tile. But two gigantic policemen, in
soldierly garb, welcomed him with a respectful smile, and the turnstile
suddenly spun him into the building gratis, but a little too fast for
dignity. What a sight was that before him! The vast hall, with its blue
lines and red labels, looked a handsome instalment of Paxtonia. Plashing
fountains, murmuring organs, a MAROCHETTI Queen high pedestalled, white
statues, glistering silver-blazoned banners. A fine and a noble sight,
and worthy of all plaudit; but it was not that which almost bewildered
the great patriot, as he was shot into Dargania. Those eyes again--two
thousand pairs at least--Irish diamonds, worth mines of Koh-i-noors,
suddenly flashing and sparkling and melting upon him. That telegraph
message from the Octagon Hall--and, as they say in the Peers' House,
"and the Ladies summoned." Staggered though he was, you do not often see
such a bow as that with which _Mr. Punch_ did homage to his lovely
hostesses.

Two of the fairest stepped forward gracefully, and blushingly proffered
themselves as his guides through the building.

"Chiefly, that I may set them in my prayers," murmured _Mr. Punch_, "if
you happen to have names----"

Those blue eyes belong to HONORA, and those violet eyes to GRACE, and
all to _Mr. Punch's_ heart henceforth and until further notice. They
proceeded, and there was a sound as of a great rustling, as of a world
of feminine garments forming into procession and following, but it was
vain for _Mr. Punch_ to think of looking round, for he never got further
than the face of one or other of his companions. They paraded the
building.

GRACE bade him look from her, and observe the five halls, in the central
and greatest of which they stood. She showed him that Royalty had
contributed a gorgeous temple, rich in gems and gold, richer in an
artist-thought of the Prince who designed it. And, standing on the
platform, she pointed out that the forge and the loom and the chisel had
all been busy for that huge hall, whose area offered a series of bold
general types of the work to be seen in detail around it. And China was
near with her carvings, and India with her embroideries, and Japan with
a hundred crafts (now for the first time revealed, thanks to our
brother, the King of Holland), and Belgium with her graceful ingenuity,
and France with her artistic luxury, and the Zollverein with its
bronzes, and Austria with her maps, and flowers, and furniture. And then
G