equipped." So saying, he lolled back in his
chair, and stretched out his legs so as to
contradict his assertion of not feeling at ease.

The conduct of the new comer, the respect of
the footmen, and the despatch of one to the
palace, gradually enlightened me. This oddly-
dressed, eccentric personage must be the grand-
duke himself; while, from the company not
having risen at his entrance, he must be taken
to be incog. Everybody who answered him
spoke to him as Monsieur le Comte, and he
chatted familiarly enough with all the guests in
his neighbourhood. There was a give and take
ill the conversation which struck me particularly,
and which at times made me doubtful if
the new comer was the grand-duke in person.
But the arrival of the uniform left no room for
uncertainty. Three footmen marched in with
the dignity of grenadiers; the one carried a
brass helmet, the second a sword, and the third
a short coatee blazing with orders. At a sign
from Sir Hercules the whole staff of lacqueys
formed an impenetrable fence, behind which
the change of dress was effected. When the
footmen retired I saw the unceremonious
intruder standing stiff and haughty by the side of
his arm-chair, his brass helmet on his head, and
his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The
company rose instantly, and bowed or curtseyed
as low as the table would let them. Sir
Hercules himself left his seat, and, bending low
before the grand-duke, thanked him for the
honour of his visit. The grand-duke waved his
hand graciously, took off his helmet, and sat
down, whisking his sword cleverly out of his
own way.

"Well, are we going to war with Prussia,
milord baronet? Will England send a fleet to
support us? You have always told me that
England respects the liberty of the press; will
she fight for it?"

Sir Hercules dallied with his golden chain,
and, smiling, put the question by. "There is
one difficulty in the way of naval support, your
highness."

"Ah, and what is that?"

"Simply, that your highness's grand-duchy
is very far inland, and the only navigable river
in it is almost too narrow for a jolly-boat."

"That never struck me. I think I shall
suspend the freedom of the press till we get
a seaboard. And so you think England will
do nothing to help us. Perfide Albion! Du
stolzes England, schäme dich! as the man sings
in the opera. Isn't that an Englishman at the
other end of the table? I don't know his face;
he has never been presented to me."

"I was going to solicit an audience for that
purpose to-morrow," said Sir Hercules, promptly.
"Your highness exercised your usual penetration;
he is an Englishman, but he has only
lately arrived in the dominions of your highness."

A sudden twinkle shot over the grand-duke's
face, and I could see he meditated some
mischief. "Only just arrived! He is doubtless
a stranger to our court and our ways, to our
scandals and our factions. Well, if he stays
here any time, he will be able to learn them—
especially under your instruction, Sir Hercules."
The company looked daggers at the English
minister, and he made a deprecating bow. "At
present we are too much occupied with other
things; we have a serious time before us; we
must bid farewell to scandal, and prepare for
troubles and trials on a large scale." The
company breathed freely, preferring troubles and
trials on a large scale to the open revelation of
its secrets.

But the mischievous glance had not died out
of the grand-duke's eyes, it was only lurking
in the background. He was lulling the suspicion
of the guests to sleep, in order to burst
like a bomb-shell over their heads.

"Perhaps," he continued, seemingly addressing
though not looking at me, "you will have
an opportunity of seeing this country in a state
of war; invaded by an overwhelming superior,
its people flying from their houses, its towns in
flames, its fields wasted. Such was the fate of
Prussia herself at the beginning of the century;
why may not Prussia retaliate it on us who
have no means of escaping it? You may all well
look grave at this picture," he said to the
guests at table, who were all smiling and feeling
reassured at their own escape, "but such may
be the fate in store for us. You would not
have us flinch from the combat; no, we, too,
must take up the gage flung down, and must
emulate the great deeds of our ancestry. We
must arm in defence of our hearths and homes.
All, all of us must shoulder the musket"—and
here he wheeled round suddenly to the right—
"you will have to spare us your keeper, M. de
Prudelwitz."

The company looked aghast while the grand-
duke leaned back in his chair and chuckled.
I was beginning to laugh too, but was checked
by a warning glance from Sir Hercules.

"Ah, that's what we must come to if England
won't help us. But, in the mean time, Prudelwitz,
you had better take the Englishman out
shooting, and show him what bags we can make
up. Not that I have given up all hope of
support from England yet, in spite of what Sir
Hercules says. Diplomatists are always
unwilling to hold out hopes which they know can't
be gratified; but people who have studied English
politics know that England attaches the
greatest importance to the integrity of the small
states of Germany. Is not that your opinion,
Madame de Hohlezahn?"

This time half the table laughed and the
other half looked confused. It was plain that
the grand-duke was going through the calendar,
and as no one could reply to him his victims
must grin and bear it.

"We must send an embassy to the House of
Commons and ask for its help. Whom shall
we send? Strudelwitz I have no doubt would
go, it would be a splendid diplomatic opening
for him, and they would probably give him the
Order of the Bath. Or there's Faulenzer, he's
certain to be listened to, for the last papers say