a guest in Carlton Terrace than
heretofore, and was even kindly invited to Princedown to profit by the
distant sea-breeze. Lady Montfort, whose ears some of his pranks had
reached, was not so tolerant as her husband. She gave him one day her
views of his conduct. St. Barbe was always a little afraid of her,
and on this occasion entirely lost himself; vented the most solemn
affirmations that there was not a grain of truth in these charges;
that he was the victim, as he had been all his life, of slander and
calumny--the sheer creatures of envy, and then began to fawn upon his
hostess, and declared that he had ever thought there was something
godlike in the character of her husband.

"And what is there in yours, Mr. St. Barbe?" asked Lady Montfort.

The ministry had lasted several years; its foreign policy had been
successful; it had triumphed in war and secured peace. The military
conduct of the troops of King Florestan had contributed to these
results, and the popularity of that sovereign in England was for a
foreigner unexampled. During this agitated interval, Endymion and Myra
had met more than once through the providential medium of those favoured
spots of nature--German baths.

There had arisen a public feeling, that the ally who had served us so
well should be invited to visit again a country wherein he had so long
sojourned, and where he was so much appreciated. The only evidence that
the Prime Minister gave that he was conscious of this feeling was an
attack of gout. Endymion himself, though in a difficult and rather
painful position in this matter, did everything to shield and protect
his chief, but the general sentiment became so strong, sanctioned too,
as it was understood, in the highest quarter, that it could no longer
be passed by unnoticed; and, in due time, to the great delight and
satisfaction of the nation, an impending visit from our faithful ally
King Florestan and his beautiful wife, Queen Myra, was authoritatively
announced.

Every preparation was made to show them honour. They were the guests of
our Sovereign; but from the palace which they were to inhabit, to the
humblest tenement in the meanest back street, there was only one feeling
of gratitude, and regard, and admiration. The English people are the
most enthusiastic people in the world; there are other populations which
are more excitable, but there is no nation, when it feels, where the
sentiment is so profound and irresistible.

The hou