“Nay，“Isaid，asIgaveherthecrown。“OfthatwineIdrinknomore。
Idarenottouchyou；yougrowtoodear。“
“Forthosewords，“shewhispered，“goinsafety，andrememberthatfromIreneyouhavenaughttofear，asIknowwellIhavenaughttofearfromyou，OPrinceamongmen。“
SopresentlyIwent。
Onthefollowingmorning，asIsatinmyofficeattheprison，settingallthingsinorderforwhoevershouldsucceedme，Martinaentered，asshehaddonebefore。
“Howcameyouhereunannounced？“Iasked，whenshewasseated。
“Byvirtueofthis，“sheanswered，holdingupherhandandshowingonitaringIknew。ItwasthesignetoftheEmpress。Isalutedtheseal，saying:
“Andforwhatpurpose，Martina？Toordermetobondsordeath？“
“Tobondsordeath！“sheexclaimedinnocently。“WhatcanourgoodOlafhavedoneworthyofsuchwoes？Nay，Icometofreeonefrombonds，andperhapsfromdeath，namely，acertainhereticbishopwhoisnamedBarnabas。Hereistheorderforhisrelease，signedbytheAugusta’shandandsealedwithherseal，underwhichheisatlibertytobideinConstantinoplewhilehewillandtoreturntohisbishopricinEgyptwhenitpleaseshim。Also，ifheholdsthatanyhaveharmedhim，hemaymakecomplaint，anditshallbeconsideredwithoutdelay。“
Itooktheparchment，readit，andlaiditonthetable，saying:
“ThecommandsoftheEmpressshallbedone。Isthereaughtelse，Martina？“
“Yes。To-morrowmorningyouwillberelievedofyouroffice，andanothergovernor——StauraciusandAetiusarequarrellingastohisname——willtakeyourplace。“
“AndI？“
“Youwillresumeyourpostascaptainoftheprivateguard，onlywiththerankofafullgeneralofthearmy。ButthatItoldyouyesterday。
Itisnowconfirmed。“
Isaidnothing，butagroanIcouldnotchokebrokefrommylips。
“Youdonotseemaspleasedasyoumightbe，Olaf。Tellme，now，atwhathourdidyouleavethepalacelastnight？WhilewaitingformymistresstosummonmeIfellasleepinthevestibuleoftheante-room，andwhenIawokeandwentintothatroomIfoundtherethegold-
broideredsilkrobeyouwore，castupontheground，andyourarmourgone。“
“Iknownotwhatwasthehour，Martina，andspeaknomoretome，I
pray，ofthataccursedwomanishrobe。“
“Whichyoutreatedbutill，Olaf，foritisspottedasthoughwithblood。“
“TheAugustusspiltsomewineoverit。“
“Aye，mymistresstoldmethestory。Alsothatofhowyouwouldhaveeatenthepoisonedfig，whichyousnatchedfromthelipsofConstantine。“
“Andwhatelsedidyourmistresstellyou，Martina？“
“Notmuch，Olaf。Shewasinaverystrangemoodlastnight，andwhileIcombedherhair，which，Olaf，wasastangledasthoughamanhadhandledit，“andshelookedatmetillIcolouredtotheeyes，“andundidherdiadem，thatwassetonitallawry，shespoketomeofmarriage。“
“Ofmarriage！“Igasped。
“Certainly——didInotspeakthewordwithclearness？——ofmarriage。“
“Withwhom，Martina？“
“Oh！grownotjealousbeforethereisneed，Olaf。Shemadenomentionofthenameofourfuturedivinemaster，forwhosoevercanruleIrene，ifsuchaonelives，willcertainlyruleusalso。Allshesaidwasthatshewishedshecouldfindsomemantoguide，guardandcomforther，whogrewlonelyamidstmanytroubles，andhopedformoresonsthanConstantine。“
“Whatsortofaman，Martina？ThisEmperorCharlemagne，orsomeotherking？“
“No。Shevowedthatshehadseenenoughofprinces，whoweremurderersandliars，allofthem；andthatwhatshedesiredwasoneofgoodbirth，nomore，brave，honest，andnotafool。Iaskedher，too，whatshewouldhavehimliketolookupon。“
“Andwhatdidshesaytothat，Martina？“
“Oh！shesaidthathemustbetall，andunderforty，fair-hairedandbearded，sinceshelovednottheseshaveneffeminates，wholookhalfwomanandhalfpriest；onewhohadknownwar，andyetwasnoruffler；
