to attend to him, for I could easily perceive that we went round and round, and that this shaded space was in fact a great circle, which enclosed another much more important.  Indeed, we had actually reached the small door again, and it seemed as though the old man would let me out.  But my eyes remained directed towards a golden railing, which seemed to hedge round the middle of this wonderful garden, and which I had found means enough of observing in our walk; although the old man managed to keep me always close to the wall, and therefore pretty far from the centre.  And now, just as he was going to the door, I said to him, with a bow, “You have been so extremely kind to me that I would fain venture to make one more request before I part from you.  Might I not look more closely at that golden railing, which appears to enclose in a very wide circle the interior of the garden?”—­“Very willingly,” replied he, “but in that case you must submit to some conditions.”—­“In what do they consist?” I asked hastily.  “You must leave here your hat and sword, and must not let go my hand while I accompany you.”—­“Most willingly,” I replied; and laid my hat and sword on the nearest stone bench.  Immediately he grasped my left hand with his right, held it fast, and led me with some force straight forwards.  When we reached the railing, my wonder changed into amazement.  On a high socle of marble stood innumerable spears and partisans, ranged beneath each other, joined by their strangely ornamented points, and forming a complete circle.  I looked through the intervals, and saw just behind a gently flowing piece of water, bounded on both sides by marble, and displaying in its clear depths a multitude of gold and silver fish, which moved about now slowly and now swiftly, now alone and now in shoals.  I would also fain have looked beyond the canal, to see what there was in the heart of the garden.  But I found, to my great sorrow, that the other side of the water was bordered by a similar railing, and with so much art, that to each interval on this side exactly fitted a spear or partisan on the other.  These, and the other ornaments, rendered it impossible for one to see through, stand as he would.  Besides, the old man, who still held me fast, prevented me from moving freely.  My curiosity, meanwhile, after all I had seen, increased more and more; and I took heart to ask the old man whether one could not pass over.  “Why not?” returned he, “but on new conditions.”  When I asked him what these were, he gave me to understand that I must put on other clothes.  I was satisfied to do so:  he led me back towards the wall into a small, neat room, on the sides of which hung many kinds of garments, all of which seemed to approach the Oriental costume.  I soon changed my dress.  He confined my powdered hair under a many-colored net, after having to my horror violently dusted it out.  Now, standing before a great mirror, I found myself quite handsome in my disguise, and pleased myself