spear into the air, as he rode off at full gallop, and
caught it by the middle of the shaft as it fell quivering, first with
his right hand, and then with his left; and thus he showed to the
wondering troops his feats of horsemanship."

After the battle, however, the Byzantines learned the true reason of
this merry sport.

For a time Alboin looked on quietly.

Then he said to a Longobardian chief who stood near him:

"That fellow rides to the battle-field adorned like a bridegroom! What
costly armour! We do not see the like at home, Gisulf. And not to dare
to attack! Does Narses again sleep?"

CHAPTER XVIII.

At last a Persian horseman, making his way through the ranks of the
Goths, galloped up to the King, gave a message, and galloped back again
at full speed.

"At last!" cried Totila. "Now enough of sport! Brave Alboin, son of
Audoin," he loudly cried across to the enemy's ranks, "wilt thou really
fight for the Greeks against us? Then come on, O King's son--it is a
King who calls thee?"

Alboin could no longer restrain his impatience.

"Mine must he be with armour and horse!" he shouted, and spurred
forward with his lance couched.

Totila, with a gentle pressure of his thigh, brought his horse to a
sudden standstill. It seemed that he intended to stand the shock.

Alboin came on at a furious gallop.

Another slight pressure of Totila's thigh, a clever spring to one side,
and the Longobardian, who could not check his horse, rushed far past
his adversary.

But the next moment Totila was at Alboin's back; he could easily have
bored him through with his spear.

The Longobardians, seeing the danger of their chief, uttered loud cries
and hurried to his assistance.

But Totila whirled his lance round, and contented himself with giving
his adversary such a thrust in the left side with the shaft end, that
Alboin fell headlong out of his saddle on the right side of his horse.
Totila quietly rode back to his troop, waving his spear over his head
in triumph.

Alboin had remounted, and now led his troop against the thin ranks of
the Goths.

But just before the shock of meeting, the King cried, "Fly! fly into
the town!" turned his horse's head, and galloped away towards Caprae.

His horsemen followed him.

For one moment Alboin halted in perplexity. But the next he cried:

"It is nothing else; it is a pure flight! There they run into the gate!
Yes, feats of horsemans