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her, for anything that I could say would fall so far short of
the reality as only to mislead the reader. Let him think of
the very loveliest that he can imagine, and he will still be
below the truth. Having said this much, I need hardly say
that I had fallen in love with her.
She must have seen what I felt for her, but I tried my hard-
est not to let it appear even by the slightest sign. I had many
reasons for this. I had no idea what Mr. and Mrs. Nosnibor
would say to it; and I knew that Arowhena would not look
at me (at any rate not yet) if her father and mother disap-
proved, which they probably would, considering that I had
nothing except the pension of about a pound a day of our
money which the King had granted me. I did not yet know
of a more serious obstacle.
In the meantime, I may say that I had been presented
at court, and was told that my reception had been consid-
ered as singularly gracious; indeed, I had several interviews
both with the King and Queen, at which from time to time
the Queen got everything from me that I had in the world,
clothes and all, except the two buttons I had given to Yram,
the loss of which seemed to annoy her a good deal. I was
presented with a court suit, and her Majesty had my old
clothes put upon a wooden dummy, on which they probably
remain, unless they have been removed in consequence of
my subsequent downfall. His Majesty’s manners were those
of a cultivated English gentleman. He was much pleased at
hearing that our government was monarchical, and that
the mass of the people were resolute that it should not be
changed; indeed, I was so much encouraged by the evident

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