“Thank you. I understand that perfectly,” said Lady Muriel. “But the velocity, in the _middle_ of the tunnel, must be something _fearful_!” ‘Mein Herr’ was evidently much gratified at the intelligent interest Lady Muriel took in his remarks. At every moment the old man seemed to grow more chatty and more fluent. “You would like to know our methods of _driving_?” he smilingly enquired. “To us, a run-away horse is of no import at all!” Lady Muriel slightly shuddered. “To _us_ it is a very real danger,” she said. “That is because your carriage is wholly _behind_ your horse. Your horse runs. Your carriage follows. Perhaps your horse has the bit in his teeth. Who shall stop him? You fly, ever faster and faster! Finally comes the inevitable upset!” “But suppose _your_ horse manages to get the bit in his teeth?” “No matter! We would not concern ourselves. Our horse is harnessed in the very centre of our carriage. Two wheels are in front of him, and two behind. To the roof is attached one end of a broad belt. This goes under the horse’s body, and the other end is attached to a leetle—what you call a ‘windlass,’ I think. The horse takes the bit in his teeth. He runs away. We are flying at ten miles an hour! We turn our little windlass, five turns, six turns, seven turns, and—poof! Our horse is off the ground! _Now_ let him gallop in the air, as much as he pleases: our _carriage_ stands still. We sit round him, and watch him till he is tired. Then we let him down. Our horse is glad, very much glad, when his feet once more touch the ground!” “Capital!” said the Earl, who had been listening attentively. “Are there any other peculiarities in your carriages?” “In the _wheels_, sometimes, my Lord. For your health, _you_ go to sea: to be pitched, to be rolled, occasionally to be drowned. _We_ do all that on land: we are pitched, as you; we are rolled, as you; but _drowned_, no! There is no water!” “What are the wheels like, then?” “They are _oval_, my Lord. Therefore the carriages rise and fall.” “Yes, and pitch the carriage backwards and forwards: but how do they make it _roll_?” “They do not match, my Lord. The _end_ of one wheel answers to the _side_ of the opposite wheel. So first one side of the carriage rises, then the other. And it pitches all the while. Ah, you must be a good sailor, to drive in our boat-carriages!” “I can easily believe it,” said the Earl. Mein Herr rose to his feet. “I must leave you now, Miladi,” he said, consulting his watch. “I have another engagement.” “I only wish we had stored up some extra time!” Lady Muriel said, as she shook hands with him. “Then we could have kept you a little longer!” “In _that_ case I would gladly stay,” replied Mein Herr. “As it is—I fear I must say good-bye!” “Where did you first meet him?” I asked Lady Muriel, when Mein Herr had left us. “And where does he live? And what is his real name?”