uman beauty transfigured into an angel's
radiant loveliness, no longer any trace of earth about her; and she
said: 'Go to your brothers-in-arms, ask for a sword, and fight and fall
for your people. That will be the best atonement.' Oh, believe me, my
King! I do not lie with the name of that saint on my lips. If you can
forgive me for her sake--oh, let me--"

Zazo stepped forward, drew the sword from the sheath of one of his own
warriors, and gave it to the monk. "Here, Thrasabad, son of Thrasamer!
I will answer for it to the King. Do you see? He, too, is nodding to
you. Take this sword and go with my men. You will probably need no
scabbard. Now, King Gelimer, let the horns bray. Forward! at the foe!"

CHAPTER XIV

The King, with a keen eye of a general, had seen that the crisis of the
battle would be decided in the centre of the two armies, where on the
southwest at the left, and on the northeast at the right of the little
stream, rose a succession of low hills. Besides, deserters from the
Huns had reported that in the next encounter these troops would either
not fight at all, or take a very inactive part; therefore Gelimer
expected from the right Roman wing no peril to his own left flank. He
stationed the right wing of the Vandal troops tolerably far back, so
that the enemy would have to march a considerable distance to reach it.
Perhaps by that time the centre might already have won the victory, and
thereby obtained the accession of the Huns.

So the King placed the best strength of his troops in the centre. By
far the larger portion consisted of cavalry; there was a small force of
infantry, Zazo's warriors, numbering nearly five thousand; here, too,
he had posted Gibamund with his faithful two hundred men; here were the
two Gundings and their numerous kinsmen, with boar helmets and boar
shields, like their leaders; here he himself took his station with a
large body of cavalry, to which he added the few faithful Moors from
the Pappua Mountains under their young chief, Sersaon. The command of
the two wings he had intrusted to two other noblemen. Before the
beginning of the battle and during its course, Gelimer dashed in person
on a swift horse everywhere through the ranks, rousing and stimulating
the courage of his men.

The conflict began as the King had planned, by a total surprise of the
foe. Just at the time the Byzantines were busied in preparing the
morning meal, Gelimer sud