te! One of these, to their surprise,
spoke English remarkably well.

"I learned it from the missionaries when I was leetle boy," he explained
to Mark, as he conducted the visitors through the archway and across the
spacious court-yard into the palace. In the second storey of the
verandah the Queen was seen seated beneath that emblem of royalty the
scarlet umbrella, with her Court around her. Before entering the court
the visitors had removed their hats. They were now directed to make a
profound reverence as they passed, and proceeded along the side of the
building to the further end.

A line of native troops was drawn up across the court, but these wore no
uniform, only the lamba wound round their waists, and white cross-belts
on their naked bodies. They were armed with the old flint-lock muskets
and bayonets of the period.

Their conductor, who was an Under-Secretary of State, led them by a dark
narrow stair to the balcony where the Queen sat, and in a few moments
they found themselves in the presence of the cruel Ranavalona, of whom
they had heard so much.

She did not look cruel at that time, however. She was dressed in a rich
satin gown, over which she wore the royal scarlet lamba, and jewels of
various kinds ornamented her person. She was seated in a chair raised
two or three steps above the floor, with her ladies on one side and her
gentlemen on the other. The former, among whom were some really
good-looking brunettes, had all adopted the English fashion of dress,
with parts of native costume retained. Some wore head-dresses of
gorgeous colouring, composed of ribbons, flowers, and feathers in great
profusion, but as no head-dress, however strongly marked by barbaric
splendour, can excel the amazing feminine crests in present use among
the civilised, we refrain from attempting description! Most of the men
also wore European costume, or portions thereof, some being clad in
suits of black broad-cloth.

The amount of ceremony displayed on all hands at Court seemed to have
infected our three adventurers, for, when led before the Queen, they
approached with several profound bows, to which Hockins added the
additional grace of a pull at his forelock. In this he was imitated by
Ebony.

For some moments Ranavalona eyed her visitors--perhaps we should say her
captives--sternly enough, but there was also a slight touch of softness
in her expression, from which Mark drew much comfort; in silence, for as
yet