ThenextvisionofthisByzantinelifeofminethatrisesbeforemeisthatofagreatroundbuildingcrownedwithmencladinbishops’
　　robes。Atleasttheyworemitres，andeachofthemhadacrookedpastoralstaffwhichinmostcaseswascarriedbyanattendantmonk。
　　Somedebatewasinprogress，orratherraging。Itssubjectseemedtobeastowhetherimagesshouldorshouldnotbeworshippedinchurches。Itwasafuriousthing，thatdebate。OnepartytoitwerecalledIconoclasts，thatwasthepartywhichdidnotlikeimages，andIthinktheotherpartywerecalledOrthodox，butofthisIamnotsure。SofuriouswasitthatI，thegeneralandgovernoroftheprison，hadbeencommandedbythoseinauthoritytoattendinordertopreventviolence。ThebeginningsofwhathappenedIdonotremember。
　　WhatIdorememberisthattheanti-Iconoclasts，thepartytowhichtheEmpressIrenebelonged，thatwasthereforethefashionablesect，being，asitseemedtome，worstedinargument，fellbackonviolence。
　　Therefollowedagreattumult，inwhichthespectatorstookpart，andthestrangesightwasseenofpriestsandtheirpartisans，andevenofbishopsthemselves，fallingupontheiradversariesandbeatingthemwithwhateverweaponwastohand；yes，evenwiththeirpastoralstaves。Itwasawonderfulthingtobehold，theseministersoftheChristofpeacebelabouringeachotherwithpastoralstaves！
　　Thepartythatadvocatedtheworshipofimageswasthemorenumerousandhadthegreaternumberofadherents，andthereforethosewhothoughtotherwiseweredefeated。Afewofthemweredraggedoutintothestreetandkilledbythemobwhichwaitedthere，andmorewerewounded，notwithstandingallthatIandtheguardscoulddotoprotectthem。AmongtheIconoclastswasagentle-facedoldmanwithalongbeard，oneofthebishopsfromEgypt，whowasnamedBarnabas。Hehadsaidlittleinthedebate，whichlastedforseveraldays，andwhenhespokehiswordswerefullofcharityandkindness。Still，theimagefactionhatedhim，andwhenthefinaltumultbegansomeofthemsetuponhim。Indeed，onebrawny，dark-facedbishop——IthinkitwasheofAntioch——rushedatBarnabas，andbeforeIcouldthrusthimback，brokeajewelledstaffuponhishead，whileotherprieststorehisrobefromnecktoshoulderandspatinhisface。
　　Atlasttheriotwasquelled；thedeadwereborneaway，andorderscametomethatIwastoconveyBarnabastotheStateprisonifhestilllived，togetherwithsomeothers，ofwhomIremembernothing。SothitherItookBarnabas，andthere，withthehelpoftheprisonphysician——hetowhomIhadgiventhepoisonedfigsandthedeadmonkeytobeexamined——Inursedhimbacktolifeandhealth。
　　Hisillnesswaslong，foroneoftheblowswhichhehadreceivedcrippledhim，andduringitwetalkedmuchtogether。Hewasaverysweet-naturedmanandholy，anativeofBritain，whosefatherorgrandfatherhadbeenaDane，andthereforetherewasatiebetweenus。
　　Inhisyouthhewasasoldier。Havingbeentakenprisonerinsomewar，hecametoItaly，wherehewasordainedapriestatRome。AfterwardshewassentasamissionarytoEgypt，wherehewasappointedtheheadofamonastery，andintheendelectedtoabishopric。ButhehadneverforgottentheDanishtongue，whichhisparentstaughthimasachild，andsowewereabletotalktogetherinthatlanguage。
