"Things are going on well! Have you any idea of the strength of the
enemy?"

"Not merely an idea; I know it as exactly as Witichis himself. Here is
the list of their troops; Mataswintha, their Queen, sends it to you."

Cethegus looked at him inquiringly.

"Do miracles take place to further the ruin of the Goths?"

"Yes, master, miracles! This lovely woman desires the ruin of her
people, to revenge herself on one man. And this man is her husband!"

"You are mistaken," cried Cethegus. "She loved him from childhood, and
even bought his bust."

"Yes, and she loves him still. But he loves not her; and the bust of
Mars was shattered on the night of her marriage."

"She cannot have told you all this herself?"

"No; but Aspa, my countrywoman and her slave, told me all. She loves
me; and she loves her mistress almost as much as I my master.
Mataswintha wishes you to aid in the destruction of the kingdom of the
Goths. She will write, through Aspa, in the secret cypher of my race.
And if I were Cethegus, I would take this sun-like Queen to my wife."

"I too, if I were Syphax. But your message deserves a crown! A
revengeful and cunning woman is worth more than legions! Now I
defy you, Belisarius, Witichis, and Justinian! Ask a favour,
Syphax--anything except your freedom, for I need you yet."

"My freedom is--to serve you. _One_ favour--let me fight at your side
to-morrow?"

"No, my beautiful panther; I do not need your claws--only your stealthy
step. You will keep silence about the vicinity and strength of the
Goths. Help me on with my armour, and give me the plan of the Salarian
road out of that casket. Now call Marcus Licinius, and the leader of my
Isaurians, Sandil."

Syphax disappeared.

Cethegus cast a look at the plan.

"So they come from the north-west, down the hill. Woe to him who shall
try to stop them there. Then comes the deep valley in which we are
encamped. Here the battle will be fought and lost. Behind us, to the
south-east, our position lies along a deep brook; into this we shall be
inevitably thrown--the bridges cannot be defended. Then a stretch of
flat country. What a fine field for the horsemen to pursue us! Finally,
still farther back, a dense wood and a narrow pass with the ruined
Castle of Hadrian. Marcus," he cried, as the latter entered the tent,
"my troops will march at once. We shall go down along the brook into
the wood; and you will tell whoever questions you that we march back to
R