"You threaten, Belisarius? Thanks for the hint! Let us see if we cannot do without you!"
Arrived at his house, he found Syphax, who had been waiting for him impatiently.
Syphax quickly made his report, and concluded:
"But first of all, sir, let the slaves who tie your sandals be whipped! You see how badly you are served when Syphax is absent. And be so kind as to give me your right shoe."
"Properly I should refuse to do so, and let you remain in suspense, to punish you for your impudent lies," laughed the Prefect. "This piece of leather is worth your life, my panther! How will you ransom it?"
"With important news. I now know all the particulars of the plan against the life of Belisarius; the place and time, and the names of the confederates. They are--Teja, Totila, and Hildebad."
"Each one of whom is a match for the magister militum," remarked Cethegus, with evident pleasure.
"I think, sir, that you have prepared another nice trap for the barbarians! According to your order, I have told them that Belisarius himself will sally out from the Tiburtinian Gate to-morrow, in order to forage for supplies."
"Yes; he goes himself because the Huns, who have so often been beaten, will not again venture out alone. He will take only four hundred men."
"And the three confederates will place an ambush of a thousand men in order to surprise Belisarius."