you suffer me to come into your presence, for of all
men, O Veranilda, I am least worthy to do so.'

'How shall I answer you?' she replied, with a sad, simple dignity. 'I
know not of what unworthiness you accuse yourself. That you are most
unhappy, I know too well.'

She dared not raise her eyes to him; but in the moment of his
appearance before her, it had gladdened her to see him attired as when
she first knew him. Had he worn the soldierly garb in which he
presented himself at Marcian's villa, the revival of a dread memory
would have pierced her heart. Even as in outward man he was the Basil
she had loved, so did his voice recall that brighter day.

'Unhappy most of all,' he continued, 'in what I least dare speak of. I
have no ground to plead for pardon. What I did, and still more what I
uttered, judge it at the worst. I should but add to my baseness if I
urged excuses.'

'Let us not remember that, I entreat you,' said Veranilda. 'But tell
me, if you will, what has befallen you since?'

'You know nothing of me since then?'

'Nothing.'

'And I nothing of you, save that you were with the Gothic army, and
honourably entertained. The king himself spoke to me of you, when,
after long sickness, I came to his camp. He asked if it was my wish to
see you; but I could not yet dare to stand before your face, and so I
answered him. "It is well," said Totila. "Prove yourself in some
service to the Goths and to your country, then I will speak with you
again." And straightway he charged me with a duty which I the more
gladly undertook because it had some taste of danger. He bade me enter
Rome, and spread through the city a proclamation to the Roman people--'

'It was you who did that?' interrupted the listener. 'We heard of its
being done, but not by what hand.'

'With a servant whom I can trust, disguised, he and I, as peasants
bringing food to market, I entered Rome, and remained for two days
within the gates; then returned to Totila. He next sent me to learn the
strength of the Greek garrisons in Spoletium and Assisium, and how
those cities were provisioned; this task also, by good hap, I
discharged so as to win some praise. Then the king again spoke to me of
you. And as, before, I had not dared to approach you, so now I did not
dare to wait longer before making known to you my shame and my
repentance.'

'Of what sickness did you speak just now?' asked Veranilda, after a
silence.

He narrated to her his sojourn at