pipe and a chat in his cosey smoking-room, after a ever in Middleham, so that Coxton sées as much as dinner party which he had given to some of the vil- it does of Sawyer's pupils, and in fact they are tame lage magnates.

about the place, and have the run of all the houses. * What! Tom Maxwell, d' you mean ? — the At the time Maxwell came to Sawyer, he had but youngster who sat opposite to you ?”

one other pupil, a tall young fellow called Denton, “Yes,” said I; “there was something about his most abominably conceited, and no favorite with us. appearance I rather liked. Who is he?"

I don't know what Denton did, except dawdle about * He's a deuced plucky fellow, I can tell you," and gossip, for he had as genuine a líking for scandal said Jermyn. “Why, did you never hear what as any old woman in the place. Somehow or other Tom Maxwell did last winter ? — it was in all the he gave us all a general impression that the new papers.”

pupil, Maxwell, was a regular milksop, fresh from is Not I,” said I. "I was in New York, you know, his mother's apron-string, and up to none of the ordiand missed a good deal of English news.”

nary pursuits of other youths. Seeing the samples “ Well, look here, old fellow ; just get into that we had already had, this was good news for us shooting-jacket, and brew yourself what you like, elders, but of course such a character did him no and I'll tell you the story. You know, in old times good among the young ladies, and they need to pity I was rather fond of a yarn."

one another when Maxwell fell to their lot at a dinJermyn and I had been at Oxford together some ner party or dance. He certainly had very little to ten or twelve years before, and had kept up the say for himself, and was uncommonly shy, and was friendship which we formed there. Since I had last therefore a great contrast to Denton, who would seen him he had succeeded to his father's property have thought nothing of strolling up to her Majesty at Coxton, a pretty village on the east coast, and at a levée, and advising her to let Buckingham had settled down, very comfortably, to the ordinary Palace. In this way it got to be considered that routine of a country gentleman's life. I had been Maxwell was a muff; and as he did nothing particuroaming all over the world, partly on business and lar to remove this impression, it clung to him until partly on pleasure, and having a few weeks before the incident took place of which I am going to tell returned from a lengthened tour in the United you. States, I had run against Jermyn in the Strand, “But your pipe's out, my dear fellow; try one of and he had then made me promise to spend a few my cigars, — they are fairish, I believe. days with him at Christmas. Consequently, I found “Well, things went on very quietly until last myself at the end of Christmas week, in his comfort. January. Denton had taken to patronizing Maxwell able country-house; and what with two or three before people, and often hinted that, but for him, dinner parties, a carpet-dance, and a servants' ball, that unfortunate youth would be always getting into had rather a jolly time of it. I was to leave the scrapes, and he took much credit to himself for taking next day for London, and Jermyn had given a din- the trouble to look after so young and inexperienced ner party in my honor, to some of his most intimate a lad. It was on the 20th of January, that these neighbors. They having departed, Mrs. Jermyn two young fellows had been dining with us, and it bad given Marcus leave of absence at my particular being a fearful night, we had persuaded them both request, and we had determined to pass a pleasant to stay all night, a thing they were often in the habit hour or two in talking over old times, and compar of doing, and which, we knew well, would give old ing notes as to how the world had treated us both since Sawyer no anxiety. The wind had been blowing we were a couple of thoughtless undergraduates. pretty stiff all day from the north, and towards

