Cethegus almost shared this belief. But still he feared the outbursts of indignation amongst the Goths in the provinces. Therefore he took care that, for the present, no report of the manner in which the city had fallen should pass the gates; and he pondered upon some means of making use of the imprisoned King himself, to palliate the possible renewal of national feeling in the Goths. He also persuaded Belisarius to send Acacius, with the Persian horsemen, to follow Hildebad, who had escaped in the direction of Tarvisium. In vain he tried to speak to the Queen. She had not yet fully recovered the effects of the night of the earthquake, and admitted no one. She had even listened to the news of the fall of the city with indifference. The Prefect gave her a guard of honour, in order to make sure of her, for he had great plans in connection with her. Then he sent her the sword of the King, accompanying it with a note. "I have kept my word. King Witichis is ruined, you are revenged and free. Now it is your turn to fulfil my wish." A few days later, Belisarius, deprived of his constant adviser Procopius, called the Prefect to an interview in the right wing of the palace, where he had taken up his quarters. "Unheard-of mutiny!" he cried, as Cethegus entered. "What has happened?" "You know that I placed Bessas, with the Lazian mercenaries, in the trenches of the Gate of Honorius, one of the most important points of the city. Hearing that the temper of these troops was insubordinate I recalled them--and Bessas----" "Well?" "Refuses to obey." "Without reason? Impossible!" "A ridiculous reason! Yesterday the term of my office expired." "Well?" "And Bessas declares that since midnight I am no longer his commander!" "Shameful! But he is in the right." "In the right! In a few days the Emperor's reply will arrive, according to my wish. He will naturally, after the conquest of Ravenna, again appoint me as commander-in-chief, until the war is ended. The news may be here the day after to-morrow." "Perhaps still sooner, Belisarius. At sunset the watchman on the lighthouse of Classis announced the approach of a ship coming from Ariminum. It appears to be an imperial trireme. It may run into harbour at any hour. Then the knot will be loosened." "I will cut it beforehand. My body-guard shall storm the trenches and strike the head off the obstinate Bessas----" He was interrupted by the entrance of Johannes. "General," he cried, "the Emperor is here! The Emperor, Justinian himself, has just anchored in the harbour of Classis." Cethegus involuntarily started. Was such a thunderbolt from a clear sky, such a whim of the incalculable despot, after such toil, to overthrow the almost perfect structure of his plans? But Belisarius, with sparkling eyes, asked: "The Emperor? How do you know?"