"The third condition," resumed Thulun, "is one which thou wilt as willingly grant as we ask it. We three Balthes have not learned to bow our heads in a prince's court. The roof here is too low for us. It is better that Amelungs and Balthes live as far apart as the eagle and the falcon. And the realm needs our weapons upon its boundaries. Our neighbours think that the land is orphaned since thy great father died, Avari, Gepidæ, and Sclavonians fearlessly overstep the frontiers. In order to punish these three nations, thou wilt equip three armies, each of thirty thousand; and we three Balthes will lead them, as thy generals, to the east and to the north." "The whole military force also in their hands--not bad!" thought Cethegus. "Accepted!" he cried aloud, smiling. "And what remains to me," asked Amalaswintha, "when I have granted all this?" "A golden crown upon a white forehead," said Duke Ibba. "Thou canst write like a Greek," re-commenced Thulun. "Such arts are not learned in vain. This parchment should contain all that we demand; my slave has written it down." He gave it to Witichis to examine. "Is it so? 'Tis well. That thou wilt sign, Princess. Good. We have finished. Now, Hildebrand, speak with yonder Roman." But Teja was beforehand. He advanced to the Prefect, trembling with hate, his sword in his hand. "Prefect of Rome," said he, "blood has been shed--precious, noble, Gothic blood! It consecrates the furious strife which will soon be kindled. Blood, which thou shalt atone----" His voice was suffocated with rage. "Bah!" cried Hildebad--for he was the tall Goth--pushing him aside. "Make not such a to-do about it! My dear brother can easily part with a little superfluous blood; and the others lost more than he could spare. There, thou black devil!" he cried, turning to Cethegus, and holding a broad-sword close before his eyes, "knowest thou that?" "Pomponius's sword!" cried Cethegus, turning pale and staggering back a step. Amalaswintha and Cassiodorus asked in alarm, "Pomponius?" "Aha!" laughed Hildebad. "That is shocking, is it not? Nothing will come of the water-party!" "Where is Pomponius--my Navarchus?" asked Amalaswintha vehemently. "With the sharks, Queen, in deep water." "Ha! death and destruction!" exclaimed Cethegus, now carried away by his anger. "How happened that?" "Merrily enough! My brother Totila--thou surely knowest him?--lay in the harbour of Ancona with two little ships. Thy friend Pomponius had had for some days such an insolent expression of countenance, and had let fall such bragging words, that it struck even my unsuspicious brother. One morning Pomponius suddenly disappeared from the harbour with his three triremes. Totila smelt a rat, spread all sail, pursued him, overtook him off Pisaurum, stopped him, went on board with me and a few others, and asked him whither he would be going." "He had no right to do so. Pomponius will have given him no answer."