ce when does Narses, my great
rival, fear the Persians?"

"Narses fears no one," answered the latter, without looking at his
interrogator, "neither the Persians whom he has beaten, nor you whom
the Persians have beaten. But he knows the Orient. If not the Persians,
then it will be others who follow them. The tempest which threatens
Byzantium approaches from the Tigris, not from the Tiber."

"Well, and what does that mean?"

"It means, that it is a shameful thing for you, O Emperor, and for the
Roman name which we still bear, that you should, year by year, buy
peace from Chosroes, the Persian Khan, at the cost of many
hundredweights of gold."

The Emperor's face flushed scarlet.

"How can you put such a meaning upon gifts, subsidies?"

"Gifts! If they are not forthcoming but a week after the day of
payment, Chosroes, the son of Cabades, burns your villages! Subsidies!
With them he pays Huns and Saracens, the most dangerous enemies of your
frontiers!"

Justinian walked rapidly through the room.

"What do you then advise?" he said at last, stopping short before
Narses.

"Not to attack the Goths without necessity or reason, when we can
scarcely defend ourselves from the Persians. To put forth the whole
power of your empire in order to abolish this shameful tribute; to
prevent the depredations on your frontiers; to rebuild the burnt towns
of Antiochia, Dara, and Edessa; to win back the provinces which you
lost, in spite of the valiant sword of Belisarius; and to protect your
frontiers by a seven-fold girdle of fortresses from the Euphrates to
the Araxes. And when you have completed this necessary work--and I fear
much you cannot complete it--then you may follow where Fame leads."

Justinianus slightly shook his head.

"You are displeasing to me, Narses," he said bitterly.

"I knew that long ago," Narses answered quietly.

"And not indispensable," cried Belisarius proudly. "Do not listen, my
great Emperor, to this small doubter. Give me the thirty thousand, and
I wager my right hand that I will conquer Italy for you."

"And I wager my head, which is more," said Narses, "that Belisarius
will conquer Italy neither with thirty, nor with sixty, nor with a
hundred thousand men.",

"Well," asked Justinianus, "and who can do it, and with what forces?"

"I," said Narses, "with eighty thousand."

Belisarius grew red with anger; he was silent for want of words.

"You have never yet, with all your self-esteem, Nar