“And the obvious thing, to her, would be that I should put it on at once.” She passed the glittering links round her waist, confining the folds of the loose flowing gown of rich wine-colour she was wearing. Before she could snap the clasp into place the Prince’s hand stopped her.
“Wait, Olimpia. I must tell you that they say the girdle brings ill-luck with it.”
The Lady laughed, and fastened the clasp. “I will risk the ill-luck if it makes me Empress,” she said.
Prince Romanos gazed at her in unfeigned admiration. “Olimpia, you are magnificent! You look the Empress to the life. May I yet see you wear the girdle at our coronation in Hagion Pneuma!” He knelt and lifted the edge of the wine-coloured robe to his lips. “Hail to the Orthodox Empress!” he said fervently in Greek, and Danaë thrilled with horror at the sacrilege. Were there no bounds to her brother’s infatuation?
The Lady blushed slightly at the fervour of her husband’s tone. Perhaps she also saw, as she looked dreamily far beyond him, the dim splendours of the great cathedral of Czarigrad, rescued from the Moslem and restored to Christian uses, and crowded with rejoicing people assembled to welcome back the descendant of John Theophanis to the throne of his ancestors—saw herself in imperial robes beside him, and Janni, grown a goodly youth, acclaimed as the heir of the Eastern Empire. Then she shivered a little, and unfastened the clasp again.
“Don’t speak Greek; it is not safe with the girl about. You have made me almost afraid of letting even Despina know that I have the girdle, yet she has my keys. I will put it here,” she opened a drawer of her bureau by a spring, and laid the jewel inside it, Danaë watching her every movement, “until I can make an excuse to get them and hide it in the safe. And now tell me what it is you want me to do for you in return for it.”
“Most beautiful and beloved, will you not believe that your poet brought you a gift solely that he might feast his eyes upon your beauty adorned with it, and enjoy your pleasure?”
“Not for a moment,” said the Lady decisively.
“Ah, hard-hearted one! will nothing move you? Well, then, dearest, I claim your promise made the other day. You will allow me to quarter a guard for you within these walls?”
“I made no promise!” she said quickly.