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Rh to follow your own example in remaining young in spirit until I am old in years? Taunt me not, then, with being wild—you cannot cure me."

"I fear not," replied the little old lady with a sigh which did not accord in the slightest degree with the ripples that played round her lips.

"Wildness runs in the family, mother," said Francisco, with a broad smile and a glance at Lucien's eldest hope, who had at that moment succeeded in breaking the string of the map, and pulling Algiers down on his head, "the Riminis have it in the blood and bone.—Get up and don't whimper, there's a brave fellow," added the burly merchant as the astonished youth arose; "I only wish that one of the great Powers would pull down the real city of pirates as effectually as you have settled the map. Lord Exmouth no doubt gave it a magnificent pounding, but utter obliteration is the only thing that will do."

"That's true, father," cried Lucien; "it must be conquered by a civilized nation, and the Turks be driven out, or held in subjection, if Europe is to have peace. Depend on 't they will be at their old tricks ere long."

"I should like to be commander-in-chief when the war of conquest begins," said Mariano.

"A poor job you'd make of it, my son," said Francisco.