bad woman; she died as soon as she was
brought to the light."

"Horrible!" cried Witichis.

"A just punishment!" said Teja. "But listen!"

Before he could continue, Totila, Hildebad, Hildebrand, and several
other Goths rushed into the tent.

"Does he know!" asked Totila.

"Not yet," said Teja.

"Rebellion!" cried Hildebad, "rebellion! Up, King Witichis! Defend thy
crown! Off with the boy's head!"

"What has happened?" asked Witichis quietly.

"Earl Arahad of Asta, the vain fool! has rebelled. Immediately after
you had been chosen King, he rode off to Florentia, where his elder
brother, Guntharis, the proud Duke of Tuscany, lives and rules. There
the Woelfungs have found many adherents. Arahad called upon the Goths
everywhere to protect the 'Royal Lily,' as they call her, Mataswintha,
the true heir to the throne! They have proclaimed her Queen. She was in
Florentia at the time, and therefore fell at once into their hands. It
is not known if she be the prisoner of Guntharis or the wife of Arahad.
It is only known that they have enlisted Avarian and Gepidian
mercenaries, and armed all the adherents of the Amelungs and their kith
and kindred, together with the numerous adherents of the Woelfungs. Thee
they call the 'Peasant-King;' they intend to take Ravenna!"

"Oh, send me to Florentia, with only three thousand," cried Hildebad
angrily; "I will bring you this Queen of the Goths, together with her
aristocratic lover, imprisoned in a bird-cage!"

But the others looked anxious.

"Things look bad," said Hildebrand. "Belisarius with his hundred
thousands before us--at our backs the wily Rome--our main forces still
fifty miles off--and now civil war and rebellion in the heart of the
nation!"

But Witichis was as quiet and composed as ever.

"It is perhaps better so," he said. "We have now no choice. We _must_
retreat."

"Retreat!" asked Hildebad angrily.

"Yes; we dare not leave an enemy at our backs. To-morrow we break up
the camp and go----"

"Forward to Neapolis!" asked Hildebad.

"No. Back to Rome. And farther! To Florentia, to Ravenna! The spark of
rebellion must be trampled out ere it burst into a flame."

"What? Thou wilt retreat before Belisarius?"

"Yes, to advance all the more irresistibly, Hildebad. The string of the
bow is also stretched backward to hurl the deadly arrow with the
greater force."

"Never," cried Hildebad; "thou canst not--thou darest not do that!"

But Witichis stepped qu