by Felix Dahn
CHAPTER I.
When King Witichis readied the camp, he found it almost in a state ofanarchy.
The pressing need of the moment forcibly roused him from his grief, andgave him sufficient occupation.
He found the army split into numerous parties, and on the point ofdissolution. He acknowledged to himself that, if he had abdicated, orabandoned the camp, the complete ruin of the Gothic cause would havebeen the consequence. He found many of the troops already on the pointof departure. Some were about to join Earl Grippa in Ravenna; others togo over to the rebels; others again to fly across the Alps. Many spokeof the choice of a new king, and here, too, the different partiesopposed each other with threats of violence.
Hildebrand and Hildebad still kept together those who did not believein the flight of the King. The old master-at-arms had declared that ifWitichis had really deserted them, he would not rest until he had dealtto him the punishment of Theodoric, while Hildebad rated at those whocould believe Witichis capable of such baseness.
They had guarded the roads to the city and to the rebel camp, andthreatened to oppose force to every movement in those directions; whileDuke Guntharis, having heard a report of the confusion, was alreadyadvancing against the royal camp.
Everywhere Witichis found discontented groups of troops on the point ofdeparture; everywhere he heard words of blame and beheld upliftedweapons. At any moment the camp might become a scene of bloodshed.
Quickly resolved, he hurried to his tent, adorned himself with thecoroneted helmet and the golden sceptre, mounted Boreas, his powerfulcharger, and galloped through the lines of tents, followed by Teja, whobore the blue banner of Theodoric.
In the middle of the camp they met with a crowd of men, women, andchildren--for the latter generally accompanied a Gothic army--who,murmuring and threatening, were moving towards the western gate.
Hildebad had sent his soldiers to bar this gate with levelled lances.
"Let us go out," cried the people. "The King has fled, the war is over,all is lost. We will save our lives."
"The King is no coward like thee!" cried Hildebad, pushing back thenearest man.
"Yes, he is a traitor!" cried the latter. "He has forsaken and betrayedus for the sake of a woman's tears."
"Yes," said another, "he has killed three thousand of our brothers andhas fled."
"Thou liest!" said a quiet voice. Witichis had turned the corner of atent.
"Hail, King Witichis!" cried Hildebad. "Do you see him, you rabble? DidI not tell you? But it was high time thou camest--things were gettingto a desperate pass."
Just then Hildebrand came galloping up with a few horsemen.
"Hail, King Witichis!" he cried, and turning to hiscompanions--"Hasten, heralds, through the camp," said he, "and tellwhat you have seen; and all the people will cry: 'Hail, Witichis, ourfaithful King!'"
But Witichis turned from him with a look of anguish.
The heralds galloped away in all directions, and shortly there arosethrough the whole camp the thundering shout, "Hail, King Witichis!"Even those who had just been murmuring joined unanimously in the cry.
Witichis listened to these acclamations with a look full of pride andpain, and Teja whispered to him: "Now thou seest that thou hast savedthe kingdom."
"Up! lead us to victory!" cried Hildebad, "for Guntharis and Arahadapproach! They think to surprise us without a chief and in completedisorder. At them! They shall find themselves mistaken. At them! anddown with the rebels!"
"Down with the rebels!" thundered the soldiers, glad to find an outletfor their excited passions.
But the King made a sign.
"Peace! No more shall Gothic blood flow from wounds made by Gothicweapons. Wait patiently here. Thou, Hildebad, open the gate for me.None shall follow me. I alone go to the rebels. Thou, Earl Teja,control the troops until I return. But thou, Hildebrand," he cried,raising his voice, "ride to the gates of Ravenna, and loudly bid themopen. Their desire is fulfilled, and, before evening, we will enter:King Witichis and Queen Mataswintha."
He spoke these words with such sorrowful dignity, that the hearersreceived them in reverent silence.
Hildebad opened the gate of the camp. Without could be discerned therebels, approaching at a quick march; loudly sounded their war-cry asthe gate opened.
King Witichis gave his sword to Earl Teja, and rode slowly to meetthem. The gate closed behind him.
"He seeks death," whispered Hildebad.
"No," said Teja, "he seeks the salvation of the Goths."
On recognising the solitary horseman, the rebels were amazed. Near thebrothers--who marched at the head of the troops--rode the chief of theAvarian archers. He held his hand over his small and twinkling eyesand cried:
"By the horse of the war-god, that is the King himself! Now, my boys,sons of the steppes, aim well, and the war is over!" and he quicklytook his bow from his shoulder.
