CHAPTER XIV
THE PRINCESS HAS A CREED
"I shall ask you, Sergius, to return to the city to-night, for inquiryabout the fete will be lively tomorrow in the holy houses. And if youhave the disposition to defend me"--
"You doubt me, O Princess?"
"No."
"O little mother, let me once for all be admitted to your confidence,that in talking to me there may never be a question of my loyalty."
This, with what follows, was part of a conversation between thePrincess Irene and Sergius of occurrence the evening of the fete in thecourt heretofore described, being that to which she retired to read theletter of introduction brought her by the young monk from FatherHilarion.
From an apartment adjoining, the voices of her attendants wereoccasionally heard blent with the monotonous tinkle of wateroverflowing the bowls of the fountain. In the shadowy depths of theopening above the court the stars might have been seen had not a numberof lamps suspended from a silken cord stretched from wall to wallflooded the marble enclosure with their nearer light.
There was a color, so to speak, in the declaration addressed to her--awarmth and earnestness--which drew a serious look from thePrincess--the look, in a word, with which a woman admits a fear lestthe man speaking to her may be a lover.
To say of her who habitually discouraged the tender passion, and thethought of it, that she moved in an atmosphere charged with attractionsirresistible to the other sex sounds strangely: yet it was true; and asa consequence she had grown miraculously quick with respect toappearances.
However, she now dismissed the suspicion, and replied:
"I believe you, Sergius, I believe you. The Holy Virgin sees howcompletely and gladly."
She went on presently, a tremulous light in her eyes making him thinkof tears. "You call me little mother. There are some who might laugh,did they hear you, yet I agree to the term. It implies a relation oftrust without embarrassment, and a promise of mutual faithfulnesswarranting me to call you in return, Sergius, and sometimes 'dearSergius.' ... Yes, I think it better that you go back immediately. TheHegumen will want to speak to you in the morning about what you haveseen and heard to-day. My boatmen can take you down, and arrived there,they will stay the night. My house is always open to them."
After telling her how glad he was for the permission to address her ina style usual in his country, he moved to depart, but she detained him.
"Stay a moment. To-day I had not time to deal as I wished with thecharges the Hegumen prefers against me. You remember I promised tospeak to you about them frankly, and I think it better to do so now;for with my confessions always present you cannot be surprised bymisrepresentations, nor can doubt take hold of you so readily. Youshall go hence possessed of every circumstance essential to judge howguilty I am."
"They must do more than talk," the monk returned, with emphasis.
"Beware, Sergius! Do not provoke them into argument--or if you musttalk, stop when you have set them to talking. The listener is he whocan best be wise as a serpent.... And now, dear friend, lend me yourgood sense. Thanks to the generosity of a kinsman, I am mistress of aresidence in the city and this palace; and it is mine to choose betweenthem. How healthful and charming life is with surroundings likethese--here, the gardens; yonder, the verdurous hills; and there,before my door, a channel of the seas always borrowing from the sky,never deserted by men. Guilt seeks exclusion, does it not? Well,whether you come in the day or the night, my gate is open; nor have I awarder other than Lysander; and his javelin is but a staff with whichto steady his failing steps. There are no prohibitions shutting me in.Christian, Turk, Gypsy--the world in fact--is welcome to see what all Ihave; and as to danger, I am defended better than with guards. I strivediligently to love my neighbors as I love myself, and they know it....Coming nearer the accusation now. I find here a freedom which not areligious house in the city can give me, nor one on the Isles, notHalki itself. Here I am never disturbed by sectaries or partisans; theGreek and the Latin wrangle before the Emperor and at the altars; butthey spare me in this beloved retiracy. Freedom! Ah, yes, I find it inthis retreat--this escape from temptations--freedom to work and sleep,and praise God as seems best to me--freedom to be myself in defiance ofdeplorable social customs--and there is no guilt in it.... Coming stillnearer the very charge, hear, O Sergius, and I will tell you of thebrass on my gate, and why I suffer it to stay there; since you, withyour partialities, account it a witness against me, it is in likelihoodthe foundation of the calumny associating me with the Turk. Let me askfirst, did the Hegumen mention the name of one such associate?"
"No."
The Princess with difficulty repressed her feelings.
"Bear with me a moment," she said; "you cannot know the self-mastery Irequire to thus defend myself. Can I ever again be confident of myjudgment? How doubts and fears will beset me when hereafter upon my ownresponsibility I choose a course, whatever the affair! Ah, God, whom Ihave sought to make my reliance, seems so far away! It will be for Himin the great day to declare if my purpose in living here be not escapefrom guiltiness in thought, from wrong and temptation, from taint tocharacter. For further security, I keep myself surrounded with goodwomen, and from the beginning took the public into confidence, givingit privileges, and inviting it to a study of my daily life. And this isthe outcome! ... I will proceed now. The plate on the gate is asafeguard"--
"Then Mahommed has visited you?"
The slightest discernible pallor overspread her face.
"Does it surprise you so much? ... This is the way it came about. Youremember our stay at the White Castle, and doubtless you remember theknight in armor who received us at the landing--a gallant,fair-speaking, chivalrous person whom we supposed the Governor, and whoprevailed upon us to become his guests while the storm endured. Yourecollect him?"
