I exclaimed, "and what wonders you canrelate?"
  "I think what you once told me, the finest of all," he replied;"you told me of a thing that has never been out of my thoughts- of thegood old custom of 'the bond of friendship,'- a custom I should liketo follow. Brother, let you and I go to church, as your father andAnastasia's father once did. Your sister Anastasia is the mostbeautiful and most innocent of maidens, and she shall consecrate thedeed. No people have such grand old customs as we Greeks."
  Anastasia blushed like a young rose, and my mother kissedAphtanides.
  At about two miles from our cottage, where the earth on the hillis sheltered by a few scattered trees, stood the little church, with asilver lamp hanging before the altar. I put on my best clothes, andthe white tunic fell in graceful folds over my hips. The red jacketfitted tight and close, the tassel on my Fez cap was of silver, and inmy girdle glittered a knife and my pistols. Aphtanides was clad in theblue dress worn by the Greek sailors; on his breast hung a silvermedal with the figure of the Virgin Mary, and his scarf was ascostly as those worn by rich lords. Every one could see that we wereabout to perform a solemn ceremony. When we entered the little,unpretending church, the evening sunlight streamed through the opendoor on the burning lamp, and glittered on the golden pictureframes. We knelt down together on the altar steps, and Anastasiadrew near and stood beside us. A long, white garment fell ingraceful folds over her delicate form, and on her white neck and bosomhung a chain entwined with old and new coins, forming a kind ofcollar. Her black hair was fastened into a knot, and confined by aheaddress formed of gold and silver coins which had been found in anancient temple. No Greek girl had more beautiful ornaments than these.Her countenance glowed, and her eyes were like two stars. We all threeoffered a silent prayer, and then she said to us, "Will you be friendsin life and in death?"
  "Yes," we replied.
  "Will you each remember to say, whatever may happen, 'My brotheris a part of myself; his secret is my secret, my happiness is his;self-sacrifice, patience, everything belongs to me as they do tohim?'"
  And we again answered, "Yes." Then she joined out hands and kissedus on the forehead, and we again prayed silently. After this apriest came through a door near the altar, and blessed us all three.Then a song was sung by other holy men behind the altar-screen, andthe bond of eternal friendship was confirmed. When we arose, I sawmy mother standing by the church door, weeping.
  How cheerful everything seemed now in our little cottage by theDelphian springs! On the evening before his departure, Aphtanidessat thoughtfully beside me on the slopes of the mountain. His armwas flung around me, and mine was round his neck. We spoke of thesorrows of Greece, and of the men of the country who could be trusted.Every thought of our souls lay clear before us. Presently I seized hishand: "Aphtanides," I exclaimed, "there is one thing still that youmust know,- one thing that till now has been a secret between myselfand Heaven. My whole soul is filled with love,- with a love strongerthan the love I bear to my mother and to thee.
  "And whom do you love?" asked Aphtanides. And his face and neckgrew red as fire.
  "I love Anastasia," I replied.
  Then his hand trembled in mine, and he became pale as a corpse.I saw it, I understood the cause, and I believe my hand trembledtoo. I bent towards him, I kissed his forehead, and whispered, "I havenever spoken of this to her, and perhaps she does not love me.Brother, think of this; I have seen her daily, she has grown up besideme, and has become a part of my soul."
  "And she shall be thine," he exclaimed; "thine!