第18章

Thensuddenlysheburstintotears，and，turning，wentaway。

I，too，wentawaysomewhatbewildered，formuchhadhappenedtomethatmorningwhichIfoundithardtounderstand。WhyhadtheAugustakissedme？Itookitthatthiswassomekindofimperialjest。ItwasknownthatIkeptalooffromwomen，andshemayhavedesiredtoseewhatIshoulddowhenanAugustakissedme，andthentomakeamockofme。Ihadheardthatshehaddoneasmuchwithothers。

Well，letthatbe，sinceStauracius，whoalwaysfearedlestanewfavouriteshouldslipbetweenhimandpower，hadsettledthematterforme，forwhichIblessedStauracius，althoughatthemoment，beingbutaman，Ihadcursedhim。AndnowwhydidMartina——thelittle，darkMartinawiththekindfaceandthewatchful，beadyeyes，liketothoseofarobininournorthernlands——speakasshehaddone，andthenburstintotears？

Adoubtstruckme，butI，whowasnevervain，pusheditaside。Ididnotunderstand，andofwhatusewasittotrytointerpretthemeaningofthemoodsofwomen？Mybusinesswaswar，or，atthemoment，theservicethathastodowithwar，notwomen。WarshadbroughtmetotherankIheld，though，strangelyenough，ofthosewarsIcanrecallnothingnow；theyhavevanishedfrommyvision。TowarsalsoIlookedtoadvancemeinthefuture，whowasnocourtier，butasoldier，whomcircumstanceshadbroughttoCourt。Well，thankstoMartina，asshesaid，ortosomecapriceoftheEmpress，Ihadanewcommissionthatwasofmoreworthtomethanherrandomkisses，andIwouldgotoreadit。

ReaditIdidinthelittleprivateroomuponthepalacewallwhichwasmineascaptainoftheAugusta’sguard，though，beingwritteninGreek，Ifoundthisdifficult。Martinahadspokentruly。IwasmadetheGovernoroftheStateprison，withallauthority，includingthatoflifeanddeathshouldemergencyarise。Moreover，thisgovernorshipgavemetherankofageneral，withageneral’spay，alsosuchpickingsasIchosetotake。Inshort，fromcaptainoftheguard，suddenlyIhadbecomeagreatmaninConstantinople，onewithwhomevenStauraciusandotherslikehimwouldhavetoreckon，especiallyashissignatureappeareduponthecommissionbeneaththatoftheEmpress。

WhilstIwaswonderingwhatIshoulddonext，atrumpetblewupontheramparts，andaNorthmanofmycompanyentered，salutedandsaidthatIwassummoned。Iwentout，andtherebeforemestoodadazzlingbandthatbowedhumblytome，whomyesterdaytheywouldhavepassedwithoutnotice。Theircaptain，asmooth-facedGreek，cameforward，and，addressingmeas“General，“saidtheimperialorderswerethathewastoescortmetotheStatejail。

“Forwhatpurpose？“Iasked，sinceitcametomymindthatIrenemighthavechangedherfancyandissuedanotherkindofcommission。

“AsitsGeneralandGovernor，Illustrious，“hereplied。

“ThenIwilllead，“Ianswered，“doyoufollowbehindme。“

Thusthatvisionends。

InthenextIseemyselfdwellinginsomestatelyapartmentsthatformedtheantechamberstothegreatprison。Thisprison，whichwassituatednotfarfromtheForumofConstantine，coveredalargeareaofground，whichincludedagardenwheretheprisonerswereallowedtowalk。Itwassurroundedbyadoublewall，withanouterandaninnermoat，theouterdry，andtheinnerfilledwithwater。Thereweredoublegatesalso，andbythemguard-towers。Moreover，Iseealittleyard，withpostsinit，whereprisonerswerescourged，andasmallandhorribleroom，furnishedwithakindofwoodenbed，towhichtheywereboundforthepunishmentoftheputtingoutoftheireyesandtheslittingoftheirtongues。Infrontofthisroomwasablockwherethosecondemnedtodeathweresometimesexecuted。

Thereweremanyprisoners，notcommonfelons，butpeoplewhohadbeentakenforreasonsofStateorsometimesofreligion。Perhapsinalltheynumberedahundredmen，andwiththemafewwomen，whohadaquartertothemselves。Besidesthejailers，three-scoreguardswerestationedtherenightandday，andofalloftheseIwasincommand。

BeforeIhadheldmyofficethreedaysIfoundthatIrenehadappointedmetoitwithgoodreason。Ithappenedthus。Themostoftheprisonerswereallowedtoreceivepresentsoffoodandotherthingssenttothembytheirfriends。Allthesepresentsweresupposedtobeinspectedbytheofficerinchargeoftheprison。Thisrule，whichhadbeenmuchneglected，Ienforcedagain，withtheresultthatImadesomestrangediscoveries。

Thus，onthethirdday，therecameamagnificentofferingoffigsfortheC鎠arsand/Nobilissimi/，thebrothers-in-lawofIreneandtheunclesoftheyoungEmperorConstantine，herson。Thesefigswerebeingcarriedpastmeformally，whensomethingabouttheappearanceofoneofthemexcitedmysuspicion。Itookitandofferedittothejailerwhocarriedthebasket。Helookedfrightened，shookhishead，andsaid，“General，Itouchnofruit。“

