第15章
AgulfofblacknessandthecurtainliftsagainuponaverydifferentOlaffromtheyoungnorthernlordwhopartedfromIdunaattheplaceofsacrificeatAar。
Iseemyselfstandinguponaterracethatoverlooksastretchofquietwater，whichInowknowwastheBosphorus。Behindmeareagreatpalaceandthelightsofavastcity；infront，upontheseaanduponthefarthershore，areotherlights。Themoonshinesbrightaboveme，and，havingnaughtelsetodo，Istudymyreflectioninmyownburnishedshield。Itshowsamanofearlymiddlelife；hemaybethirtyorfive-and-thirtyyearsofage；thesameOlaf，yetmuchchanged。Fornowmyframeistallandwell-knit，thoughstillsomewhatslender；myfaceisbronzedbysouthernsuns；Iwearashortbeard；
thereisascaracrossmycheek，gotinsomebattle；myeyesarequiet，andhavelostthefirstlivelinessofyouth。IknowthatIamthecaptainoftheNorthernGuardoftheEmpressIrene，widowofthedeademperor，LeotheFourth，andjointruleroftheEasternEmpirewithheryoungson，Constantine，thesixthofthatname。
HowIcametofillthisplace，however，Idonotknow。ThestoryofmyjourneyfromJutlandtoByzantiumislosttome。Doubtlessitmusthavetakenyears，andafterthesemoreyearsofhumbleservice，beforeIrosetobethecaptainofIrene’sNorthernGuardthatshekepteveraboutherperson，becauseshewouldnottrustherGreciansoldiers。
Myarmourwasveryrich，yetInotedaboutmyselftwothingsthatwerewithmeinmyyouth。Onewasthenecklaceofgoldenshells，dividedfromeachotherbybeetlesofemeralds，thatIhadtakenfromtheWanderer’sgraveatAar，andtheotherthecross-hiltedbronzeswordwithwhichthissameWandererhadbeengirdedinhisgrave。Iknownowthatbecauseofthisweapon，whichwasofametalandshapestrangetothatland，IhadthebynameofOlafRed-Sword，andIknowalsothatnonewishedtofeeltheweightofthissameancientblade。
WhenIhadfinishedlookingatmyselfintheshield，IleanedupontheparapetstaringattheseaandwonderinghowtheplainsofAarlookedthatnightbeneaththisselfsamemoon，andwhetherFreydisaweredeadbynow，andwhomIdunahadmarried，andifsheeverthoughtofme，orifSteinarcametohaunthersleep。
SoImused，tillpresentlyIfeltalighttouchuponmyshoulder，andswungroundtofindmyselffacetofacewiththeEmpressIreneherself。
“Augusta！“Isaid，saluting，for，asEmpress，thatwasherRomantitle，eventhoughshewasaGreek。
“Youguardmewell，friendOlaf，“shesaid，withalittlelaugh。“Why，anyenemy，andChristknowsIhaveplenty，couldhavecutyoudownbeforeeveryouknewthathewasthere。“
“Notso，Augusta，“Ianswered，forIcouldspeaktheirGreektonguewell；“sinceattheendoftheterracetheguardsstandnightandday，menofmyownbloodwhocanbetrusted。Nothingwhichdoesnotflycouldgainthisplacesavethroughyourownchambers，thatarealsoguarded。Itisnotusualforanywatchtobesethere，stillIcamemyselfincasetheEmpressmightneedme。“
“Thatiskindofyou，myCaptainOlaf，andIthinkIdoneedyou。Atleast，Icannotsleepinthisheat，andIamwearyofthethoughtsofState，formanymatterstroublemejustnow。Come，changemymind，ifyoucan，forifsoI’llthankyou。Tellmeofyourselfwhenyouwereyoung。Whydidyouleaveyournorthernhome，whereI’veheardyouwereabarbarianchief，andwanderhithertoByzantium？“
“Becauseofawoman，“Ianswered。
“Ah！“shesaid，clappingherhands；“Iknewit。Tellmeofthiswomanwhomyoulove。“
“Thestoryisshort，Augusta。Shebewitchedmyfoster-brother，andcausedhimtobesacrificedtothenortherngodsasatroth-breaker，andIdonotloveher。“
“You’dnotadmititifyoudid，Olaf。Wasshebeautiful，well，sayasIam？“
IturnedandlookedattheEmpress，studyingherfromheadtofoot。
ShewasshorterthanIdunabysomeinches，alsoolder，andthereforeofathickerbuild；but，beingafairGreek，hercolourwasmuchthesame，savethattheeyesweredarker。Themouth，too，wasmorehard。
