6 ARIST OPHANES.

forward, “you will remember that you sent us a few
years ago on an embassy to the Great King with a
poor allowance of a couple of guineas a day.”

“Poor guineas!” muttered Mr. Honesty, “we shall
never see them again.”

The ambassadors went on: “You ought to know,
gentlemen, that it was a very laborious service on
which you sent us. All day we had to ride in car-
riages, lying on soft cushions, with an awning over
our heads.”

“Very laborious!” growled Honesty. “I was on
guard all night, with nothing over me, and only a
mat under me.”

Ambassador, “Then the barbarians entertained us,
and we were obliged to drink strong wine, without a
drop of water in it, if you will believe us, out of cups
of crystal or gold, for this, you must know, is the test
with them; the best man is he who can eat and
drink most. At the end of four years we reached
the royal palace, and found that His Majesty had
gone to the hills for his health. There he stayed
eight months, till the cure was complete. When he
came home he gave us audience, and entertained us
at a royal banquet, at which were served up oxen
baked whole in crust.”

Honesty. “Oxen baked whole in crust! Did you
ever hear such a lie?”

Amb. “ Also there was served up to us a big bird,
as big as a man, that they call the Chousibus.”