ve taken care that the Emperor's
successors and their generals shall not want work!"

The procession was closed by the rest of the Gothic army.

Innumerable boats lent their assistance in the embarkation of the
people and their scanty possessions. Presently all were on board the
high-decked vessels of the Northmen.

The corpses of Teja and Theodoric, the royal banner, and the royal
treasure, were taken into Harald's ship. The great Dietrich of Bern
was placed upon his throne at the foot of the mainmast, and his
lion-standard hoisted to the mast-head. Old Hildebrand installed
himself at the foot of the throne.

In the stern of the ship, Adalgoth and Wisand had laid down the body of
Teja. The mighty Harald and his beautiful sister approached it
sorrowfully. The Viking laid his mailed hand gently upon the dead man's
breast, and said:

"I could not save thee, bold and daring King! I could not save thee and
thy people. Nothing remains but to take thee and the rest of thy folk
to the land of the strong and the true, from which you should never
have departed. Thus, after all, I bring back to King Frode the Gothic
nation."

But Haralda said:

"I will preserve the body of the noble dead by secret arts, so that it
shall endure until we land in our home. There we will vault for him and
King Thidrekr a hill-grave near the sea, so that they may together hear
the roar of the breakers and hold converse with each other; for they
were worthy of each other. Look, my brother! the enemy's army stands in
ranks upon the strand; they lower their flags and weapons in reverence,
and the sun sinks glowing behind Misenum and yonder islands; a crimson
glow covers the sea as with a royal mantle; our white sails are
coloured red, and red gold shines upon our weapons! Look how the south
wind spreads out the banner of King Thidrekr! The wind, which obeys the
will of the gods, points to the north! Up, brother Harald! weigh
anchor! direct the rudder! turn the dragon's prow! Up, Freya's wise
bird! Fly, my falcon!"--and she tossed her falcon into the air--"point
out the way! to the north! to Thuleland! Home! home we take the last of
the Goths!"

FOOTNOTE:
[Footnote 1: Theodoric.]

THE END.

BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, SURREY.
_H. L. & Co._

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Struggle for Rome, v.