hen fate proved adverse.

The Greek's manner was perfect. There was all the ease of a man used to
society, with a sort of half-sly courtesy, as he said, 'This is kindness,
Mr. Atlee--this is real kindness. I scarcely thought an Englishman would
have the courage to call upon anything so unpopular as I am.'

'I have come to see you and the Parthenon, Prince, and I have begun with
you.'

'And you will tell them, when you get home, that I am not the terrible
revolutionist they think me: that I am neither Danton nor Felix Pyat, but
a very mild and rather tiresome old man, whose extreme violence goes no
further than believing that people ought to be masters in their own house,
and that when any one disputes the right, the best thing is to throw him
out of the window.'

'If he will not go by the door,' remarked Atlee.

'No, I would not give him the chance of the door. Otherwise you make no
distinction between your friends and your enemies. It is by the mild
methods--what you call "milk-and-water methods"--men spoil all their
efforts for freedom. You always want to cut off somebody's head and spill
no blood. There's the mistake of those Irish rebels: they tell me they have
courage, but I find it hard to believe them.'

'Do believe them then, and know for certain that there is not a braver
people in Europe.'

'How do you keep them down, then?'

'You must not ask _me_ that, for I am one of them.'

'You Irish?'

'Yes, Irish--very Irish.'

'Ah! I see. Irish in an English sense? Just as there are Greeks here
who believe in Kulbash Pasha, and would say, Stay at home and till your
currant-fields and mind your coasting trade. Don't try to be civilised, for
civilisation goes badly with brigandage, and scarcely suits trickery. And
you are aware, Mr. Atlee, that trickery and brigandage are more to Greece
than olives or dried figs?'

There was that of mockery in the way he said this, and the little
smile that played about his mouth when he finished, that left Atlee in
considerable doubt how to read him.

'I study your newspapers, Mr. Atlee,' resumed he. 'I never omit to read
your _Times_, and I see how my old acquaintance, Lord Danesbury, has been
making Turkey out of Ireland! It is so hard to persuade an old ambassador
that you cannot do everything by corruption!'

'I scarcely think you do him justice.'

'Poor Danesbury,' ejaculated he sorrowfully.

'You opine that his policy is a mistake?'

'Poor Danesbury!' said he