d, and Ambazuch sank dead on the ground.

At this the last lines of the Armenians, carrying Bessas away with
them, fled in terror. Belisarius's vanguard was annihilated.

With loud cries of joy King Witichis and his followers had witnessed
Totila's victory.

"Look! now the Hunnish horsemen, who stand just below us, advance
against Totila," said the King to the old standard-bearer. "Totila
turns to meet them. They are much more numerous. Up, Hildebad! Hasten
down the road to his aid."

"Ha!" cried old Hildebrand, bending forward in his saddle, and looking
over the edge of the rocks, "who is that tribune between the two
body-guards of Belisarius?"

Witichis bent forward also.

"Calpurnius!" he exclaimed with a sharp cry.

And suddenly, seeking no path, just from where he stood, the King
galloped down the hill towards his deadly enemy. The fear that
Calpurnius might escape him overpowered every other thought.

As if on wings, as if the God of Revenge were guiding him over bush and
crevice and ditch and pointed rock, the King galloped madly on.

For an instant the old master-at-arms was horrified; such a ride he had
never beheld. But the next moment he waved his blue flag and cried:

"Forward! follow your King!"

And, the horsemen first, the foot after, the centre oL the Gothic army,
leaping, jumping, and sliding down upon their shields, suddenly
descended the steep side of the hill upon the Hunnish cavalry.

Calpurnius had looked up. It had seemed to him as if he heard his name,
and the cry sounded like the last trump of judgment.

He turned, and would have fled.

But the grim soldiers on his right and left caught his bridle.

"Halt, tribune!" said Antallas, pointing to Totila's horsemen--"_there_
is the enemy!"

A cry of pain to the left caused him and Calpurnius to turn. The Hun
Kuturgur, the second of the body-guards, sank with a crash from his
saddle, felled by the sword-stroke of a Goth who appeared to have
dropped from the sky. And behind this Goth, the rocky steep, which yet
seemed inaccessible, was filled with climbing and leaping men, and the
Huns were suddenly taken in the flank by this enemy from above, while
at the same time they were attacked in front by Totila.

Calpurnius recognised the Goth.

"Witichis!" he cried in terror, and his arm fell powerless at his side.

But his horse saved him. Wounded and startled by the fall of Kuturgur,
it galloped wildly away. Antallas threw himself fur