CHAPTER XX
Verus, in order to make the enemy wholly unsuspicious, offered topropose to Fara an interview with Gelimer at noon the following day, onthe northern slope of the mountain, in which the last offers ofBelisarius should be again discussed. After some scruples ofconscience, the King consented to this stratagem of war. Verus reportedthat Fara was very much pleased with his communication, and would awaitGelimer on the following day. Nevertheless, the besieged bandkept a sharp watch upon the besiegers' outposts and camp--the highmountain-top afforded a foil view of their position--to note anymovement in the direction of the descent which might indicate thediscovery of the intended flight or the Soloe hiding-place at the footof the mountain. Nothing of the sort was apparent; the foemen belowspent the day in the usual manner. The guards were not strengthened,and after darkness closed in, the watchfires were neither increased norchanged. At nightfall the besiegers also lighted their fires on thenorthern side in the same places as before.
Shortly before midnight the little procession began its march. TheMoors, who were familiar with the way, went first provided with ropesand iron braces. At every step the fugitives were obliged to feel theirway cautiously with the handles of their spears, testing the smooth,crumbling surface of the rock to try whether it would afford a firmfoothold. Next followed Gibamund and Hilda; the Princess had foldedGenseric's great banner closely and tied it about the pole, which sheused as a staff; then came Gelimer, behind him Verus and the smallremaining band of Vandals. So they moved for about half an hour alongthe summit of the mountain, until they reached the southern side, downwhich the narrow path led. Each step was perilous to life; for theydared not light torches.
As the little group began the descent, Gelimer turned. "Oh, Verus," hewhispered, "death may be very near to us all. Repeat a prayer--where isVerus?"
"He hastened back some time ago," replied Markomer. "He wished to bringa relic he had forgot. He bade us go on, saying that he would overtakeus at the next turn in the road before we descended the ravine."
The King hesitated, and began to murmur the Lord's Prayer.
"Forward!" whispered Sersaon, the leading Moor. "There is no more timeto lose. We need only pass quickly around the next projecting rock--Ha!Torches, treason! Back to--"
He could say no more; an arrow transfixed his throat. Torches glaredwith a dazzling light into the eyes of the fugitives just as theyturned the jutting cliff. Weapons flashed, and before the ranks of theHerulians stood a man holding aloft a torch to light the group.
"There, the second one is the King," he cried. "Capture him alive." Hetook a step forward.
"Verus!" shrieked Gelimer, falling back unconscious. Two Vandals caughthim and bore him up the height.
"On! Storm the mountain!" Fara ordered below. But it was impossible tostorm a height which could be climbed only by clinging with both handsto the perpendicular cliff. Fara himself instantly perceived it when,by the torchlight, he beheld the path and saw Gibamund standing withlevelled spear on the last broader ledge of rock which afforded a firmfooting.
"It is a pity!" he shouted. "But now this loophole will henceforth bebarred also. Surrender!"
"Never!" cried Gibamund, hurling his spear. The man by Fara's sidefell.
"Shoot! Quickly! All at once!" the Herulian leader angrily commanded.Behind the Herulians were twenty archers, dismounted Huns. Their bowstwanged; Gibamund sank silently backward. Hilda, with a cry of anguish,caught him in her arms.
But Markomer, raising his lance threateningly, already stood in theplace of the fallen man.
"Cease," Fara ordered. "But keep the outlet strongly guarded. Thepriest said that they must yield either to-morrow or on the followingday."
* * * * *
Gelimer was roused from his unconsciousness by Hilda's shriek.
"Now Gibamund, too, has fallen," he said very calmly. "All is over."
Supported by his spear, he climbed wearily back. A few Vandals followedhim. He vanished in the darkness of the night.
Hilda sat silent with the head of her lifeless husband in her lap, andthe staff of the banner resting on her shoulder. She had no tears, butgroped in the thick gloom for the beloved face. At last she heard aVandal, returning from the King, say to Markomer:
"This was the final blow. To-morrow--I am to announce it to theenemy--Gelimer will submit."
