CHAPTER XXIII.
A few weeks later, we find Cethegus in the well-known room containing the statue of Cæsar, together with our new acquaintance, Petros, the ambassador of the Emperor Justinian, or rather of the Empress.
The two men had shared a simple meal and had emptied a flask of old Massikian together, exchanging reminiscences of past times--they had been fellow-students, as we already know--and had just left the dinner-room for the study of Cethegus, in order, undisturbed by the attendants, to talk over more confidential affairs.
"As soon as I had convinced myself," said Cethegus, concluding his account of late events, "that the alarming reports from Ravenna were only rumours--perhaps inventions, and, at all events, exaggerated--I opposed the utmost coolness to the excitement and zeal of my friends. Lucius Lucinius, with his fiery temper and foolish enthusiasm, almost spoilt everything. He repeatedly demanded that I should accept the office of Dictator, and literally put his sword to my breast, shouting that I should be compelled to serve the fatherland. He let out so many secrets, that it was fortunate the dark Corsican--who seems to stick to the Goths, no one knows why--took him to be more drunk than he really was. At last news came that Amalaswintha had returned, and so people and Senate gradually became more calm."
"And you," said Petros, "have saved Rome for the second time from the revenge of the barbarians--a service which can never be forgotten, and for which all the world, but most of all the Queen, must thank you."
"The Queen--poor woman!" answered Cethegus, shrugging his shoulders. "Who knows how long the Goths, or your imperial master at Byzantium, will leave her upon her throne?"
"What! You mistake entirely!" interrupted Petros eagerly. "My embassy was intended, above all other things, to support her government; and I was just upon the point of asking your advice," he added cunningly, "as to how this can best be done."
But the Prefect leaned back his head against the marble wall, and looked with a smile at the ambassador.
"Oh, Petros! oh, Peter!" he said. "Why so secret? I thought we knew each other better."
"What do you mean?" asked the Byzantine, embarrassed.
"I mean that we have not studied law and history together at Berytus and Athens in vain. I mean that at that time we already, while working together and exchanging our wise thoughts, came to the conclusion that the Emperor must drive out these barbarians, and rule again in Rome as he does in Byzantium. And as I think now just as I did then, you also will surely not have become a different man."
"I must subject my views to those of my master; and Justinian----"
"Naturally burns to rule in Italy."
"But certainly," said Petros, much embarrassed, "cases might occur----"
"Peter," said Cethegus, now rising indignantly, "use no phrases and no lies with me; they do no good. See, Petros, this is your old fault; you are ever too cunning to be wise. You think that you must always lie, and are never courageous enough to be truthful. How can you pretend to me that the Emperor does not mean to have Italy again? Whether he will uphold or overthrow the Queen depends upon whether he thinks he will reach his goal more easily with or without her. What his opinion is I am not to know. But, in spite of all your cunning, the next time we meet I will tell you to your face what he intends to do."
A wicked and bitter smile played upon the ambassador's thin lips.
"Still as proud as ever you were in the schools of logic at Athens," he said spitefully.
"Yes; and at Athens, you know, I was always the first, Procopius the second, and you came third."
Syphax just then entered the room.
"A veiled woman, sir," he said, "awaits you in the Hall of Jupiter."
Glad that the conversation was thus interrupted, for he did not feel capable of arguing with the Prefect, Petros said, with a grin:
"I wish you joy of such an interruption."
"Yes, for your own sake," answered Cethegus, smiling; and left the room.
"You shall one day repent your sarcasm, haughty man!" thought the Byzantine.
In the hall--which received the name of Jupiter from a beautiful statue, sculptured by Glycon of Athens--Cethegus found a woman, clad richly in the Gothic costume. On his entrance, she threw back the cowl of her brown mantle.
"Princess Gothelindis!" cried the Prefect in surprise. "What leads you to me?"
"Revenge!" she answered, in a hoarse voice, and advanced towards him.
Her features were sharp, but not plain; she would even have been called beautiful, but that her left eye was utterly destroyed, and the whole of her left cheek disfigured by a long scar. The wound seemed to bleed afresh as her cheeks flushed while pronouncing the angry word. Such deadly hatred shone from her grey eye, that Cethegus involuntarily retreated.
"Revenge?" he asked. "On whom?"
"On--of that later. Forgive that I disturb you," she added, composing herself. "Your friend Petros of Byzantium is with you, is he not?"
"Yes; but how do you know?"
"Oh! I saw him enter your door before supper," she answered, with assumed indifference.
"That is not true," said Cethegus to himself; "for he was brought in by the garden-gate. So they have made an appointment here, and I was not to know it. What can they want with me?"
"I will not keep you long," continued Gothelindis. "I have only one question to ask of you. Answer briefly, 'yes' or 'no.' I have the power to ruin that woman--the daughter of Theodoric--and I have the will. Are you for me in this, or against me?"
"Oh! friend Petros," thought the Prefect. "Now I already know what you intend to do with Amalaswintha. But we will see how far you have gone.--Gothelindis," he said aloud, "I readily believe that you wish to ruin the Gothic Queen; but I doubt if you can do so."
"Listen to me, and then decide whether I can or no. The woman has caused the three dukes to be murdered."
Cethegus shrugged his shoulders. "Many people think that."
"But I can prove it."
"You don't say so?" exclaimed Cethegus incredulously.
"Duke Thulun, as you know, did not die immediately. He was attacked on the Æmilian Way, near my villa at Tannetum. My husbandmen found him and brought him into my house. You know that he was my cousin--I belong to the Balthe family. He died in my arms."
"Well, and what said the sick man in his fever?"
"Fever! Nothing of the sort! As Duke Thulun fell, he wounded his murderer, who was not able to fly far. My husbandmen sought for him, and found him dying in the nearest wood. He confessed everything to me."
