y well, sir," said the waiter; "and what time shall you wish for the
carriage?"

"What time, Mrs. Parkman?" repeated Mr. George, turning to the lady.
"Shall you be ready by half past ten to go out and see the town?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Parkman, "that will be a very good time."

"Very well, sir," said the waiter; and he bowed and retired.

The next morning, when the different members of the party came out into
the breakfast room, they found the table set for breakfast. At half past
nine all were ready except Mrs. Parkman. She sent word by her husband
that she would come out in a few minutes.

"There is no hurry," said Mr. George. "It will be time enough to have
breakfast when she comes."

In about fifteen minutes she came. Mr. George asked her very politely
how she had spent the night; and after she had sat a few minutes talking
by the fire, he said that they would have breakfast whenever she wished.

"Yes," said she, "I am ready any time. Indeed, I was afraid that I
should be late, and keep you waiting. I am very glad that I am in
season."

So Mr. George rang the bell; when the waiter came, he ordered breakfast
to be brought up.

While the party were at breakfast, a very nicely-dressed waiter, with a
white napkin over his arm, stood behind Mrs. Parkman's chair, and
evinced a great deal of alertness and alacrity in offering her every
thing that she required. When the breakfast was nearly finished, Mr.
George turned to him and said,--

"Is the commissioner ready, John, who is to go with us to-day?"

"Yes, sir," said the waiter.

"I wish you to go down and send him up," said Mr. George.

So the waiter went down stairs to find the commissioner, and while he
was gone Mr. George took out a pencil and paper from his pocket.

"I am going to ask him," said Mr. George to Mrs. Parkman, "what there is
to be seen here, and to make a list of the places; and then we will go
and see them all, or you can make a selection, just as you please."

"Very well," said Mrs. Parkman. "I should like that."

Accordingly, when the commissioner came in, Mr. George asked him to
name, in succession, the various objects of interest usually visited by
travellers coming to the Hague; and as he named them, Mr. George
questioned him respecting them, so as to enable Mrs. Parkman to obtain a
somewhat definite idea of what they were. The commissioner enumerated a
variety of places to be seen, such as the public museum of painting,
several pri