" What will you drink, Fred ?” said Jermyn. evening it had veered round to the east, and came “Brandy ? Try the whiskey. It's rather a special on to blow a regular gale. We had, some of us, good thing, - a present from old McBride, whom been down to the beach in the afternoon, and the you 'll remember. However, just as you like, only fishermen had assured us that it was going to be a fill up and begin. Well," continued he, "you'd very dirty night. The sea was already white with like to hear what Tom Maxwell did ; but first you foam, and was dashing and hissing angrily against ought to know sometbing about him. He's a pupil the cliffs, and every now and then a fierce little of old Sawyer, the vicar of Middleham, a village shower of rain passed quickly by, bound inland, at about a mile from here. Sawyer, who has a good racing speed. As we walked home the sun set, and deal in that ancient brain of his, but very little in the night came on very quickly, and the rain then his pocket, adds to the some hundred and fifty per became incessant and poured in torrents. The sound annum, which he draws from Middleham tithe-pay-of the wind and rain, and the distant roaring of the ers, by taking a pupil or two, and a confounded sea, made us uncommonly glad to get under a good nuisance they have been on one or two occasions, I roof, where we knew we should find warmth and can tell you. Talk of poachers, why that young comfort. During dinner, in the intervals of talk, scamp, Edwin Milborough, a son of Lord Milborough, we could hear the rain beat against the windows played the dickens with my pheasants a couple of with such a force that I really thought they would years ago, and finished off by shooting at my keep- be driven in, and many a time, I can tell you, did er. Luckily, it was a long shot, and it did n't hurt one or the other of us say, What will the poor him, but Sawyer had the good sense to see that that fellows at sea do to-night?' and look grave, as we sort of thing would n't do, and so the Honorable thought of the too-likely possibility of some unforEdwin was sent home, much to the delight of the tunate vessel being off the coast. We all went to neighborhood. Since then the pupils have been bed in very good time, that night, and were uncompretty fair, and I think young Maxwell is one of the monly glad to listen to the storm, through the medium best. He came to Sawyer about eighteen months of two or three thicknesses of stout blankets. I had since, and, as he is a very quiet, reading youngster, been asleep for about two hours when Mary awoke and never gets into mischief, he 's rather a favorite me and said she had heard the front door bell ring. among the matrons of the neighborhood, and also, I guessed at once what it was. I had given directions since the event I am going to tell you of, among the to the fishermen to send up to the Hall, whenever girls. I should mention that there is no society what there was a ship on shore, and I felt certain that this

was a message of that import. Accordingly, I both fell to leeward of her, but we'll allow enough slipped on my dressing-gown and went down to the for this one, sir. door, and without opening it, asked who was there?! “ As he spoke, they got ready to fire another "• Tom Purvis,' was the answer.

rocket, and this time, as far as they could guess, it 666 What is it, Tom ? 'I said.

went right over the unfortunate vessel. W e hai 6 • There's a ship on the Black Steel, sir.

now begun to get our eyes accustomed to the dark 66. God help them, then,' was my first ejaculation. ness, and fancied that we could make out a black. I'll be down directly, Tom,' I said, and went up shapeless mass, about fifty or eighty yards before K. stairs to dress. Before doing so, however, I thought we could hear the cries of the poor fellows on that these two lads might possibly like the excite- | board clearly enough, and the crushing grinding ment of the scene; and so I went into the double- sound of the vessel on the rocks; and by the latter bedded room where they were sleeping. Upon hear-sound we knew that, unless something was quickly ing my errand, Denton said that he had a cold, and done, they would all perish. that he had seen wrecks before, and that he thought “Just then, to the great delight of us all, some he would n't come ; but young Maxwell immediately one on board fixed a lantern in the rigging, and by began to dress, saying, that he did n't think he could its light we could see that the coastguard had beer sleep comfortably, knowing that probably some un- right in their conjectures, and that it was one of fortunate sailors were perishing so near to us. those large unwieldy luggers which trade between

66° Will they be able to do anything for them, do our northern coal-ports and France. We could you think?” he asked me.

also see that there was a group of people clustered w! I fear not,' said I. • The life-boat won't have amidships, who were evidently engaged in some a chance in such a sea as there must be, and I fear operation, and directly afterwards the tightening of she may have struck too far off to be reached by a the rocket line showed us that it was being hauled rocket. But be quick with your things, and we'll in from the ship. A stronger line having been at. go down and see.

