第19章

Ifollowedtheritetoitsend，observingtheseunhappyprisonersseekingfromthemysteryoftheirfaiththeonlyconsolationthatremainedtothem。Manyofthemweremeninnocentofanycrime，savethatofadherencetosomefallencause，politicalorreligious；

victimswerethey，notsinners，tobereleasedbydeathalone。I

rememberthat，asthemeaningofthescenecamehometome，IrecalledthewordsofIrene，whohadsaidthatshebelievedthisworldtobeahell，andfoundweightinthem。Atlength，abletobearnomore，I

leftmyhiding-placeandwentintothegardenbehindthechapel。Here，atleast，werenaturalthings。Hereflowers，tendedbytheprisoners，bloomedastheymighthavedoneinsomelessaccursedspot。Herethefreebirdssangandnestedinthetrees，forwhattothemwerethehighsurroundingwalls？

Isatmyselfdownuponaseatintheshade。Presently，asIhadexpected，Nicephorus，thepriest-C鎠ar，andhisfourbrethrencameintothegarden。Twoofthemledtheblindmanbythehand，andtheothertwoclungclosetohim，foralltheseunfortunateslovedeachotherdearly。Thefourwiththesplittonguesgabbledinhisears。Nowandagain，whenhecouldcatchorguessatthemeaningofaword，heansweredthespeakergently；ortheothers，seeingthathehadnotunderstoodthemaright，painfullytriedtoexplaintheerror。Oh！itwasapiteousthingtoseeandhear。MygorgeroseagainsttheyoungbruteofanEmperorandhiscouncillorswho，forambition’ssake，hadwroughtthishorriblecrime。LittledidIknowthenthaterelongtheirfatewouldbehisown，andthatamother’shandwoulddealitouttohim。

Theycaughtsightofmeseatedbeneaththetree，andchatteredlikestartledstarlings，tillatlengthNicephorusunderstood。

“Whatsayyou，dearbrothers？“heasked，“thatthenewgovernoroftheprisonisseatedyonder？Well，whyshouldwefearhim？Hehasbeenherebutalittlewhile，yethehasshownhimselfverykindtous。

Moreover，heisamanoftheNorth，notreacherousGreek，andthemenoftheNortharebraveandupright。Once，whenIwasafreeprince，I

hadsomeoftheminmyservice，andIlovedthemwell。Ournephew，theEmperor，offeredalargesumtoaNorthmantoblindormurderme，buthewouldnotdoit，andwasdismissedfromtheserviceoftheEmpirebecausehespokehismindandprayedhisheathengodstobringalikefateuponConstantinehimself。Leadmetothisgovernor；Iwouldtalkwithhim。“

SotheybroughtNicephorustome，thoughdoubtfully，andwhenhewasnearIrosefrommyseatandsalutedhim。Thereontheyallgabbledagainwiththeirsplittongues，tillatlengthheunderstoodandflushedwithpleasure。

“GeneralOlaf，“hesaidtome，“Ithankyouforyourcourtesytoapoorprisoner，forgottenbyGodandcruellyoppressedbyman。GeneralOlaf，thepromiseisoflittleworth，but，ifeveritshouldbeinmypower，Iwillrememberthiskindness，whichpleasesmemorethandidtheshoutingofthelegionsintheshortdayofmyprosperity。“

“Sir，“Ianswered，“whateverhappensIshallrememberyourwords，whicharemoretomethananyhonourskingscanbestow。Now，sir，I

willaskyourroyalbrethrentofallback，asIwishtospeakwithyou。“

Nicephorusmadeasignwithhishand，andthefourhalf-dumbmen，allofwhomresembledhimstrangely，especiallyintheweaknessoftheirmouthsandchins，obeyed。Bowingtomeinastatelyfashion，theywithdrew，leavingusalone。

“Sir，“Isaid，“Iwouldwarnyouthatyouhaveenemieswhomyoumaynotsuspect，formydutyherewherewithIwaschargedbytheAugustaisnottooppressbuttoprotectyouandyourimperialbrothers。“

ThenItoldhimthestoryofthepoisonedfigs。

Whenhehadheardit，thetearswelledfromhisholloweyesandrandownhispalecheeks。

“Constantine，mybrotherLeo’sson，hasdonethis，“hesaid，“forneverwillherestuntilallofusareinthegrave。“

“Heiscruelbecausehefearsyou，ONicephorus，anditissaidthatyourambitionhasgivenhimcausetofear。“

“Once，General，thatwastrue，“theprincereplied。“Once，foolishly，Ididaspiretorule；butitislongago。Nowtheyhavemadeapriestofme，andIseekpeaceonly。CanIandmybrethrenhelpitif，mutilatedthoughweare，somestillwishtouseusagainsttheEmperor？ItellyouthatIreneherselfisatthebackofthem。Shewouldsetusonhighthatafterwardsshemaythrowusdownandcrushus。“

“Iamherservant，Prince，andmaynotlistentosuchtalk，whoknowonlythatsheseekstoprotectyoufromyourenemies，andforthatreasonhasplacedmehere，itseemsnotinvain。Ifyouwouldcontinuetolive，Iwarnyouandyourbrethrentoflyfromplotsandtobecarefulofwhatyoueatanddrink。“

