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。