In the next I see myself dwelling in some stately apartments that formedthe antechambers to the great prison. This prison, which was situatednot far from the Forum of Constantine, covered a large area of ground,which included a garden where the prisoners were allowed to walk. It wassurrounded by a double wall, with an outer and an inner moat, the outerdry, and the inner filled with water. There were double gates also, andby them guard-towers. Moreover, I see a little yard, with posts in it,where prisoners were scourged, and a small and horrible room, furnishedwith a kind of wooden bed, to which they were bound for the punishmentof the putting out of their eyes and the slitting of their tongues.In front of this room was a block where those condemned to death weresometimes executed.
There were many prisoners, not common felons, but people who had beentaken for reasons of State or sometimes of religion. Perhaps in all theynumbered a hundred men, and with them a few women, who had a quarter tothemselves. Besides the jailers, three-score guards were stationed therenight and day, and of all of these I was in command.
Before I had held my office three days I found that Irene had appointedme to it with good reason. It happened thus. The most of the prisonerswere allowed to receive presents of food and other things sent to themby their friends. All these presents were supposed to be inspected bythe officer in charge of the prison. This rule, which had been muchneglected, I enforced again, with the result that I made some strangediscoveries.
Thus, on the third day, there came a magnificent offering of figs forthe Caesars and _Nobilissimi_, the brothers-in-law of Irene and theuncles of the young Emperor Constantine, her son. These figs were beingcarried past me formally, when something about the appearance of one ofthem excited my suspicion. I took it and offered it to the jailer whocarried the basket. He looked frightened, shook his head, and said,
"General, I touch no fruit."
"Indeed," I answered. "That is strange, since I thought that I saw youeating of it yesterday."
"Aye, General," he replied; "the truth is that I ate too much."
Making no answer, I went to the window, and threw the fig to along-tailed, tame monkey which was chained to a post in the yardwithout. It caught it and ate greedily.
"Do not go away, friend," I said to the jailer, who was trying to departwhile my back was turned. "I have questions that I would ask you."
So I spoke to him about other matters, and all the while watched themonkey.
Soon I saw that it was ill at ease. It began to tear at its stomach andto whimper like a child. Then it foamed at the mouth, was seized withconvulsions, and within a quarter of an hour by the water-clock wasdead.
"It would seem that those figs are poisoned, friend," I said, "andtherefore it is fortunate for you that you ate too much fruit yesterday.Now, man, what do you know of this matter?"
"Nothing, sir," he answered, falling on his knees. "I swear to you byChrist, nothing. Only I doubted. The fruits were brought by a womanwhom I thought that once I had seen in the household of the AugustusConstantine, and I knew----" and he paused.
"Well, what did you know, man? It would be best to tell me quickly, whohave power here."
"I knew, sir, what all the world knows, that Constantine would be rid ofhis uncles, whom he fears, though they are maimed. No more, I swear it,no more."
"Perhaps before the Augusta returns you may remember something more," Isaid. "Therefore, I will not judge your case at present. Ho! guard, comehither."
As he heard the soldiers stirring without in answer to my summons, theman, who was unarmed, looked about his desperately; then he sprang atthe fruit, and, seizing a fig, strove to thrust it into his mouth. ButI was too quick for him, and within a few seconds the soldiers had himfast.
"Shut this man in a safe dungeon," I said. "Treat and feed him well, butsearch him. See also that he does himself no harm and that none speakwith him. Then forget all this business."
"What charge must be entered in the book, General?" asked the officer,saluting.
"A charge of stealing figs that belonged to the Caesar Nicephorus and hisroyal brethren," I answered, and looked through the window.
He followed my glance, saw the poor monkey lying dead, and started.
"All shall be done," he said, and the man was led away.
When he had gone, I sent for the physician of the jail, whom I knew tobe trustworthy, since I had appointed him myself. Without telling himanything, I bade him examine and preserve the figs, and also dissect thebody of the monkey to discover why it died.
He bowed and went away with the fruit. A while later he returned, andshowed me an open fig. In the heart of it was a pinch of white powder.
"What is it?" I asked.
"The deadliest poison that is known, General. See, the stalk has beendrawn out, the powder blown in through a straw, and then the stalkreplaced."
