From my dungeon in yonder city I cried, soon I will be thy lord! When

Evadne pronounced my death, I thought that the title of Victor of

Constantinople would be written on my tomb, and I subdued all mortal fear.

I stand before its vanquished walls, and dare not call myself a conqueror.

So shall it not be! Did not Alexander leap from the walls of the city of

the Oxydracae, to shew his coward troops the way to victory, encountering

alone the swords of its defenders? Even so will I brave the plague--and

though no man follow, I will plant the Grecian standard on the height of

St. Sophia."

Reason came unavailing to such high-wrought feelings. In vain I shewed him,

that when winter came, the cold would dissipate the pestilential air, and

restore courage to the Greeks. "Talk not of other season than this!" he

cried. "I have lived my last winter, and the date of this year, 2092, will

be carved upon my tomb. Already do I see," he continued, looking up

mournfully, "the bourne and precipitate edge of my existence, over which I

plunge into the gloomy mystery of the life to come. I am prepared, so that

I leave behind a trail of light so radiant, that my worst enemies cannot

cloud it. I owe this to Greece, to you, to my surviving Perdita, and to

myself, the victim of ambition."

We were interrupted by an attendant, who announced, that the staff of

Raymond was assembled in the council-chamber. He requested me in the

meantime to ride through the camp, and to observe and report to him the

dispositions of the soldiers; he then left me. I had been excited to the

utmost by the proceedings of the day, and now more than ever by the

255

The Last Man