ThusfellIrene，themightyEmpressoftheEasternEmpire！
　　NowduringalltheseyearsHeliodoreandIwereleftinpeaceatLesbos。Iwasnotdeposedfrommygovernorshipofthatisle，whichprosperedgreatlyundermyrule。EvenIrene’sestates，whichConstantinehadgivenme，werenottakenaway。AttheappointedtimesIremittedthetributedue，yes，andaddedtothesum，andreceivedbacktheofficialacknowledgmentsignedbytheEmpress，andwithittheofficialthanks。Butwiththesenevercameeitherletterormessage。YetitisevidentsheknewthatIwasmarried，fortoHeliodoredidcomeamessage，andwithitagift。ThegiftwasthatnecklaceandthoseotherornamentswhichIrenehadcausedtobemadeinanexactlikenessofthestringofgoldenshellsseparatedbyemeraldbeetles，onehalfofwhichIhadtakenfromthegraveoftheWandereratAarandtheotherhalfofwhichwaswornbyHeliodore。
　　Somuchofthegift。Themessagewasthatshewhoownedthenecklacemightwishtohavetherestoftheset。Toitwereaddedthewordsthatacertaingeneralhadbeenwrongwhenheprophesiedthatthewearingofthisnecklacebyanywomansaveonewouldbringillfortunetothewearer，sincefromthedayithungaboutIrene’sneckeventhatwhichseemedtobebadfortunehadturnedtogood。Thusshehadescaped“themostevilthingintheworld，namely，anotherhusband，“
　　andhadbecomethefirstwomanintheworld。
　　Thesewords，whichwerewrittenonapieceofsheepskin，sealedup，andaddressedtotheLadyHeliodore，butunsigned，Ithoughtofthemostevilomen，sinceboastfulnessalwaysseemstobehatefultothePowerthatdecreesourfates。So，indeed，theyprovedtobe。
　　Onacertaindayinearlysummer——itwastheanniversaryofmymarriageinEgypt——HeliodoreandIhaddinedwithbuttwoguests。
　　ThoseguestswereJodd，thegreatNorthman，mylieutenant，andhiswife，Martina，forwithinayearofourreturntoLesbosJoddandMartinahadmarried。Itcomesbacktomethattherewastroubleaboutthebusiness，butthatwhenJoddgaveoutthateithershemustmarryhimorthathewouldsailbacktohisnorthernland，biddinggood-byetousallforever，Martinagaveway。IthinkthatHeliodoremanagedthematterinsomefashionofherownafterthebirthofourfirst-
　　bornson；how，Ihelditbestnevertoinquire。Atleast，itwasmanaged，andthemarriageturnedoutwellenoughintheend，althoughatfirstMartinawasmoodyattimesandsomewhatsharpoftonguewithJodd。Thentheyhadababywhichdied，andthisdeadchilddrewthemclosertogetherthanitmighthavedonehaditlived。Atanyrate，fromthattimeforwardMartinagrewmoregentlewithJodd，andwhenotherchildrenwereborntheyseemedhappytogether。
　　Well，wefourhaddined，anditcomestomethatourtalkturnedupontheCaliphHarunandhiswonderfulgoodnesstous，whomasChristianshewasboundtodespiseandhate。Heliodoretoldmethenforthefirsttimehowshewasgladhehadmadeitclearsosoonthatwhatshedrankfromthegoldcupwhichnowstooduponourtablewasnomorethanrosewater。
　　Sostrongistheworkingofthemindthatalreadyshehadbeguntofeelasthoughpoisonwerenumbingherheartandcloudingherbrain，andwassurethatsoonshewouldhavefallenintothesleepwhichHarunhadwarnedherwouldendindeath。
　　“Hadhebeenatruephysician，hewouldhaveknownthatthismightbeso，andthatsuchgrimjestsareverydangerous，“Isaid。ThenI
　　added，forIdidnotwishtodwelllongeruponascenethememoryofwhichwasdreadfultome，althoughithadendedwell，“Tellus，Martina，isittruethatthoserichpossessionsofyoursinAlexandriawhichtheCaliphgaveyouaresold？“
　　“Yes，Olaf，“sheanswered，“toacompanyofGreekmerchants，andnotsoill。Thecontractwassignedbutyesterday。ItwasmywishthatweshouldleaveLesbosandgotoliveinthisplace，aswemighthavedonewithsafetyunderHarun’ssigned/firman/，butJoddhererefused。“
　　“Aye，“saidJoddinhisbigvoice。“AmIonetodwellamongMoslemsandmakemoneyoutoftradeandgardensinhoweverfineahouse？Why，Ishouldhavebeenfightingwiththeseprophet-worshipperswithinamonth，andhadmythroatcut。Moreover，howcouldIbeartobeseparatedfrommygeneral，andwhatevershemaythink，howcouldMartinabeartolosesightofhergod-son？Why，Olaf，Itellyouthat，althoughyouaremarriedandsheismarried，shestillthinkstwiceasmuchofyouasshedoesofme。Oh！blindman’sdogonce，blindman’sdogalways！Looknotsoangry，Martina。Why，Iwonder，doesthetruthalwaysmakewomenangry？“andheburstintooneofhisgreatlaughs。
　　AtthismomentHeliodorerosefromthetableandwalkedtotheopenwindow-placetospeaktoourchildrenandMartina’s，amerrycompanywhowereplayingtogetherinthegarden。Hereshestoodawhilestudyingthebeautifulviewofthebaybeneath；thenofasuddencalledout，“Aship！Ashipsailingintotheharbour，anditfliestheImperialstandard。“
