. She had become used to it,
not only physically but morally. Slowly but surely, her reluctant soul
was influenced by the grave authority of the sacred precincts.

The King met her in the cloister garden, and it seemed to him that her
complexion was much paler, her step slower, than usual.

"What ails you, Valeria?" he asked tenderly. "When our vow seemed past
fulfilment, you were still full of hope and courage. Now, when your
lover wears the crown of this realm, and the foot of the enemy treads
the sacred soil of Italia in scarcely more than one city, will you sink
and despair?"

"Not despair, friend," said Valeria gravely, "but renounce. No, no!
be patient and hear me. Why do you hide from me what all Italia
knows--what your people wish? The King of the Ostrogoths at Toletum has
offered you his alliance against Byzantium, and the hand of his
daughter. Your people expect and wish you to accept both these offers.
I will not be more selfish than was that high-minded daughter of your
nation, Rauthgundis, of whom your minstrels already sing. And I know
that you are as capable of sacrifice as the simple-minded man who was
your unfortunate King."

"I hope that I should be so, if necessary. But happily there is no need
of sacrifice. I do not want the help of the Ostrogoth. Look around, or
rather, look beyond these convent walls. Never has the kingdom
flourished as it does now. Once again I will offer to make peace with
the Emperor. If he still refuse, a war will break out such as he has
never seen. Ravenna will soon fell. Truly, my power and my courage are
not reduced to the point of renunciation! The air of this cloister has
at length enervated your steadfast mind. You must leave this place.
Choose the most lovely of all Italian cities for your residence. Let us
rebuild your father's house in Neapolis."

"No. Leave me here. I have learned to love this quiet place."

"It is the quiet of the grave! And you know well that to renounce you
would be to renounce the ideal of my life. You are the living symbol
of all my plans; you are to me Italia herself! You must become
mine--wholly, irrevocably mine. Goths and Italians shall take their
King and Queen for a pattern; they shall become as united and happy as
we. No--no objections--no more doubts! Thus I smother them!" and he
passionately embraced her.

A few days later Julius Montanus arrived, coming from Genoa and
Urbinum.

The King and his retinue went to meet him outs