de with a speedy death. See, I have procured this reward
for you--for Justinian would have made you senator--so that you may
be right in your assertion that Theodora possesses a pernicious and
all-commanding influence!' Another kiss of her foot; of which she took
advantage playfully to strike me on the mouth with her shoe. I had made
my will before going to this audience. You now see how this demon in a
woman's form revenges herself upon me! One really cannot censure the
edifices erected by Justinian: one can only be silent--or praise them.
If I remain silent, it will cost me my life. If I speak and do not
praise, it will cost my life and my veracity. Therefore I must either
praise or die. And I am weak enough," concluded Procopius with a sigh,
"to prefer to praise and live."

"You have consumed so much Thucydides and Tacitus, dry or liquid," said
the guest, filling the glasses, "and yet have become neither a
Thucydides nor a Tacitus!"

"I would rather let my long-named friend cut off my left hand also than
write about these buildings."

"Keep your hand. But, after the public panegyric on the buildings,
write a secret history of the shameful deeds of Justinian and
Theodora."

Procopius sprang from his seat.

"That would be devilish, but grand! The advice is worthy of you,
friend. For that you shall have one of the nine muses of Herodotus from
my cellar--my oldest, dearest, most excellent wine. Oh! this secret
history shall excite astonishment! The only pity is that I cannot
relate the most filthy and most murderous deeds. I should die of
disgust. And that which I can write will be always looked upon as
immensely exaggerated. And what will posterity say of Procopius, who
left a panegyric, a criticism, and an accusation--one and all on
Justinian?"

"Posterity will say that he was the greatest historian, but also the
son and the victim, of the Empire of Byzantium. Revenge yourself; she
has left you your clever head and your left hand. Well, your left hand
need not know what your right hand formerly wrote. Draw the picture of
this Empress and her husband for all future generations. Then _they_
will not have conquered with their buildings, but _you_ with your
secret history. They would have punished limited candour; you will
punish them by an unlimited revelation of the truth. Every one revenges
himself with his own weapons--the bull with his horns, the warrior with
his sword, the author by his pen."

"Particularl