"We must follow up our victory," said he to Edric, after he had somewhat contemptuously dismissed the deputies from the shattered remnant of their allied army, who came to sue humbly at his feet for peace. "These people are treacherous beyond description. They do not understand leniency, and they must be treated with sword in hand. I am thoroughly tired of them; their fickleness and uncertainty have quite disgusted me; I will therefore march to Madrid, establish Don Pedro as their sovereign, and take my leave of them for ever." "I am rejoiced to hear it!" exclaimed Edric. "You will then return to Ireland, and devote your time to your own subjects." "I will try to satisfy them as well as I can; but as perfection cannot be expected all at once, you must not be surprised if some day I should fly off in a tangent, and take it into my head to colonize the moon." Edric laughed: "If you promise to wait till then," said he, "I shall be satisfied." "You may not find my project so wild as it appears," rejoined Roderick. "The moon is a very pretty, mild, modest-looking planet, and I must own I should like amazingly to see what kind of inhabitants she contains; and if I should determine to go there, here is a gentleman who I am sure will be quite ready to accompany me." Dr. Entwerfen entered the tent as he spoke. "Of what was your Majesty speaking?" asked he. "Of a voyage to the moon," said Roderick. "Will you go with me?" "With all my heart," cried the little doctor, rubbing his hands and looking all glee at the thought. "There, I told you so," said Roderick, laughing. "I should have thought the many adventures you have met with had cured your passion for travelling," rejoined Edric. "Cured him! Given him a zest for it, you mean," replied Roderick. "The appetite for travelling always grows with what it feeds upon; and though the doctor may boast 'That he _has_ fair Seville seen. So _is_ a traveller, I ween,' yet I do not doubt but that he is just as eager to explore new places as ever." "Yes," returned the doctor, "I certainly did see Seville." "Every part of it, my dear fellow, from its palaces to its dungeons," resumed Roderick; "nay, I believe you were very near being indulged with a view of its ropes." The doctor did not quite relish this raillery. "I can assure your Majesty--" "_Apropos de bottes_," cried Roderick, interrupting him, "I had entirely forgotten I promised to introduce you to Mademoiselle de Mallet. We will go now. Will you accompany us, Edric? I am sorry to ask you to do any thing so disagreeable; but I think it will be but decent to kiss hands, take leave, and all that sort of thing, before we set out for Madrid: besides, it may be as well to make some kind of provision as to what is to become of them in our absence." "Then you will not take them with you?" said Edric, despondingly.