"What! would you insinuate that I am the slave of my wife?"
"Guard your tongue better," said Theodora angrily. "Many who seemed invulnerable, have been stung by their own sharp tongues."
"You are very imprudent, Narses," said Justinian.
"Emperor," he answered, "I have long since ceased to be prudent. We live in a time, in a realm, and at a court, where, for any word that we speak or leave unspoken, we may fall into disgrace and be ruined. As any word of mine may cause my death, I will at least die for words that please me."
"You must confess, patrician, that I can bear a great deal of plain-speaking."
"You are by nature great, O Justinianus, and a magnanimous ruler; else Narses would not serve you. But Omphale rendered even Hercules small."
The eyes of the Empress shone with hatred.
"Go," he said, "I will consult with the Empress alone. To-morrow you shall hear my decision."
No sooner were they gone, than Justinian went up to his wife, and pressed a kiss upon her white forehead.
"I know it," she answered, returning the kiss. "It is for this reason, and because he is indispensable as a foil to Belisarius, that he still lives."
"You are right, as always," cried Justinian, putting his arm round her, and thus walking with her up and down the room.
"What does he intend to do?" thought Theodora; "this tenderness indicates a bad conscience."
"You are right," he repeated, "God has denied me the spirit which decides the fate of battles, and, in compensation, has given me these two men of victory---_fortunately_ two of them. Their jealousy of each other secures my dominion better than their fidelity. Either of these generals alone would be a continual danger to the state, and on the day that they become friends, my throne will shake. You continue to excite their mutual dislike?"
"It is easy to excite. There is as natural an antipathy between them as between fire and water. And every spiteful remark of the eunuch I tell with indignation to my friend Antonina, the wife and mistress of the hero Belisarius."
"And I repeat every rudeness of this hero to the irritable cripple. But to our consultation. Since receiving the report of Alexandros, I am almost decided upon the expedition to Italy."