　　NowitwouldseemthatsincethatnightwhentheC鎠arNicephorusstrovetohanghimself，IhadobtainedandstudiedacopyoftheChristianScriptures——howIdonotknow——andthereforewasabletodiscussthesematterswithBarnabasthebishop。OfourargumentsI
　　remembernothing，savethatIpointedouttohimthatwhereasthetreeseemedtometobeverygood，itsfruitswerevilebeyondimagination，andIinstancedthehorribletumultwhenhehadbeenwoundedalmosttodeath，notbycommonmen，butbytheveryleadersoftheChristians。
　　Heansweredthatthesethingsmusthappen；thatChristHimselfhadsaidHecametobringnotpeacebutasword，andthatonlythroughwarandstrugglewouldthelasttruthbereached。Thespiritwasalwaysgood，headded，butthefleshwasalwaysvile。Thesedeedswerethoseoftheflesh，whichpassedaway，butthespiritremainedpureandimmortal。
　　TheendofitwasthatundertheteachingoftheholyBarnabas，saintandmartyrforafterwardshewasmurderedbythefollowersofthefalseprophet，Mahomet，IbecameaChristianandanewman。NowatlengthIunderstoodwhatgraceitwasthathadgivenmecouragetoofferbattletotheheathengod，Odin，andtosmitehimdown。NowI
　　sawalsowhereshonethelightwhichIhadbeenseekingthesemanyyears。Aye，andIclaspedthatlighttomybosomtobemylampinlifeanddeath。
　　Soadaycamewhenmybelovedmaster，Barnabas，whowouldallownodelayinthismatter，baptisedmeinhiscellwithwatertakenfromhisdrinkingvessel，chargingmetomakepublicprofessionbeforetheChurchwhenopportunityshouldarise。
　　ItwasjustatthistimethatIrenereturnedfromtheBaths，andI
　　senttoherawrittenreportofallthathadhappenedattheprisonsinceIhadbeenappointeditsgovernor。AlsoIprayedthatifitwereherwillImightberelievedofmyoffice，asitwasonewhichdidnotpleaseme。
　　Afewdayslater，whileIsatinmychamberattheprisonwritingapaperconcerningaprisonerwhohaddied，theporteratthegateannouncedthatamessengerfromtheAugustawishedtoseeme。Ibadehimshowinthemessenger，andpresentlythereenterednochamberlainoreunuch，butawomanwrappedinadarkcloak。Whenthemanhadgoneandthedoorwasshut，shethrewoffthecloakandIsawthatmyvisitorwasMartina，thefavouritewaiting-ladyoftheEmpress。Wegreetedeachotherwarmly，whowerealwaysfriends，andIaskedhertidings。
　　“Mytidingsare，Olaf，thatthewatershavesuitedtheAugustaverywell。Shehaslostseveralpoundsinweightandherskinisnowlikethatofayoungchild。“
　　“AllhealthtotheAugusta！“Isaid，laughing。“Butyouhavenotcomeheretotellmeofthestateoftheroyalskin。Whatnext，Martina？“
　　“This，Olaf。TheEmpresshasreadyourreportwithherowneyes，whichisararethingforhertodo。ShesaidshewishedtoseewhetherornoyoucouldwriteGreek。Sheismuchpleasedwiththereport，andtoldStauraciusinmypresencethatshehaddonewellinchoosingyouforyourofficewhileshewasabsentfromthecity，sincetherebyshehadsavedthelivesoftheC鎠arsand/Nobilissimi/，desiringasshedoesthattheseprincesshouldbekeptalive，atanyrateforthepresent。Sheaccedesalsotoyourprayer，andwillrelieveyouofyourofficeassoonasanewgovernorcanbechosen。Youaretoreturntoguardherperson，butwithyourrankofgeneralconfirmed。“
　　“Thatisallgoodnews，Martina；sogoodthatIwonderwhatstingishiddeninallthishoney。“
　　“Thatyouwillfindoutpresently，Olaf。OneIcanwarnyouof，however——thestingofjealousy。Advancementsuchasyoursdrawseyestoyou，notalloftheminlove。“