apersonofopenmind，whohadlearntandcouldlearnmore。Well，nowthatIthinkofit，byalltheSaints！——yes，muchsuchamanas/you/
are，Olaf。“
“Thenshemayfindtheminplenty，“Isaid，withanuneasylaugh。
“Doyouthinkso？Well，shedidnot，neitherdidI。Indeed，shepointedoutthatthiswashertrouble。Amongthegreatoftheearthsheknewnosuchman，and，ifshesoughtlower，thenwouldcomejealousiesandwar。“
“Indeedtheywould。Doubtlessyoushowedherthatthiswasso，Martina。“
“Notatall，Olaf。IaskedherofwhatuseitwastobeanEmpressifshecouldnotpleaseherownheartinthismatterofahusband，whichisoneimportanttoawoman。Isaidalso，asforsuchfears，thatasecretmarriagemightbethoughtof，whichisanhonestbusinessthatcouldbedeclaredwhenoccasioncame。“
“Andwhatdidsheanswertothat，Martina？“
“Shefellintohighgoodhumour，calledmeafaithfulandacleverfriend，gavemeahandsomejewel，toldmethatshewouldhaveamissionformeonthemorrow——doubtlessthatwhichInowfulfil，forI
haveheardofnoother——said，notwithstandingallthetroubleastotheAugustusandhisthreats，thatshewassureshewouldsleepbetterthanshehaddonefornights，kissedmeonbothcheeks，andflungherselfuponherkneesatherpraying-stool，whereIlefther。Butwhyareyoulookingsosad，Olaf？“
“Oh！Iknownot，savethatIfindlifedifficult，andfullofpitfallswhichitishardtoescape。“
Martinarestedherelbowsonthetableandherchinuponherlittlehand，staringmefullinthefacewithherquickeyesthatpiercedlikenails。
“Olaf，“shesaid，“yourstarshinesbrightaboveyou。Keepyoureyesfixedthereonandfollowit，andneverthinkaboutthepitfalls。ItmayleadyouIknownotwhere。“
“Toheaven，perhaps，“Isuggested。
“Well，youdidnotfeartogothitherwhenyouwouldhaveeatenthepoisonedfiglastnight。Toheaven，perchance，butbyaroyalroad。
Whateveryoumaythinkofsomeothers，marriageisanhonourableestate，myChristianfriend，especiallyifamanmarrieswell。Andnowgood-bye；weshallmeetagainatthepalace，whitheryouwillrepairto-morrowmorning。Notbefore，sinceIamengagedindirectingthefurnishmentofyournewquartersintherightwing，and，thoughtheworkmenlabourallnight，theywillnotbefinisheduntilthen。Good-
bye，GeneralOlaf。YourservantMartinasalutesyouandyourstar，“
andshecurtsiedbeforemeuntilherkneesalmosttouchedtheground。
Itcomesbacktomethatonthefollowingdaymysuccessorinthegovernorshipofthejail，whohewasIknownotnow，arrived，andthattohimindueformIhandedovermyofficesandduties。BeforeIdidso，however，ImadeitmycaretoreleaseBarnabas，Ithinkonthepreviousevening。InhiscellIreadtheAugusta’swarranttotheoldbishop。
“Howwasitobtained，son，“heasked，“for，know，thathavingsomanyenemiesonthissmallmatterofimageworship，Iexpectedtodieinthisplace？NowitseemsthatIamfree，andmayevenreturntomychargeinEgypt。“
“TheEmpressgrantedittomeasafavour，Father，“Ianswered。“I
toldherthatyouwerefromtheNorth，likemyself。“
Hestudiedmewithhisshrewdblueeyes，andsaid:
“Itseemsstrangetomethatsogreatandunusualaboonshouldbegrantedforsuchareason，seeingthatbettermenthanIamhavesufferedbanishmentandworsewoesforlesscausethanIhavegiven。
WhatdidyoupaytheEmpressforthisfavour，sonOlaf？“
“Nothing，Father。“
“Isitso？Olaf，adreamhascometomeaboutyou，andinthatdreamI
sawyouwalkthroughagreatfireandemergeunscathed，saveforthesingeingofyourlipsandhair。“
“Perhapstheyweresinged，Father。Otherwise，Iamunburned，thoughwhatwillhappentomeinthefutureIdonotknow，formydangersseemgreat。“