“Indeed，“Ianswered。“Thatisstrange，sinceIthoughtthatIsawyoueatingofityesterday。“

“Aye，General，“hereplied；“thetruthisthatIatetoomuch。“

Makingnoanswer，Iwenttothewindow，andthrewthefigtoalong-

tailed，tamemonkeywhichwaschainedtoapostintheyardwithout。

Itcaughtitandategreedily。

“Donotgoaway，friend，“Isaidtothejailer，whowastryingtodepartwhilemybackwasturned。“IhavequestionsthatIwouldaskyou。“

SoIspoketohimaboutothermatters，andallthewhilewatchedthemonkey。

SoonIsawthatitwasillatease。Itbegantotearatitsstomachandtowhimperlikeachild。Thenitfoamedatthemouth，wasseizedwithconvulsions，andwithinaquarterofanhourbythewater-clockwasdead。

“Itwouldseemthatthosefigsarepoisoned，friend，“Isaid，“andthereforeitisfortunateforyouthatyouatetoomuchfruityesterday。Now，man，whatdoyouknowofthismatter？“

“Nothing，sir，“heanswered，fallingonhisknees。“IsweartoyoubyChrist，nothing。OnlyIdoubted。ThefruitswerebroughtbyawomanwhomIthoughtthatonceIhadseeninthehouseholdoftheAugustusConstantine，andIknew——“andhepaused。

“Well，whatdidyouknow，man？Itwouldbebesttotellmequickly，whohavepowerhere。“

“Iknew，sir，whatalltheworldknows，thatConstantinewouldberidofhisuncles，whomhefears，thoughtheyaremaimed。Nomore，Iswearit，nomore。“

“PerhapsbeforetheAugustareturnsyoumayremembersomethingmore，“

Isaid。“Therefore，Iwillnotjudgeyourcaseatpresent。Ho！guard，comehither。“

Asheheardthesoldiersstirringwithoutinanswertomysummons，theman，whowasunarmed，lookedabouthisdesperately；thenhesprangatthefruit，and，seizingafig，strovetothrustitintohismouth。ButIwastooquickforhim，andwithinafewsecondsthesoldiershadhimfast。

“Shutthismaninasafedungeon，“Isaid。“Treatandfeedhimwell，butsearchhim。Seealsothathedoeshimselfnoharmandthatnonespeakwithhim。Thenforgetallthisbusiness。“

“Whatchargemustbeenteredinthebook，General？“askedtheofficer，saluting。

“AchargeofstealingfigsthatbelongedtotheC鎠arNicephorusandhisroyalbrethren，“Ianswered，andlookedthroughthewindow。

Hefollowedmyglance，sawthepoormonkeylyingdead，andstarted。

“Allshallbedone，“hesaid，andthemanwasledaway。

Whenhehadgone，Isentforthephysicianofthejail，whomIknewtobetrustworthy，sinceIhadappointedhimmyself。Withouttellinghimanything，Ibadehimexamineandpreservethefigs，andalsodissectthebodyofthemonkeytodiscoverwhyitdied。

Hebowedandwentawaywiththefruit。Awhilelaterhereturned，andshowedmeanopenfig。Intheheartofitwasapinchofwhitepowder。

“Whatisit？“Iasked。

“Thedeadliestpoisonthatisknown，General。See，thestalkhasbeendrawnout，thepowderblowninthroughastraw，andthenthestalkreplaced。“

“Ah！“Isaid，“thatisclever，butnotquitecleverenough。Theyhavemixedthestalks。Inotedthatthepurplefighadthestalkofagreenfig，andthatiswhyItrieditonthemonkey。“

“Youobservewell，General。“

“Yes，Physician，Iobserve。Ilearnedthatwhen，asalad，IhuntedgameinthefarNorth。AlsoIlearnedtokeepsilent，sincenoisefrightensgame。Doyouasmuch。“

“Havenofear，“heanswered；andwentabouthisbusinesswiththedeadmonkey。

WhenhehadgoneIthoughtawhile。ThenIrose，andwenttothechapeloftheprison，or，rather，toaplacewhenceIcouldseethoseinthechapelwithoutbeingseen。Thischapelwassituatedinagloomycrypt，lightedonlywithoillampsthathungfromthemassivepillarsandarches。ThedaywastheSabbathoftheChristians，andwhenI

enteredthelittlesecrethollowinthewalls，thesacramentwasbeingadministeredtocertainoftheprisoners。

Trulyitwasasadsight，fortheministeringpriestwasnoneotherthantheC鎠arNicephorus，theeldestoftheEmperor’suncles，whohadbeenfirstordainedinorderthathemightbeunfittosituponthethrone，andafterwardsblinded，asIhavetold。Hewasatall，paleman，withanuncertainmouthandalittlepointedchin，apparentlybetweenfortyandfiftyyearsofage，andhisfacewasmadedreadfulbytworedhollowswheretheeyesshouldhavebeen。Yet，notwithstandingthisdisfigurement，andhistonsuredcrown，andthebroideredpriest’srobeswhichhunguponhimawkwardly，ashestumbledthroughthewordsofhisoffice，tothispoorvictimtherestillseemedtoclingsomeairofroyalbirthandbearing。Beingblind，hecouldnotseetoadministertheElement，andthereforehishandwasguidedbyoneofhisimperialbrethren，whoalsohadbeenmadeapriest。Thetongueofthispriesthadbeenslit，butnowandagainhegibberedsomedirectionintotheearofNicephorus。Bythealtar，watchingall，satastern-facedmonk，theconfessoroftheC鎠arsandofthe/Nobilissimi/，whowasputtheretospyuponthem。