denly and gloriously all, all!
and I the foremost!"

He had excited himself to the warmest enthusiasm. He sprang up from the
marble bench upon which they had been seated, and shook his lance in
the air.

"My friend," said Julius, looking at him kindly, "how well this ardour
becomes you! But reflect; such a conflict could only be kindled against
_us_, against my nation, and should I----"

"If ever such a strife arose, you should cling to your nation, body and
soul, that is clear. You think that would interfere with our
friendship? Not in the least. Two heroes can cleave each other to the
marrow, and yet remain the best friends. Ha! I should rejoice to meet
you in battle, with spear and shield."

Julius smiled: "My friendship is not of so grim a nature, my savage
Goth! These doubts have tormented me for some time, and all my
philosophers together could give me no peace. Only since I learned, in
my sorrow, that I owe service to God in heaven alone, and must, on
earth, live for humanity, and not for a nation----"

"Softly, friend," cried Totila, "where is this humanity of which you
rave? I do not see it. I see only Goths, Romans, and Byzantines! I know
of no humanity somewhere up in the sky, above the existing peoples. I
serve humanity by serving my nation! I cannot do otherwise. I can not
strip off the skin in which I was born. I speak like a Goth, in Gothic
words, not in a language of general humanity: there is no such thing.
And as I speak like a Goth, so I feel like a Goth. I can appreciate
strange nations certainly; I can admire your art, your science, and, in
part, your state, in which everything is so strictly ordered. We can
learn much from you; but I could not and would not exchange, even with
a people of angels. Ah! my brave Goths! At the bottom of my heart their
faults are dearer to me than your virtues!"

"How differently I feel, and yet I am a Roman."

"You are no Roman! Forgive me, friend, it is long since a Roman
existed, else I could never be the Count of the Harbour of Neapolis. No
one can feel as you do, whose nation yet exists; and all must feel as I
do, who belong to a living people."

Julius was silent for a short time. "If it be indeed so, then happy I!
If I have lost the earth, I have gained heaven! What are nations, what
are states, what is the earth? Not here below is the home of my
immortal soul, which longs for a kingdom where all is divine and
eternal!"

"Stop, Julius," said Totila, s