not, however, entirely left without the means of benefiting his brethren within the walls. Calil Pasha, one of Mahomet's most trusted councillors, had been for some time bought over with Byzantine gold; and, though under the circumstances, able to hold little communication with the prisoner, yet they understood each other, and were able, occasionally, to interchange sentiments by a trusty eunuch of the Pasha's retinue.

Euphrasia, with her father and mother, still remained in the City when the siege commenced; for Silivri, after a brave but useless defence, had fallen before the Moslem troops were led to Constantinople. By the kindness of the Emperor, they were provided with suitable lodgings: the Palace of Chrysolaras being objected to, under the circumstances, by both mother and daughter, to the great indignation of the old Exarch, who denounced their change of abode as a womanish affectation. Contari, on returning to Constantinople had been promoted to a higher post in the guard than he had even requested; and, on obtaining this, he begged Eudocia to delay his happiness no longer: so that as soon as ever the return of January rendered marriages canonical, Father Demetrius performed the ceremony of the bridal coronation.

We have now only to speak of Leontius. He, and his wife, had made good their escape to Hadrianople; where, to her infinite grief, he instantly made a tender of his services to Mahomet, by whom they were readily accepted. His perfect knowledge of Constantinople, his acquaintance with the disaffected party there, his intimate familiarity with the revenues of the Empire, all these had induced the Sultan to settle on him a handsome pension, and to place him in the confiscated palace of a Greek nobleman at Hadrianople. He would also have induced him to change his religion; but Leontius,

though declaring that at some future period he very possibly might do so, preferred retaining the faith in which he had been brought up, till he should see what degree of success favoured the Sultan's arms.

All these things were the deepest and most bitter affliction to Anna Patellari, but she bore all, patiently and meekly: submitted to her husband's passive neglect, or active unkindness,-knew that, in the hour of her need, he was joining a hunting party of the Sultan's— and finally, when able again to perform the usual duties of life, had the agony of finding that Leontius had openly introduced a Turkish mistress into his house and her place. This last blow she felt not called upon to bear; and taking advantage of one of the many embassies which passed between Hadrianople and Constantinople on the subject of the release of Redschid, she returned to her husband's great joy, to the Imperial City, carrying her infant along with her, and leaving him to pursue his career of vice unobserved and unchecked.

Now we return to the course of our history.

CHAPTER XVII.

"But, since the affairs of men stand still uncertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befall.

If we do lose this battle, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together.
What are you then determined to do ?"

Julius Cæsar.

"WHO is on duty at the Silivri Gate ?" cried Constantine, as, during an attack from the Janissaries, he met one or two of the principal officers in a hurried council in the Tower of S. Romanus.

"The Great Logothete," said Phranza.

They seem slow in their defence towards the Hadrianople Gate. The firing has quite ceased. How is that ?" "Sire," said Sir Edward de Rushton,-"I am from thence. They are husbanding their powder-for the attack has slackened; and, if we have the consumption of last week for the next, there would not be an ounce left in Constantinople."

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They come on like fiends," said the Emperor, looking from one of the narrow windows. "That Bulgarian renegade, Baltha Ogli, seems determined to carry all before him. My lords, we must on to the rampart. De Rushton, ride to the Tower of Belisarius, and bring up the twenty or thirty Varangians left there. There is not the slightest danger on the sea side."

"I will be back instantly, my liege." And he hurried off.

Deafened by the roaring of the huge cannon, harassed by the blinding clouds of drifting smoke,-quarrels, bullets, and arrows flying thickly round them, Constantine and Phranza passed along the outer wall, as calmly as in the palace garden. Now there was a shout of "La illah Allah," as some Mussulman distinguished himself by a successful aim, or a bastion trembled under the blow of one of the enormous masses of stone hurled by the cannon of the infidel ;-now it was "S. George for England!" as a couple of Varangians, heaving a mass of rock from the wall, dashed off the head of a ram that was butting it now, farther off, : "Saint Denis !" was the shout; while, fighting hand to hand with the Infidels,— no unaccustomed warfare for them, "S. Mark for Venice!" told of the daring of the paid forces of the republic, or "Flanders and the Lion!" of the chivalry of some Flemish knight. In the very heat of the conflict,

a procession passed along the inner wall, bearing a banner with the image of the Protectress Virgin; and the tumult and confusion, the shrieks and outcries, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting, was strangely contrasted with the wail of the Litany, and the constant and suppliant cry, "Again and again, in peace, let us make our supplications to the LORD."

"Ha!" cried the Emperor, as a drift of smoke swept past" that is a new arrangement-they are pointing yonder cannon against the opposite sides of the salient angles-there-at S. Nicolas's bastion."

"Some one is directing the engineers, sire,-yonder ! By S. Dimitri, I believe that it is that archtraitor Leontius-he learnt that secret at your Majesty's own banquet, when the General Justiniani was describing a Western siege."

"Where is Justiniani ?" inquired the Emperor.

"Gone home for an hour's rest," said Contari, who happened to be on that part of the wall.

"Gone home!" cried the Emperor. "What, now ?" "So please your highness, I will summon him."

"Go at once-no, stay-here comes better help. Lord Acolyth, they are bringing eight on ten cannons to bear on S. Nicolas's bastion-Leontius is directing the work-see, there! will you dislodge them ?"

"Instantly, sire. Contari, go to Burstow-he is towards S. Theopompus's Church; bid him take twenty Varangians, and fifty of the native troops, and take yonder party in the rear, while I attack them in front. My lads," speaking to the men he had just brought up"if I go down, never mind me; spike the cannon, and then get safe back-and twenty gold pieces for Leontius's head!"

"You are under his orders, Stratopedarch," said the

Cæsar to an officer standing near. "Follow him with thirty men."

The gate of S. Romanus flew open-out galloped the Acolyth and his followers; and even while the engineers were most closely superintending the position of the largest cannon," S. George the Callinicus!" "De Rushton! De Rushton !" "S. Edward for England!" rose confusedly in their very midst. The cannoneers could offer not the slightest defence-for linstocks were not then used—but Baltha Ogli, with a strong party of Janissaries, flew to the succour of the attacked part. Outnumbering the assailants five to one, they stretched an impenetrable line against the most violent efforts of the Varangians.

"Leontius! Leontius!" shouted De Rushton,"Cowardly dog! Turn for one moment, apostate and traitor! Nay, then, if you will cross my way, have at you in S. George's name!" as Baltha Ogli spurred his powerful horse against the Varangian leader. He was a mán of gigantic frame, and the powerful animal which he rode had almost borne, in the first shock, De Rushton to the ground. The dexterity of Western chivalry soon began to tell against the barbarous style of the Bulgarian giant, And, just as one severe wound had taught Baltha Ogli that, with such an opponent, his life was in imminent danger, from the further gate galloped the party led by Burstow, with loud shouts of "S. George for England! the Virgin the Protectress!"

"Lord Phranza," said Constantine, "this knight shames us all. There is Justiniani, brave man as he is, must needs be sleeping at this very moment; but De Rushton, with scarcely less prudence, has ten times his vigour. By S. Dimitri! I have a mind to despatch him to Chios, to discover what detains our missing ships there !”