tached to it, a board, with clear directions in " In five minutes we were both down at the hall- French, as to the management of the apparatus, door, well wrapped up in pilot-coats and mufflers; was sent off, and then the cradle slid away on its and good need we had of them, I can tell you, for errand of mercy. All this time the wind had conthe moment we opened the door the wind and rain tinued to blow so hard that we had great difficulty rushed in with such force as to nearly blind us, and in keeping our feet, added to which every now and it required all our united strength to shut it again. then a wave broke over the jetty and deluged us Having at last, however, done so, we turned round, with water. We were, however, too much interested and faced the tempest. It was, in truth, a fearful in the fate of the French crew to think much of our night, and we could scarcely make any way against personal inconveniences. At last, after what seemed the wind, which blew certainly far stronger than I to us an immense time, we could just make out that had ever known it do before. We linked our arms a man was getting carefully over the side of the together and managed at last to get down to the ship and pulling the rope, he came towards us into beach. The night was so dark that we could see the darkness, and in a few minutes we were able nothing from the fishermen's cottages.

| to haul up upon the jetty a miserable half-drowned 66. Where is she?' said I to an old man who Frenchman, who very soon had the neck of a botstood at one of the doors.

tle of better cognac than he had ever before tasted 6. She's on the south of the Steel, sir,' said he. thrust into his mouth. • They 're trying to reach her with a rocket from the “Off went the cradle again, and back it returned jetty-end.'

with the same result, until we soon had quite a little " This jetty was formed on wooden piles, and ran | French colony, shivering and shaking on the jetty a short way out to sea. It was only used by the beside us. There only remained now the captain fishing-boats in certain states of the tide, to land to be brought off, and, to our very great consternatheir cargoes, and was a black, slimy, tumble-down tion, we made out from one of the crew, that he had affair at best. As we were making our way down announced his determination to stick by his ship, the cliff, a matter of no little difficulty, we saw a and wait until morning, when, he imagined, the sea stream of fire shoot in a curved direction, and knew | would go down. His reason for this was an idea that they had fired a rocket. Getting on to the he had got into his foolish head, that upon his learbeach, we made the best of our way through the ing his deck he lost all claim to his vessel, which at fishing-boats, anchors, buoys, &c., and at last got on once became the property of perfidious Albion, and to the small, frail jetty, which seemed to 'stir and as this unsightly old lugger was his sole means of tremble with the force of the gigantic waves, which subsistence he determined not to give her up. threw themselves furiously against it. Hurrying to “It was a marvel to all the experienced sailors on the end, we found a tolerably large group of fisher- the jetty that she should have held together so long men surrounding the two coastguardsmen who had as she had done, and she was expected to break up charge of the rocket apparatus.

every minute. What was to be done then for this "Do you make anything of her, Harvey ?' said foolish old Frenchman? Was he to be allowed to I to one of the coastguard, who lived in the village, perish with her, or could anything be done to comand who was a great ally of mine in fishing and pel bim to save his life? boating expeditions.

"We did not know what to do, and began to 6. Well, sir,' said he, ' I think she 'll be a big think that he must be left to his fate, when one of French lugger that was knocking about, off and on, the fishermen was heard to say to another, this afternoon. I said when I see'd her I would n't “If some fellow, now, had the pluck to go off give much chance for her getting into harbor. It's and fetch him! If it was n't for the wife and bairns, so fearful dark, sir, that we can scarcely make her | I'd go.' out a bit; but I fancy I picked out three masts, " And what would be the good of that," said such as them great ugly French colliers have. another, when you can't jabber a word of his conWe've missed her twice with the rockets, — they founded lingo ? '

“ There was a pause; and then, to my consterna- | infinite delight, we heard Maxwell's voice close to tion, I heard a quiet voice at my elbow say, - us. He had just reached the jetty, when the rope

6. That 'll be the only plan. I understand French, gave way, from the vessel breaking up; but he clung and will go off to him and explain the matter.' tightly to it, and in a moment he was pulled up

“« You, Maxwell?' I said. Stuff and nonsense, among us, and was almost devoured by the delighted my dear fellow! I won't allow it for a moment!' fishermen, who crowded round him to shake hands

6 Excuse me, Mr. Jermyn, but I intend to go. and ply him with brandy. The last time they practised down here I went off “It was undoubtedly one of the narrowest escapes for fun, and there's really no more danger now. It's that was ever heard of. If he had been a couple of only the darkness and the rain and noise that make feet further off when the rope gave way, nothing it appear a rather perilous undertaking.'

could have saved him, for the waves would have " No, I'll be hanged if you shall go!' said I. dashed him against the jetty and killed him, but he · Good gracious me! are you to risk your life fell just clear of the sea, and we had him up before because a confounded, thick-headed old French one of the large waves could come. skipper chooses to be an obstinate old mule ? Bel “I need not say that Master Maxwell was the sides, you sha'n't do it, Maxwell, I tell you.' hero of the neighborhood for some time to come.

