CHAPTER XVII.
Lost in thought, the Prefect left the tent, and went round the camp tothe rather distant outwork, where he had entrenched himself and hisIsaurians before the Gate of Honorius.
It was situated on the south side of the city, near the harbour wall ofClassis, and the way led partly along the sea-shore.
Although the lonely wanderer was at this moment preoccupied by thegreat thought which had become the pulse of his life, although he wasoppressed by anxiety as to how Belisarius--that man of impulse--wouldact, and worried with impatience for the arrival of the answer from theFranks, his attention was yet involuntarily attracted by the singularappearance of the landscape, the sky, and the sea.
It was October; but the season had seemed for weeks to have altered itslaws. For almost two months it had never rained. Not a cloud, not astripe of mist had been seen in this usually so humid part of thecountry. But now, quite suddenly--it was towards sunset--Cethegusremarked in the east, above the sea horizon, a single, dense, andcoal-black cloud.
The setting sun, although free from mist, shed no rays.
Not a breath of air rippled the leaden surface of the sea; not thesmallest wavelet played upon the strand.
Not an olive-leaf moved in all the wide plain; not even theeasily-shaken reeds in the marshy ditches trembled.
No cry of an animal, no flight of a bird could be heard or perceived;and a strange choking smell, as if of sulphur, seemed to lieoppressively over land and sea, and to check respiration. The mules andhorses in the camp kicked uneasily against the posts to which they weretied. A few camels and dromedaries, which Belisarius had brought withhim from Africa, buried their heads in the sand.
The wanderer heaved a deep breath, and looked about him in surprise.
"How sultry! Just as it is before the 'wind of death' arises in thedeserts of Egypt," he said to himself. "Sultry everywhere--outside andinside. Upon whose head will the long-withheld fury of Nature andPassion be let loose?"
He entered his tent.
Syphax accosted him.
"Sir, if I were at home, I should think that the poisonous breath ofthe God of the Desert was coming over us." And he handed a letter tothe Prefect.
It was the answer of the King of the Franks. Hastily Cethegus tore openthe great shining seal.
"Who brought it?"
"An ambassador, who, as he did not find you, immediately asked to beconducted to Belisarius. He desired to go the shortest way--through thecamp."
So thus Cethegus had missed him.
He read eagerly:
"'Theudebald, King of the Franks, to Cethegus, the Prefect of Rome.
"'You have addressed to us wise words, and still wiser words you havenot trusted to the letter, but have sent to us through our Major Domus.We are not disinclined to act accordingly. We accept your advice, andthe gifts which accompany it. Their misfortunes have dissolved ourtreaty with the Goths. They may blame their evil fate and not ourwithdrawal. Whom Heaven forsakes, men, if they be pious and wise,should forsake also. It is true that the Goths have paid beforehand theprice for the army of alliance. But, in our eyes, that is no hindrance.We will keep the treasure as a pledge, until such time as they shallcede to us the towns in South Gaul, which lie within the frontierformed by God and nature for the kingdom of the Franks. But, as we haveprepared for a campaign, and our brave soldiers, who already scent thebattle, would but impatiently bear the tedium of peace and might becomedangerous, we are inclined, notwithstanding, to send our valiant troopsover the Alps. Only, instead of fighting _for_ the Goths, they willfight against them. However, we do not wish to serve the EmperorJustinian, who continually denies us the title of King, and inscribeshimself on his coins, 'Master of Gaul;' who will not allow us toimpress our own image on our own coins; and has offered otherunbearable affronts to our dignity. We rather think of extending ourown power in Italy. Now, as we well know that the whole strength of theEmperor in that country is embodied in his commander-in-chief,Belisarius, and that the latter has a great number of old and newinjuries to complain of, inflicted by his ungrateful master, we shallpropose to the hero, Belisarius, to set himself up as Emperor of theWest, to which end we will send him an army of a hundred thousandFrankish heroes. In return, we desire the cession of only a small partof Italy, extending from our frontier to Genoa. We hold it to beimpossible that any mortal can refuse such an offer. In case you willco-operate with us, we promise you a sum of twelve centenari of gold;and, upon a return payment of two centenari, we shall place your nameon the list of our messmates. The ambassador who brings you thisletter--Duke Lintharis--has our order to communicate with Belisarius.'"
Cethegus had read to the end with difficulty. He now broke out:
"Such an offer at such a moment! In such a humour! He will accept it!Emperor of the West, with a hundred thousand Prankish warriors! He mustnot live!"
And he hurried to the door of his tent; but he suddenly checkedhimself.
"Fool that I am!" he laughed, "Still so hot-blooded? He is Belisarius,and not Cethegus! He will not accept. He can rebel as little as themoon can rebel against the earth, or a tame house-dog suddenly become araging wolf. He will not accept! But now let us see to what purpose wecan put the cupidity and falsity of this Merovingian. No, King of theFranks!" and he looked bitterly at the crumpled letter. "As long asCethegus lives, not a foot of Italian soil shall you have!"
He paced rapidly through his tent.
Another turn--with a slower step.
And a third--then he stood still, and over his mighty brow came a flashof light.
"I have it!" he joyously cried. "Syphax," he called, "go and fetchProcopius."
As he again paced the tent, his eyes fell upon the fallen letter of theMerovingian.
"No," he laughed triumphantly, as he took it up from the ground. "No,King of the Franks, you shall not win as much of Italy's holy soil asis covered by this letter."
Procopius soon appeared. The two men sat talking earnestly through thewhole night.
Procopius was startled at the bold and daring plans of the Prefect, andfor some time refused to enter into them. But the genius of the manheld him fast, overcame every objection before it was expressed, and atlast he was so entangled in an inextricable network of argument, thathe lost all power of resistance.
The stars were pale, and the dawn illumined the east with a grey stripeof light, when Procopius took leave of his friend.
"Cethegus," he said, rising, "I admire you. If I were not the historianof Belisarius, I should like to be yours."
"It would be more interesting," said the Prefect quietly, "but moredifficult."
"But," continued Procopius, "I cannot help shuddering at the bitingacrimony of your spirit. It is a sign of the times in which we live. Itis like a poisonous but brilliant flower in a swamp. When I recollecthow you have ruined the Gothic King by means of his own wife----"
"I have something to tell you about that. Lately I have heard verylittle from my fair ally----"
"Your ally? Your ways are----"
"Always practical."
"But not always---- But never mind. I am with you--for yet a littlewhile, for I wish to get my hero out of Italy as soon as possible. Heshall gather laurels in Persia instead of thorns here. But I will onlygo with you as far----"
"As it suits you, of course."
"Enough! I will at once speak with Antonina. I do not doubt of success.She is tired to death here. She burns with desire, not only to see manyan old friend in Byzantium, but also to ruin the enemies of herhusband."
"A good bad wife!"
"But Witichis? Do you think he will believe a rebellion on the part ofBelisarius possible?"
"King Witichis is a good soldier, but a poor psychologist. I know amuch cleverer man, who yet, for a moment, believed it possible.Besides, you will bring proofs in writings and just now, forsaken as heis by the Franks--the water is up to his neck--he will snatch at anystraw. Therefore I, also, do not doubt of success. Only
make sure ofAntonina----"
"That shall be my care. At mid-day I hope to enter Ravenna as anambassador."
"Good--and do not forget to speak to the lovely Queen."