his mission, with the view of affording him all information upon those
objects which might naturally be expected to engage the interest or
attract the attention of so distinguished a personage. The 'ancien
marin' and present Ambassador had been so used to miracles since the
loss of that lock of hair, that he did not think it supernatural, having
during the last few days been in turn a Fantaisian nobleman, a
post-captain, a fish, a goddess, and, above all, an author, he should
now be transformed into a plenipotentiary. Drinking, therefore, his cup
of coffee, he assumed an air as if he really were used to have a
Marquess for an attendant, and said that he was at his Lordship's
service.

The Marquess bowed low, and the Private Secretary remarked that the
first thing to be done by his Excellency was to be presented to the
Government. After that he was to visit all the manufactories in
Vraibleusia, subscribe to all the charities, and dine with all the
Corporations, attend a dejeuner a la fourchette at a palace they were at
present building under the sea, give a gold plate to be run for on the
fashionable racecourse, be present at morning prayers at the Government
Chapel, hunt once or twice, give a dinner or two himself, make one pun,
and go to the Play, by which various means, he said, the good
understanding between the two countries would be materially increased
and, in a manner, established.

As the Fantaisian Ambassador and his suite entered their carriages, the
sky, if it had not been for the smoke, would certainly have been rent by
the acclamations of the mob. 'Popanilla for ever!' sounded from all
quarters, except where the shout was varied by 'Vraibleusia and
Fantaisie against the world!' which perhaps was even the most popular
sentiment of the two. The Ambassador was quite agitated, and asked the