that
a certain general had been wrong when he prophesied that the wearing
of this necklace by any woman save one would bring ill fortune to the
wearer, since from the day it hung about Irene's neck even that which
seemed to be bad fortune had turned to good. Thus she had escaped "the
most evil thing in the world, namely, another husband," and had become
the first woman in the world.

These words, which were written on a piece of sheepskin, sealed up, and
addressed to the Lady Heliodore, but unsigned, I thought of the most
evil omen, since boastfulness always seems to be hateful to the Power
that decrees our fates. So, indeed, they proved to be.

On a certain day in early summer--it was the anniversary of my marriage
in Egypt--Heliodore and I had dined with but two guests. Those guests
were Jodd, the great Northman, my lieutenant, and his wife, Martina, for
within a year of our return to Lesbos Jodd and Martina had married. It
comes back to me that there was trouble about the business, but that
when Jodd gave out that either she must marry him or that he would sail
back to his northern land, bidding good-bye to us all for ever, Martina
gave way. I think that Heliodore managed the matter in some fashion of
her own after the birth of our first-born son; how, I held it best never
to inquire. At least, it was managed, and the marriage turned out well
enough in the end, although at first Martina was moody at times and
somewhat sharp of tongue with Jodd. Then they had a baby which died, and
this dead child drew them closer together than it might have done had it
lived. At any rate, from that time forward Martina grew more gentle with
Jodd, and when other children were born they seemed happy together.

Well, we four had dined, and it comes to me that our talk turned upon
the Caliph Harun and his wonderful goodness to us, whom as Christians he
was bound to despise and hate. Heliodore told me then for the first time
how she was glad he had made it clear so soon that what she drank from
the gold cup which now stood upon our table was no more than rose water.

So strong is the working of the mind that already she had begun to feel
as though poison were numbing her heart and clouding her brain, and
was sure that soon she would have fallen into the sleep which Harun had
warned her would end in death.

"Had he been a true physician, he would have known that this might be
so, and that such grim jests are very dangerous," I sai