Myself. Have you not frequent occasion to put the law in force?
“By no means. There is only one case on record for one hundred years in which the law has been rigorously carried out.”
Myself. You must be a law-observing people. I wish from my heart that our race were as pure as yours.
“They would be were your rulers as wise as ours.”
Myself. Then you think that our leading men are inferior to yours?
“Think! I know they are. The history of your country proves this. But we must drop the subject now. I have an engagement with my royal master at this hour, and I must hasten to the council chamber, for I fear his majesty has already gone there.”
After supper, and just as I was about to retire to my chamber, I received a visit from the Princess Mervyna and her two little sisters. They were attended by their maid, who, though she was smaller in stature than her mistress, was evidently many years her senior. The Princess Mervyna introduced herself, and said that she had come to command me to join them at their sports the next day. I expressed regret to the princess at being unable to comply with her wish, having previously arranged to accompany the chancellor to a distant part of the kingdom. I told her that I should regard it as a high honour to join them at their games the day after. She acquiesced in this, though she was evidently a little vexed as well as disappointed with the arrangement. However, she gave me a gracious bow, and on retiring, said, “Don’t forget your promise.” I again assured her I would not.
It was nearly noon before Prince Tippin and I started off from the city on the following day. We had the same carriage as the one we had used on previous occasions, and we proceeded at an equally rapid pace.
After a flight of 140 miles, we descended to the earth on the top of a high mountain, which in their language was called Wyddfa, or Conspicuous, from which position we had a magnificent prospect of the country. In the distance we beheld seas like glass, on which apparently were myriads of little people, some of whom were engaged in skating, others in bowling balls along the ice, others were playing cricket, while not a few were dancing to the music of the wind. We observed a great number of the little folks playing with golden balls, which they propelled along the ice by means of a crook.
Though the players went along the ice at a fearful pace, yet I did not observe a single person fall.