CHAPTER II
THE BLIND CĘSAR
Irene turned upon the eunuch as a she-lion turns upon some hunter that
disturbs it from its prey. Noting the anger in her eyes, he fell back
and prostrated himself. Thereupon she spoke to me as though his entry
had 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
city for a while for the Baths whither I am sent. You must not
accompany me because of the duty I have laid upon you here. When I
return, be sure I'll summon you," and, knowing that Stauracius could
not see her from where he lay, for a moment she let her splendid eyes
meet my own. In them there was a message I could not mistake.
"The Augusta shall be obeyed," I answered, saluting. "May the Augusta
return 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 staying to
bow at each third step, as was the custom. The process was somewhat
long, 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,
you shall lose two things--your office and your head. What! May I not
give secret orders to my trusted officer and not be spied upon by you?
Now, cease your grovellings and lead in these Persians, as you have
been bribed to do."
Passing through the silk-clad, bejewelled Persians who waited in an
antechamber with their slaves and gifts, I gained the great terrace of
the palace which looked upon the sea. Here I found Martina leaning on
the parapet.
"Have you more of the Augusta's pearls about you, Olaf?" she asked
mockingly, speaking over her shoulder.
"Not I, Martina," I answered, halting beside her.
"Indeed. I could have sworn otherwise, for they are perfumed, and I
seemed to catch their odour. When did you begin to use the royal scent
upon that yellow beard of yours, Olaf? If any of us women did so, it
would mean blows and exile; but perchance a captain of the guard may
be forgiven."
"I use no scents, girl, as you know well. Yet it is true that these
rooms reek of them, and they cling to armour."
"Yes, and still more to hair. Well, what gift had my mistress for you
to-day?"
"A commission to guard certain prisoners, Martina."
"Ah! Have you read it yet? When you do, I think you'll find that it
names you Governor of the jail, which is a high office, carrying much
pay and place. You are in good favour, Olaf, and I hope that when you
come to greatness you will not forget Martina. It was I who put it
into a certain mind to give you this commission as the only man that
could be trusted 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 it will lead you--not to glory, but a grave."
"Mayhap, Martina, and to speak truth, a grave is the only quiet place
in Constantinople. Mayhap, too, it hides the only real glory."
"That's what we Christians say. It would be strange if you, who are
not a Christian, alone should believe and keep the saying. Oh!" She
went on with passion, "we are but shams and liars, whom God must hate.
Well, I go 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
serve to clear the Augusta's skin and restore her shape to the lines
of youth which it begins to need, though doubtless you do not think
so. You were named to come as her officer of the Person; but, Olaf,
this other business rose up of a new governor for the jail in which
the Cęsars and /Nobilissimi/ are confined. I saw a chance for you in
it, who, although you have served all these years, have had no real
advancement, and mentioned 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 at the Baths. Was I right or was I wrong?"
"I think you were right, Martina. Baths are idle places where folk
drift into trouble, and I follow duty. Martina--may I say it to you?--
you are a good woman and a kind. I pray that those gods of yours whom
you worship may bless you."
"You pray in vain, Olaf, for that they will never do. Indeed, I think
that 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
that morning which I found it hard to understand. Why had the Augusta
kissed me? I took it that this was some kind of imperial jest. It was
known that I kept aloof from women, and she may have desired to see
what I should do when an Augusta kissed me, and then to make a mock of
me. I had heard that she had done as much with others.
Well, let that be, since Stauracius, who always feared lest a new
favourite should slip between him and power, had settled the matter
for me, for which I blessed Stauracius, although at the moment, being
but a man, I had cursed him. And now why did Martina--the little, dark
Martina with the kind face and the watchful, beady eyes, like to those
of a robin in our northern lands--speak as she had done, and then
burst into tears?