" His only reply was the taking off his watch, But, bless you! instead of giving himself airs about which he quietly handed to me.

it, as Denton would have done, and putting himself «• The wet will injure it,' said he.

in the way of being complimented, nothing seemed "" Now, Maxwell, do be reasonable,' said I. 'For to worry him more than hearing it talked about; goodness' sake don't do this foolish thing. It's all and I have often known that the story was being very well being Quixotic, and all that sort of thing, told, although I could not hear it, from the way but there's a limit to that, and this is beyond it. Maxwell used to fidget about, and his unhappy exCome, let's go home; we can do no good here. pression of countenance. He's nearly as shy as

" But I had mistaken my man and my power ever, although he's been considerably petted by over him. He took me aside and spoke so seriously. all the girls about ever since.” and sensibly, that I had no argument with which to “He should have that new decoration, – the Alconfute his, and at last was compelled to give in, bert Cross, I think it's called,” said I. protesting all the while against it.

“Ah! I wish it had been instituted then," said "I give you my word, Fred, that I was never so Jermyn; " no one could have better deserved it. miserable in my life before. Here was a boy who We got him the Humane Society's medal, but I was virtually, if not actually, in my charge, going don't know what he has done with it. No one has into the most fearful danger, and I was powerless to ever seen it since he received it. And now," said stop him. If anything happened to this boy what Jermyn, yawning, “I must be off; I'm not used to was I to say to his parents, and what would they this sort of thing now, and feel rather demoralized say to me?

already from the society of such a rolling-stone as ** However, the thing was evidently unavoidable, you are, old fellow. Good night!” and I bestirred myself to see that all that was possi-1 I left Coxton the next day, but thought the story ble to secure his safety should be done. By this of " What Tom Maxwell did ” worth record, so time it became known among the men on the pier here it is. that the lad had volunteered for the duty, which, no doubt, any one of them would have done, but for their ignorance of French. Some of them were

AN AWKWARD MISTAKE. very much against it, and at one time there seemed “Good by, Green! I envy you your trip, old a chance of it being prevented; but Maxwell said a boy, or rather, I wish you joy of it and of your profew words to them and they gave bim a cheer, and motion with all my heart, I 'm sure," — had been set about getting him into the cradle. This was Stodgemore's last words as I crossed the college soon done, and with another ringing British cheer, quadrangle; and Stodgemore, senior tutor of St. the young fellow went off on his perilous expedi- Crosier's, was a thoroughly good fellow, and meant tion.

