by Lew Wallace
CHAPTER XVII
THE EMPEROR'S WOOING
About ten o'clock the day following the extraordinary announcementgiven, a galley of three banks of oars, classed a _trireme_, roundedthe seaward jut of the promontory overhanging the property of thePrincess Irene at Therapia.
The hull of the vessel was highly ornate with gilding and carving. Atthe how, for figure-head, there was an image of the Madonna of the_Panagia_, or Holy Banner of Constantinople. The broad square sail wasof cherry-red color, and in excellent correspondence, the oars, sixtyto a side, were painted a flaming scarlet. When filled, the saildisplayed a Greek cross in golden filament. The deck aft was coveredwith a purple awning, in the shade of which, around a throne, sat agrave and decorous company in gorgeous garments; and among them moved anumber of boys, white-shirted and bare of head, dispensing perfume fromswinging censers. Forward, a body guard, chosen from the householdtroops and full armed, were standing at ease, and they, with a corps oftrumpeters and heralds in such splendor of golden horns and tabards ofgold as to pour enrichment over the whole ship, filled the space frombulwark to bulwark. The Emperor occupied the throne.
This galley, to which the harmonious movement of the oars gave asemblance of life, in the distance reminding one of a great birdfantastically feathered and in slow majestic motion, was no sooner hovein sight than the townspeople were thrown into ferment. A flotilla ofsmall boats, hastily launched, put out in racing order to meet andescort it into the bay, and before anchorage was found, the whole shorewas astir and in excited babblement.
A detachment of the guard was first landed on the quay in front of thePrincess' gate. Accepting the indication, thither rushed the populace;for in truth, since the occupation of the Asiatic shore of theBosphorus by the Turks, the Emperor seldom extended his voyages far asTherapia. Then, descending the sides by carpeted stairs, the suitedisembarked, and after them, amidst a tremendous flourish from thetrumpet corps, Constantine followed.
The Emperor, in his light boat, remained standing during the passage tothe shore that he might be seen by the people; and as he then appeared,helmed and in close-fitting cuirass, his arms in puffed sleeves of redsilk, his legs, below a heavily embroidered narrow skirt, clothed inpliant chain mail intricately linked, his feet steel-shod, a purplecloak hanging lightly at the back from neck to heel, and spurred andmagnificently sworded, and all agleam with jewels and gold, it must beconceded he justified his entitlement.
At sight of his noble countenance, visible under the raised visor, thespectators lifted their voices in hearty acclamations--"God andConstantine! Live the Emperor!"
It really seemed as if the deadly factiousness of the capital had notreached Therapia. In the lifted head, the brightened eyes, the graciousthough stately bows cast right and left, Constantine published thepleasure the reception was giving him.
A long flourish timed his march through the kiosk of the gate, andalong the shell-strewn, winding road, to the broad steps leading to theportico of the palace; there, ascending first, he was received by thePrincess.
Amid a group of maids in attendance, all young, fair, high-born, shestood, never more tastefully attired, never more graceful andself-possessed, never more lovely, not even in childhood before theflitting of its virginal bloom; and though the portico was garden-likein decoration, vines, roses and flowering shrubs everywhere, thesovereign had eyes for her alone.
Just within the line of fluted pillars he halted, and drew himself up,smiling as became a suitor, yet majestic as became a king. Then shestepped forward, and knelt, and kissed his hand, and when he helped herto her feet, and before the flush on her forehead was gone, she said:
"Thou art my sovereign and benefactor; nor less for the goodnesses thouhast done to thy people, and art constantly doing, welcome, O my Lord,to the house thou didst give me."
"Speak not so," he replied. "Or if it please thee to give me credit, beit for the things which in some way tried me, not those I did forreward."
"Reward!"
"Ay, for such are pleasure and peace of mind."
Then one by one, she naming them as they advanced, her attendantsknelt, and kissed the floor in front of him, and had each a pleasantword, for he permitted none to excel him in decorous gallantry to goodwomen.
In return, he called the officers of his company according to theirrank; his brother, who had afterward the grace to die with him; theGrand Domestic, general of the army; the Grand Duke Notaras, admiral ofthe navy; the Grand Equerry (_Protostrator_); the Grand Chancellor ofthe Empire (_Logothete_); the Superintendent of Finance; the Governorof the Palace (_Curopalate_); the Keeper of the Purple Ink; the Keeperof the Secret Seal; the First Valet; the Chief of the Night Guard(_Grand Drumgaire_); the Chief of the Huntsmen (_Protocynege_); theCommander of the Body Guard of Foreigners (_Acolyte_); the Professor ofPhilosophy; the Professor of Elocution and Rhetoric; the AttorneyGeneral (_Nornophylex_); the Chief Falconer (_Protojeracaire_) andothers--these he called one by one, and formally presented to thePrincess, not minding that with many of them she was already acquainted.