A doubt struck me, but I, who was never vain, pushed it aside. I did
not understand, and of what use was it to try to interpret the meaning
of the moods of women? My business was war, or, at the moment, the
service that has to do with war, not women. Wars had brought me to the
rank I held, though, strangely enough, of those wars I can recall
nothing now; they have vanished from my vision. To wars also I looked
to advance me in the future, who was no courtier, but a soldier, whom
circumstances had brought to Court. Well, thanks to Martina, as she
said, or to some caprice of the Empress, I had a new commission that
was of more worth to me 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
was mine as captain of the Augusta's guard, though, being written in
Greek, I found this difficult. Martina had spoken truly. I was made
the Governor of the State prison, with all authority, including that
of life and death should emergency arise. Moreover, this governorship
gave me the rank of a general, with a general's pay, also such
pickings as I chose to take. In short, from captain of the guard,
suddenly I had become a great man in Constantinople, one with whom
even Stauracius and others like him would have to reckon, especially
as his signature appeared upon the commission beneath that of the
Empress.
Whilst I was wondering what I should do next, a trumpet blew upon the
ramparts, and a Northman of my company entered, saluted and said that
I was summoned. I went out, and there before me stood a dazzling band
that bowed humbly to me, whom yesterday they would have passed without
notice. Their captain, a smooth-faced Greek, came forward, and,
addressing me as "General," said the imperial orders were that he was
to escort me to the State jail.
"For what purpose?" I asked, since it came to my mind that Irene might
have 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.
In the next I see myself dwelling in some stately apartments that
formed the antechambers to the great prison. This prison, which was
situated not far from the Forum of Constantine, covered a large area
of ground, which included a garden where the prisoners were allowed to
walk. It was surrounded by a double wall, with an outer and an inner
moat, the outer dry, and the inner filled with water. There were
double gates also, and by them guard-towers. Moreover, I see a little
yard, with posts in it, where prisoners were scourged, and a small and
horrible room, furnished with a kind of wooden bed, to which they were
bound for the punishment of the putting out of their eyes and the
slitting of their tongues. In front of this room was a block where
those condemned to death were sometimes executed.
There were many prisoners, not common felons, but people who had been
taken for reasons of State or sometimes of religion. Perhaps in all
they numbered a hundred men, and with them a few women, who had a
quarter to themselves. Besides the jailers, three-score guards were
stationed there night and day, and of all of these I was in command.
Before I had held my office three days I found that Irene had
appointed me to it with good reason. It happened thus. The most of the
prisoners were allowed to receive presents of food and other things
sent to them by their friends. All these presents were supposed to be
inspected by the officer in charge of the prison. This rule, which had
been much neglected, I enforced again, with the result that I made
some strange discoveries.
Thus, on the third day, there came a magnificent offering of figs for
the Cęsars and /Nobilissimi/, the brothers-in-law of Irene and the
uncles of the young Emperor Constantine, her son. These figs were
being carried past me formally, when something about the appearance of
one of them excited my suspicion. I took it and offered it to the
jailer who carried the basket. He looked frightened, shook his head,
and said,
"General, I touch no fruit."
"Indeed," I answered. "That is strange, since I thought that I saw you
eating of it yesterday."
"Aye, General," he replied; "the truth is that I ate too much."
Making no answer, I went to the window, and threw the fig to a long-
tailed, tame monkey which was chained to a post in the yard without.
It caught it and ate greedily.
"Do not go away, friend," I said to the jailer, who was trying to
depart while my back was turned. "I have questions that I would ask
you."
So I spoke to him about other matters, and all the while watched the
monkey.
Soon I saw that it was ill at ease. It began to tear at its stomach
and to whimper like a child. Then it foamed at the mouth, was seized
with convulsions, and within a quarter of an hour by the water-clock
was dead.
"It would seem that those figs are poisoned, friend," I said, "and
therefore it is fortunate for you that you ate too much fruit
yesterday. Now, man, what do you know of this matter?"
"Nothing, sir," he answered, falling on his knees. "I swear to you by
Christ, nothing. Only I doubted. The fruits were brought by a woman
whom I thought that once I had seen in the household of the Augustus
Constantine, and I knew----" and he paused.
