His gaze wandered from the figure of Sah-luma to that of the
attendant harp-bearer who, perched on a narrow foothold on the
back of the chariot, held his master's golden instrument aloft as
though it were a flag of song,--the signal of a poet's triumph,
destined to float above the world forever!

Just then the equipage--arrived at the Kings palace. Turning the
horses' heads with a sharp jerk so that the mettlesome creatures
almost sprang erect on their haunches, Sah-luma drove them swiftly
into a spacious courtyard, lined with soldiers in full armor, and
brilliantly illuminated, where two gigantic stone Sphinxes, with
lit stars ablaze between their enormous brows, guarded a flight of
steps that led up to what seemed to be an endless avenue of white
marble columns. Here slaves in gorgeous attire rushed forward, and
seizing the prancing coursers by the bridle rein, held them fast
while the Laureate and his companion alighted. As they did so, a
mighty and resounding clash of weapons struck the tesselated
pavement,--every soldier flung his drawn sword on the ground and
doffed his helmet, and the cry of

"HAIL, SAH-LUMA!"

rose in one brief, mellow, manly shout that echoed vibratingly
through the heated air. Sah-luma meanwhile ascended half-way up
the steps, and there turning round, smiled and bowed with an
exquisite grace and infinite condescension,--and again Theos gazed
at him yearningly, lovingly, and somewhat enviously too. What a
picture he made standing between the great frowning sculptured
Sphinxes! ... contrasted with those cold and solemn visages of stone