s. I suppose when you come to a
place like this you throw work to the winds."

"Oh, no!" said Lodloe; "I am a literary man, and I came here to write."

"Very glad to hear it," said the other; "very glad that that tower room
is to have the right sort of occupant. If I had not this summer-house, I
should want that room; but I am afraid, however, if I had it, I should
look out of the window a great deal and translate a very little."

"What do you translate?" asked Lodloe, with interest.

"At present," said Mr. Tippengray, "I am engaged in translating into
Greek some of the standard works of our modern literature. There is no
knowing what may happen to our modern languages. In the course of a few
centuries they may become as useless to the readers of that day as the
English of Chaucer is to the ordinary reader of our time; but Greek will
stand, sir, and the sooner we get the good things of the present day
into solid Greek the better it will be for them and the literature of
the future."

"What work are you translating?" asked Lodloe.

"I am now at work on the 'Pickwick Papers,'" said the scholar, "and I
assure you that it is not an easy job. When I get through with it I
shall translate it back into English, after the fashion of Sir William
Jones--the only way to do that sort of thing. Same as a telegraphic
message--if it isn't repeated, you can't depend on it. If I then find
that my English is like that of Dickens, I shall feel greatly
encouraged, and probably shall take up the works of Thackeray."

Walter Lodloe was somewhat stunned at this announcement, and he
involuntarily glanced at the gray streaks in the locks of the Greek
scholar. The latter perceived the glance, and, knocking the ashes from
his cigar, remarked:

"Did you ever notice, sir, that an ordinary robin is perfectly aware
that while squirrels and cats are able to ascend the perpendicular
trunk of a tree, they cannot climb the painted pillar of a piazza; and
consequently it is perfectly safe to build a nest at the top of such a
pillar?"

Lodloe had noticed this, and a good many other intelligent traits of
animals, and the two conversed on this interesting subject until the sun
came round to the bench on which they were sitting, when they moved to a
shady spot and continued the conversation.

At last Lodloe arose. "It must be nearly dinnertime," said he. "I think
I shall take a walk this afternoon, and see some of the country."

"You ought to do i