ThenextvisionofthisByzantinelifeofminethatrisesbeforemeisthatofagreatroundbuildingcrownedwithmencladinbishops’
robes。Atleasttheyworemitres，andeachofthemhadacrookedpastoralstaffwhichinmostcaseswascarriedbyanattendantmonk。
Somedebatewasinprogress，orratherraging。Itssubjectseemedtobeastowhetherimagesshouldorshouldnotbeworshippedinchurches。Itwasafuriousthing，thatdebate。OnepartytoitwerecalledIconoclasts，thatwasthepartywhichdidnotlikeimages，andIthinktheotherpartywerecalledOrthodox，butofthisIamnotsure。SofuriouswasitthatI，thegeneralandgovernoroftheprison，hadbeencommandedbythoseinauthoritytoattendinordertopreventviolence。ThebeginningsofwhathappenedIdonotremember。
WhatIdorememberisthattheanti-Iconoclasts，thepartytowhichtheEmpressIrenebelonged，thatwasthereforethefashionablesect，being，asitseemedtome，worstedinargument，fellbackonviolence。
Therefollowedagreattumult，inwhichthespectatorstookpart，andthestrangesightwasseenofpriestsandtheirpartisans，andevenofbishopsthemselves，fallingupontheiradversariesandbeatingthemwithwhateverweaponwastohand；yes，evenwiththeirpastoralstaves。Itwasawonderfulthingtobehold，theseministersoftheChristofpeacebelabouringeachotherwithpastoralstaves！
Thepartythatadvocatedtheworshipofimageswasthemorenumerousandhadthegreaternumberofadherents，andthereforethosewhothoughtotherwiseweredefeated。Afewofthemweredraggedoutintothestreetandkilledbythemobwhichwaitedthere，andmorewerewounded，notwithstandingallthatIandtheguardscoulddotoprotectthem。AmongtheIconoclastswasagentle-facedoldmanwithalongbeard，oneofthebishopsfromEgypt，whowasnamedBarnabas。Hehadsaidlittleinthedebate，whichlastedforseveraldays，andwhenhespokehiswordswerefullofcharityandkindness。Still，theimagefactionhatedhim，andwhenthefinaltumultbegansomeofthemsetuponhim。Indeed，onebrawny，dark-facedbishop——IthinkitwasheofAntioch——rushedatBarnabas，andbeforeIcouldthrusthimback，brokeajewelledstaffuponhishead，whileotherprieststorehisrobefromnecktoshoulderandspatinhisface。
Atlasttheriotwasquelled；thedeadwereborneaway，andorderscametomethatIwastoconveyBarnabastotheStateprisonifhestilllived，togetherwithsomeothers，ofwhomIremembernothing。SothitherItookBarnabas，andthere，withthehelpoftheprisonphysician——hetowhomIhadgiventhepoisonedfigsandthedeadmonkeytobeexamined——Inursedhimbacktolifeandhealth。
Hisillnesswaslong，foroneoftheblowswhichhehadreceivedcrippledhim，andduringitwetalkedmuchtogether。Hewasaverysweet-naturedmanandholy，anativeofBritain，whosefatherorgrandfatherhadbeenaDane，andthereforetherewasatiebetweenus。
Inhisyouthhewasasoldier。Havingbeentakenprisonerinsomewar，hecametoItaly，wherehewasordainedapriestatRome。AfterwardshewassentasamissionarytoEgypt，wherehewasappointedtheheadofamonastery，andintheendelectedtoabishopric。ButhehadneverforgottentheDanishtongue，whichhisparentstaughthimasachild，andsowewereabletotalktogetherinthatlanguage。
