"Pompeji first, Nelson!" cried her Ladyship, coming upon us while Will and I were taking our orders about some matter. She had a most easy way of addressing men on the shortest acquaintance. "And we must go in _calesses_, for our coaches would never get back alive from such a road. I know not which are worst, the lava rocks you rise over, or the lava sands you sink in." The Admiral was much gratified, and My Lady rattled on merrily. "We must have the Queen. The King does not signify; he would make some reason to get off a-hunting, if we had him with us. But the Queen we must have; for they always dig up a new house or temple, or at least a skeleton or two in a mould of lava, for royalty. We will send for an army of workmen, and the Director. I suppose we must have the Director, though we get to work much the faster if we have not him to say 'Gently, gently,' all the while, and 'Use the sounding rod before the spade.' Yes, we must have the Queen, and she will bring so many of her gentlemen and ladies; and we shall take how many? You, Nelson, of course, and these boys, and----" "Mr. Comyn, your Ladyship, my chaplain." He had not yet commenced Emma, or dearest Emma, as he afterwards used, in public. "Mr. Comyn is my library," he added in his gracious way, "upon such matters." "Yes; Comyn must come," said her Ladyship, "but I don't think we'll have Troubridge: he turns so glum sometimes. I'll go off and see the Queen for her to fix a day, and whom she will have with her; and I must see who are to be with me, and count how many _calesses_: we can only put two into each if we drive ourselves or put the driver out on the shaft; but they are fine, they give you a tossing like a boat, with their high loose springs, but they will weather any rock, and I assure you we shall have plenty." "I fear I shall cut a very sorry figure," said the Admiral; "sea-sick on land is shameful, and I am a very poor sailor, your Ladyship." "_A fico_ Nelson; you shall drive me." "Then I shall be wrecked at last, and I came near enough in the _Vanguard_ when we were reconnoitring off Toulon before the race for the Nile. But I'll drive your Ladyship; I never stayed in port for fear of shipwreck, and never will."