CHAPTER XI.
During these portentous events the Goths had been by no means idle. Butall measures of vigorous defence were paralysed, and, indeed,intentionally frustrated, by the cowardly treachery of the King.
Theodahad had soon recovered from his consternation at the declarationof war on the part of Petros, for he could not and would not part withthe conviction that it had only been made in order to keep upappearances and save the honour of the imperial government.
He had not again spoken with Petros in private, and the latter mustnecessarily have some plausible reason for the appearance of Belisariusin Italy. No doubt the act of Petros had been a long-determined meansfor the accomplishment of the secret plans of the Emperor.
The thought of carrying on a war--of all thoughts the most unbearableto Theodahad--he very well understood how to keep at a distance, for hewisely reflected that it takes two to fight.
"If I do not defend myself," he thought, "the attack will soon be over.Belisarius may come--I will do all in my power to prevent anyresistance being made, for that would only embitter the Emperor againstme. If, on the contrary, the general reports to Byzantium that I havefurthered his success in all possible ways, Justinian will not refuseto fulfil the old contract, if not wholly, at least in part."
In this sense he acted. He called all the active land and sea forces ofthe Goths away from South Italy, where he expected the landing ofBelisarius, and sent them eastwards to Liburnia, Dalmatia, Istria, andwestwards to South Gaul, pretending--supported by the fact thatBelisarius had sent a small detachment of troops to Dalmatia againstSalona, and had exchanged ambassadors with the Frankish King--that theprincipal attack of the Byzantines was to be expected by land fromIstria, aided by the allied Franks on the Rhodanus and Padus. Thefeigned movements of Belisarius gave colour to this pretext, so thatwhat is almost incredible took place. The troops of the Goths, theirships, weapons, and war munition, in great quantities, were led away inall haste just before the invasion; South Italy, as far as Rome, andeven to Ravenna, was exposed; and all measures of defence wereneglected in the very parts where the first blow was to fall.
The Dravus, Rhodanus, and Padus were crowded with Gothic sails andarms, while towards Sicily, as we have seen, even the most necessaryguard-ships were wanting.
And the turbulent urgency of the Gothic patriots did not do much good.
The King had got rid of Witichis and Hildebad, by sending them withtroops to Istria and Gaul; and old Hildebrand, who would not quite giveup his belief in the last of the Amelungs, opposed a tough resistanceto the suspicions of Teja.
But the courage of Theodahad was most strengthened by the return of hisQueen.
Shortly after the declaration of war, Witichis had marched with aGothic troop before the Castle of Feretri, where Gothelindis had takenrefuge with her Pannonian mercenaries, and had persuaded her to returnvoluntarily to Ravenna, assuring her of safety, until her cause shouldbe formally examined into and decided before the approaching NationalAssembly of the people and the army near Rome.
These conditions were agreeable to all; for the Gothic patriots wished,above everything, to avoid being split into parties at the outbreak ofthe war.
And while Earl Witichis, in his great sense of justice, desired thatthe right of defence against all accusations should be granted, Tejaalso acknowledged that, as the enemy had hurled the terrible accusationof regicide at the Gothic nation, the national honour could only beupheld by a strict and formal inquiry, and not by tumultuous popularjustice founded on blind suspicion.
Gothelindis looked forward with confidence to her trial; though thevoice of moral conviction might be against her, she firmly believedthat no sufficient proof of her guilt could be advanced. Had not hereye alone seen the end of her enemy? And she knew that she would not becondemned without a full conviction. So she willingly returned toRavenna, encouraged the coward heart of her husband, and hoped, whenthe day of trial had passed, to find security from all furthermolestation in the camp of Belisarius and the court of Byzantium.
The confidence of the royal couple as to the result of the trial washeightened by the circumstance that the arming of the Franks had giventhem a pretext for despatching, besides Witichis and Hildebad, thedangerous Earl Teja with a third detachment to the north-west of thepeninsula. With him went many thousands of the most zealous adherentsof the National Party, so that the assembly near Rome would not beovercrowded by adversaries.
And they were ceaselessly employed in gathering together their personaladherents, as well as the old opponents of Amalaswintha, and the mightykindred of the Balthes in all its far-spread branches, in order tosecure friendly voices for the important day.
In this way they had gained composure and confidence. Theodahad hadbeen persuaded by Gothelindis to appear himself as the advocate of hiswife, in order that such a show of courage and the respect imposed byhis royal person might perhaps, from the very commencement, intimidateall opponents.
