The San Francisco call., 1908-05-24
CHAPTER XVIII
A woman,s Wit

- HE sun had set, and the wide
court of Blachernae was filled
with purple light to the wall
tops, like wine vat full to the
brim; and everything that was in the
glow took color from IT, as suder does
in claret. the polished trappings of the
guards uniforms, the creamy marble
steps OF the palace, the white 'Tunisian
charger of the officer who rode in just
then. and the swallows that circled
round the courtyard. The world moved
IN that deep dream that comes just
when the sun has slipped away to rest,
when the light is everywhere at once,
so that things cast no shadows on the
ground. because they glow from within,
as in fairyland or perhaps in heaven.
The officer rode In on his charger,
and after him entered girl slave,
dressed in coarse blue cotton and car
rying on her head small round bas-
ket, which was covered with clean
white cloth. The four corners of the
napkin hung down, and one of them
would have tapped across her face If
she had not held il between her teeth
TO keep il down 1t partly hid her fea-
lures, and her head was tied up in a
blue cotton kerchief passed twice
around and knotted. upon her forehead.
She limped little as she walked.
What could be seen of her face was
pale and quiet and had rather fixed
look
She was walking boldly through the
gate without slackening her pace when
one of the two sentinels stopped her
and asked where she was going. She
stood still, and one hand steadied the
basket on her head, while the other
pointed TO the Amena tower.
My mistress sends some fine wheat
bread and cream cheese to the wife of
the captain who keeps the tower" said
Zoe, affecting the mincing accent very
common with female slaves and Greek
ladies' maids.
The second sentinel, returning on his
short beat, now came up and stood on
the other side. He was a big Bulga-
rian. and he lifted one corner of the
cloth and looked down into the basket
merely for the sake of OBTAINING the
girl He saw the wheaton loaves and
the cream cheese neatly disposed on
second napkin. and the cheese was
nested In green leaves to keep it fresh.
Both the soldiers at once thought of
tasting 1t with the points of their dag
gers, but at that moment the officer of
the watch strolled out of the guard
house, a magnificent young man in
scarlet and gold. The two sentinels at
once turned their backs on the cheese
and Zoe and marched away in opposite
directions on their beats, leaving her
standing in the middle. The officer was
far too high and mighty a person to
look at a slave girl or her basket, and
Zoe therefore went on without turning
her head. taking IL for granted that she
was now free to enter. In her baggy
blue cotton clothes and with her face
almost covered by the napkin there
was nothing about her to attract atten-
tion unless it was her slightly limping
gait. and she instinctively made an ef-
fort to walk evenly, for she could not
help feeling ashamed of being sud-
denly lame. as perfectly sound and
healthy people do. But she realized
that the folded letter was in the wrong
shoe and increased her lameness.
whereas IL she had carried it in the
other it might have made walking
easier.
She went from under the great gate
into the liquid purple light in the court
and it was pleasant to be in ii. But
then again ii made her think of yes
terday, when she had sat in her win
dow at sunset. not dreaming Of all
that was TO happen to her in one night
and one day. II made her think of the
man she loved so dearly, imprisoned
somewhere under the great city, starv-
ing and thirsting no doubt, and face to
face with thoughts of death. and 1t
was 70 save him that she was cross
ing the courtyard OF Blachernae dis
guised as a household slave. 1t was
because there was no other way; and
IL Goriias Pietrogliant failed her, or
came too late. the end would overtake
her in a few hours. or perhaps quite
suddenly, which would be more merci-
ful She knew what she was doing.
and she did not deceive herself. They
would put out her eyes first; but that
would be the least of the cruel things