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.