CHAPTER X
OLAF GIVES JUDGMENT
As Martina finished speaking I heard the sound of tramping guards and ofa woman's dress upon the pavement. Then a voice, that of Irene,spoke, and though her words were quiet I caught in them the tremble ofsmothered rage.
"Be pleased to tell me, Captain Jodd," she said, "what is happening inmy palace, and why I, the Empress, am haled from my apartment hither bysoldiers under your command?"
"Lady," answered Jodd, "you are mistaken. Yesterday you were an empress,to-day you are--well, whatever your son, the Emperor, chooses to nameyou. As to what has been and is happening in this palace, I scarcelyknow where to begin the tale. First of all your general and chamberlainOlaf--in case you should not recognise him, I mean that blind man whostands yonder--was being tricked to death by certain servants of yourswho called themselves judges, and who stated that they were acting byyour orders."
"Confront me with them," said Irene, "that I may prove to you that theylie."
"Certainly. Ho! you, bring the lady Irene here. Now hold her over thathole. Nay, struggle not, lady, lest you should slip from their hands.Look down steadily, and you will see by the light that flows in from thecave beneath, certain heaps lying on the rocks round which the risingwaters seethe. There are your judges whom you say you wish to meet. Ifyou desire to ask them any questions, we can satisfy your will. Nay,why should you turn pale at the mere sight of the place that you thoughtgood enough to be the bed of a faithful soldier of your own, one high inyour service, whom it has pleased you to blind? Why did it please you toblind him, Lady?"
"Who are you that dare to ask me questions?" she replied, gathering upher courage.
"I'll tell you, Lady. Now that the General Olaf yonder is blinded I amthe officer in command of the Northmen, who, until you tried to murderthe said General Olaf a while ago, were your faithful guard. I am also,as it chances, the officer in command of this palace, which we took thismorning by assault and by arrangement with most of your Greek soldiers,having learned from your confidential lady, Martina, of the vile deedyou were about to work on the General Olaf."
"So it was you who betrayed me, Martina," gasped Irene; "and I had youin my power. Oh! I had you in my power!"
"I did not betray you, Augusta. I saved my god-son yonder from tortureand butchery, as by my oath I was bound to do," answered Martina.
"Have done with this talk of betrayals," went on Jodd, "for who canbetray a devil? Now, Lady, with your State quarrels we have nothing todo. You can settle them presently with your son, that is, if you stilllive. But with this matter of Olaf we have much to do, and we willsettle that at once. The first part of the business we all know, so letus get to the next. By whose order were you blinded, General Olaf?"
"By that of the Augusta," I answered.
"For what reason, General Olaf?"
"For one that I will not state," I answered.
"Good. You were blinded by the Augusta for a reason you will not state,but which is well known to all of us. Now, we have a law in the Northwhich says that an eye should be given for an eye and a life for a life.Would it not then be right, comrades, that this woman should be blindedalso?"
"What!" screamed Irene, "blinded! I blinded! I, the Empress!"
"Tell me, Lady, are the eyes of one who was an Empress different fromother eyes? Why should you complain of that darkness into which you wereso ready to plunge one better than yourself. Still, Olaf shall judge.Is it your will, General, that we blind this woman who put out your eyesand afterwards tried to murder you?"
Now, I felt that all in that place were watching me and hanging on thewords that I should speak, so intently that they never heard othersentering it, as I did. For a while I paused, for why should not Irenesuffer a little of that agony of suspense which she had inflicted uponme and others?
Then I said, "See what I have lost, friends, through no grave fault ofmy own. I was in the way of greatness. I was a soldier whom you trustedand liked well, one of unstained honour and of unstained name. Also Iloved a woman, by whom I was beloved and whom I hoped to make my wife.And now what am I? My trade is gone, for how can a maimed man lead inwar, or even do the meanest service of the camp? The rest of my days,should any be granted to me, must be spent in darkness blacker than thatof midnight. I must live on charity. When the little store I have isspent, for I have taken no bribe and heaped up no riches, how can Iearn a living? The woman whom I love has been carried away, after thisEmpress tried thrice to murder her. Whether I shall ever find her againin this world I know not, for she has gone to a far country that is fullof enemies to Christian men. Nor do I know whether she would be willingto take one who is blind and beggared for a husband, though I think thismay be so."
