tellyouIfearherfangs。Why，ifshecould，she’dmakemeasthatpoormanis，blind，orevenbutcherme。Well，she’smymother，andI’vesworn，sothere’sanend。Now，youOlaf，youarethatsamecaptain，areyounot，whodashedthepoisonedfigfrommylipsthatthistendermotherofminewouldhaveletmeeatwhenIwasinliquor；
yes，andwouldhaveswallowedityourselftosavemefrommyfolly？“
“Iamthatman，Augustus。“
“Aye，youarethatman，andoneofwhomallthecityhasbeentalking。
Theysay，sopoorisyourtaste，thatyouturnedyourbackuponthefavoursofanEmpressbecauseofsomeyounggirlyoudaredtolove。
Theysayalsothatshepaidyoubackwithadaggerintheeyes，shewhowasreadytosetyouinmyplace。“
“Rumourhasmanytongues，Augustus，“Ianswered。“AtleastIfellfromtheEmpress’sfavour，andsherewardedmeassheheldthatI
deserved。“
“Soitseems。Christ！whatadreadfulpitisthat。Isthisanotherofhergifts？Nay，answernot；Iheardthetale。Well，Olaf，yousavedmylifeandyourNorthmenhavesetmeonthethrone，sincewithoutthemwecouldscarcelyhavewonthepalace。Now，whatpaymentwouldyouhave？“
“Leavetogohence，Augustus，“Ianswered。
“Asmallboonthatyoumighthavetakenwithoutasking，ifyoucanfindadogtoleadyou，likeotherblindwretches。Andyou，CaptainJodd，andyourmen，whatdoyouask？“
“SuchdonationasitmaypleasetheAugustustobestow，andafterthatpermissiontofollowwhereverourGeneralOlafgoes，sinceheisourcare。Herewehavemadesomanyenemiesthatwecannotsleepatnight。“
“TheEmpressoftheWorldfallsfromherthrone，“musedConstantine，“andnotevenawaiting-maidattendshertoherprison。Butablindedcaptainfindsaregimenttoescorthimhenceinloveandhonour，asthoughhewereanew-crownedking。TrulyFortuneisajester。IfeverFateshouldrobmeofmyeyes，Iwonder，whenIhadnothingmoretogivethem，ifthreehundredfaithfulswordswouldfollowmetoruinandtoexile？“
Thushethoughtaloud。Afterwardshe，Joddandsomeothers，Martinaamongthem，wentaside，leavingmeseatedonabench。Presentlytheyreturned，andConstantinesaid，“GeneralOlaf，Iandyourcompanionshavetakencounsel。Listen。Butto-daymessengershavecomefromLesbos，whomwemetoutsidethegates。Itseemsthatthegovernorthereisdead，andthattheaccursedMoslemsthreatentostormtheisleassoonassummercomesandaddittotheirempire。OurChristiansubjectstherepraythatanewgovernormaybeappointed，onewhoknowswar，andthatwithhimmaybesenttroopssufficienttorepeltheprophet-worshippers，who，nothavingmanyships，cannotattackingreatforce。Now，CaptainJoddthinksthistaskwillbetothelikingoftheNorthmen，andthoughyouareblind，IthinkthatyouwouldservemewellasgovernorofLesbos。Isityourpleasuretoacceptthisoffice？“
“Aye，withthankfulness，Augustus，“Ianswered。“Only，aftertheMoslemsarebeatenback，ifitpleasesGodthatitshouldsobefall，I
askleaveofabsenceforawhile，sincethereisoneforwhomImustsearch。“
“Igrantit，whonameCaptainJoddyourdeputy。Stay，there’sonemorething。InLesbosmymotherhaslargevineyardsandestates。Aspartpaymentofherdebttheseshallbeconveyedtoyou。Nay，nothanks；itisIwhoowethem。Whateverhisfaults，Constantineisnotungrateful。
Moreover，enoughtimehasbeenspentuponthismatter。Whatsayyou，Officer？ThattheArmeniansaremarshalledandthatyouhaveStauraciussafe？Good！Icometoleadthem。ThentotheHippodrometobeproclaimed。“
Thatcurtainofoblivionwithoutrentorseamsinksagainuponthevisionsofthispastofmine。Itfalls，asitwere，onthelastofthescenesinthedreadfulchamberofthepit，toriseoncemorefarfromByzantium。
Iamblindandcanseenothing，forthepowerwhichenablesmetodisinterwhatliesburiedbeneaththeweightandwreckofsomanyagestellsmenomorethanthosethingsthatoncemysensesknew。WhatI
didnothearthenIdonothearnow；whatIdidnotseethenIdonotseenow。ThusitcomesaboutthatofLesbositself，oftheshapeofitsmountainsorthecolourofitsseasIcantellnothingmorethanI
wastold，becausemysightneverdweltontheminanylifethatIcanremember。
