matism, but it was a profane jest and no one laughed at it.

The only effect of the entreaties of poor Emineh the wife of Michelaki, was to get him to consent to fly the following morning from the impending danger, and to remain at the neighbouring village of Chiblak, till such time as the fleet should have cleared the Hellespont. But that night he felt the Pania was sufficient to protect him from a thousand Moslems, and depending on his patroness, he continued in the society of his frivolous countrymen, singing Hellenic songs in praise of freedom till the soldiers of Suleiman were knocking at the door, and no possibility of escaping was left. The magic influence of a Turkish voice transformed the valorous Greeks in an instant into crouching rayahs, fawning on their oppressors, and vieing with each other in protestations of regard for the best of Agas. Both Michelaki and his companions were hurried off from their festivities to the divan of the Aga.

There each pallid wretch pressed forward to kiss the hem of his revered benish, and then fell back with down-cast eyes and respectfully

folded arms, to await the awful words of autho

rity.

"How many of the giaours are there said Suleiman, deposing his pipe, and without deigning to look on the Infidels.

"There are seven of your slaves," replied a voluble little Greek, "who have hastened to throw themselves at the feet of your excellency, to rub their foreheads in your footsteps, and to know your pleasure, and when known, to lay it on the crown of their heads as the honour of their lives."

""Tis well spoken, giaour," said the Governor. "I know you all love me, and much reason have you to do so; the Sultan (may his glory never diminish!) permits even rayahs, in the abundance of his mercy, to fight by the side of the true-believing, against the enemies of God and his Prophet, blessed be his Name! His ships want men, and giaours though you are, you are suffered to range under the shadow of the Sacred Sanjak, and to gratify your desire of serving against the unbelievers."

Then addressing his secretary Achmet, with

out affording any time for entreaty or remonstrance, he said-"Let them be sent to the fleet immediately; they will behave well, they must, for their wives and children shall be hostages for their faith. As usual, let them be provided for in the khan; we will look to their comfort; their husbands, if they are wise, will look to their behaviour. But if any of the poor Infidels," he continued, "have domestic affairs which stand in the way of their honourable employment in the fleet, God forbid they should be compelled to go. Min Allah! not for five hundred piastres would I send away the poorest rayah of them all." The Aga left the room, the Greeks understood the hint, but one only was able to take advantage of it, the voluble little gentleman who lately addressed the Aga; he offered to purchase his exemption, at the price of three hundred piastres, an offer which occupied three hours of discussion, but the bargain eventually was driven. Half an

hour was given him to produce the money, and having left his wife for his security, he was suffered to go home.

CHAPTER II.

Thou rascal beadle! hold thy bloody hand.
SHAKSPEARE.

IN Turkey, the bowels of the earth are the banking-houses of the people, consequently panics are less frequent than in the countries of Franguestan, for nothing short of an earthquake can shake the old firm, the original fountain of all capital. At any period, perhaps, it would be difficult to find one half the bullion of the empire above the surface of the soil. Deep beneath, the treasures are deposited which no coffer on the earth would be strong enough to preserve from the rapacity of the rulers of the land. The little Greek no sooner reached his dwelling than he commenced digging up his garden in twenty

different places, in order, had he been watched, to throw his observers on the wrong scent; and finally, with a heavy heart, he visited the real sepulchre of his soul, ravaged the interior of an old saucepan, and disinterred a handful of sequins. Having counted out three hundred piastres he secreted the remainder in the lining of his unmentionables, and proceeded to the Divan. There he paid down the hard cash in the presence of the Aga, who had returned on the important occasion of receiving the money. But no sooner was the stipulated sum paid, than the Aga gave way to ungovernable wrath, "Allah Akbar Mahomet rassur Allah!" he exclaimed, "there is but one God, and Mahomet is his prophet: three hundred piastres indeed! giaour, kafir, pessavink, scoundrel of an unbelieving dog, will three hundred piastres pay my poor soldiers for fatiguing themselves to death to find a substitute for you? Whose dog are you, who dares to laugh at my beard?"

"Noble Effendi," exclaimed the Greek, "and very best of governors, I am your dog, I am your servant, the most abject of your slaves; take pity on my poverty, my family are with