"Well, what did you know, man? It would be best to tell me quickly,
who have power here."
"I knew, sir, what all the world knows, that Constantine would be rid
of his uncles, whom he fears, though they are maimed. No more, I swear
it, no more."
"Perhaps before the Augusta returns you may remember something more,"
I said. "Therefore, I will not judge your case at present. Ho! guard,
come hither."
As he heard the soldiers stirring without in answer to my summons, the
man, who was unarmed, looked about his desperately; then he sprang at
the fruit, and, seizing a fig, strove to thrust it into his mouth. But
I was too quick for him, and within a few seconds the soldiers had him
fast.
"Shut this man in a safe dungeon," I said. "Treat and feed him well,
but search him. See also that he does himself no harm and that none
speak with him. Then forget all this business."
"What charge must be entered in the book, General?" asked the officer,
saluting.
"A charge of stealing figs that belonged to the Cęsar Nicephorus and
his royal brethren," I answered, and looked through the window.
He followed my glance, saw the poor monkey lying dead, and started.
"All shall be done," he said, and the man was led away.
When he had gone, I sent for the physician of the jail, whom I knew to
be trustworthy, since I had appointed him myself. Without telling him
anything, I bade him examine and preserve the figs, and also dissect
the body of the monkey to discover why it died.
He bowed and went away with the fruit. A while later he returned, and
showed me an open fig. In the heart of it was a pinch of white powder.
"What is it?" I asked.
"The deadliest poison that is known, General. See, the stalk has been
drawn out, the powder blown in through a straw, and then the stalk
replaced."
"Ah!" I said, "that is clever, but not quite clever enough. They have
mixed the stalks. I noted that the purple fig had the stalk of a green
fig, and that is why I tried it on the monkey."
"You observe well, General."
"Yes, Physician, I observe. I learned that when, as a lad, I hunted
game in the far North. Also I learned to keep silent, since noise
frightens game. Do you as much."
"Have no fear," he answered; and went about his business with the dead
monkey.
When he had gone I thought a while. Then I rose, and went to the
chapel of the prison, or, rather, to a place whence I could see those
in the chapel without being seen. This chapel was situated in a gloomy
crypt, lighted only with oil lamps that hung from the massive pillars
and arches. The day was the Sabbath of the Christians, and when I
entered the little secret hollow in the walls, the sacrament was being
administered to certain of the prisoners.
Truly it was a sad sight, for the ministering priest was none other
than the Cęsar Nicephorus, the eldest of the Emperor's uncles, who had
been first ordained in order that he might be unfit to sit upon the
throne, and afterwards blinded, as I have told. He was a tall, pale
man, with an uncertain mouth and a little pointed chin, apparently
between forty and fifty years of age, and his face was made dreadful
by two red hollows where the eyes should have been. Yet,
notwithstanding this disfigurement, and his tonsured crown, and the
broidered priest's robes which hung upon him awkwardly, as he stumbled
through the words of his office, to this poor victim there still
seemed to cling some air of royal birth and bearing. Being blind, he
could not see to administer the Element, and therefore his hand was
guided by one of his imperial brethren, who also had been made a
priest. The tongue of this priest had been slit, but now and again he
gibbered some direction into the ear of Nicephorus. By the altar,
watching all, sat a stern-faced monk, the confessor of the Cęsars and
of the /Nobilissimi/, who was put there to spy upon them.
I followed the rite to its end, observing these unhappy prisoners
seeking from the mystery of their faith the only consolation that
remained to them. Many of them were men innocent of any crime, save
that of adherence to some fallen cause, political or religious;
victims were they, not sinners, to be released by death alone. I
remember that, as the meaning of the scene came home to me, I recalled
the words of Irene, who had said that she believed this world to be a
hell, and found weight in them. At length, able to bear no more, I
left my hiding-place and went into the garden behind the chapel. Here,
at least, were natural things. Here flowers, tended by the prisoners,
bloomed as they might have done in some less accursed spot. Here the
free birds sang and nested in the trees, for what to them were the
high surrounding walls?
