Volume Ii Part 76 (1/2)

But the events which actually occurred afterwards, were very different to what either the Prefect or Belisarius had expected.

CHAPTER XXI.

The King had left the breach in the wall and the Tower of aetius to the care of Hildebad, and hurried at once to the place of the conflagration.

When he arrived he found the fire dying out--but merely for want of more combustibles.

The whole contents of the magazines, together with the wooden walls and roofs, and everything that could burn, had been destroyed; not a remnant of corn nor a splinter of wood was left. The naked smoke and soot-blackened stone walls of the marble Circus alone still rose into the sky. Not a sign of its having been struck by lightning could be seen. The fire must have glimmered for some time after the lightning had kindled the woodwork, and spread slowly and unseen through the interior of the building; and when smoke and flame had burst through the apertures in the roof, it was too late to save the structure. The inhabitants had enough to do to save the neighbouring houses, of which many had already caught fire in various places.

The rain, which began to fall shortly before daybreak, came to their a.s.sistance. The wind, thunder and lightning had ceased; but when the sun broke through the clouds it only illumined, instead of the granaries, a miserable heap of rubbish and ashes in the middle of the marble Circus.

The King leaned against one of the pillars of the Basilica, sadly and silently looking at the ruins.

For a long time he stood motionless, only sometimes he drew his mantle more closely over his heaving chest.

A painful resolution was ripening in his soul, which seemed to have become as still as the grave.

But round about him the place was full of the misery of the poor people of Ravenna, who prayed, scolded, wept and cursed.

”Oh! what will now become of us?”--”Oh, how sweet and good and white was the bread which we received but yesterday!”--”What shall we eat now?”--”Bah, the King must help us.”--”Yes, the King must give us bread.”--”The King? Ah, the poor man! where will he get it?”--”He has no more.”--”That's another thing!”--”He alone has brought us to this pa.s.s!”--”It is his fault!”--”Why did he not surrender the city to the Emperor long ago?”--”Yes, to its rightful master!”--”Curses on the barbarians! It is all their fault!”--”No, no, it is only the King's fault!”--”Do you not understand? It is a punishment from G.o.d!”--”Punishment? Why? What wrong has he done? Has he not given bread to the people?”--”Then you do not know? How can a bigamist deserve the grace of G.o.d? The wicked man has two wives. He l.u.s.ted for the beauty of Mataswintha, and did not rest until she became his. He put away his lawful wife.”

Witichis indignantly descended the steps.

He was disgusted with the people.

But they recognised him.

”There is the King! How gloomy he looks!” they called to each other, avoiding him.

”Oh, I don't fear him! I fear hunger more than his anger. Give us bread. King Witichis! Do you hear? We are starving!” cried a ragged old man, catching at the King's mantle.

”Bread, King!”

”Good King, bread!”

”We are in despair!”

”Help us!”

And the crowd gathered round him with wild gestures.

Quietly but decisively the King freed himself.

”Have patience,” he said gravely; ”before the sun sets you shall have bread.”

And he hurried to his room.

There a Roman physician and some of Mataswintha's attendants awaited him.

”Sire,” said the physician, ”the Queen, your wife, is very sick. The terrors of last night have disturbed her mind. She speaks as if in delirium. Will you not see her?”