alled 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?"

"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 principal 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