TO DEMETRIOS BIKELAS.

My Dear Friend,

Of your kindly interpretation of the laughter here and there in this volume, purporting to be a picture of modern Greek life, I have no doubt. You at least know that I lack neither friendship nor sympathy with your race. We like not the less those whom we laugh at, provided our laughter is not meant to wound. For are not our own absurdities and weaknesses mirrored in those of others?

My more serious preoccupation is the accuracy of my judgment and observation. For any errors on this ground I claim your indulgence. The foreign observer is proverbially impertinent and inaccurate, as we in Ireland have sad reason to know. We do not lack our Abouts, though it may be doubted if we accept them in a spirit so generous as you do.

In placing your name before my story, I may be said to hoist the colours of Greece, and under them dare sail my little bark of Greek passengers without any fear of coming to grief upon Hellenic shores, should I have the honour to penetrate so far.

H. L.

CONTENTS

CHAPTERPAGE
I. AT THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY.[5]
II. THE BARON VON HOHENFELS EXPRESSES AN OPINION.[25]
III. FAREWELL TO YOU!—TO YOU GOOD CHEER![33]
IV. AN ATHENIAN HOUSEHOLD.[45]
V. HOW GUSTAV REINEKE MISSED MADAME JAROVISKY’S BALL.[57]
VI. A FIGHT IN THE CAMP OF HELLAS.[68]
VII. PHOTINI NATZELHUBER.[76]
VIII. THE RESULT OF THE BARON’S ADVICE.[95]
IX. MADAME JAROVISKY’S BALL.[103]
X. A RANDOM SHOT.[117]
XI. TENOS.[128]
XII. INARIME.[140]
XIII. REINEKE’S ARRIVAL AT XINARA.[149]
XIV. MUTE ELOQUENCE.[155]
XV. A SILENT BETROTHAL.[170]
XVI. A REVELATION.[182]
XVII. PARTED LOVERS.[196]
BOOK III.[204]
XVIII. RUDOLPH AND ANDROMACHE.[204]
XIX. A CRUEL UNCLE.[215]
XX. AT THE THEATRE.[228]
XXI. A CHORUS OF ATHENIAN MAIDENS.[238]
XXII. FORESHADOWING A CRISIS IN RUDOLPH’S CAREER.[250]
XXIII. A MEETING ON THE ACROPOLIS.[260]
XXIV. A DRAUGHT FROM CIRCE’S CUP.[269]
XXV. AGAMEMNON AND IPHIGENIA.[276]
XXVI. HOW ATHENS TOOK THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PERFIDIOUS RUDOLPH.[296]
BOOK IV.[305]
XXVII. INARIME’S VIGIL.[305]
XXVIII. SHOWING A LADY KNIGHT-ERRANT TO THE RESCUE OF UNHAPPY LOVERS.[316]
XXIX. HOW A MAID OF ATHENS AVENGED HERSELF.[327]
XXX. CONTAINS A RELICATION AND A PROMISE.[346]
XXXI. SELAKA’S LAST WORD.[360]
XXXII. CONCLUSION.[372]