Itwasevening。Theheatofthesunhadpassedandthenightbreezeblewthroughthewide，coolchamberinwhichIsatwithMartina，whomthesoldiers，intheirrudefashion，called“Olaf’sBrownDog。“Forbrownwashercolouring，andsheledmefromplacetoplaceasdogsaretrainedtoleadblindmen。Yetagainsthertheroughestofthemneversaidanevilword；notfromfear，butbecausetheyknewthatnonecouldbesaid。
Martinawastalking，shewhoalwayslovedtotalk，ifnotofonething，thenofanother。
“God-son，“shesaid，“althoughyouareagreatgrumbler，Itellyouthatinmyjudgmentyouwerebornunderaluckystar，orsaint，callitwhichyouwill。Forinstance，whenyouwerewalkingupanddownthatHallofthePitinthepalaceatConstantinople，whichIalwaysdreamofnowifIsuptoolate——“
“Andyourspirit，ordouble，orwhateveryoucallit，waskindlyleadingmeroundtheedgeofthedeath-trap，“Iinterrupted。
“——andmyspirit，ordouble，makingitselfusefulforonce，wasdoingwhatyousay，well，whowouldhavethoughtthatbeforesoverylongyouwouldbethegovernor，muchbeloved，oftherichandprosperousislandofLesbos；stillthecommander，muchbeloved，oftroops，manyofthemyourowncountrymen，and，althoughyouareblind，theImperialgeneralwhohasdealttheMoslemsoneoftheworstdefeatstheyhavesufferedforalongwhile。“
“Joddandtheothersdidthat，“Ianswered。“Ionlysathereandmadetheplans。“
“Jodd！“sheexclaimedwithcontempt。“Joddhasnomoreheadforplansthanadoorpost！Althoughitistrue，“sheaddedwithasofteningofthevoice，“thatheisagoodmantoleanonatapinch，andaveryterriblefighter；alsoonewhocankeepsuchbrainasGodgavehimcoolinthehourofterror，asIreneknowswellenough。Yetitwasyou，Olaf，notevenI，butyou，whorememberedthattheNorthmenareseafolkborn，andturnedallthosetradingvesselsintowar-galleysandhidtheminthelittlebayswithafewofyourpeopleincommandofeach。ItwasyouwhosufferedtheMoslemfleettosailunmolestedintotheMityleneharbours，pretendingandgivingnoticethattheonlydefencewouldbebyland。Then，aftertheywereatanchorandbeginningtodisembark，itwasyouwhofellonthematthedawnandsankandslewtillnoneremainedsavethoseoftheirarmywhoweretakenprisonersorsparedforransom。Yes，andyoucommandedourshipsinperson；andatnightwhoisabettercaptainthanablindman？Oh！
youdidwell，verywell；andyouarerichwithIrene’slands，andsithereincomfortandinhonour，withthebestofhealthsaveforyourblindness，andIrepeatthatyouwerebornunderaluckystar——orsaint。“
“Notaltogetherso，Martina，“Iansweredwithasigh。
“Ah！“shereplied，“mancanneverbecontent。Asusual，youarethinkingofthatEgyptian，ImeanoftheladyHeliodore，ofwhom，ofcourse，itisquiterightthatyoushouldthink。Well，itistruethatwehaveheardnothingofher。Still，thatdoesnotmeanthatwemaynothear。PerhapsJoddhaslearnedsomethingfromthoseprisoners。
Hark！hecomes。“
AsshespokeIheardtheguardssalutewithoutandJodd’sheavystepatthedoorofthechamber。
“Greeting，General，“hesaidpresently。“Ibringyougoodnews。ThemessengerstotheSultanHarunhavereturnedwiththeransom。AlsothisCaliphsendsawritingsignedbyhimselfandhisministers，inwhichheswearsbyGodandHisProphetthatinconsiderationofourgivingupourprisoners，amongwhom，itseems，aresomegreatmen，neitherhenorhissuccessorswillattemptanynewattackuponLesbosforthirtyyears。Theinterpreterwillreadittoyouto-morrow，andyoucansendyouransweringletterswiththeprisoners。“
“Seeingthattheseheathenaresomanyandwearesofew，wecouldscarcelylookforbetterterms，“Isaid，“asIhopetheywillthinkatConstantinople。Atleasttheprisonersshallsailwhenallisinorder。Nowforanothermatter。HaveyouinquiredastotheBishopBarnabasandtheEgyptianPrinceMagasandhisdaughter？“
“Aye，General，thisveryday。IfoundthatamongtheprisonerswerethreeofthecommonersortwhohaveservedinEgyptandleftthatlandnotthreemonthsago。Ofthesementwohaveneverheardofthebishoportheothers。Thethird，however，whowaswoundedinthefight，hadsometidings。“
“Whattidings，Jodd？“
“Nonethataregood，General。Thebishop，hesays，waskilledbyMoslemsawhileago，orsohehadbeentold。“
“Godresthim。Buttheothers，Jodd，whatoftheothers？“