Byzantine Empire -- History -- John V Palaeologus, 1341-1391 -- Fiction; Zeno, Carlo, 1334-1418 -- Fiction
So they went quietly and quickly along, the man and his master,
following very nearly the way which Omobono had taken on the previous
afternoon, till they came to the long wall crested with sharp bits of
rusty iron and broken crockery, and stopped before the only door that
broke its blank length. Zeno looked at the defence critically, and
wondered just how great an inducement would make him take the trouble
of getting over it, at the risk of cutting his hands and tearing his
clothes. Before any one answered his footman's knock, he had decided
that it would be an easy matter to bring his well-broken horse close
to the wall, to stand on the saddle, draw himself up and throw a heavy
cloak over the spiky iron and the sharp-edged shards with one hand
while hanging by the other. The rest would be easy enough. It was
always his instinct to make such calculations when he entered or
passed by any place that was meant to be defended.
This time the door was opened by Rustan Karaboghazji in person, and he
bowed to the ground as Zeno got off his horse and stood beside him.
Still bending low he made way and with a wide gesture invited his
visitor to enter. But Zeno had no intention of wasting time by going
in till he was assured that there was something ready for his
inspection in the way of merchandise.
In answer to his question Rustan turned up his face sideways and
smiled cunningly as he gradually straightened himself.
'Your Magnificence shall see!' he answered. 'Where is the letter?
Every point is perfect, as I promised.'
'Were you really speaking the truth?' laughed Zeno. 'I expected to
come at least three times before seeing anything!'
Rustan assumed an expression of gentle reproach.
'If your Splendour had dealt with Barlaam, the Syrian merchant, or
with Abraham of Smyrna, the Jewish caravan-broker,' he said, 'it would
have been as your Greatness deigns to suggest. Moreover, your Highness
would not have been satisfied after all, and would have come at last
to the house of your servant Rustan Karaboghazji, surnamed the
Truth-speaker and the Just, and also the Keeper of Promises, by those
who know him. It must have been so, since there is but one treasure in
all the Empire such as your Mightiness asks for, and it is in this
house.'
Zeno laughed carelessly, and entered.
'Your Unspeakableness is amused,' said Rustan, fastening the outer
door carefully with both keys. 'But if it is not as I say, I entreat
your High Mightiness to kick his humble servant from this door to the
Seven Towers and back again, passing by the Chora, Blachernæ, and the
Church of the Blessed Pantokrator on the way.'
'That would take a long time,' observed Zeno. 'Open the door and let
me see the girl.'
'Your Grandeur shall see, indeed!' answered Rustan, smiling
confidently as he led the way. 'Rustan the Truth-speaker,' he
continued, as if to himself while walking, 'Karaboghazji the faithful
Keeper of Promises!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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