"Taa illan hetki tuonut meidat on tanne luomaan liiton veljeyden, mi vahva aina on ja iaisesti. Osa yksi kuin heimon lapsilla vainen meill' olkoon rauhan seka vainon tyossa, yks' toivo elaman, yks' huoli surujen kuin pisara yks', johon veremme siteeks' veljeyden vuodatamme." After a long and searching look, he sighed and covered his eyes with his hands. They were not beautiful, nor was his face noble; but his features were exceedingly suggestive both of good and evil. Mistrust, cunning and vigilance lay in the restless glance of his deep-set eyes; deep wrinkles, more the result of care than of age, furrowed his projecting forehead and hollow cheeks. "And has kept two-thirds, and his life into the bargain--he ought to thank God!" answered Rauthgundis contemptuously. Was the conspiracy in the Catacombs betrayed? Was he himself betrayed? Was this a snare laid by the crafty and ambitious woman? Or were the fools really so blind as to press this offer upon him? And if it were so, what should he do? Should he seize the occasion? Should he strike at once, in order to win Rome? And for whom? For Byzantium or for an Emperor of the West? And who should it be? Or were things not yet ripe? Should he, for this once, seemingly practise fidelity? "Meilla on vain yksi sielu kahdessa ruumiissa. Auringonpaisteiset paivat ja hopeaisen kuun valaisemat yot kavelemme yhdessa nailla onnen kentilla, eivatka lennokkaat puheemme koskaan lopu. � Mutta minun taytyy saada tama kirje loppumaan. Han on gootti" (� se viela puuttui, sanoi Cethegus suutuksissaan �) "ja on nimeltaan Totila." � �Ich werde gehorchen.��Boser, dich wird noch verderben dein Mut! Und des lallenden Knableins "Hear my conditions. I know that Belisarius lies off Sicily with his fleet. He must not land. He must return home. I cannot do with him in Italy; at least, not until I call him myself. And if you, Petros, do not at once send him the order to return to Byzantium, our ways separate. I know Belisarius and Narses, and their military government, and I know what mild masters these Goths make. I am sorry for Amalaswintha; she was a mother to my people. Therefore choose--choose between Belisarius and Cethegus. If Belisarius lands, Cethegus and all Italy will stand by Amalaswintha and the Goths, and then we will see whether you can wrest from us a single foot of this soil. If you choose Cethegus, he will break the power of the barbarians, and Italy will subject herself to the Emperor, not as his slave, but as his consort. Choose, Petros." Hirvean aavistuksen valtaamana Rusticiana katsoi haneen. Samalla hetkella, jolloin lahettilas koroitti aanensa, pistaytyi hiljaa ja muiden, paitsi Aleksandroksen huomaamatta naisen paa esiripun lomasta ja kaksi hehkuvaa, mustaa silmaa tuijotti keisariin. Han riensi tummia taksuskaytavia ja tihealatvaisten olivien varjostamia teita pitkin korkean Florapatsaan ohi, jonka valkea marmori loisti aavemaisesti kirkkaassa kuutamossa, laajan suihkulahteen ohi, jossa kuusi delfiinia puhalsi korkealle vesisuihkuja sieraimistaan, poikkesi nopeasti kaytavalle, joka vei tuuheiden laakeripuuryhmien ja tamarindipensastojen kautta, tunkeutui oleander-aidan lapi ja saapui vuotokiviluolalle, jossa vedenneito nojasi suureen tummaan uurnaan.