l friend in
Constantinople."

"The vengeance of Heaven,--retribution," Gelimer repeated in a hollow
tone. "All, all, unite in that!"

"What?" cried Gibamund, in an outburst of rage. "Has the learned
Cassiodorus grown childish? Justinian, the wily intriguer, an avenging
angel of God! And especially that she-devil, whose name I will not
utter in my pure wife's presence! That pair the avengers of God!"

"That proves nothing," Gelimer murmured, talking to himself as if lost
in reverie. "The Fathers of the Church teach that God often uses evil,
sinful men for His deeds of vengeance."

"A wise utterance," said the priest, nodding his head gravely.

"I cannot believe it," cried Gibamund. "Where is the sentence?"
Snatching the letter from Verus's hand, he rapidly glanced through it.
"Sicily shall stand open to the Byzantines,--Justinian her only real
friend, her protector and gracious defender."

"Ah," cried Hilda, sorrowfully, "does the daughter of the great
Theodoric write that?"

"But," Gibamund went on in astonishment, "the sentence about the
vengeance of Heaven--it is not here at all--not one word of it."

"Not in the mere wording, but the meaning is there," said the priest,
taking the letter again and concealing it in the folds of his robe.

The King had not noticed the incident. He was pacing up and down the
spacious hall with slow, hesitating steps, talking to himself. Now he
again approached the table, saying wearily: "Go on. I suppose this is
not all? But the end is coming," he added, unheard by the others.

"Your messenger. King Gelimer, sent to Tripolis to bring Pudentius here
to be tried before your tribunal, has returned."

"When did he arrive?"

"Within an hour."

"Without Pudentius?"

"He refuses to obey."

"What? I gave the messenger a hundred horsemen to bring the traitor by
force if necessary."

"They were received with a discharge of arrows from the walls.
Pudentius had locked the gates, armed the citizens; the city has
forsworn its allegiance to you. The whole province of Tripolitana has
also risen, probably relying upon aid from Constantinople. Pudentius
called from the battlements to your messenger, 'Now Nemesis is
overtaking the bloody Vandals.'"

The King made a gesture as if to ward off invisible powers assailing
him.

"Nemesis?" cried Gibamund. "Yes, she will overtake--the traitor. And
while such peril threatens us close at hand in Africa itself, we send
our best weapon,--the