"Shame on her if she does not," muttered Martina as I paused.
"Well, friends, that is my case," I went on; "let the Augusta deny it ifshe can."
"Speak, Lady. Do you deny it?" said Jodd.
"I do not deny that this man was blinded by my order in payment ofcrimes for which he might well have suffered death," answered Irene."But I do deny that I commanded him to be trapped in yonder pit. Ifthose dead men said so, then they lied."
"And if the lady Martina says so, what then?" asked Jodd.
"Then she lies also," answered the Empress sullenly.
"Be it so," replied Jodd. "Yet it is strange that, acting on this lieof the lady Martina's, we found the General Olaf upon the very edge ofyonder hole; yes, with not the breadth of a barleycorn between him anddeath. Now, General, both parties have been heard and you shall passsentence. If you say that yonder woman is to be blinded, this momentshe looks her last upon the light. If you say that she is to die, thismoment she bids farewell to life."
Again I thought a while. It came into my mind that Irene, who had fallenfrom power, might rise once more and bring fresh evil upon Heliodore.Now she was in my hand, but if I opened that hand and let her free----!
Someone moved towards me, and I heard Irene's voice whispering in myear.
"Olaf," she said, "if I sinned against you it was because I loved you.Would you be avenged upon one who has burned her soul with so muchevil because she loved too well? Oh! if so, you are no longer Olaf. ForChrist's sake have pity on me, since I am not fit to meet Him. Give metime to repent. Nay! hear me out! Let not those men drag me away as theythreaten to do. I am fallen now, but who knows, I may grow great again;indeed, I think I shall. Then, Olaf, may my soul shrivel everlastinglyin hell if I try to harm you or the Egyptian more--Jesus be my witnessthat I ask no lesser doom upon my head. Keep the men back, Martina, forwhat I swear to him and the Egyptian I swear to you as well. Moreover,Olaf, I have great wealth. You spoke of poverty; it shall be far fromyou. Martina knows where my gold is hid, and she still holds my keys.Let her take it. I say leave me alone, but one word more. If ever it isin my power I'll forget everything and advance you all to great honour.Your brain is not blinded, Olaf; you can still rule. I swear, I swear,I swear upon the Holy Blood! Ah! now drag me away if you will. I havespoken."
"Then perchance, Lady, you will allow Olaf to speak, since we, who havemuch to do, must finish this business quickly, before the Emperor comeswith the Armenians," said Jodd.
"Captain Jodd and his comrades," I said, "the Empress Irene has beenpleased to make certain solemn vows to me which perchance some of youmay have overheard. At least, God heard them, and whether she keepsthem or no is a matter between her and the God in Whom we both believe.Therefore I set these vows aside; they draw me neither one way nor theother. Now, you have made me judge in my own matter and have promisedto abide by my judgment, which you will do. Hear it, then, and let it beremembered. For long I have been the Augusta's officer, and of late hergeneral and chamberlain. As such I have bound myself by great oaths toprotect her from harm in all cases, and those oaths heretofore I havekept, when I might have broken them and not been blamed by men. Whateverhas chanced, it seems that she is still Empress and I am still herofficer, seeing that my sword has been return
ed to me, although it istrue she sent it that I might use it on myself. It pleased the Empressto put out my eyes. Under our soldier's law the monarch who rules theEmpire has a right to put out the eyes of an officer who has liftedsword against her forces, or even to kill him. Whether this is donejustly or unjustly again is a matter between that monarch and God above,to Whom answer must be made at last. Therefore it would seem that Ihave no right to pronounce any sentence against the Augusta Irene, andwhatever may have been my private wrongs, I pronounce none. Yet, as Iam still your general until another is named, I order you to free theAugusta Irene and to work no vengeance on her person for aught that mayhave befallen me at her hands, were her deeds just or unjust."
