scenery, and to turn the conversation on the state of the country;
but Otho was not so easily repulsed. He insisted that the prince should
communicate his sentiments to Queen Victoria; and, in spite of all the
assurances he received of the impossibility of meddling with diplomatic
business in such a way, his Hellenic majesty, to this very day, feels
satisfied that Lord Palmerston was sent to the right-about for offending
him; and he is firmly persuaded that, unless Lord Aberdeen furnish him
with as many millions as he demands to secure his opposition to Russia,
the noble earl will not have a long tenor of office.

A young Austrian of our party shouted, "Ah, it requires to be truly _bon
garcon_, like the English prince, to submit to be so bored, even by a
king! But," added he, "our gallant Fritz managed matters much better.
The Archduke Frederick, who behaved so bravely at Acre, and so amiably
lately in London, heard, it seems, of the treatment the prince had met
with, and resolved to cure his majesty of using his guests in such
style. Being invited to a party at Pentelicus, he was aware that he
would be placed alone on the seat, with his back to the horses, and
deprived of every chance of seeing the country, if it were only that the
diplomatic intrigue at the court of Queen Victoria might remain
concealed from the lynx-eyed suspicion of the _corps diplomatique_ of
Athens; for King Otho fancies his intrigues always remain the
profoundest secrets. When the archduke handed the lovely queen into the
carriage, politeness compelled King Otho to make a cold offer to the
young sailor to follow; the archduke bowed profoundly, sprang into the
carriage, and seated himself beside her majesty. The successor of
Agamemnon followed, looking more grim than Hercules Furens: he stood for
a moment bolt upright in the carriage, hoping his guest would rise and
vacate his seat; but the young man was already actively engaged in
conversation. The Emperor of the East--in expectancy--was compelled to
sit down with his back to the horses, and study the landscape in that
engaging manner of viewing scenery. Never was a fete given by a sulkier
host than King Otho that day proved to be. In returning, the archduke
had a carriage to himself. When questioned on the subject of his ride,
he only remarked that he always suffered dreadfully from sickness when
he rode with his back to the horses. He was sure, therefore, that King
Otho had placed him beside th