Volume I Part 18 (2/2)
”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 a.s.sembly.”
He made a sign with his sceptre. Amalaswintha hurried away in the greatest excitement.
The Goths surrounded Teja, greatly pleased; but the Romans pa.s.sed quickly by Cethegus, avoiding any speech with him.
Ca.s.siodorus 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. Ca.s.siodorus 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 circ.u.mstantially 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 Ca.s.siodorus, 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 p.r.o.nounced 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 pet.i.tions, he started up in anger and swore by his crown, that he who again dared to pet.i.tion 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,” Ca.s.siodorus 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 Ca.s.siodorus. ”The next evening, while at table, the King sorely missed his darling. He remembered with what n.o.ble 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 pet.i.tion 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 Ca.s.siodorus, ”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.
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