were partly at play, of course, both having
humour.

It ended in the margravine's being enraptured. The delicacy of the
invalid's dishes, was beyond praise. 'So, then, we are absolutely better
housed and accommodated than on shore!' the margravine made her wonder
heard, and from that fell to enthusiasm for the vessel. After a couple of
pleasant smooth-sailing days, she consented to cruise off the coasts of
France and England. Adieu to the sands. Throughout the cruise she was
placable, satisfied with earth and sea, and constantly eulogizing herself
for this novel state of serenity. Cards, and a collection of tripping
French books bound in yellow, danced the gavotte with time, which made
the flying minutes endurable to her: and for relaxation there was here
the view of a shining town dropped between green hills to dip in
sea-water, yonder a ship of merchandise or war to speculate upon,
trawlers, collier-brigs, sea-birds, wave over wave. No cloud on sun and
moon. We had gold and silver in our track, like the believable children
of fairyland.

The princess, lying in her hammock-cot on deck, both day and night, or
for the greater part of the night, let her eyes feast incessantly on a
laughing sea: when she turned them to any of us, pure pleasure sparkled
in them. The breezy salt hours were visible ecstasy to her blood. If she
spoke it was but to utter a few hurried, happy words, and shrink as you
see the lightning behind a cloud-rack, suggestive of fiery swift emotion
within, and she gazed away overjoyed at the swoop and plunge of the
gannet, the sunny spray, the waves curling crested or down-like. At night
a couple of sailors, tender as women, moved her in the cot to her cabin.
We heard her voice in the dark of the morning, and her little maid
Aennchen came out and was met by me; and I at that hour had the privilege
to help move her back to her favourite place, and strap the iron-stand
fast, giving the warm-hooded cot room to swing. The keen sensations of a
return to health amid unwonted scenes made things magical to her. When
she beheld our low green Devon hills she signalled for help to rise, and
'That is England!' she said, summoning to her beautiful clear eyeballs
the recollection of her first desire to see my country. Her petition was
that the yacht should go in nearer and nearer to the land till she could
discern men, women, and children, and their occupations. A fisherman and
his wife sat in the porch above their ha