o you would like, when the Goths are done with, to have Belisarius
out of Italy?"

"Certainly. In the Persian land bloom his and my laurels. I have
thought already of many a plan to get him away from here."

Cethegus was silent. He was glad to have found such an important ally
for his plans. At last he said:

"And so his 'reason' Procopius, rules the lion Belisarius?"

"No," sighed Procopius; "rather his _un_reason, his wife!"

"Antonina! Tell me, why did you call her unhappy?"

"Because she is half-hearted and a contradiction. Nature intended her
for a good and faithful wife; and Belisarius loves her with all his
heroic heart. But she came to the court of the Empress. Theodora, the
beautiful she-devil, is intended by nature as much for vice as is
Antonina for virtue. The circus-girl has certainly never felt the sting
of conscience. But I believe she cannot endure to have an honest woman
near her, because an honest woman would despise her. She did not rest
until she had succeeded in arousing Antonina's coquetry by her hellish
example. Now Antonina suffers tortures of remorse on account of her
dalliance with her adorers; for she loves, she worships her husband."

"And yet? How is it possible that a hero like Belisarius cannot content
her?"

"Just because he is a hero. He does not flatter her, with all his love.
She could not bear to see the Empress's lovers exhaust themselves in
verses, flowers, and gifts, and to live herself without such homage.
Vanity was her snare. But she does not feel at all at ease amidst her
trifling."

"And has Belisarius any suspicion?"

"Not a shadow. He is the only one in all the Roman Empire who does not
know what most concerns him. I believe it would be his death. For this
reason alone he must not remain here in peace, as Governor of Italy. In
the camp, in the tumult of battle, flatterers are wanting to the
coquettish woman and also the leisure to listen to them. For, as if
in voluntary atonement for the sweet crimes of secret verses and
flowers--she is certainly incapable of greater guilt--Antonina outdoes
all other women in the severe performance of her duty. She is
Belisarius's friend, his co-commander; she shares with him the
difficulties and dangers of sea, desert, and battle. She works with him
day and night, if she does not happen to be reading the verses of
others on her lovely eyes! She has often saved him from the snares of
his enemies at the court of Byzantium. In shor