me; well, then, respect me! Honour my will and set me
free, or tremble when my liberator comes."

And she advanced threateningly towards Arahad, who, confused, could
find no words with which to answer her.

Just then Duke Guntharis hurried up with a hot and angry face.

"Up, Arahad!" he cried, "make an end. We must away at once! He
approaches; he presses forward with a strong force."

"Who?" asked Arahad hastily.

"He says he comes to set her free. He has gained a victory--the
Peasant-King! He has beaten our outposts at Castrum Sivium."

"Who?" now asked Mataswintha eagerly.

"Well," cried Guntharis angrily, "thou mayest as well know it; it can
be no longer concealed--Earl Witichis of Faesulae!"

"Witichis!" cried Mataswintha with beaming eyes and a beating heart.

"Yes; the rebels at Regeta, forgetting the rights of the nobility, have
chosen him King of the Goths."

"He! he my King!" said Mataswintha, as if in a dream.

"I should have told thee when I greeted thee as Queen, but in thy
chamber stood his bust, crowned with laurel. That seemed to me
suspicious. I saw it later more closely; it was an accidental
resemblance; it was a head of Ares."

Mataswintha was silent, and tried to hide the blushes which rose into
her cheeks.

"Well," cried Arahad, "what is to be done now?"

"We must away. We must reach Ravenna before him, Florentia will hinder
him for a time. Meanwhile we shall take Ravenna, and when thou hast
consummated thy marriage with Mataswintha in the palace of Theodoric,
all the people of the Goths will turn to us. Up, Queen! I will order
thy carriage to be prepared; in an hour thou wilt go to Ravenna,
guarded by my troops."

And the brothers hurried away.

Mataswintha looked after them with flashing eyes.

"Yes! lead me away, bound and a prisoner. Like an eagle from the height
my King will swoop upon you, and save me from your cruel clutches.
Come, Aspa, the liberator approaches!"

CHAPTER IX.

Scarcely had the Goths turned their backs upon the walls of Rome, when
Pope Silverius--the very day after taking the oath--summoned the heads
of the priesthood and nobility, the officials and citizens, to a
council in the _Thermae_ of Caracalla.

Cethegus was also invited, and appeared.

Without the least embarrassment, Silverius moved that, as at last the
hour was come in which to cast off the yoke of the heretics, an embassy
should be sent to Belisarius, the