n fact, you give me your
permission to submit such a basis as this, I should leave Athens far
happier than I feel now.'

'The Chamber has already voted the outfit. It is very modest, but it is
enough. Our national resources are at a low ebb. You might, indeed--that
is, if you still wished to plead my cause--you might tell my lord that I
had destined this sum as the fortune of my daughter. I have a daughter, Mr.
Atlee, and at present sojourning in your own country. And though at one
time I was minded to recall her, and take her with me to Turkey, I have
grown to doubt whether it would be a wise policy. Our Greek contingencies
are too many and too sudden to let us project very far in life.'

'Strange enough,' said Atlee thoughtfully, 'you have just--as it were by
mere hazard--struck the one chord in the English nature that will always
respond to the appeal of a home affection. Were I to say, "Do you know why
Kostalergi makes so hard a bargain? It is to endow a daughter. It is the
sole provision he stipulates to make her--Greek statesmen can amass no
fortunes--this hazard will secure the girl's future!" On my life, I cannot
think of one argument that would have equal weight.'

Kostalergi smiled faintly, but did not speak.

'Lord Danesbury never married, but I know with what interest and affection
he follows the fortunes of men who live to secure the happiness of their
children. It is the one plea he could not resist; to be sure he might say,
"Kostalergi told you this, and perhaps at the time he himself believed it;
but how can a man who likes the world and its very costliest pleasures
guard himself against his own habits? Who is to pledge his honour that the
girl will ever be the owner of this sum?"'

'I shall place _that_ beyond a cavil or a question: he shall be himself her
guardian. The money shall not leave his hands till she marries. You have
your own laws, by which a man can charge his estate with the payment of a
certain amount. My lord, if he assents to this, will know how it may be
done. I repeat, I do not desire to touch a drachma of the sum.'

'You interest me immensely. I cannot tell you how intensely I feel
interested in all this. In fact, I shall own to you frankly that you have
at last employed an argument, I do not know how, even if I wished, to
answer. Am I at liberty to state this pretty much as you have told it?'

'Every word of it.'

'Will you go further--will you give me a little line, a memoran