Now she sprang up, and asking two of the men to help her--she would notrelease the dear head from her clasping hands--carried the dead Princeto the top of the mountain. In a little grove of pines, just outsidethe city, a small wooden hut had been built which had formerlycontained stores of every kind. Now it was half empty except for alarge pile of the wood used for fires. In this hut she spent the nightand the dark morning alone with the dead. When it grew light shesought the King, whom she found in the basilica on the spot whereformerly--the remains of some steps showed it--the altar had stood.Here Gelimer had placed in a crack between two stones a wooden cross,roughly made of boughs laid across each other. He lay prone on his facebefore it, clasping the cross with both arms.
"Brother-in-law Gelimer," she said in a curt, harsh tone, "is it true?Do you mean to surrender?"
He made no reply.
She shook him by the shoulder.
"King of the Vandals, do you mean to give yourself up as a captive?"she cried more loudly. "They will lead you through the streets ofConstantinople as a spectacle! Will you shame your people--your _dead_people--still more?"
"Vanity," he answered dully. "Vanity speaks from your lips! All thatyou are thinking is sinful, vain, arrogant."
"Why do you do this so suddenly? You have held out for months."
"Verus!" groaned the King. "God has abandoned me; my guardian spirithas betrayed me. I am condemned on earth, and in the world beyond thegrave. I can do nothing else!"
"Yes. Here, Gelimer, here is your sharp sword."
Stooping, she tore it from the sheath which lay with the sword-belt atthe foot of the steps.
"'The dead are free' is a good motto."
But Gelimer shook his head.
"Vanity. Pride of heart. Pagan sin. I am a Christian. I will not killmyself. I will bear my cross--as Christ bore His--until I sink beneathit."
Hilda flung the sword clanking at his feet and turned from him withouta word.
"Where are you going? What do you mean to do?"
"Do you suppose I loved less truly and deeply and fervently than thatdelicate Greek child? I come, my hero and my husband."
She walked across to a building now turned into a stable, the formercuria of Medenus, where, a short time before, many horses had stamped.Only Styx, the stallion, now stood in it. Hilda grasped his mane, andthe wise, faithful animal followed like a lamb. The Princess went withthe horse to the hut. It hung back a moment before following her intothe narrow inclosure, which was dimly lighted by a pine torch in aniron ring by the door.
"Come in," Hilda said coaxingly, drawing the horse gently after her."It will be better for you too. You will perish miserably. Your beautyand your strength have gone. And after serving love in that brave ridethrough the battle, the enemy shall not seize you and torment you withbase labor. What says the ancient song:
"Heaped high for the hero Log on log laid they: Slain, his swift steed Shared the warrior's death. And, gladly, his wife, Nay, alas! his widow. Burden of life's weary Days sad and desolate Would she, the faithful, Bear on no farther."
She led the stallion to the side of the lofty pile of wood, where shehad laid the beautiful corpse, drew Gibamund's sword from its sheath,and, searching with her hand for the throbbing of the heart, thrust theblade into it with one powerful blow. Styx fell lifeless. Hilda threwdown the blood-stained weapon.
"Oh, my love!" she cried. "Oh, my husband, my life! Why did I nevertell you how I loved you? Alas! because I did not know myself--unt
ilnow! Hear it, oh, hear it, Gibamund, I loved you very dearly. I thankyou. Friend Teja! Oh, my all, I follow you."
And now she drew from her girdle the keen black dagger. Severing withone cut the long floating banner from its staff, she spread it over thecorpse like a pall. It was so wide that it covered the whole spacebeside the body. Then, with the blazing torch, she lighted the lowestwood, bent over the dead Prince, again kissed the pale lips fervently,and seizing the dark weapon, which flashed brightly in the light of theflames, buried it in her brave, proud heart.
She fell forward on her face over her beloved husband, and the fire,crackling and burning, seized first the scarlet banner which enfoldedthe young pair.
The morning breeze blew strongly through the half-open door and thechinks between the logs--and the bright flames soon blazed high abovethe roof.