feathers on the head, and as we sat smoking upon the deck this evening
I remarked to Nofuhl that it might be the portrait of some Mehrikan
noble. Whereupon he said they had no nobles. "But the Mehrikans of
gentle blood," I asked, "had they no titles?"

"Neither titles nor gentle blood," he answered. "And as they were
all of much the same origin, and came to this country simply to thrive
more fatly than at home, there was nothing except difference in wealth
on which to establish a superior order. Being deep respecters of money
this was a satisfying distinction. It soon resulted that those
families who possessed riches for a generation or two became the
substitute for an aristocracy. This upper class was given to sports
and pastimes, spending their wealth freely, being prodigiously fond of
display. Their intellectual development was feeble, and they wielded
but little influence save in social matters. They followed closely the
fashions of foreign aristocracies. Great attentions were paid to
wandering nobles from other lands. Even distant relatives of titled
people were greeted with the warmest enthusiasm."

Then I said to him, "But explain to me, O Nofuhl, how it was possible
for so shallow a nation to become so great."

"They were great only in numbers and too weak to endure success. At
the beginning of the twentieth century--as they counted time--huge
fortunes were amassed in a day, and the Mehrikans became drunk with
money."

Whereupon I exclaimed, "O Land of Delight! For much money is
cheering."