what he said. As for myself, I got into my fly with “We could just make out that he had reached a light beart, and took my railway-ticket with much the vessel, and then a very long time went by with-buoyancy of spirits and the brightest anticipations out any sign whatever. The excitement in all our for the future. The fact was that the last few minds, and in mine especially, was painful in the ex-weeks had been singularly eventful ones to me, and treme. The coastguardsmen, old experienced men- | that my sombre professional prospects had been sudof-war's men, and the fishermen, were all in a state denly irradiated by the gay iris of hope. Hitherto of wonder that the vessel had held together so long, the career of the Reverend Plantagenet Green, M. and we all expected that every minute would be her A., had been dull enough. The eight or nine years last. At length, after what seemed at least an hour, since I had taken orders bad been spent in hard but which, I fancy, could have really only been work, poorly paid, and leading to no visible result. about ten minutes, we saw a man get over the side That curacy at Sokenham-in-the-Fen was but a of the vessel, and soon the ugly cause of all our anx-shade better than the awful post of bear-leader to iety — a fat, pudgy, elderly Frenchman – was young Swagmore, the conceited son of a pursehauled on to the jetty; and if he did get a little proud old sugar-refiner, who knew of no refinement roughly handled and shaken in getting him clear of save that of sugar. I had borne much in both cathe ropes, why I don't think he was much to be pit- pacities, and had been very glad to undertake the ied. I need not say that the cradle was sent off again duty of junior tutor at our little college of St. Croas quickly as possible, and we saw, to our great de- sier's, Oxford, with the hypothetical chance of a light, that young Maxwell was getting into it. We living not worth the acceptance of Stodgemore, began to haul with a will, but all of a sudden the ves- Dewsbury, Poundworth, and the rest of the seniors sel seemed to collapse anul go completely to pieces. A of our common room. great cry arose from all on the jetty, when, to our I bad elderly female relatives who, good souls, had all my life long been confident in their predictions lying forth from the ramparts of the beleagur: that, “one of these days," Lord Kilmallock would city. In a word, Eastern travel - a tour annon be certain to do something for me. This Irishi peer the ruined glories of the ancient world — had bee was my godfather, and he had, I believe, been mu- a pleasure for which I had hitherto sighed in vain nificent in promises whilst I was still of tender years. The canon-expectant of Slochester, however, But, alas, as I grew older, my hopes of advancement able to permit himself a pleasure for which the by help of the Kilmallock interest faded and grew junior tutor of St. Crosier's had long sighed i dim. His lordship was good enough now and then vain. Accordingly I set off for the Levant, taking to write oracular assurances that when “we” came leave of Stodgemore in the manner already se into power, Plantagenet should not be forgotten; counted, and made the best of my way, ria Mar but while the grass grew the steed starved, and I seilles, to Athens, which I meant to make the first had almost outgrown my childish reliance on my stage of my journey. My plan was, after exploring titled sponsor, when, on a sudden, “we” did come such parts of Greece as lay within easy reach, to into power. There was a change of ministry, and proceed to Asia Minor, and there to have my filla Lord Kilmallock's recommendation, for the first time ruined cities and famous sites before going on to for years, carried weight with it.

Constantinople, whence I purposed to return by toe My patron was as good as his word. There was Danube route, and, crossing Italy, to have one hasty a vacant canonry at Šlochester, the filling up which peep at Rome. My time and money - for my of course belonged to the new Prime Minister, - | purse was slenderly supplied — would, I thonghi, a nice little titbit of preferment, only five hundred jnst hold out through this projected scamper. a year, to be sure, but with a capital house and a I had, to use the slang of the day,“ done ” Athens walled garden famous for its peaches; and Lord very completely, and had seen Salamis, and Hr. Kilmallock had obtained some promise or half- mettus with its myriad bees fed on the sacred promise that this snug ecclesiastical shelf should heather, and the cold battle-fields, and the broken be placed at my disposal. He wrote to me from stones of the glorious old shrines, and the shrunken Ireland, telling me that if I would call on him in brooks beside which mighty poets and sages had Park Lane on a certain day in January, he wouldmused, and the shallow waters of which had once introduce me to the Premier, and I might then con- been crimsoned with Medish blood. I began to sider the business as settled. At the same time he think of my departure, and to this end I took coudcautioned me that, should I fail to keep my appoint- sel with an intelligent young Greek, one of the comment in Downing Street, Lord Epsom would no missionnaires of the Hôtel des Quatre Vents, where doubt feel himself at liberty to oblige some other I lodged, and who knew every maritime city of the supporter of government. Of such unpunctuality, East, and every dialect spoken from Malta to the bowever, I had no apprehension. What, short of a Caucasus or the Cataracts. Indeed Demetri — that cataclysm or a Red Revolution, could prevent my was the name of the young valet de place who had accompanying my distinguished friend to Downing acted as my guide and interpreter since my arrival, Street on the day indicated ?

