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see that my friends thought less highly of my constitution
as my flesh began to fall away.
I was told that the poor made an outcry about my pen-
sion, and I saw a stinging article in an anti-ministerial
paper, in which the writer went so far as to say that my hav-
ing light hair reflected little credit upon me, inasmuch as I
had been reported to have said that it was a common thing
in the country from which I came. I have reason to believe
that Mr. Nosnibor himself inspired this article. Presently it
came round to me that the king had begun to dwell upon
my having been possessed of a watch, and to say that I ought
to be treated medicinally for having told him a lie about the
balloons. I saw misfortune gathering round me in every di-
rection, and felt that I should have need of all my wits and a
good many more, if I was to steer myself and Arowhena to
a good conclusion.
There were some who continued to show me kindness,
and strange to say, I received the most from the very per-
sons from whom I should have least expected it—I mean
from the cashiers of the Musical Banks. I had made the
acquaintance of several of these persons, and now that I
frequented their bank, they were inclined to make a good
deal of me. One of them, seeing that I was thoroughly out
of health, though of course he pretended not to notice it,
suggested that I should take a little change of air and go
down with him to one of the principal towns, which was
some two or three days’ journey from the metropolis, and
the chief seat of the Colleges of Unreason; he assured me
that I should be delighted with what I saw, and that I should

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