tre, and the royal residence stood like the
governor's chamber in a panopticon jail. There did my mind for many
a day picture him sitting like a huge spider watching the incautious
insects that permeated his web. I imagined him fat, indolent, and
apathetic, but yet, with a jailer's instincts, ever mindful of every
stir and movement of the prisoners below. With a very ordinary telescope
he must be master of everything that went on, and the humblest
incident could not escape his notice. Was it the consciousness of this
surveillance that made every one keep the house? Was it the feeling that
the "Gross Herzogliche" eye never left them, that prevented men being
abroad in the streets and about their affairs as in other places? I
half suspected this, and set to work imagining a state of society thus
scanned and scrutinized. But that the general aspect of the town so
palpably proclaimed the absence of all trade and industry, I might have
compared the whole to a glass hive; but they were all drones that dwelt
there, there was not one "busy bee" in the whole of them.

When I rambled thus carelessly along, I came in front of a sort of
garden fenced from the street by an iron railing. The laurel and
arbutus, and even the oleander, were there, gracefully blending a varied
foliage, and contrasting in their luxuriant liberty so pleasantly with
the dull uniformity outside. Finding a gate wide open, I strolled in,
and gave myself up to the delicious enjoyment of the spot. As I was
deliberating whether this was a public garden or not, I found myself
before a long, low, villa-like building, with a colonnade in front. Over
the entrance was a large shield, which on nearer approach I recognized
to contain the arms of England. This, therefore, was the legation, the
residence of our minister, Sir Shalley Doubleton. I felt a very British
pride and satisfaction to see our representative lodged so splendidly.
With all the taxpayer's sentiment in my heart, I rejoiced to think that
he who personated the nation should, in all his belongings, typify the
wealth, the style, and the grandeur of England, and in the ardor of this
enthusiasm, I hastened back to the inn for the despatch-bag.

Armed with this, and a card, I soon presented myself at the door. On the
card I had written, "Mr. Pottinger presents his respectful compliments,
and requests his Excellency will favor him with an audience of a few
minutes for an explanation."

I had made up my mind