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。“