ked Thorismuth.

"The Greeks! Belisarius! the devil!"

"Speak," ordered Thorismuth.

"I got to the pine-wood before Regium without seeing anything
suspicious, but also without meeting with a soul upon the way. As,
looking eagerly forward, I rode past a thick tree, I felt a pull at my
neck as if my head would be torn from my shoulders, and the next minute
I lay on the road under my horse."

"Badly sat, Gelaris," scolded Thorismuth.

"Oh yes, of course! A noose of horse-hair round his neck, and an arrow
whistling past his head, and a better rider would fall than Gelaris,
son of Genzo! Two demons--wood-devils or goblins they seemed to
me--rushed out of the bushes and over the ditch, tied me upon my horse,
took me between their little shaggy ponies, and ho!----"

"Those are Belisarius's Huns!" cried Valerius.

"Away they went with me. When I came to myself again, I was in Regium
in the midst of the enemy, and there I learned everything. The
Queen-regent is murdered, war is declared, the enemy has taken Sicily
by surprise, the whole island has gone over to the Emperor----"

"And the fortress, Panormus?"

"Was taken by the fleet, which made its way into the harbour. The
mast-heads were higher than the walls of the town. From thence they
shot their arrows, and jumped on to the walls."

"And Syracusae?" asked Valerius.

"Fell through the treachery of the Sicilians; the Gothic garrison is
murdered. Belisarius rode into Syracusae amidst a shower of flowers,
and--for it was the last days of his consulate--threw gold coins about
him, amidst the applause of the population."

"And where is the commodore: where is Totila?"

"Two of his ships were sent to the bottom by the pointed prows of the
triremes; his own and one other. He sprang into the sea in full
armour--and is--not yet--fished up again."

Valeria sank speechless upon a couch.

"The Greek general," continued the messenger, "landed yesterday, in the
dark and stormy night, near Regium. The town received him with
acclamation. He will only halt until he has re-ordered his army, and
will then march at once to Neapolis. His vanguard--the yellow-skinned
troopers who caught me--were to advance at once and take the Pass of
Jugum. I was to be their guide. But I led them far away--to the
west--into the sea-swamps--and escaped--in the darkness of evening.
But--they shot--arrows after me--and one hit--I can speak--no more----"
and he fell clattering to the ground.

"H