“Thenalieisrumoured，Olaf。YetitistruethatIamambitious，whoseefarandwouldbuildthistotteringempireupafresh。Olaf，itisabitterthingtohavebegottenafool。“
　　“Thenwhydoyounotmarryagainandbegetothers，whomightbenofools，Augusta？“Iaskedbluntly。
　　“Ah！why？“sheanswered，flashingacuriousglanceuponme。“Intruth，Idonotquiteknowwhy；butfromnolackofsuitors，since，wereshebutahideoushag，anempresswouldfindthese。Olaf，youmayhavelearnedthatIwasnotborninthepurple。IwasbutaGreekgirlofgoodrace，notevennoble，towhomGodgaveagiftofbeauty；andwhenIwasyoungIsawamanwhotookmyfancy，alsoofoldrace，yetbutamerchantoffruitswhichtheygrowinGreeceandsellhereandatRome。Iwishedtomarryhim，butmymother，afar-seeingwoman，saidthatsuchbeautyasmine——thoughlessthanthatofyourIdunatheFair，Olaf——wasworthmoneyorrank。Sotheysentawaymymerchantoffruits，whomarriedthedaughterofanothermerchantoffruitsandthroveverywellinbusiness。Hecametoseemesomeyearsago，fatasatub，hisfacescoredalloverwiththemarksofthespottedsickness，andwetalkedaboutoldtimes。IgavehimaconcessiontoimportdriedfruitsintoByzantium——thatiswhathecametoseemefor——andnowhe’sdead。Well，mymotherwasright，forafterwardsthispoorbeautyofminetookthefancyofthelateEmperor，and，beingverypious，hemarriedme。SotheGreekgirl，bythewillofGod，becameAugustaandthefirstwomanintheworld。“
　　“BythewillofGod？“Irepeated。
　　“Aye，Isupposeso，orelseallisrawchance。Atleast，I，whoto-daymighthavebeenbargainingoverdriedfruits，asIshouldhavedonehadIwonmywill，am——whatyouknow。Lookatthisrobe，“andshespreadherglitteringdressbeforeme。“Harktothetrampofthoseguardsbeforemydoor。Why，youaretheircaptain。Gointotheantechambers，andseetheambassadorswaitingthereinthehopeofawordwiththeRuleroftheEarth！Lookatmylegionsmusteredonthedrilling-grounds，andunderstandhowgreattheGreciangirlhasgrownbyvirtueofthefacewhichislessbeauteousthanthatof——IdunatheFair！“
　　“Iunderstandallthis，Augusta，“Ianswered。“Yetitwouldseemthatyouarenothappy。Didyounottellmejustnowthatyoucouldnotfindafriendandthatyouhadbegottenafool？“
　　“Happy，Olaf？Why，Iamwretched，sowretchedthatoftenIthinkthehellofwhichthepriestspreachishereonearth，andthatIdwellinitshottestfires。Unlesslovehidesit，whathappinessisthereinthislifeofours，whichmustendinblackestdeath？“
　　“Lovehasitsmiseriesalso，Augusta。ThatIknow，foronceIloved。“
　　“Aye，butthenthelovewasnottrue，forthisisthegreatestcurseofall——toloveandnottobebeloved。Forthesakeofaperfectlove，ifitcouldbewon——why，I’dsacrificeevenmyambition。“
　　“Thenyoumustkeepyourambition，Augusta，sinceinthisworldyou’llfindnothingperfect。“
　　“Olaf，I’mnotsosure。Thoughtshavecometome。Olaf，ItoldyouthatIhavenofriendinallthisglitteringCourt。Willyoubemyfriend？“
　　“Iamyourhonestservant，Augusta，andIthinkthatsuchaoneisthebestoffriends。“
　　“That’sso；andyetnomancanbetruefriendtoawomanunlessheis——morethanfriend。Naturehaswrititso。“
　　“Idonotunderstand，“Ianswered。
　　“Youmeanthatyouwillnotunderstand，andperhapsyouarewise。Whydoyoustareatthatpavement？There’sastorywrittenonit。Theoldgoddessofmypeople，Aphrodite，lovedacertainAdonis——sorunsthefable——buthelovednother，andthoughtonlyofhissports。Look，shewooshimthere，andherejectsher，andinherrageshestabshim。“
　　“Notso，“Ianswered。“OftheendofthestoryIknownothing，but，ifshehadmeanttokillhim，thedaggerwouldbeinherrighthand，notinherleft。“
　　“That’strue，Olaf；andintheenditwasFatewhichkilledhim，notthegoddesswhomhehadscorned。Andyet，Olaf，itisnotwisetoscorngoddesses。Oh！ofwhatdoItalk？You’llbefriendme，willyounot？“
　　“Aye，Augusta，tothelastdropofmyblood，asismyduty。DoInottakeyourpay？“
　　“ThenthusIsealourfriendshipandhere’sanearnestofthepay，“
　　Irenesaidslowly，and，bendingforward，shekissedmeonthelips。
　　Atthismomentthedoorsofthechamberwerethrownopen。Throughthem，precededbyheralds，thatatoncedrewbackagain，enteredthegreatministerStauracius，afat，oily-facedmanwithacunningeye，whoannouncedinahigh，thinvoice，“TheambassadorsofthePersianswaituponyou，Augusta，asyouappointedatthishour。“
