They told me that my morning exertions required longer rest.

I told them that I must get my Greek.

Whereupon one of them stood over me, with his arms raised in a deploring attitude, and said,-- "Sternitur infelix!-- -- Et dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos." This, dear Aunty, is the lamentation of a Latin poet over a Greek soldier lying prostrate on the battle-field, far from home;--"and dying he remembers his sweet Greece." So they made game of me with the help of the Classics, giving poignancy to their jokes by polishing the tips with classical allusions.

While I was under the "delusion," they sung snatches of Bruce's Address to his army; and when they came to the words "Who so base as be a slave ?-- Let him turn and flee," one of them ran a cane under the delusion and punched me with it, keeping stroke to the music.

This was little short of profaneness.