"Olaf," said Martina to me that night after Jodd had left us, "you saythat you will go to Egypt. How will you go? Will the blind Christiangeneral of the Empire, who has just dealt so great a defeat to themighty Caliph of the East, be welcome in Egypt? Above all, will he bewelcomed by the Emir Musa, who rules there, when it is known that hecomes to seek a woman who has escaped from that Emir's harem? Why,within an hour he'd offer you the choice between death and the Koran.Olaf, this thing is madness."
"It may be, Martina. Still, I go to seek Heliodore."
"If Heliodore still lives you will not help her by dying, and if she isdead time will be little to her and she can wait for you a while."
"Yet I go, Martina."
"You, being blind, go to Egypt to seek one whom those who rule therehave searched for in vain. So be it. But how will you go? It cannot beas an open enemy, since then you would need a fleet and ten thousandswords to back you, which you have not. To take a few brave men, unlessthey were Moslems, which is impossible, would be but to give them todeath. How do you go, Olaf?"
"I do not know, Martina. Your brain is more nimble than mine; think,think, and tell me."
I heard Martina rise and walk up and down the room for a long time. Atlength she returned and sat herself by me again.
"Olaf," she said, "you always had a taste for music. You have told methat as a boy in your northern home you used to play upon the harp andsing songs to it of your own making, and now, since you have been blind,you have practised at this art till you are its master. Also, my voiceis good; indeed, it is my only gift. It was my voice that first broughtme to Irene's notice, when I was but the daughter of a poor Greekgentleman who had been her father's friend and therefore was given asmall place about the Court. Of late we have sung many songs together,have we not, certain of them in that northern tongue, of which you havetaught me something?"
"Yes, Martina; but what of it?"
"You are dull, Olaf. I have heard that these Easterns love music,especially if it be of a sort they do not know. Why, therefore, shouldnot a blind man and his daughter--no, his orphaned niece--earn an honestliving as travelling musicians in Egypt? These Prophet worshippers, Iam told, think it a great sin to harm one who is maimed--a poor northerntrader in amber who has been robbed by Christian thieves. Renderedsightless also that he might not be able to swear to them before thejudges, and now, with his sister's child, winning his bread as best hemay. Like you, Olaf, I have skill in languages, and even know enough ofArabic to beg in it, for my mother, who was a Syrian, taught it to me asa child, and since we have been here I have practised. What say you?"
"I say that we might travel as safely thus as in any other way. Yet,Martina, how can I ask you to tie such a burden on your back?"
"Oh! no need to ask, Olaf, since Fate bound it there when it made meyour--god-mother. Where you go I needs must go also, until you aremarried," she added with a laugh. "Afterwards, perhaps, you will need meno more. Well, there's a plan, for what it is worth, and now we'll sleepon it, hoping to find a better. Pray to St. Michael to-night, Olaf."
As it chanced, St. Michael gave me no light, so the end of it was that Idetermined to play this part of a blind harper. In those days therewas a trade between Lesbos and Egypt in cedar wood, wool, wine for theCopts, for the Moslems drank none, and other goods. Peace having beendeclared between the island and the Caliph, a small vessel was ladenwith such merchandise at my cost, and a Greek of Lesbos, Menas by name,put in command of it as the owner, with a crew of sailors whom I couldtrust to the death.
To these men, who were Christians, I told my business, swearing themto secrecy by the most holy of all oaths. But, alas! as I shallshow, although I could trust these sailors when they were masters ofthemselves, I could not trust them, or, rather, one of them, whenwine was his master. In our northern land we had a saying that "Aleis another man," and now its truth was to be proved to me, not for thefirst time.
When all was ready I made known my plans to Jodd alone, in whose handsI left a writing to say what must be done if I returned no more. To theother officers and the soldiers I said only that I proposed to makea journey in this trading ship disguised as a merchant, both for myhealth's sake and to discover for myself the state of the surroundingcountries, and especially of the Christians in Egypt.
When he had heard all, Jodd, although he was a hopeful-minded man, grewsad over this journey, which I could see he thought would be my last.
"I expected no less," he said; "and yet, General, I trusted that yoursaint might keep your feet on some safer path. Doubtless this ladyHeliodore is dead, or fled, or wed; at least, you will never find her."
"Still, I must search for her, Jodd."
"You are a blind man. How can you search?"
Then an idea came to him, and he added,
"Listen, General. I and the rest of us swore to protect the ladyHeliodore and to be as her father or her brothers. Do you bide here. Iwill go to search for her, either with a vessel full of armed men, oralone, disguised."
Now I laughed outright and asked,
"What disguise is there that would hide the giant Jodd, whose fame theMoslem spies have spread throughout the East? Why, on the darkest nightyour voice would betray you to all within a hundred paces. And what usewould one shipload of armed men be against the forces of the Emir ofEgypt? No, no, Jodd, whatever the danger I must go and I alone. If Iam killed, or do not return within eight months, I have named you tobe Governor of Lesbos, as already you have been named my deputy byConstantine, which appointment will probably be confirmed."
"I do not want to be Governor of Lesbos," said Jodd. "Moreover, Olaf,"he added slowly, "a blind beggar must have his dog to lead him, hisbrown dog. You cannot go alone, Olaf. Those dangers of which you speakmust be shared by another."
"That is so, and it troubles me much. Indeed, it is in my mind to seeksome other guide, for I think this one would be safest here in yourcharge. You must reason with her, Jodd. One can ask too much, even of agod-mother."
"Of a god-mother! Why not say of a grandmother? By Thor! Olaf, you areblind indeed. Still, I'll try. Hush! here she comes to say that oursupper is ready."
At our meal several others were present, besides the serving folk, andthe talk was general. After it was done I had an interview with someofficers. These left, and I sat myself down upon a cushioned couch, and,being tired, there fell asleep, till I was awakened, or, rather, halfawakened by voices talking in the garden without. They were those ofJodd and Martina, and Martina was saying,
"Cease your words. I and no one else will go on this Egyptian quest withOlaf. If we die, as I dare say we shall, what does it matter? At leasthe shall not die alone."
"And if the quest should fail, Martina? I mean if he should not find thelady Heliodore and you should happen both to return safe, what then?"
"Why, then--nothing, except that as it has been, so it will be. I shallcontinue to play my part, as is my duty and my wish. Do you not rememberthat I am Olaf's god-mother?"
"Yes, I remember. Still, I have heard somewhere that the ChristianChurch never ties a knot which it cannot unloose--for a proper fee, andfor my part I do not know why a man should not marry one of differentblood because she has been named his god-mother before a stone vesselby a man in a broidered robe. You say I do not understand such matters.Perhaps, so let them be. But, Martina, let us suppose that this strangesearch were to succeed, and Olaf has a way of succeeding where otherswould fail. For instance, who else could have escaped alive out of thehand of Irene and become governor of Lesbos, and, being blind, yet haveplanned a great victory? Well, supposing that by the help of gods ormen--or women--he should find this beautiful Heliodore, unwed and stillwilling, and that they should marry. What then, Martina?"
"Then, Captain Jodd," she answered slowly, "if you are yet of the samemind we may talk again. Only remember that I ask no promises and makenone."
"So you go to Egypt with Olaf?"
"Aye, certainly, unless I should die first, and perhaps even
then. Youdo not understand? Oh! of course you do not understand, nor can I stopto explain to you. Captain Jodd, I am going to Egypt with a certainblind beggar, whose name I forget at the moment, but who is my uncle,where no doubt I shall see many strange things. If ever I come back Iwill tell you about them, and, meanwhile, good night."