Why did you leave your northern home, where I've heard you were a barbarian chief, and wander hither to Byzantium ?" "Because of a woman," I answered.
"Ah!" she said, clapping her hands; "I knew it.

Tell me of this woman whom you love." "The story is short, Augusta.

She bewitched my foster-brother, and caused him to be sacrificed to the northern gods as a troth-breaker, and I do not love her." "You'd not admit it if you did, Olaf.

Was she beautiful, well, say as I am ?" I turned and looked at the Empress, studying her from head to foot.

She was shorter than Iduna by some inches, also older, and therefore of a thicker build; but, being a fair Greek, her colour was much the same, save that the eyes were darker.