except those which were expressly written to alleviate distress, or encourage the hopeful efforts of modest worth. Never was there so inflexible a judge, or one who would do what she thought light, come what would of it. Fiat justitia, ruat cœlum, might have been written on her escutcheon.
Sunday, February 25.—Having recovered her tranquillity, she was to-day all kindness. I mentioned to her the report rife in Beyrout respecting her death, as M. Guys had written it. She observed on it, "If I do die, those consuls, thank God, can have nothing to do with me! I am no English subject, and they have no right to seal up my effects. Why do I keep some of my servants, although I know them to be desperate rascals, but because they have one or two qualities useful to me? It would not do for every one to run the risk, but it will for me, who know how to manage them. For example: I have got two that I can depend upon for shooting a man, or giving a consul a good blow, if he dares to set his foot within my doors, so as to prevent his ever coming again; and such are what I want just now."
She turned over in her mind how she could raise a little money, and bethought herself of Mr. Michael Tutungi, the Armenian, of Constantinople, who had formerly served her in the capacity of dragoman. To him she had written in 1836, offering him the same
