besieged the city with the great King," said Hildebrand warningly.
"He stormed it in vain seventy times. We only took it by starving
it--after three years."

"We must attack!" cried Witichis. "Give the command."

Teja was about to leave the tent.

Hildebrand stopped him.

"Remain," he said; "we dare not hide it from him any longer. King! the
Goths murmur. To-day they would not obey thee; the attack is
impossible."

"Stand things so?" said Witichis bitterly. "The attack is impossible?
Then only one thing remains: the course which I should have taken
yesterday--then those three thousand would have been still living. Go,
Hildebad, take that crown and sceptre! Go to the rebels' camp; lay them
at the feet of young Arahad; tell him that he may woo Mataswintha; I
and my army will greet him as our King."

And, so speaking, he threw himself exhausted upon his couch.

"Thou speakest feverishly again," cried Hildebrand.

"That is impossible!" cried Teja.

"Impossible!" repeated Witichis. "Everything is impossible? The fight
impossible? and the renunciation? I tell thee, old man, there is
nothing else to be done, after that message from Ravenna."

He ceased.

His three companions looked at each other significantly.

At last the old man said:

"What was that message? Perhaps an expedient may be found? Eight eyes
see more than two."

"No," said Witichis, "not in this case. Here there is nothing to see,
otherwise I would have asked your advice long since. But it could have
led to nothing. There lies the parchment from Ravenna; but be silent
before the army."

The old man took the roll and read:

"'The Gothic warriors and the citizens of Ravenna, to Earl Witichis of
Faesulae----'"

"What insolence!" cried Hildebad.

"'And to Duke Guntharis of Florentia, and Earl Arahad of Asta. The
Goths and the citizens of this city declare to the two armies encamped
before their gates, that they, faithful to the distinguished House of
Amelung, and remembering the benefits of the great King Theodoric, will
firmly cling to his royal line as long as a scion of it lives.
Therefore we acknowledge Mataswintha as sole mistress of the Goths and
Italians; only to her will we open our gates, and we will defend them
against any other to the utmost.'"

"What madness!" said Earl Teja.

"Incomprehensible!" cried Hildebad.

But Hildebrand folded the parchment and said:

"I understand it very well. As to the Goths, you must know that t