ut equally important authorities had enabled him to
garner up, while, at the same time, the appearance of verisimilitude
necessary to an historical romance might, he imagined, be successfully
preserved by the occasional introduction of the living characters of
the era, in those portions of the plot comprising events with which
they had been remarkably connected.

On this plan the recent work has been produced.

To the fictitious characters alone is committed the task of
representing the spirit of the age. The Roman emperor, Honorius, and
the Gothic king, Alaric, mix but little personally in the business of
the story--only appearing in such events, and acting under such
circumstances, as the records of history strictly authorise; but exact
truth in respect to time, place, and circumstance is observed in every
historical event introduced in the plot, from the period of the march
of the Gothic invaders over the Alps to the close of the first
barbarian blockade of Rome.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER 1. GOISVINTHA.

CHAPTER 2. THE COURT.

CHAPTER 3. ROME.

CHAPTER 4. THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER 5. ANTONINA.

CHAPTER 6. AN APPRENTICESHIP TO THE TEMPLE.

CHAPTER 7. THE BED-CHAMBER.

CHAPTER 8. THE GOTHS.

CHAPTER 9. THE TWO INTERVIEWS.

CHAPTER 10. THE RIFT IN THE WALL.

CHAPTER 11. GOISVINTHA'S RETURN.

CHAPTER 12. THE PASSAGE OF THE WALL.

CHAPTER 13. THE HOUSE IN THE SUBURBS.

CHAPTER 14. THE FAMINE.

CHAPTER 15. THE CITY AND THE GODS.

CHAPTER 16. LOVE MEETINGS.

CHAPTER 17. THE HUNS.

CHAPTER 18. THE FARM-HOUSE.

CHAPTER 19. THE GUARDIAN RESTORED.

CHAPTER 20. THE BREACH REPASSED.

CHAPTER 21. FATHER AND CHILD.

CHAPTER 22. THE BANQUET OF FAMINE.

CHAPTER 23. THE LAST EFFORTS OF THE BESIEGED.

CHAPTER 24. THE GRAVE AND THE CAMP.

CHAPTER 25. THE TEMPLE AND THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER 26. RETRIBUTION.

CHAPTER 27. THE VIGIL OF HOPE.

THE CONCLUSION. 'UBI THESAURUS IBI COR.'

CHAPTER 1.

GOISVINTHA.

The mountains forming the range of Alps which border on the
north-eastern confines of Italy, were, in the autumn of the year 408,
already furrowed in numerous directions by the tracks of the invading
forces of those northern nations generally comprised under the
appellation of Goths.

In some places these tracks were denoted on either side by fallen
trees, and occasionally assumed, when half obliterated by the ravages
of storms, the appearance of desolate and i