eady Taulantius raised his club over the King's head. But Teja did
not loiter; sacrificing his half-shattered shield, he dashed it into
the Illyrian's visorless face, letting it go; and almost at the same
moment he thrust the point of his battle-axe through the breast-plate
of Autharis, who was rushing upon him. But now the King stood without a
shield, and his distant enemies redoubled their hail of spears and
arrows. With axe and sword, Teja parried the thickly falling darts.

An alarum from the pass caused him to look round. He saw that the
greater part of the warriors whom he had led out of the ravine had
fallen. The innumerable projectiles hurled from a distance had done
their deadly work, and already, advancing from the left, a powerful
division of Longobardians, Persians, and Armenians, had attacked them
in the flank, and now mingled in a hand-to-hand fight.

On the right the King saw a column of Thracians, Macedonians, and
Franks press forward against the guardians of the pass with spears
couched; while a third division--Gepidians, Alamannians, Isaurians, and
Illyrians, tried to cut off himself and the small troop which still
stood at his back from the retreat into the pass.

Teja looked sharply towards the pass. For a moment the banner of
Theodoric disappeared--it seemed to have fallen. This circumstance
decided the King.

"Back into the pass! Save Theodoric's banner!" he cried to those behind
him, and tried to break through the troop of enemies which surrounded
him.

But they were in terrible earnest, for they were led by Johannes.

"Upon the King," lie cried. "Do not let him through. Do not let him go
back! Spears! Throw!"

Aligern had come up.

"Take my shield!" he cried.

Teja caught the proffered shield just in time to receive the lance
hurled by Johannes, which would otherwise have pierced his visor.

"Back to the pass!" again Teja cried, and rushed with such impetuosity
upon Johannes, that the latter fell to the ground. The two nearest
Isaurians succumbed to Teja's sword.

And now Teja, Aligern, Guntharis, Hildebrand, Grippa, Wisand and
Ragnaris hurried back to the pass. But here the battle was already
raging. Alboin and Gisulf had stormed the pass, and a heavy, pointed
block of lava, hurled by Alboin, had struck Adalgoth on the thigh, and
caused him to sink upon his knees. But Wachis had caught the falling
banner, and Adalgoth, quickly rising, had pushed the Longobardian, who
was pressing f