When carried away insensible from the door which he had closed with his body, he had lain for a day and a half in a state which was half sleep, half swoon. When, on the evening of the second day, he again opened his eyes, his first glance fell upon the faithful Moor, who was crouched at the foot of the bed, and who had never ceased to watch him. The snake was twined round his arm. "The wooden door!" was the first scarcely audible word of the Prefect. "The wooden door must be replaced by--marble blocks----" "Thanks, thanks, O Snake-god!" cried the slave; "now he is saved and thou too! And I, my master, have saved you." And he threw himself upon the ground and kissed his master's bedstead; his feet he did not dare to kiss. "You have saved me? how?" "When I laid you, as pale as death, upon this bed, I fetched my Snake-god and showed you to him; and I said, 'Thou seest, O Snake-god, that my master's eyes are closed. Make them open. Until thou dost so, thou shalt not receive one drop of milk or crumb of bread. And if he never open his eyes again--then, on the day when they burn his corpse, Syphax will burn by his side, and thou, O great Snake-god, also. Thou hast the power to heal him, then do so--or burn!' Thus I spoke, and he has healed you." "The city is safe--I feel it. Else I had never slept! Is Belisarius alive? Where is Procopius?" "In the library with your tribunes. According to the physician's sentence, they expected to-day either your recovery, or your----" "Death? This time your god has saved me, Syphax.--Let the tribunes enter." Very soon Piso, the Licinii, Salvius Julianus, and some others stood before the Prefect; they would have hurried up to his couch with emotion, but he signed to them to compose themselves. "Rome, through me, thanks you! You have fought like--like Romans! I can say nothing more, or more flattering." He looked at the row of men before him reflectively, and then said: "One is missing--ah, my Corinthian! His corpse is saved, for I recommended it, and the two statues, to Piso. Let a slab of black Corinthian marble be placed upon the spot where he fell; set the statue of Apollo above the urn, and inscribe on the latter, 'Here died, for Rome, Kallistratos of Corinth; he saved the god, and not the god him.' Now go. We shall soon meet again upon the walls.--Syphax, send Procopius to me. And bring a large cup of Falernian.--Friend," he cried to Procopius as the latter entered, "it seems to me as if, before I fell into this feverish sleep, I had heard some one whisper, 'Procopius has saved the great Belisarius!' A deed which will give you immortality. Posterity will thank you--therefore I need not. Sit by my side and tell me all. But wait--first arrange my cushions, so that I may see my Cæsar. The sight of that statue strengthens me more than medicine. Now speak." Procopius looked sharply at the sick man. "Cethegus," he then said, in a grave voice, "Belisarius knows everything."