Shewasthewomanofwhom，yearsago，IhaddreamedonthenightonwhichIbrokeintotheWanderer’stombatAar！
NeverforonemomentdidIdoubtmeofthistruth。Iwassure。Iwassure。Itdidnotevenneed，whilesheturnedtowhispersomethingtohercompanion，thatthecloaksheworeshouldopenalittle，revealingonherbreastanecklaceofemeraldbeetlesseparatedbyinlaidshellsofpaleandancientgold。
Shewaswatchingtheprocessionwithinterest，yetsomewhatidly，whenshecaughtsightofme，whom，fromwhereshestood，shecouldscarcelyhaveseenbefore。Ofasuddenherfacegrewdoubtfulandtroubled，liketothatofonewhohasjustreceivedsomehurt。Shesawtheornamentaboutmyneck。Sheturnedpaleandhadshenotgrippedthearmofthemanbesideher，would，Ithink，havefallen。Thenhereyescaughtmine，andFatehadusinitsnet。
Sheleanedforward，gazing，gazing，allhersoulinthosedarkeyes，andI，too，gazedandgazed。Thegreatcathedralvanishedwithitsglitteringcrowds，thesoundofchantingandoffeetthatmarcheddiedfrommyears。InplaceoftheseIsawamightycolumnedtempleandtwostonefigures，tallerthanpines，seatedonaplain，andthroughthemoonlitsilenceheardasweetvoicemurmuring:
“Farewell。Forthislife，farewell！“
Nowwewereneartoeachother，nowIwaspassingher，Iwhomightnotstay。Myhandbrushedhers，andoh！itwasasthoughIhaddrunkacupofwine。Aspiritenteredintomeand，bending，Iwhisperedinherear，speakingintheLatintongue，sinceGreek，whichallknew，Ididnotdaretouse，“/Avepostsecula！/“Greetingaftertheages！
Isawherbosomheave；yes，andheardherwhisperback:
“/Ave！/“
Thatnighttherewasfeastingatthepalace，andI，Olaf，nowknownasMichael，asaconvertwasoneofthechiefguests，sothatformetherewasnoescape。Isatverysilent，sosilentthattheAugustafrowned，thoughshewastoofarofftospeaktome。ThebanquetcametoanendatlastandbeforemidnightIwasfreetogo，stillwithoutwordfromtheEmpress，whowithdrewherself，asIthoughtinanill-
humour。
Isoughtmybed，butinitknewlittleofsleep。IhadfoundherforwhomduringallthelongyearsIhadbeensearching，thoughIdidnotunderstandthatIwassearching。AftertheagesIhadfoundherandshehadfoundme。Hereyessaidit，and，unlessIdreamed，hersweetvoicesaiditalso。
Whowasshe？DoubtlessthatHeliodore，daughterofMagas，theprinceofwhomtheBishopBarnabashadspokentome。Oh！nowIunderstoodwhathemeantwhenhespokeofanothernecklaceliketothatIwore，andyetwouldexplainnothing。ItlayuponthebreastofHeliodore，HeliodorewhowassuchaoneashewishedthatImightwed。Well，certainlyIwishedittoo；but，alas！howcouldIwed，whowasinIrene’spower，atoyforhertoplaywithortobreak？AndhowwoulditfarewithanywomanwhomitwasknownthatIwishedtowed？ImustbesecretuntilshewasgonefromConstantinople，andinthiswayorinthatIcouldfollowher。I，whohadeverbeenopen-minded，mustlearntokeepmyowncounsel。
Now，too，IrememberedhowBarnabashadsaidtheAugustacommandedthatthisPrinceMagasandhisdaughtershouldcometothepalaceasherguests。Well，theplacewasvast，atowninitself，andlikelyenoughIshouldnotseethemthere。YetIlongedtoseeoneofthemasneverIhadlongedforanythingbefore。Iwassure，also，thatnofearscouldkeepusapart，eventhoughIknewtheroadbeforemetobefullofdangersandoftrials，knewthatIwentwithmylifeinmyhand，thelifeofwhichIhadbeenquitecareless，butthatnowhadbecomesodeartome。Fordidnottheworldholdanothertowhomitbelonged？
Thenightpassedaway。Iroseandwentaboutmymorningduties。
ScarcelywerethesefinishedwhenamessengersummonedmetothepresenceoftheAugusta。Ifollowedhimwithasinkingheart，certainthatthosewoeswhichIhadforeseenwereabouttobegin。Also，nowtherewasnowomaninthewholeworldwhomIlesswishedtoseethanIrene，EmpressoftheEarth。
Iwasledtothesmallaudiencechamber，whereofIhavealreadyspoken，thatonthefloorofwhichwasthemosaicofthegoddessVenusmakingpretencetokillherlover。ThereIfoundtheAugustaseatedinachairofState，theministerStauracius，mygod-father，whogloweredatmeasIentered，somesecretaries，andMartina，mygod-mother，whowastheladyinattendance。
IsalutedtheEmpress，whobowedgraciouslyandsaid:
“GeneralOlaf——nay，Iforgot，GeneralMichael，yourgod-fatherStauraciushassomethingtosaywhichItrustwillpleaseyouasmuchasitdoeshimandme。Speak，Stauracius。“
