The two friends bent their steps toward the empty cafe, to the great delight of the proprietor, who ran forward zealously to offer his services.  The judge contrived to place the seats so that he could see the road that led to Mana.  The professor sat down opposite, facing the town, with his back to the country; but he seemed rather nervous about the evening air, for he shivered every now and then, and took care to button up his overcoat to the very neck.

They began by talking about their daily affairs; Mr. Liakos suggested the topics, while the professor held forth to his heart’s content, and fairly revelled in Homeric quotation.  He noticed, however, that his companion, instead of heeding what he said, kept looking toward the highway, and leaning forward to see still further around the bend in the road.  Following his friend’s gaze, Mr. Plateas also turned now and then; he even turned squarely around and peered through his glasses to find out what the judge was looking at; but seeing nothing he sat down again erect upon his stool, and went on with the conversation.

At last Mr. Liakos espied what he was looking for.  His eyes shone; the expression of his whole face changed, and he made no further pretence of listening to his friend’s story about a recent controversy between two learned professors in the University of Athens.  Seeing the judge’s eyes fixed upon some object behind, Mr. Plateas stopped short, leaned his fat hand on the table to aid the gyration that he was about to make upon his stool, and was preparing for another effort to discover what could thus fascinate Mr. Liakos, when the judge, divining his companion’s purpose, suddenly laid his hand on the professor’s, and pressing it firmly, said in a low voice, but with a tone of authority: 

“Don’t turn around!”

Mr. Plateas sat motionless, with mouth open and eyes fastened on those of his friend, who was still staring at the road.  The judge’s look showed that the object of his interest was coming nearer, but the professor did not dare to stir or utter a word.

“Talk,” whispered Mr. Liakos.  “Continue the conversation.”

“But, my dear friend, what shall I say?  You’ve driven every idea out of my head.”

“Recite something.”

“What shall I recite?”

“Anything you like,—­something out of the ‘Iliad.’”

“But I can’t think of a single line!”

“Say the Creed, then,—­anything you please, only don’t sit there dumb.”

The poor professor began to stammer out mechanically the first words of the Creed; but either from a sense of impiety or from mere confusion of mind, he passed abruptly to the first book of the “Iliad.”  His memory played him false.  How his pupils would have suffered if they had thus maltreated the immortal bard!

He was still reciting when the judge released his hand and got up to make an elaborate bow.  Mr. Plateas looked in the same direction, and saw the back of an elderly gentleman between two attractive young girls.  He had no difficulty in recognizing the trio, even from the rear.