not guess why I am with you now? Do you not know that you have another home, dearest one ?"

"But my father-"

"He is even now below," said Sir Edward.

"He let

me come up to you first. I hear him even now on the stairs." And with a heavy step, and an air that showed how great a part he had borne in the labours of the day, Phranza entered, and fondly kissed his daughter.

"You have a better right to her now than I have, De Rushton," he said. "Theodora,-we shall not be very far separated-I know not how we should bear it if we were."

"Oh no, no, dearest father,-I shall be very near you -I shall still see you every day-just as we have done till now-is it not so ?"

"I should be almost as grieved as you would be, dear Theodora, if I did not think so," said De Rushton.

"I believe you, from my soul, Lord Acolyth," cried the old nobleman, giving him his hand. "GOD bless you, Theodora! Ever have you been a most dear daughter to me-and I thank GOD that He has given you a better protector now than myself. Take her now, De Rushton. You must go with him, Theodora. I must not stay,for the Emperor has just sent for me-it appears there is some dispute between Justiniani and the Great Logothete, and I must help to reconcile it. Maria has her instructions, and will be at your new home well nigh as soon as you."

"Let us go through the gardens to my house, Lord Phranza-and do you come with us so far-it will be scarce out of your way."

"Do, do, my dearest father," added Theodora.

"Let us go, then," said Phranza. "Ah! Theodora ! your bridal procession of yesterday-where is it ?"

"While I have you, and my - and Sir Edward de

Rushton "-she corrected herself with a blush,—“ how can I think about processions? But you will come and see me to-morrow ?"

“I will, my dear child, I will. Now we are in Sir Edward's garden. A right pleasant one, is it not ?”

"I shall learn now to love it better," said De Rushton. "At present it has not the happy memories of your own garden, Lord Phranza.”

As he spoke, they ascended the marble steps that led up from it to the house, entering it quietly and alone. But in a moment, servants of all kinds assembled round them, eager to do honour to their new mistress.

"GOD bless you, my dear child,—take care of her as she deserves,—Sir Edward." And without more words, George Phranza passed through the crowd of servants, and took his way, unattended, across the court to the Emperor's own apartments.

"Now," said Sir Edward, "my Theodora shall judge for herself whether I have guessed aright what her taste would be." And he led her into a little room to which we shall have occasion hereafter to refer more particularly. It looked out on to the gardens: the branches of an aged cedar rustled pleasantly against the very windows a fountain, on a green plot beneath, threw up its waters and made a delicious coolness around: and between the branches of the tall trees the blue sea of Marmora, in that twilight hour was faintly visible. The room itself was hung with green silk, embroidered with golden fleurs-de-lys, a decoration utterly unknown at Constantinople: there was an open hearth, with small fire dogs of silver; the furniture was of satinwood; the ceiling was painted after the Greek fashion, with intertwining cable work of crosses; and, in compliance with

the accustomed use of his bride, the image of the Panaghia and the silver lamp were fixed against the wall.

Theodora threw herself into her husband's arms, and found vent for her feelings both of sorrow and joy in a flood of tears. We will leave De Rushton to wipe them away, and to that first sweet evening with his bride.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Grecians judged

Hope vain, and their whole host's destruction sure:

But nought expected every Trojan less

Than to consume the fleet with fire, and leave

Achaia's heroes lifeless on the field.

With such persuasion occupied, they fought."

Iliad. XV.

FOUR days more had passed,—and what days for Constantinople!

No sooner was the Upper Horn fairly in the Sultan's power, than he commenced preparations for attacking the city from that side. Day and night the coopers were making casks, and the carpenters shaping beams, -and in spite of the best directed fire, and most vigorous efforts of the Greeks, a floating mole, fifty cubits in length, was moored across the narrowest part of the harbour. One of the huge cannon, that threw a ball, twelve hundred pounds in weight, was placed on its extremity; and nightly and daily, every three hours, it discharged the enormous mass of rock against the devoted walls. Nor was the attack less vigorous towards the tower of S. Romanus: there also the wall was much

shaken; and the double assault had almost worn out the physical strength, as much as it had depressed the courage of the handful of troops by which the city was defended.

It might be about six o'clock on the evening of the fourth day, that Constantine, who ever seemed to delight in the post of danger, was holding a council of war in a guard house nearly opposite the mole. Every nobleman and officer of note in the city was there; and, as if to heap misfortune on misfortune, high words had broken out among the Christian chiefs.

"I repeat it again, John Justiniani," cried the Great Logothete, "that if you and your Genoese had done their duty this morning at the Tower of Nicetas, it could not have fallen."

"Done my duty, Lord Notaras? How could I keep bricks and lime together that were old and decayed to begin with; and had never been properly repaired? If you had done your duty, months ago,-if you had only taken common care of repairing the walls, this could never have happened."

"The walls may be bad for aught I know or care," cried Lorenzo Galeotti, the leader of the Venetian auxiliaries," but I will maintain it with my body in a fair field, either by sword or lance, against all gainsayers, that the Genoese did not do their duty."

"And the Venetians of course did," retorted Justiniani. "But I tell you this, Galeotti ;-the White Horse shall go further in a sally than the Winged Lion would dare to follow even with his eyes. Come now; let it come to a trial when you will, and then—”

"It is for us

Silence, my lords," said Constantine. to judge whether you have done your duty, one and all; and to reprimand you for it, if you have not. As to such vain trials as you talk of, he that leaves the city in that

guise will never return to it, for we will give strict orders that the gates be shut upon him."

But, sire-" said Lucas Notaras.

"We will not be interrupted," said Constantine. "The thing we have now to discuss is,-not why the Tower of S. Nicetas fell, but how we may if possible destroy this terrible mole. Sir Edward de Rushton, have the walls on this side been surveyed, as we gave orders ?"

"They have, sire; and the engineer reports that they cannot hold together for more than ten or twelve fresh discharges of that cannon."

"That will be something more than a day, and then we have nothing to trust to but our swords," said the Emperor. "My Lord Phranza, we wait for your sentence."

"I would try, my liege; if my rede be worth having, to set the mole on fire. The weather has been very dry, and there has been little dew, since it was erected; the planks and the galleys must be like tinder; fire one, and the whole would be in a blaze in less than an hour."

"I agree," said Justiniani, "that it is our only hope; and why not to-night ?"

"I marvel you do not think the danger too great," sneered Galeotti.

"Sir General," said the Emperor, "you will either bridle your tongue, or leave the Council. Such taunts are no disgrace but to him that utters them."

"I thank your Majesty," replied Justiniani: "they trouble not me. Have I your Royal leave to speak my mind on this point ?"

Constantine bowed, and the Genoese General proceeded. "I would man the galleys, sire, soon after nightfall; the wind, I see, is south; they might creep up in