Page:Zawis and Kunigunde (1895).djvu/35

 the world has been darkened and corrupted by socalled revelations until it is filled with cruelty. In these corrupt days, brother, a black cat, a brindle cock, a brown toad, a black dog, a few rags, craven credulity on one side, and audacity on the other, and you have all the elemental paraphernalia of a necromancer or a priest.”

Then drawing the small casket from his robe, “Let us be seated,” he said, “and see what memorial we possess.” The wayfarers withdrew a little from the road, and being seated out of view of passers by, the Jew looked intently at the casket. The cover bore an inlaid portrait with a Greek imperial diadem. The miniature was formed entirely of ivory and precious stones surrounded by interlacing scrollwork. In a corner was a Greek cross with a small pearl in the center. Beneath the miniature were the letters M. III., but there was no date. Solomon pointed out these details to Pietro, commenting on each separately. “I cannot at this moment recall the prince who is probably here represented,” he said. “But the casket is of ancient date. It is long since workmanship equally skillful has come to my notice even from Constantinople. There was an Emperor Michael the Third, but I do not now associate his name with any event connected with these regions. He never exercised jurisdiction here, nor did any other Greek sovereign. These countries were scarcely—if at all—within the empire of Eastern Rome.”

“I have understood,” replied Pietro, “that the