　　“ThenprayGodshebringsnobadnews，“Isaid，whofearedthatImperialstandardandfeltthatwehadallbeensomewhattoohappyoflate。Moreover，IknewthatnoroyalshipwaslookedforfromByzantiumatthistime，anddreadedlestthisoneshouldbearlettersfromthenewEmperordismissingmefrommyoffice，orevenworsetidings。
　　“Whatbadnewsshouldshebring？“growledJodd。“Oh！Iknowwhatisinyourmind，General，butifthisupstartNicephorusiswise，he’llleaveyoualone，sinceLesbosdoesnotwantanothergovernor，andwilltellhimsoiftherebeneed。Yes，itwilltakemorethanoneshipofwar，aye，andmorethanthree，tosetupanothergovernorinLesbos。
　　Nay，rebukemenot，General，forIatleasthaveswornnooathofhomagetothisNicephorus，norhavetheotherNorthmenorthemenofLesbos。“
　　“Youarelikeawatchdog，Jodd，barkingatyouknownotwhat，justbecauseitisstrange。Gonow，Iprayyou，tothequay，andbringbacktousnewsofthisship。“
　　Sohewent，andforthenexttwohoursormoreIsatinmyprivateroomdictatingletterstoHeliodoreonmattersconnectedwiththedutiesofmyoffice。Theworkcametoanendatlast，andIwaspreparingtotakemyeveningrideonaledmulewhenMartinaenteredtheroom。
　　“Doyouridewithusto-night，Martina？“Iasked，recognisingherstep。
　　“No，Olaf，“shesaidquickly，“norIthinkcanyou。HerearelettersforyoufromByzantium。Joddhasbroughtthemfromtheship。“
　　“WhereisJodd？“Isaid。
　　“Without，inthecompanyofthecaptainoftheship，someguards，andaprisoner。“
　　“Whatprisoner？“
　　“Perchancetheletterswilltellyou，“sherepliedevasively。“HaveI
　　yourcommandtoopenandread？Theyaremarked’MostSecret。’“
　　Inodded，sinceMartinaoftenactedasmysecretaryinhighmatters，beingfromhertrainingskilledinsuchthings。SoshebrokethesealsandreadtomyselfandtoHeliodore，whoalsowaspresentintheroom，asfollows:
　　“’TotheExcellentMichael，aGeneralofourarmiesandGovernoroftheIsleofLesbos，GreetingsfromNicephorus，bythewillofGodEmperor。
　　“’Know，OMichael，thatwe，theEmperor，reposingespecialfaithinyouourtrustedservant，withtheselettersdeliverintoyourkeepingacertainprisonerofState。ThisprisonerisnoneotherthanIrene，whoaforetimewasEmpress。
　　“’BecauseofhermanywickednessesinthesightofGodandmanwebythedecreeofthePeople，oftheArmy，oftheSenateandofthehighOfficersofStateamidstgeneralrejoicingdeposedthesaidIrene，widowoftheEmperorLeoandmotherofthelateEmperorConstantine，andplacedourselvesuponthethrone。ThesaidIrene，atherownrequest，weconsignedtotheplacecalledtheIslandofPrinces，settingherinchargeofcertainholymonks。Whilstthere，abusingourmercyandconfidence，shesetonfootplotstomurderourPersonandrepossessherselfofthethrone。
　　“’NowourCouncillorswithonevoiceurgedthatsheshouldbeputtodeathinpunishmentofhercrimes，butwe，beingmindfuloftheteachingofourLordandSaviourandofHissayingthatweshouldturntheothercheektothosewhosmiteus，outofourgentlepityhavetakenanothercounsel。
　　“’Learnnow，mostexcellentMichaeltheBlind，whooncewereknownasOlafRed-Sword，thatwehandovertoyourkeepingthepersonofIrene，aforetimeEmpress，chargingyoutodealwithherasshedealtwithyouandasshedealtalsowiththelateEmperorConstantine，thesonofherbody，forthusshallherevilplottingsbebroughttonaught。’“
　　“ByGod’sName，hemeansthatImustblindher！“Iexclaimed。
　　Makingnoanswer，Martinawentonwiththeletter——
　　“’ShouldthesaidIrenesurviveherjustpunishment，wecommandyoutomakesufficientprovisionforherdailywants，butnomore，andtochargethesameagainstthesumdueUsfromtherevenuesofLesbos。
　　Shouldshedieatonce，oratanyfuturetime，givetoherdecentprivateburial，andreporttoUsthecircumstancesofherdeathdulyattested。
　　“’KeepthesePresentssecretanddonotactuponthemuntiltheshipwhichbringsthemandtheprisonertoyouhassailedforByzantium，whichitisorderedtodoassoonasithasbeenrevictualled。Onyourheadbeittocarryouttheseourcommands，forwhichyoushallanswerwithyourlifeandthoseofyourwifeandchildren。ThissignedandsealedatourCourtofByzantiumonthetwelfthdayofthesixthmonthofthefirstyearofourreign，andcountersignedbythehighofficerswhosenamesappearbeneath。’“
　　Suchwasthisawfulletterthat，havingread，Martinathrustintomyhandasthoughshewouldberidofit。Thenfollowedasilence，whichatlengthMartinabroke。
　　“Yourcommands，Excellency，“shesaidinadryvoice。“Iunderstandthatthe——the——prisonerisintheante-roominchargeoftheCaptainJodd。“