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。