Cethegus imperceptibly compressed his lips.
"Well? What was he? What did he say?"
"He was an Isaurian mercenary," said Gothelindis sharply, "an overlooker of the works on the ramparts at Rome, and he said, 'Cethegus, the Prefect, sent me to the Queen, and the Queen sent me to Duke Thulun!'"
"Who heard his confession besides you?" asked Cethegus.
"No one. And no one shall know of this, if you stand by me. But if not, then----"
"Gothelindis," interrupted the Prefect, "no threats! They are of no use. You must comprehend that they can only aggravate, but not control me. In case of need, I would allow it to come to an open accusation. You are known as the bitter enemy of Amalaswintha, and your evidence alone--you were imprudent enough to confess that no one else heard the declaration of the dying man--would ruin neither her nor me. You cannot force me to act against the Queen; at the most, you could persuade me, if you can show that it would be to my advantage. And to do this, I myself will propose an ally to you. You certainly know Petros, my friend?"
"Very well; long since."
"Permit me to fetch him to this conference."
He returned to his study.
"Petros, my visitor is the Princess Gothelindis, the wife of Theodahad. She wishes to speak to both of us. Do you know her?"
"I? oh no. I have never seen her," answered Petros quickly.
"'Tis well; follow me."
As soon as they entered the hall, Gothelindis cried out:
"Welcome, old friend! What a surprising meeting!"
Petros was dumb. Cethegus, his hands clasped behind his back, enjoyed the confusion of the Byzantine.
"Do you see, Petros? always too cunning, always unnecessary subtleties! But come, do not be so cast down by the discovery of a trick. So you two have combined together for the Queen's ruin. You wish to persuade me to help you. But before doing so, I must know your intentions exactly. Whom will you place upon Amalaswintha's throne? For the way is not yet open for Justinian."
Both were silent for some moments. His clear perception of the situation surprised them. At last Gothelindis spoke:
"Theodahad, my husband, the last of the Amelungs."
"Theodahad, the last of the Amelungs," Cethegus repeated slowly.
Meanwhile, he considered all the advantages and disadvantages of this plan. He reflected that Theodahad, unloved by the Goths, and raised to the throne by Petros, would soon be entirely in the power of the Byzantines, and that the catastrophe would be brought about in a different manner and earlier than he intended. He reflected that he must at all events keep the armies of the East Romans at a distance for the longest possible time, and he decided to keep up the present state of things and support Amalaswintha, because thus he would gain time for his preparations. All this he had thought over, weighed, and decided upon, in a few moments.
"And how will you commence proceedings?" he asked gravely.
"We shall desire the Queen to abdicate in favour of my husband, threatening, in case of refusal, to accuse her of murder."
"And if she runs the risk?"
"We will carry out our threat," said Petros, "and raise a storm amongst the Goths, which will----"
"Cost her her life!" cried Gothelindis.
"Perhaps cost her her throne," said Cethegus, "but hardly give it to Theodahad. No, if the Goths are allowed to choose a king, he will not bear the name of 'Theodahad.'"
"That is too true," said Gothelindis angrily.
"Then there might easily come a king who would be much less welcome to us all than Amalaswintha. And therefore I tell you openly, I am not on your side; I will uphold the Queen."
"Then there is war between us," cried Gothelindis grimly, and turned towards the door. "Come, Petros."
"Softly, friends," said the Byzantine. "Perhaps Cethegus will change his mind when he has read this paper," and he gave the Prefect the letter which Alexandros had brought from Amalaswintha to Justinian.
Cethegus read; his features darkened.
"Well," said Petros sarcastically, "will you still support the Queen, who has vowed your ruin? Where would you be if she carried out her plan, and your friends did not watch over you?"
Cethegus scarcely listened to him.
"Pitiful fellow," he thought, "as if it were that! as if the Queen were not quite right! as if I could blame her for it! But the imprudent woman has already done what I only feared from Theodahad. She has ruined herself, and frustrated all my plans; she has already called the Byzantines into the country, and now they will come, whether she will or no. As long as Amalaswintha reigns, Justinian will play the part of her protector." And now he turned, in seeming consternation, to the ambassador, and, giving him the letter back, asked: "And if she carries out her intention, when could your troops land?"
"Belisarius is already on the way to Sicily," said Petros, proud of having abashed the Prefect; "in a week he can anchor before Portus."
"Unheard of!" cried Cethegus, this time in real dismay.
"You see," said Gothelindis, who had meanwhile read the letter, "those whom you would uphold wish to ruin you. Be beforehand with them."
"In the name of my Emperor," said Petros, "I summon you to help me to destroy this kingdom of the Goths, and to restore to Italy her freedom. You and your talent are valued as they ought to be at the Emperor's court, and, after the victory, Justinian promises you--the dignity of a senator at Byzantium."
"Is it possible?" cried Cethegus. "But not even this highest; of honours drives me with such eagerness into your plans as my indignation against the ungrateful Queen, who in reward for all my services, threatens my life.--But are you sure?" he asked anxiously, "that Belisarius will not land at once?"
"Do not be uneasy," answered Petros; "it is my hand that will beckon, when it is time. First, Amalaswintha must be replaced by Theodahad."
"That is well," thought Cethegus; "with time all is won, and the Byzantines shall not land until I can receive them at the head of Italy in arms.--I am yours," he added aloud, turning to Gothelindis, "and I think I can bring Amalaswintha to set the crown upon your husband's head with her own hands. She shall resign the sceptre."
"The Queen will never do that!" cried Gothelindis.
"Perhaps! Her generosity is still greater than her ambition. It is possible to ruin one's enemies through their virtues," said Cethegus thoughtfully. "I am now sure of the thing, and I greet you, Queen of the Goths!" he concluded, with a slight bow.