"Ah!" I said, "that is clever, but not quite clever enough. They havemixed the stalks. I noted that the purple fig had the stalk of a greenfig, and that is why I tried it on the monkey."
"You observe well, General."
"Yes, Physician, I observe. I learned that when, as a lad, I hunted gamein the far North. Also I learned to keep silent, since noise frightensgame. Do you as much."
"Have no fear," he answered; and went about his business with the deadmonkey.
When he had gone I thought a while. Then I rose, and went to the chapelof the prison, or, rather, to a place whence I could see those in thechapel without being seen. This chapel was situated in a gloomy crypt,lighted only with oil lamps that hung from the massive pillars andarches. The day was the Sabbath of the Christians, and when I enteredthe little secret hollow in the walls, the sacrament was beingadministered to certain of the prisoners.
Truly it was a sad sight, for the ministering priest was none other thanthe Caesar Nicephorus, the eldest of the Emperor's uncles, who had beenfirst ordained in order that he might be unfit to sit upon the throne,and afterwards blinded, as I have told. He was a tall, pale man, with anuncertain mouth and a little pointed chin, apparently between forty andfifty years of age, and his face was made dreadful by two redhollows where the eyes should have been. Yet, notwithstanding thisdisfigurement, and his tonsured crown, and the broidered priest's robeswhich hung upon him awkwardly, as he stumbled through the words of hisoffice, to this poor victim there still seemed to cling some air ofroyal birth and bearing. Being blind, he could not see to administerthe Element, and therefore his hand was guided by one of his imperialbrethren, who also had been made a priest. The tongue of this priest hadbeen slit, but now and again he gibbered some direction into the earof Nicephorus. By the altar, watching all, sat a stern-faced monk, theconfessor of the Caesars and of the _Nobilissimi_, who was put there tospy upon them.
I followed the rite to its end, observing these unhappy prisonersseeking from the mystery of their faith the only consolation thatremained to them. Many of them were men innocent of any crime, save thatof adherence to some fallen cause, political or religious; victims werethey, not sinners, to be released by death alone. I remember that, asthe meaning of the scene came home to me, I recalled the words of Irene,who had said that she believed this world to be a hell, and found weightin them. At length, able to bear no more, I left my hiding-place andwent into the garden behind the chapel. Here, at least, were naturalthings. Here flowers, tended by the prisoners, bloomed as they mighthave done in some less accursed spot. Here the free birds sang andnested in the trees, for what to them were the high surrounding walls?
I sat myself down upon a seat in the shade. Presently, as I hadexpected, Nicephorus, the priest-Caesar, and his four brethren came intothe garden. Two of them led the blind man by the hand, and the other twoclung close to him, for all these unfortunates loved each other dearly.The four with the split tongues gabbled in his ears. Now and again,when he could catch or guess at the meaning of a word, he answered thespeaker gently; or the others, seeing that he had not understood themaright, painfully tried to explain the error. Oh! it was a pit
eous thingto see and hear. My gorge rose against the young brute of an Emperorand his councillors who, for ambition's sake, had wrought this horriblecrime. Little did I know then that ere long their fate would be his own,and that a mother's hand would deal it out to him.
They caught sight of me seated beneath the tree, and chattered likestartled starlings, till at length Nicephorus understood.
"What say you, dear brothers?" he asked, "that the new governor of theprison is seated yonder? Well, why should we fear him? He has been herebut a little while, yet he has shown himself very kind to us. Moreover,he is a man of the North, no treacherous Greek, and the men of the Northare brave and upright. Once, when I was a free prince, I had some ofthem in my service, and I loved them well. Our nephew, the Emperor,offered a large sum to a Northman to blind or murder me, but he wouldnot do it, and was dismissed from the service of the Empire because hespoke his mind and prayed his heathen gods to bring a like fate uponConstantine himself. Lead me to this governor; I would talk with him."
So they brought Nicephorus to me, though doubtfully, and when he wasnear I rose from my seat and saluted him. Thereon they all gabbled againwith their split tongues, till at length he understood and flushed withpleasure.
"General Olaf," he said to me, "I thank you for your courtesy to a poorprisoner, forgotten by God and cruelly oppressed by man. General Olaf,the promise is of little worth, but, if ever it should be in my power, Iwill remember this kindness, which pleases me more than did the shoutingof the legions in the short day of my prosperity."
