approached in several directions, the castle standing at the far
side of a wide circle or parade ground. The open space before
the balconies was fully three hundred yards square, and was
paved. From each side stretched the velvety green with its
fountains, its trees, its arbors, its flowers, its grottos and
its red-legged soldiers.

The park was probably a mile square, and was surrounded by a
high wall, on the top of which were little guard-houses and
several masked cannon. In all their travels the Americans had
not seen a more delightful bit of artifice, and they wandered
about with a serene content that would have appealed to anyone
but their voiceless guide. He led them about the place,
allowing them to form their own conclusions, draw their own
inferences and make their own calculations. His only acts were
to salute the guards who passed and to present arms when he had
conducted his charges to the edge of forbidden territory. When
they had completed their tour of inspection their guide rapidly
led the way to the wall that encircled the grounds, reaching it
at a point not far from the castle itself. Here was situated
another large gate, through which they did not pass. Instead,
they ascended some steps and came out upon the high wall. The
top of this wall was several feet wide, and walking was
comparatively safe. They soon understood the guide's design.
The object was to walk along this wall until they reached the
main gate. Why this peculiar course was to be taken they could
not imagine at first. Anguish's fertile brain came to the
rescue. He saw a number of women in a distant part of the
grounds, and, remembering their guide's haste in conducting them
to the wall, rightly conjectured that it was against custom for