u; I will join your march."

"No," said Cethegus harshly; "you know that I am superstitious. I do
not like to ride with men who are doomed to the Furies. The punishment
for your cowardly murder of that boy will surely overtake you. I have
no desire to share it with you."

"Yet voices in Rome whisper that Cethegus, too, does not shun an
opportune murder," answered Calpurnius angrily.

"Calpurnius is not Cethegus," retorted the Prefect, as he proudly
pranced away. "Meanwhile, greet Hades for me," he added.

CHAPTER VI.

"Cursed omen!" growled Calpurnius.

And he hastened to join Belisarius.

"Command the retreat, quick, magister militum!"

"Why, excellent Calpurnius?"

"It is the King of the Goths himself!"

"And I am Belisarius himself," answered the latter, as he donned his
splendid helmet with its crest of white horse-hair. "How dare you leave
your post in the vanguard?"

"I wished to bring you the news, general."

"Could no other messenger do that? Listen, Roman, you are unworthy of
being liberated. You tremble, you coward heart! Return at once to the
front. You will lead our horsemen to the first attack. You, Antallas
and Kuturgur, take him between you. He _must_ be brave; do you hear? If
he shrink--down with him. Thus Romans must be taught courage! The
watchman has just announced the last hour of night. In another hour the
sun will rise. Its first beams must find the whole army on yonder
hills. Up! Ambuzach, Bessas, Constantinus, Demetrius, advance to meet
the enemy!"

"General, it is as they say," announced Maxentius, the most faithful of
the lifeguards; "innumerable Goths are advancing."

"There are two armies against us," reported Salomo, the leader of the
hypaspistes of Belisarius.

"I reckon Belisarius alone to be a whole army."

"And the plan of attack?" asked Bessas.

"That I will decide upon when in sight of the enemy, while Calpurnius
arrests their progress with his horsemen. Forward! Give the signal.
Bring Phalion out!"

He left the tent. His generals, hypaspistes, pretorians, captains and
lifeguards dispersed in all directions, in order to muster their men.

In a quarter of an hour the whole army was in motion towards the hills.

No time was lost in breaking up the camp, and the sudden movement
caused endless confusion.

Foot and horse got mingled together in the dark and moonless night. And
rumours of the superiority of the advancing barbarians