I sat myself down upon a seat in the shade. Presently, as I had
expected, Nicephorus, the priest-Cęsar, and his four brethren came
into the garden. Two of them led the blind man by the hand, and the
other two clung close to him, for all these unfortunates loved each
other dearly. The four with the split tongues gabbled in his ears. Now
and again, when he could catch or guess at the meaning of a word, he
answered the speaker gently; or the others, seeing that he had not
understood them aright, painfully tried to explain the error. Oh! it
was a piteous thing to see and hear. My gorge rose against the young
brute of an Emperor and his councillors who, for ambition's sake, had
wrought this horrible crime. Little did I know then that ere long
their fate would be his own, and that a mother's hand would deal it
out to him.
They caught sight of me seated beneath the tree, and chattered like
startled starlings, till at length Nicephorus understood.
"What say you, dear brothers?" he asked, "that the new governor of the
prison is seated yonder? Well, why should we fear him? He has been
here but a little while, yet he has shown himself very kind to us.
Moreover, he is a man of the North, no treacherous Greek, and the men
of the North are brave and upright. Once, when I was a free prince, I
had some of them in my service, and I loved them well. Our nephew, the
Emperor, offered a large sum to a Northman to blind or murder me, but
he would not do it, and was dismissed from the service of the Empire
because he spoke his mind and prayed his heathen gods to bring a like
fate upon Constantine himself. Lead me to this governor; I would talk
with him."
So they brought Nicephorus to me, though doubtfully, and when he was
near I rose from my seat and saluted him. Thereon they all gabbled
again with their split tongues, till at length he understood and
flushed with pleasure.
"General Olaf," he said to me, "I thank you for your courtesy to a
poor prisoner, forgotten by God and cruelly oppressed by man. General
Olaf, the promise is of little worth, but, if ever it should be in my
power, I will remember this kindness, which pleases me more than did
the shouting of the legions in the short day of my prosperity."
"Sir," I answered, "whatever happens I shall remember your words,
which are more to me than any honours kings can bestow. Now, sir, I
will ask your royal brethren to fall back, as I wish to speak with
you."
Nicephorus made a sign with his hand, and the four half-dumb men, all
of whom resembled him strangely, especially in the weakness of their
mouths and chins, obeyed. Bowing to me in a stately fashion, they
withdrew, leaving us alone.
"Sir," I said, "I would warn you that you have enemies whom you may
not suspect, for my duty here wherewith I was charged by the Augusta
is not to oppress but to protect you and your imperial brothers."
Then I told him the story of the poisoned figs.
When he had heard it, the tears welled from his hollow eyes and ran
down his pale cheeks.
"Constantine, my brother Leo's son, has done this," he said, "for
never will he rest until all of us are in the grave."
"He is cruel because he fears you, O Nicephorus, and it is said that
your ambition has given him cause to fear."
"Once, General, that was true," the prince replied. "Once, foolishly,
I did aspire to rule; but it is long ago. Now they have made a priest
of me, and I seek peace only. Can I and my brethren help it if,
mutilated though we are, some still wish to use us against the
Emperor? I tell you that Irene herself is at the back of them. She
would set us on high that afterwards she may throw us down and crush
us."
"I am her servant, Prince, and may not listen to such talk, who know
only that she seeks to protect you from your enemies, and for that
reason has placed me here, it seems not in vain. If you would continue
to live, I warn you and your brethren to fly from plots and to be
careful of what you eat and drink."
"I do not desire to live, General," he answered. "Oh! that I might
die. Would that I might die."
"Death is not difficult to find, Prince," I replied, and left him.