and who was called a dragoman in compliance with In the mean time I had the fairest chance of a traditions of the Turkish rule — was apparently pleasant holiday trip that had ever presented itself superior to most of his colleagues. I had found in to me. It was the Long Vacation. Oxford was him an adroit, patient, and most good-humored deserted; and except Stodgemore (who could not cicerone; and although I suspect his scholarship was tear himself away from his comfortable rooms and not very profound, he evidently knew something the vicinity of our college kitchen, the presiding about the great deeds and great men of the past, culinary officer of which knew his constitution to a and seemed to take a sincere interest in conductnicety, as the senior tutor often solemnly informed ing me to the most celebrated spots in and near me), there was no one in residence at St. Crosier's. Athens. It so happened that I had no private pupils to read I liked Demetri all the better because he poswith ; and there was not the slightest reason for my sessed a virtue not too common anywhere, and esremaining on the neglected banks of the Isis and pecially rare among his grasping countrymen, Cherwell, while my late companions of the common was not greedy for money ; and although, as he room were hooking salmon in nameless rivers, far with perfect truth, I paid him but sparingly for his among the fjelds of Norway, or were getting sun trouble, while the majority of English and American burnt faces and blistered hands among the glaciers travellers scattered their dollars broadcast, he served of Switzerland.

me with much willingness and respect, and appeared Now was the time to realize a day-dream of my always grateful for a kind word. He was, for : own, a cherished hope that I had often and often been Greek, well educated, and had a Greek's aptitude compelled to renounce or adjourn. I was always, for making the most of his acquirements. He was from boyhood, somewhat of a classical enthusiast, no Athenian by birth, but a Fanariote; one of und had longed for years to tread the ground and those descendants of ancient Byzantine families who breathe the air of old Hellas, to see with mine own are reared in the gloomy Fanar of Constantinople, eyes the actual plains and streams where Miltiades whence the sultans were once accustomed to select couted the Persians, the shattered temples, the the vassal princes of Moldavia and Wallachia. groves where Socrates taught, and the Agora Many of these races have, as I have heard, conwhere Paul preached. I have often felt as if it siderable pretensions in a genealogical point of view; would have been worth a year of common life to and Demetri once told me, laughingly, that his have had one glimpse of Troy, — of that bare nurse used to assure him that he had the blood of scorched waste, dotted with a few stunted olives, Comneni and Palæologi in his veins, but that no through which the Scamander flows rippling over a one cared for such sayings now. He was a dark, pebbly bed, and to people the desolate landscape smooth young fellow, of good address, and, so far ag with, on one hand, the camp of the Greeks, gay looks went, did no discredit to his ancestry. with white tents and glittering arms, and on the “Si, signor ; it is so. The Messageries Impéria other, with a swarm of mailed Trojan warriors, sal- ales boat — the French mail-steamer – is the best

for your purpose. She calls at the Piræus on! I had often talked with Demetri on the subject of

Thursday, and we can take your passage before- Mr. Forster, his wealth, and the vague ambition hand, if you please,” said Demetri.

which was the real source of his ardor for the cause I was going to Smyrna ; and as my fidus Achates of a set of people who, I shrewdly suspected, meant agreed with me in the choice of a packet, there was to use him as a cat's-paw for the furtherance of their nothing to be done but to drop in at the office, own ends. My only anxiety on behalf of my young situated in the Street of the Winds,” and secure a countryman was that his sacrifices on behalf of berth. I had very nearly exhausted the lions of Greek independence should turn out to be merely Athens, — of the old Athens, that is to say, - and of a pecuniary nature, and that he should not be bewas ready for a start. As for modern Athens, dull, I guiled into trusting his person within reach of the dusty, and feverish, I was heartily sick of its loung- fire of Turkish cannon and the yataghans of Turking, greasy population, sham Palikars in dirty-white ish irregulars. But Demetri could not be brought kilts, red-capped patriots smoking vile cigars in to see the matter in the same light. He was very dingy cafés, ugly women in second-rate French patriotic in his quiet, modest way, and I have often finery, mosquitoes, and jingling frowsy flies bowling seen his fine eyes fill with tears as he spoke of Ottoat rare intervals along the wide white streets. I man oppression, and of the desperate efforts which fancied that Demetri, honest lad, seemed really his co-religionists in Crete were making to break the sorry that I was going. I had chatted with him a Mahometan yoke. He was seldom in communicagood deal, telling him much about England, and tion with Mr. Forster, who cared nothing for antighearing in return something about the East. But uities, and who would hardly have turned his head perhaps it was the loss of his occupation, I bethought to look at the Parthenon ; but he was always an atme, that threw a shade of melancholy over the tentive listener to what I had to say regarding my young Fanariote's dark face. Business was cer- former pupil. I had no suspicion then, but I have tainly drooping; for, besides myself, there was but no doubt now, that Demetri was artfully pumping one other Englishman, a client of Demetri's, as I me for information respecting the young Englishman was, staying at the hotel.

