setting sun. And suddenly master and slave had
disappeared.

The fiery mountain had received the faithful Syphax and the dead
Cethegus, his greatness and his guilt, onto its glowing bosom. The hero
was snatched away from the small spite of his enemies.

Scaevola and Albinus, who had witnessed the occurrence, hastened to
Narses, and demanded that the corpse should be sought for on the sides
of the crater. But Narses said:

"I do not grudge the mighty hero his mighty grave. He has deserved it.
I fight with the living, and not with the dead."

But almost at the same moment, the tumultuous battle round the pass,
which Adalgoth, not unworthy of his royal master, heroically defended
against the attacks of the enemy, ceased. For while, standing behind
Adalgoth, Hildebrand and Wachis suddenly cried, "Look! look at the sea!
The dragon ships! The northern heroes! Harald! Harald!"--the solemn
tones of the tuba were heard from below, sounding the signal for a
cessation of hostilities--for a truce. Very gladly the fatigued and
harassed warriors lowered their weapons.

But King Teja, who lay upon his shield--Hildebrand had forbidden every
one to draw out the spear of Cethegus from the wound--"for his life
would flow out with his blood"--asked in a faint voice:

"What do I hear them cry? The northern heroes? The ships? Is Harald
there?"

"Yes, Harald! He comes to our rescue! He brings safety for the rest of
the nation! For us, and for the women and children!" cried Adalgoth
joyously, as he knelt at Teja's side. "So thy incomparable heroism, my
ever-beloved hero; thy superhuman and untiring efforts, were not in
vain! Basiliskos has just come, sent by Narses. Harald has destroyed
the Ionian fleet in the harbour of Brundusium; he threatens to land and
attack the already exhausted Byzantines; he demands to be allowed to
carry away all the remaining Goths, with weapons and goods, to
Thuleland and liberty! Narses has agreed; he will honour, he says, King
Teja's noble heroism, in the remnant of his people. May we accept? Oh,
may we accept, my King?"

"Yes," said Teja, as his eyes grew dim. "You may and shall. The rest of
my people free! The women, the children, delivered from a terrible
death! Oh, happy that I am! Yes, take all who live to Thuleland; and
take with you--two of the dead: King Theodoric--and----"

"And King Teja!" said Adalgoth: and kissed the dead man's mouth.

CHAPTER XV.