These may seem hard words, but, be it remembered, I was no Christian
then, but a heathen man. To see one who had been great and fallen from
his greatness, one whom Fortune had deserted utterly, whining at Fate
like a fretful child, and yet afraid to seek his freedom, moved me to
contempt as well as to pity. Therefore, I spoke the words.
Yet all the rest of that day they weighed upon my mind, for I knew
well how I should have interpreted them were I in this poor Cęsar's
place. So heavily did they weigh that, during the following night, an
impulse drew me from my bed and caused me to visit the cells in which
these princes were imprisoned. Four of them were dark and silent, but
in that of Nicephorus burned a light. I listened at the door, and
through the key-place heard that the prisoner within was praying, and
sobbing as he prayed.
Then I went away; but when I reached the end of the long passage
something drew me back again. It was as though a hand I could not see
were guiding me. I returned to the door of the cell, and now through
it heard choking sounds. Quickly I shot the bolts and unlocked it with
my master-key. This was what I saw within:
To a bar of the window-place was fastened such a rope as monks wear
for a girdle; at the end of the rope was a noose, and in that noose
the head of Nicephorus. There he hung, struggling. His hands had
gripped the rope above his head, for though he had sought Death, at
the last he tried to escape him. Of such stuff was Nicephorus made.
Yet it was too late, or would have been, for as I entered the place
his hands slipped from the thin cord, which tightened round his
throat, choking him.
My sword was at my side. Drawing it, with a blow I cut the rope and
caught him in my arms. Already he was swooning, but I poured water
over his face, and, as his neck remained unbroken, he recovered his
breath and senses.
"What play is this, Prince?" I asked.
"One that you taught me, General," he answered painfully. "You said
that death could be found. I went to seek him, but at the last I
feared. Oh! I tell you that when I thrust away that stool, my blind
eyes were opened, and I saw the fires of hell and the hands of devils
grasping at my soul to plunge it into them. Blessings be on you who
have saved me from those fires," and seizing my hand he kissed it.
"Do not thank me," I said, "but thank the God you worship, for I think
that He must have put it into my mind to visit you to-night. Now swear
to me by that God that you will attempt such a deed no more, for if
you will not swear then you must be fettered."
Then he swore so fervently by his Christ that I was sure he would
never break the oath. After he had sworn I told him how I could not
rest because of the strange fears which oppressed me.
"Oh!" he said, "without doubt it was God who sent His angel to you
that I might be saved from the most dreadful of all sins. Without
doubt it was God, Who knows you, although you do not know Him."
After this he fell upon his knees, and, having untied the cut rope
from the window bars, I left him.
Now I tell this story because it has to do with my own, for it was
these words of the Prince that first turned me to the study of the
Christian Faith. Indeed, had they never been spoken, I believe that I
should have lived and died a heathen man. Hitherto I had judged of
that Faith by the works of those who practised it in Constantinople,
and found it wanting. Now, however, I was sure that some Power from
above us had guided me to the chamber of Nicephorus in time to save
his life, me, who, had he died, in a sense would have been guilty of
his blood. For had he not been driven to the deed by my bitter,
mocking words? It may be said that this would have mattered little;
that he might as well have died by his own hand as be taken to Athens,
there to perish with his brethren, whether naturally or by murder I do
not know. But who can judge of such secret things? Without doubt the
sufferings of Nicephorus had a purpose, as have all our sufferings. He
was kept alive for reasons known to his Maker though not to man.
Here I will add that of this unhappy Cęsar and his brethren I remember
little more. Dimly I seem to recollect that during my period of office
some attack was made upon the prison by those who would have put the
prince to death, but that I discovered the plot through the jailer who
had introduced the poisoned figs, and defeated it with ease, thereby
gaining much credit with Irene and her ministers. If so, of this plot
history says nothing. All it tells of these princes is that afterwards
a mob haled them to the Cathedral of St. Sophia and there proclaimed
Nicephorus emperor. But they were taken again, and at last shipped to
Athens, where they vanished from the sight of men.
God rest their tortured souls, for they were more sinned against than
sinning.
