Volume Ii Part 7 (1/2)
With this he went over from the left to the right, amongst the accusers.
”You, ye free Goths, have now to find the verdict, and administer justice,” said Hildebrand. ”I have only to execute what you p.r.o.nounce; so I ask you, ye men of judgment, what think ye of this accusation, which Earl Arahad, son of Aramuth the Wolfung, has brought against Gothelindis, the Queen? Speak! is she guilty of murder?”
”Guilty! guilty!” shouted many thousand voices, and not a voice said ”no.”
”She is guilty,” said the old man, rising. ”Speak, complainant, what punishment dost thou demand for this crime?”
Arahad lifted his sword towards heaven.
”I appealed against murder, I appealed against blood! She shall die the death!”
And before Hildebrand could put his question to the people, the crowd was filled with angry emotion, every man's sword flew from its sheath and flashed in the sun, and every voice shouted, ”She shall die the death!”
The words rolled like a terrible thunder, bearing the people's judgment over the wide plain till the echo died away in the distance.
”She dies the death,” said Hildebrand, ”by the axe. Up, soldiers, and search for her.”
”Hold,” cried Hildebad, coming forward, ”our sentence will be hard to fulfil, so long as this woman is the wife of our King. Therefore I demand that the a.s.sembly at once examine into the accusation that we carry in our hearts against Theodahad, who governs a people of heroes so unheroically. I will give words to this accusation. Mark well, I accuse him of treachery, not only of incapability to lead and save us.
I will be silent on the fact that, without his knowledge, his Queen could scarcely have cooled her hate in Amalaswintha's blood; I will not speak of the warning which the latter sent to us, in her last words, against Theodahad's treachery; but is it not true that he deprived the whole southern portion of the realm of men, weapons, horses, and s.h.i.+ps?
that he sent all the forces to the Alps, so that the degenerate Greeks won Sicily, and entered Italy without a blow? My poor brother, Totila, stands alone against them, with a mere handful of soldiers. Instead of defending his rear, the King sent Witichis, Teja and me to the north.
We obeyed with heavy hearts, for we guessed where Belisarius would land. We advanced slowly, expecting to be recalled at every moment. In vain. Already there ran a report through the places which we pa.s.sed that Sicily was lost, and the Italians, who saw us march to the north, pulled mocking faces. We had accomplished a few days' march along the coast, when a letter from my brother Totila reached me: 'Has then, like the King, the whole nation, and my brother also, forsaken and forgotten me?' it said. 'Belisarius has taken Sicily by surprise. He has landed in Italy. The population join him. He presses forward to Neapolis. I have written four letters to King Theodahad for help. All in vain.
Received not a single sail. Neapolis is in great danger. Save, save Neapolis and the kingdom!'”
A cry of dismay and anger ran through the listening crowd.
”I wanted,” continued Hildebad, ”to return immediately with all our thousands, but Earl Witichis, my commander, would not suffer it. I could only persuade him to halt the troops, and hasten here with a few hors.e.m.e.n to warn, to save, to revenge! For I cry for revenge, revenge upon King Theodahad. It was not only folly and weakness, it was knavery, to expose the south to the enemy. This letter proves it. My brother warned him four times in vain. He delivered him and the realm into the enemy's hands. Woe to us if Neapolis falls, or has already fallen! Ha! he who is guilty of this shall reign no longer, no longer live! Tear the crown of the Goths, which he has dishonoured, from his head! Down with him! Let him die!”
”Down with him! Let him die!” thundered the people, in a mighty echo.
The storm of their fury seemed irresistible, and capable of destroying whatever opposed it.
Only one man remained quiet and composed in the midst of the turbulent crowd. It was Earl Witichis. He sprang upon one of the old stones beneath the oak, and waited till the tumult was somewhat appeased.
Then he lifted his voice, and spoke with the clear simplicity which so well became him.
”Countrymen! companions! hear me! You are wrong in your sentence. Woe to us if, in the Gothic nation, by whom, since the days of our forefathers, right has been ever honoured, hate and force should sit on the throne of justice! Theodahad is a bad and weak King. He shall no longer hold the reins of the kingdom alone. Give him a guardian, as if to a minor! Depose him if you like; but you may not demand his death, his blood! Where is the proof of his treachery? or that Totila's message reached him? See, you are silent! Be wary of injustice! It destroys nations!”
As he stood on his elevated place in the full blaze of the sun, he looked great and n.o.ble, full of power and dignity. The eyes of the mult.i.tude rested with admiration upon him who seemed so superior to them all in n.o.bility, temperance, and clear-sighted composure. A solemn pause followed.
Before Hildebad and the people could find an answer to the man who seemed to be Justice personified, the general attention was drawn away to the thick forest which bounded the view to the south, and which suddenly seemed to become alive.
CHAPTER XIV.
For the quick trampling of approaching horses and the jingling of armour was heard in the wood, and soon a little group of hors.e.m.e.n appeared issuing from under the trees, and far in front galloped a man on a coal-black charger, which sped on as if rivalling the rus.h.i.+ng of the wind.
The long black locks of the rider waved in the air, as well as the thick black mane which formed the crest of his helmet. Bending forwards, he urged his foaming horse to greater speed, and as he reached the southern entrance to the Ting, sprang from his saddle with a clash.
All gave way as they met the furious glance of his eye. His handsome face was ghastly pale.