and pressed
forward.

Furius and Alboin spurred their horses.

"Spare the King's life! take him prisoner! He spared me!" cried Alboin.

For he had been greatly touched when Gisulf told him that he distinctly
saw the King change the point of his spear for the shaft.

"No! Down with Totila!" cried Furius.

And he hurled his spear at the wounded man, whom Aligern was trying to
lift upon the Prefect's horse and lead out of the fight.

Julius caught the Corsican's first spear upon Teja's proven shield.

Furius called for a second, and aimed at the press around the King;
Phaza, the Armenian, tried to parry the stroke and received the spear
in his heart.

Then Furius, who had now spurred close up, raised his long and crooked
scimetar against the King. But before the stroke could fall the
Corsican fell backwards from his saddle.

The young Duke of Apulia had thrust the staff of his banner with such
force against Ahalla's breast that the wood was shattered.

And now Totila's banner--the costly work of Valeria and her women--was
in the greatest danger in Adalgoth's hands. For all the enemy's horse
pressed upon the bold young standard-bearer; a stroke of Gisulf's axe
struck the staff and broke it again--Adalgoth tore off the silken flag
and tucked it into his sword-belt.

Alboin had now come up, and cried:

"Yield, thou King of the Goths--to me, a King's son!"

Aligern had just succeeded in lifting the King on to the Prefect's
horse; he turned to the Longobardian, who, wishing to stay the
King's flight but to save his life, aimed a stroke at the latter's
horse with his spear. But the next moment Aligern had cleft Alboin's
vulture-winged helmet, and, stunned, the latter wavered in his saddle.

Thus, the leaders of their enemies being for the moment repulsed,
Adalgoth, Aligern, and Julius had time to lead the King out of the
tumult as far as the northern gate of Taginae. From this place the King
would have conducted the battle, but he could scarcely hold himself
upright in his saddle.

"Thorismuth," he said, "thou must defend Taginae; for the present Caprae
is lost. Let a mounted messenger fetch the whole of Hildebrand's wing
here; the road to Rome must be kept open at all costs. Teja, as I
learned, has already joined in the battle with his left wing.--To
defend the retreat to the south--is our last hope!"

And, saying this, he swooned away.

But Earl Thorismuth said:

"I and my spearmen will defend Taginae t