eat their owner's head against the wall.
I had to submit that day to a degrading medical examination.

On the second day I was called to appear before the "_Rath_," or counsel.
The process of examination is curious. It is considered necessary to the
complete elucidation of a case, that the whole life and parentage of the
accused should be made known; and I was thus exposed to a series of
questions which I had never anticipated:--The names and countries of both
of my parents; their station; the ages, names, and birthplaces of my
brothers and sisters; my own babyhood, education, subsequent behaviour,
and adventures; my own account, with the minutest details of the offence
I had committed. It was more like a private conference than an
examination. The Rath was alone--with the exception of his secretary,
who diligently recorded my answers. While being thus perseveringly
catechised, the Rath sauntered up and down; putting his interminable
questions in a friendly chatty way, as though he were taking a kindly
interest in my history, rather than pursuing a judicial investigation.
When the examination was concluded, the secretary read over every word to
me, and I confirmed the report with my signature.

The Rath promised to do what he could for me; and I was then surprised
and pleased by the entrance of my employer. The Rath recommended him to
write to the English Embassy in my behalf, and allowed him to send me
outer clothing better suited to the interior of a prison than the best
clothes I had donned to spend the holiday in.

I went back to my cell with a lightened heart. I was, however, a little
disconcerted on my return by the courier, who related an anecdote of a
groom, of his acquaintance, who had persisted in smoking a cigar while
passing a sentinel; and who, in punishment therefor, had been beaten by a
number of soldiers, with willow rods; and whose yells of pain had been
heard far beyond the prison walls. What an anticipation! Was I to be
similarly served? I thought it rather a suspicious circumstance that my
new friend appeared to be thoroughly conversant with all the details (I
suspect from personal experience) of the police and prison system of
Vienna. He told me (but I had no means of testing the correctness of his
information) that there were twenty Rathsherrn, or Counsellors; that each
had his private chamber, and was assisted by a confidential secretary;
that every offender underwent a private examinat