tellyouIfearherfangs。Why，ifshecould，she’dmakemeasthatpoormanis，blind，orevenbutcherme。Well，she’smymother，andI’vesworn，sothere’sanend。Now，youOlaf，youarethatsamecaptain，areyounot，whodashedthepoisonedfigfrommylipsthatthistendermotherofminewouldhaveletmeeatwhenIwasinliquor；
　　yes，andwouldhaveswallowedityourselftosavemefrommyfolly？“
　　“Iamthatman，Augustus。“
　　“Aye，youarethatman，andoneofwhomallthecityhasbeentalking。
　　Theysay，sopoorisyourtaste，thatyouturnedyourbackuponthefavoursofanEmpressbecauseofsomeyounggirlyoudaredtolove。
　　Theysayalsothatshepaidyoubackwithadaggerintheeyes，shewhowasreadytosetyouinmyplace。“
　　“Rumourhasmanytongues，Augustus，“Ianswered。“AtleastIfellfromtheEmpress’sfavour，andsherewardedmeassheheldthatI
　　deserved。“
　　“Soitseems。Christ！whatadreadfulpitisthat。Isthisanotherofhergifts？Nay，answernot；Iheardthetale。Well，Olaf，yousavedmylifeandyourNorthmenhavesetmeonthethrone，sincewithoutthemwecouldscarcelyhavewonthepalace。Now，whatpaymentwouldyouhave？“
　　“Leavetogohence，Augustus，“Ianswered。
　　“Asmallboonthatyoumighthavetakenwithoutasking，ifyoucanfindadogtoleadyou，likeotherblindwretches。Andyou，CaptainJodd，andyourmen，whatdoyouask？“
　　“SuchdonationasitmaypleasetheAugustustobestow，andafterthatpermissiontofollowwhereverourGeneralOlafgoes，sinceheisourcare。Herewehavemadesomanyenemiesthatwecannotsleepatnight。“
　　“TheEmpressoftheWorldfallsfromherthrone，“musedConstantine，“andnotevenawaiting-maidattendshertoherprison。Butablindedcaptainfindsaregimenttoescorthimhenceinloveandhonour，asthoughhewereanew-crownedking。TrulyFortuneisajester。IfeverFateshouldrobmeofmyeyes，Iwonder，whenIhadnothingmoretogivethem，ifthreehundredfaithfulswordswouldfollowmetoruinandtoexile？“
　　Thushethoughtaloud。Afterwardshe，Joddandsomeothers，Martinaamongthem，wentaside，leavingmeseatedonabench。Presentlytheyreturned，andConstantinesaid，“GeneralOlaf，Iandyourcompanionshavetakencounsel。Listen。Butto-daymessengershavecomefromLesbos，whomwemetoutsidethegates。Itseemsthatthegovernorthereisdead，andthattheaccursedMoslemsthreatentostormtheisleassoonassummercomesandaddittotheirempire。OurChristiansubjectstherepraythatanewgovernormaybeappointed，onewhoknowswar，andthatwithhimmaybesenttroopssufficienttorepeltheprophet-worshippers，who，nothavingmanyships，cannotattackingreatforce。Now，CaptainJoddthinksthistaskwillbetothelikingoftheNorthmen，andthoughyouareblind，IthinkthatyouwouldservemewellasgovernorofLesbos。Isityourpleasuretoacceptthisoffice？“
　　“Aye，withthankfulness，Augustus，“Ianswered。“Only，aftertheMoslemsarebeatenback，ifitpleasesGodthatitshouldsobefall，I
　　askleaveofabsenceforawhile，sincethereisoneforwhomImustsearch。“
　　“Igrantit，whonameCaptainJoddyourdeputy。Stay，there’sonemorething。InLesbosmymotherhaslargevineyardsandestates。Aspartpaymentofherdebttheseshallbeconveyedtoyou。Nay，nothanks；itisIwhoowethem。Whateverhisfaults，Constantineisnotungrateful。
　　Moreover，enoughtimehasbeenspentuponthismatter。Whatsayyou，Officer？ThattheArmeniansaremarshalledandthatyouhaveStauraciussafe？Good！Icometoleadthem。ThentotheHippodrometobeproclaimed。“
　　Thatcurtainofoblivionwithoutrentorseamsinksagainuponthevisionsofthispastofmine。Itfalls，asitwere，onthelastofthescenesinthedreadfulchamberofthepit，toriseoncemorefarfromByzantium。
　　Iamblindandcanseenothing，forthepowerwhichenablesmetodisinterwhatliesburiedbeneaththeweightandwreckofsomanyagestellsmenomorethanthosethingsthatoncemysensesknew。WhatI
　　didnothearthenIdonothearnow；whatIdidnotseethenIdonotseenow。ThusitcomesaboutthatofLesbositself，oftheshapeofitsmountainsorthecolourofitsseasIcantellnothingmorethanI
　　wastold，becausemysightneverdweltontheminanylifethatIcanremember。
