ty had time to
dismount.

When he alighted, he surveyed me round with great admiration, but kept
without the length of my chain. He ordered his cooks and butlers, who
were already prepared, to give me victuals and drink, which they pushed
forward in a sort of vehicles upon wheels, till I could reach them. I
took these vehicles, and soon emptied them all; twenty of them were
filled with meat; each afforded me two or three good mouthfuls. The
empress and young princes of the blood of both sexes, attended by many
ladies, sat at some distance in their chairs;[13] but upon the accident
that happened to the emperor's horse, they alighted, and came near his
person, which I am now going to describe. He is taller, by almost the
breadth of my nail, than any of his court, which alone is enough to
strike an awe into the beholders. His features are strong and masculine,
with an Austrian lip and arched nose, his complexion olive, his
countenance erect, his body and limbs well proportioned, all his motions
graceful, and his deportment majestic. He was then past his prime, being
twenty-eight years and three-quarters old, of which he had reigned about
seven in great felicity, and generally victorious. For the better
convenience of beholding him, I lay on my side, so that my face was
parallel to his, and he stood but three yards off. However, I have had
him since many times in my hand, and therefore cannot be deceived in the
description.

[Illustration]

His dress was very plain and simple, and the fashion of it between the
Asiatic and the European; but he had on his head a light helmet of gold,
adorned with jewels, and a plume an the crest.[14] He held his sword
drawn in his hand, to defend himself, if I should happen to break loose;
it was almost three inches long; the hilt and scabbard were gold,
enriched with diamonds. His voice was shrill, but very clear and
articulate, and I could distinctly hear it, when I stood up.

The ladies and courtiers were all most magnificently clad; so that the
spot they stood upon seemed to resemble a petticoat spread on the
ground, embroidered with figures of gold and silver. His imperial
majesty spoke often to me, and I returned answers, but neither of us
could understand a syllable. There were several of his priests and
lawyers present (as I conjectured by their habits), who were commanded
to address themselves to me; and I spoke to them in as many languages as
I had the least smattering of, whic