“Thenalieisrumoured，Olaf。YetitistruethatIamambitious，whoseefarandwouldbuildthistotteringempireupafresh。Olaf，itisabitterthingtohavebegottenafool。“
“Thenwhydoyounotmarryagainandbegetothers，whomightbenofools，Augusta？“Iaskedbluntly。
“Ah！why？“sheanswered，flashingacuriousglanceuponme。“Intruth，Idonotquiteknowwhy；butfromnolackofsuitors，since，wereshebutahideoushag，anempresswouldfindthese。Olaf，youmayhavelearnedthatIwasnotborninthepurple。IwasbutaGreekgirlofgoodrace，notevennoble，towhomGodgaveagiftofbeauty；andwhenIwasyoungIsawamanwhotookmyfancy，alsoofoldrace，yetbutamerchantoffruitswhichtheygrowinGreeceandsellhereandatRome。Iwishedtomarryhim，butmymother，afar-seeingwoman，saidthatsuchbeautyasmine——thoughlessthanthatofyourIdunatheFair，Olaf——wasworthmoneyorrank。Sotheysentawaymymerchantoffruits，whomarriedthedaughterofanothermerchantoffruitsandthroveverywellinbusiness。Hecametoseemesomeyearsago，fatasatub，hisfacescoredalloverwiththemarksofthespottedsickness，andwetalkedaboutoldtimes。IgavehimaconcessiontoimportdriedfruitsintoByzantium——thatiswhathecametoseemefor——andnowhe’sdead。Well，mymotherwasright，forafterwardsthispoorbeautyofminetookthefancyofthelateEmperor，and，beingverypious，hemarriedme。SotheGreekgirl，bythewillofGod，becameAugustaandthefirstwomanintheworld。“
“BythewillofGod？“Irepeated。
“Aye，Isupposeso，orelseallisrawchance。Atleast，I，whoto-daymighthavebeenbargainingoverdriedfruits，asIshouldhavedonehadIwonmywill，am——whatyouknow。Lookatthisrobe，“andshespreadherglitteringdressbeforeme。“Harktothetrampofthoseguardsbeforemydoor。Why，youaretheircaptain。Gointotheantechambers，andseetheambassadorswaitingthereinthehopeofawordwiththeRuleroftheEarth！Lookatmylegionsmusteredonthedrilling-grounds，andunderstandhowgreattheGreciangirlhasgrownbyvirtueofthefacewhichislessbeauteousthanthatof——IdunatheFair！“