on of
the Goths is free and acknowledges no foreign master or judge or
earth."

"Not even for murder?"

"If evil deeds occur amongst us, we ourselves will judge and punish
them. It does not concern strangers; least of all our enemy, the
Emperor of Byzantium."

"My Emperor will revenge this woman, whom he could not save. Deliver up
the murderers to Byzantium."

"We would not deliver up a Gothic hind, much less our King!"

"Then you share his guilt and his punishment, and I declare war against
you in the name of my master. Tremble before Justinian and Belisarius!"

A movement of joy amongst the Gothic warriors was the only answer.

Old Hildebrand went to the window, and cried to the Goths, who crowded
below:

"News! joyful news! War with Byzantium!"

At this a tumult broke loose below, as if the sea had burst its dams;
weapons clashed, and a thousand voices shouted:

"War! war with Byzantium!"

This repetition of his words was not without effect upon Petros or the
Italians. The fierceness of this enthusiasm alarmed them; they were
silent, and cast down their eyes.

While the Goths, shaking hands, congratulated each other, Witichis went
up to Petros with an earnest mien, and said solemnly:

"Then it is war! We do not shun it; that you have heard. Better open
war than this lurking, undermining enmity. War is good; but woe to him
who kindles it without reason and without a just cause! I see
beforehand years of blood and murder and conflagration; I see trampled
corn-fields, smoking towns, and numberless corpses swimming down the
rivers! Listen to our words. Upon your heads be this blood, this
misery! You have irritated and excited us for years; we bore it
quietly. And now you have declared war against us, judging where you
had no right to judge, and mixing yourselves in the affairs of a nation
which is as free as your own. On your heads be the responsibility! This
is our answer to Byzantium."

Silently Petros listened to these words; silently he turned and went
out, followed by his companions.

Some of them accompanied him to his residence, amongst them the Bishop
of Florentia.

"Reverend friend," Petros said to the latter at parting, "the letters
of Theodahad about the matter you know of, which you entrusted to me
for perusal, you must leave entirely at my disposal. I need them, and
they are no longer necessary to you."

"The process is long since decided," answered the Bishop, "and the
property irrev