the day. I do not
suppose we made above thirty or thirty-five miles on an average. Each day we had
a fresh horse. As I have said already, I could see nothing of the country. I
only know that it was level, and that several times we had to cross large rivers
in ferryboats. The inns were clean and comfortable. In one or two of the larger
towns they were quite sumptuous, and the food was good and well cooked. The same
wonderful health and grace and beauty prevailed everywhere.
    I found myself an object of great interest; so much so, that the driver told
me he had to keep our route secret, and at times to go to places that were not
directly on our road, in order to avoid the press that would otherwise have
awaited us. Every evening I had a reception, and grew heartily tired of having
to say the same things over and over again in answer to the same questions, but
it was impossible to be angry with people whose manners were so delightful. They
never once asked after my health, or even whether I was fatigued with my
journey; but their first question was almost invariably an inquiry after my
temper, the naïveté of which astonished me till I became used to it. One day,
being tired and cold, and weary of saying the same thing over and over again, I
turned a little brusquely on my questioner and said that I was exceedingly
cross, and that I could hardly feel in a worse humour with myself and every one
else than at that moment. To my surprise, I was met with the kindest expressions
of condolence, and heard it buzzed about the room that I was in an ill temper;
whereon people began to give me nice things to smell and to eat, which really
did seem to have some temper-mending quality about them, for I soon felt pleased
and was at once congratulated upon being better. The next morning two or three
people sent their servants to the hotel with sweetmeats, and inquiries whether I
had quite recovered from my ill humour. On receiving the good things I felt in
half a mind to be ill-tempered every evening; but I disliked the condolences and
the inquiries, and found it most comfortable to keep my natural temper, which is
smooth enough generally.
    Among those who came to visit me were some who had received a liberal
education at the Colleges of Unreason, and taken the highest degrees in
hypothetics, which are their principal study. These gentlemen had now settled
down to various employments in the country, as straighteners, managers and
cashiers