They were for the most part men advanced in years, and right wellskilled in the arts of courtiership. The _empressement_ of manner withwhich they saluted her was not lost upon her woman's instinct;infinitely quick and receptive, she knew without a word spoken, thateach left his salute on her hand believing it the hand of his futureEmpress. Last of those presented was the Dean of the Court. He wasnoticeably formal and distant; besides being under the eye of hismaster, the wily diplomat was more doubtful of the outcome of the day'svisit than most of his colleagues.
"Now," the Princess said, when the presentation was finished, "will mymost noble sovereign suffer me to conduct him to the reception room?"
The Emperor stepped to her side, and offered his hand. "Pardon, Sire,"she added, taking the hand. "It is necessary that I speak to the Dean."
And when the worthy came to her, she said to him: "Beyond this, underthe portico, are refreshments for His Majesty's suite. Serve me, Ipray, by leading thy colleagues thither, and representing me at thetables. Command the servants whom thou wilt find there."
Now the reader must not suppose he is having in the foregoingdescriptions examples of the style of ceremonials most in fashion atthe Greek court. Had formality been intended, the affair would havebeen the subject of painstaking consideration at a meeting of officialsin the imperial residence, and every point within foresight arranged;after which the revolution of the earth might have quickened, anddarkness been unnaturally precipitated, without inducing the slightestdeviation from the programme.
When resolving upon the visit, Constantine considerately thought of thePrincess' abhorrence of formality, and not to surprise her, despatchedthe Dean with notice of the honor intended. Whereupon she arranged thereception to suit herself; that is, so as to remain directress of theoccasion. Hence the tables under the portico for the entertainment ofthe great lords, with the garden open to them afterward. Thismanagement, it will be perceived, left Constantine in her separatecharge.
So, while the other guests went with the Dean, she conducted theEmperor to the reception room, where there were no flowers, and but onearmless chair. When he was seated, the two alone, she knelt before him,and without giving him time to speak, said, her hands crossed upon herbosom: "I thank my Lord for sending me notice of his coming, and of hispurpose to invite me to share his throne. All night I have kept thehonor he intended me in mind, believing the Blessed Mother would listento my prayers for wisdom and right direction; and the peace andconfidence I feel, now that I am at my Lord's feet, must be fromher.... Oh, my Lord, the trial has not been what I should do with thehonor, but how to defend you from humiliation in the eyes of yourcourt. I wish to be at the same time womanly and allegiant. How gentleand merciful you have been to me! How like a benignant God to my poorfather! If I am in error, may Heaven forgive me; but I have led youhere to say, without waiting for the formal proposal, that while youhave my love as a kinswoman and subject, I cannot give y
ou the love youshould have from a wife."
Constantine was astonished.
"What!" he said.
Before he could get further, she continued, sinking lower at his feet:
"Ah me, my Lord, if now thou art thinking me bold and forward, andoutcast from natural pride, what can I but plead the greater love Ibear you as my benefactor and sovereign? ... It may be immodest to thusforestall my Lord's honorable intent, and decline being his wife beforehe has himself proposed it; yet I pray him to consider that with thisavowal from me, he may go hence and affirm, God approving the truth,that he thought better of his design, and did not make me any overtureof marriage, and there will be no one to suffer but me.... Theevil-minded will talk, and judge me punished for my presumption.Against them I shall always have a pure conscience, and the knowledgeof having rescued my Lord from an associate on his throne who does notlove him with wifely devotion."
Pausing there, the Princess looked into his face, her own suffused. Hishead drooped; insomuch that the tall helmet with its glitter, and thecuirass, and fine mail reenforced by the golden spurs and jewelledsword and sword-harness, but deepened the impression of pain bewrayedon his countenance.
"Then it is as I have heard," he said, dejectedly. "The rustic hind mayhave the mate of his choice, and there is preference allowed the birdand wild wolf. The eye of faith beholds marriages of love in meetingwaters and in clouds brought together from diverse parts. Only Kingsare forbidden to select mates as their hearts declare. I, a master oflife and death, cannot woo, like other men."
The Princess moved nearer him.
"My Lord," she said, earnestly, "is it not better to be denied choicethan to be denied after choosing?"
"Speakest thou from experience?" he asked.
"No," she answered, "I have never known love except of all God'screatures alike."
"Whence thy wisdom then?"
"Perhaps it is only a whisper of pride."
"Perhaps, perhaps! I only know the pain it was intended to relieve goeson." Then, regarding her moodily, not angrily, nor even impatiently, hecontinued: "Did I not know thee true as thou art fair, O Princess, andgood and sincere as thou art brave, I might suspect thee."