"Yes. He impressed me greatly."
"Well, let me now bring up an incident not in your knowledge. Theeunuch in whose care I was placed for the time with Lael, daughter ofthe Prince of India, as my companion, to afford us agreeable diversion,obtained my consent to introduce an Arab story-teller of great reputeamong the tribes of the desert and other Eastern people. He gave us thename of the man--Sheik Aboo-Obeidah. The Sheik proved worthy his fame.So entertaining was he, in fact, I invited him here, and he came."
"Did I understand you to say the entertainment took place in Lael'spresence?"
"She was my companion throughout."
"Let us be thankful, little mother."
"Ay, Sergius, and that I have witnesses down to the last incident. Youmay have heard how the Emperor and his court did me the high honor of avisit in state."
"The visit was notorious."
"Well, while the royal company were at table, Lysander appeared andannounced Aboo-Obeidah, and, by permission of the Emperor, thestory-teller was admitted, and remained during the repast. Now I cometo the surprising event--Aboo-Obeidah was Mahommed!"
"Prince Mahommed--son of the terrible Amurath?" exclaimed Sergius. "Howdid you know him?"
"By the brass plate. When he went to his boat, he stopped and nailedthe plate to the pillar. I went to look at it, and not understandingthe inscription, sent to town for a Turk who enlightened me."
"Then the hamari was not gasconading?"
"What did he say?"
"He confirmed your Turk."
She gazed awhile at the overflowing of the fountain, giving a thoughtperhaps to the masquerader and his description of himself what time hewas alone with her on the portico; presently she resumed:
"One word more now, and I dismiss the brass plate.... I cannot blindmyself, dear friend, to the condition of my kinsman's empire. It creepsin closer and closer to the walls of Constantinople. Presently therewill be nothing of it left save the little the gates of the capital cankeep. The peace we have is by the grace of an unbeliever too old foranother great military enterprise; and when it breaks, then, O Sergius,yon safeguard may be for others besides myself--for manyothers--farmers, fis
hermen and townspeople caught in the storm. Saysuch anticipation followed you, Sergius--what would you do with theplate?"
"What would I do with it? O little mother, I too should take counsel ofmy fears."
"You approve my keeping it where it is, then? Thank you.... Whatremains for explanation? Ah, yes--my heresy. That you shall dispose ofyourself. Remain here a moment."
She arose, and passing through a doorway heavily draped with cloth,left him to the entertainment of the fountain. Returning soon, sheplaced a roll of paper in his hand.
"There," she said, "is the creed which your Hegumen makes such a sin.It may be heresy; yet, God helping me, and Christ and the Holy Motherlending their awful help, I dare die for it. Take it, dear Sergius. Youwill find it simple--nine words in all--and take this cover for it."
He wrapped the parcel in the white silken cover she gave him, makingmental comparison, nevertheless, with the old Nicaean ordinances.
"Only nine words--O little mother!"
"Nine," she returned.
"They should be of gold."
"I leave them to speak for themselves."
"Shall I return the paper?"
"No, it is a copy.... But it is time you were going. Fortunately thenight is pleasant and starlit; and if you are tired, the speeding ofthe boat will rest you. Let me have an opinion of the creed at yourleisure."
They bade each other good-night.
* * * * *
About eight o'clock next morning Sergius awoke. He had dropped on hiscot undressed, and slept the sweet sleep of healthful youth; now,glancing about, he thought of the yesterday and the spacious garden, ofthe palace in the garden, of the Princess Irene, and of theconversation she held with him in the bright inner court. And the creedof nine words! He felt for it, and found it safe. Then his thought flewto Lael. She had exonerated herself. Demedes was a liar--Demedes, thepresumptuous knave! He was to have been at the fete, but had not daredgo. There was a limit to his audacity; and in great thankfulness forthe discovery, Sergius tossed an arm over the edge of the narrow cot,and struck the stool, his solitary item of furniture. He raised hishead, and looked at the stool, wondering how it came there so close tohis cot. What was that he saw? A fan?--And in his chamber? Somebody hadbrought it in. He examined it cautiously. Whose was it? Whose could itbe?--How!--No--but it _was_ the very fan he had seen Lael toss to thehamari from the portico! And the hamari?
A bit of folded paper on the settle attracted his attention. Hesnatched it up, opened, and read it, and while he read his brows knit,his eyes opened to their full.
"PATIENCE--COURAGE--JUDGMENT!
"Thou art better apprised of the meaning of the motto than thou wertyesterday.
"Thy seat in the Academy is still reserved for thee.
"Thou mayst find the fan of the Princess of India useful; with me it isembalmed in sentiment.
"Be wise. THE HAMARI."
He read the scrap twice, the second time slowly; then it fell rustlingto the floor, while he clasped his hands and looked to Heaven. A murmurwas all he could accomplish.
Afterwards, prostrate on the cot, his face to the wall, he debated withhimself, and concluded:
"The Greek is capable of any villany he sets about--of abduction andmurder--and now indeed must Lael beware!"