w which opened into the inner court.

The court was empty.

But some Goths who entered it found the little door closed from
outside; the key was still in the lock on the side of the street.

When they had forced this door--some of them had also gone round from
the front of the house--and had searched the side-street and the
dwellings in it, they only found the Prefect's sword, which was
recognised by Fidus, the secretary.

With a gloomy look Teja took it up, and returned into the study.

"Take up carefully all that was concealed in the Prefect's idol,
particularly the writings, and carry everything to the King. Where is
the King?"

"When he left the Capitol, he, with all the Romans and Goths, went into
the sanctuary of St. Peter, to attend a service of thanksgiving."

"'Tis well. Go to him in the church and give him everything. Also the
sword of the fugitive. Tell him that Teja sends it."

"Thy order shall be obeyed," said Thorismuth. "But thou--wilt thou not
go with us to the church?"

"No."

"Where wilt thou spend this night of victory, when all the others are
giving thanks?"

"I will spend it in the ruins of this house!"

And he thrust the firebrand into the purple cushions of the Prefect's
couch.

BOOK V.--_Continued_.

TOTILA.

"Happy are we that this sunny youth still lives!"--_Margrave Ruediger
of Bechelaren_, Act i., Scene i.

PART II.

CHAPTER I.

Thenceforth King Totila held his court in Rome with much splendour and
rejoicing.

The heaviest task of all the war seemed to be completed.

After the fall of Rome, most of the small forts on the coast and in the
Apennines opened their gates; very few remained to be taken by siege.

For this purpose the King sent forth his generals, Teja, Guntharis,
Grippa, Markja, and Aligern; while he himself undertook the difficult
political task of reducing to order the kingdom so long disturbed by
war or rebellion. He had, indeed, almost to refound it.

He sent his dukes and earls into the towns and districts to carry out
his intentions in all departments of the state; particularly to protect
the Italians from the vengeance of the victorious Goths. He had
published from the Capitol a general amnesty; excluding only one
person: the ex-Prefect, Cornelius Cethegus Caesarius.

Everywhere he caused the destroyed churches,