"Sir," I answered, "whatever happens I shall remember your words, whichare more to me than any honours kings can bestow. Now, sir, I will askyour royal brethren to fall back, as I wish to speak with you."
Nicephorus made a sign with his hand, and the four half-dumb men, all ofwhom resembled him strangely, especially in the weakness of their mouthsand chins, obeyed. Bowing to me in a stately fashion, they withdrew,leaving us alone.
"Sir," I said, "I would warn you that you have enemies whom you may notsuspect, for my duty here wherewith I was charged by the Augusta is notto oppress but to protect you and your imperial brothers."
Then I told him the story of the poisoned figs.
When he had heard it, the tears welled from his hollow eyes and ran downhis pale cheeks.
"Constantine, my brother Leo's son, has done this," he said, "for neverwill he rest until all of us are in the grave."
"He is cruel because he fears you, O Nicephorus, and it is said thatyour ambition has given him cause to fear."
"Once, General, that was true," the prince replied. "Once, foolishly, Idid aspire to rule; but it is long ago. Now they have made a priest ofme, and I seek peace only. Can I and my brethren help it if, mutilatedthough we are, some still wish to use us against the Emperor? I tell youthat Irene herself is at the back of them. She would set us on high thatafterwards she may throw us down and crush us."
"I am her servant, Prince, and may not listen to such talk, who knowonly that she seeks to protect you from your enemies, and for thatreason has placed me here, it seems not in vain. If you would continueto live, I warn you and your brethren to fly from plots and to becareful of what you eat and drink."
"I do not desire to live, General," he answered. "Oh! that I might die.Would that I might die."
"Death is not difficult to find, Prince," I replied, and left him.
These may seem hard words, but, be it remembered, I was no Christianthen, but a heathen man. To see one who had been great and fallen fromhis greatness, one whom Fortune had deserted utterly, whining at Fatelike a fretful child, and yet afraid to seek his freedom, moved me tocontempt as well as to pity. Therefore, I spoke the words.
Yet all the rest of that day they weighed upon my mind, for I knew wellhow I should have interpreted them were I in this poor Caesar's place. Soheavily did they weigh that, during the following night, an impulse drewme from my bed and caused me to visit the cells in which these princeswere imprisoned. Four of them were dark and silent, but in that ofNicephorus burned a light. I listened at the door, and through thekey-place heard that the prisoner within was praying, and sobbing as heprayed.
Then I went away; but when I reached the end of the long passagesomething drew me back again. It was as though a hand I could not seewere guiding me. I returned to the door of the cell, and now through itheard choking sounds. Quickly I shot the bolts and unlocked it with mymaster-key. This was what I saw within:
To a bar of the window-place was fastened such a rope as monks wear fora girdle; at the end of the rope was a noose, and in that noose the headof Nicephorus. There he hung, struggling. His hands had gripped the ropeabove his head, for though he had sought Death, at the last he tried toescape him. Of such stuff was Nicephorus made. Yet it was too late, orwould have been, for as I entered the place his hands slipped from thethin cord, which tightened round his throat, choking him.
My sword was at my side. Drawing it, with a blow I cut the rope andcaught him in my arms. Already he was swooning, but I poured water overhis face, and, as his neck remained unbroken, he recovered his breathand senses.
"What play is this, Prince?" I asked.
"One that you taught me, General," he answered painfully. "You said thatdeath could be found. I went to seek him, but at the last I feared.Oh! I tell you that when I thrust away that stool, my blind eyes wereopened, and I saw the fires of hell and the hands of devils grasping atmy soul to plunge it into them. Blessings be on you who have saved mefrom those fires," and seizing my hand he kissed it.
"Do not thank me," I said, "but thank the God you worship, for I thinkthat He must have put it into my mind to visit you to-night. Now swearto me by that God that you will attempt such a deed no more, for if youwill not swear then you must be fettered."
Then he swore so fervently by his Christ that I was sure he would neverbreak the oath. After he had sworn I told him how I could not restbecause of the strange fears which oppressed me.
"Oh!" he said, "without doubt it was God who sent His angel to you thatI might be saved from the most dreadful of all sins. Without doubt itwas God, Who knows you, although you do not know Him."
After this he fell upon his knees, and, having untied the cut rope fromthe window bars, I left him.