"Stop, Chan Warchun," cried Duke Guntharis, laying his mailed hand uponthe other's shoulder. "Thou hast sadly erred twice in the same breath.Thou hast called Earl Witichis the King: that may be forgiven thee.Thou wouldst murder him who comes as a messenger of peace. That may beAvarian, but is not Gothic custom. Away with thee and thy troop out ofmy camp!"
The Chan started and looked at Guntharis in astonishment.
"Away, at once!" repeated Duke Guntharis.
The Avarian laughed and signed to his horsemen.
"'Tis all one to me. Children, we go to Belisarius. Queer people, theseGoths! Giant bodies with children's hearts!"
Meanwhile Witichis had ridden up.
Guntharis and Arahad looked at him inquiringly.
Unusual solemnity was added to the customary simple dignity of hismanner; the majesty of deep grief.
"I come to speak with you of the welfare of the Goths. Brother shallslay brother no more. Let us enter Ravenna together, and togetherconquer Belisarius. I shall wed Mataswintha, and you two shall standnearest to my throne."
"Never!" cried Arahad passionately.
"Thou forgettest," said Duke Guntharis proudly, "that thy bride is in_our_ tents."
"Duke Guntharis of Tuscany, I might answer that shortly _we_ shall bein your tents. We are more numerous and not less brave than you, and,Duke, we have right on our side. I will not speak of that, but onlywarn you of the fate of the Goths. Should you conquer _us_, you are tooweak to conquer Belisarius. Even united, we are scarcely strong enoughfor that. Give way!"
"It is for thee to give way," said the Woelfung. "If thou lovest theGoths, lay down thy crown. Canst thou make no sacrifice for thypeople?"
"I can. I have done so. Hast thou a wife, O Guntharis?"
"I have a dear wife."
"I too! I _had_ a dear wife. I have sacrificed her to my people. I havesent her away, in order to woo Mataswintha."
Duke Guntharis was silent.
But Arahad cried: "Then thou hast never loved her!"
Witichis started; the force of his grief and his love redoubled. Hischeeks flushed, and casting an annihilating look at the alarmed youth,he cried:
"Talk not to me of love! Blaspheme not, thou foolish boy! Because redlips and white limbs flash before thee in thy dreams, darest thou tospeak of love? What knowest thou of what I have lost in this wife, themother of my sweet child? A world of love and faith! Irritate me not.My heart is sore. I control my pain and despair with difficulty. Do notexasperate them, or they will break loose!"
Duke Guntharis had become very thoughtful.
"I knew thee, Witichis, in the wars with the Gepidae. Never saw Iignoble man deal such noble strokes. I know that there is nought falsein thee. I know the love which binds a man to a good wife. And thouhast sacrificed such a wife to thy people? That is much!"
"Brother, of what thinkest thou?" cried Arahad. "What dost thou intendto do?"
"I intend not to allow the House of the Woelfungs to be outdone ingenerosity. Noble blood, Arahad, demands noble acts! Tell me one thingmore, Witichis.
Wherefore hast thou not rather sacrificed thy crown,even thy life, than thy wife?"
"Because it would have been the certain destruction of the kingdom.Twice I would have yielded the crown to Earl Arahad; twice the leadersof my army swore that they would never acknowledge him. Three, fourGothic kings might have been chosen, but, by my honour, Earl Arahadwould never have been acknowledged. Then I tore my wife from mybleeding heart; and now, Duke Guntharis, remember thou also the peopleof the Goths. The House of the Woelfungs is lost if the Goths are lost.If Belisarius lay the axe to the roots of the trunk, the noblestbranches will fall too. I have renounced my wife, the crown of my life;renounce thou the hope of a crown!"
"It shall not be sung in the halls of the Goths that the freedmanWitichis was more self-sacrificing than the chief of the nobility! Thestrife is at an end; I greet thee, my King."
And the proud Duke bent his knee to Witichis, who raised him andpressed him to his heart.
"Brother! brother! what shame thou dost me!" cried Arahad.
"I look upon it as an honour," said Guntharis quietly. "And as a signthat my King sees no cowardice, but rather nobleness, in my homage, Ibeg a favour. Amelungs and Balthes have ousted my family from the placewhich belonged to it among the people of the Goths."
"At this moment," answered Witichis, "thou hast redeemed that place.The Goths shall never forget that the generosity of the Woelfungs hassaved them from a civil war."
"And, as a sign of this, thou wilt give us the right to bear thestandard of the Goths before the troops in every battle?"
