"Well!" interrupted Belisarius.
"It is only a pity that it is false."
A general cry arose. Belisarius and Antonina sprang from their seats;all present pressed nearer to Cethegus. Silverius alone fell back astep.
"False!" cried Belisarius in a tone that sounded like a shout of joy."Prefect--friend--can you prove that?"
"I should otherwise have taken care not to assert it. The parchmentupon which the act of donation is written shows all the signs of greatage: worm-eaten, cracked, spots of every kind--everything that one canexpect from such an ancient document, so that, sometimes, it isdifficult to decipher the letters. Notwithstanding, the document only_appears_ to be old; with as much art as many women employ to givethemselves the appearance of youth does it ape the sanctity of greatage. It is real parchment from the old and still existing parchmentmanufactory at Byzantium, founded by Constantinus."
"Keep to the matter!" cried Belisarius.
"But it is not known to every one--and it appears, unfortunately forhim, to have escaped the notice of the Bishop--that these parchments,on the lower edge to the left, are always marked with the stamp of theyear of their manufacture, by the names of the then consuls, in,certainly, almost invisible characters. Now pay attention, general. Thedocument pretends, as it says in the text, to have been prepared in thesixteenth year of the reign of Constantinus, the same year that heclosed the heathen temples, as the pious document observes, and a yearafter the naming of Constantinopolis as the capital city; and itrightly names the right consuls of that year, Dalmatius and Xenophilos.Now it can only be explained by a miracle--but in this case it would bea miracle _against_ the Church--that, in that year, therefore in theyear three hundred and thirty-five after the birth of Christ, it wasalready known who would be consul in the year after the death ofEmperor Justinus and King Theodoric; for look, here on the lower edgethe stamp says--the writer had not noticed it--it is really verydifficult to make out, unless one holds the parchment against thelights so--do you see, Belisarius?--and had blindly painted the crossupon it; but I, with my--what did he call it?--sacrilegious, butclever, hand have wiped it off; do you see? there stand stamped thewords, 'VI. Indiction: Justinianus Augustus, sole consul in the firstyear of his reign.'"
Silverius staggered, and was obliged to support himself by the chairwhich had been placed for him.
"The parchment of the document," continued Cethegus, "upon which theprotonotary of Emperor Constantinus had written down the act ofdonation two hundred years ago, has therefore been taken from the ribsof an ass only a year ago at Byzantium! Confess, O general, that thereign of the conceivable ends here and the supernatural begins; thathere a miracle has happened; and revere the mysterious ways of Heaven."
He gave the document to Belisarius.
"This is also a famous piece of history, holy and profane, which we arenow experiencing," said Procopius aside.
"It is so, by the slumber of Justinian!" cried Belisarius. "Bishop ofRome, what have you to say?"
Silverius had with difficulty composed himself.
He saw the edifice which he had been constructing his whole life, sinkinto the ground before him.
With a voice half choked by despair, he answered:
"I found the document in the archives of the Church a few months ago.If it is as you say, I have been deceived as well as you."
"But we are not deceived," said Cethegus, smiling.
"I knew nothing of that stamp, I swear it by the wounds of Christ!"
"I believe it without an oath. Holy Father," interposed Cethegus.
"You will acknowledge, priest," said Belisarius, "that the strictestexamination into this affair----"
"I demand it as my right," cried Silverius.
"You shall have it, doubt it not! But I will not venture to judge inthis case. Only the wisdom of Emperor Justinian himself can here decideupon what is right. Vulkaris, my faithful Herulian! I herewith deliverinto your keeping the person of the Bishop of Some. You will at oncetake him on board a vessel, and conduct him to Byzantium!"
"I put in a protest!" cried Silverius. "No one on earth can try me buta council of the orthodox Church. I demand to be taken to Rome."
"Rome you will never see again. And Emperor Justinian, who is justiceitself, will decide upon your protest with Trebonianus. But I thinkyour companions, Scaevola and Albinus, the false accusers of the Prefect(who has proved himself to be the best and warmest friend of theEmperor), highly suspicious. Let Justinian decide how far they areinnocent. Take them too, Vulkaris, take them in chains to Byzantium. Bysea. Now take them out by the back door of the tent, not through thecamp. Vulkaris, this priest is the Emperor's _worst_ enemy. You willanswer for him with your head!"
"I will answer for him," said the gigantic Herulian, coming forward andlaying his mailed hand upon the Bishop's shoulder.--"Away with you,priest! On board! He shall die, ere I will let him escape."
Silverius saw that further resistance would only excite compulsiondangerous to his dignity. He submitted, and walked beside the German,who did not withdraw his hand, towards the door in the back of thetent, which was opened by a sentry.
The Bishop was obliged to pass close to Cethegus. He lowered his headand did not look at him, but he heard a voice whisper:
"Silverius, this moment repays me for your victory in the Catacombs.Now we are quits!"