er into his eyes, and up his nose, and in his bosom, and finally
choked himself black in the face, while his host observed smilingly--

'Aha, rustic! unacquainted with the ancient and classical customs
preserved in this centre of civilisation by the descendants of
Alexander's heroes? Judith! clear the table. Now to the sanctuary of the
Muses!'

Philammon rose, and finished his meal by a monkish grace. A gentle and
reverent 'Amen' rose from the other end of the room. It was the negress.
She saw him look up at her, dropped her eyes modestly, and bustled away
with the remnants, while Philammon and his host started for Hypatia's
lecture-room.

'Your wife is a Christian?' asked he when they were outside the door.

'Ahem--! The barbaric mind is prone to superstition. Yet she is, being
but a woman and a negress, a good soul, and thrifty, though requiring,
like all lower animals, occasional chastisement. I married her on
philosophic grounds. A wife was necessary to me for several reasons: but
mindful that the philosopher should subjugate the material appetite,
and rise above the swinish desires of the flesh, even when his nature
requires him to satisfy them, I purposed to make pleasure as unpleasant
as possible. I had the choice of several cripples--their parents, of
ancient Macedonian family like myself, were by no means adverse; but I
required a housekeeper, with whose duties the want of an arm or a leg
might have interfered.'

'Why did you not marry a scold?' asked Philammon.

'Pertinently observed: and indeed the example of Socrates rose luminous
more than once before my imagination. But philosophic calm, my dear
youth, and the peaceful contemplation of the ineffable? I could not
relinquish those luxuries. So having, by the bounty of Hypatia and her
pupils, saved a small suns, I went out bought me a negress, and hired
six rooms in the block we have just left, where I let lodgings to young
students of the Divine Philosophy.'

'Have you any lodgers now?'

'Ahem! Certain rooms are occupied by a lady of rank. The philosopher
will, above all things, abstain from babbling. To bridle the tongue,
is to--But there is a closet at your service; and for the hall of
reception, which you have just left--are you not a kindred and fraternal
spark? We can combine our meals, as our souls are already united.'

Philammon thanked him heartily for the offer, though he shrank from
accepting it; and in ten minutes more found himself at t