of his marriage to the signorina, and
expressing good wishes for my welfare in my new sphere of action. The
matters to which the President refers became to some extent public
property soon afterward, but certain other terms of the arrangement
are now given to the world for the first time. The letter ran as
follows:

"My DEAR MARTIN: As an old inhabitant
of Aureataland you will be
interested in the news I have to tell you.
I also take pleasure in hoping that in
spite of bygone differences, your friendly
feelings toward myself will make you
glad to hear news of my fortunes.

"You are no doubt acquainted generally
with the course of events here since
you left us. As regards private friends,
I have not indeed much to tell you.
You will not be surprised to learn that
Johnny Carr (who always speaks of you
with the utmost regard) has done the
most sensible thing he ever did in his
life in making Donna Antonia his wife.
She is a thoroughly good girl, although
she seems to have a very foolish prejudice
against Christina. I was able to
assist the young people's plans by the
gift of the late Colonel McGregor's
estates, which under our law passed to
the head of the state on that gentleman's
execution for high treason. You
will be amused to hear of another marriage
in our circle. The doctor and
Mme. Devarges have made a match
of it, and society rejoices to think it has
now heard the last of the late monsieur
and his patriotic sufferings. Jones, I
suppose you know, left us about a year
ago. The poor old fellow never recovered
from his fright on that night, to
say nothing of the cold he caught in
your draughty coal-cellar, where he took
refuge. The bank relieved him in
response to his urgent petitions, and
they've sent us out a young Puritan, to
whom it would be quite in vain to apply
for a timely little loan.

"I wish I could give you as satisfactory
an account of public affairs.
You were more or less behind the scenes
over here, so you know that to keep the
machine going is by no means an easy
task. I have kept it going, single-handed,
for fifteen years, and though
it's the custom to call me a mere adventurer
(and I don't say that's wrong),
upon my word I think I've given them
a pretty decent Government. But I've
had enough of it by now. The fact is,
my dear Martin, I'm not so young as I
was. In years