same word, "Basileus," for Emperor and for King, the
bold soldier.

"I did not seize the sceptre by violence, nor have I committed any
crime against my kindred. But the Vandal people deposed Hilderic
because he himself was planning evil against the Asding race, against
the rightful heir to the throne, against our kingdom. The law of
succession summoned me, as the oldest of the Asding family after
Hilderic, to the empty throne.

"He is a praiseworthy ruler, O Justinianus, who wisely governs his own
kingdom and does not interfere with foreign states. If you break the
peace guarded by sacred oaths, and attack us, we shall manfully defend
ourselves, and appeal to God, who punishes perjury and wrong."

Good! I like you. King Gelimer! I am glad to have our Emperor of
lawyers told that he must not blow what is not burning him: a proverb
which to me seems a tolerably fair embodiment of all legal wisdom.
True, I have my own thoughts concerning the divine punishment of all
earthly injustice.

The Barbarian's letter has highly incensed Justinian, another proof
that the Barbarian is right. But I believe we shall put this answer in
our pockets just as quietly as we returned to its sheath the sword we
had already drawn. The Emperor inveighs loudly against the Tyrant, but
the army shouts still more loudly that it will not fight. And the
Empress--is silent.

CHAPTER IX

Meanwhile King Gelimer was moving forward with all his power to
preparations for the threatening conflict. He found much, very much, to
be done. The King, assuming the chief direction, and working wherever
he was needed, had given Zazo charge of the fleet and Gibamund that of
the army.

One sultry August evening he received their reports. The three brothers
had met in the great throne-room and armory of the palace, into which
Gelimer had now moved; the open windows afforded a magnificent view of
the harbors and the sea beyond them; the north wind brought a
refreshing breath from the salt tide.

This portion of the ancient citadel had been rebuilt by the Vandal
kings, changed to suit the necessities of life in a German palace. The
round column of the Greeks had been replaced, in imitation of the wood
used in the construction of the German halls, by huge square pillars of
brown and red marble, which Africa produced in the richest variety. The
ceiling was wainscoted with gayly painted or burned wood, and, on both
stone and tim