CHAPTER XIX.
All at once a thought flashed across the mind of the monk; had they not once before exchanged garments--the Dioscuri?
Had he not once before drawn the murderous steel directed at Totila's heart upon himself?
He thought they were followed. It seemed to him that he heard horses approaching, and Aligern--Adalgoth held the King's head upon his knees--had hastened to the edge of the wood to look.
"Yes, it is they," he cried as he returned; "Persian horsemen are riding up from both sides of the wood!"
"Then make haste, Julius," begged Totila; "save Valeria! Take her to Teja at the sarcophagus."
"I will make all speed, my friend! Farewell till we meet again!" And Julius once more pressed Totila's hand. Then he mounted Pluto--he chose the wounded horse, leaving his own, which was unhurt.
Unseen by Totila, he set the helmet with its silver swan upon his head, folded the white mantle around him, and galloped out of the wood towards the cloister hill.
"This road," he thought, "is open and undefended, while the road which the King will take to the Spes Bonorum leads through wood and vineyard. Perhaps I shall succeed in attracting the pursuers away from him."
And, in fact, he had no sooner issued from beneath the trees, and begun to ride up the hill, than he saw that the horsemen who had come from beyond Taginæ were eagerly following him.
In order to keep the pursuers away from the King, and from discovering their error, he urged his horse to its full speed.
But the animal was wounded, and the way was very steep. Nearer and nearer came the pursuers.
"Is it he?"
"Yes, it is he."
"No, it is not. He is too short," said the leader of the troop, who rode foremost.
"Would he fly alone?"
"That would be the best way to escape," observed the leader.
"It is he most surely; I see the silver swan on his helmet!"
"And the white mantle!"
"But he rode a white horse," said the leader.
"Yes, at first," said one of the horsemen; "but when it fell, struck by my spear, they lifted him--I was close by--upon that charger."
"Enough," said the leader, "you are right. I recognise the horse."
"A noble animal! How it keeps on, and up hill, too, although wounded."
"Yes, he is a noble animal! And I will make him stop. Pay attention! Halt, Pluto!" he shouted. "On your knees!"
Snorting and trembling, the clever, obedient animal, in spite of spur and blows, stood stockstill, and slowly bent its fore-legs in the sand.
"It is ruin, barbarian, to ride the Prefect's horse! There, take that for the Forum! and that for the Capitol! and that for Julius!"
And the Prefect--for he it was--furiously hurled three spears one after the other, his own and two carried by Syphax, at the back of his victim, and with such force that they passed completely through the fugitive's body.
Then Cethegus sprang from his horse, drew his sword, and taking the fallen man by the back of his helmet, dragged up his head from the earth.
"Julius!" he screamed in horror.
"You, O Cethegus!" Julius could just murmur.
"Julius! you must not, must not die!"
And Cethegus passionately tried to stanch the blood that issued from the three wounds.
"If you love me," said the dying man, "save him--save Totila!" And his gentle eyes closed for ever.
Cethegus put his hand upon the heart of the dead man; he laid his ear upon the bared breast.
"All is over!" he then said, in a faint voice. "O Manilia! Julius, I loved thee! And he died with his name upon his lips! All is over!" he cried again, but this time in a voice of anger; "the last bond which united me to human love I have myself cut, deceived by mocking accident! It was my last weakness! And now all tender feeling, be dead to me! Lift him on to the horse.--This, my Pluto, shall be your last service.--Take him--up there I see a chapel--take him there, and let him be buried with all ceremony by the priests. Merely say that he died as a monk--that he died for his friend. He deserves a Christian burial. But I," he added, with a terrible expression on his face, "I will once more seek his friend; I will unite them without delay--and for ever."
And he mounted his horse.
"Whither?" asked Syphax. "Back to Taginæ?"
"No! down into that wood. He must be hidden there, for thence came Julius."
During these occurrences the King had recovered, and now rode with Adalgoth, Aligern, and a few riders, straight out of the wood, on the outer edge of which the road ascended to the chapel hill. As they issued from the trees they could distinctly perceive the walls of the building.
But they themselves had been seen, for they heard a yell to their right, and over the open level a numerous troop of horsemen came galloping towards them from the river.
The King recognised the leader, and before his companions could prevent him, he spurred his horse, couched his spear, and rushed to meet his enemy. Like two thunderbolts from the lowering heavens, the two horsemen crashed together.
"Insolent barbarian!"
"Miserable traitor!"
And both fell from their horses.
They had met with such fury, that neither of them had thought of defending himself, but only of overthrowing his adversary.
Furius Ahalla had fallen dead, for the King had pierced him to the heart through gilded shield and breastplate with such force, that the shaft of the spear had broken in the wound. But the King also sank dying into Adalgoth's arms. Ahalla's lance had entered his breast just below his throat.
Adalgoth tore Valerians blue banner out of his belt and tried to stanch the streaming blood--in vain; the bright blue was at once dyed deep red.
"Gothia!" breathed Totila, "Italia! Valeria!"
At this moment, before the unequal fight could commence, Alboin arrived upon the spot with his Longobardians. He had followed the Prefect, not being inclined to remain idle while the fight was going on round the walls of Taginæ.
The Longobardian looked silently and with emotion at the corpse of the King.
"He gave me my life--I could not save his," he said gravely.
One of his horsemen pointed to the rich armour worn by the dead man.
"No," said Alboin, "this royal hero must be buried with all his royal trappings."
"There, Alboin, on the rocky height above us," said Adalgoth, "his bride and his tomb, self-chosen, have waited for him long."
"Take him up! I will give safe-conduct to the noble corpse and the noble bearers. Now, my men, follow me back to the fight!"