　　Ireneturnedupontheeunuchasashe-lionturnsuponsomehunterthatdisturbsitfromitsprey。Notingtheangerinhereyes，hefellbackandprostratedhimself。Thereuponshespoketomeasthoughhisentryhadinterruptedherwords。
　　“Thosearetheorders，CaptainOlaf。Seethatyouforgetnoneofthem。
　　Evenifthisproudeunuch，whodarestoappearbeforemeunannounced，bidsyoutodoso，Ishallholdyoutoaccount。To-dayIleavethecityforawhilefortheBathswhitherIamsent。YoumustnotaccompanymebecauseofthedutyIhavelaiduponyouhere。WhenI
　　return，besureI’llsummonyou，“and，knowingthatStauraciuscouldnotseeherfromwherehelay，foramomentshelethersplendideyesmeetmyown。InthemtherewasamessageIcouldnotmistake。
　　“TheAugustashallbeobeyed，“Ianswered，saluting。“MaytheAugustareturninhealthandgloryandmorebeautifulthan——“
　　“IdunatheFair！“shebrokein。“Captain，youaredismissed。“
　　AgainIsaluted，retreatingfromthepresencebackwardsandstayingtobowateachthirdstep，aswasthecustom。Theprocesswassomewhatlong，andasIreachedthedoorIheardhersaytoStauracius，“Hearken，youdog。Ifeveryoudaretobreakinuponmethusagain，youshalllosetwothings——yourofficeandyourhead。What！MayInotgivesecretorderstomytrustedofficerandnotbespieduponbyyou？
　　Now，ceaseyourgrovellingsandleadinthesePersians，asyouhavebeenbribedtodo。“
　　Passingthroughthesilk-clad，bejewelledPersianswhowaitedinanantechamberwiththeirslavesandgifts，Igainedthegreatterraceofthepalacewhichlookeduponthesea。HereIfoundMartinaleaningontheparapet。
　　“HaveyoumoreoftheAugusta’spearlsaboutyou，Olaf？“sheaskedmockingly，speakingoverhershoulder。
　　“NotI，Martina，“Ianswered，haltingbesideher。
　　“Indeed。Icouldhaveswornotherwise，fortheyareperfumed，andI
　　seemedtocatchtheirodour。Whendidyoubegintousetheroyalscentuponthatyellowbeardofyours，Olaf？Ifanyofuswomendidso，itwouldmeanblowsandexile；butperchanceacaptainoftheguardmaybeforgiven。“
　　“Iusenoscents，girl，asyouknowwell。Yetitistruethattheseroomsreekofthem，andtheyclingtoarmour。“
　　“Yes，andstillmoretohair。Well，whatgifthadmymistressforyouto-day？“
　　“Acommissiontoguardcertainprisoners，Martina。“
　　“Ah！Haveyoureadityet？Whenyoudo，Ithinkyou’llfindthatitnamesyouGovernorofthejail，whichisahighoffice，carryingmuchpayandplace。Youareingoodfavour，Olaf，andIhopethatwhenyoucometogreatnessyouwillnotforgetMartina。ItwasIwhoputitintoacertainmindtogiveyouthiscommissionastheonlymanthatcouldbetrustedintheCourt。“
　　“Idonotforgetafriend，Martina，“Ianswered。
　　“Thatisyourreputation，Olaf。Oh！whataroadisopeningtoyourfeet。YetIdoubtyou’llnotwalkit，beingtoohonest；or，ifyoudo，thatitwillleadyou——nottoglory，butagrave。“
　　“Mayhap，Martina，andtospeaktruth，agraveistheonlyquietplaceinConstantinople。Mayhap，too，ithidestheonlyrealglory。“
　　“That’swhatweChristianssay。Itwouldbestrangeifyou，whoarenotaChristian，aloneshouldbelieveandkeepthesaying。Oh！“Shewentonwithpassion，“wearebutshamsandliars，whomGodmusthate。
　　Well，IgotomakereadyforthisjourneytotheBaths。“
　　“Howlongdoyoustaythere？“Iasked。
　　“Thecourseofwaterstakesamonth。LessthanthattimedoesnotservetocleartheAugusta’sskinandrestorehershapetothelinesofyouthwhichitbeginstoneed，thoughdoubtlessyoudonotthinkso。YouwerenamedtocomeasherofficerofthePerson；but，Olaf，thisotherbusinessroseupofanewgovernorforthejailinwhichtheC鎠arsand/Nobilissimi/areconfined。Isawachanceforyouinit，who，althoughyouhaveservedalltheseyears，havehadnorealadvancement，andmentionedyourname，atwhichtheAugustaleapt。Totellthetruth，Olaf，IwasnotsurethatyouwouldwishtobecaptainoftheguardattheBaths。WasIrightorwasIwrong？“
　　“Ithinkyouwereright，Martina。Bathsareidleplaceswherefolkdriftintotrouble，andIfollowduty。Martina——mayIsayittoyou？——
　　youareagoodwomanandakind。Ipraythatthosegodsofyourswhomyouworshipmayblessyou。“
　　“Youprayinvain，Olaf，forthattheywillneverdo。Indeed，Ithinkthattheyhavecursedme。“