lready many a ruler of this people had been
forced against his will to engage in war and suffer defeat. He feared a
similar thing.

With a heavy heart, he one night paced to and fro his tent in the camp
at Regeta.

All at once hasty steps drew near, and the curtain of the tent was
pulled open.

"Up! King of the Goths!" cried a passionate voice. "It is no time now
to sleep!"

"I do not sleep, Teja," said Witichis; "since when art thou returned?
What bringest thou?"

"I have just entered the camp; the dews of night are still upon me.
First know that they are dead!"

"Who?

"The traitor and the murderess!"

"What! hast thou killed them both?"

"I kill no woman. I followed Theodahad, the traitor-king, for two days
and two nights. He was on the way to Ravenna; he had a fair start. But
my hatred was swifter than his cowardice. I overtook him near Narnia;
twelve slaves accompanied his litter. They had no desire to die for the
miserable man; they threw away their torches and fled. I tore him out
of his litter, and put my own sword into his hand. But he fell upon his
knees, begged for his life, and, at the same moment, aimed a
treacherous stroke at me. Then I slew him like an ox at the altar; with
three strokes--one for the realm, two for my parents. And I hung him up
by his belt to a withered yew-tree on the high-road, a prey to the
birds of the air, and a warning to the kings of the earth."

"And what became of her?"

"Her end was terrible," said Teja, shuddering. "When I first passed
through Rome, nothing was known of her but that she had refused to
follow the coward-king. He fled alone. Gothelindis called her
Cappadocian mercenaries together, and promised them heaps of gold, if
they would keep by her, go with her to Dalmatia, and occupy the
fortress of Salona. The men hesitated and wished to see the gold. Then
Gothelindis promised to bring it, and left them. Since then she had
disappeared. When I passed through Rome the second time, she had been
found----"

"Well?"

"She had ventured into the Catacombs alone, without a guide, to fetch
the treasure which had been hidden there. She must have lost herself in
the labyrinth; she could not find the way out. Mercenaries who were
sent to seek her, found her still alive; her torch was not burnt down,
but was almost entire; it must have gone out soon after she had entered
the Catacombs. Madness shone from her eyes; fear of death and a long
despair had overcome this