ThusfellIrene，themightyEmpressoftheEasternEmpire！
NowduringalltheseyearsHeliodoreandIwereleftinpeaceatLesbos。Iwasnotdeposedfrommygovernorshipofthatisle，whichprosperedgreatlyundermyrule。EvenIrene’sestates，whichConstantinehadgivenme，werenottakenaway。AttheappointedtimesIremittedthetributedue，yes，andaddedtothesum，andreceivedbacktheofficialacknowledgmentsignedbytheEmpress，andwithittheofficialthanks。Butwiththesenevercameeitherletterormessage。YetitisevidentsheknewthatIwasmarried，fortoHeliodoredidcomeamessage，andwithitagift。ThegiftwasthatnecklaceandthoseotherornamentswhichIrenehadcausedtobemadeinanexactlikenessofthestringofgoldenshellsseparatedbyemeraldbeetles，onehalfofwhichIhadtakenfromthegraveoftheWandereratAarandtheotherhalfofwhichwaswornbyHeliodore。
Somuchofthegift。Themessagewasthatshewhoownedthenecklacemightwishtohavetherestoftheset。Toitwereaddedthewordsthatacertaingeneralhadbeenwrongwhenheprophesiedthatthewearingofthisnecklacebyanywomansaveonewouldbringillfortunetothewearer，sincefromthedayithungaboutIrene’sneckeventhatwhichseemedtobebadfortunehadturnedtogood。Thusshehadescaped“themostevilthingintheworld，namely，anotherhusband，“
andhadbecomethefirstwomanintheworld。
Thesewords，whichwerewrittenonapieceofsheepskin，sealedup，andaddressedtotheLadyHeliodore，butunsigned，Ithoughtofthemostevilomen，sinceboastfulnessalwaysseemstobehatefultothePowerthatdecreesourfates。So，indeed，theyprovedtobe。
Onacertaindayinearlysummer——itwastheanniversaryofmymarriageinEgypt——HeliodoreandIhaddinedwithbuttwoguests。
ThoseguestswereJodd，thegreatNorthman，mylieutenant，andhiswife，Martina，forwithinayearofourreturntoLesbosJoddandMartinahadmarried。Itcomesbacktomethattherewastroubleaboutthebusiness，butthatwhenJoddgaveoutthateithershemustmarryhimorthathewouldsailbacktohisnorthernland，biddinggood-byetousallforever，Martinagaveway。IthinkthatHeliodoremanagedthematterinsomefashionofherownafterthebirthofourfirst-
bornson；how，Ihelditbestnevertoinquire。Atleast，itwasmanaged，andthemarriageturnedoutwellenoughintheend，althoughatfirstMartinawasmoodyattimesandsomewhatsharpoftonguewithJodd。Thentheyhadababywhichdied，andthisdeadchilddrewthemclosertogetherthanitmighthavedonehaditlived。Atanyrate，fromthattimeforwardMartinagrewmoregentlewithJodd，andwhenotherchildrenwereborntheyseemedhappytogether。
Well，wefourhaddined，anditcomestomethatourtalkturnedupontheCaliphHarunandhiswonderfulgoodnesstous，whomasChristianshewasboundtodespiseandhate。Heliodoretoldmethenforthefirsttimehowshewasgladhehadmadeitclearsosoonthatwhatshedrankfromthegoldcupwhichnowstooduponourtablewasnomorethanrosewater。
Sostrongistheworkingofthemindthatalreadyshehadbeguntofeelasthoughpoisonwerenumbingherheartandcloudingherbrain，andwassurethatsoonshewouldhavefallenintothesleepwhichHarunhadwarnedherwouldendindeath。
“Hadhebeenatruephysician，hewouldhaveknownthatthismightbeso，andthatsuchgrimjestsareverydangerous，“Isaid。ThenI
added，forIdidnotwishtodwelllongeruponascenethememoryofwhichwasdreadfultome，althoughithadendedwell，“Tellus，Martina，isittruethatthoserichpossessionsofyoursinAlexandriawhichtheCaliphgaveyouaresold？“
“Yes，Olaf，“sheanswered，“toacompanyofGreekmerchants，andnotsoill。Thecontractwassignedbutyesterday。ItwasmywishthatweshouldleaveLesbosandgotoliveinthisplace，aswemighthavedonewithsafetyunderHarun’ssigned/firman/，butJoddhererefused。“
“Aye，“saidJoddinhisbigvoice。“AmIonetodwellamongMoslemsandmakemoneyoutoftradeandgardensinhoweverfineahouse？Why，Ishouldhavebeenfightingwiththeseprophet-worshipperswithinamonth，andhadmythroatcut。Moreover，howcouldIbeartobeseparatedfrommygeneral，andwhatevershemaythink，howcouldMartinabeartolosesightofhergod-son？Why，Olaf，Itellyouthat，althoughyouaremarriedandsheismarried，shestillthinkstwiceasmuchofyouasshedoesofme。Oh！blindman’sdogonce，blindman’sdogalways！Looknotsoangry，Martina。Why，Iwonder，doesthetruthalwaysmakewomenangry？“andheburstintooneofhisgreatlaughs。
AtthismomentHeliodorerosefromthetableandwalkedtotheopenwindow-placetospeaktoourchildrenandMartina’s，amerrycompanywhowereplayingtogetherinthegarden。Hereshestoodawhilestudyingthebeautifulviewofthebaybeneath；thenofasuddencalledout，“Aship！Ashipsailingintotheharbour，anditfliestheImperialstandard。“
