However, the night passed, the unceasing rattle of the train being occasionally changed for the momentary dead stillness, when it stopped, as it did now and then, at some small place on the way, for apparently no better reason than that of pulling the station-master out of bed to report it.  Practically I was undisturbed, except at, I think, a place called Delle, where, in the very small hours of the morning, a gentleman opened the door of my bedroom de Luxe, and asked me in a voice, in which melancholy and sleep seemed to be struggling for the mastery, whether “I had any declaration I wished to make to the Swiss Douanes,” and on my assuring him that I had “none whatever,” he sadly and silently withdrew.

Nothing further till Basle, where we halted at 6 A.M. for breakfast and a change of trains, and where I was much impressed with the carrying power of the local porter, whom I met loaded with the Dilapidated One’s effects, apparently surprised that that “was all” he was expected to take charge of.  Lucerne in a blaze of stifling heat, with struggling Yankee and British tourists being turned away from the doors of all the hotels, so we were glad to get our telegram from Herr CATTANI announcing that he was able to offer us rooms that he had “disponible;” and at 3 P.M. we commenced our carriage-drive to Engelberg.  Towards five we quitted the plain and began the ascent.

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

A promising series, so far, is this re-issue by Messrs. CHATTO AND WINDUS of “The Barber’s Chair, Etc.,” by DOUGLAS JERROLD; “Gulliver’s Travels, by DEAN SWIFT, Etc.;” and SHERIDAN’s Plays.  “Etc.,” in both the first-mentioned books, forms a considerable portion of each volume.  “Etc.,” in the first includes the Hedgehog Letters, which are very Jerroldian; and in the second it means the immortal Tale of a Tub, the Battle of the Books, and a fragment from the Dean’s correspondence.

[Illustration:  Bound in Boards.]

The Baron begs to return thanks for an odd volume, one of privately printed opuscula of “The Sette of Odd Volumes,” which has been presented to him by the Author, Mr. WALTER HAMILTON, F.R.G.S., and F.R.H.S., who has the honour of filling the important post of “Parodist” in the above-mentioned society or “Sette.”  This little odd volume epitomises the Drama of England within the last three centuries in most interesting fashion, without losing a single important point.  Why it should have fallen to the lot of the “Parodist to the Sette” to do this, is only explained by the Sette being made up of Odd, very odd, Volumes.  What are their rules?  Do they go “odd man out” to decide who shall pay for the banquet?  Must they dine in the daytime, because, being an odd lot, they cannot sit down to dinner at eventide?