reluctantly from the glittering board, and prepared to accompany
his host, as agreed, to the presence of the King.

In a very short time, so bewilderingly short as to seem a mere
breathing-space,--he found himself passing through the broad
avenues and crowded thoroughfares of Al-Kyris on his way to the
Royal abode. He occupied a place in Sah-luma's chariot,--a gilded
car, shaped somewhat like the curved half of a shell, deeply
hollowed, and set on two high wheels that as they rolled made
scarcely any sound; there was no seat, and both he and Sah-luma
stood erect, the latter using all the force of his slender brown
hands to control the spirited prancing of the pair of jet-black
steeds which, harnessed tandem-wise to the light-vehicle, seemed
more than once disposed to break loose into furious gallop
regardless of their master's curbing rein.

The full moon was rising gradually in a sky as densely violet as
purple pansy-leaves--but her mellow lustre was almost put to shame
by the brilliancy of the streets, which were lit up on both sides
by vari-colored lamps that diffused a peculiar, intense yet soft
radiance, produced, as Sah-luma explained, from stored-up
electricity. On the twelve tall Towers of the Sacred Temple shone
twelve large, revolving stars, that as they turned emitted vivid
flashes of blue, green, and amber flame like light-house signals
seen from ships veering shorewards,--and the reflections thus cast
on the mosaic pavement, mingling with the paler beams of the moon,
gave a weird and most fantastic effect to the scene. Straight
ahead, a blazing arch raised like a bent bow against heaven, and
having in its centre the word