'He must be a very superior man, this gentleman in black!' said
Popanilla to his companion.

'By no means! he is of the lowest class in society. But you are probably
not aware that you are in the most educated country in the world.'

'Delightful!' said Popanilla.

The Captain was exceedingly desirous of witnessing the flight of the
Vraibleusian Daedalus, but his friend advised their progress. This,
however, was not easy; and Popanilla, animated for the moment by his
natural aristocratic disposition, and emboldened by his superior size
and strength, began to clear his way in a manner which was more cogent
than logical. The chimney-sweeper and his comrades were soon in arms,
and Popanilla would certainly have been killed or ducked by this
superior man and his friends, had it not been for the mild remonstrance
of his conductor and the singular appearance of his costume.

'What could have induced you to be so imprudent?' said his rescuer, when
they had escaped from the crowd.

'Truly,' said Popanilla, 'I thought that in a country where you may
bastinado the wretch who presumes to ask you for alms, there could
surely be no objection to my knocking down the scoundrel who dared to
stand in my way.'

'By no means!' said his friend, slightly elevating his eye-brows. 'Here
all men are equal. You are probably not aware that you are at present in
the freest country in the world.'

'I do not exactly understand you; what is this freedom?'

'My good friend, I really am the last person in the world to answer
questions. Freedom is, in one word, Liberty: a kind of thing which you
foreigners never can understand, and which mere theory can make no man
understand. When you have been in the island a few weeks all will be
quite clear to you. In the meantime, do as others do, and never knock
men down!'

CHAPTER 7

'Although we are yet some way from our hotel,' remarked Popanilla's
conductor, 'we have now arrived at a part of the city where I can ease
you, without difficulty, from your troublesome burthen; let us enter
here!'

As he spoke, they stopped before a splendid palace, and proceeding
through various halls full of individuals apparently intently busied,
the companions were at last ushered into an apartment of smaller size,
but of more elegant character. A personage of prepossessing appearance
was lolling on a couch of an appearance equally prepossessing. Before
him, on a table, were some papers, exquisite fruits, an