The Prince of India, Volume II

stern front of Blacherne. How it originated, how many houses were destroyed, how many of the people perished i

zealously in the melancholy work. When Galata, laying her jealousies aside, contributed money and sent companies of laborers over to the assistance of her neighbor, it actually seemed as if the long-forgotten age of Christian brotherhoo

, he received her forthwith. The reader can surmise the business she brought for consideration, and also the amazement with which her royal kinsman heard of the discovery and rescue of Lael. For a spell his self-possession forsook him.

ey addressed themselves to the inquiry incredulously; but after listening to Sergius, and to the details the little Jewess was able to give them, the occurrence forced itself on their comprehen

it offered His Majesty to crush the Academy of Epicurus, but a second thought cooled their ardor; insomuch that they began drawing back in alarm. The Brotherhood

from his associates, each of them went with a scarce admitted hope that there would be a failure of the confirmations at least with respect to

und upon the pavement. The countenance looked the terror of which the man died, and a

scheme. But where was he? We may be sure there was no delay in the demand for him. While the fishing tongs were being brought, the apartments were inspected, and a list of their contents made. Then the party collected at the edge of the landing. The secret hope was faint within them, for the confirmations so far were positive, and the terrible negro, not in the least abashed, was showing them where his enemy went down. They gave him the tongs, and at the first plung

he-De

no need of speech-a fortunate thing, for at that ins

om, whither they hurriedly adjourned, it was resolved to despatch a messenger to His Majesty with an informal

iving barely in time to receive the blessings of his reverend friend, who, overcome by the shock, died in his arms. Returning sadly to Blacherne, he ordered the corpses of the guilty men to be exposed for two days before the door of the keeper's house, and the cistern thrown open for visitation by all who desired to inspect the Palace of Darkness, as he appropriately termed the floating tenement constructe

r them in the street, looked at them, shuddered, crossed themselves, and went their ways apparently thankful for the swiftness of the judgment which had befallen; nor was there on

y. Sancta Sophia was the place appointed for the services, and Constantine had published his intention to be present. He had donned the Basilean robes; his litter was

gardless of the ancient salutation, "

countenance

God for a great mercy; who

ered.... "The funeral of the Hegumen of the S

the sad reminder, "I had intended to

, when Gennadius appeared, and began to preach, and he wrought upon his hearers until they p

eror yielded to

rom the penalties of sin and impiety? And he-that genius of unrest-that master of foment-God o' Mercy, what has he laid hold

gestion of a policy. Pity he did not take it! For then how much of mischance had been averted from himself-Constantinople might not have been lost to the Christian world-the Greek Churc

, its swiftness proving it to have been directed by Heaven; but he declared its conception was due to the Academy of Epicurus, and that there remained nothing deserving study and penance except the continued toleration without which the ungodly institutio

acked the C

zymite Patriarch, and while that servant of prostitution and heresy

-how dealt he

it of its strength and beauty; the State, as a political prompter and coadjutor of the Delilah; a

earer at his back; but recovering himself, he asked with forced moderation:

and implored them to gird up their loins, and stand for

ll them wh

my L

it an expectation that now there would be something to justif

e weapons of hell, but by refusing to assist the Patriarch with their presence. A vision had come to him in the night, he said-an angel of the Lord with the Madonna of Blacherne-advising him of the Divine will. Under his further urgency-and my Lor

dden resolution. "The good Gregory

eed of their utmost splendor. It is my will, further, that the army be drawn from their quarters to the Church, men, music, and flags, and the navies from their ships. And give greeting to the Patriarch, and

ect was entered u

nse auditorium, their banners hanging unfurled from the galleries, the Emperor entered, with his court; in a word, the brave, honest, white-haired Patr

mbers up in Blacherne, meditated upon the day

lence, and much disquieted, "was not my predecessor, th

history, my Lord,

he mana

led a C

truly-was

ecollect an

first settled the faith, and t

my L

byter of a little church in Alexandria cal

mber hi

e Trinity. Him the first Constantine

uch practice of diplomacy, usually a tedious, waiting occupation, he hastened to reply: "Even so, my Lord. Yet h

him, and lapsed into silence; when

le were not there"-meaning at S

, my

ot a statesman, but only a soldier, with nothing to gi

her, that from the afternoon of the solemnity in Sancta Sophia the discussion then forced upon him went from bad to worse, until he was seriously deprived both of popular sympathy and the support of the organized religious orders. The success of the solemnity in point of display, and the measures resorted to, were not merely offe

e the court and the army and navy, and even they were subjected to incessant inroads-until, finally, it came to pass that the E

ith such cunning that in the monasteries the very High Residence of Blacherne was spoken of as a den of azymites, while Sancta Sophia was abandoned to the Patriarch. To be seen in the purlieus of the latter was a signal for vulgar anathemas and social ostracism. His habits meantime were of a sort to make him a popular idol. He grew, if possible, more severely penitential; he fasted and flagellated himself; he slept on the stony floor before his crucifix; he sel

trust no one with the order. The time was dark as a starless night to the high-spirited but too amiable monarch, and he watched and waited, or rather watched and drifted, extending confidence to but two counsell

plainly estimated, leaving the suspicion of a difference betwee