NowitwouldseemthatsincethatnightwhentheC鎠arNicephorusstrovetohanghimself，IhadobtainedandstudiedacopyoftheChristianScriptures——howIdonotknow——andthereforewasabletodiscussthesematterswithBarnabasthebishop。OfourargumentsI
remembernothing，savethatIpointedouttohimthatwhereasthetreeseemedtometobeverygood，itsfruitswerevilebeyondimagination，andIinstancedthehorribletumultwhenhehadbeenwoundedalmosttodeath，notbycommonmen，butbytheveryleadersoftheChristians。
Heansweredthatthesethingsmusthappen；thatChristHimselfhadsaidHecametobringnotpeacebutasword，andthatonlythroughwarandstrugglewouldthelasttruthbereached。Thespiritwasalwaysgood，headded，butthefleshwasalwaysvile。Thesedeedswerethoseoftheflesh，whichpassedaway，butthespiritremainedpureandimmortal。
TheendofitwasthatundertheteachingoftheholyBarnabas，saintandmartyr(forafterwardshewasmurderedbythefollowersofthefalseprophet，Mahomet)，IbecameaChristianandanewman。NowatlengthIunderstoodwhatgraceitwasthathadgivenmecouragetoofferbattletotheheathengod，Odin，andtosmitehimdown。NowI
sawalsowhereshonethelightwhichIhadbeenseekingthesemanyyears。Aye，andIclaspedthatlighttomybosomtobemylampinlifeanddeath。
Soadaycamewhenmybelovedmaster，Barnabas，whowouldallownodelayinthismatter，baptisedmeinhiscellwithwatertakenfromhisdrinkingvessel，chargingmetomakepublicprofessionbeforetheChurchwhenopportunityshouldarise。
ItwasjustatthistimethatIrenereturnedfromtheBaths，andI
senttoherawrittenreportofallthathadhappenedattheprisonsinceIhadbeenappointeditsgovernor。AlsoIprayedthatifitwereherwillImightberelievedofmyoffice，asitwasonewhichdidnotpleaseme。
Afewdayslater，whileIsatinmychamberattheprisonwritingapaperconcerningaprisonerwhohaddied，theporteratthegateannouncedthatamessengerfromtheAugustawishedtoseeme。Ibadehimshowinthemessenger，andpresentlythereenterednochamberlainoreunuch，butawomanwrappedinadarkcloak。Whenthemanhadgoneandthedoorwasshut，shethrewoffthecloakandIsawthatmyvisitorwasMartina，thefavouritewaiting-ladyoftheEmpress。Wegreetedeachotherwarmly，whowerealwaysfriends，andIaskedhertidings。
“Mytidingsare，Olaf，thatthewatershavesuitedtheAugustaverywell。Shehaslostseveralpoundsinweightandherskinisnowlikethatofayoungchild。“
“AllhealthtotheAugusta！“Isaid，laughing。“Butyouhavenotcomeheretotellmeofthestateoftheroyalskin。Whatnext，Martina？“
“This，Olaf。TheEmpresshasreadyourreportwithherowneyes，whichisararethingforhertodo。ShesaidshewishedtoseewhetherornoyoucouldwriteGreek。Sheismuchpleasedwiththereport，andtoldStauraciusinmypresencethatshehaddonewellinchoosingyouforyourofficewhileshewasabsentfromthecity，sincetherebyshehadsavedthelivesoftheC鎠arsand/Nobilissimi/，desiringasshedoesthattheseprincesshouldbekeptalive，atanyrateforthepresent。Sheaccedesalsotoyourprayer，andwillrelieveyouofyourofficeassoonasanewgovernorcanbechosen。Youaretoreturntoguardherperson，butwithyourrankofgeneralconfirmed。“
“Thatisallgoodnews，Martina；sogoodthatIwonderwhatstingishiddeninallthishoney。“
“Thatyouwillfindoutpresently，Olaf。OneIcanwarnyouof，however——thestingofjealousy。Advancementsuchasyoursdrawseyestoyou，notalloftheminlove。“
