ear it."

"Prefect of Rome, Earl Teja is a free, unblemished, honourable man. Can
you deny it?"

"I deny it. He is not unblemished. His parents lived in an illegal,
incestuous marriage; they were sister's children. The Church has cursed
their connection and its fruit. He is a bastard, and can not bear
witness against a noble Roman of senatorial rank."

A murmur of anger burst from all the Goths present. Teja's pale face
became still paler. He grasped his sword.

"Then I will defend my word with my sword," he said, in a voice stifled
by rage. "I challenge thee to mortal combat! God shall judge between
us!"

"I am a Roman, and do not act according to your barbaric customs. But
even if I were a Goth, I would refuse to fight a bastard!"

"Patience," said Teja, and quietly returned his sword to its sheath.
"Patience, my sword; thy day will come!"

The Romans in the room breathed again.

The King resumed:

"However that may be, the accusation is sufficiently well founded to
justify the arrest of the said Roman. You, Cassiodorus, will decipher
the secret writing. You, Earl Witichis, will hasten to Rome and make
sure of the five suspected men; search their houses, and that of the
Prefect. Hildebrand, arrest the accused, and take his sword."

"Hold!" said Cethegus. "I will guarantee not to leave Ravenna until
this question be settled, with the forfeiture of all my property. I
demand an examination upon a free footing; such is the right of a
senator."

"Trouble not thyself about that, my son," cried old Hildebrand to the
King. "Let me arrest him!"

"Let him alone," answered the King. "He shall have strict justice.
Leave him. The accusation has taken him by surprise. He shall have time
to prepare his defence. To-morrow at this hour we will meet here again.
I dissolve the assembly."

He made a sign with his sceptre. Amalaswintha hurried away in the
greatest excitement.

The Goths surrounded Teja, greatly pleased; but the Romans passed
quickly by Cethegus, avoiding any speech with him.

Cassiodorus alone stepped firmly up to him, laid his hand upon his
shoulder, looking searchingly into his eyes, and then asked:

"Cethegus, can I help you?"

"No; I will help myself," answered Cethegus, shaking him off, and went
out alone with a proud step.

CHAPTER XVI.

The heavy blow which the young King had so unexpectedly aimed at the
whole system of the Regency soon filled the palace a