Doctor, dragging me forward against my will, 'who can tell you all about it. He is just come from the very place. Mr. Oliver Ubertus, your humble and devoted subject—ahem!—and hopes your Majesty will be merciful to him, and not cut his head off this time.'
'That will be as he deserves,' replied the King. 'Come forward thou, Oliver U. Burstus, if that is thy name, and tell our Court what thou knowest of that strange land. Keep away from him, Doctor Julius; thou wilt prompt him; we know thy tricks and magic arts. Come to us anon: we would learn something of our precious body. Speak, man Ubustus; where dost thou come from?'
'From Tasmania, sire,' I answered, trembling from head to foot.'
'Where is that?'
'An island in the South Pacific Ocean.'
'An island of cannibals, ha!'
'No, sire—an island of most civilized and respectable people.'
'Proceed, and be brief; explain what thou heardest fall from the lips of our minister the Cardinal.'
'Sir, I am but ill-fitted ,to speak to your Mightiness, and after his Eminence the Cardinal, but I will describe that land to you to the best of my ability. It is not the land of my birth, but it is dear to me as my place of residence for many years, and the birth-place of my children. It is evident to me that his Eminence has seen a miraculous vision. The country he saw is certainly a most beautiful one; the multitudes of roads with the carriages travelling rapidly without horses, show how the revenues of the land, millions upon millions, have been spent year after year. The impoverished state of the city which he saw shadows forth its probable condition in future years, when all its riches shall be spent on roads, railroads, and other improvements; and when its annual
