“Perhaps，ifhewereafoolwhowouldrunawayfromfortune，andifhecouldgetleaveofabsence，whichinhiscaseisimpossible；toattemptsuchajourneywithoutitwouldmeanhisdeath。No，ifheiswise，thatsoldierwillbidewhereheisandawaitevents，possessinghissoulinpatience，asagoodChristianshoulddo。Now，asyourgod-
mother，Imustinstructyouinthisservice。Looknotsotroubled；itisreallymostsimple。YouknowStauracius，theeunuch，istobeyourgod-father，whichisveryfortunateforyou，since，althoughhelooksonyouwithdoubtandjealousy，toblindormurderhisowngod-sonwouldcausetoomuchscandaleveninConstantinople。Asaspecialmarkofgrace，also，theBishopBarnabas，ofEgypt，willbeallowedtoassistintheceremony，becauseitwashewhosnatchedyoursoulfromtheburning。Moreover，sincetheSacramentistobeadministeredafterwards，hehasbeencommandedtoattendheretoreceiveyourconfessioninthechapelofthepalace，andwithinanhour。YouknowthatthisdaybeingtheFeastofSt。MichaelandAllAngels，youwillbereceivedinthenameofMichael，ahighonewellfittedtoawarlikesaint，thoughIthinkthatIshallstillcallyouOlaf。Sofarewell，mygod-sontobe，untilwemeetatthecathedral，whereI
shallshineinthereflectedlightofallyourvirtues。“
Thenshesighed，laughedalittle，andglidedaway。
Induecourseapriestofthechapelcametosummonmethere，sayingthattheBishopBarnabasawaitedme。Iwentandmademyconfession，thoughintruthIhadlittletotellhimthathedidnotalreadyknow。
Afterwardsthegoodoldman，whobynowwasquiterecoveredfromhishurtsandimprisonment，accompaniedmetomyquarters，whereweatetogether。HetoldmethatbeforeheattendedinthechapelhehadbeenreceivedbytheEmpress，whohadspokentohimverykindly，makinglightoftheirdifferenceofopinionastoimagesandwithherownmouthconfirmedhiminhisbishopric，evenhintingathispossiblepromotion。
“This，myson，“headded，“IamwellawareIowetoyourgoodoffices。“
IaskedhimifhewouldreturnatoncetoUpperEgypt，wherehehadhisbishopric。
“No，myson，“heanswered，“notyetawhile。Thetruthisthattherehavearrivedherethechiefmaninmydiocese，andhisdaughter。HeisadescendantoftheoldPharaohsoftheEgyptianswholivesnearthesecondcataractoftheNile，almostonthebordersofEthiopia，whithertheaccursedchildrenofMahomethavenotyetforcedtheirway。HeisstillagreatmanamongtheEgyptians，wholookuponhimastheirlawfulprince。HismissionhereistotrytoplananewwaruponthefollowersoftheProphet，who，heholds，mightbeassailedbytheEmpireatthemouthsoftheNile，whileheattackedthemwithhisEgyptiansfromthesouth。“
NowIgrewinterested，whohadalwaysgrievedoverthelossofEgypttotheEmpire，andaskedwhatwasthisprince’sname。
“Magas，myson，andhisdaughterisnamedHeliodore。Ah！sheissuchawomanasIwouldseeyouwed，beautifulindeed，andgoodandtrueassheisbeautiful，withahighspiritalso，suchasbefitsherancientblood。Mayhapyouwillnoteherinthecathedral。Nay，Iforgot，notthere，butafterwardsinthispalace，sinceitisthecommandoftheEmpress，towhomIhavebeenspeakingoftheirmatters，thatthesetwoshouldcometodwellhereforawhile。AfterthatIhopeweshallallreturntoEgypttogether，thoughMagas，beingonasecretmission，doesnottravelunderhisownname，butasamerchant。“
Suddenlyhepaused，andbegantostareatmythroat。
“Isaughtwrongwithmyarmour，Father？“Iasked。
“No，son。Iwaslookingatthattrinketwhichyouwear。OfcourseI
havenoteditbefore，butneverclosely。Itisstrange，verystrange！“
“Whatisstrange，Father？“
“OnlythatIhaveseenanotherlikeit。“
“Idaresayyouhave，“Ianswered，laughing，“forwhenIwouldnotgivethistotheAugusta，itpleasedhertohaveitcopied。“
“No，no；ImeaninEgypt，and，whatismore，astoryhungtothejewel。“
“Onwhom？Where？Whatstory？“Iaskedeagerly。
“Oh！Icannotstaytotellyounow。Moreover，yourmindshouldbefixeduponimmortalcrowns，andnotonearthlynecklaces。Imustbegone；nay，staymenot，Iamalreadylate。Doyougetyoutoyourkneesandpraytillyourgod-parentscometofetchyou。“
Then，inspiteofallIcoulddotokeephim，hewent，muttering:
“Strange！Exceedingstrange！“andleavingmequiteunfitforprayer。
AnhourlaterIwasridingthroughthestreetsofthemightycity，cladinshiningarmour。AstheseasonwasthatofOctober，inwhichtheFeastofSt。Michaelfalls，weworecloaks，although，thedaybeingwarm，theywerelittleneeded。Minewasofsomefinewhitestuff，witharedcrossbroideredontherightshoulder。Stauracius，theeunuchandgreatminister，whohadbeenorderedtoactasmygod-
