Harald, frowning mightily, emptied the remaining coins into his hand, counted them, and ordered another purse to be brought; from this he extracted seven more coins and gave them to me also. The Sea Wolves looked on, amazed and aghast that their king should be giving silver to this upstart of a fellow.

When I had counted twenty-five additional denarii into the tax man's hand, he said, "Two more."

"Two more?" I wondered. "Have I miscounted them?"

"No, you have counted correctly." Reaching into my hand he took up a coin. "This," he said, "is for keeping me waiting." Then, taking another coin: "And this is for causing a disturbance in the harbour."

"I most heartily apologize," I answered. "We were unaware of the customs of this place."

"Now you know," replied the quaestor, tucking the coins into his purse. Then, reaching into a pouch at his belt, he withdrew a thin copper disk. "Nail this to the prow," he instructed. "It shows that you have paid the tax."

With a flick of his hand, he turned and, aided by his two men, began lowering himself over the rail. Glancing at the disk, on which was embossed the image of a ship under sail, I asked, "Please, I would know when we must pay again."

"You are free to come and go in the harbour until year's end," the tax man replied without looking back. "Should you return to Constantinople after that, you must pay again."

Upon offering this information to the king, Harald scowled fiercely and declared that by year's end he intended to be back in his own hall enjoying the wealth he had taken in the plunder of Miklagard. This plundering, he vowed, would commence without further delay.

Seizing me by the arm, the king put his sweaty face near mine. "And you, Shaven One," he growled, his voice thick with threat, "will lead us to the nearest treasure house."

In order to plunder a treasure house, it would be necessary to go into the city and find one. Various ways of accomplishing this strategy were discussed and in the end it was decided that, to avoid arousing the suspicions of the populace, only three or four warriors should go ashore and search out the best places to attack. Further, it was decided that since I alone spoke the language of the place, albeit poorly, I should lead the landing party.

Strangely, the thought of setting foot in Byzantium did not alarm me overmuch. The shock at finding myself arrived at the place of my death had quickly faded, and a sense of resignation to the inevitable settled in its place. I felt as if I were being pulled along by events too complex to understand, and too powerful to resist. I was a leaf tossed in the gale, a feather cast onto the storm-maddened sea. There was nothing I could do but ride out the tempest.

I prayed to the Heavenly Father to do with me what he would. I also prayed that I might somehow be spared aiding King Harald in his odious scheme of theft and slaughter. Having struggled through all things to remain a good monk worthy of the Cele De, I did not wish to begin a life of crime now-so close to the Judgement Seat, as it were. Far better, I decided firmly, to die opposing Harald than to approach the Throne of Heaven reeking of sin, with the blood of innocents on my hands.

It came to me that this was how I would die-with the king's sword at my throat, as punishment for refusing to accompany him ashore. The thought produced not fear, but despair, for it seemed a cruelly meaningless end to life. God be praised, my despair was short-lived. Jarl Harald considered scouting duty beneath him, preferring instead to remain on the ship awaiting our return. "Three of my karlar will serve me in this," he said, and turned his attention to choosing who should go.

He summoned the man who had suggested paying the harbour tax-his name was Hnefi, and the king trusted him for the sagacity of his advice; Harald also called forth a warrior called Orm the Red, who, in addition to being adept with sword and spear, was light of foot and stealthy. The king was on the point of selecting the third member of the party when I suggested that it might serve our purpose to have at least one warrior I knew and trusted, who could speak to the others should the need arise.

Harald, his patience growing brittle once more, asked if I knew such a man. I told him I did, and named Gunnar. "Very well," the jarl agreed impulsively, "let Gunnar Warhammer go with you."

Thus, we four found ourselves clambering over the side of the longship and into one of the many small boats still jostling one another for our service. Dropping into the boat, I told the boatman that we desired to be put ashore at the nearest city gate.

"A wise choice, my friend," the boatman said agreeably. "Rest yourself and worry for nothing. You will soon be there. My name is Didimus Pisidia, and I am at your service. You have chosen well, for this is the best boat in all Byzantium. I will pray to God your wisdom is rewarded a hundredfold."

"I thank you, friend Didimus," I replied, and confided that as we knew nothing of Constantinople, we would be grateful for any guidance he might be able to offer.

"Ah, you are the most fortunate of men," the boatman replied, "for you are in the presence of one to whom the city is a Garden of Delight. You may place your full confidence in me. I will certainly give you the best guidance you could desire, never fear."

Hnefi and Orm dropped into the boat just then. Orm, supposing it his duty to show me my place, pushed me roughly aside. Unsteady in the small boat, I fell against the side. "Say nothing!" he warned. "I am watching you."

Gunnar, coming behind them, interceded for me, saying, "Let him be, Orm. He is the king's slave, not yours."

"Tell this man to take us to the nearest gate," Hnefi ordered, settling himself in the bottom of the boat.

"I have already done so," I replied. "This is what I was doing when Orm struck me."

Hnefi nodded curtly. "I am the leader now," he said. "You will do what I tell you." He gestured to the watching Didimus and said, "Now tell this worthless fellow to get about his work or we will gut him like a fish."

To Didimus I said, "We are ready to proceed now, if you please."

"It is my pleasure," answered the boatman, pushing away from the longship with his hands. "Sit down, my friends, and worry for nothing. This is the best boat in all Byzantium." He took up the long oar at the stern and, standing with his foot on a bench, waggled the oar back and forth. The boat turned and drew away from the longship.

Those watching from the rail called out for us not to carry off all the treasure, but to save some plunder for them. Orm answered by blowing his nose at them, and Hnefi told them their time would be better spent looking to their weapons than worrying about us.

Gunnar settled himself beside me against the curved side of the boat. "Why did you choose me?" he asked.

"I thought it might be helpful to have someone I could trust beside me." As he made no reply, I asked, "Why? Would you rather have stayed behind, Gunnar?"

"Nay," he answered with a shrug, "that is no concern of mine." He looked out at the city for a moment, and then glanced at me sideways. "I thought you might have a different reason."

"Quiet!" snarled Orm. He kicked me with the toe of his boot.

"Orm," said Hnefi, "I am the leader here. If you cannot remember that, I will leave you in the boat while we go and find the treasure."

Orm grumbled and took out his knife and began polishing the blade on his breecs. To me, Hnefi said, "Keep your mouth shut. When I want you to speak, I will tell you."

I turned my attention to the city, bobbing nearer with every dip and stroke of Didimus's oar. From the water, very little of Constantinople could be seen-only where the hills raised their heads did I mark any of the city behind the walls. These walls, however, were most impressive. Brick and stone in alternating courses had been used to create an enclosure both high and stout, and bearing a distinctive red-and-white banding, making it like no other wall I had ever seen. Along the top of the wall, people were moving-city guards perhaps, though I was too far away to be certain. Here and there, I could see the tops of trees-a few pines, and the bare branches of others which had lost their leaves.