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which even the tearful face of Yram could hardly altogether derange. I
kissed her again and again, assured her that we should meet hereafter,
and that in the meanwhile I should be ever mindful of her kindness. I
gave her two of the buttons off my coat and a lock of my hair as a
keepsake, taking a goodly curl from her own beautiful head in return: and
so, having said good-bye a hundred times, till I was fairly overcome with
her great sweetness and her sorrow, I tore myself away from her and got
down-stairs to the caleche which was in waiting. How thankful I was when
it was all over, and I was driven away and out of sight. Would that I
could have felt that it was out of mind also! Pray heaven that it is so
now, and that she is married happily among her own people, and has
forgotten me!

And now began a long and tedious journey with which I should hardly
trouble the reader if I could. He is safe, however, for the simple
reason that I was blindfolded during the greater part of the time. A
bandage was put upon my eyes every morning, and was only removed at night
when I reached the inn at which we were to pass the night. We travelled
slowly, although the roads were good. We drove but one horse, which took
us our day's journey from morning till evening, about six hours,
exclusive of two hours' rest in the middle of 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 ferry-boats. 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 _naivete_
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

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