sia.

Burton now began to suffer from the untrue tales that were told about
him, still he never troubled to disprove them. Some were circulated by
a fellow officer of his--an unmitigated scoundrel whose life had been
sullied by every species of vice; who not only invented calumniating
stories but inserted particulars that gave them a verisimilitude. Two of
this man's misdeeds may be mentioned. First he robbed the Post Office
at Alexandria, and later he unblushingly unfolded to Lord Stanley of
Alderley his plan of marrying an heiress and of divorcing her some
months later with a view to keeping, under a Greek law, a large portion
of her income. He seemed so certain of being able to do it that Lord
Stanley consulted a lady friend, and the two together succeeded in
frustrating the infamous design. This sordid and callous rascal tried
hard to lead people to suppose that he and Burton were hand and glove in
various kinds of devilry, and a favourite phrase in his mouth was "I and
Burton are great scamps." Percy Smythe [161] then an official under Lord
Stratford, commented on hearing the saying: "No, that won't do, ---- is
a real scamp, but Burton is only wild." One story put abroad apparently
by the same scoundrel is still in circulation. We are told that Burton
was once caught in a Turkish harem, and allowed to escape only after
suffering the usual indescribable penalty. As this was the solitary
story that really annoyed Burton, we think it our duty to say that
conclusive documentary evidence exists proving that, whether or not he
ever broke into a harem, he most certainly underwent no deprivation.
Other slanders of an even more offensive nature got abroad. Pious
English mothers loathed Burton's name, and even men of the world
mentioned it apologetically. In time, it is true, he lived all this
down, still he was never--he is not now--generally regarded as a saint
worthy of canonization.

With the suspension of General Beatson--for the machinations of enemies
ultimately accomplished the old hero's fall--Burton's connection with
the Crimean army abruptly ceased. Having sent in his resignation,
he returned to England and arrived here just in time to miss, to his
disappointment, his brother Edward, who had again left for Ceylon.
Edward's after career was sad enough to draw tears from adamant. During
an elephant hunt a number of natives set upon him and beat him brutally
about the head. Brain trouble ensued, and he returned home