there
must be a sacrifice! I demand it of you in the name of Italy, in the
name of your people and of mine."

"What sacrifice? I consent to any."

"The greatest sacrifice--your crown. Give it to a man who is capable of
uniting the Goths and Italians against Byzantium, and save both
nations."

Amalaswintha looked at him searchingly. A terrible struggle took place
in her soul.

"My crown? It is very dear to me," she said.

"I always held Amalaswintha capable of any sacrifice."

"Dare I place confidence in your advice?"

"If it were sweet, you might doubt it; if I flattered your pride you
might mistrust me. But I offer you the bitter cup of renunciation. I
appeal to your generosity and courage. Make me not ashamed."

"Your last advice was a crime," cried Amalaswintha, shuddering.

"I preserved your throne by every possible means as long as it could be
upheld, as long as it was necessary for Italy; and I now demand that
you should love your people more than your sceptre."

"By God! there you do not err. For my people I have not hesitated to
sacrifice the lives of others"--she gladly dwelt on this thought, which
appeased her conscience--"and I shall not refuse now to sacrifice my
personal ambition. But who will be my successor?"

"Your heir, to whom the crown belongs--Theodahad, the last of the
Amelungs."

"What! that feeble creature?"

"He is no hero, it is true; but heroes will obey the nephew of
Theodoric if you place him on the throne. And, consider, his Roman
education has won the Italians for him; they will stand by him. They
would both fear and hate a king after Hildebrand's heart."

"And rightly," answered the Queen reflectively. "But Gothelindis,
Queen!"

Cethegus came nearer, and looked keenly into her eyes.

"Amalaswintha is not so mean as to nourish a pitiful feminine enmity
when there is need of a noble resolve. You have ever appeared to me
nobler than your sex. Now prove it, and decide."

"Not now," said Amalaswintha. "My head burns and my brain is confused.
Let me alone to-night. You believe me capable of self-sacrifice. I
thank you for that at least. To-morrow I will decide."

BOOK III.
THEODAHAD.

"It seemed to Theodahad that to have neighbours was a kind of
misfortune."--_Procopius: Wars of the Goths_, i. 3.

CHAPTER I.

The morning after the events before described, a manifes