father，rodealongsideofmeonamule，becausehedarednotmountahorse，sweatingbeneathhisthickrobeofoffice，and，asIheardfromtimetotime，cursingme，hisgod-son，andallthisceremonybeneathhisbreath。Onmyotherhandwasmygod-mother，Martina，ridinganArabmare，whichshedidwellenough，havingbeenbroughtuptohorsemanshipontheplainsofGreece。Hermoodwasvaried，fornowshelaughedatthehumourofthescene，andnowshewassadalmosttotears。
Thestreetswerelinedwiththousandsofthepleasure-lovingpeopleofthecity，whohadcomeouttoseetheshowoftheEmpressgoinginstatetothecathedral。Theyweregatheredevenontheflathouse-topsandintheentrancestothepublicbuildingsandopenplaces。Butthegloryofthesightwascentred，notaboutme，withmyescortofguardsandchantingpriests，butinIrene’sself。Precededandfollowedbyglitteringregimentsofsoldiers，shedroveinherfamousgoldenchariot，drawnbyeightmilk-whitesteeds，eachofwhichwasledbyabejewellednoble。Herdresswassplendidandcoveredwithsparklinggems，andonheryellowhairsheworeacrown。Asshewentthemultitudesshoutedtheirwelcome，andshebowedtorightandleftinanswertotheshouts。Nowandagain，however，bandsofarmedmen，cladinadressofapeculiarcolour，emergedfromsidestreetsandhooted，crying:
“WhereistheAugustus？GiveustheAugustus。Wewillnotberuledbyawomanandhereunuchs！“
ThesemenwereofthepartyofConstantine，andsetonbyhim。Once，indeed，therewasatumult，forsomeofthemtriedtobartheroad，tilltheyweredrivenaway，leavingafewdeadorwoundedbehindthem。
ButstillthecrowdsshoutedandtheEmpressbowedasthoughnothinghadhappened，andthusbyasomewhatwindingroute，wecametoSt。
Sophia。
TheAugustaentered，andpresentlyIandthosewithmefollowedherintothewonderfulcathedral。Iseeitnow，notinparticular，butasawhole，withitsendlesscolumns，itsaislesandapses，anditsglitteringmosaicsshiningthroughtheholygloom，acrosswhichshotbarsoflightfromthehighwindow-places。Allthegreatplacewasfullofthenoblestinthecity，rankuponrankofthem，comethithertoseetheEmpressinhergloryatthegreatFeastofSt。Michael，whichyearbyyearsheattendedthus。
AtthealtarwaitedthePatriarchinhissplendidrobes，attendedbymanybishopsandpriests，amongthemBarnabasofEgypt。Theservicebegan，Iandsomeotherconvertsstandingtogetherneartothealtarrail。Thedetailsofitdonotreturntome。Sweetvoicessang，censersgaveforththeirincense，bannerswaved，andimagesofthesaints，standingeverywhere，smileduponusfixedly。Someofuswerebaptised，andsomewhohadalreadybeenbaptisedwerereceivedpubliclyintothefellowshipoftheChurch，Iamongthem。Mygod-
father，Stauracius，adeaconpromptinghim，andmygod-mother，Martina，spokecertainwordsonmybehalf，andIalsospokecertainwordswhichIhadlearned。
ThesplendidPatriarch，asour-facedmanwithaslightsquint，gavemehisespecialblessing。TheBishopBarnabas，uponwhom，asInoted，thePatriarchwasalwayscarefultoturnhisback，offeredupaprayer。Mygod-fatherandgod-motherembracedme，Stauraciussmackingtheairatadistance，forwhichIwasgrateful，andMartinatouchingmegentlywithherlipsuponthebrow。TheEmpresssmileduponmeand，asI
passedher，pattedmeontheshoulder。ThentheSacramentwascelebrated，whereoftheEmpresspartookfirst；nextweconverts，withourgod-parents，andafterwardsanumberofthecongregation。
Itwasoveratlast。TheAugustaandherattendantsmarcheddownthecathedraltowardsthegreatwesterndoors，priestsfollowed，and，amongthem，weconverts，whomthepeopleapplaudedopenly。
Lookingtorightandleftofme，forIwaswearyofkeepingmygazefixeduponthefloor，presentlyIcaughtsightofafacewhilstasyetitwasfaraway。Itseemedtodrawme，Iknewnotwhy。Thefacewasthatofawoman。Shestoodbyanoldandstately-lookingmanwithawhitebeard，thelastofalineofworshippersnexttotheaislealongwhichtheprocessionpassed，andIsawthatshewasyoungandfair。
Downthelong，resoundingaisletheprocessionmarchedslowly。NowI
wasnearertotheface，andperceivedthatitwaslovelyassomerich-
huedflower。Thelargeeyesweredarkandsoftasadeer’s。Thecomplexion，too，wassomewhatdark，asthoughthesunhadkissedit。
Thelipswereredandcurving，andaboutthemplayedalittlesmilethatwasfullofmysteryastheeyeswerefullofthoughtandtenderness。Thefigurewasdelicateandrounded，butnotsoverytall。
AllthesethingsandothersInoted，yetitwasnotbythemthatIwasdrawnandheld，butratherbecauseI/knewthislady/。
