The Austrian Consul, Herr Gutenthal, answered for me, and I was thus able to bid adieu to Russia on the 2nd of October.  That I did this with a light heart it is not necessary for me to assure my readers.

CHAPTER XXIV.  CONSTANTINOPLE AND ATHENS.

CONSTANTINOPLE—­CHANGES—­TWO FIRES—­VOYAGE TO GREECE—­QUARANTINE AT AEGINA—­A DAY IN ATHENS—­CALAMACHI—­THE ISTHMUS—­PATRAS—­CORFU.

Little can be said of the passage from Odessa to Constantinople; we continued out at sea and did not land anywhere.  The distance is 420 miles.  The ship belonged to the Russian government, it was named Odessa, was of 260 horse power, and was handsome, clean, and neat.

In order that my parting with my dear friends, the Russians, might not be too much regretted, one of them was so good at the end of the passage as to behave in a manner that was far from polite.  During the last night which was very mild and warm, I went out of the close cabin on to the deck, and placed myself not far from the compass-box, where I soon began to sleep, wrapt in my mantle.  One of the sailors came, and giving me a kick with his foot, told me to leave the place.  I thanked him quietly for the delicate way in which he expressed himself, and requesting him to leave me at peace, continued to sleep.

Among the passengers were six English sailors, who had taken a new ship to Odessa, and were returning home.  I spoke with them several times, and had soon quite won them.  As they perceived that I was without any companion, they asked me if I spoke enough Turkish to be able to get what I wanted from the ship’s people and porters.  On my answering that I did, they offered to manage everything for me if I would go on shore with them.  I willingly accepted their offer.

As we approached land a customs’ officer came on board to examine our luggage.  In order to avoid delay I gave him some money.  When we landed I wanted to pay, but the English sailors would not allow it; they said I had paid for the customs’ officer, and it was therefore their time to pay for the boat.  I saw that I should only have affronted them if I had pressed them further to receive the money.  They settled with the porter for me, and we parted good friends.  How different was the behaviour of these English sailors from that of the three well-bred Russian gentlemen at Jalta!

The passage into the Bosphorus, as well as the objects of interest in Constantinople, I have already described in my journey to the Holy Land.  I went immediately to my good friend Mrs. Balbiani; but, to my regret, found that she was not in Constantinople; she had given up her hotel.  I was recommended to the hotel “Aux Quatre Nations,” kept by Madame Prust.  She was a talkative French woman, who was always singing the praises of her housekeeping, servants, cookery, etc., in which, however, none of the travellers agreed with her.  She charged forty piasters (8s.), and put down a good round sum in the bill for servants’ fees and such like.