"Of what, my Lord?"
"Of an intent to compass my misery. Thou dost stop my mouth. I may notdeclare the purpose with which I came--I to whom it was of mostinterest--or if I do, I am forestopped saying, 'I thought better of it,and told her nothing.' Yet it was an honorable purpose nursed by sweetdreams, and by hopes such as souls feed upon, strengthening themselvesfor trials of life; I must carry it back with me, not for burial in myown breast, but for gossips to rend and tear, and make laughter of--thewonder and amusement of an unfeeling city. How many modes of punishmentGod keeps in store for the chastening of those who love Him!"
"It is beggarly saying I sympathize"--
"No, no--wait!" he cried, passionately. "Now it breaks upon me. I maynot offer thee a seat on my throne, or give a hand to help thee up toit; for the present I will not declare I love thee; yet harm cannotcome of telling thee what has been. Thou hadst my love at our firstmeeting. I loved thee then. As a man I loved thee, nor less as anEmperor because a man. Thou wast lovely with the loveliness of theangels. I saw thee in a light not of earth, and thou wert transparentas the light. I descended from the throne to thee thinking thou hadstcollected all the radiance of the sun wasting in the void betweenstars, and clothed thyself in it."
"Oh, my Lord"--
"Not yet, not yet"--
"Blasphemy and madness!"
"Be it so!" he answered, with greater intensity. "This once I speak asa lover who was--a lover making last memories of the holy passion, tobe henceforth accounted dead. Dead? Ah, yes!--to me--dead to me!"
She timidly took the hand he dropped upon his knee at the close of along sigh.
"It may rest my Lord to hear me," she said, tearfully. "I never doubtedhis fitness to be Emperor, or if ever I had such a doubt, it is nomore. He has conquered himself! Indeed, indeed, it is sweet to hear himtell his love, for I am woman; and if I cannot give it back measure formeasure, this much may be accepted by him--I have never loved a man,and if the future holds such a condition in store for me, I will thinkof my Lord, and his strength and triumph, and in my humbler lot do ashe has so nobly done. He has his Empire to engage him, and fill hishours with duties; I have God to serve and obey with singleness. Out ofthe prison where my mother died, and in which my father grew oldcounting his years as they slowly wore away, a shadow issued, and isalways at hand to ask me, 'Who art thou? What right hast thou tohappiness?' And if ever I fall into the thought so pleasant to woman,of loving and being loved, and of marriage, the shadow intervenes, andabides with me until I behold myself again bounden to religion, aservant vowed to my fellow creatures sick, suffering, or in sorrow."
Then the gentle Emperor fell to pitying her, and asked, forgetful ofhimself, and thinking of things to lighten her lot, "Wilt thou nevermarry?"
"I will not say no, my Lord," she answered. "Who can foresee the turnsof life? Take thou this in reply--never will I surrender myself towedlock under urgency of love alone. But comes there some greatemergency, when, by such sacrifice, I may save my country, or mycountrymen in multitude, or restore our holy religion overthrown or indanger, then, for the direct God-service there may be in it, I couldgive myself in contract, and would."
"Without love?" he asked.
"Yes, without loving or being loved. This body is not mine, but God's,and He may demand it of me for the good of my fellow-men; and, so therebe no tarnishment of the spirit, my Lord, why haggle about the husk inwhich the spirit is hidden?"
She spoke with enthusiasm. Doubt of her sincerity would have beenblasphemous. That such fate should be for her, so bright, pure andheroic! Not while he had authority! And in the instant he vowed himselfto care of her by resolution strong as an oath. In thought of theuncertainties lowering over his own future, he saw it was better sheshould remain vowed to Heaven than to himself; thereupon he arose, andstanding at her side, laid a hand lightly upon her head, and saidsolemnly:
"Thou hast chosen wisely. May the Blessed Mother, and all theministering angels, in most holy company, keep guard lest thou beovertaken by calamity, sorrow and disappointment. And, for me, OIrene!"--his voice shook with emotion--"I shall be content if now thouwilt accept me for thy father."
She raised her eyes, as to Heaven, and said, smiling: "Dear God! HowThou dost multiply goodnesses, and shower them upon me!"
He stooped, and kissed her forehead.
"Amen, sweet daughter!"
Then he helped her to her feet.
"Now, while thou wert speaking, Irene, it was given me to see how thebetrothal I was determined upon would have been a crime aside fromwresting thee from the service of thy choice. Phranza is a true andfaithful servant. How know I but, within his powers, and as he lawfullymight, he has contracted me by treaty to acceptance of the Georgian?Thou hast saved me, and my ancient Chamberlain. Those under the porticoare conspirators. But come, let us join them."
