he may have made with indulgence; for he remarked to me, in a tone that implied both forbearance and generosity of regard, that it was necessary to humour him like a child.  But, in whatever manner the reconciliation was accomplished, the passengers partook of the blessings of the peace.  Byron, during the following day, as we were sailing along the picturesque shores of Sicily, was in the highest spirits overflowing with glee, and sparkling with quaint sentences.  The champagne was uncorked and in the finest condition.

Having landed the mail at Girgenti, we stretched over to Malta, where we arrived about noon next day—­all the passengers, except Orestes and Pylades, being eager to land, went on shore with the captain.  They remained behind for a reason—­which an accidental expression of Byron let out—­much to my secret amusement; for I was aware they would be disappointed, and the anticipation was relishing.  They expected—­at least he did—­a salute from the batteries, and sent ashore notice to Sir Alexander Ball, the Governor, of his arrival; but the guns were sulky, and evinced no respect of persons; so that late in the afternoon, about the heel of the evening, the two magnates were obliged to come on shore, and slip into the city unnoticed and unknown.

At this time Malta was in great prosperity.  Her commerce was flourishing; and the goodly clusters of its profits hung ripe and rich at every door.  The merchants were truly hospitable, and few more so than Mr Chabot.  As I had letters to him, he invited me to dinner, along with several other friends previously engaged.  In the cool of the evening, as we were sitting at our wine, Lord Byron and Mr Hobhouse were announced.  His Lordship was in better spirits than I had ever seen him.  His appearance showed, as he entered the room, that they had met with some adventure, and he chuckled with an inward sense of enjoyment, not altogether without spleen—­a kind of malicious satisfaction—­as his companion recounted with all becoming gravity their woes and sufferings, as an apology for begging a bed and morsel for the night.  God forgive me! but I partook of Byron’s levity at the idea of personages so consequential wandering destitute in the streets, seeking for lodgings, as it were, from door to door, and rejected at all.

Next day, however, they were accommodated by the Governor with an agreeable house in the upper part of Valetta; and his Lordship, as soon as they were domiciled, began to take lessons in Arabic from a monk—­I believe one of the librarians of the public library.  His whole time was not, however, devoted to study; for he formed an acquaintance with Mrs Spencer Smith, the lady of the gentleman of that name, who had been our resident minister at Constantinople:  he affected a passion for her; but it was only Platonic.  She, however, beguiled him of his valuable yellow diamond ring.  She is the Florence of Childe Harold, and merited the poetical embalmment, or rather