and one who governed, as well as reigned. But the
nobles and grandees of the country, deeming it indecent to trouble his
majesty with affairs of state any longer, took upon themselves all
the trouble of governing, leaving to the sovereign the sole duty
of reigning. This was done in a way to save his feelings, under the
pretence of setting up a barrier to the physical force and abuses of the
mass. After a time, it was found inconvenient and expensive to feed and
otherwise support the royal family, and all its members were privately
shipped to a distant region, which had not yet got to be so far
advanced in civilization, as to know how to keep up a monarchy without a
monarch."

"And does Leaphigh succeed in effecting this prodigy?"

"Wonderfully well. By means of decapitations and decaudizations enough,
even greater exploits may be performed."

"But am I to understand literally, brother Downright, there is no such
thing as a monarch in this country?"

"Literally."

"And the presentations?"

"Are like these trials, to maintain the monarchy."

"And the crimson curtains?--"

"Conceal empty seats."

"Why not, then, dispense with so much costly representation?"

"In what way could the grandees cry out that the throne is in danger, if
there were no throne? It is one thing to have no monarch, and another
to have no throne. But all this time our client is in great jeopardy.
Hasten, therefore, and be particular to act as I have just instructed
you."

I stopped to hear no more, but in a minute was flying towards the centre
of the square. It was easy enough to perceive the tail of my friend
waving over the crowd; but grief and apprehension had already rendered
his countenance so rueful, that, at the first glance, I did not
recognize his head. He was, however, still in the body; for, luckily for
himself, and more especially for the success of his principal counsel,
the gravity of his crimes had rendered unusual preparations
necessary for the execution. As the mandate of the court had not yet
arrived--justice being as prompt in Leaphigh as her ministers are
dilatory--two blocks were prepared, and the culprit was about to get
down on his hands and knees between them, just as I forced my way
through the crowd to his side.

"Ah! Sir John, this is an awful predicament!" exclaimed the rebuked
Noah; "a ra'ally awful situation for a human Christian to have his
enemies lying athwart both bows and starn!"

"While there is li