foot of a Byzantine."

"I swear it," cried Totila, enthusiastically pressing Valerius's hand,
"by the genius of Valeria I swear it!"

"Thanks, thanks, my son. Now I can die in peace--greet Valeria--in your
hand is her fate--and that of Italia!"

He laid his head back upon his shield, crossed his arms over his
breast, and expired.

Totila silently laid his hand upon the dead man's heart, and remained
in this position for some time.

A dazzling light suddenly roused him from his sad reverie; it was the
sun, whose golden disk rose gloriously over the summit of the rocks.

Totila stood up, and looked at the rising luminary. The sea glittered
in the bright rays, and a golden light spread over the land.

"By the genius of Valeria!" repeated Totila in a low voice, and
stretched out his hand towards the glorious sun.

Like the dead man he felt strengthened and comforted by his weighty
oath; the sense of having a noble duty to perform elevated his
feelings. He turned back, and ordered that the corpse should be carried
to his ship, that it might be taken and deposited in the tomb of the
Valerians at Neapolis.

CHAPTER XI.

During these portentous events the Goths had been by no means idle. But
all measures of vigorous defence were paralysed, and, indeed,
intentionally frustrated, by the cowardly treachery of the King.

Theodahad had soon recovered from his consternation at the declaration
of war on the part of Petros, for he could not and would not part with
the conviction that it had only been made in order to keep up
appearances and save the honour of the imperial government.

He had not again spoken with Petros in private, and the latter must
necessarily have some plausible reason for the appearance of Belisarius
in Italy. No doubt the act of Petros had been a long-determined means
for the accomplishment of the secret plans of the Emperor.

The thought of carrying on a war--of all thoughts the most unbearable
to Theodahad--he very well understood how to keep at a distance, for he
wisely reflected that it takes two to fight.

"If I do not defend myself," he thought, "the attack will soon be over.
Belisarius may come--I will do all in my power to prevent any
resistance being made, for that would only embitter the Emperor against
me. If, on the contrary, the general reports to Byzantium that I have
furthered his success in all possible ways, Justinian will not refuse
to fulfil th