“Inmydreamyoutriumphedoverallofthem，Olaf，andalsometwithsomerewardeveninthislife，thoughnowIknownotwhatitwas。Yes，andtriumphyoushall，mysoninChrist。Fearnothing，evenwhenthestorm-cloudssweepaboutyourheadandthelightningsblindyoureyes。
Isay，fearnothing，foryouhavefriendswhomyoucannotsee。Iasknomoreevenunderthesealofconfession，sincetherearesecretswhichitisnotwelltolearn。Whoknows，Imightgomad，ortorturemightdrawfrommewordsIwouldnotspeak。Therefore，keepyourowncounsel，son，andconfesstoGodalone。“
“Whatwillyoudonow，Father？“Iasked。“ReturntoEgypt？“
“Nay，notyetawhile。ItcomestomethatImustbidehereforaspace，whichunderthispardonIhavelibertytodo，buttowhatendI
cannotsay。LateronIshallreturn，ifGodsowills。Igotodwellwithgoodfolkwhoareknowntome，andfromtimetotimewillletyouhearwhereImaybefound，ifyoushouldneedmyhelporcounsel。“
ThenIledhimtothegates，and，havinggivenhimawitnessedcopyofhiswarrantofrelease，badehimfarewellforthattime，makingitknowntotheguardsandcertainpriestswholingeredtherethatanywhomolestedhimmustanswerforittotheAugusta。
Thusweparted。
Havinghandedoverthekeysoftheprison，Iwalkedtothepalaceunattended，beingmindedtotakeupmydutiesthereunnoticed。Butthiswasnottobe。AsIenteredthepalacegateasentrycalledoutsomething，andamessenger，whoseemedtobeinwaiting，departedatfullspeed。Thenthesentry，saluting，toldmethathisorderswerethatImuststandawhile，heknewnotwhy。PresentlyIdiscovered，foracrossthesquarewithinthegatesmarchedafullgeneral’sguard，whereoftheofficeralsosaluted，andprayedmetocomewithhim。I
went，wonderingifIwastobegivenincharge，andbyhim，surroundedwiththispompousguard，wasledtomynewquarters，whichweremoresplendidthanIcouldhavedreamed。Heretheguardleftme，andpresentlyotherofficersappeared，someofthemoldcomradesofmyown，askingfororders，ofwhich，ofcourse，Ihadnonetogive。Also，withinanhour，IwassummonedtoacouncilofgeneralstodiscusssomematterofawarinwhichtheEmpirewasengaged。BysuchmeansastheseitwasconveyedtomethatIhadbecomeagreatman，or，atanyrate，oneinthewayofgrowinggreat。
Thatafternoon，when，accordingtomyoldcustom，Iwasmakingmyroundoftheguards，ImettheAugustauponthemainterrace，surroundedbyanumberofministersandcourtiers。Isalutedandwouldhavepassedon，butshebadeoneofhereunuchscallmetoher。SoI
cameandstoodbeforeher。
“Wegreetyou，GeneralOlaf，“shesaid。“Wherehaveyoubeenallthislongwhile？Oh！Iremember。AttheStateprison，asitsgovernor，ofwhichofficeyouarenowrelievedatyourownrequest。Well，thepalacewelcomesyouagain，forwhenyouarehereallwithinknowthemselvessafe。“
Thusshespoke，hergreateyessearchingmyfacethewhile，thenbowedherheadintokenofdismissal。Isalutedagain，andbegantostepbackwards，accordingtotherule，whereonshemotionedtometostand。
Thenshebegantomakealaughofmetothepaintedthrongabouther。
“Say，noblesandladies，“shesaid，“didanyofyoueverseesuchaman？Weaddresshimasbestwemay——andwehavereasontobelievethatheunderstandsourlanguage——yetnotoneworddoeshevouchsafetousinanswer。Therehestands，likeasoldiercutinironwhomovesbysprings，withneveran’Ithankyou’ora’Goodday’onhislips。
Doubtlesshewouldreproveusall，who，heholds，talktoomuch，being，asweallhaveheard，amanofsternmorality，whohasnotendernessforhumanfoibles。Bytheway，GeneralOlaf，arumourhasreachedusthatyouhaveforsakendoubt，andbecomeaChristian。Isthistrue？“
“Itistrue，Augusta。“
“ThenifasaPaganyouwereamanofiron，whatwillyoubeasaChristian，wewonder？Onehardasdiamond，noless。Yetwearegladofthistidings，asallgoodservantsoftheChurchmustbe，sincehenceforthourfriendshipwillbecloserandwevalueyou。General，youmustbereceivedpubliclyintothebosomoftheFaith；itwillbeanencouragementtootherstofollowyourexample。Perhaps，asyouhaveservedussowellinmanywarsandasanofficerofourguard，weourselveswillbeyourgod-mother。Themattershallbeconsideredbyus。Whathaveyoutoanswertoit？“
“Nothing，“Ireplied，“savethatwhentheAugustahasconsideredofthematter，Iwillconsiderofmyanswer。“
Atthisthecourtierstittered，and，insteadofgrowingangry，asI
thoughtshemight，Ireneburstoutlaughing。
