Therefore I said: "My dear sister, if in six months' time no unforeseen obstacle has arisen, and Sir Jacob invites me, hang me if I don't go with Sir Jacob!" "Oh, Rudolf, how good of you! I am glad!" "Where's he going to ?" "He doesn't know yet; but it's sure to be a good Embassy." "Madame," said I, "for your sake I'll go, if it's no more than a beggarly Legation.

When I do a thing, I don't do it by halves." My promise, then, was given; but six months are six months, and seem an eternity, and, inasmuch as they stretched between me and my prospective industry (I suppose attaches are industrious; but I know not, for I never became attache to Sir Jacob or anybody else), I cast about for some desirable mode of spending them.

And it occurred to me suddenly that I would visit Ruritania.

It may seem strange that I had never visited that country yet; but my father (in spite of a sneaking fondness for the Elphbergs, which led him to give me, his second son, the famous Elphberg name of Rudolf) had always been averse from my going, and, since his death, my brother, prompted by Rose, had accepted the family tradition which taught that a wide berth was to be given to that country.

But the moment Ruritania had come into my head I was eaten up with a curiosity to see it.