Theodora returned his creeping salutation by a slight nod. Galatea
began to paint her eyebrows.

"Empress," the new-comer began, "I wonder at your courage. If I were
seen here! A moment's rashness would render vain the prudence of nine
years!"

"But you will not be seen, Petros," said Theodora quietly. "This is the
only hour in which I am secure from Justinian's importunate tenderness.
It is his hour of prayer. I must profit by it as much as I can. God
preserve his piety! Galatea, my wine. What! Surely, thou dost not fear
to leave me alone with this dangerous seducer?"

The old woman left the room with a hateful grin upon her lips, and soon
returned with a jug of sweet heated Chian-wine in one hand, and a cup
of honey and water in the other.

"I could not arrange our meeting in the church as usual, where, in the
dark confessional, you look exactly like a priest. The Emperor will
call you before church-time, and you must be thoroughly instructed
beforehand."

"What is then to be done?"

"Petros," answered Theodora, leaning comfortably back and sipping the
sweet mixture which Galatea now handed to her, "the day has come which
will reward all our years of patience, and make you a great man."

"It is time, indeed!" observed Petros.

"Do not be impatient, friend.--Galatea, a little more honey.--In order
to put you into the right humour for to-day's business, it will be well
to remind you of the past, of the manner in which our--friendship
originated."

"What mean you? Wherefore----"

"For many reasons. To begin. You were the cousin and adherent of my
deadly enemy, Narses. Consequently, you were my enemy too. For years
you acted against me in your cousin's service, hurting me but little,
and still less benefiting yourself. For Narses, your virtuous friend,
considers it a point of honour never to do anything for his relations;
so that, unlike other courtiers of the realm, he may never be accused
of nepotism. Out of pure friendship and virtue, he left you unpromoted.
You remained a simple writer and a poor man. But a clever man like you
knows how to help himself. You forged--you doubled the amount of the
Emperor's dues. Besides what was demanded by the Emperor, the provinces
paid another tax, which Petros and the tax-gatherers shared amongst
themselves. For a time all went on smoothly. But once----"

"Empress, I beseech you!"

"I shall soon have finished, friend. But once you had the misfortune to
have a n