“WhatdoIcareaboutimages？ItisthespiritthatIseek，Martina，andallthesethingsarenothing。“
　　“Youarethorough，asusual，Olaf，andjumpfartherthanyoucansee。
　　Well，beadvisedandsaynaughtfororagainstimages。Astheyhavenomeaningforyou，whatcanitmatteriftheyareorarenotthere？
　　Leavethemtotheblindeyesandlittleminds。AndnowImustbegone，whocanlistentoyourgossipnolonger。Oh！Ihadforgottenmymessage。TheAugustacommandsthatyoushallwaitonherthiseveningimmediatelyaftershehassupped。Hearandobey！“
　　Havingdeliveredthisformalmandate，toneglectwhichmeantimprisonment，orworse，shethrewhercloakabouther，andwithawonderingglanceatmyface，openedthedoorandwent。
　　Atthehourappointed，or，rather，somewhatbeforeit，Iattendedattheprivateapartmentsofthepalace。EvidentlyIwasexpected，foroneofthechamberlains，onseeingme，bowedandbademebeseated，thenlefttheante-room。Presentlythedooropenedagain，andthroughitcameMartina，cladinherwhiteofficialrobe。
　　“Youareearly，Olaf，“shesaid，“likealoverwhokeepsatryst。
　　Well，itisalwayswisetomeetgoodfortunehalfway。Butwhydoyoucomecladinfullarmour？ItisnotthecustomtowaitthusupontheEmpressatthishourwhenyouareoffduty。“
　　“IthoughtthatIwasonduty，Martina。“
　　“Then，asusual，youthoughtwrong。Takeoffthatarmour；shesaysthatthesightofitalwaysmakesherfeelcoldaftersupper。Isaytakeitoff；orifyoucannot，Iwillhelpyou。“
　　Sothemailwasremoved，leavingmecladinmyplainbluetunicandhose。
　　“WouldyouhavemecomebeforetheEmpressthus？“Iasked。
　　Bywayofanswersheclappedherhandsandbadetheeunuchwhoansweredthesignaltobringacertainrobe。Hewent，andpresentlyreappearedwithawondrousgarmentofsilkbroideredwithgold，suchasnoblesofhighrankworeatfestivals。Thisrobe，whichfittedasthoughithadbeenmadeforme，Iputon，thoughIlikedthelookofitlittle。Martinawouldhavehadmeevenremovemysword，butI
　　refused，saying:
　　“ExceptattheexpressorderoftheEmpress，Iandmyswordarenotparted。“
　　“Well，shesaidnothingaboutthesword，Olaf，soletitbe。AllshesaidwasthatImustbecarefulthattherobematchedthecolourofthenecklaceyouwear。Shecannotbearcolourswhichjaruponeachother，especiallybylamp-light。“
　　“AmIaman，“Iaskedangrily，“orabeastbeingdeckedforsacrifice？“
　　“Fie，Olaf，haveyounotyetforgottenyourheathentalk？Remember，I
　　prayyou，thatyouarenowaChristianinaChristianland。“
　　“Ithankyouforremindingmeofit，“Ireplied；andthatmomentachamberlain，enteringhurriedly，commandedmypresence。
　　“Goodlucktoyou，Olaf，“saidMartinaasIfollowedhim。“Besuretotellmethenewslater——orto-morrow。“
　　Thenthechamberlainledme，notintotheaudiencehall，asIhadexpected，buttotheprivateimperialdiningchamber。Here，reclininguponcouchesintheoldRomanfashion，oneoneithersideofanarrowtableonwhichstoodfruitsandflagonsofrich-huedGreekwine，werethetwogreatestpeopleintheworld，theAugustaIreneandtheAugustusConstantine，herson。
　　Shewaswonderfullyapparelledinalow-cutgarmentofwhitesilk，overwhichfellamantleoftheimperialpurple，andInotedthatonherdazzlingbosomhungthatnecklaceofemeraldbeetlesseparatedbygoldenshellswhichshehadcausedtobecopiedfrommyown。Onherfairhairthatgrewlowuponherforeheadandwaspartedinthemiddle，sheworeadiademofgoldinwhichweresetemeraldstomatchthebeetlesofthenecklace。TheAugustuswasarrayedinthefestalgarmentsofaC鎠ar，alsocoveredwithapurplecloak。Hewasaheavy-
　　facedandsomewhatstupid-lookingyouth，dark-haired，likehisfatheranduncles，buthavinglarge，blue，andnotunkindlyeyes。FromhisflushedfaceIgatheredthathehaddrunkwellofthestrongGreekwine，andfromthesullenlookabouthismouththat，aswascommon，hehadbeenquarrellingwithhismother。
　　IstoodattheendofthetableandsalutedfirsttheEmpressandthentheEmperor。
　　“Who’sthis？“heasked，glancingatme。
　　“GeneralOlaf，ofmyguard，“sheanswered，“GovernoroftheStatePrison。Youremember，youwishedmetosendforhimtosettlethepointastowhichwewerearguing。“
