hip are one thing, and fighting is another.
After them, my wolves! into the town!"

And the Longobardians galloped forwards to Caprae, burst open the
northern gate--which had been closed, but not bolted, by the flying
Goths--and rushed through the long street towards the southern gate,
through which the last Goth was just disappearing.

Narses had till now stood upright in his litter with difficulty,
observing all that passed.

"Halt!" he angrily cried. "Halt! Blow the trumpets! Sound the retreat!
It is the most clumsy trap in the world! But this Alboin thinks that if
any one runs away from him, it must be in earnest!"

But the trumpeters blew in vain.

The cries of victory uttered by the pursuing Longobardians, drowned the
blast of the trumpets; or those that heard it disregarded it.

Narses groaned as he saw the last ranks of the Longobardians disappear
into the Gate of Caprae.

"Oh!" he sighed; "those blockheads oblige me to commit a folly with
open eyes. I cannot let them suffer for their stupidity as they
deserve. I still need them. Therefore, forward, in the name of
nonsense! Before we can overtake them, they may be already half
destroyed! Forward, Cethegus, Anzalas, and Liberius! Take the
Isaurians, Armenians, and Illyrians, and get into Caprae. But reflect
that the town _cannot_ be empty. It is a snare, into which we follow
those blind bulls with open eyes. I will come after in my litter; but I
can stand no more."

And he sank back into his seat, terribly fatigued. A slight convulsion,
such as he often experienced when excited, shook his frame.

The footmen of Cethegus and Liberius advanced towards the town at a
rapid march, the two leaders riding in front.

Meanwhile pursued and pursuers had rushed through the little town, and
the last Longobardians had passed Caprae, while the first, with Alboin,
had reached that part of the Flaminian Way where the two hills bounded
and confined the road on the right and left.

The King galloped forward another horse's length; then he halted,
turned, and gave a sign.

Adalgoth, who rode at his side, blew his horn, and out of the northern
gate of Taginae issued Thorismuth and his spear-bearers, while from the
double ambush on the hills the Persian horsemen of the Corsican burst
out with a yell and a blast of cornets.

"Now wheel about, my Goths! Forward to the charge! Woe to the
befooled!" cried Totila.

Alboin looked helplessly round.

"We have never before