Homepage
Login
Profile
BookClubs
dmBox
Read Ebook: A Struggle for Rome v. 3 by Dahn Felix Wolffsohn Lily Translator
Font size:
Background color:
Text color:
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page
Ebook has 2459 lines and 100078 words, and 50 pages
up with dignity.
"Belisarius, you forget yourself, and who I am!"
"Oh no! I am a prisoner, and you are my gaoler. I will go at once on board your ship--only spare me chains and fetters."
It was very late before the Prefect could get away from the Prince, who spoke to him with the greatest frankness on state affairs and his own personal wishes.
As soon as Cethegus was alone in his rooms, which had also been appointed to him in the palace, he hastened to read the letter which Lucius Licinius had brought from the Empress. It ran thus:
"She must always remind me of that!" cried the Prefect, interrupting his perusal of the letter.
"Certainly not," said Cethegus, as he carefully destroyed the letter. "You are too dangerous an ally, Theodora, my little demon! I will see whether you cannot be replaced.--Patience! In a few weeks Mataswintha will be in Byzantium."
The round tower, in the deepest dungeon of which Witichis was confined, was situated at the angle of the right wing of the palace, the same in which he had dwelt and ruled as King.
The iron door of the tower formed the end of a long passage which led from a court, and which was separated from this court by a heavy iron gate.
This dwelling consisted of two small chambers; the first, which was separated from the second by a curtain, was merely an ante-room.
The inner chamber afforded an outlook across the court to the round tower.
Both rooms were very simply furnished. A straw couch in the inner room, and two chairs, a table, and a row of keys upon the walls in the outer room, was almost all that they contained.
Upon the wooden bench in the window abovementioned, sat, day and night--her eyes fixed upon the hole in the wall, through which alone light and air could penetrate to the King's prison--a silent and thoughtful woman.
Even when she spoke to her companion, Wachis, or to the gaoler, she never turned her eyes away. It seemed as if she thought that her mere look could guard the prisoner from every danger.
On the day of which we speak she had sat thus for a long time.
It was evening. Dark and threatening the massive tower rose into the sky, casting a broad shadow over the court and the left wing of the palace.
Her attention was attracted by the rattling of the iron gate opposite.
A man with a light came through it across the court, and now entered the ante-room. It was the old gaoler.
"Well? Speak! cried Rauthgundis, leaving her seat and hurrying to him.
"Patience--patience! Let me first set down the lamp. There! Well, he has drunk and it has done him good."
Rauthgundis laid her hand upon her heart.
"'What is he doing?" she asked.
"He always sits in the same position, perfectly silent. He sits on a stone block, his back turned to the door, his head supported on his hands. He gives me no answer when I speak to him. Generally he does not even move; I believe grief and pain have stupefied him. But to-day, when I handed him the wine in the wooden cup and said, 'Drink, dear sir; it comes from true friends,' he looked up. Ah, his look was so sorrowful, as sad as death! He drank deeply, and bowed his head thankfully, and gave such a sigh, that it cut me to the heart."
Rauthgundis covered her eyes with her hand.
"God knows what horrid thing that man means to do to him!" the old man murmured to himself.
"What sayest thou?"
"I say that you must eat and drink well, or else you will lose your strength; and you will need it before long, poor woman!"
"I shall have strength enough!"
"Then take at least a cup of wine."
"Of this wine? No, it is all for him!"
And she went back into the inner chamber, where she again took her old place.
Wachis entered. Since his visit to the Queen he had exchanged his steel cap and mantle for clothes borrowed from Dromon.
"I bring good news!" he cried, as he entered. "But where were you an hour ago? I knocked in vain."
"We had both gone out to buy wine."
"To be sure; that is the reason why the whole room smells so sweet. What do I see? Why, this is old and costly Falernian! How could you pay for it?"
"Pay for it?" repeated the old man. "With the purest gold in the world! I told you that the Prefect had purposely let the King starve, in order to undermine his health. For many days I have received no rations for him. Against my conscience I have kept him alive by depriving the other prisoners. This Rauthgundis would no longer suffer. She fell into deep thought, and then asked me whether the rich Roman ladies still paid so dearly for the yellow locks of the Gothic women. Suspecting nothing, I said 'Yes.' She went away, and soon returned shorn of her beautiful auburn hair, but with a handful of gold. With this the wine was bought."
Wachis went into the next room, and kissing the hand of Rauthgundis, exclaimed: "Good and faithful wife!"
"What art thou doing, Wachis? Rise, and tell me thy news."
"Yes, tell us," said Dromon, joining them. "What says my Paukis? What advice does he give?"
"What matters his advice?" asked Rauthgundis. "I can manage alone."
"We need him very much. The Prefect has formed nine cohorts, after the model of the Roman legionaries, of all the youth of Ravenna, and my Paulus is enrolled amongst them. Luckily, the Prefect has entrusted the guard of the city gates to these legionaries. The Byzantines are placed outside the city in the harbour; the Isaurians here in the palace."
"Yes," continued Wachis; "and these gates are carefully closed at night; but the breach near the Tower of AEtius is not yet repaired. Only sentinels are placed there to guard it."
"When has my son the watch?"
"In two days. He will have the third night-watch."
He hesitated.
"What? Speak!" cried Rauthgundis. "I can bear to hear everything."
"Perhaps it is well that you should know it; for you are cleverer than we two, and will better find out what is to be done. I fear they have something wicked in their heads. As long as Belisarius had the command here, it went well with the King. But since Belisarius has gone and the Prefect--that silent demon!--is master of the palace, things look dangerous. He visits the King every day, and speaks to him for a long time, earnestly and threateningly. I have often listened in the passage. But it seems to have little effect, for the King, I believe, never answers him; and when the Prefect comes out, he looks as black as thunder. For six days I have received no wine for the King, and only a little piece of bread; and the air down there is as mouldy and damp as the grave."
Rauthgundis sighed deeply.
"Well? Tell me, whatever it may be!"
"He asked me whether the instruments of torture were in good order!"
Rauthgundis turned pale, but remained silent.
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page