CHAPTER VI
The tall, haggard priest who now came slowly into the hall was severalyears older than Gelimer. A wide, dark-brown upper garment fell inmantle-like folds from his broad shoulders: his figure, and still morehis unusually striking face, produced an impression of the mosttenacious will. The features, it is true, were too sharply cut to behandsome; but no one who saw them ever forgot them. Strongly markedthick black brows shaded penetrating black eyes, which, evidently bydesign, were always cast down; the eagle nose, the firmly closed thinlips, the sunken cheeks, the pallid complexion, whose dull lustreresembled light yellow marble, combined to give the countenanceremarkable character. Lips, cheeks, and chin were smoothly shaven, andso, too, was the black hair, more thickly mingled with gray than seemedquite suited to his age,--little more than forty years. Each of hisrare gestures was so slow, so measured, that it revealed the rigidself-control practised for decades, by which this impenetrable manruled himself--and others. His voice sounded expressionless, as if fromdeep sadness or profound weariness, but one felt that it was repressed;it was a rare thing to meet his eyes, but they often flashed with asudden fire, and then intense passion glowed in their depths. Nothingthat passed in this man's soul was recognizable in his features; onlythe thin lips, firmly as he closed them, sometimes betrayed by aslight, involuntary quiver that this rigid, corpse-like face was not adeath-mask.
Gelimer had started up the instant he saw the priest, and now, hurryingtoward him, clasped the motionless figure, which stood with armshanging loosely before him, ardently to his heart.
"Verus, my Verus!" he cried, "my guardian angel! And you!--_you_!--theyare trying to make me distrust. Really, brother, the stars would soonerchange from God's eternal order in the heavens than this man fail inhis fidelity to me." He kissed him on the cheek. Verus remainedperfectly unmoved. Zazo watched the pair wrathfully.
"He has more love, more feeling," he muttered, stroking his thickbeard, "for that Roman, that alien, than for--Speak, priest, can youdeny that last Sunday, after midnight, Pudentius--ah, your lipsquiver--Pudentius of Tripolis was secretly admitted by you through thelittle door in the eastern gate and received in your house, beside yourbasilica? Speak!"
Gelimer's eyes rested lovingly on his friend, and, smiling faintly, heshook his head. Verus was silent.
"Speak," Zazo repeated. "Deny it if you dare. You did not suspect thatI was watching in the tower after I had relieved the guard. I had longsuspected the gate-keeper; he was once a slave of Pudentius. You boughtand freed him. Do you see, brother? He is silent! I will arrest him atonce. We will search for secret letters his house, his chest, thealtars, the sarcophagi of his church, nay, even his clothes."
Now Verus's black eyes suddenly blazed upon the bold soldier, thenafter a swift side-glance at Gelimer were again bent calmly on thefloor.
"Or do you deny it?"
"No," fell almost inaudibly from the scarcely parted lips.
"Do you hear that, brother?"
Gelimer hastily advanced a step nearer to Verus.
"It was to tell you this that I requested an immediate interview," saidthe latter, quietly, turning his back on Zazo.
"That's what I call presence of mind!" cried Zazo, laughing loudly."But how will you prove it?"
"I have brought the proof that Pudentius is a traitor," Verus went on,turning to Gelimer, without paying the slightest attention to hisaccuser. "Here it is."
He slowly threw back his cloak, passed his hand through the folds ofhis under garment, and after a short search drew from his breast asmall, crumpled strip of papyrus, which he handed to Gelimer, whohurriedly unfolded it, and read,--
"In spite of your warning, we shall persist. Belisarius is perhapsalready on the way. Give this to the King."
Both Vandals were startled.
"That letter?" asked Gelimer.
"Was written by Pudentius."
"To whom?"
"To me."
"Do you hear, brother?" exclaimed Zazo.
"He betrays--"
"The betrayers," Verus interrupted. "Yes, Gelimer, I have acted whileyou were hesitating, pondering, and this brave fool was sleeping,or--blustering. You remember, long ago I warned you that the King andhis nephews were negotiating with Constantinople."
"Did he do so really, brother?" asked Zazo, eagerly.
"Long ago. And repeatedly."
Zazo shook his brown locks, angry, wondering, incredulous. But he saidfirmly,--
"Then forgive me, priest,--if I have really done you injustice."
"Pudentius," Verus continued, without replying, "was, I suspected, thego-between. I gained his confidence."
"That is, you deceived him--as you are perhaps deluding us," mutteredZazo.
"Silence, brother!" Gelimer commanded imperiously.
"It was not difficult to convince him. My family, like his, had by yourkings--" he interrupted himself abruptly. "I expressed my anguish; Icondemned your cruelty."
"With justice! Woe betide us, with justice!" groaned Gelimer, strikinghis brow with his clenched fist.
"I said that my friendship for you was not so strong as my resentmentfor all my kindred. He initiated me into the conspiracy. I wasstartled; for, in truth, unless God worked a miracle to blind him, theVandal kingdom was hopelessly lost. I warned him--to gain time untilyour return--of the cruel vengeance you would take upon all Romans ifthe insurrection should be suppressed. He hesitated, promised toconsider everything again, to discuss the matter once more with theKing. There--this note, brought to me by a stranger to-day in thebasilica, contains the decision. Act quickly, or it may be too late."