Inoddedandshewenton:
“Meantimeyourstarseemstoshineverybrightindeed。OnemightalmostsaythattheAugustaworshippedit，atleastshetalksofyoutomecontinually，andonceortwicewasinhalfamindtosendforyoutotheBaths。Indeed，haditnotbeenforreasonsofStateconnectedwithyourprisonersIthinkshewouldhavedoneso。“
“Ah！“Isaid，“nowIthinkIbegintofeelanotherstinginthehoney。“
“Anotherstinginthehoney！Nay，nay，youmeanadivineperfume，anessenceofaddedsweetness，aflavouroftheflowersonMountIda。
Why，Olaf，ifIwereyourenemy，asIdaresayIshallbesomeday，foroftenwelearntohatethosewhomwehave——ratherliked，yourheadandyourshouldersmightbidgood-byetoeachotherforsuchwordsasthose。“
“Perhaps，Martina；andiftheydidIdonotknowthatitwouldgreatlymatter——now。“
“Notgreatlymatter，whenyouaredrivingatfullgallopalongFortune’sroadtoFame’stemplewithanEmpressforyourcharioteer！
Areyoublindormad，Olaf，orboth？Andwhatdoyoumeanbyyour’now’？Olaf，somethinghashappenedtoyousincelastwemet。Haveyoufalleninlovewithsomefairprisonerinthishatefulplaceandbeenrepulsed？Suchafoolasyouaremighttakerefusalevenfromacaptiveinhisownhands。Atleastyouaredifferent。“
“Yes，Martina，somethinghashappenedtome。IhavebecomeaChristian。“
“Oh！Olaf，nowIseethatyouarenotafool，asIthought，butveryclever。Why，onlyyesterdaytheAugustasaidtome——itwasaftershehadreadthatreportofyours——thatifyouwerebutaChristianshewouldbemindedtoliftyouhighindeed。Butasyouremainedthemostobstinateofheathensshedidnotseehowitcouldbedonewithoutcausinggreattrouble。“
“NowIwishonecouldbeaChristianwithinandremainapaganwithout，“Iansweredgrimly；“thoughalas！thatmaynotbe。Martina，doyounotunderstandthatitwasfornosuchreasonsasthesethatI
kissedtheCross；thatinsodoingIsoughtnotfortune，buttobeitsservant？“
“BytheSaints！you’llbetonsurednext，andillenoughitwouldsuityou，“sheexclaimed。“Remember，ifthingsgrowtoo——difficult，youcanalwaysbetonsured，Olaf。Onlythenyouwillhavetogiveupthehopeofthatladywhowearstheotherhalfofthenecklacesomewhere。I
don’tmeanIrene’sshamhalf，buttherealone。Oh！stopblushingandstammering，Iknowthestory，andallaboutIdunatheFairalso。Anexaltedpersontolditme，andsodidyou，althoughyouwerenotawarethatyouhaddoneso，foryouarenotonewhocankeepasecrettohimself。Mayalltheguardianangelshelpthatnecklace-ladyifeversheshouldmeetanotherladywhomIwillnotname。Andnowwhydoyoutalksomuch？Areyoulearningtopreach，orwhat？Ifyoureallydomeantobecomeamonk，Olaf，thereisanotherthingyoumustgiveup，andthatiswar，exceptofthekindwhichyousawattheCounciltheotherday。Godaboveus！whatasightitwouldbetoseeyoubatteringanotherbishopwithahook-shapedstaffoveraquestionofimagesortheTwoNatures。Ishouldbesorryforthatbishop。Butyouhaven’ttoldmewhoconvertedyou。“
“BarnabasofEgypt，“Isaid。
“Oh！Ihopedthatithadbeenaladysaint；thestorywouldhavebeensomuchmoreinterestingtotheCourt。Well，ourimperialmistressdoesnotlikeBarnabas，becausehedoesnotlikeimages，andthatmaybeastingin/her/honey。Butperhapsshewillforgivehimforyoursake。You’llhavetoworshipimages。“