　　“Oh！yes。Well，GeneralOlaf，ofmymother’sguard，haveyounotbeentoldthatyoushouldsalutetheAugustusbeforetheAugusta？“
　　“Sire，“Iansweredhumbly，“Ihaveheardnothingofthatmatter，butinthelandwhereIwasbredIwastaughtthatifamanandawomanweretogetherImustalwaysbowfirsttothewomanandthentotheman。“
　　“Wellsaid，“exclaimedtheEmpress，clappingherhands；buttheEmperoranswered:“Doubtlessyourmothertaughtyouthat，notyourfather。NexttimeyouentertheimperialchamberbepleasedtoforgetthelessonandtorememberthatEmperorsandEmpressesarenotmenandwomen。“
　　“Sire，“Ianswered，“asyoucommandIwillrememberthatEmperorsandEmpressesarenotmenandwomen，butEmperorsandEmpresses。“
　　AtthesewordstheAugustusbegantoscowl，but，changinghismind，laughed，asdidhismother。Hefilledagoldcupwithwineandpushedittowardsme，saying:
　　“Drinktous，soldier，forafteryouhavedoneso，ourwitsmaybebettermatched。“
　　Itookthecupandholdingit，said:
　　“IpledgeyourImperialMajesties，whoshineupontheworldliketwinstarsinthesky。AllhailtoyourMajesties！“andIdrank，butnottoodeep。
　　“Youareclever，“growledtheAugustus。“Well，keepthecup；you’veearnedit。Yetdrainitfirst，man。Youhavescarcewetyourlips。Doyoufearthatitispoisoned，asyousayyonderfruitsare？“Andhepointedtoaside-table，wherestoodajarofglassinwhichwerethoseveryfigsthathadbeensenttotheprincesintheprison。
　　“Thecupyougiveismine，“interruptedIrene；“still，myservantiswelcometothegift。Itshallbesenttoyourquarters，General。“
　　“Asoldierhasnoneedofsuchgauds，yourMajesties，“Ibegan，whenConstantine，who，whilewespoke，hadswallowedanotherdraughtofthestrongwine，brokeinangrily:
　　“MayInotgiveacupofgoldbutyoumustclaimit，ItowhomtheEmpireandallitswealthbelong？“
　　Snatchingupthebeakerhedashedittothefloor，spillingthewine，ofwhichI，whowishedtokeepmyheadcool，wasglad。
　　“Havedone，“hewentoninhisdrunkenrage。“ShalltheC鎠arshucksteroverapieceofworkedgoldlikeJewsinamarket？Givemethosefigs，man；I’llsettlethematterofthispoison。“
　　Ibroughtthejaroffigs，and，bowing，setthemdownbeforehim。ThattheywerethesameIknew，fortheglasswaslabelledinmyownwritingandinthatofthephysician。Hecutawaythesealedparchmentwhichwasstretchedoverthemouthofthejar。
　　“Nowhearkenyou，Olaf，“hesaid。“ItistruethatIorderedfruittobesenttothatfool-C鎠ar，myuncle，becausethelasttimeIsawhimNicephorusprayedmeforit，andIwaswillingtodohimapleasure。
　　ButthatIorderedthefruittobepoisoned，asmymothersays，isalie，andmayGodcursethetonguethatspokeit。Iwillshowyouthatitwasalie，“andplunginghishandintothespiritofthejar，hedrewouttwoofthefigs。“Now，“hewenton，wavingthemaboutinahalf-drunkenfashion，“thisGeneralOlafofyourssaysthatthesearethesamefigswhichweresenttotheC鎠ar，Imeantheblindpriest，FatherNicephorus。Don’tyou，Olaf？“
　　“Yes，Sire，“Ianswered，“theywereplacedinthatbottleinmypresenceandsealedwithmyseal。“
　　“Well，thosefigsweresentbyme，andthisOlaftellsustheyarepoisoned。I’llshowhim，andyoutoo，mother，thattheyare/not/
　　poisoned，forIwilleatoneofthem。“
　　NowIlookedattheAugusta，butshesatsilent，herarmsfoldedonherwhitebosom，herhandsomefaceturnedasitweretostone。
　　Constantineliftedthefigtowardshisloosemouth。AgainIlookedattheAugusta。Stillshesattherelikeastatue，anditcameintomymindthatitwasherpurposetoallowthiswine-bemusedmantoeatthefig。ThenIacted。
　　“Augustus，“Isaid，“youmustnottouchthatfruit，“andsteppingforwardItookitfromhishand。
　　Hesprangtohisfeetandbegantorevileme。
　　“Youwatch-dogoftheNorth！“heshouted。“DoyoudaretosaytotheEmperorthatheshallnotdothisorthat？ByalltheimagesmymotherworshipsI’llhaveyouwhippedthroughtheCircus。“
　　“Thatyouwillneverdo，“Ianswered，formyfreebloodboiledattheinsult。“Itellyou，Sire，“Iwenton，leavingoutcertainwordswhichImeanttospeak，“thatthefigispoisoned。“
　　“AndItellyouthatyoulie，youheathensavage。Seehere！EitheryoueatthatfigorIdo，sothatwemayknowwhospeaksthetruth。Ifyouwon’t，Iwill。Nowobey，or，byChrist！to-morrowyoushallbeshorterbyahead。“