CHAPTER X
OLAF GIVES JUDGMENT
As Martina finished speaking I heard the sound of tramping guards and
of a 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 of
smothered rage.
"Be pleased to tell me, Captain Jodd," she said, "what is happening in
my palace, and why I, the Empress, am haled from my apartment hither
by soldiers 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 name you. As to what has been and is happening in this palace, I
scarcely know where to begin the tale. First of all your general and
chamberlain Olaf--in case you should not recognise him, I mean that
blind man who stands yonder--was being tricked to death by certain
servants of yours who called themselves judges, and who stated that
they were acting by your orders."
"Confront me with them," said Irene, "that I may prove to you that
they lie."
"Certainly. Ho! you, bring the lady Irene here. Now hold her over that
hole. 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
the cave beneath, certain heaps lying on the rocks round which the
rising waters seethe. There are your judges whom you say you wish to
meet. If you 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 thought good enough to be the bed of a faithful soldier of
your own, one high in your service, whom it has pleased you to blind?
Why did it please you to blind him, Lady?"
"Who are you that dare to ask me questions?" she replied, gathering up
her courage.
"I'll tell you, Lady. Now that the General Olaf yonder is blinded I am
the officer in command of the Northmen, who, until you tried to murder
the 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 this morning by assault and by arrangement with most of your
Greek soldiers, having learned from your confidential lady, Martina,
of the vile deed you were about to work on the General Olaf."
"So it was you who betrayed me, Martina," gasped Irene; "and I had you
in my power. Oh! I had you in my power!"
"I did not betray you, Augusta. I saved my god-son yonder from torture
and butchery, as by my oath I was bound to do," answered Martina.
"Have done with this talk of betrayals," went on Jodd, "for who can
betray a devil? Now, Lady, with your State quarrels we have nothing to
do. You can settle them presently with your son, that is, if you still
live. But with this matter of Olaf we have much to do, and we will
settle that at once. The first part of the business we all know, so
let us 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
North which 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 blinded also?"
"What!" screamed Irene, "blinded! I blinded! I, the Empress!"
"Tell me, Lady, are the eyes of one who was an Empress different from
other eyes? Why should you complain of that darkness into which you
were so 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 eyes and afterwards tried to murder you?"
Now, I felt that all in that place were watching me and hanging on the
words that I should speak, so intently that they never heard others
entering it, as I did. For a while I paused, for why should not Irene
suffer a little of that agony of suspense which she had inflicted upon
me and others?
Then I said, "See what I have lost, friends, through no grave fault of
my own. I was in the way of greatness. I was a soldier whom you
trusted and liked well, one of unstained honour and of unstained name.
Also I loved 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 in war, 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 that of midnight. I must live on charity. When the little
store I have is spent, for I have taken no bribe and heaped up no
riches, how can I earn a living? The woman whom I love has been
carried away, after this Empress tried thrice to murder her. Whether I
shall ever find her again in this world I know not, for she has gone
to a far country that is full of enemies to Christian men. Nor do I
know whether she would be willing to take one who is blind and
beggared for a husband, though I think this may 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
if she can."
"Speak, Lady. Do you deny it?" said Jodd.
"I do not deny that this man was blinded by my order in payment of
crimes for which he might well have suffered death," answered Irene.
"But I do deny that I commanded him to be trapped in yonder pit. If
those 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 lie
of the lady Martina's, we found the General Olaf upon the very edge of
yonder hole; yes, with not the breadth of a barleycorn between him and
death. Now, General, both parties have been heard and you shall pass
sentence. If you say that yonder woman is to be blinded, this moment
she looks her last upon the light. If you say that she is to die, this
moment she bids farewell to life."
Again I thought a while. It came into my mind that Irene, who had
fallen from 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 my
ear.
"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 much
evil because she loved too well? Oh! if so, you are no longer Olaf.
For Christ's sake have pity on me, since I am not fit to meet Him.
