CHAPTER II
THE BLIND CAESAR
Irene turned upon the eunuch as a she-lion turns upon some hunter thatdisturbs it from its prey. Noting the anger in her eyes, he fell backand prostrated himself. Thereupon she spoke to me as though his entryhad interrupted her words.
"Those are the orders, Captain Olaf. See that you forget none of them.Even if this proud eunuch, who dares to appear before me unannounced,bids you to do so, I shall hold you to account. To-day I leave the cityfor a while for the Baths whither I am sent. You must not accompany mebecause of the duty I have laid upon you here. When I return, be sureI'll summon you," and, knowing that Stauracius could not see her fromwhere he lay, for a moment she let her splendid eyes meet my own. Inthem there was a message I could not mistake.
"The Augusta shall be obeyed," I answered, saluting. "May the Augustareturn in health and glory and more beautiful than----"
"Iduna the Fair!" she broke in. "Captain, you are dismissed."
Again I saluted, retreating from the presence backwards and stayingto bow at each third step, as was the custom. The process was somewhatlong, and as I reached the door I heard her say to Stauracius,
"Hearken, you dog. If ever you dare to break in upon me thus again, youshall lose two things--your office and your head. What! May I not givesecret orders to my trusted officer and not be spied upon by you? Now,cease your grovellings and lead in these Persians, as you have beenbribed to do."
Passing through the silk-clad, bejewelled Persians who waited in anantechamber with their slaves and gifts, I gained the great terrace ofthe palace which looked upon the sea. Here I found Martina leaning onthe parapet.
"Have you more of the Augusta's pearls about you, Olaf?" she askedmockingly, speaking over her shoulder.
"Not I, Martina," I answered, halting beside her.
"Indeed. I could have sworn otherwise, for they are perfumed, and Iseemed to catch their odour. When did you begin to use the royal scentupon that yellow beard of yours, Olaf? If any of us women did so, itwould mean blows and exile; but perchance a captain of the guard may beforgiven."
"I use no scents, girl, as you know well. Yet it is true that theserooms reek of them, and they cling to armour."
"Yes, and still more to hair. Well, what gift had my mistress for youto-day?"
"A commission to guard certain prisoners, Martina."
"Ah! Have you read it yet? When you do, I think you'll find that itnames you Governor of the jail, which is a high office, carrying muchpay and place. You are in good favour, Olaf, and I hope that when youcome to greatness you will not forget Martina. It was I who put it intoa certain mind to give you this commission as the only man that could betrusted in the Court."
"I do not forget a friend, Martina," I answered.
"That is your reputation, Olaf. Oh! what a road is opening to your feet.Yet I doubt you'll not walk it, being too honest; or, if you do, that itwill lead you--not to glory, but a grave."
"Mayhap, Martina, and to speak truth, a grave is the only quiet place inConstantinople. Mayhap, too, it hides the only real glory."
"That's what we Christians say. It would be strange if you, who are nota Christian, alone should believe and keep the saying. Oh!" She went onwith passion, "we are but shams and liars, whom God must hate. Well, Igo to make ready for this journey to the Baths."
"How long do you stay there?" I asked.
"The course of waters takes a month. Less than that time does not serveto clear the Augusta's skin and restore her shape to the lines of youthwhich it begins to need, though doubtless you do not think so. Youwere named to come as her officer of the Person; but, Olaf, this otherbusiness rose up of a new governor for the jail in which the Caesars and_Nobilissimi_ are confined. I saw a chance for you in it, who, althoughyou have served all these years, have had no real advancement, andmentioned your name, at which the Augusta leapt. To tell the truth,Olaf, I was not sure that you would wish to be captain of the guard atthe Baths. Was I right or was I wrong?"
"I think you were right, Martina. Baths are idle places where folk driftinto trouble, and I follow duty. Martina--may I say it to you?--youare a good woman and a kind. I pray that those gods of yours whom youworship may bless you."
"You pray in vain, Olaf, for that they will never do. Indeed, I thinkthat they have cursed me."
Then suddenly she burst into tears, and, turning, went away.
I, too, went away somewhat bewildered, for much had happened to me thatmorning which I found it hard to understand. Why had the Augusta kissedme? I took it that this was some kind of imperial jest. It was knownthat I kept aloof from women, and she may have desired to see what Ishould do when an Augusta kissed me, and then to make a mock of me. Ihad heard that she had done as much with others.
Well, let that be, since Stauracius, who always feared lest a newfavourite should slip between him and power, had settled the matter forme, for which I blessed Stauracius, although at the moment, being but aman, I had cursed him. And now why did Martina--the little, dark Martinawith the kind face and the watchful, beady eyes, like to those of arobin in our northern lands--speak as she had done, and then burst intotears?
A doubt struck me, but I, who was never vain, pushed it aside. I did notunderstand, and of what use was it to try to interpret the meaning ofthe moods of women? My business was war, or, at the moment, the servicethat has to do with war, not women. Wars had brought me to the rank Iheld, though, strangely enough, of those wars I can recall nothing now;they have vanished from my vision. To wars also I looked to advance mein the future, who was no courtier, but a soldier, whom circumstanceshad brought to Court. Well, thanks to Martina, as she said, or to somecaprice of the Empress, I had a new commission that was of more worth tome than her random kisses, and I would go to read it.
Read it I did in the little private room upon the palace wall which wasmine as captain of the Augusta's guard, though, being written inGreek, I found this difficult. Martina had spoken truly. I was made theGovernor of the State prison, with all authority, including that of lifeand death should emergency arise. Moreover, this governorship gave methe rank of a general, with a general's pay, also such pickings asI chose to take. In short, from captain of the guard, suddenly I hadbecome a great man in Constantinople, one with whom even Stauraciusand others like him would have to reckon, especially as his signatureappeared upon the commission beneath that of the Empress.
Whilst I was wondering what I should do next, a trumpet blew upon theramparts, and a Northman of my company entered, saluted and said that Iwas summoned. I went out, and there before me stood a dazzling bandthat bowed humbly to me, whom yesterday they would have passed withoutnotice. Their captain, a smooth-faced Greek, came forward, and,addressing me as "General," said the imperial orders were that he was toescort me to the State jail.
"For what purpose?" I asked, since it came to my mind that Irene mighthave changed her fancy and issued another kind of commission.
"As its General and Governor, Illustrious," he replied.
"Then I will lead," I answered, "do you follow behind me."
Thus that vision ends.