Volume Ii Part 51 (1/2)

”Splendid fellow!” cried Hildebad rejoicingly. ”Quick, lads! burn them out as you would a fox in his hole! The brisk north wind will help us!”

The dying watch-fires were speedily fanned into flame; hundreds of fire-brands flew into the dry planks of the palisading.

Very soon bright flames rose to the sky.

The thick smoke, driven into the camp by the wind, blinded the Byzantines, and rendered the defence of the walls impossible. They retreated to the centre of the camp.

”Oh that I were dead!” sighed Belisarius. ”Evacuate the camp! Out by the Porta Dec.u.mana! Retreat in good order to the bridges behind us!”

But the command to leave the camp broke the last ties of discipline and order.

While the charred beams of the gate fell under the thundering strokes of Teja's axe, and the Black Earl was the first to spring into the camp through the flames and smoke, the fugitives tore open all the gates which led to Rome, and hastened in confused ma.s.ses to the river.

The first comers reached the two bridges unhindered and unfollowed.

They had some time to spare before Hildebad and Teja could compel Belisarius to leave the burning camp.

But suddenly--oh, horror!--the Gothic horns sounded close at hand.

Witichis and Totila, as soon as they knew that the camp was taken, had mounted at once, and now led their hors.e.m.e.n from the right and left, to attack the fugitives in the flank.

Belisarius had just galloped out of the camp by the Dec.u.manian Gate, and was hurrying to one of the bridges, when he saw the threatening troops of hors.e.m.e.n rus.h.i.+ng up on both sides.

The great general still preserved his composure.

”Forwards at a gallop to the bridges!” he commanded his Saracens; ”defend them!”

It was too late. A dull crash; then a second--the two narrow bridges had broken beneath the weight of the crowding fugitives, and by hundreds the Hunnish hors.e.m.e.n and the Illyrian lance-bearers--Justinian's pride--fell into the marshy waters.

Without reflecting, Belisarius, who had just reached the steep bank, spurred his horse into the foaming blood-flecked river, and swam to the other side.

”Salomo,” he said to one of his pretorians, as soon as he had landed, ”take a handful of my guards and gallop as hard as you can to the pa.s.s.

Ride over the fugitives; you must reach it before the Goths! Do you hear? You _must_! It is our last plank of salvation!”

Salomo and Dagisthaeos obeyed, and galloped away as swift as the wind.

Belisarius collected together all whom he could reach. The Goths, as well as the Byzantines, were detained for a time by the river.

But suddenly Aigan cried:

”Salomo is returning!”

”General,” cried Salomo, as he galloped up, ”all is lost! Weapons glitter in the pa.s.s! It is already occupied by the Goths!”

For the first time on this unhappy day Belisarius started.

”The pa.s.s lost? Then not a man of my Emperor's army will escape. Then farewell fame, Antonina, and life! Come, Aigan, draw your sword; let me not fall living into the hands of the barbarians.”

”General,” said Aigan, ”I have never heard you speak thus!”