and his plans. This was a young gentleman who had once been Thursday came round at last, and the hot autumn a gentleman commoner at St. Crosier's College, sun threw a lengthening shadow across the dusty though his velvet cap had long been laid aside, and square in which, tall, stuccoed, and pretentious, with whom I had therefore some acquaintance. His stands the Hôtel des Quatres Vents. name was Forster, and he was rich. He had just “ No boat yet, signor; and when she does come succeeded to the property of his father, a great | into the roads she has coal to take in,” said Demetri, brewer in the Borough, and he was out in Greece entering the salle of the hotel, where I sat sipping with all sorts of romantic projects for helping on the my white Hymettus wine, after the conclusion of cause of that phantom Greek empire which dances the sparely-attended table d'hôte. “ You will do like a political will-o'-the-wisp before the dazzled well to drive down to the Piræus in the cool of the eyes of all King George's subjects. I rather fancy evening, and get on board after dusk. Athens will that young Mr. Forster was privately of opinion be quieter then too, for there are some of our Greek that his services to the Greek cause might win for hotheads abroad to-day.” him an English peerage, or a baronetcy at any rate. And indeed I had noticed that, ever since noon, He had heard and read of other Britons who had bands of able-bodied young fellows, in the national been similarly rewarded for feats performed in push- garb, — fustanelle, greaves, gaudy jacket, and scaring on the liberties of Spain and Greece; and he let skullcap, - had been marching about the city to was not unnaturally eager to secure the one distinc- a discordant accompaniment of drum and cowhorn, tion that his money could not purchase for him at and heralded by the cheers of a noisy rabble. Such home. There he was, then, at Athens, ready to demonstrations were, however, only too frequent, back the Greek insurrectionary cause with all the and I had thought little of the matter; but now I weight of his well-filled purse; and, as a violent asked my cicerone what the huzzas and drumming Philhellene, he was of course hand-in-glove with portended. He shrugged his shoulders : « Somesome of the most fiery spirits of the Grecian capital. thing about Crete,” he said, and turned away. But

The acquaintance between Mr. Forster and my- I quite agreed with him that it would be pleasanter self was, as I have said, but a slight one, yet the ex- to embark when the mob should have shouted themgentleman commoner, who was an outspoken sort of selves hoarse, and the road to the Piræus be clear of person, was communicative enough, in a rough, quasi-military processions. boastful way, when we did meet. The handsome Presently the short twilight died away, and was suite of apartments which he occupied on the first succeeded by the usual pure dark sky spangled thick floor of the hotel (the Rev. P. Green being simply with golden stars, and a fresh breeze sprang up to lodged much higher up, in a dormitory at which a seaward, warning me with its grateful coolness that stoic philosopher could scarcely have cavilled on the the hour for departure had arrived. My preparascore of over-luxurious accommodation) was seldom tions were soon made, my bill paid, and my portfree from the presence of several dingy and garru- manteau packed ; and as I collected my guidebooks, lous conspirators, whose talk was of Crete and Thes- umbrella, and walking-sticks, Demetri came with a saly, and who flattered and toadied the rich English hurried step along the passage to my room. milordo in due proportion to the five, or, if need L“ Signor, it is time.” were, the ten thousand pounds that he was ready to The voice in which the young Fanariote spoke lay down for the advancement of their projects. I was strangely husky, and his manner was odd and think that Mr. Forster must have been advised by excited, as it seemed to me. some of his Athenian friends to practise the virtue “One moment, Deinetri,” said I, as I buckled the of discretion; for of late his utterances, always boast- strap around my rugs and great-coat ; “I must ful, had become darkly oracular, and it was in a wish Mr. Forster good by. Do you know — " mysterious fashion that he hinted at the great events “ The milordo is not here. The milordo is gone, in which he was shortly to bear a part.

| – this very day,” said Demetri, abruptly. * His