Give me time to repent. Nay! hear me out! Let not those men drag me
away as they threaten 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 everlastingly in hell if I try to harm you or the Egyptian
more--Jesus be my witness that I ask no lesser doom upon my head. Keep
the men back, Martina, for what 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 from you. 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 is in 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 have spoken."
"Then perchance, Lady, you will allow Olaf to speak, since we, who
have much to do, must finish this business quickly, before the Emperor
comes with the Armenians," said Jodd.
"Captain Jodd and his comrades," I said, "the Empress Irene has been
pleased to make certain solemn vows to me which perchance some of you
may have overheard. At least, God heard them, and whether she keeps
them 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 the other. Now, you have made me judge in my own matter and
have promised to abide by my judgment, which you will do. Hear it,
then, and let it be remembered. For long I have been the Augusta's
officer, and of late her general and chamberlain. As such I have bound
myself by great oaths to protect her from harm in all cases, and those
oaths heretofore I have kept, when I might have broken them and not
been blamed by men. Whatever has chanced, it seems that she is still
Empress and I am still her officer, seeing that my sword has been
returned to me, although it is true she sent it that I might use it on
myself. It pleased the Empress to put out my eyes. Under our soldier's
law the monarch who rules the Empire has a right to put out the eyes
of an officer who has lifted sword against her forces, or even to kill
him. Whether this is done justly 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 I have no right to pronounce any sentence
against the Augusta Irene, and whatever may have been my private
wrongs, I pronounce none. Yet, as I am still your general until
another is named, I order you to free the Augusta Irene and to work no
vengeance on her person for aught that may have befallen me at her
hands, were her deeds just or unjust."
When I had finished speaking, in the silence that followed I heard
Irene utter something that was half a sob and half a gasp of
wonderment. Then above the murmuring of the Northmen, to whom this
rede was strange, rose the great voice of Jodd.
"General Olaf," he said, "while you were talking it came into my mind
that one of those knife points which pierced your eyes had pricked the
brain behind them. But when you had finished talking it came into my
mind that you are a great man who, putting aside your private rights
and wrongs and the glory of revenge which lay to your hand, have
taught us 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, I shall ask you to instruct me in this Christian faith of
yours, which can make a man not only forgive but hide his forgiveness
under the mask of duty, for that, as we know well, is what you have
done. General, your order shall be obeyed. Be she Empress or nothing,
this lady's person is safe from us. More, we will protect her to the
best of our power, as you did in the Battle of the Garden. Yet I tell
her to her face that had it not been for those orders, had you, for
example, said that you left judgment to us, she who has spoilt such a
man should have died a death of 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
like you."
There was a stir of feet and another voice spoke, a voice that should
have been clear and youthful, but sounded as though it were thick with
wine. It did not need Martina's whisper to tell me that it was that of
Constantine.
"Greeting, friends," he said, and at once there came a rattle of
saluting swords and an answering cry of
"Greeting, Augustus!"
"You struck before the time," went on the thick, boyish voice. "Yet as
things seem to have gone rather well for us, I cannot blame you,
especially as I see that you hold fast her who has usurped my
birthright."
Now I heard Irene turn with a swift and furious movement.
"Your birthright, boy," she cried. "What birthright have you save that
which my body gave?"
"I thought that my father had more to do with this matter of imperial
right than the Grecian girl whom it pleased him to marry for her fair
face," 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
their gorge does not rise at such rancid stuff. The holy oil forsooth!
Nay, the sour dregs of wine jars, the outscourings of the stews, the
filth of the stables, of such is the holy oil that burns in
Constantine, the drunkard and the liar."
It would seem that before this torrent of coarse invective Constantine
quailed, who at heart always feared his mother, and I think never more
so than when he appeared to triumph over her. Or perhaps he scorned to
answer it. At least, addressing Jodd, he said,
"Captain, I and my officers, standing yonder unseen, have heard
something of what passed in this place. By what warrant do you and
your company 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
took the palace and opened the gates to you and your Armenians. Also
we took her who ruled in the palace, with whom we had a private score
to settle that has to do with our general who stands yonder, blinded.