“Idonotdesiretolive，General，“heanswered。“Oh！thatImightdie。WouldthatImightdie。“

“Deathisnotdifficulttofind，Prince，“Ireplied，andlefthim。

Thesemayseemhardwords，but，beitremembered，IwasnoChristianthen，butaheathenman。Toseeonewhohadbeengreatandfallenfromhisgreatness，onewhomFortunehaddesertedutterly，whiningatFatelikeafretfulchild，andyetafraidtoseekhisfreedom，movedmetocontemptaswellastopity。Therefore，Ispokethewords。

Yetalltherestofthatdaytheyweigheduponmymind，forIknewwellhowIshouldhaveinterpretedthemwereIinthispoorC鎠ar’splace。Soheavilydidtheyweighthat，duringthefollowingnight，animpulsedrewmefrommybedandcausedmetovisitthecellsinwhichtheseprinceswereimprisoned。Fourofthemweredarkandsilent，butinthatofNicephorusburnedalight。Ilistenedatthedoor，andthroughthekey-placeheardthattheprisonerwithinwaspraying，andsobbingasheprayed。

ThenIwentaway；butwhenIreachedtheendofthelongpassagesomethingdrewmebackagain。ItwasasthoughahandIcouldnotseewereguidingme。Ireturnedtothedoorofthecell，andnowthroughitheardchokingsounds。QuicklyIshottheboltsandunlockeditwithmymaster-key。ThiswaswhatIsawwithin:

Toabarofthewindow-placewasfastenedsucharopeasmonkswearforagirdle；attheendoftheropewasanoose，andinthatnoosetheheadofNicephorus。Therehehung，struggling。Hishandshadgrippedtheropeabovehishead，forthoughhehadsoughtDeath，atthelasthetriedtoescapehim。OfsuchstuffwasNicephorusmade。

Yetitwastoolate，orwouldhavebeen，forasIenteredtheplacehishandsslippedfromthethincord，whichtightenedroundhisthroat，chokinghim。

Myswordwasatmyside。Drawingit，withablowIcuttheropeandcaughthiminmyarms。Alreadyhewasswooning，butIpouredwateroverhisface，and，ashisneckremainedunbroken，herecoveredhisbreathandsenses。

“Whatplayisthis，Prince？“Iasked。

“Onethatyoutaughtme，General，“heansweredpainfully。“Yousaidthatdeathcouldbefound。Iwenttoseekhim，butatthelastI

feared。Oh！ItellyouthatwhenIthrustawaythatstool，myblindeyeswereopened，andIsawthefiresofhellandthehandsofdevilsgraspingatmysoultoplungeitintothem。Blessingsbeonyouwhohavesavedmefromthosefires，“andseizingmyhandhekissedit。

“Donotthankme，“Isaid，“butthanktheGodyouworship，forIthinkthatHemusthaveputitintomymindtovisityouto-night。NowsweartomebythatGodthatyouwillattemptsuchadeednomore，forifyouwillnotswearthenyoumustbefettered。“

ThenhesworesoferventlybyhisChristthatIwassurehewouldneverbreaktheoath。AfterhehadswornItoldhimhowIcouldnotrestbecauseofthestrangefearswhichoppressedme。

“Oh！“hesaid，“withoutdoubtitwasGodwhosentHisangeltoyouthatImightbesavedfromthemostdreadfulofallsins。WithoutdoubtitwasGod，Whoknowsyou，althoughyoudonotknowHim。“

Afterthishefelluponhisknees，and，havinguntiedthecutropefromthewindowbars，Ilefthim。

NowItellthisstorybecauseithastodowithmyown，foritwasthesewordsofthePrincethatfirstturnedmetothestudyoftheChristianFaith。Indeed，hadtheyneverbeenspoken，IbelievethatI

shouldhavelivedanddiedaheathenman。HithertoIhadjudgedofthatFaithbytheworksofthosewhopractiseditinConstantinople，andfounditwanting。Now，however，IwassurethatsomePowerfromaboveushadguidedmetothechamberofNicephorusintimetosavehislife，me，who，hadhedied，inasensewouldhavebeenguiltyofhisblood。Forhadhenotbeendriventothedeedbymybitter，mockingwords？Itmaybesaidthatthiswouldhavematteredlittle；

thathemightaswellhavediedbyhisownhandasbetakentoAthens，theretoperishwithhisbrethren，whethernaturallyorbymurderIdonotknow。Butwhocanjudgeofsuchsecretthings？WithoutdoubtthesufferingsofNicephorushadapurpose，ashavealloursufferings。HewaskeptaliveforreasonsknowntohisMakerthoughnottoman。

HereIwilladdthatofthisunhappyC鎠arandhisbrethrenIrememberlittlemore。DimlyIseemtorecollectthatduringmyperiodofofficesomeattackwasmadeupontheprisonbythosewhowouldhaveputtheprincetodeath，butthatIdiscoveredtheplotthroughthejailerwhohadintroducedthepoisonedfigs，anddefeateditwithease，therebygainingmuchcreditwithIreneandherministers。Ifso，ofthisplothistorysaysnothing。AllittellsoftheseprincesisthatafterwardsamobhaledthemtotheCathedralofSt。SophiaandthereproclaimedNicephorusemperor。Buttheyweretakenagain，andatlastshippedtoAthens，wheretheyvanishedfromthesightofmen。

Godresttheirtorturedsouls，fortheyweremoresinnedagainstthansinning。