When I had finished speaking, in the silence that followed I heard Ireneutter something that was half a sob and half a gasp of wonderment. Thenabove the murmuring of the Northmen, to whom this rede was strange, rosethe great voice of Jodd.
"General Olaf," he said, "while you were talking it came into my mindthat one of those knife points which pierced your eyes had pricked thebrain behind them. But when you had finished talking it came into mymind that you are a great man who, putting aside your private rights andwrongs and the glory of revenge which lay to your hand, have taughtus soldiers a lesson in duty which I, at least, never shall forget.General, if, as I trust, we are together in the future as in the past, Ishall ask you to instruct me in this Christian faith of yours, which canmake a man not only forgive but hide his forgiveness under the mask ofduty, for that, as we know well, is what you have done. General, yourorder shall be obeyed. Be she Empress or nothing, this lady's person issafe from us. More, we will protect her to the best of our power, as youdid in the Battle of the Garden. Yet I tell her to her face that hadit not been for those orders, had you, for example, said that you leftjudgment to us, she who has spoilt such a man should have died a deathof shame."
I heard a sound as of a woman throwing herself upon her knees before me.I heard Irene's voice whisper through her tears,
"Olaf, Olaf, for the second time in my life you make me feel ashamed.Oh! if only you could have loved me! Then I should have grown good likeyou."
There was a stir of feet and another voice spoke, a voice that shouldhave been clear and youthful, but sounded as though it were thick withwine. It did not need Martina's whisper to tell me that it was that ofConstantine.
"Greeting, friends," he said, and at once there came a rattle ofsaluting swords and an answering cry of
"Greeting, Augustus!"
"You struck before the time," went on the thick, boyish voice. "Yetas things seem to have gone rather well for us, I cannot blameyou, especially as I see that you hold fast her who has usurped mybirthright."
Now I heard Irene turn with a swift and furious movement.
"Your birthright, boy," she cried. "What birthright have you save thatwhich my body gave?"
"I thought that my father had more to do with this matter of imperialright than the Grecian girl whom it pleased him to marry for her fairface," answered Constantine insolently, adding: "Learn your station,mother. Learn that you are but the lamp which once held the holy oil,and that lamps can be shattered."
"Aye," she answered, "and oil can be spilt for the dogs to lap, if theirgorge does not rise at such rancid stuff. The holy oil forsooth! Nay,the sour dregs of wine jars, the outscourings of the stews, the filthof the stables, of such is the holy oil that burns in Constantine, thedrunkard and the liar."
It would seem that before this torrent of coarse invective Constantinequailed, who at heart always feared his mother, and I think never moreso than when he appeared to triumph over her. Or perhaps he scorned toanswer it. At least, addressing Jodd, he said,
"Captain, I and my officers, standing yonder unseen, have heardsomething of what passed in this place. By what warrant do you and yourcompany take upon yourselves to pass judgment upon this mother of mine?That is the Emperor's right."
"By the warrant of capture, Augustus," answered Jodd. "We Northmen tookthe palace and opened the gates to you and your Armenians. Also we tookher who ruled in the palace, with whom we had a private score to settlethat has to do with our general who stands yonder, blinded. Well, it issettled in his own fashion, and now we do not yield up this woman, ourprisoner, save on your royal promise that no harm shall come to her inbody. As for the rest, it is your business. Make a cook-maid of herif you will, only then I think her tongue would clear the kitchen. Butswear to keep her sound in life and limb till hell calls her, sinceotherwise we must add her to our company, which will make no manmerrier."
"No," answered Constantine, "in a week she would corrupt you every oneand breed a war. Well," he added with a boisterous laugh, "I'm masternow at last, and I'll swear by any saint that you may name, or all ofthem, no harm shall come to this Empress whose rule is done, and who,being without friends, need not be feared. Still, lest she shouldspawn more mischief or murder, she must be kept close till we and ourcouncillors decide where she shall dwell in future. Ho! guards, take myroyal father's widow to the dower-palace, and there watch her well. Ifshe escapes, you shall die beneath the rods. Away with the snake beforeit begins to hiss again."