　　Inoddedandshewenton:
　　“Meantimeyourstarseemstoshineverybrightindeed。OnemightalmostsaythattheAugustaworshippedit，atleastshetalksofyoutomecontinually，andonceortwicewasinhalfamindtosendforyoutotheBaths。Indeed，haditnotbeenforreasonsofStateconnectedwithyourprisonersIthinkshewouldhavedoneso。“
　　“Ah！“Isaid，“nowIthinkIbegintofeelanotherstinginthehoney。“
　　“Anotherstinginthehoney！Nay，nay，youmeanadivineperfume，anessenceofaddedsweetness，aflavouroftheflowersonMountIda。
　　Why，Olaf，ifIwereyourenemy，asIdaresayIshallbesomeday，foroftenwelearntohatethosewhomwehave——ratherliked，yourheadandyourshouldersmightbidgood-byetoeachotherforsuchwordsasthose。“
　　“Perhaps，Martina；andiftheydidIdonotknowthatitwouldgreatlymatter——now。“
　　“Notgreatlymatter，whenyouaredrivingatfullgallopalongFortune’sroadtoFame’stemplewithanEmpressforyourcharioteer！
　　Areyoublindormad，Olaf，orboth？Andwhatdoyoumeanbyyour’now’？Olaf，somethinghashappenedtoyousincelastwemet。Haveyoufalleninlovewithsomefairprisonerinthishatefulplaceandbeenrepulsed？Suchafoolasyouaremighttakerefusalevenfromacaptiveinhisownhands。Atleastyouaredifferent。“
　　“Yes，Martina，somethinghashappenedtome。IhavebecomeaChristian。“
　　“Oh！Olaf，nowIseethatyouarenotafool，asIthought，butveryclever。Why，onlyyesterdaytheAugustasaidtome——itwasaftershehadreadthatreportofyours——thatifyouwerebutaChristianshewouldbemindedtoliftyouhighindeed。Butasyouremainedthemostobstinateofheathensshedidnotseehowitcouldbedonewithoutcausinggreattrouble。“
　　“NowIwishonecouldbeaChristianwithinandremainapaganwithout，“Iansweredgrimly；“thoughalas！thatmaynotbe。Martina，doyounotunderstandthatitwasfornosuchreasonsasthesethatI
　　kissedtheCross；thatinsodoingIsoughtnotfortune，buttobeitsservant？“
　　“BytheSaints！you’llbetonsurednext，andillenoughitwouldsuityou，“sheexclaimed。“Remember，ifthingsgrowtoo——difficult，youcanalwaysbetonsured，Olaf。Onlythenyouwillhavetogiveupthehopeofthatladywhowearstheotherhalfofthenecklacesomewhere。I
　　don’tmeanIrene’sshamhalf，buttherealone。Oh！stopblushingandstammering，Iknowthestory，andallaboutIdunatheFairalso。Anexaltedpersontolditme，andsodidyou，althoughyouwerenotawarethatyouhaddoneso，foryouarenotonewhocankeepasecrettohimself。Mayalltheguardianangelshelpthatnecklace-ladyifeversheshouldmeetanotherladywhomIwillnotname。Andnowwhydoyoutalksomuch？Areyoulearningtopreach，orwhat？Ifyoureallydomeantobecomeamonk，Olaf，thereisanotherthingyoumustgiveup，andthatiswar，exceptofthekindwhichyousawattheCounciltheotherday。Godaboveus！whatasightitwouldbetoseeyoubatteringanotherbishopwithahook-shapedstaffoveraquestionofimagesortheTwoNatures。Ishouldbesorryforthatbishop。Butyouhaven’ttoldmewhoconvertedyou。“
　　“BarnabasofEgypt，“Isaid。
　　“Oh！Ihopedthatithadbeenaladysaint；thestorywouldhavebeensomuchmoreinterestingtotheCourt。Well，ourimperialmistressdoesnotlikeBarnabas，becausehedoesnotlikeimages，andthatmaybeastingin/her/honey。Butperhapsshewillforgivehimforyoursake。You’llhavetoworshipimages。“