"For the good God's sake," begged a sweet voice, "let me get to him! I will only see his body--oh, take care! Oh, my father! my father!" It was Miriam, who had hastened home terrified by the noise made by the plundering Huns. With the strength of despair she pushed back the spears and took Isaac's grey head into her arms. "Get away, girl!" said the soldier next to her, a very tall Bajuvar, a mercenary of Byzantium; his name was Garizo. "Do not hinder us! we must make the way clear. Into the grave with the Jew!" "No, no!" cried Miriam, and pushed the man back. "Woman!" he cried angrily, and lifted his axe. But, spreading her arms protectingly over her father's body, and with sparkling eyes, the girl fearlessly stood her ground. The soldier suddenly fell back as if paralysed. "Thou hast a bold heart, girl!" he cried, dropping his axe, "and thou art as beautiful as the wood-nymph of the Liusacha! What can I do for thee? Thou art wonderful to look at." "If the God of my fathers has touched thy heart," said Miriam in her pathetic voice, "help me to hide the body in the garden there--he has long since dug his own grave near Sarah, my mother--with his face to the east." "It shall be done," said the Bajuvar, and obeyed her. She carried the head, he the knees of the corpse. A few steps took them into the little garden; there, under a weeping-willow, lay a stone; the man pushed it away, and they laid the corpse in the grave, with its face to the east. Miriam looked into the grave without a word, without a tear; she felt so forsaken, so lonely. The Bajuvar softly pushed the stone back into its place, filled with compassion. "Come!" he said. "Whither?" asked Miriam in a low voice. "Well, whither wilt thou go?" "I do not know. I thank thee," she said, and took an amulet from her neck and gave it to him. It was made of gold, a coin from the Jordan, from the Temple. "No!" said the man, and shook his head. He took her hand, and pressed it to his eyes. "So," he said, "that will do me good all my life long. Now I must go; we must catch the Earl Totila. Farewell." That name went to Miriam's heart. She cast one more look at the quiet grave, and then slipped quickly out of the garden. She wished to go through the gate on to the highroad, but the portcullis was down, and at the gate stood men with Gothic helmets and shields. She looked about her in surprise. "Is all ready, Chanaranzes?" said a voice. "All; he is as good as taken!" "Hark! before the walls! horses trampling! It is they! Back, woman!" Outside, a few horsemen were seen trotting towards the gate. "Open, open the gate!" cried Totila from a distance. Thorismuth rode up to him. "I don't know how it is, I have no confidence," he cried. "The road was so quiet, and so was the enemy's camp out there; scarcely a few watch-fires were burning." From the ramparts came a flourish of the Gothic horn. "How horribly the fellow blows!" cried Thorismuth angrily.