of little energy or courage, he durst not defy Byzantium, as he gladly
would have done, nor yet knew how to deal subtly for his own ends with
the Eastern despots; he lingered his departure, and in the meantime
earned hatred at Rome because of his inability to feed the populace. It
was already decided that, during his absence, the Holy Father should be
represented by Pelagius, an arrangement very agreeable to that party in
the Church which upheld Imperial supremacy, but less so to those
ecclesiastics--a majority--who desired the independence of Rome in
religious matters, and the recognition of Peter's successor as
Patriarch of Christendom. In speaking to such a personage as this on
Basil's behalf, Silvia had not reflected that the friend of Justinian
was little likely to take the part of one who desired to frustrate an
Imperial command; she thought only of his great influence, and of the
fact that he looked with no favour on the deacon Leander, an
anti-imperialist. What was again unfortunate for Basil, Pelagius had
heard, before leaving Byzantium, of the Emperor's wish to discover
Veranilda, and had already made inquiries on this subject in Rome. He
was glad, then, to speak with this young noble, whose mind he found it
very easy to read, and whom, without the least harshness, he resolved
to deter from his pursuit of a Gothic bride.

The colloquy was not long. Buoyed by his ardour, Basil interpreted the
first words of courteous preamble in the most hopeful sense. What
followed gave him pause; he saw a shadow of obstacle arise. Another
moment, and the obstacle had become very real; it grew to vastness, to
insuperability He stood, as it were, looking into the very eyes of the
Serene Majesty of Byzantium. Not that the speaker used a tone of
peremptory discouragement. Granting the indispensable condition that
Veranilda became a Catholic, it was not an impossible thing, said
Pelagius, that Basil should obtain her as a wife; _but_ it could only
be by the grace of the Emperor. Veranilda had been summoned to
Byzantium. If Basil chose to follow her thither, and sue for her before
the throne, why, this was open to him, as to any other Roman of noble
birth. It would have been idle indeed to seek to learn from Pelagius
whether Veranilda had already left Italy, his tone was that of
omniscience, but his brow altogether forbade interrogation. Basil, in
despair, ventured one inquiry. If he desired to go to Byzantium, could
he obtain le