Surrounded by their adherents and a small bodyguard, Theodahad andGothelindis left Ravenna and hastened to Rome, where they arrived a fewdays before the time appointed for the Assembly, and took up theirquarters in the old imperial palace.
Not immediately before the walls, but in the vicinity of Rome, upon anopen plain called Regeta, between Anaqui and Terracina, was theAssembly to be held.
Early on the morning of the day on which Theodahad was about toset forth alone on his journey thither, and while he was takingleave of Gothelindis, an unexpected and unwelcome visitor wasannounced--Cethegus, who had never before made his appearance duringtheir stay of some days in Rome. He had been fully occupied by thecompletion of the fortifications.
As he entered, Gothelindis, struck by his gloomy aspect, cried:
"For God's sake, what evil news do you bring?"
The Prefect only knit his brows, and answered quietly:
"Evil news? For him whom it hurts! I come from a meeting of my friends,where I first learned what all Rome will soon know. Belisarius haslanded!"
"At last!" exclaimed Theodahad.
And the Queen also could not conceal an expression of triumph.
"Do not rejoice too soon; you may repent it. I do not come to call youand your friend Petros to account; he who treats with traitors must beprepared for lies. I only come to tell you that you are now mostcertainly lost."
"Lost?"
"We are saved!"
"No, Queen. Belisarius, on landing, published a manifesto. He says thathe comes to punish the murderers of Amalaswintha. A high price and hisfavour are assured to those who give you up, alive or dead."
Theodahad grew pale.
"Impossible!" cried Gothelindis.
"And the Goths will soon learn to whose treachery they owe theunresisted entrance of the enemy into the country. Still more. I amcharged by the city of Rome, as its Prefect, to care for its well-beingin this stormy time. I shall arrest you in the name of Rome, anddeliver you into the hands of Belisarius."
"That you dare not do!" cried Gothelindis, laying her hand upon herdagger.
"Peace, Gothelindis! Here there is no helpless woman to be murdered ina bath. But I will let you free--what to me matters your life ordeath?--at a moderate price."
"I will grant anything!" stammered Theodahad.
"You will deliver up to me the documents of your contract withSilverius--be silent! Do not lie! I know that you have treated with himlong and secretly. Once again you have carried on a fine trade withland and people. I should like to have the bill of sale."
"The sale is now null; the documents without effect. Take them! Theyare deposited in the Basilica of St. Martin, in the sarcophagus on theleft of the crypt."
Theodahad's terror proved that he spoke the truth.
"It is well," said Cethegus. "All the exits of the palace are guardedby my legionaries. I will first get the documents. If I find them inthe stated place, I shall give orders to let you pass. If you then wishto fly, go to the Porta Marcu
s Aurelius, and name my name to thetribune of the guard, Piso; he will let you depart."
He turned and went out, leaving the pair in a state of helpless alarm.
"What shall we do?" said Gothelindis, more to herself than to herhusband. "Shall we yield or defy them?"
"What shall we do?" repeated Theodahad impatiently. "Defy them? thatmeans stay here? Nonsense! Away as soon as possible. There is no safetybut in flight!"
"Whither will you fly?"
"First to Ravenna--it is strong! There I will take the royal treasure.From thence, if it must be, to the Franks. Oh, what a pity that I mustleave all the moneys hidden here--many millions of solidi!"
"Here? Here, too?" asked Gothelindis, her attention suddenly aroused."You have treasures hidden in Rome? Where? And are they safe?"
"Ah, far too safe! In the Catacombs! I myself should be hours infinding them all in those dark labyrinths; and minutes are now death orlife, and life is more than solidis! Follow me, Gothelindis, so thatwe may not lose a moment. I hasten to the Porta Marcus Aurelius."
And he left the chamber.But Gothelindis remained motionless. A thought, a plan had crossed hermind at his words. She contemplated the possibility of resistance. Herpride could not endure to renounce the government.
"Gold is power," she said to herself, "and power alone is life."
Her resolution was firmly fixed. She thought of the Cappadocianmercenaries, whom the avarice of the King had driven from his service;they still remained in Rome, masterless, waiting to embark.
She heard Theodahad hastily descend the staircase, and call for hislitter.
"Fly, fly! thou miserable coward!" she cried, "I will remain here!"