Volume Ii Part 54 (2/2)

”I have never yet thought of what will follow,” she answered gloomily.

”But I have thought for you. Truly, Mataswintha”--and his eyes rested upon her with fervent admiration--”you are marvellously beautiful. I consider it as my greatest merit that even your beauty is not able to kindle my pa.s.sions and seduce me from my plans. But you are too beautiful, too charming, to live alone for hatred and revenge. When our aim is reached, then to Byzantium! You will then be more than Empress--you will be the vanquisher of the Empress!”

”When my aim is reached, my life is completed. Do you think I could bear the thought of having destroyed my people for mere ambition, for prudent ends? No--I did it only because I could no other. Revenge is now all to me, and----”

Just then there sounded loud and shrill from the front of the building, but yet within the walls, the cry of the screech-owl; once--twice--in rapid succession.

How amazed was Perseus to see the Prefect hurriedly press his finger upon the throat of the statue against which he was leaning, and to see it immediately and noiselessly divide into two parts.

Cethegus slipped, into the opening, which slowly closed again.

Mataswintha and Aspa sank upon the steps of the altar, as if in prayer.

”So it was a signal! Danger is near,” thought the spy. ”But where is the danger? and where the warner?”

And he turned and stepped from beneath the wall, looking to the left, on which side the Gothic camp was situated.

But in doing so he stepped into the moonlight, and in sight of Syphax, the Moor, who stood in an empty niche before the entrance of the building, and who, until now, had also been looking sharply in the direction of the camp.

From thence a man walked slowly forward.

His battle-axe glittered in the moonlight.

But Perseus saw a second weapon flash; it was the sword of the Moor, as he softly drew it from its sheath.

”Ha!” laughed Perseus; ”before those two have done with each other, I shall be in Rome with my secret.”

And he ran towards the gap in the wall of the court by which he had entered.

For a moment Syphax looked doubtfully to right and left. To the right he saw a man escaping, whom he had only now discovered; to the left a Gothic warrior, who was just entering the court of the temple. It was impossible to reach and kill both.

He suddenly called aloud:

”Teja, Earl Teja! Help, help! A Roman! Save the Queen! There, near the wall on the right--a Roman!”

In a moment Teja stood at Syphax's side.

”There!” cried Syphax. ”I will protect the women in the church!” and he rushed into the temple.

”Stand, Roman!” cried Teja, and rushed after Perseus.

But Perseus would not stand. He ran along the wall; he reached the gap, but in his hurry he could not force himself through. With the strength of despair he swung himself up upon the wall, and was already drawing up his feet to jump down on the other side, when Teja cast his battle-axe, and struck him on the head.

Perseus, together with his secret, fell back dead.

Teja bent over him; he could distinctly see the features of the dead man.

”The Archon Perseus,” he said, ”the brother of Johannes.”

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