lacquey! What knowest thou of His Majesty's humors? Hast been his
fly-i'-the-ear or cast-off sandal-string? I pray thee extend not
thy range of learning beyond the proper temperature of the bath,
and the choice of rare unguents for thy skin-greater knowledge
than this would injure the tender texture of thy fragile brain!
Pah!"--and Zabastes sniffed the air in disgust--"Thou hast a most
vile odor of jessamine about thee! ... I would thou wert clean of
perfumes and less tawdry in attire!"

Chuckling hoarsely he ambled onward, and chancing to, catch the
wondering backward glance of Pheos, he made expressive signs with
his fingers in derision of Sah-luma's sweeping mantle, which now,
allowed to fall to its full length, trailed along the marble floor
with a rich, rustling sound, the varied light sparkling on it at
every point and making it look like a veritable shower of gold.

On through the seemingly endless colonnades they passed, till they
came to a huge double door formed of two glittering, colossed
winged figures holding enormous uplifted shields. Here stood a
personage clad in a silver coat-of-mail, so motionless that at
first he appeared to be part of the door, .. but at the approach
of Sah-luma he stirred into life and action, and touching a spring
beside him, the arms of the twin colossi moved, the great double
shields were slowly lowered, and the portals slid asunder
noiselessly, thus displaying the sumptuous splendor of the Royal
Presence-Chamber.

It was a spacious and lofty saloon, completely lined with gilded
columns, between which hung numerous golden lamps having long,
pointed, amber pendants, that flashed down a million sparkles as