cellency the minister pressed the hand of
the abbe, and assured him that the bishopric would soon be vacant, and
that it would be his care to see that a loyal prelate should fill the
seat. His excellency then entered into conversation with the members
of the deputation, and as none of them understood a word of his
language, they were much pleased with what he said. His excellency,
having been told by the abbe that Peter Saffran was the most
distinguished of the party, took especial notice of him. He pressed
his hand, while he expressed a hope that the members of the deputation
would attend the morning sitting; places would be reserved in the
gallery--for the present in _the gallery_.

Peter promised for his fellow-members. He could speak German as well
as French; he had picked up both languages during his ship
experiences.

All this time the minister had said nothing as to the grant to the
Bondathal Railway, and that was the principal thing.

At the next sitting of the Reichsrath the front row of the gallery was
reserved for the distinguished guests. They sat in arm-chairs, leaning
their elbows on the cushions, and letting their round hats hang over
the rails.

His excellency the minister gave a discourse which lasted over an
hour. The opposition maintained that during his speech his excellency
had glanced fifty-two times at the gallery, to see the effect he was
producing upon the Hungarians. One fell asleep, and let his hat fall
into the hall. The hat fell upon one of the deputies, and awoke him
from a sweet doze.

For three days this trivial circumstance gave food to the government
papers; then it became the absolute property of the accredited wit or
fun journals, which put into the mouths of the Hungarians all manner
of things which they had never said. Never mind; those excellent men
couldn't read German, so it didn't matter. They stuck fast to their
arm-chairs in the gallery as long as the sitting lasted; they were
more comfortable than their beds.

The last evening of their stay they were taken to the theatre. Not to
the Burg Theatre--that would not do for them--but to the Treumann
Theatre, where a piece was playing suitable for them, with plenty of
fun, singing, dancing, laughing; and the great joke of all was that
the principal part was to be played by the beautiful Eveline, Frau
von Kaulmann. Will Peter Saffran recognize her?

It had not been possible to get an engagement at the Opera-house for
Evelin