ed in horror.

"You, O Cethegus!" Julius could just murmur.

"Julius! you must not, must not die!"

And Cethegus passionately tried to stanch the blood that issued from
the three wounds.

"If you love me," said the dying man, "save him--save Totila!" And his
gentle eyes closed for ever.

Cethegus put his hand upon the heart of the dead man; he laid his ear
upon the bared breast.

"All is over!" he then said, in a faint voice. "O Manilia! Julius, I
loved thee! And he died with _his_ name upon his lips! All is over!" he
cried again, but this time in a voice of anger; "the last bond which
united me to human love I have myself cut, deceived by mocking
accident! It was my last weakness! And now all tender feeling, be dead
to me! Lift him on to the horse.--This, my Pluto, shall be your last
service.--Take him--up there I see a chapel--take him there, and let
him be buried with all ceremony by the priests. Merely say that he died
as a monk--that he died for his friend. He deserves a Christian burial.
But I," he added, with a terrible expression on his face, "I will once
more seek his friend; I will unite them without delay--and for ever."

And he mounted his horse.

"Whither?" asked Syphax. "Back to Taginae?"

"No! down into that wood. He must be hidden there, for thence came
Julius."

During these occurrences the King had recovered, and now rode with
Adalgoth, Aligern, and a few riders, straight out of the wood, on the
outer edge of which the road ascended to the chapel hill. As they
issued from the trees they could distinctly perceive the walls of the
building.

But they themselves had been seen, for they heard a yell to their
right, and over the open level a numerous troop of horsemen came
galloping towards them from the river.

The King recognised the leader, and before his companions could prevent
him, he spurred his horse, couched his spear, and rushed to meet his
enemy. Like two thunderbolts from the lowering heavens, the two
horsemen crashed together.

"Insolent barbarian!"

"Miserable traitor!"

And both fell from their horses.

They had met with such fury, that neither of them had thought of
defending himself, but only of overthrowing his adversary.

Furius Ahalla had fallen dead, for the King had pierced him to the
heart through gilded shield and breastplate with such force, that the
shaft of the spear had broken in the wound. But the King also sank
dying into Adalgoth's arms. Ahalla's lanc