, 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
hitherto 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!"

Cethegus reflected in silence, slowly stroking his chin with his left
hand. Suddenly a thought seemed to flash across his mind. A ray of joy
beautified his face.

"In this way I can ruin them both," he said to himself.

At this moment he was exceedingly contented with himself.

But first he wished to make sure of Belisarius.

"Reasonably, you can only do one of two things," he said hesitatingly.

"Speak: I see neit