Byzantine Empire -- History -- John V Palaeologus, 1341-1391 -- Fiction; Zeno, Carlo, 1334-1418 -- Fiction
'Yulia,' repeated Zeno, fixing the name in his memory, 'and what do
you call your mistress?' he asked abruptly.
The girl was puzzled by the question.
'Her name is Arethusa,' she answered, after a moment's reflection.
'I know that. But when you speak to her, what do you call her? When
she gives you an order, how do you answer her? You do not merely say,
"Yes, Arethusa," or "No, Arethusa," do you? She would not be pleased.'
Yulia smiled and shook her head.
'We call her Kokóna,' she answered. 'Is not that the Greek word for
young lady, your Magnificence?'
'Yes,' said Zeno, 'that is the Greek word for young lady. But Arethusa
is only a slave as you are. Why do you give her a title? What makes
you think she is a lady?'
'She is a different kind of slave. She cost much gold. Besides, if we
did not call her Kokóna she would perhaps pull our hair or scratch our
faces. Who knows? We are only ignorant little maids, but so much the
big negress at the slave-prison taught us.'
'She taught you manners, did she?' Zeno smiled at the idea.
'She made us cry very often, but it was the better for us,' answered
the maid, with philosophy beyond her years. 'We have fetched a good
price, and we have a good master, and we are together, all because we
waited cleverly on the Kokóna one night and one morning.'
'One night?' asked Zeno, in surprise.
'She was only brought to the slave-prison yesterday evening,
Magnificence.'
'At what time?'
'It was the third hour of darkness, for the black woman sent the
others to bed as soon as she was brought.'
Zeno thought over this information for a moment.
'Tell her,' said he, 'that I shall sup with her this evening. That is
all.'
Yulia, who had kept her hands respectfully before her, made a little
obeisance, turned quickly, and ran away, leaving the master of the
house to his meditations. She found Zoë still sitting by the window,
and the dainty dishes which Lucilla had received on a chiselled bronze
tray and had placed beside her were untasted.
'The master bids me say that he will sup with you to-night, Kokóna,'
said Yulia.
Zoë made a slight movement, but controlled herself, and said nothing,
though the colour rose to her face, and she turned quite away from the
maids lest they should see it. They stood still a long time, waiting
her pleasure.
'Will it not please you to eat something?' asked Yulia timidly, after
a time. 'You have eaten nothing since last night, and even then it was
little.'
'I thought I ate all the sweetmeats,' answered Zoë, turning and
smiling a little at the recollection of the girls' terror.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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