ly shaped masses of almost equal size clothed from base to top
in a continuous sheet of pink, emerald, white or crimson flowers. The
turf presented almost as great a variety of colours, arranged in.
every conceivable pattern, above which rose innumerable flower-beds,
uniform or varied, the smallest perhaps two, the largest more than 200
feet in diameter; each circle of bloom higher than that outside it,
till in some cases the centre rose even ten feet above the general
level. The building itself was low, having nowhere more than two
stories. One wing, pointed out to me by Ergimo, was appropriated to
the household of the Prince; the centre standing out in front and
rear, divided by a court almost as wide as the wings; the further wing
accommodating the attendants and officials of the Court. We landed,
just before the evening mist began to gather, at the foot of an
inclined way of a concrete resembling jasper, leading up to the main
entrance of the Palace.

CHAPTER XVII - PRESENTED AT COURT.

Leading Eveena by the hand--for to hold my arm after the European
fashion was always an inconvenience and fatigue to her--and preceded
by Ergimo, I walked unnoticed to the closed gate of pink crystal,
contrasting the emerald green of the outer walls. Along the front of
this central portion of the residence was a species of verandah,
supported by pillars overlaid with a bright red metal, and wrought in
the form of smooth tree trunks closely clasped by creepers, the silver
flowers of the latter contrasting the dense golden foliage and
ruby-like stems. Under this, and in front of the gate itself, were two
sentries armed with a spear, the shaft of which was about six feet in
length, hollow, and almost as light as the cane or reed handle of an
African assegai. The blade more resembled the triangular bayonet.
Beside each, however, was the terrible asphyxiator, fixed on its
stand, with a bore about as great as that of a nine-pounder, but
incomparably lighter. These two weapons might at one discharge have
annihilated a huge mob of insurgents threatening to storm the palace,
were insurrections known in Mars, These men saluted us by dropping the
points of their weapons and inclining the handle towards us; gazing
upon me with surprise, and with something of soldierly admiration for
physical superiority. The doors, wide enough to admit a dozen
Martialists abreast, parted, and we entered a vaulted hall whose
arched roof was supported not by