CHAPTER IV
OLAF OFFERS HIS SWORD
The Emperor had gone, drunk; the ape had gone, dead; and its keeper hadgone, weeping. Irene and I alone were left in that beautiful place withthe wine-stained table on which stood the jar of poisoned figs and thebent golden cup lying on the marble floor.
She sat upon the couch, looking at me with a kind of amazement in hereyes, and I stood before her at attention, as does a soldier on duty.
"I wonder why he did not send for one of my servants to eat thosefigs--Stauracius, for instance," she mused, adding with a little laugh,"Well, if he had, there are some whom I could have spared better thanthat poor ape, which at times I used to feed. It was an honest creature,that ape; the only creature in the palace that would not rub its headin the dust before the Augusta. Ah! now I remember, it always hatedConstantine, for when he was a child he used to tease it with a stick,getting beyond the length of its chain and striking it. But one day, ashe passed too near, it caught him and buffeted him on the cheek and toreout some of his hair. He wanted to kill it then, but I forbade him. Yethe has never forgotten it, he who never does forget anything he hates,and that is why he sent for the poor beast."
"The Augusta will remember that the Augustus did not know that the figswere poisoned."
"The Augusta is sure that the Augustus knew well enough that those figswere poisoned, at any rate from the moment that I dashed one of themfrom your lips, Olaf. Well, I have made a bitterer enemy than before,that's all. They say that by Nature's rule mother and child must loveeach other, but it is a lie. I tell you it's a lie. From the time he wastiny I hated that boy, though not half as much as he has hated me. Youare thinking to yourself that this is because our ambitions clash likemeeting swords, and that from them spring these fires of hate. It is notso. The hate is native to our hearts, and will only end when one of uslies dead at the other's hand."
"Terrible words, Augusta."
"Yes, but true. Truth is always terrible--in Byzantium. Olaf, take thosedrugged fruits and set them in the drawer of yonder table; lock it andguard the key, lest they should poison other honest animals."
I obeyed and returned to my station.
She looked at me and said:
"I grow weary of the sight of you standing there like a statue of theRoman Mars, with your sword half hid beneath your cloak; and, what'smore, I hate this hall; it reeks of Constantine and his drink and lies.Oh! he's vile, and for my sins God has made me his mother, unless,indeed, he was changed at birth, as I've been told, though I could neverprove it. Give me your hand and help me to rise. So, I thank you. Nowfollow me. We'll sit a while in my private chamber, where alone I can behappy, since the Emperor never comes there. Nay, talk not of duty;you have no guards to set or change to-night. Follow me; I have secretbusiness of which I would talk with you."
So she went and I followed through doors that opened mysteriously atour approach and shut mysteriously behind us, till I found myself in alittle room half-lighted only, that I had never seen before. It was ascented and a beautiful place, in one corner of which a white statuegleamed, that of a Venus kissing Cupid, who folded one wing about herhead, and through the open window-place the moonlight shone and floatedthe murmur of the sea.
The double doors were shut, for aught I knew locked, and with her ownhands Irene drew the curtains over them. Near the open window, to whichthere was no balcony, stood a couch.
"Sit yonder, Olaf," she said, "for here there is no ceremony; here weare but man and woman."
I obeyed, while she busied herself with the curtains. Then she came andsat herself down on the couch also, leaning against the end of it insuch a fashion that she could watch me in the moonlight.
"Olaf," she said, after she had looked at me a while, rather strangely,as I thought, for the colour came and went upon her face, which in thatlight seemed quite young again and wonderfully beautiful, "Olaf, you area very brave man."
"There are hundreds in your service braver, Empress; cowards do not taketo soldiering."
"I could tell you a different story, Olaf; but it was not of this kindof courage that I talked. It was of that which made you offer to eatthe poisoned fig in place of Constantine. Why did you do so? It is truethat, as things have happened, he'll remember it in your favour, forI'll say this of him, he never forgets one who has saved him from harm,any more than he forgets one who has harmed him. But if you had eatenyou would have died, and then how could he have rewarded you?"
"Empress, when I took my oath of office I swore to protect both theAugustus and the Augusta, even with my life. I was fulfilling my oath,that is all."
