1 that the adoration offered up should fpring from fentiment and free will. Alas! I have given way to a false zeal, which, at the bottom, was no better than a rage to tyrannize over the human understanding. CHAPTER XVI. As the emperor and Tiberius went the next day to revifit the hero, they encountered a danger which they had not forfeen; and the glory of delivering them was referved by Heaven as one triumph more to crown the fame of Belifarius. The Bulgarians, who had been, chafed no farther than the foot of the mountains in Upper Thrace, no fooner perceived their country free from their purfuers, than they fpread themselves again over the détachés faifoit des courfes fur la route du château de Bélifaire, lorfqu'ils apperçurent un char qui annonçoit un riche butin. Ils l'environnent, lui coupent le paffage, & fe faififfent des voyageurs. Ceuxci, en donnant ce qu'ils avoient, obtinrent, aifément la vie. Mais on mit à leur liberté un prix qu'ils n'étoient pas en état de payer fur l'heure, & on les emmenoit captif. L'Empereur ne vit qu'un moyen d'échapper aux Bulgares, fans en être connu. Conduitez-nous, leur dit-il, où nous avons deffein de nous rendre de-là nous nous procurerons la rançon que vous demandez. Je vous réponds fur ma tête que vous n'avez point de furprise à craindre; & fi je manque à ma parole, ou fi je vous fais repentir de vous être fiés à moi, je confens à perdre la vie. face of the land. One of their detached parties was prowling in quest of prey near the retreat of Belifarius, when a carriage appeared and promifed a rich booty. They immediately hemmed it in; intercepted the two travellers, and made them prifoners. As they furrendered all they had without hesitating, the plunderers fpared their lives. But for their liberty a ransom, not in their power to pay down, was expected, and therefore they were led along in captivity. But one way of escaping out of their hands without being known, occured to the emperor. Conduct us, faid he, to the place whither we were going there we shall be able to procure the ranfom you require. I will anfwer with my head that you have no furprize to apprehend; and if I break my word, or give you reafon to repent confiding in me, I agree to forfeit my life. L'air d'affurance & de majefté dont il appuya ces paroles, fit impreffion fur les Bulgares. Où faut-il vous mener, lui demanda leur Chef? A fix milles d'ici, répondit l'Empereur, au château de Bélifaire. De Bélifaire! dit le Bulgare. Quoi, vous connoiffez ce Héros! Affurément, dit l'Empereur, & j'ofe croire qu'il eft mon ami. S'il eft vrai, dit le Chef, vous n'avez rien à craindre: nous allons vous accompagner. Bélifaire, au bruit de leur arrivée, croit qu'on vient l'enlever une feconde fois; & fa fille toute tremblante le ferre dans fes bras avec des cris perçants. Mon pere, dit-elle, ah! mon pere, faut-il encore nous féparer ! A l'inftant même, on vient leur dire que la cour du château se The air of candour and majesty with which thefe words were uttered, made an impreffion upon the Bulgarians. Whither would you have us lead you? enquired the Bulgarian chief. About fix miles off. do -- an fwered the emperor, to the retreat of Belifarius. Of Belifarius! what! you know that illuftrious hero? Moft affuredly I do, faid the emperor, and I dare count upon him as my friend. If that be the cafe replied the Bulgarian', you need be under no apprehenfion : we will accompany you thither. Belifarius, on the firft notice of their arrival, imagined they came to carry him off a fecond time; and his daughter, with tears, with shrieks, and the utmoft confternation, clasping him in her arms, My father, faid she, Oh! my father! muft we part again? In this inftant, word was brought, that the court-yard was filled with |