ors as they rushed in, and was by them
hewn to the ground. Aurelian, at that sound, sprang to his feet. But
alone, with the swords of twenty of his bravest generals at his
breast--and what could he do? One fell at the first sweep of his arm;
but, ere he could recover himself--the twenty seemed to have sheathed
their weapons in his body. Still he fought, but not a word did he utter
till the dagger of Mucapor, raised aloft, was plunged into his breast,
with the words,

'This Aurelia sends!'

'Mucapor!' he then exclaimed as he sank to the ground, 'canst thou stab
Aurelian?' Then turning toward the others, who stood looking upon their
work, he said, 'Why, soldiers and friends, is this? Hold, Mucapor, leave
in thy sword, lest life go too quick; I would speak a word--' and he
seized the wrist of Mucapor and held it even then with an iron grasp. He
then added, 'Romans! you have been deceived! You are all my friends, and
have ever been. Never more than now--' His voice fell.

Probus then reaching forward, cried out, unfolding at the same moment
the bloody list,

'See here, tyrant! are these thy friends?'

The eyes of Aurelian, waking up at those words with all the intentness
of life, sought the fatal scroll and sharply scanned it--then closing
again, he at the same moment drew out the sword of Mucapor, saying as he
did so,

''Tis the hand of Menestheus--not mine. You have been deceived.' With
that he fell backwards and expired.

Those miserable men then looking upon one another--the truth flashed
upon them; and they knew that to save the life of that mean and abject
spirit they there stood together murderers of the benefactor of many of
them--the friend of all--of a General and Emperor whom, with all his
faults, Rome would mourn as one who had crowned with a new glory her
Seven Hills. How did they then accuse themselves for their unreasonable
haste--their blind credulity! How did they bewail the cruel blows which
had thus deprived them of one, whom they greatly feared indeed, but whom
also they greatly loved! above all, one whom, as their master in that
art which in every age has claimed the admiration of the world, they
looked up to as a very god! Some reproached themselves; some, others;
some threw themselves upon the body of Aurelian in the wildness of their
remorse and grief; and all swore vengeance upon the miscreant who had
betrayed them.

Thus perished the great Aurelian--for great he truly was, as the world
h