in the walls of Rome, ask more, and it
shall not be refused.'

So Basil rode southward, and happily was far away when Tibur opened its
gates to the Goth. For more than half a year he and Venantius were busy
in maintaining the Gothic rule throughout Lucania and Apulia, where
certain Roman nobles endeavoured to raise an army of the peasantry in
aid of the Greek invasion constantly expected upon the Adriatic shore.
When at length he was recalled, the siege of Rome had begun. The Gothic
ladies now resided at Tibur, where a garrison was established; there
Basil and Veranilda again met, and again only for an hour. But their
hopes were high, and scarce could they repine at the necessity of
parting so soon. Already in a letter, Basil had spoken of the king's
promise; he now repeated it, whilst Veranilda flushed with happiness.

'And you remain before Rome?' she asked.

'Alas, no! I am sent to Ravenna, to spy out the strength of Belisarius.'

But Rome was besieged, and so hateful had Bessas made himself to the
Roman people that it could not be long ere some plot among them
delivered the city.

'Then,' cried Basil exultantly, 'I shall ask my reward.'

CHAPTER XXX

* * * *

On a winter's day, at the hour of sundown, Heliodora sat in her great
house on the Quirinal, musing sullenly. Beside her a brazier of
charcoal glowed in the dusk, casting a warm glimmer upon the sculptured
forms which were her only companions; she was wrapped in a scarlet
cloak, with a hood which shadowed her face. All day the sun had shone
brilliantly, but it glistened afar on snowy summits, and scarce
softened the mountain wind which blew through the streets of Rome.

To divert a hungry populace, now six months besieged, Bessas was
offering entertainments such as suited the Saturnalian season. To-day
he had invited Rome to the Circus Maximus, where, because no spectacle
could be provided imposing enough to fill the whole vast space, half a
dozen shows were presented simultaneously; the spectators grouped here
and there, in number not a fiftieth part of that assembly which
thundered at the chariots in olden time. Here they sat along the
crumbling, grass-grown, and, as their nature was, gladly forgot their
country's ruin, their own sufferings, and the doom which menaced them.
Equestrians, contortionists, mimes, singers, were readily found in the
city, where a brave or an honest man had become rare indeed. What a
performance lacked in art, he