pearls, if indeed there can be pearls so large and beautiful."

This at the time I had little chance of doing, however, since the
young Princess on the other side of her began to talk to Amada about
some forthcoming festival, and the Prince's son next to me who was
fond of hunting, to question me about sport in the East and when,
unhappily, I said that I had shot lions there, gave me no peace for
the rest of that feast. Also the Princess opposite was anxious to
learn what food noble people ate in the East, and how it was cooked
and how they sat at table, and what was the furniture of their rooms
and did women attend feasts as in Egypt, and so forth. So it came
about that what between these things and eating and drinking, which,
being well-nigh starved, I was obliged to do, for, save a cup of wine,
I had taken nothing in my mother's house, I found little chance of
talking with the lovely Amada, although I knew that all the while she
was studying me out of the corners of her large eyes. Or perhaps it
was the rose-hued pearls she studied, I was not sure.

Only one thing did she say to me when there was a little pause while
the cup went round, and she pledged me according to custom and passed
it on. It was,

"You look well, Shabaka, though somewhat tired, but sadder than you
used, I think."

"Perhaps because I have seen things to sadden me, Amada. But you too
look well but somewhat lovelier than you used, I think, if that be
possible."

She smiled and blushed as she replied,