Volume Ii Part 76 (2/2)
”Not now. Have a care of her.”
”With an air of great distress and anxiety she gave me this key,” added the physician. ”It appeared to be the princ.i.p.al subject of her wandering speeches. She took it from under her pillow, and she made me swear to give it into your own hands, as it was of great importance.”
With a bitter smile the King took the key and threw it on one side.
”It is no longer of importance. Go; leave me: and send my secretary.”
An hour later, Procopius admitted Cethegus into the tent of the commander-in-chief.
As he entered, Belisarius, who was pacing to and fro with hasty steps, cried out:
”This comes of your plans, Prefect--of your arts and lies! I always said that lies are the source of ruin. I do not understand such ways!
Oh, why did I follow your advice? Now I am in great straits!”
”What mean these virtuous speeches?” Cethegus asked Procopius.
The latter handed him a letter.
”Bead. These barbarians are unfathomable in their grand simplicity.
They conquer the devil by virtue of their childlike minds. Read.”
And Cethegus read with amazement:
”'Yesterday thou didst acquaint me with three things: that the Franks had betrayed me; that thou, allied with them, wilt wrest the West from the ungrateful Emperor; and that thou offerest the Goths a free departure, unarmed, over the Alps. Yesterday I answered that the Goths would never give up their arms, nor Italy, the conquest and inheritance of their great King, and that I would rather fall here with my whole army than do so. This I answered yesterday. I say so still, although earth, air, fire, and water are allied against me. But last night, as I watched the flames which were devouring my stores, I felt sure of what I have long dimly suspected. That a curse lies upon me. For my sake the Goths perish. This shall go on no longer. The crown upon my head has. .h.i.therto prevented me from taking an honourable course; it shall prevent me no longer. Thou art right to rebel against the false and ungrateful Justinian! He is our enemy and thine. Well then--instead of placing thy confidence in an army of faithless Franks, place it in the whole Gothic nation, whose strength and fidelity are known to thee!
With the first thou wouldst share Italy; with us thou canst keep it all. Let me be the first to greet thee as Emperor of the West and King of the Goths. All the rights of my people remain untouched; thou simply takest my place. I myself will set my crown upon thy head, and verily, no Justinian shall then tear it from thee! If thou rejectest this offer, prepare for such a battle as thou hast never yet fought. I will break into thy camp with fifty thousand Goths. We shall fall, but with us thy whole army. The one and the other. I have sworn it. Choose.
”'WITICHIS.'”
For one moment the Prefect was terribly alarmed. He cast a swift and searching look at Belisarius.
But a single glance sufficed to set him at ease.
”It is Belisarius,” he said to himself, ”but it is always dangerous to play with the devil. What A temptation!”
He returned the letter, and said with a smile: ”What an idea! To what strange things can desperation lead!”
”The idea would not be bad,” observed Procopius, ”if----”
”If Belisarius were not Belisarius,” said Cethegus, smiling.
”Spare your smiles,” said Belisarius. ”I admire the man, and I cannot take it amiss that he thinks I am capable of revolt. Have I not pretended to be so?” and he stamped his foot. ”Now advise and help me!
You have led me to this miserable alternative. I cannot say yes; and if I say no--I may look upon the Emperor's army as annihilated, and, into the bargain, must confess that I pretended to revolt!”
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