take advantage of the opportunity that now offered; he was still silent,
and began to regret his thoughtless promise to tell his friend
everything. While he had an esteem and even a warm affection for Mr.
Plateas, he could not regard the professor as a fitting recipient for a
love-confidence, or quite able to appreciate the delicacy of his
feeling; and, besides, it seemed to him almost treason to reveal again
the secret he had already confided to another.

Mr. Plateas noticed his friend's hesitancy, but ascribed it to
agitation. After a pause he saw that the confession was not coming of
itself, and tried to draw it out by asking questions. Although frank,
the answers he received were brief; still, he was able to gather that
the judge had been in love ever since coming to Syra,--three years
before,--and had then vowed either to marry Mr. Mitrophanis's younger
daughter, or never to marry at all. It was only within the last few
months, however, that Mr. Liakos had met the young girl for the first
time, at a friend's house, and had discovered that his love was
returned.

"Where did this happen?"

"At my cousin's."

"Does she know the two girls?"

"Oh, yes; she was a friend of their mother's."

"Ah! Now I understand," cried the professor. "Your cousin received your
sighs. She has been your confidante! That's why you never said anything
to me."