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 Caesar 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
Ni