“WhatdoIcareaboutimages？ItisthespiritthatIseek，Martina，andallthesethingsarenothing。“
“Youarethorough，asusual，Olaf，andjumpfartherthanyoucansee。
Well，beadvisedandsaynaughtfororagainstimages。Astheyhavenomeaningforyou，whatcanitmatteriftheyareorarenotthere？
Leavethemtotheblindeyesandlittleminds。AndnowImustbegone，whocanlistentoyourgossipnolonger。Oh！Ihadforgottenmymessage。TheAugustacommandsthatyoushallwaitonherthiseveningimmediatelyaftershehassupped。Hearandobey！“
Havingdeliveredthisformalmandate，toneglectwhichmeantimprisonment，orworse，shethrewhercloakabouther，andwithawonderingglanceatmyface，openedthedoorandwent。
Atthehourappointed，or，rather，somewhatbeforeit，Iattendedattheprivateapartmentsofthepalace。EvidentlyIwasexpected，foroneofthechamberlains，onseeingme，bowedandbademebeseated，thenlefttheante-room。Presentlythedooropenedagain，andthroughitcameMartina，cladinherwhiteofficialrobe。
“Youareearly，Olaf，“shesaid，“likealoverwhokeepsatryst。
Well，itisalwayswisetomeetgoodfortunehalfway。Butwhydoyoucomecladinfullarmour？ItisnotthecustomtowaitthusupontheEmpressatthishourwhenyouareoffduty。“
“IthoughtthatIwasonduty，Martina。“
“Then，asusual，youthoughtwrong。Takeoffthatarmour；shesaysthatthesightofitalwaysmakesherfeelcoldaftersupper。Isaytakeitoff；orifyoucannot，Iwillhelpyou。“
Sothemailwasremoved，leavingmecladinmyplainbluetunicandhose。
“WouldyouhavemecomebeforetheEmpressthus？“Iasked。
Bywayofanswersheclappedherhandsandbadetheeunuchwhoansweredthesignaltobringacertainrobe。Hewent，andpresentlyreappearedwithawondrousgarmentofsilkbroideredwithgold，suchasnoblesofhighrankworeatfestivals。Thisrobe，whichfittedasthoughithadbeenmadeforme，Iputon，thoughIlikedthelookofitlittle。Martinawouldhavehadmeevenremovemysword，butI
refused，saying:
“ExceptattheexpressorderoftheEmpress，Iandmyswordarenotparted。“
“Well，shesaidnothingaboutthesword，Olaf，soletitbe。AllshesaidwasthatImustbecarefulthattherobematchedthecolourofthenecklaceyouwear。Shecannotbearcolourswhichjaruponeachother，especiallybylamp-light。“
“AmIaman，“Iaskedangrily，“orabeastbeingdeckedforsacrifice？“
“Fie，Olaf，haveyounotyetforgottenyourheathentalk？Remember，I
prayyou，thatyouarenowaChristianinaChristianland。“
“Ithankyouforremindingmeofit，“Ireplied；andthatmomentachamberlain，enteringhurriedly，commandedmypresence。
“Goodlucktoyou，Olaf，“saidMartinaasIfollowedhim。“Besuretotellmethenewslater——orto-morrow。“
Thenthechamberlainledme，notintotheaudiencehall，asIhadexpected，buttotheprivateimperialdiningchamber。Here，reclininguponcouchesintheoldRomanfashion，oneoneithersideofanarrowtableonwhichstoodfruitsandflagonsofrich-huedGreekwine，werethetwogreatestpeopleintheworld，theAugustaIreneandtheAugustusConstantine，herson。
Shewaswonderfullyapparelledinalow-cutgarmentofwhitesilk，overwhichfellamantleoftheimperialpurple，andInotedthatonherdazzlingbosomhungthatnecklaceofemeraldbeetlesseparatedbygoldenshellswhichshehadcausedtobecopiedfrommyown。Onherfairhairthatgrewlowuponherforeheadandwaspartedinthemiddle，sheworeadiademofgoldinwhichweresetemeraldstomatchthebeetlesofthenecklace。TheAugustuswasarrayedinthefestalgarmentsofaC鎠ar，alsocoveredwithapurplecloak。Hewasaheavy-
facedandsomewhatstupid-lookingyouth，dark-haired，likehisfatheranduncles，buthavinglarge，blue，andnotunkindlyeyes。FromhisflushedfaceIgatheredthathehaddrunkwellofthestrongGreekwine，andfromthesullenlookabouthismouththat，aswascommon，hehadbeenquarrellingwithhismother。
IstoodattheendofthetableandsalutedfirsttheEmpressandthentheEmperor。
“Who’sthis？“heasked，glancingatme。
“GeneralOlaf，ofmyguard，“sheanswered，“GovernoroftheStatePrison。Youremember，youwishedmetosendforhimtosettlethepointastowhichwewerearguing。“
