s he should
exact. The hearts of the Senate, lightened for a moment by Alaric's
unexpected announcement that he would moderate his demands, sank within
them again as they thought on the tribute required of them, and
remembered their exhausted treasury. But it was no time now to
remonstrate or to delay; and they answered with one accord, ignorant
though they were of the means of performing their promise, 'The ransom
shall be paid.'

The king looked at them when they spoke, as if in astonishment that men
whom he had deprived of all freedom of choice ventured still to assert
it by intimating their acceptance of terms which they dared not
decline. The mocking spirit revived within him while he thus gazed on
the helpless and humiliated embassy; and he laughed once more as he
resumed, partly addressing himself to the silent array of the warriors
behind him--

'The gold and silver are but the first dues of the tribute; my army
shall be rewarded with more than the wealth of the enemy. You men of
Rome have laughed at our rough bearskins and our heavy armour, you
shall clothe us with your robes of festivity! I will add to the gold
and silver of your ransom, four thousand garments of silk, and three
thousand pieces of scarlet cloth. My barbarians shall be barbarians no
longer! I will make patricians, epicures, Romans of them!'

The members of the ill-fated embassy looked up as he paused, in mute
appeal to the mercy of the triumphant conqueror; but they were not yet
to be released from the crushing infliction of his rapacity and scorn.

'Hold!' he cried, 'I will have more--more still! You are a nation of
feasters;--we will rival you in your banquets when we have stripped you
of your banqueting robes! To the gold, the silver, the silk, and the
cloth, I will add yet more--three thousand pounds weight of pepper,
your precious merchandise, bought from far countries with your lavish
wealth!--see that you bring it hither, with the rest of the ransom, to
the last grain! The flesh of our beasts shall be seasoned for us like
the flesh of yours!'

He turned abruptly from the senators as he pronounced the last words,
and began to speak in jesting tones and in the Gothic language to the
council of warriors around him. Some of the ambassadors bowed their
heads in silent resignation; others, with the utter thoughtlessness of
men bewildered by all that they had seen and heard during the interview
that was now close, unhappily revi