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178 what became of all the horses which must have drawn them, but concluded that they must have stables for them underground. Some of the coaches were kitchens doubtless, for they had boilers for cooking purposes, with fires and chimneys. And I saw an immense building, nearly in the centre of the city, with a great crowd of poor, unhappy-looking people surrounding it, and crying, "Bring them out ! bring them out!" and lo! the doors were opened, and forth issued a number of ragged men, torn and bleeding; and each one had a long strap round his waist, at the end of which was fastened a kettle made of tin. And these poor men were immediately hunted through the streets, pelted with mud, and barbarously maltreated by the savage populace, until I pitied them and wept for their sufferings. Then I asked a bystander, who seemed to pity them too, who they were and what had they done. "They are our wicked woolgrowers and owners of land," said he with a frown, "who have ruined us, and swallowed up all our money." Then, sire, I was led down to the shore of a beautiful lake, whose waters were as salt as the ocean, and saw under the surface the black skeletons of hundreds of ships which had carried away the gold of that country, and brought back its merchandize and luxuries; and, behold, I heard a loud voice issuing from the heart of a great mountain which overlooked the city, saying: This is the land that trusted in the glory and power of its richest! And please, your Majesty, I remember no more.'

'Very remarkable; you have remembered more than enough, I think,' said the mighty monarch. 'Where is that country?'

'I know no more than you do, sir,' replied the Cardinal.

'Is there no one here who can tell us where that strange country is?' shouted the King in rising wrath.

Here is a gentleman, please your Majesty,' said the