the latest moment of
your life you will rejoice in the deed! I have words of terrible
import for Alaric's ear,--a secret in the gaining of which I have paid
the penalty thus!'

He pointed to his wounded arm. The solemnity of his voice, the rough
energy of his words, the stern determination of his aspect, the
darkness of the night that was round them, the rolling thunder that
seemed to join itself to their discourse, the impressive mystery of
their meeting under the city walls, all began to exert their powerful
and different influences over the mind of the Goth, changing insensibly
the sentiments at first inspired in him by the man's communications.
He hesitated, and looked round doubtfully towards the lines of the camp.

There was a long silence, which was again interrupted by the stranger.

'Guard me, chain me, mock at me if you will,' he cried, with raised
voice and flashing eyes, 'but lead me to Alaric's tent! I swear to you
by the thunder pealing over our heads, that the words I would speak to
him will be more precious in his eyes than the brightest jewel he could
ravish from the coffers of Rome.'

Though visibly troubled and impressed, Hermanric still hesitated.

'Do you yet delay?' exclaimed the man, with contemptuous impatience.
'Stand back! I will pass on by myself into the very heart of your
camp! I entered on my project alone--I will work its fulfilment without
help! Stand back!'

And he moved past Hermanric in the direction of the suburbs, with the
same look of fierce energy on his withered features which had marked
them so strikingly at the outset of his extraordinary interview with
the young chieftain.

The daring devotion to his purpose, the reckless toiling after a
dangerous and doubtful success, manifested in the words and actions of
one so feeble and unaided as the stranger, aroused in the Goth that
sentiment of irrepressible admiration which the union of moral and
physical courage inevitably awakens. In addition to the incentive to
aid the man thus created, an ardent curiosity to discover his secret
filled the mind of Hermanric, and further powerfully inclined him to
conduct his determined companion into Alaric's presence--for by such
proceeding only could he hope, after the man's firm declaration that he
would communicate in the first instance to no one but the king, to
penetrate ultimately the object of his mysterious errand. Animated,
therefore, by such motives as these, he called to