“Belovedgod-son，“beganStauracius，inavoiceofsullenrage，“ithaspleasedtheAugustatoappointyou——“
“Ontheprayerandadviceofme，Stauracius，“interruptedtheEmpress。
“——Ontheprayerandadviceofme，Stauracius，“repeatedtheeunuchlikeatalkingbird，“tobeoneofherchamberlainsandMasterofthePalace，atasalaryof“Iforgetthesum，butitwasagreatone
“withallthepowerandperquisitestothatofficepertaining，inrewardoftheserviceswhichyouhaverenderedtoherandtheEmpire。
ThanktheEmpressforhergraciousfavour。“
“Nay，“interruptedIreneagain，“thankyourbelovedgod-fatherStauracius，whohasgivenmenopeaceuntilIofferedyouthisprefermentwhichhassuddenlybecomevacant，Stauraciusaloneknowswhy，forIdonot。Oh！youwerewise，Olaf——ImeanMichael——tochooseStauraciusforagod-father，thoughIwarnhim，“sheaddedarchly，“thatinhisnaturallovehemustnotpushyouforwardtoofastlestothersshouldbegintoshowthatjealousywhichisastrangertohisnoblenature。Comehither，Michael，andkissmyhanduponyourappointment。“
SoIadvancedand，kneeling，kissedtheAugusta’shand，accordingtocustomonsuchoccasions，noting，asdoubtlessStauraciusdidalso，thatshepressedithardenoughagainstmylips。ThenIroseandsaid:
“IthanktheAugusta——“
“Andmygod-fatherStauracius，“sheinterrupted。
“——Andmygod-fatherStauracius，“Iechoed，“forherandhisgoodnesstowardsme。YetwithhumilityIventuretosaythatIamasoldierwhoknowsnothingwhatsoeverofthedutiesofachamberlainandofaMasterofthePalace，and，therefore，Ibegthatsomeoneelsemorecompetentmaybechosentofillthesehighoffices。“
OnhearingthesewordsStauraciusstaredatmewithhisroundandowl-
likeeyes。NeverbeforehadheknownanofficerinConstantinoplewhowishedtodeclinepowerandmorepay。Scarcely，indeed，couldhebelievehisears。ButtheAugustaonlylaughed。
“Baptismhasnotchangedyou，Olaf，“shesaid，“whoeverweresimple，asIbelieveyourdutieswillbe。Atanyrate，yourgod-fatherandgod-motherwillinstructyouinthem——especiallyyourgod-mother。Sonomoreofsuchfoolishtalk。Stauracius，youmaybegonetoattendtotheaffairsofwhichwehavebeenspeaking，asIseeyouburntodo，andtakethosesecretarieswithyou，forthescratchingoftheirpenssetsmyteethonedge。Bidehereamoment，General，forasMasterofthePalaceitwillbeyourdutytoreceivecertaingueststo-dayofwhomIwishtospeakwithyou。Bideyoualso，Martina，thatyoumayremembermywordsincasethisunpractisedofficershouldforgetthem。“
Stauraciusandhissecretariesbowedthemselvesout，leavingthethreeofusalone。
“Now，Olaf，orMichael——whichdoyouwishtobecalled？“
“Itismoreeasyforamantoalterhisnaturethanhisname，“I
answered。
“Haveyoualteredyournature？Ifso，yourmannersremainmuchwhattheywere。Well，then，beOlafinprivateandMichaelinpublic，foroftenanaliasisconvenientenough。Hark！Iwouldreadyoualesson。
AsthewiseKingSolomonsaid，’Everythinghasitsplaceandtime。’Itisgoodtorepentyouofyoursinsandtothinkaboutyoursoul，butI
prayyoudosonomoreatmyfeasts，especiallywhentheyaregiveninyourhonour。LastnightyousatattheboardlikeamummyatanEgyptianbanquet。Hadyourskullstoodonit，filledwithwine，itcouldscarcehavelookedgrimmerthandidyourface。Bemorecheerful，Iprayyou，orIwillhaveyoutonsuredandpromotedtobeabishop，likethatoldhereticBarnabasofwhomyouaresofond。Ah！yousmileatlast，andIamgladtoseeit。Nowhearkenagain。ThisafternoontherecomestothepalaceacertainoldEgyptiannamedMagas，whomI
placeinyourespecialcharge，andwithhimhiswife——atleast，I
thinksheishiswife。“
“Nay，Mistress，hisdaughter，“interruptedMartina。
“Oh！hisdaughter，“saidtheAugustasuspiciously。“Ididnotknowshewashisdaughter。Whatisshelike，Martina？“
“Ihavenotseenher，Empress，butsomeonesaidthatsheisablack-
lookingwoman，suchastheNilebreeds。“
“Isitso？ThenIchargeyou，Olaf，keepherfarfromme，forIlovenottheseuglyblackwomen，whosewoollyhairalwayssmellsofgrease。
Yes，Igiveyouleavetocourther，ifyouwill，sincetherebyyoumaylearnsomesecrets，“andshelaughedmerrily。
Ibowed，sayingthatIwouldobeytheAugusta’sorderstothebestofmypower，andshewenton:
“Olaf，IwoulddiscoverthetruthconcerningthisMagasandhisschemes，whichasasoldieryouarewellfittedtofindout。ItseemshehasaplanfortherecoveryofEgyptoutofthehandsofthefollowersofthataccursedfalseprophetwhosesouldwellswithSatan。