o there yourself, as you are tired of El Khuds.'

Pasqualigo, not having a repartee ready, shot at his habitual comrade a
glance of withering contempt, and stalked away.

In the meantime, Tancred dismounted and entered for the first time his
house at Jerusalem, of which he had been the nominal tenant for half a
year. Baroni was quite at home, as he knew the house in old days, and
had also several times visited, on this latter occasion, the suite of
Tancred. Freeman and True-man, who had been forwarded on by the British
Consul at Beiroot, like bales of goods, were at their post, bowing as
if their master had just returned from a club. But none of the important
members of the body were at this moment at hand. Colonel Brace was
dining with the English Consul on an experimental plum-pudding,
preliminary to the authentic compound, which was to appear in a few
days. It was supposed to be the first time that a Christmas pudding
had been concocted at Jerusalem, and the excitement in the circle was
considerable. The Colonel had undertaken to supervise the preparation,
and had been for several days instilling the due instructions into a
Syrian cook, who had hitherto only succeeded in producing a result
which combined the specific gravity of lead with the general flavour and
appearance of a mass of kneaded dates, in a state of fermentation after
a lengthy voyage. The Rev. Mr. Bernard was at Bethlehem, assisting the
Bishop in catechising some converts who had passed themselves off as
true children of Israel, but who were in fact, older Christians
than either of their examinants, being descendants of some Nestorian
families, who had settled in the south of Palestine in the earlier ages
of Christianity. As for Dr. Roby, he was culling simples in the valley
of the Jordan; and thus it happened that, when Tancred at length did
evince some disposition to settle down quietly under his own roof, and
avail himself of the services and society of his friends, not one of
them was present to receive and greet him. Tancred roamed about the
house, surveyed his court and garden, sighed, while Baroni rewarded and
dismissed their escort. 'I know not how it is,' he at length said to his
intendant, 'but I never could have supposed that I could have felt so
sad and spiritless at Jerusalem.'

'It is the reaction, my lord, after a month's wandering in the desert.
It is always so: the world seems tame.'

'I am disappointed that Besso is not here. I am