etely taken by surprise. They thought that a whole army of Goths
was on the march. They hastened to join their horses and fly. But the
Goths reached the place where the animals stood at the same moment as
their owners, and, in confused heaps, men and horses were driven off
the road into the sea. In vain Johannes himself struck at his flying
people; their rush threw him to the ground; he sprang up immediately
and attacked the nearest Goth. But he had fallen into bad hands. It was
Totila; he recognised him.

"Cursed Flax-head!" he cried, "so you are not drowned?"

"No, as you see!" cried Totila, and struck a blow at the other's helm,
which cleft it through and entered slightly into his skull, so that he
staggered and fell.

With this all resistance was at an end. The nearest of the horsemen
just managed to lift Johannes into a saddle, and galloped off with him.

The scene of action was deserted.

Totila hurried back to the pass. He found Valerius, pale, with closed
eyes, his head resting on his shield. He threw himself on his knees
beside him, and pressed his stiffening hand to his heart.

"Valerius!" he cried, "father! do not, do not leave me so. Speak to me
once more!"

The dying man faintly opened his eyes.

"Where are they?" he asked.

"Beaten and fled!"

"Ah! victory!" cried Valerius, breathing anew. "I die happy! And
Valeria--my child--is she saved?"

"She is. Escaped from the naval combat, and from the sea itself, I
hastened to warn Neapolis and save you. I had landed near the high-road
between your house and Neapolis; there I met Valeria and learned your
danger. One of my boats received her and her companions on board to
take them to Neapolis; with the other I came here to save you--oh! only
to revenge you!" and he laid his head upon the breast of the dying man.

"Do not weep for me; I die victorious! And to you, my son, I owe it."

He stroked the long fair locks of the sorrowing youth.

"And Valeria's safety too! Oh! to you also, I hope, I shall owe the
salvation of Italy. You are hero enough to save this country--in spite
of Belisarius and Narses! You can--and you will--and your reward is the
hand of my beloved child."

"Valerius! my father!"

"She is yours! But swear to me"--and Valerius raised himself with an
effort and looked into Totila's eyes--"swear to me by the genius of
Valeria that she shall not become your wife until Italy is free, and
not a sod of her sacred soil is pressed by the