صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

"And you could not have chosen a better man, my lord, unless you had taken Contari; and him it would be cruel needlessly to take from his wife.”

"You have not a very modest opinion of your own merits, Burstow."

"No, my lord; I never had. I never could see the use of it. If I had had it, I should not have the honour of accompanying your lordship to Chios."

"Only do as gallantly as you did at Hadrianople, Burstow, and we cannot but succeed. Stay-this is S. Theodore's lane; I will just bid the Exarch Choniates and his family farewell: do you go on to the palace."

Eager as Sir Edward was to be with Theodora, it struck him that, by mentioning the fact of her father's consent to his seeking her hand to Sophia Choniatis, he might ensure her one firm friend in case of need. He stopped at the house which the old Exarch then occupied, and was shown into the apartment which he usually tenanted. There also, contrary to his expectation, he found Euphrasia and her mother.

"Country habits, country habits, you see, my lord,” said the Exarch, rising to welcome him. "Here we are, sitting all together, as we might have been at Silivri. None of your women's apartments for me; it was never merry world since they came in. I have been on the ramparts all the morning, I promise you; I have but just taken off my brigandine. A masterly manner you drove the dogs back in, my lord: how many cannon did you spike ?"

[ocr errors]

Four, worthy Exarch; I marvel that I saw you not. A happy time of day to you, lady; and to you, fair Euphrasia. No news, I fear, of Lord Chrysolaras ?" "None, my lord," replied Sophia Choniatis.

"I have come," he continued, " to ask your congratu

lations."

And he went on to tell his long love for Theodora, the difficulties he had experienced from Phranza, and the promise he had just received from that nobleman of his daughter's hand, should he himself succeed in a dangerous enterprise, which, however, he did not more minutely particularise, on which he was even then about to set forth.

"Glad to hear it, my lord," cried the honest old Exarch; "glad to hear it, with all my heart. S. Dimitri bring you safely through your business, whatever it be !"

"I am in haste," said the knight; "I am even now on my way to the Lord Phranza's house. But I would fain first tell you this: that, when the Lady Theodora shall see you next, as I know she often does see you, she may friends."

feel as among

"I understand you, my lord," said Sophia Choniatis : "and GOD's blessing be with you, and come back with you!"

"Amen!" replied the knight, "and I am much be holden to you. And the same wish for our friend, Lord Manuel. Now I must bid you farewell." And he was speedily on his way to the palace.

At the door of Phranza's metacia he found old Barlaam, with whom, during that long and tedious winter, he had contracted a kind of friendship.

[ocr errors]

Is the Lady Theodora within ?" he inquired eagerly. "She is in the garden," replied the old man, with a kind of half smile, which he veiled under an appearance of most demure gravity.

"Thither will I, then," said De Rushton; "I come to her from her father." And he entered and passed through the hall, and found himself in the garden we have more than once described.

It was a melancholy evening in spring. The sun had set

[blocks in formation]

about a quarter of an hour; there was a clear, cold, bright hue of green where he had gone down; Venus was just visible towards the west; the air had a touch of chilliness in it, but was perfectly still; the buds were beginning to burst forth, and one or two of the April flowers of that warm land filled the garden with fragrance. The landscape was confined to the north, so that the besieging army was no longer visible; but over Galata a cloud hung, the scattered remains of the fog-smoke of that day's battle. The Bosphorus, instead of rolling in light, was covered with an innumerable multitude of the besieging fleet,-rude, black boats,-here and there a taller galley,-alive with a crowded soldiery, and lazily tossing on the calm deep. Theodora was walking up and down the terrace, scarcely seeing the scene around her, her thoughts fixed on the end of these terrible preparations, and almost envying the lot of her mother, who was sleeping quietly in the cemetery of S. Irene.

you

"Theodora! dear Theodora! I come to with your father's consent: will you tell me now that we must part ?" Theodora Phranza had not noticed his step till he spoke; and the flush of joy that passed over her cheek sealed De Rushton's happiness.

66

'No, Lord Acolyth," she said. And she held out her hand to him.

"You have made me a man indeed, dearest one," said De Rushton, after the first few words of transport were over; "and, truth to say, there is need of it too, for this very night I must leave the city."

"Leave the city! Where? why ? Nay then, it is you who come to say we must part."

"Had it not been for this parting, Theodora, we might not have met so soon. The Emperor has been pleased to give into my charge those ships now at Chios, on the

safe entry of which into the Horn the well being of the city depends. I am to use my endeavours to get to them unperceived; and then we must force our way in. Your father told me, that, if I succeed, his free leave should I have to be a suitor for your hand; and the Cæsar, like himself, prevailed on him to let me come here even now."

"But how shall you succeed? how shall you attempt to leave the city? you will be taken in the very first trial.”

"I hope better things, dearest. And, if I am fortunate enough to reach Chios, I shall know that you will be looking on us, as we come up yonder strait; and trust me, the knowledge of that will enable me to do wonders."

"But do not be rash, do not be rash, Sir Edward I heard my father say the other day that you and that Varangian who liberated the Exarch Choniates were the two rashest men in the city-and oh! I must not tell you how it terrified me to hear it."

"Fear nothing, dearest: I can assure you that Burstow, who is going to be my companion to-night, is the very man to bring us safely through anything."

Theodora inquired eagerly after his plans. Nothing, he told her, was as yet arranged; but Phranza would be present at the consultation, and would know, and could tell her, whatever was known.

Thus they went on talking till the half-hour specified had gone by, and darkness was gathering round them. "And now, dear Theodora, I must leave you really. The Cæsar was to expect me in half-an-hour, and I fear I have overstayed the time. God bless you, my own one! and give us to meet as joyfully as we part sorrowfully. You will not say no: it may be for the last time," he continued, as he almost frightened Theodora by the

for the time and place-extravagant liberty he took of throwing his arms round her, and kissing her fair cheek. Another moment, and he was gone.

Outside Phranza's lodgings he found Burstow. "My lord," said that worthy personage, "I don't like your plan of passing the Turkish fleet: I think I could tell you a better one."

"Walk on with me to the Emperor's apartments; I will hear it as we go."

"I would rather escape by land, my lord, if I am to have a voice in the matter. We might be two Turks. I can pass myself off for one anywhere, as your Lordship knows; and you have only to leave the talking to me, and look Turk-like, if we fall in with any advanced post."

"I will be guided by you, Burstow, in the business, if the Emperor finds no difficulty in the plan. But why not try the sea ?"

"If we did, we are sure to fall in with some of their vessels-they lie as thick as bees in a hive. Disguised we must be, after all. By land, we may escape notice at all; by sea, we are sure of it; and, to tell you the truth, my lord, I feel twice the man on dry land that I do on the water. It is not my element."

"I will speak to the Cæsar," replied the knight. "Wait me here."

"You are waited for, my lord," said one of the secretaries, as De Rushton entered the hall. "This way,

[ocr errors]

my lord:" and he led him into Constantine's presence. Welcome, my lord!" said the Emperor, looking up from a paper which he was signing: "you are late, but we can pardon you. Your signature, my lord Great Logothete." And the celebrated Lucas Notaras, Great Logothete of the empire, affixed his name in green ink under the imperial purple letters.

« السابقةمتابعة »