ver Hildebrand. My friends were
Romans; Roman was my every thought; Roman my life! All my friends
joined Belisarius and Cethegus; could I remain behind? Kill me--you can
and you will! But confess that it is a murder, and not an act of
justice! You judge no Goth; you murder a conquered Roman, for Roman is
my soul!"

The crowd had listened to his defence silently and with mixed feelings.

But the old man rose furiously from his seat; his eyes flashed fire;
his hands trembled with rage.

"Miserable boy," he cried, "thou hast confessed that thou art the son
of a Goth! Then art thou a Goth thyself; and if thy heart is Roman,
thou deservest death for that alone. Soldiers, away with him to the
gallows!"

Once more the prisoner advanced to the foot of the judgment-seat.

"Then be accursed," he cried, "you rude and savage people! May your
nation be accursed! And, most of all, thou, old man with the wolf's
heart! Do not think that your savagery and cruelty will do you any
service! You shall be wiped away from the surface of this lovely land,
and not a trace of you shall be left behind!"

At a sign from Hildebrand, the ban-officers again threw the cover over
the prisoner's head, and led him away to a hill upon which stood a
sturdy yew-tree, deprived of its boughs and leaves.

At this moment the eyes of the crowd were diverted towards the camp,
whence the sound of horses' hoofs were heard. Soon a troop of riders
with the royal banner was seen approaching, Witichis and Hildebad at
their head.

"Stop!" cried the King from a distance. "Spare the grandchild of
Hildebrand! Pardon, pardon!"

But the old man pointed to the hill.

"Too late, King," he cried; "it is all over with the traitor. So may
all perish who forget their nation! The kingdom comes first. King
Witichis, and afterwards wife and child and grandchild!"

This act of Hildebrand made a great impression upon the army, and a
still greater one upon the King. He felt the weight which was given to
any demand of the old man by his sacrifice. And with the conviction
that resistance had now become much more difficult, he returned to his
tent.

Hildebrand did not fail to take advantage of the King's humour.

In the evening he entered the royal tent with Teja.

The husband and wife were sitting silent, hand in hand, on the camp
bed; upon a table before them stood the black urn; near it lay a small
golden locket, something like an amulet, appended to a blue ribbon; a