“Trulywewerewrong，“shesaid，“toprovokeyoutoopenyourmouth，General，forwhenyoudoso，likethatredswordyouwear，yourtongueissharp，ifsomewhatheavy。Tellus，General，areyournewquarterstoyourtaste，andbeforeyoureplyknowthatweinspectedthemourselves，and，havingalikingforsuchtasks，attendedtotheirfurnishment。’Tisdone，youwillsee，intheNorthernstyle，whichwethinksomewhatcoldandheavy——likeyourswordandtongue。“
“IftheAugustaasksme，“Isaid，“thequartersaretoofineforasinglesoldier。ThetworoomswhereIdweltbeforeweresufficient。“
“Asinglesoldier！Well，thatisafaultwhichcanberemedied。Youshouldmarry，GeneralOlaf。“
“WhenIfindanywomanwhowishestomarrymeandwhomIwishtomarry，IwillobeytheAugusta’scommands。“
“Sobeit，General，onlyrememberthatfirstwemustapprovethelady。
Venturenot，General，tosharethosenewquartersofyourswithanyladywhomwedonotapprove。“
Then，followedbytheCourt，sheturnedandwalkedaway，andIwentaboutmybusiness，wonderingwhatwasthemeaningofallthisguardedandhalf-bittertalk。
ThenexteventthatreturnstomeclearlyisthatofmypublicacceptanceasaChristianinthegreatCathedralofSt。Sophia，whichmusthavetakenplacenotverylongafterthismeetingupontheterrace。IknowthatbyeverymeansinmypowerIhadstriven，thoughwithoutavail，toescapethisceremony，pointingoutthatIcouldbepubliclyreceivedintothebodyoftheChurchatanychapelwheretherewasapriestandacongregationofadozenhumblefolk。ButthistheEmpresswouldnotallow。Thereasonshegavewasherdesirethatmyconversionshouldbeproclaimedthroughoutthecity，thatotherPagans，ofwhomtherewerethousands，mightfollowmyexample。YetI
thinkshehadanotherwhichshedidnotavow。ItwasthatImightbemadeknowninpublicasamanofimportancewhomitpleasedhertohonour。
Onthemorningofthisrite，Martinacametoacquaintmewithitsdetails，andtoldmethattheEmpresswouldbepresentatthecathedralinstate，makingherprogressthitherinhergoldenchariot，drawnbythefamedmilk-whitesteeds。I，itseemed，wastorideafterthechariotinmygeneral’suniform，whichwassplendidenough，followedbyacompanyofguards，andsurroundedbychantingpriests。
ThePatriarchhimself，nolessaperson，wastoreceivemeandsomeotherconverts，andthecathedralwouldbefilledwithallthegreatonesofConstantinople。
IaskedwhetherIreneintendedtobemygod-mother，asshehadthreatened。
“Notso，“repliedMartina。“Onthatpointshehaschangedhermind。“
“Somuchthebetter，“Isaid。“Butwhy？“
“ThereisacanonoftheChurch，Olaf，whichforbidsintermarriagebetweenagod-parentandhisorhergod-child，“shereplieddryly。
“WhetherthiscanonhascometotheAugusta’smemoryornot，Icannotsay。Itmaybeso。“
“Who，then，istobemygod-mother？“Iaskedhurriedly，leavingtheproblemofIrene’smotivesundiscussed。
“Iam，bythewrittenImperialdecreedeliveredtomenotanhourago。“
“You，Martina，youwhoareyoungerthanmyselfbymanyyears？“
“Yes，I。TheAugustahasjustexplainedtomethatasweseemtobesuchverygoodfriends，andtotalktogethersomuchalone，doubtless，shesupposed，uponmattersofreligion，therecouldbenopersonmoresuitablethansuchagoodChristianasmyselftofillthatholyoffice。“
“Whatdoyoumean，Martina？“Iaskedbluntly。
“Imean，Olaf，“shereplied，turningawayherhead，andspeakinginastrainedvoice，“that，whereyouareconcerned，theAugustaoflatehasdonemethehonourtobesomewhatjealousofme。Well，ofagod-
mothernooneneedbejealous。TheAugustaisacleverwoman，Olaf。“
“Idonotquiteunderstand，“Isaid。“WhyshouldtheAugustabejealousofyou？“
“Thereisnoreasonatall，Olaf，exceptthat，asithappens，sheisjealousofeverywomanwhocomesneartoyou，andsheknowsthatweareintimateandthatyoutrustme——well，more，perhaps，thanyoutrusther。Oh！Iassureyouthatoflateyouhavenotspokentoanywomanunderfiftyunnotedandunreported。Manyeyeswatchyou，Olaf。“
“Thentheymightfindbetteremployment。Buttellmeoutright，Martina，whatisthemeaningofallthis？“
“Surelyevenawooden-headedNorthmancanguess，Olaf？“
Sheglancedroundhertomakesurethatwewerealoneinthegreatapartmentofmyquartersandthatthedoorswereshut，thenwenton，almostinawhisper，“Mymistressiswonderingwhetherornoshewillmarryagain，and，ifso，whethershewillchooseacertainsomewhatover-virtuousChristiansoldierasasecondhusband。Asyetshehasnotmadeuphermind。Moreover，evenifshehad，nothingcouldbedoneatpresentoruntilthequestionofthestrugglebetweenherandhersonforpowerissettledinthiswayorinthat。Therefore，atworst，oratbest，thatsoldierhasyetawhileofsinglelifelefttohim，sayamonthortwo。“
“Thenduringthatmonthortwoperhapshewouldbewisetotravel，“I