"You are a strange man as well as a brave man to interpret oaths sostrictly. If you will do as much as this for one who is nothing to you,and who has never paid you a gold piece, how much, I wonder, would youdo for one whom you love."
"I could offer no more than my life for such a one, Empress, could I?"
"Someone told me--it may have been you, Olaf, or another--that once youdid more, challenging a heathen god for the sake of one you loved, anddefeating him. It was added that this was for a man, but that I do notbelieve. Doubtless it was for the sake of Iduna the Fair, of whom youhave spoken to me, whom it seems you cannot forget although she wasfaithless to you. It is said that the best way to hold love is tobe faithless to him who loves, and in truth I believe it," she addedbitterly.
"You are mistaken, Empress. It was to be avenged on him for the lifeof Steinar, my foster-brother, which he had taken in sacrifice, thatI dared Odin and hewed his holy statue to pieces with this sword; ofSteinar, whom Iduna betrayed as she betrayed me, bringing one to deathand the other to shame."
"At least, had it not been for this Iduna you would never have givenbattle to the great god of the North and thus brought his curse uponyou. For, Olaf, those gods live; they are devils."
"Whether Odin is or is not, I do not fear his curse, Empress."
"Yet it will find you out before all is done, or so I think. Look you,pagan blood still runs in me, and, Christian though I am, I would notdare one of the great gods of Greece and Rome. I'd leave that to thepriests. Do you fear nothing, Olaf?"
"I think nothing at all, since I hewed off Odin's head and came awayunscathed."
"Then you are a man to my liking, Olaf."
She paused, looking at me even more strangely than before, till I turnedmy eyes, indeed, and stared out at the sea, wishing that I were in it,or anywhere away from this lovely and imperious woman whom I was swornto obey in all things.
"Olaf," she said presently, "you have served me well of late. Is thereany reward that you would ask, and if so, what? Anything that I can giveis yours, unless," she added hastily, "the gift will take you away fromConstantinople and from--me."
"Yes, Augusta," I answered, still staring out at the sea. "In the prisonyonder is an old bishop named Barnabas of Egypt, who was set upon byother bishops at the Council while you were away and wellnigh beatento death. I ask that he may be freed and restored to his diocese withhonour."
"Barnabas," she replied sharply. "I know the man. He is an Iconoclast,and therefore my enemy. Only this morning I signed an order that heshould be kept in confinement till he died, here or elsewhere. Still,"she went on, "though I would sooner give you a province, have your gift,for I can refuse you nothing. Barnabas shall be freed and restored tohis see with honour. I have said."
Now I began to thank her, but she stopped me, saying:
"Have done! Another time you can talk to me of heretics with whom youhave made friends, but I, who hear enough of such, would have no more ofthem to-night."
So I grew silent and still stared out at the sea. Indeed, I waswondering in my mind whether I dared ask leave to depart, for I felt hereyes burning on me, and grew much afraid. Suddenly I heard a sound, agentle sound of rustling silk, and in another instant I felt Irene'sarms clasped about me and Irene's head laid upon my knee. Yes, she waskneeling before me, sobbing, and her proud head was resting on my knee.The diadem she wore had falle
n from it, and her tresses, breaking loose,flowed to the ground, and lay there gleaming like gold in the moonlight.
She looked up, and her face was that of a weeping saint.
"Dost understand?" she whispered.
Now despair took me, which I knew full well would soon be followed bymadness. Then came a thought.
"Yes," I said hoarsely. "I understand that you grieve over that matterof the Augustus and the poisoned figs, and would pray me to keepsilence. Have no fear, my lips are sealed, but for his I cannot answer,though perhaps as he had drunk so much----"
"Fool!" she whispered. "Is it thus that an Empress pleads with hercaptain to keep silence?" Then she drew herself up, a wonderful lookupon her face that had grown suddenly white, a fire in her upturnedeyes, and for the second time kissed me upon the lips.
I took her in my arms and kissed her back. For an instant my mind swam.Then in my soul I cried for help, and strength came to me. Rising, Ilifted her as though she were a child, and stood her on her feet. Isaid:
"Hearken, Empress, before destruction falls. I do understand now, thougha moment ago I did not, who never thought it possible that the queen ofthe world could look with favour upon one so humble."
"Love takes no account of rank," she murmured, "and that kiss of yoursupon my lips is more to me than the empire of the world."
