ist a wild and savage
race, the Longobardians."

"God protect your Italy if _they_ ever set foot in it."

"I have also succeeded in winning the Empress to my cause, and by her
means the propositions of peace made by Cassiodorus were refused at the
last moment. For Rome must be freed from the barbarians! But when shall
I find means to move this lazy colossus, Justinian? When will fate call
me to my battle-field--Italia?"

At this moment Syphax entered the room. He brought Cethegus a message
from the Empress. It ran:

"To the Jupiter of the Capitol. Do not leave your house to-morrow until
I call you.--Theodora."

On the next day the Emperor Justinian was standing buried in deep
reflection before the tall golden crucifix in his room. The expression
of his face was very grave, but without a trace of alarm or doubt.
Quiet decision lay upon his features, which, else not handsome or
noble, at this moment betrayed mental power and superiority. He lifted
his eyes almost threateningly to the crucifix.

"God of the Cross," he said, "Thou puttest Thy faithful servant to a
hard proof! It seems to me that I have deserved better. Thou knowest
all that I have done to the honour of Thy name! Why do not Thy strokes
fall upon Thine enemies, the heathens and barbarians? Why not?"

He was interrupted in his soliloquy by the entrance of the chamberlains
and wardrobe-keepers.

Justinian exchanged his morning garment for the robes of state. His
slaves served him upon their knees.

He apparelled himself in a tunic of white silk, reaching to the knees,
embroidered with gold on both sides, and confined by a purple girdle.
The tightly-fitting hose were also of silk of the same colour. His
slaves threw over his shoulders a splendid mantle of a lighter shade of
purple, with a broad hem of gold thread, upon which red circles and
symbolic animal-forms, embroidered in green silk, alternated with each
other. But the pearls and precious stones which were lavishly strewed
over it, rendered the design almost invisible, and made the mantle so
heavy, that the assistance of the train-bearer must have been indeed a
welcome relief.

On each of his arms the Emperor wore three broad golden bracelets. The
wide crown was made of massive gold, arched over with two rows of
pearls. His mantle was fastened on the shoulder with a costly brooch of
large precious stones.

The sceptre-keeper put into the Emperor's hand a golden staff the
length of a man, a