Soshewentonpouringoutwordswiththestrangeeloquencethatshecouldcommandattimes，tillIgrewbewildered。Shewhohadlivedinlightandluxury，whohadlovedthevisionofallbrightandgloriousthings，waspleadingforhersighttothemanwhomshehadrobbedofsightthathemightnevermorebeholdtheyoungbeautyofherrival。
Shewhohadimaginationtoknowthegreatnessofhersinswaspleadingtobesparedthedeathshedarednotface。Shewaspleadingtome，whoforyearshadbeenherfaithfulsoldier，thecaptainofherownguard，sworntoprotectherfromtheslightestill，meuponwhom，forawhile，ithadpleasedhertolavishthewildpassionofherimperialheart，whooncehadalmostloved——who，indeed，hadkissedheronthelips。
Myordersweredefinite。Iwascommandedtoblindthiswomanandtokillherintheblinding，which，intruth，Iwhohadpoweroflifeanddeath，Iwhoruledoverthisislandlikeakingbyvirtueoftheroyalcommission，coulddowithoutquestionasked。IfI/failed/tofulfilthoseorders，Imustbepreparedtopaytheprice，asifIdidfulfilthemImightexpectahighreward，probablythegovernorshipofsomegreatprovinceoftheEmpire。Thiswasnocommonprisoner。Shewastheex-Empress，amightywomantowhomtensofthousandsorperhapsmillionsstilllookedforhelpandleadership。Itwasnecessarytothosewhohadseizedherplaceandpowerthatsheshouldberenderedincapableofrule。Itwasdesirabletothemthatsheshoulddie。YetsodelicatelywerethescalespoisedbetweenthemandtheadherentsofIrene，amongwhomwerenumberedallthegreatprincesoftheChurch，thattheythemselvesdidnotdaretoinflictmutilationordeathuponher。TheyfearedlestitshouldbefollowedbyastormofwraththatwouldshakeNicephorusfromhisthroneandinvolvetheminhisruin。
Sotheysenthertome，thegovernorofadistantdependency，themanwhomtheyknewshehadwickedlywronged，beingcertainthathertongue，whichitwassaidcouldturntheheartsofallmen，wouldneversoftenmine。Thenafterwardstheywoulddeclarethatthewarrantwasaforgery，thatIhadbutwreakedaprivatevengeanceuponanancientfoe，and，tostillthescandal，degrademefrommygovernorship——intosomeplaceofgreaterpowerandprofit。
Oh！whileIrenepleadedbeforemeand，heedlessofthepresenceofJodd，evencastherarmsaboutmeandlaidherheaduponmybreast，allthesethingspassedthroughmymind。InitsscalesIweighedthematterout，andthebeamroseagainstme，forIknewwellthatifI