or lot in these odious imputations? Even could I deem them true, should I
not think charitably of thee, but yesterday a heathen, and educated in
impiety by a foul sorcerer? My poor lamb! But tongues must be stopped, and
I have now to advise thee how this may be accomplished."

"Say on."

"People will always talk so long as thou art the sole medium of
communication with the holy man. Some deem him less ignorant of our speech
than he seems, but concerning this I inquire not: for, in society, what
seems, is. Enough that thy colloquies expose thee to scandal. There is but
one remedy. Thou must yield thy place to another. It is meet that thou
forthwith instruct in that barbarous dialect some matron of unblemished
repute and devout aspirations; no mere ignorant devotee, however, but a
woman of the world, whose prudence and experience may preserve the holy man
from the pitfalls set for him by the unprincipled. Manifestly she must be a
married person, else nought were gained, yet must she not be chargeable
with forsaking her duties towards her husband and children. It follows that
she must be a widow. It were also well that she should be of kin to some
influential personage, to whose counsel she might have recourse in times of
difficulty, and whose authority might protect her against the slanderous
and evil disposed. I have not been able to meet any one endowed with all
these qualifications, excepting myself. I therefore propose to thee that
thou shouldst instruct me in the speech of Desmotes, and when I am
qualified to take thy place my uncle shall elevate thee to the dignity of
Abbess, or bestow thee upon some young clergyman of extraordinary desert."

Elenko intimated, perhaps with more warmth than necessary, her aversion to
both propositions, and the extreme improbability of the Princess ever
acquiring any knowledge of Greek by her instrumentality.