Forsyth and I, on the 14th of October, left Versailles, going first direct to the Chateau Ferrieres to pay our respects to the King, which we did, and again took luncheon with him.  From the chateau we drove to Meaux, and there spent the night; resuming our journey next morning, we passed through Epernay, Rheims, and Rethel to Sedan, where we tarried a day, and finally, on October 18, reached Brussels.

CHAPTER XX.

BRUSSELS—­DECIDING TO VISIT EASTERN EUROPE—­AUSTRIA—­DOWN THE DANUBE
—­IN CONSTANTINOPLE—­THE LADIES OF THE HAREM—­THE SULTAN—­TURKISH
SOLDIERS—­A BANQUET—­A VISIT IN ATHENS—­KING GEORGE OF GREECE—­VICTOR
EMMANUEL—­“BEDEVILED WITH CARES OF STATE”—­DEER SHOOTING—­A MILITARY
DINNER—­RETURN TO VERSAILLES—­GERMANS ENTERING PARIS—­CRITICISM ON
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR—­CONCLUSION.

On reaching Brussels, one of the first things to do was to pay my respects to the King of Belgium, which I did, accompanied by our Minister, Mr. Russell Jones.  Later I dined with the King and Queen, meeting at the dinner many notable people, among them the Count and Countess of Flanders.  A day or two in Brussels sufficed to mature our plans for spending the time up to the approximate date of our return to Paris; and deciding to visit eastern Europe, we made Vienna our first objective, going there by way of Dresden.

At Vienna our Minister, Mr. John Jay, took charge of us—­Forsyth was still with me—­and the few days’ sojourn was full of interest.  The Emperor being absent from the capital, we missed seeing him; but the Prime Minister, Count von Beust, was very polite to us, and at his house we had the pleasure of meeting at dinner Count Andrassy, the Prime Minister of Hungary.

From Vienna we went to Buda-Pesth, the Hungarian capital; and thence, in a I small, crowded, and uncomfortable steamboat, down the Danube to Rustchuck, whence we visited Bucharest—­all who travel in eastern Europe do so—­and then directing our course southward, we went first to Varna, and from that city by steamer through the Black Sea to Constantinople.

We reached the Turkish capital at the time of Ramadan, the period of the year (about a month) during which the Mohammedans are commanded by the Koran to keep a rigorous fast every day from sunrise till sunset.  All the followers of the Prophet were therefore busy with their devotions—­holding a revival, as it were; hence there was no chance whatever to be presented to the Sultan, Abdul Aziz, it being forbidden during the penitential season for him to receive unbelievers, or in fact any one except the officials of his household.  However, the Grand Vizier brought me many messages of welcome, and arranged that I should be permitted to see and salute his Serene Highness on the Esplanade as he rode by on horseback to the mosque.