munificence, or justice.

Each vessel in the mean time brought exhilarating tidings from Greece. The

presence of a friend in its armies and councils made us enter into the

details with enthusiasm; and a short letter now and then from Raymond told

us how he was engrossed by the interests of his adopted country. The Greeks

were strongly attached to their commercial pursuits, and would have been

satisfied with their present acquisitions, had not the Turks roused them by

invasion. The patriots were victorious; a spirit of conquest was instilled;

and already they looked on Constantinople as their own. Raymond rose

perpetually in their estimation; but one man held a superior command to him

in their armies. He was conspicuous for his conduct and choice of position

in a battle fought in the plains of Thrace, on the banks of the Hebrus,

which was to decide the fate of Islam. The Mahometans were defeated, and

driven entirely from the country west of this river. The battle was

sanguinary, the loss of the Turks apparently irreparable; the Greeks, in

losing one man, forgot the nameless crowd strewed upon the bloody field,

and they ceased to value themselves on a victory, which cost them--

Raymond.

At the battle of Makri he had led the charge of cavalry, and pursued the

fugitives even to the banks of the Hebrus. His favourite horse was found

grazing by the margin of the tranquil river. It became a question whether

he had fallen among the unrecognized; but no broken ornament or stained

trapping betrayed his fate. It was suspected that the Turks, finding

themselves possessed of so illustrious a captive, resolved to satisfy their

214

The Last Man