ourself, and give me
three hundred. Two roads lead right and left from the little town
over--no! they have broken down the bridges--they lead _through_ the
Clasius and the Sibola--let us take these roads. The wounded King is
certainly--can he still fight?"

"Hardly."

"Then he has fled beyond Taginae--to Rome or--"

"No; to his bride!" cried Furius. "Most certainly to Valeria in the
cloister. Ha! I will stab him in her very arms! Up, Persians! follow
me. Thanks, Prefect! Take as many horsemen as you like. And ride to the
right--I will ride to the left round the town; for both roads lead to
the cloister."

And, wheeling to the left, he disappeared.

Cethegus ordered the rest of the horsemen to follow him, speaking in
the Persian language.

Then he rode up to Liberius and said:

"I will take the Gothic King prisoner."

"What? He still lives? Then make haste!"

"Meanwhile you can take this Taginae," continued Cethegus; "I will leave
you my Isaurians."

And he galloped away with Syphax and three hundred Persians.

Meantime the wounded King had been taken by his friends out of Taginae
into a little pine-wood near the road, where he drank from a spring and
gradually revived.

"Julius," he said, "ride on to Valeria; tell her that the battle is
lost, but not the kingdom. That I am alive and still hope. As soon as I
feel a little stronger I shall ride up to the Spes Bonorum. I ordered
Teja and Hildebrand there when they had finished their tasks. It is a
high and safe position. Go, I beg thee; comfort Valeria and take her
also from the cloister to Spes Bonorum. Thou wilt not? Then I must
myself ride up the difficult road--surely thou wilt spare me that?"

Julius was reluctant to leave the wounded man.

"Oh, relieve me from my helmet and mantle! they are so heavy," said
Totila.

Julius took them from him and gave him his own mantle.

CHAPTER XIX.

All at once a thought flashed across the mind of the monk; had they not
once before exchanged garments--the Dioscuri?

Had he not once before drawn the murderous steel directed at Totila's
heart upon himself?

He thought they were followed. It seemed to him that he heard horses
approaching, and Aligern--Adalgoth held the King's head upon his
knees--had hastened to the edge of the wood to look.

"Yes, it is they," he cried as he returned; "Persian horsemen are
riding up from both sides of the wood!"

"Then make haste, Juli