ustinian! why do not the fifty thousand
Neapolitans rise and disarm the barbarians?"

"No doubt they fear your Huns more than their Goths," observed
Procopius.

"They are bad patriots! Forward, Martinus! In an hour Neapolis must
burn!"

"In a shorter time," sighed the mathematician, "if it must be so. I
have brought with me a man who is well-informed; who can help us much,
and simplify the work. He is a living plan of the city. May I bring him
in?"

Belisarius nodded, and the sentry called in a little Jewish-looking
man.

"Ah! Jochem, the architect!" said Belisarius. "I knew you at Byzantium.
You were to rebuild the church of St. Sophia. What became of that
project?"

"By your leave, general, nothing."

"Why not?"

"My plan only amounted to a million centenaria of gold; that was too
little for his Imperial Majesty. For the more a Christian church costs,
the more holy and pleasing to God. A Christian asked double the amount,
and got the order."

"But still I saw you building in Byzantium?"

"Yes, general, my plan pleased the Emperor. I changed it a little, took
out the altar-place, and afterwards built from it a riding-school."

"You know Neapolis thoroughly--outside and inside?"

"Outside and inside--as well as my moneybag."

"'Tis well. You will direct the machines for the strategist against the
walls and into the city. The houses of the friends of the Goths must
come down first. Forward! Mind and do your business well, or else you
will be impaled! Away!"

"The poor city!" sighed Martinus. "But you will see, Jochem, how exact
are the pyrobalistae; and they work so easily, a child could manage
them. And they act so splendidly!"

And now in all the camp began a monstrous and danger-pregnant activity.

The Gothic sentinels upon the ramparts saw how the heavy machines,
drawn by twenty to thirty horses, camels, asses, or oxen, were brought
before the walls, and divided along the whole line.

Totila and Uliaris went anxiously to the walls and tried to meet this
new danger with effectual means of defence.

Sacks filled with earth were let down before the places threatened by
the rams; firebrands were laid ready to set the machines on fire as
they approached; boiling water, arrows, and stones were to be directed
against the teams and drivers; and already the Goths laughed at the
cowardly enemy when they noticed that the machines halted far out of
the usual range of shot, and completely out of the rea