"Yet hearken," I answered. "There is another wall between us which maynot be climbed."
"Man, what is this wall? Is it named woman? Are you sworn to the memoryof that Iduna, who is more fair than I? Or is it, perchance, her of thenecklace?"
"Neither. Iduna is dead to me; she of the necklace is but a dream.The wall is that of your own faith. On this night seven days ago I wasbaptised a Christian."
"Well, what of it? This draws us nearer."
"Study the sayings of your sacred book, Empress, and you will find thatit thrusts us apart."
Now she coloured to her hair, and a kind of madness took her.
"Am I to be preached to by you?" she asked.
"I preach to myself, Augusta, who need it greatly, not to you, whomayhap do not need it."
"Hating me as you do, why should you need it? You are the worst ofhypocrites, who would veil your hate under a priest's robe."
"Have you no pity, Irene? When did I say that I hated you? Moreover, ifI had hated you, should I----" and I ceased.
"I do not know what you would or would not have done," she answeredcoldly. "I think that Constantine is right, and that you must be what iscalled a saint; and, if so, saints are best in heaven, especially whenthey know too much on earth. Give me that sword of yours."
I drew the sword, saluted with it, and gave it to her.
"It is a heavy weapon," she said. "Whence came it?"
"From the same grave as the necklace, Augusta."
"Ah! the necklace that your dream-woman wore. Well, go to seek her inthe land of dreams," and she lifted the sword.
"Your pardon, Augusta, but you are about to strike with the blunt edge,which may wound but will not kill."
She laughed a little, very nervously, and, turning the sword round inher hand, said:
"Truly, you are the strangest of men! Ah! I thank you, now I have itright. Do you understand, Olaf, I mean, Sir Saint, what sort of a storyI must tell of you after I have struck? Do you understand that not onlyare you about to die, but that infamy will be poured upon your name andthat your body will be dragged through the streets and thrown to thedogs with the city offal? Answer, I say, answer!"
"I understand that you must cause these things to be done for your ownsake, Augusta, and I do not complain. Lies matter nothing to me, whojourney to the Land of Truth, where there are some whom I would meetagain. Be advised by me. Strike here, where the neck joins the shoulder,holding the sword slantwise, for there even a woman's blow will serve tosever the great artery."
"I cannot. Kill yourself, Olaf."
"A week ago I'd have fallen on the sword; but now, by the rule of ourfaith, in such a cause I may not. My blood must be upon your hands, forwhich I grieve, knowing that no other road is open to you. Augusta, ifit is worth anything to you, take my full forgiveness for the deed, andwith it my thanks for all the goodness you have shown to me, but mostfor your woman's favour. In after years, perhaps, when death draws nearto you also, if ever you remember Olaf, your faithful servant, you willunderstand much it is not fitting that I should say. Give me one momentto make my peace with Heaven as to certain kisses. Then strike hard andswiftly, and, as you strike, scream for your guards and women. Your witwill do the rest."
She lifted the sword, while, after a moment's prayer, I bared my neck ofthe silk robe. Then she let it fall again, gasping, and said:
"Tell me first, for I am curious. Are you no man? Or have you forswornwoman, as do the monks?"
"Not I, Augusta. Had I lived, some day I might have married, who wouldhave wished to leave children behind me, since in our law marriage isallowed. Forget not your promise as to the Bishop Barnabas, who, I fear,will weep over this seeming fall of mine."
"So you would marry, would you?" she said, as one who speaks to herself;then thought awhile, and handed me back the sword.
"Olaf," she went on, "you have made me feel as I never feltbefore--ashamed, utterly ashamed, and though I learn to hate you, as itwell may hap I shall, know that I shall always honour you."
Then she sank down upon the couch, and, hiding her face in her hands,wept bitterly.
It was at this moment that I went very near to loving Irene.
I think she must have felt something of what was passing in my mind, forsuddenly she looked up and said: "Give me that jewel," and she pointedto the diadem on the floor, "and help me to order my hair; my handsshake."
"Nay," I said, as I gave her the crown. "Of that wine I drink no more. Idare not touch you; you grow too dear."
"For those words," she whispered, "go in safety, and remember that fromIrene you have naught to fear, as I know well I have naught to fear fromyou, O Prince among men."
So presently I went.