Well, it is settled in his own fashion, and now we do not yield up
this woman, our prisoner, save on your royal promise that no harm
shall come to her in body. As for the rest, it is your business. Make
a cook-maid of her if you will, only then I think her tongue would
clear the kitchen. But swear to keep her sound in life and limb till
hell calls her, since otherwise we must add her to our company, which
will make no man merrier."
"No," answered Constantine, "in a week she would corrupt you every one
and breed a war. Well," he added with a boisterous laugh, "I'm master
now at last, and I'll swear by any saint that you may name, or all of
them, no harm shall come to this Empress whose rule is done, and who,
being without friends, need not be feared. Still, lest she should
spawn more mischief or murder, she must be kept close till we and our
councillors decide where she shall dwell in future. Ho! guards, take
my royal father's widow to the dower-palace, and there watch her well.
If she escapes, you shall die beneath the rods. Away with the snake
before it 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
still has strength to strike and poison in its fangs, you and others.
Do you come with me, Martina?"
"Nay, Lady, since here stands one whom God and you together have given
me to guard. For his sake I would keep my life in me," and she touched
me on the shoulder.
"That whelp who is called my son spoke truly when he said that the
fallen have no friends," exclaimed Irene. "Well, you should thank me,
Martina, who made Olaf blind, since, being without eyes, he cannot see
how ugly is your face. In his darkness he may perchance mistake you
for the beauteous Egyptian, Heliodore, as I know you who love him
madly would have him do."
With this vile taunt she went.
"I think I'm crazed," said the Emperor, as the doors swung to behind
her. "I should have struck that snake while the stick is in my hand. I
tell you I fear her fangs. Why, if she could, she'd make me as that
poor man is, blind, or even butcher me. Well, she's my mother, and
I've sworn, 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 tender mother of mine would have let me eat when I was in liquor;
yes, and would 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 the
favours of an Empress because of some young girl you dared to love.
They say also that she paid you back with a dagger in the eyes, she
who was ready to set you in my place."
"Rumour has many tongues, Augustus," I answered. "At least I fell from
the 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 of
her gifts? Nay, answer not; I heard the tale. Well, Olaf, you saved my
life and your Northmen have set me on the throne, since without them
we could 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
find a dog to lead you, like other blind wretches. And you, Captain
Jodd, and your men, what do you ask?"
"Such donation as it may please the Augustus to bestow, and after that
permission to follow wherever our General Olaf goes, since he is our
care. 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 blinded
captain finds a regiment to escort him hence in love and honour, as
though he were a new-crowned king. Truly Fortune is a jester. If ever
Fate should rob me of my eyes, I wonder, when I had nothing more to
give them, if three hundred faithful swords would follow me to ruin
and to exile?"
Thus he thought aloud. Afterwards he, Jodd and some others, Martina
among them, went aside, leaving me seated on a bench. Presently they
returned, and Constantine said,
"General Olaf, I and your companions have taken counsel. Listen. But
to-day messengers have come from Lesbos, whom we met outside the
gates. It seems that the governor there is dead, and that the accursed
Moslems threaten to storm the isle as soon as summer comes and add it
to their empire. Our Christian subjects there pray that a new governor
may be appointed, one who knows war, and that with him may be sent
troops sufficient to repel the prophet-worshippers, who, not having
many ships, cannot attack in great force. Now, Captain Jodd thinks
this task will be to the liking of the Northmen, and though you are
blind, I think that you would serve me well as governor of Lesbos. Is
it your pleasure to accept this office?"
"Aye, with thankfulness, Augustus," I answered. "Only, after the
Moslems are beaten back, if it pleases God that it should so befall, I
ask leave of 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 more
thing. In Lesbos my mother has large vineyards and estates. As part
payment of her debt these shall be conveyed to you. Nay, no thanks; it
is 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
Stauracius safe? Good! I come to lead them. Then to the Hippodrome to
be proclaimed."