　　Itwasevening。Theheatofthesunhadpassedandthenightbreezeblewthroughthewide，coolchamberinwhichIsatwithMartina，whomthesoldiers，intheirrudefashion，called“Olaf’sBrownDog。“Forbrownwashercolouring，andsheledmefromplacetoplaceasdogsaretrainedtoleadblindmen。Yetagainsthertheroughestofthemneversaidanevilword；notfromfear，butbecausetheyknewthatnonecouldbesaid。
　　Martinawastalking，shewhoalwayslovedtotalk，ifnotofonething，thenofanother。
　　“God-son，“shesaid，“althoughyouareagreatgrumbler，Itellyouthatinmyjudgmentyouwerebornunderaluckystar，orsaint，callitwhichyouwill。Forinstance，whenyouwerewalkingupanddownthatHallofthePitinthepalaceatConstantinople，whichIalwaysdreamofnowifIsuptoolate——“
　　“Andyourspirit，ordouble，orwhateveryoucallit，waskindlyleadingmeroundtheedgeofthedeath-trap，“Iinterrupted。
　　“——andmyspirit，ordouble，makingitselfusefulforonce，wasdoingwhatyousay，well，whowouldhavethoughtthatbeforesoverylongyouwouldbethegovernor，muchbeloved，oftherichandprosperousislandofLesbos；stillthecommander，muchbeloved，oftroops，manyofthemyourowncountrymen，and，althoughyouareblind，theImperialgeneralwhohasdealttheMoslemsoneoftheworstdefeatstheyhavesufferedforalongwhile。“
　　“Joddandtheothersdidthat，“Ianswered。“Ionlysathereandmadetheplans。“
　　“Jodd！“sheexclaimedwithcontempt。“Joddhasnomoreheadforplansthanadoorpost！Althoughitistrue，“sheaddedwithasofteningofthevoice，“thatheisagoodmantoleanonatapinch，andaveryterriblefighter；alsoonewhocankeepsuchbrainasGodgavehimcoolinthehourofterror，asIreneknowswellenough。Yetitwasyou，Olaf，notevenI，butyou，whorememberedthattheNorthmenareseafolkborn，andturnedallthosetradingvesselsintowar-galleysandhidtheminthelittlebayswithafewofyourpeopleincommandofeach。ItwasyouwhosufferedtheMoslemfleettosailunmolestedintotheMityleneharbours，pretendingandgivingnoticethattheonlydefencewouldbebyland。Then，aftertheywereatanchorandbeginningtodisembark，itwasyouwhofellonthematthedawnandsankandslewtillnoneremainedsavethoseoftheirarmywhoweretakenprisonersorsparedforransom。Yes，andyoucommandedourshipsinperson；andatnightwhoisabettercaptainthanablindman？Oh！
　　youdidwell，verywell；andyouarerichwithIrene’slands，andsithereincomfortandinhonour，withthebestofhealthsaveforyourblindness，andIrepeatthatyouwerebornunderaluckystar——orsaint。“
　　“Notaltogetherso，Martina，“Iansweredwithasigh。
　　“Ah！“shereplied，“mancanneverbecontent。Asusual，youarethinkingofthatEgyptian，ImeanoftheladyHeliodore，ofwhom，ofcourse，itisquiterightthatyoushouldthink。Well，itistruethatwehaveheardnothingofher。Still，thatdoesnotmeanthatwemaynothear。PerhapsJoddhaslearnedsomethingfromthoseprisoners。
　　Hark！hecomes。“
　　AsshespokeIheardtheguardssalutewithoutandJodd’sheavystepatthedoorofthechamber。
　　“Greeting，General，“hesaidpresently。“Ibringyougoodnews。ThemessengerstotheSultanHarunhavereturnedwiththeransom。AlsothisCaliphsendsawritingsignedbyhimselfandhisministers，inwhichheswearsbyGodandHisProphetthatinconsiderationofourgivingupourprisoners，amongwhom，itseems，aresomegreatmen，neitherhenorhissuccessorswillattemptanynewattackuponLesbosforthirtyyears。Theinterpreterwillreadittoyouto-morrow，andyoucansendyouransweringletterswiththeprisoners。“
　　“Seeingthattheseheathenaresomanyandwearesofew，wecouldscarcelylookforbetterterms，“Isaid，“asIhopetheywillthinkatConstantinople。Atleasttheprisonersshallsailwhenallisinorder。Nowforanothermatter。HaveyouinquiredastotheBishopBarnabasandtheEgyptianPrinceMagasandhisdaughter？“
　　“Aye，General，thisveryday。IfoundthatamongtheprisonerswerethreeofthecommonersortwhohaveservedinEgyptandleftthatlandnotthreemonthsago。Ofthesementwohaveneverheardofthebishoportheothers。Thethird，however，whowaswoundedinthefight，hadsometidings。“
　　“Whattidings，Jodd？“
　　“Nonethataregood，General。Thebishop，hesays，waskilledbyMoslemsawhileago，orsohehadbeentold。“
　　“Godresthim。Buttheothers，Jodd，whatoftheothers？“