"E dunque no siete traditore?"

"Possibile, signor, ma almeno Io no sono Greco."

Not even the diplomatic representatives of the Hellenic kingdom are
free from the habit of depreciating their brethren. I recollect
that at one of the ports in Syria a Greek vessel was rather
unfairly kept in quarantine by order of the Board of Health, which
consisted entirely of Europeans. A consular agent from the kingdom
of Greece had lately hoisted his flag in the town, and the captain
of the vessel drew up a remonstrance, which he requested his consul
to present to the Board.

"Now, IS this reasonable?" said the consul; "is it reasonable that
I should place myself in collision with all the principal European
gentlemen of the place for the sake of you, a Greek?" The skipper
was greatly vexed at the failure of his application, but he
scarcely even questioned the justice of the ground which his consul
had taken. Well, it happened some time afterwards that I found
myself at the same port, having gone thither with the view of
embarking for the port of Syra. I was anxious, of course, to elude
as carefully as possible the quarantine detentions which threatened
me on my arrival, and hearing that the Greek consul had a brother
who was a man in authority at Syra, I got myself presented to the
former, and took the liberty of asking him to give me such a letter
of introduction to his relative at Syra as might possibly have the
effect of shortening the term of my quarantine. He acceded to this
request with the utmost kindness and courtesy; but when he replied
to my thanks by saying that "in serving an Englishman he was doing
no more than his strict duty commanded," not even my gratitude