dishes. Mr. John did the honours with unaffected grace, and
addressed me for the second time, saying, "You had better eat; you
did not get such things at sea." I acknowledged his politeness with
a bow, which, however, he did not perceive, having turned round to
speak with some one else.

The party would willingly have stopped some time here on the
declivity of the hill, to enjoy the extensive prospect before them,
had they not been apprehensive of the dampness of the grass. "How
delightful it would be," exclaimed some one, "if we had a Turkey
carpet to lay down here!" The wish was scarcely expressed when the
man in the grey coat put his hand in his pocket, and, with a modest
and even humble air, pulled out a rich Turkey carpet, embroidered in
gold. The servant received it as a matter of course, and spread it
out on the desired spot; and, without any ceremony, the company
seated themselves on it. Confounded by what I saw, I gazed again at
the man, his pocket, and the carpet, which was more than twenty feet
in length and ten in breadth; and rubbed my eyes, not knowing what
to think, particularly as no one saw anything extraordinary in the
matter.

I would gladly have made some inquiries respecting the man, and
asked who he was, but knew not to whom I should address myself, for
I felt almost more afraid of the servants than of their master. At
length I took courage, and stepping up to a young man who seemed of
less consequence than the others, and who was more frequently
standing by himself, I begged of him, in a low tone, to tell me who
the obliging gentleman was in the grey cloak. "That man who looks
like a piece of thread just escaped from a tailor's needle?" "Yes;
he who is standing alone yonder." "I do not know," was the reply;