from his
horse. His followers found him pierced by thirteen wounds. But he was
still alive, and he was one of the few who fought through and outlived
the whole war--Wisand, the bandelarius.

Belisarius, who, lifted on to his horse by Aigan and Valentinus, his
groom, had quickly recovered his senses, raised his general's staff in
vain, and cried to the fugitives to stand. They could not and would not
hear. In vain he struck at them right and left; he was irresistibly
carried away by the press to the very camp.

There, behind the solid gates, he at last succeeded in arresting the
pursuit of the Goths.

"All honour is lost," he said indignantly; "let us at least save our
lives."

With these words he closed the gates, without any regard to the large
masses of people still outside.

An attempt of Hildebad to enter the camp without more ado was
frustrated by the strong oaken palisades, which defied the spears and
stones hurled at them.

Leaning on his sword, Hildebad cooled himself for a moment. Just then
Teja, who, like the King and Totila, had long since dismounted, turned
the corner of the wall, which he had been examining and measuring.

"This confounded wooden fortress!" cried Hildebad, as Teja came up.
"Neither stone nor iron can do any good here."

"No," said Teja; "but fire can!"

He stirred with his foot a heap of ashes which lay near.

"These are from last night's watch-fires. Here are still some sparks,
and brushwood lies near. Come, my men, put up your swords and kindle
the brushwood. Set the camp on fire!"

"Splendid fellow!" cried Hildebad rejoicingly. "Quick, lads! burn them
out as you would a fox in his hole! The brisk north wind will help us!"

The dying watch-fires were speedily fanned into flame; hundreds of
fire-brands flew into the dry planks of the palisading.

Very soon bright flames rose to the sky.

The thick smoke, driven into the camp by the wind, blinded the
Byzantines, and rendered the defence of the walls impossible. They
retreated to the centre of the camp.

"Oh that I were dead!" sighed Belisarius. "Evacuate the camp! Out by
the Porta Decumana! Retreat in good order to the bridges behind us!"

But the command to leave the camp broke the last ties of discipline and
order.

While the charred beams of the gate fell under the thundering strokes
of Teja's axe, and the Black Earl was the first to spring into the camp
through the flames and smoke, the fugitives tore open all the