"I'll hiss no more," said Irene, as the soldiers formed up round her,"yet, perchance, Constantine, you may live to find that the snake stillhas strength to strike and poison in its fangs, you and others. Do youcome with me, Martina?"
"Nay, Lady, since here stands one whom God and you together have givenme to guard. For his sake I would keep my life in me," and she touchedme on the shoulder.
"That whelp who is called my son spoke truly when he said that thefallen have no friends," exclaimed Irene. "Well, you should thank me,Martina, who made Olaf blind, since, being without eyes, he cannot seehow ugly is your face. In his darkness he may perchance mistake youfor the beauteous Egyptian, Heliodore, as I know you who love him madlywould have him do."
With this vile taunt she went.
"I think I'm crazed," said the Emperor, as the doors swung to behindher. "I should have struck that snake while the stick is in my hand. Itell you I fear her fangs. Why, if she could, she'd make me as thatpoor man is, blind, or even butcher me. Well, she's my mother, and I'vesworn, so there's an end. Now, you Olaf, you are that same captain,are you not, who dashed the poisoned fig from my lips that this tendermother of mine would have let me eat when I was in liquor; yes, andwould have swallowed it yourself to save me from my folly?"
"I am that man, Augustus."
"Aye, you are that man, and one of whom all the city has been talking.They say, so poor is your taste, that you turned your back upon thefavours of an Empress because of some young girl you dared to love. Theysay also that she paid you back with a dagger in the eyes, she who wasready to set you in my place."
"Rumour has many tongues, Augustus," I answered. "At least I fell fromthe Empress's favour, and she rewarded me as she held that I deserved."
"So it seems. Christ! what a dreadful pit is that. Is this another ofher gifts? Nay, answer not; I heard the tale. Well, Olaf, you saved mylife and your Northmen have set me on the throne, since without them wecould scarcely have won the palace. Now, what payment would you have?"
"Leave to go hence, Augustus," I answered.
"A small boon that you might have taken without asking, if you can finda dog to lead you, like other blind wretches. And you, Captain Jodd, andyour men, what do you ask?"
"Such donation as it may please the Augustus to bestow, and after thatpermission to follow wherever our General Olaf goes, since he is ourcare. Here we have made so many enemies that we cannot sleep at night."
"The Empress of the World falls from her throne," mused Constantine,"and not even a waiting-maid attends her to her prison. But a blindedcaptain finds a regiment to escort him hence in love and honour, asthough he were a new-crowned king. Truly Fortune is a jester. If everFate should rob me of my eyes, I wonder, when I had nothing more to givethem, if three hundred faithful swords would follow me to ruin and toexile?"
Thus he thought aloud. Afterwards he, Jodd and some others, Martinaamong them, went aside, leaving me seated on a bench. Presently theyreturned, and Constantine said,
"General Olaf, I and your companions have taken counsel. Listen. Butto-day messengers have come from Lesbos, whom we met outside the gates.It seems that the governor there is dead, and that the accursed Moslemsthreaten to storm the isle as soon as summer comes and add it to theirempire. Our Christian subjects there pray that a new governor may beappointed, one who knows war, and that with him may be sent troopssufficient to repel the prophet-worshippers, who, not having many ships,cannot attack in great force. Now, Captain Jodd thinks this task willbe to the liking of the Northmen, and though you are blind, I think thatyou would serve me well as governor of Lesbos. Is it your pleasure toaccept this office?"
"Aye, with thankfulness, Augustus," I answered. "Only, after the Moslemsare beaten back, if it pleases God that it should so befall, I ask leaveof absence for a while, since there is one for whom I must search."
"I grant it, who name Captain Jodd your deputy. Stay, there's one morething. In Lesbos my mother has large vineyards and estates. As partpayment of her debt these shall be conveyed to you. Nay, no thanks; itis I who owe them. Whatever his faults, Constantine is not ungrateful.Moreover, enough time has been spent upon this matter. What say you,Officer? That the Armenians are marshalled and that you have Stauraciussafe? Good! I come to lead them. Then to the Hippodrome to beproclaimed."
BOOK III
EGYPT