tread softly. Don't be nervous. Are you sick?'

'A little nausea; 'tis nothing.'

'The novelty of the motion. The best thing is a beefsteak. We will stop
at Taurus and take one.'

'You have been a great traveller, Mercury?'

'I have seen the world.'

'Ah! a wondrous spectacle. I long to travel.'

'The same thing over and over again. Little novelty and much change. I
am wearied with exertion, and if I could get a pension would retire.'

'And yet travel brings wisdom.'

'It cures us of care. Seeing much we feel little, and learn how very
petty are all those great affairs which cost us such anxiety.'

'I feel that already myself. Floating in this blue aether, what the
devil is my wife to me, and her dirty Earth! My persecuting enemies seem
so many pismires; and as for my debts, which have occasioned me so many
brooding moments, honour and infamy, credit and beggary, seem to me
alike ridiculous.'

'Your mind is opening, Ixion. You will soon be a man of the world. To
the left, and keep clear of that star.'

'Who lives there?'

'The Fates know, not I. Some low people who are trying to shine into
notice. 'Tis a parvenu planet, and only sprung into space within this
century. We do not visit them.'

'Poor devils! I feel hungry.'

'All right. We shall get into Heaven by the first dinner bolt. You
cannot arrive at a strange house at a better moment. We shall just have
time to dress. I would not spoil my appetite by luncheon. Jupiter keeps
a capital cook.'

'I have heard of Nectar and Ambrosia.' 'Poh! nobody touches them.
They are regular old-fashioned celestial food, and merely put upon the
side-table. Nothing goes down in Heaven now but infernal cookery. We
took our chef from Proserpine.'

'Were you ever in Hell?'

'Several times. 'Tis the fashion now among the Olympians to pass the
winter there.' 'Is this the season in Heaven?' 'Yes; you are lucky.
Olympus is quite full.' 'It was kind of Jupiter to invite me.' 'Ay! he
has his good points. And, no doubt, he has taken a liking to you, which
is all very well. But be upon your guard. He has no heart, and is as
capricious as he is tyrannical.'

'Gods cannot be more unkind to me than men have been.'

'All those who have suffered think they have seen the worst. A great
mistake. However, you are now in the high road to preferment, so we will
not be dull. There are some good fellows enough amongst us. You will
like old Neptune.' 'Is he there now?'

'Yes, he ge