The King's brothers, at the head of their horsemen, now entered the square; they had witnessed the horrible incident from their saddles. Springing to the ground, they passionately clasped Gelimer's hands. "What troubles you, brother?" asked Gibamund. "That is not the glance of the rescuer." "O my brother," sighed Gelimer, "pity me! I feel a loathing for my people; and that is hard." "Yes, for it is the best thing we possess," replied Zazo, gravely. "On earth," answered the King, thoughtfully. "Yet is it not a sin to love even this earthly thing so ardently? All earthly possessions are but vanity. Is it not true of our people and our native land?--" He sank into a deep reverie. "Wake, King Gelimer!" called a voice from the throng in friendly warning. It was Thrasaric. The sudden change had roused his wonder. He, too, had turned to meet the tiger, but the King, who, from his seat on horseback, had seen the animal crouching to spring, anticipated him. Him--and another. The older of the two foreigners had stood still, his spear poised to hurl. "That was a good thrust, Theudigisel," he whispered. "But let us see how it will end. This King is losing the best moment." And so it seemed. For meanwhile the nobles had somewhat recovered from their confusion, and, though no longer quite so insolently as before, but still defiantly enough, Gundomar stepped forward, saying: "You are a hero, O King! It was ungrateful to doubt it, but you are not easy to understand, yet we neither will nor can serve and obey even a hero as our ancestors, Genseric's bears, served him." "It is neither necessary nor possible," Modigisel added. He attempted to lisp and drawl according to the Roman fashion, but, carried away by genuine emotion, soon forgot the affectation. "We are no longer Barbarians, like the comrades of the bloody sea-king. We have learned from the Romans to live and to enjoy. Spare us the heavy weapons. Ours, indisputably, securely ours, is this glorious country, where men can only revel, not toil. Pleasure, pleasure, and again pleasure is alone worth living for. When death comes, all will be over. So, as long as I live, I will kiss and drink, will not fight, and will--" "Become a slave of Justinian," the King angrily interrupted. "Pshaw, those little Greeks! They will not dare to attack us." "Let them come! We will drive them pell-mell into the sea." "Ah, if the kingdom were in peril--the Gundings know that honor calls them to the head of the wedge in every Vandal battle." "But no war is threatening." "No one is trying to quarrel with us." "Only it pleases the Asdings to make it a pretext for ordering the noblest of the Vandals hither and thither like Moorish mercenaries or ready slaves." "But we will no longer--We--"