listened, and asked his look-out: + +"A sail to the left! what ship? what master?" + +"It is already signalled from the mast-head," was the reply, +"merchant-ship--Furius Ahalla--lay at anchor here." + +"Where bound?" + +"For the East--for India!" + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: A place for wrestling and other exercises.] + +[Footnote 2: The most valued wood--not the modern citron-tree.] + +[Footnote 3: Pine-wood.] + +[Footnote 4: A Grecian rider's upper garment, worn by the Romans of +that time.] + +[Footnote 5: An epocha of the Roman calendar instituted by Constantine +the Great.] + + + + END OF VOL. I. + + + + BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, SURREY. + _H. L. & Co._ + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Struggle for Rome, v. 1, by Felix Dahn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRUGGLE FOR ROME, V. 1 *** + +***** This file should be named 32271.txt or 32271.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/7/32271/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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