he looked like a dazzling butterfly or stray bird of paradise. His
white garb glistened at every point with gems, and from his
shoulders, where it was fastened with large sapphire elasps,
depended a long mantle of cloth of gold, bordered thickly with
swansdown,--this he held up negligently in one hand as ho remained
for a moment in full view of the assembled soldiery, graciously
acknowledging their enthusiastic greetings, . . then with easy and
unhasting tread he mounted the rest of the stairway, followed by
Theos and his harp-bearer, and passed into the immense outer
entrance hall of the Royal Palace, known, as he explained to his
guest, as the Hall of the Two Thousand Columns.

Here among the massively carved pillars which looked like
straight, tall, frosted trunks of trees, were assembled hundreds
of men young and old,--evident aristocrats and nobles of high
degree, to judge from the magnificence of their costumes, while in
and out their brilliant ranks glided little pages in crimson and
blue,--black slaves, semi-nude or clothed in vivid colors,--court
officials with jewelled badges and insignias of authority,--
military guards clad in steel armor and carrying short, drawn
scimetars,--all talking, laughing, gesticulating and elbowing one
another as they moved to and fro,--and so thickly were they
pressed together that at first sight it seemed impossible to
penetrate through so dense a crowd: but no sooner did Sah-luma
appear, than they all fell back in orderly rows, thus making an
open avenue-like space for his admittance.

He walked slowly, with proudly-assured mien and a confident
smile,--bowing right and left in response to the respectful
salutations he received from all assembled,--many persons glanced