"Be it so," said the King, giving him his right hand; "and none can bemore worthy."
"Thanks, O King! Let us now go to Mataswintha."
"Mataswintha!" cried Arahad, who had looked on at this reconciliation,which buried all his hopes, in dismay. "Ha! you remind me at the righttime. You can take the crown from me--let it go--but not my love, andnot the duty of protecting my beloved. She has refused me, but I shalllove her until death! I have protected her from my brother, who wouldhave forced her to wed me. No less faithfully will I protect her now ifyou two attempt to force her to give her hand to my hated enemy. Thathand, which is dearer to me than all the crowns of the world, shall befree!"
And he quickly mounted his horse, and galloped off to the camp.
Witichis looked after him anxiously.
"Let him go," said Duke Guntharis; "we two, united, have nothing tofear. Let us now reconcile the troops, since the leaders are friends."
While Guntharis first led the King through his lines of troops, andcalled upon them at once to do him homage, which they did with joy, andafterwards Witichis took the Woelfung and his leaders with him into hiscamp, where the victory so peacefully gained was looked upon asmiraculous, Arahad collected together a small troop of about a hundredhorsemen, who were faithfully attached to him, and galloped back withthem to his camp.
He soon reached the tent of Mataswintha, who indignantly rose at hisentrance.
"Be not angry. Princess. This time thou hast no right to be so. Arahadcomes to fulfil his last duty. Fly! thou must follow me!" And, in theimpetuosity of his excitement, he grasped her small white hand.
Mataswintha receded a step, and laid her hand upon the broad goldengirdle which confined her white under-garment.
"Fly?" she asked. "Fly whither?"
"Over the sea! over the Alps! Anywhere for liberty; for thy liberty isendangered."
"Only by thee!"
"By me no longer; and I can protect thee no more. So long as only myhappiness was at stake, I could be cruel to myself and honour thy will.But now----"
"But now?" repeated Mataswintha, turning pale.
"They intend thee for another. My brother, the army, and our enemies inRavenna and the opposite camp, are all agreed. Soon a thousand voiceswill call thee, the victim, to the bridal altar. I cannot bear to thinkof it! Such a soul, such beauty, a sacrifice to an unloved marriagebond!"
"Let them come!" said Mataswintha. "We will see if they can force me!"And she pressed the dagger which she carried in her girdle to herheart. "Who is the new despot who threatens me?"
"Do not ask!" cried Arahad. "Thy enemy, who is not worthy of thee; whodoes not love thee; he--but follow me--fly! They already approach!"
Horses' hoofs were heard outside.
"I remain! Who can force the will of the grandchild of Theodoric?"
"No; thou shalt not, must not, fall into the hands of those heartlessmen, who value neither thee nor thy beauty, but only thy right to thecrown. Follow me----"
At this moment the curtain at the entrance of the tent was pushedaside. Earl Teja entered. Two Gothic boys, dressed in festive garmentsof white silk, followed him; they bore a purple cushion, covered with aveil.
Teja advanced to the middle of the tent, and kneeled beforeMataswintha. He, like the boys, wore a green spray of rue round hishelmet. But his eyes and brow were gloomy, as he said:
"I greet thee. Queen of the Goths and Italians!"
Mataswintha looked at him amazed.
Teja rose, went up to the boys, took a golden circlet and a greenwreath of rue from the cushion, and said:
"I give thee the bridal wreath and the crown, Mataswintha, and invitethee to the wedding and coronation; the litter awaits thee."
Arahad laid his hand on his sword.
"Who sends thee?" asked Mataswintha, with a beating heart, but her handupon her dagger.
"Who but Witichis, the King of the Goths?"
On hearing this a ray of ineffable joy shone from Mataswintha'sbeautiful eyes. She raised both hands to heaven and cried:
"Thanks, O heaven! Thy stars and my true heart are not belied. I knewit!"
She took the coronet into her white hands and pressed it firmly uponher golden hair.
"I am ready," she said. "Lead me to thy master and mine."
And she majestically held out her hand to Earl Teja, who reverently ledher out of the tent.
But Arahad looked after her in speechless wonder as she disappeared,his hand still upon his sword.
He was roused by the entrance of Eurich, one of his followers, who cameup to him, and laying his hand upon his shoulder, asked:
"What now? The horses stand and wait. Whither?"
"Whither?" exclaimed Arahad, starting; "whither? There is only one way,and that we will take. To the Byzantines and death!"