“Oh！yes。Well，GeneralOlaf，ofmymother’sguard，haveyounotbeentoldthatyoushouldsalutetheAugustusbeforetheAugusta？“
“Sire，“Iansweredhumbly，“Ihaveheardnothingofthatmatter，butinthelandwhereIwasbredIwastaughtthatifamanandawomanweretogetherImustalwaysbowfirsttothewomanandthentotheman。“
“Wellsaid，“exclaimedtheEmpress，clappingherhands；buttheEmperoranswered:“Doubtlessyourmothertaughtyouthat，notyourfather。NexttimeyouentertheimperialchamberbepleasedtoforgetthelessonandtorememberthatEmperorsandEmpressesarenotmenandwomen。“
“Sire，“Ianswered，“asyoucommandIwillrememberthatEmperorsandEmpressesarenotmenandwomen，butEmperorsandEmpresses。“
AtthesewordstheAugustusbegantoscowl，but，changinghismind，laughed，asdidhismother。Hefilledagoldcupwithwineandpushedittowardsme，saying:
“Drinktous，soldier，forafteryouhavedoneso，ourwitsmaybebettermatched。“
Itookthecupandholdingit，said:
“IpledgeyourImperialMajesties，whoshineupontheworldliketwinstarsinthesky。AllhailtoyourMajesties！“andIdrank，butnottoodeep。
“Youareclever，“growledtheAugustus。“Well，keepthecup；you’veearnedit。Yetdrainitfirst，man。Youhavescarcewetyourlips。Doyoufearthatitispoisoned，asyousayyonderfruitsare？“Andhepointedtoaside-table，wherestoodajarofglassinwhichwerethoseveryfigsthathadbeensenttotheprincesintheprison。
“Thecupyougiveismine，“interruptedIrene；“still，myservantiswelcometothegift。Itshallbesenttoyourquarters，General。“
“Asoldierhasnoneedofsuchgauds，yourMajesties，“Ibegan，whenConstantine，who，whilewespoke，hadswallowedanotherdraughtofthestrongwine，brokeinangrily:
“MayInotgiveacupofgoldbutyoumustclaimit，ItowhomtheEmpireandallitswealthbelong？“
Snatchingupthebeakerhedashedittothefloor，spillingthewine，ofwhichI，whowishedtokeepmyheadcool，wasglad。
“Havedone，“hewentoninhisdrunkenrage。“ShalltheC鎠arshucksteroverapieceofworkedgoldlikeJewsinamarket？Givemethosefigs，man；I’llsettlethematterofthispoison。“
Ibroughtthejaroffigs，and，bowing，setthemdownbeforehim。ThattheywerethesameIknew，fortheglasswaslabelledinmyownwritingandinthatofthephysician。Hecutawaythesealedparchmentwhichwasstretchedoverthemouthofthejar。
“Nowhearkenyou，Olaf，“hesaid。“ItistruethatIorderedfruittobesenttothatfool-C鎠ar，myuncle，becausethelasttimeIsawhimNicephorusprayedmeforit，andIwaswillingtodohimapleasure。
ButthatIorderedthefruittobepoisoned，asmymothersays，isalie，andmayGodcursethetonguethatspokeit。Iwillshowyouthatitwasalie，“andplunginghishandintothespiritofthejar，hedrewouttwoofthefigs。“Now，“hewenton，wavingthemaboutinahalf-drunkenfashion，“thisGeneralOlafofyourssaysthatthesearethesamefigswhichweresenttotheC鎠ar，Imeantheblindpriest，FatherNicephorus。Don’tyou，Olaf？“
“Yes，Sire，“Ianswered，“theywereplacedinthatbottleinmypresenceandsealedwithmyseal。“
“Well，thosefigsweresentbyme，andthisOlaftellsustheyarepoisoned。I’llshowhim，andyoutoo，mother，thattheyare/not/
poisoned，forIwilleatoneofthem。“
NowIlookedattheAugusta，butshesatsilent，herarmsfoldedonherwhitebosom，herhandsomefaceturnedasitweretostone。
Constantineliftedthefigtowardshisloosemouth。AgainIlookedattheAugusta。Stillshesattherelikeastatue，anditcameintomymindthatitwasherpurposetoallowthiswine-bemusedmantoeatthefig。ThenIacted。
“Augustus，“Isaid，“youmustnottouchthatfruit，“andsteppingforwardItookitfromhishand。
Hesprangtohisfeetandbegantorevileme。
“Youwatch-dogoftheNorth！“heshouted。“DoyoudaretosaytotheEmperorthatheshallnotdothisorthat？ByalltheimagesmymotherworshipsI’llhaveyouwhippedthroughtheCircus。“
“Thatyouwillneverdo，“Ianswered，formyfreebloodboiledattheinsult。“Itellyou，Sire，“Iwenton，leavingoutcertainwordswhichImeanttospeak，“thatthefigispoisoned。“
“AndItellyouthatyoulie，youheathensavage。Seehere！EitheryoueatthatfigorIdo，sothatwemayknowwhospeaksthetruth。Ifyouwon’t，Iwill。Nowobey，or，byChrist！to-morrowyoushallbeshorterbyahead。“
