Her eyes said it, and, unless I dreamed, her sweet voice said it also.
Who was she?
Doubtless that Heliodore, daughter of Magas, the prince of whom the Bishop Barnabas had spoken to me.

Oh! now I understood what he meant when he spoke of another necklace like to that I wore, and yet would explain nothing.

It lay upon the breast of Heliodore, Heliodore who was such a one as he wished that I might wed.

Well, certainly I wished it too; but, alas! how could I wed, who was in Irene's power, a toy for her to play with or to break?
And how would it fare with any woman whom it was known that I wished to wed?
I must be secret until she was gone from Constantinople, and in this way or in that I could follow her.

I, who had ever been open-minded, must learn to keep my own counsel.
Now, too, I remembered how Barnabas had said the Augusta commanded that this Prince Magas and his daughter should come to the palace as her guests.