d has been broken for the sake of this crown; it is sacred, and
they shall not desecrate it. Come, Teja, back to the camp!"

BOOK IV.-_Continued._

WITICHIS.

"But the Goths chose Witichis for their king, a man, not indeed of
noble birth, but of great fame as a warrior."--_Procopius: Wars of the
Goths_, i. 11.

PART II.

CHAPTER I.

When King Witichis readied the camp, he found it almost in a state of
anarchy.

The pressing need of the moment forcibly roused him from his grief, and
gave him sufficient occupation.

He found the army split into numerous parties, and on the point of
dissolution. He acknowledged to himself that, if he had abdicated, or
abandoned the camp, the complete ruin of the Gothic cause would have
been the consequence. He found many of the troops already on the point
of departure. Some were about to join Earl Grippa in Ravenna; others to
go over to the rebels; others again to fly across the Alps. Many spoke
of the choice of a new king, and here, too, the different parties
opposed each other with threats of violence.

Hildebrand and Hildebad still kept together those who did not believe
in the flight of the King. The old master-at-arms had declared that if
Witichis had really deserted them, he would not rest until he had dealt
to him the punishment of Theodoric, while Hildebad rated at those who
could believe Witichis capable of such baseness.

They had guarded the roads to the city and to the rebel camp, and
threatened to oppose force to every movement in those directions; while
Duke Guntharis, having heard a report of the confusion, was already
advancing against the royal camp.

Everywhere Witichis found discontented groups of troops on the point of
departure; everywhere he heard words of blame and beheld uplifted
weapons. At any moment the camp might become a scene of bloodshed.

Quickly resolved, he hurried to his tent, adorned himself with the
coroneted helmet and the golden sceptre, mounted Boreas, his powerful
charger, and galloped through the lines of tents, followed by Teja, who
bore the blue banner of Theodoric.

In the middle of the camp they met with a crowd of men, women, and
children--for the latter generally accompanied a Gothic army--who,
murmuring and threatening, were moving towards the western gate.

Hildebad had sent his soldiers to ba