Uliaris told him that, in order to gain time, he had proposed an armistice of three hours, which Belisarius, who wished for a parley, had accepted. "I will never capitulate! But we must have time to repair and strengthen our walls. Will reinforcements never come? Hast thou still no news from the King by sea?" "None." "The devil! Above six hundred of my Goths have fallen under these hellish projectiles. I cannot even fill the most important posts. If I had but four hundred men more!" "Well," said Totila, reflecting, "I think I can procure thee these. In the Castellum Aurelium, on the road to Rome, lie four hundred and fifty men. Until now they have declared that they received from King Theodahad the unreasonable but strict order, on no account to aid in defending Neapolis. But in this, great necessity--I will go myself, during the armistice, and do all I can to bring them." "Do not go! The truce will have ended before thy return, and then the road will be no longer safe. Thou canst not get through." "I will get through by force or by cunning. Only keep firm until I am back. Up! Thorismuth, to horse!" While Totila, with Thorismuth and a few horsemen, galloped out of the Porta Capuana, old Isaac, who had remained bravely on the walls without tiring, took advantage of the armistice to return to his house, see his daughter, and refresh himself with meat and wine. As Miriam was bringing these, and anxiously listening to Isaac's report of the progress of the siege, a hasty and unsteady foot was heard upon the steps, and Jochem appeared before the astonished pair. "Son of Rachel, whence comest thou in an evil hour, like a raven before misfortune? How couldst thou enter? By what door?" "That is my affair. I come, Father Isaac, once more to demand thy daughter's hand--for the last time in my life." "Is this a time for wooing and wedding?" asked Isaac indignantly. "The city burns, and the streets are full of corpses." "Why does the city burn? Why are the streets full of corpses? Because the people of Neapolis hold by the people of Edom. Yes, this _is_ the time to woo. Give me thy child. Father Isaac, and I will save thee and her. I alone can do so." And he attempted to take Miriam's hand. "Thou save _me_!" she cried, starting back in disgust. "Rather would I die!" "Ha, proud girl!" cried the angry wooer; "thou wouldst be saved by the fair-haired Christian? Let us see if he can save thee--the cursed fellow!--from Belisarius and me. Ha! I will drag him through the streets by his long yellow hair, and spit in his pale face!" "Get thee away, son of Rachel!" said Isaac, rising and taking up his spear. "I see thou art a friend of those who lie outside--the horn sounds the recall; I must go down. But this I tell thee: many amongst you will fall back dead before they can climb over these rotten walls."