opinion of the King,—­there are few people of either sex here who are not of the same opinion, and the conviction is getting very general that no progress or reform is to be hoped for until he is expelled the country.”  Another, a little later, says:  “It looks very much as if there were a revolution preparing, and that the King would have to go.  He is so detested that I don’t think any one wants to save him.”  To complicate matters, there came some scandals to light concerning the frauds and peculations in the furnishing of supplies for the army, which was being prepared for a campaign in extravagant haste, and rumor involved persons in the closest intimacy with the prime minister.  I do not believe that Comoundouros was personally complicated, but I find in one of my letters the following, under date, “Athens, June 10:”—­

“Things here are in a horrible state.  The latest disclosures of the great defalcations seem to involve so many officials and non-officials, and break out in so many new directions, that one does not know whom to exonerate.  The King and most of the ministers—­quantities of officials, persons in high social positions and unblemished reputation—­seem to have been carried away by the fever; Comoundouros himself is accused of participation; ——­ and ——­ are clearly guilty, and I think the ministry must resign.  So far we have no accusation against Tricoupi or any of his friends.  That is the only comfort we can draw out of the affair.  I am holding back from exposing the affair in the ‘Times’ from the double motive that the scandal will affect all Greece, and because the affair is not yet fully disclosed and we don’t know what it may lead to in the way of exposures.  The government is doing everything it can to prevent the investigation extending, and this I mean to stop by exposing the whole matter in the ‘Times,’ but until it succeeds in arresting the disclosures I shall let them go.  Comoundouros is buying up all the correspondents he can, and one of his emissaries told me two or three days ago that if I would help him out I could pocket 20,000 francs.”

To this offer I replied by a letter to the “Times” attacking the ministry savagely, and when it was printed and reached Athens, and I saw the minister again, he remarked with his imperturbable good-humor, which indeed never failed him, “How you did give it to us to-day!” As I recall the old man, running over the twenty odd years during which I had known him more or less with long interruptions, I retain my impression of his genuine patriotism and personal integrity; but he was surrounded by people who did profit by their relation to him.  He was singularly like Depretis in manner and character; and of Depretis it was said that he would not steal himself, but he did not care how much his friends stole; but I think that the Greek was the abler man by much.  Comoundouros mitigated the rancors usual in the politics of Greece (as in those of Italy of to-day) by his unvarying good-nature,