rtily as he looked about him, and saw the struggles in the matter of
language. The chief marshal proved to be a very potent functionary, and
he was omnipresent in the apartment. When the governor spoke to him in
praise of Miss Blanche, he immediately sent Louis with her to His
Excellency. The room was the audience chamber of the palace, and the
magnate of the occasion invited her to a seat on the dais at his side.
She could speak French a little; and it was soon observed that she was
enjoying herself very much, and the governor even more.

Mrs. Sharp was passed over to Louis, and he made the grand round with
her. The princess was instructed to do the same with Mr. Woolridge,
while the professor rendered the same service to Mrs. Woolridge. The
rajah escorted Mrs. Blossom around the chamber, and the poor woman was
in a flutter all the time. The long robe of the Indian prince bothered
her, and she had been nearly tripped up several times; but her new beau
was as polite and deferential as though she had been a queen. She had a
story to tell the gossips of Von Blonk Park which would last her the
rest of her lifetime. It was even a livelier time than that at the
hotel, made so by the confusion of tongues, which was not far short of
that at the Tower of Babel.

The dinner was announced by the major-domo of the household. Ignoring
the houris of the occasion, the polite governor escorted Mrs. Belgrave
to the table, and seated her on his right, while the captain of the
Guardian-Mother conducted the princess. Those of the gentlemen who could
speak French were requested by Mr. Froler to attend the resident ladies;
and the most distinguished was placed in charge of the pacha. The
_contretemps_ of language were frequent and laughable; and so much
amusement was derived from this source that some of the visitors
purposely made bulls to keep up the hilarity.

The dinner was a very elegant as well as a very substantial affair.
Monsieur Odervie and other French cooks fraternized as usual on this
great occasion; and the table was ornamented with many set pieces, and
one from the citadel produced a Buddhist temple in sugar, which was the
admiration of the guests; and doubtless all these culinary artists would
assist the _chef_ of the Guardian-Mother for the great dinner of the
following day. But it would require a considerable volume to detail all
the occurrences of the governor's banquet. A speech was made by His
Excellency in French, wh