s just dead, poor thing, which
prevented him showing me all the civility which he would
otherwise have done. He took me to the Imperial Library. Both
my books were there, _Gypsies_ and _Bible_. He likewise
procured me a ticket to see the Imperial treasure. (Tell
Henrietta that I saw there the diamond of Charles the Bold; it
is as large as a walnut.) I likewise saw the finest opal, as I
suppose, in the world; it was the size of a middling pear;
there was likewise a hyacinth as big as a swan's egg; I
likewise saw a pearl so large that they had wrought the figure
of a cock out of it, and the cock was somewhat more than an
inch high, but the thing which struck me most was the sword of
Tamerlane, generally called Timour the Tartar; both the hilt
and scabbard were richly adorned with diamonds and emeralds,
but I thought more of the man than I did of them, for he was
the greatest conqueror the world ever saw (I have spoken of him
in _Lavengro_ in the chapter about David Haggart).
Nevertheless, although I have seen all these fine things, I
shall be glad to get back to my Carreta and my darling mother
and to dear Hen. From Debreczen I hope to write to kind dear
Woodfall, and to Lord from Constantinople. I must likewise
write to Hasfeld. The mulet of thirty pounds upon Russian
passports is only intended for the subjects of Russia. I see by
the journals that the Emperor has been in England; I wonder
what he is come about; however, the less I say about that the
better, as I shall soon be in his country. Tell Hen that I have
got her a large piece of Austrian gold money, worth about
forty-two shillings; it is quite new and very handsome;
considerably wider than the Spanish ounce, only not near so
thick, as might be expected, being of considerable less value;
when I get to Constantinople I will endeavour to get a Turkish
gold coin. I have also got a new Austrian silver dollar and a
half one; these are rather cumbersome, and I don't care much
about them--as for the large gold coin, I carry it in my
pocket-book, which has been of great use to me hitherto. I have
not yet lost anything, only a pocket handkerchief or two as
usual; but I was obliged to buy two other shirts at Vienna; the
weather is so hot, that it is quite necessary to change them
every