“ThenprayGodshebringsnobadnews，“Isaid，whofearedthatImperialstandardandfeltthatwehadallbeensomewhattoohappyoflate。Moreover，IknewthatnoroyalshipwaslookedforfromByzantiumatthistime，anddreadedlestthisoneshouldbearlettersfromthenewEmperordismissingmefrommyoffice，orevenworsetidings。
“Whatbadnewsshouldshebring？“growledJodd。“Oh！Iknowwhatisinyourmind，General，butifthisupstartNicephorusiswise，he’llleaveyoualone，sinceLesbosdoesnotwantanothergovernor，andwilltellhimsoiftherebeneed。Yes，itwilltakemorethanoneshipofwar，aye，andmorethanthree，tosetupanothergovernorinLesbos。
Nay，rebukemenot，General，forIatleasthaveswornnooathofhomagetothisNicephorus，norhavetheotherNorthmenorthemenofLesbos。“
“Youarelikeawatchdog，Jodd，barkingatyouknownotwhat，justbecauseitisstrange。Gonow，Iprayyou，tothequay，andbringbacktousnewsofthisship。“
Sohewent，andforthenexttwohoursormoreIsatinmyprivateroomdictatingletterstoHeliodoreonmattersconnectedwiththedutiesofmyoffice。Theworkcametoanendatlast，andIwaspreparingtotakemyeveningrideonaledmulewhenMartinaenteredtheroom。
“Doyouridewithusto-night，Martina？“Iasked，recognisingherstep。
“No，Olaf，“shesaidquickly，“norIthinkcanyou。HerearelettersforyoufromByzantium。Joddhasbroughtthemfromtheship。“
“WhereisJodd？“Isaid。
“Without，inthecompanyofthecaptainoftheship，someguards，andaprisoner。“
“Whatprisoner？“
“Perchancetheletterswilltellyou，“sherepliedevasively。“HaveI
yourcommandtoopenandread？Theyaremarked’MostSecret。’“
Inodded，sinceMartinaoftenactedasmysecretaryinhighmatters，beingfromhertrainingskilledinsuchthings。SoshebrokethesealsandreadtomyselfandtoHeliodore，whoalsowaspresentintheroom，asfollows:
“’TotheExcellentMichael，aGeneralofourarmiesandGovernoroftheIsleofLesbos，GreetingsfromNicephorus，bythewillofGodEmperor。
“’Know，OMichael，thatwe，theEmperor，reposingespecialfaithinyouourtrustedservant，withtheselettersdeliverintoyourkeepingacertainprisonerofState。ThisprisonerisnoneotherthanIrene，whoaforetimewasEmpress。
“’BecauseofhermanywickednessesinthesightofGodandmanwebythedecreeofthePeople，oftheArmy，oftheSenateandofthehighOfficersofStateamidstgeneralrejoicingdeposedthesaidIrene，widowoftheEmperorLeoandmotherofthelateEmperorConstantine，andplacedourselvesuponthethrone。ThesaidIrene，atherownrequest，weconsignedtotheplacecalledtheIslandofPrinces，settingherinchargeofcertainholymonks。Whilstthere，abusingourmercyandconfidence，shesetonfootplotstomurderourPersonandrepossessherselfofthethrone。
“’NowourCouncillorswithonevoiceurgedthatsheshouldbeputtodeathinpunishmentofhercrimes，butwe，beingmindfuloftheteachingofourLordandSaviourandofHissayingthatweshouldturntheothercheektothosewhosmiteus，outofourgentlepityhavetakenanothercounsel。
“’Learnnow，mostexcellentMichaeltheBlind，whooncewereknownasOlafRed-Sword，thatwehandovertoyourkeepingthepersonofIrene，aforetimeEmpress，chargingyoutodealwithherasshedealtwithyouandasshedealtalsowiththelateEmperorConstantine，thesonofherbody，forthusshallherevilplottingsbebroughttonaught。’“
“ByGod’sName，hemeansthatImustblindher！“Iexclaimed。
Makingnoanswer，Martinawentonwiththeletter——
“’ShouldthesaidIrenesurviveherjustpunishment，wecommandyoutomakesufficientprovisionforherdailywants，butnomore，andtochargethesameagainstthesumdueUsfromtherevenuesofLesbos。
Shouldshedieatonce，oratanyfuturetime，givetoherdecentprivateburial，andreporttoUsthecircumstancesofherdeathdulyattested。
“’KeepthesePresentssecretanddonotactuponthemuntiltheshipwhichbringsthemandtheprisonertoyouhassailedforByzantium，whichitisorderedtodoassoonasithasbeenrevictualled。Onyourheadbeittocarryouttheseourcommands，forwhichyoushallanswerwithyourlifeandthoseofyourwifeandchildren。ThissignedandsealedatourCourtofByzantiumonthetwelfthdayofthesixthmonthofthefirstyearofourreign，andcountersignedbythehighofficerswhosenamesappearbeneath。’“
Suchwasthisawfulletterthat，havingread，Martinathrustintomyhandasthoughshewouldberidofit。Thenfollowedasilence，whichatlengthMartinabroke。
“Yourcommands，Excellency，“shesaidinadryvoice。“Iunderstandthatthe——the——prisonerisintheante-roominchargeoftheCaptainJodd。“