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Updated: June 19, 2025
The bell!" The night before poor Mr. Plateas had been reading "The Bell" of the poet of Leucadia, that pathetic picture of the enamored young sailor, who, on returning to his village, throws himself into the sea to reach more speedily the shore, where he hears the tolling knell and sees the funeral procession of his beloved, and as he buffets the waves is devoured by the monster of the deep.
Having no time to weigh the matter carefully, he was only too glad to find this happy way out of his perplexity. He bowed, and stopped before the old gentleman. "Mr. Mitrophanis, I am delighted to meet you, for I have a few words to say." "Mr. Plateas, I believe?" said the other, politely returning the bow. "The same." "And what can I do for you, Mr. Plateas?"
This sigh, or perhaps the mere idea of the professor in love, brought a smile to the judge's clouded face. "Why haven't you ever spoken to me about it?" continued Mr. Plateas. "Because I did not wish to bore you," replied Mr. Liakos. Then, touched by his friend's reproachful look, he made haste to add, "But now I will tell you everything, since you desire it."
Nevertheless, he was at the gymnasium in time, and began the daily lesson. But what a lesson! At first the scholars wondered what had become of their teacher's wonted severity; they soon perceived that this remarkable forbearance was not due to any merit on their part, but to complete heedlessness on his. Wonder of wonders! Mr. Plateas was inattentive!
The old gentleman smiled incredulously. "My only regret is," continued the judge, "that I allowed Mr. Plateas to discover my secret yesterday. I protest I never had the least thought of urging him to this step; he has taken it of his own accord, and you do me wrong in supposing that I have acted from self-interest."
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.
He kept thinking of his friend; it was his friend who felt the bitterness of separation, and that too without ever having tasted, like Hector, the joys of conjugal happiness! Mr. Plateas shut his book and started up again. A thousand conflicting thoughts filled his mind as he paced from his table to his bed, and from his bed back to his table. "Pshaw!" he cried.
"Well, is it 'yes' or 'no'?" he cried, as soon as he was near enough to be heard. "Do let me get my breath first." From the expression of the poor man's face Mr. Liakos feared that "no" would be more welcome than "yes." "Can he have repented?" thought the judge; then, taking Mr. Plateas affectionately by the arm, he turned back to prolong the walk, and tried to soothe his friend's amour propre.
Plateas also turned now and then; he even turned squarely around and peered through his glasses to find out what the judge was looking at; but seeing nothing he sat down again erect upon his stool, and went on with the conversation. At last Mr. Liakos espied what he was looking for.
Plateas rose, napkin in hand, and leaned over his friend's chair, eagerly following the words as the judge read aloud: "MY DEAR COUSIN, Bring your friend to my house this evening; the young lady will be there. Come early. "What did I tell you!" cried Mr. Liakos, joyfully. "Come, you must get ready." Mr. Plateas looked very serious; the idea of meeting the young girl made him nervous.
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