and gleamings of gold and mosaic
displeased him, though he had no knowledge of their worth or beauty; but
he stood aghast at the magnificence of the audience-chamber, and the
huge Assyrian bulls which guarded the entrance gave a hint of pagan
power and oppression which instantly angered him.

The appeal of the gracious Lady Beata but roused his indignation.

He was a stern, wild figure with his flowing beard, his long hair
falling straight and unkempt about his brown throat; and his sombre
monk's garment was wrought on breast and shoulders with a salient cross
of natural thorns--the symbol of those monks of Troodos--the Mountain of
the Holy Cross; and the Lady Beata trembled for the interview that was
to be, as he answered her rudely:

"The dwellers in palaces of ivory have naught to do with wild men of the
mountains who live close to nature and care only for suffering humanity.
I have Christ's work to do; let others bring her rose-leaves and honeyed
words."

She laid a gentle, detaining hand upon him as he thrust aside the
curtain of the inner chamber.

"Most Reverend Father, are not the words of our Lord and Saviour, as
well for those who suffer in palaces, as for the wanderers and poor upon
the earth?

"Are not the wounds of the spirit as deep in anguish as those of the
physical man?

"May not the burdens of rulers be greater than those of the ruled?--Have
compassion upon our Queen!"

"Christ knoweth not kings," he answered her, as he shook off her light
touch--"save only those who bow to Him: and the mighty among
men--aye--even he who calleth himself His Vicar upon earth--are puffed
up with pride and know in their hearts no virtue in this--His sacred
symbol." He pressed his rough hand hard against the thorns upon his
breast as he spoke. "Hath not he--this false and sumptuous Vicar--but
now asserted that we, of the Holy Greek Church have no part in the
Communion of the Holy Catholic Church on earth? Did Christ call the
Latins only?" he ended fiercely.

It was a grievance that rankled; and Hagios Johannes had not learned the
gracious art of self-control, being accustomed to feel that whatever he
thought or wished was good--his hatred as well as that which appealed to
him--since he honestly sought nothing for himself, despising riches and
station from the depths of his soul, with an open scorn for the great
ones of earth and an imperious assertion of his own methods and
judgments which he would have denoun