Fortherest，shewasaroyal-lookingandlovelywomanintheflowerofherage，andsplendidlyattiredinrobesbroideredwithgold，overwhichsheworelongstringsofroundedpearls。HerripplinggoldenhairwasdressedintheoldGreekfashion，tiedinasimpleknotbehindherhead，andoveritwasthrownalightveilworkedwithgoldenstars。
“Well，CaptainOlaf，“shesaid，“haveyoufinishedweighingmypoorlooksagainstthoseofthisnortherngirlinthescalesofyourjudgment？Ifso，whichofustipsthebeam？“
“Idunawasmorebeautifulthaneveryoucanhavebeen，Augusta，“I
repliedquietly。
Shestaredatmetillhereyesgrewquiteround，thenpuckereduphermouthasthoughtosaysomethingfurious，andfinallyburstoutlaughing。
“ByeverysaintinByzantium，“shesaid，“or，rather，bytheirrelics，forofliveonestherearenone，youarethestrangestmanwhomIhaveknown。Areyouwearyoflifethatyoudaretosaysuchathingtome，theEmpressIrene？“
“AmIwearyoflife？Well，Augusta，onthewholeIthinkIam。Itseemstomethatdeathandafteritmayinterestusmore。Fortherest，youaskedmeaquestion，and，afterthefashionofmypeople，I
answereditastruthfullyasIcould。“
“Bymyhead，youhavesaiditagain，“sheexclaimed。“Haveyounotheard，mostinnocentNorthman，thattherearetruthswhichshouldnotbementionedandmuchlessrepeated？“
“IhaveheardmanythingsinByzantium，Augusta，butIpaynoattentiontoanyofthem——or，indeed，tolittleexceptmyduty。“
“Nowthatthis，this——what’sthegirl’sname？“
“IdunatheFair，“Isaid。
thisIdunahasthrownyouover，atwhichIamsureIdonotwonder，whatmistresseshaveyouinByzantium，OlaftheDane？“
“Noneatall，“Ianswered。“Womenarepleasant，butonemaybuysweetstoodear，andallthateverIsawputtogetherwerenotworthmybrotherSteinar，wholosthislifethroughoneofthem。“
“Tellme，CaptainOlaf，areyouasecretmemberofthisnewsocietyofhermitsofwhichtheytalksomuch，who，iftheyseeawoman，mustholdtheirfacesinthesandforfiveminutesafterwards？“
“Ineverheardofthem，Augusta。“
“AreyouaChristian？“
“No；Iamconsideringthatreligion——orratheritsfollowers。“
“Areyouapagan，then？“
“No。IfoughtaduelwiththegodOdin，andcuthisheadoffwiththissword，andthatiswhyIlefttheNorth，wheretheyworshipOdin。“
“Thenwhatareyou？“shesaid，stampingherfootinexasperation。
“IamthecaptainofyourImperialMajesty’sprivateguard，alittleofaphilosopher，andafairpoetinmyownlanguage，notinGreek。
Also，Icanplaytheharp。“
“Yousay’notinGreek，’forfearlestIshouldaskyoutowriteversestome，which，indeed，Ishallneverdo，Olaf。Asoldier，apoet，aphilosopher，aharpist，onewhohasrenouncedwomen！Now，whyhaveyourenouncedwomen，whichisunnaturalinamanwhoisnotamonk？ItmustbebecauseyoustilllovethisIduna，andhopetogethersomeday。“
Ishookmyheadandanswered，“Imighthavedonethatlongago，Augusta。“
“Thenitmustbebecausethereissomeotherwomanwhomyouwishtogain。Whydoyoualwayswearthatstrangenecklace？“sheaddedsharply。“DiditbelongtothissavagegirlIduna，as，fromthelookofit，itmightwellhavedone？“
“Notso，Augusta。Shetookitforawhile，anditbroughtsorrowonher，asitwilldoonallwomensaveonewhomayormaynotliveto-day。“
“Giveitme。Ihavetakenafancytoit；itisunusual。Oh！fearnot，youshallreceiveitsvalue。“
“Ifyouwishthenecklace，Augusta，youmusttaketheheadaswell；
andmycounseltoyouisthatyoudoneither，sincetheywillbringyounogoodluck。“
“Intruth，CaptainOlaf，youangermewithyourriddles。Whatdoyoumeanaboutthisnecklace？“
“Imean，Augusta，thatItookitfromaveryancientgrave——“
“ThatIcanbelieve，forthejewellerwhomadeitworkedinoldEgypt，“sheinterrupted。
andthereafterIdreamedadream，“Iwenton，“ofthewomanwhowearstheotherhalfofit。Ihavenotseenheryet，butwhenIdoI
shallknowheratonce。“