Gelimer gazed silently into vacancy. But Zazo drew his sword and wasrushing from the hall.
"Where are you going?" asked the priest, in a low tone, seizing hisarm. The grasp was so firm, so powerful, that the Vandal could notshake it off.
"Where? To the King! To cut down the traitor and his allies! Thenassemble the army and--Hail to King Gelimer!"
"Silence, madman!" cried the latter, startled, as if his most secretwish were revealed to him, "you will stay here! Would you add to allthe sins which already burden the Vandal race--especially ourgeneration--the crime of dethronement, regicide, the murder of akinsman? Where is the proof of Hilderic's guilt? Was my long-cherisheddistrust not merely the fruit, but the pretext,--inspired by my ownimpatient desire for the throne? Pudentius may lie--exaggerate. Whereis the proof that treason is planned?"
"Will you wait till it has succeeded?" cried Zazo, defiantly.
"No! But do not punish till it is proved."
"There speaks the Christian," said the priest, approvingly.--"But theproof must be quickly produced: this very day. Listen, I have reason tobelieve that Pudentius is in the city now."
"We must have him!" cried Zazo. "Where is he? With the King?"
"They do not work so openly. He steals into the palace only by night.But I know his hiding-place. In the grove of the Holy Virgin--the warmbaths."
"Send me, brother! Me! I will fly!"
"Go, then," replied Gelimer, waving his hand.
"But do not kill him," the priest called after the hurrying figure.
"No, by my sword! We must have him alive." He vanished down thecorridor.
"Oh, Verus!" Gelimer passionately exclaimed, "you faithful friend!Shall I owe you the rescue of my people, as well as the deliverance ofmy own poor life from the most horrible death?" He eagerly clasped hishand.
The priest withdrew it.
"Thank God for your own and your people's destiny, not me. I am onlythe tool of His will, from the hour I assumed the garb of thispriesthood. But listen: to you alone dare I confide the whole truth;yonder blockhead would ruin everything by his blind impetuosity. Yourlife is threatened. That does not alarm the hero! Yet you must preserveit for your people. Fall if fall you must, in battle, under the swordof Belisarius" (Gelimer's eyes sparkled, and a noble enthusiasmtransfigured his face), "but do not perish miserably by murder."
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"Murder? Who would--?"
"The King. No, do not doubt. Pudentius told me. The nephews overruledhis opposition. They know that you will baffle their plans so long asyou live. You must never be permitted to become King of the Vandals."
Here the black eyes shot a swift glance, then fell again.
"We shall see!" cried Gelimer, wrathfully. "I _will_ be King, andwoe--"
Here he stopped suddenly. His breath came and went quickly. After apause, repressing his vehemence, he asked humbly,--
"Is this ambition a sin, my brother?"
"You have a right to the crown," the other answered quietly. "If youshould die, then, according to Genseric's law of succession, Hoamer, asthe oldest male scion of the race, would follow. So they have persuadedthe King to invite you on the day of your return to a secret interviewin the palace--entirely alone--and there murder you."
"Impossible, my friend. I have already seen the King. He received meungraciously, ungratefully; but," he smiled, "as you see, I am stillalive."
"You went to see the King, surrounded by all the leaders of your troopsfully armed. But beware that he does not summon you again alone."
"That would be strange. We discussed every subject of moment."
At that instant steps echoed in the corridor. A negro slave handedGelimer a letter. "From the King," he said, and left the hall.
The hero tore the cord that fastened the little wax tablet, glanced atthe contents, and turned pale.
It is true. Come at the tenth hour in the evening to my sleeping room,with no companion. I have a secret matter to discuss with you. HILDERIC.
"You see--"
"No, no! I will not believe it. It may be accident. Hilderic is weak;he hates me; but he is no murderer."
"So much the better if Pudentius lied. But it is the duty of the friendto warn. Do not go there!"
"I must! I fear for myself? Does my Verus know me so little?"
"Then do not go alone. Take Zazo with you, or Gibamund."
"Impossible, against the King's command! And no one is permitted tohave a private interview with the King except unarmed."
"Well, then, at least wear _under_ your robe the cuirass, which willprotect you from a dagger-thrust. And the short-sword? Cannot youconceal it in your sleeve or girdle?"
"Over-anxious friend!" said Gelimer, smiling. "But for your sake I willput on the cuirass."
"That is not enough for me. However, I will consider; there is one wayof helping you in case of need. Yes, that will do."
"What do you mean?"
"Hush! I will pray that my thoughts may be fulfilled. You, too, mybrother, pray. For you, we all, are to meet great dangers; and Godalone sees the--"
Here he stopped suddenly, clasped both hands around his head, and witha hoarse cry sank upon the couch.
"Alas, Verus!" exclaimed Gelimer. "Are you faint?" Hastily seizing themixing vessel, he sprinkled water on the insensible man's face, andrubbed his hands.
The priest opened his eyes again, and by a great effort, sat erect.
"Never mind; it is over! But the strain of this hour--was probably--toomuch. I will go--no, I need no support--to the basilica, to pray. SendZazo there as soon as he returns--before you go to the King; do youhear? God grant my ardent desire!"