Volume Ii Part 32 (1/2)

And, amid a tremendous flourish of trumpets, he led his silent guests into the fortress.

CHAPTER XIII.

During these occurrences among the Romans and Byzantines, decisive events were in preparation on the part of the Goths.

Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad, leaving a small garrison behind them, and taking their Queen with them as prisoner, had left Florentia and gone, by forced marches to Ravenna.

If they could reach and win this fortress, which was considered impregnable, before Witichis, who pressed forward after them, they would be able to make any conditions with the King.

They had a capital start, and hoped that their enemies would be stopped for some time before Florentia. But they lost almost all the advantages of their start; for the towns and castles bordering the nearest road to Ravenna had declared for Witichis, and this circ.u.mstance obliged the rebels to take a circuitous route northwards to Bononia (Bologna), whose inhabitants had embraced their cause, and thence march eastwards to Ravenna.

Notwithstanding this delay, when they reached the marshy land surrounding that fortified city, and were only half a day's march from its gates, nothing could be seen of the King's army.

Guntharis allowed his greatly-fatigued troops to rest for the remainder of the day, which was already drawing to a close, and sent a small troop of hors.e.m.e.n under the command of his brother, to announce their arrival to the Goths in the fortress.

But at dawn the next day Earl Arahad came flying back into the camp with a greatly diminished troop.

”By the sword of G.o.d!” exclaimed Guntharis, ”whence comest thou?”

”We come from Ravenna. We reached the outermost ramparts of the city and demanded admittance; but were roughly repulsed, although I showed myself and called for old Grippa the commander. He insolently declared that to-morrow we should learn the decision of the city; we, as well as the army of the King, whose vanguard is already approaching the city from the south-east.”

”Impossible!” cried Guntharis angrily. ”I could do nothing but withdraw, although I could not understand the behaviour of our friend. Besides, I held the report of the approach of the King to be an empty threat, until some of my hors.e.m.e.n, who were seeking for a dry place on which to bivouac, were suddenly attacked by a troop of the enemy under the command of Earl Teja, with the cry, 'Hail, King Witichis!' After a sharp combat they were worsted.”

”Thou ravest!” cried Guntharis. ”Have they wings? Has Florentia been blown away out of their path?”

”No! but I learned from Picentinian peasants that Witichis marched to Ravenna by the coast-road, past Auximum and Ariminum.”

”And he left Florentia in his rear unconquered? He shall repent of that!”

”Florentia has fallen! He sent Hildebad against it, who took it by storm. He broke in the Gate of Mars with his own hand, the furious bull!”

Duke Guntharis listened to these evil tidings with a gloomy face; but he quickly came to a decision.

He at once set forth with all his troops, intending to take the city of Ravenna by surprise.

His attack failed.

But the rebels had the consolation of seeing that the fortress, whose possession would determine the result of the civil war, had at least refused to open its gates to the enemy.

The King had encamped to the south-east, before the harbour town of Cla.s.sis.

Duke Guntharis's experienced eye soon perceived that the marshes on the north-west would also afford a secure position, and there he shortly afterwards pitched his well-protected camp.

So the rival parties, like two impetuous lovers of a coy maiden, pressed from opposite sides upon the royal residence, which seemed disinclined to lend an ear to either.

The day following two emba.s.sies, consisting of Ravennese and Goths, issued from the Gates of Honorius and of Theodoric, on the north-west and south-east, and brought to the camp of the rebels, as well as to that of the King, the fateful decision of the city.

This decision must have been a strange one.

For the two commanders, Guntharis and Witichis, kept it, in singular conformity, strictly secret, and took great care that not a word should become known to their troops.