Bewildered at these words, Desiderius gazed about to see if the high hall and the Avars were but the imagery of a dream.  But there in front of him stood the dwarfish tribe, with naked brands and battle-axes. These, when they looked on his face, raised a hoarse cry of terror, for they too had beheld Talisso, how at a blow of the magic sword he had fallen and perished even from the vision of men, and now they saw that he who had slain the King was himself the King.  Howling and clamouring, they broke from the hall and fled into the street; and there the men-at-arms did right willingly and doughtily the work which thus came to their hands.  Of that fierce and uncouth robber horde, which rode to Sarras two hundred strong, scarce two score saw Danube water again.