"Then I wish he were absent now," I whispered back, for at the words a
sudden fear shot through me, of what I could not say.

By degrees all were seated in their appointed places. Mine was by that
of my mother at a long table that stood as it were across the ends of
the high table but at a little distance from them, so that I was
almost opposite to Peroa and Idernes and could see Amada, although she
was too far away for me to be able to speak to her.

The feast began and at first was somewhat heavy and silent, since,
save for the talk of courtesy, none spoke much. At length wine,
whereof I noted that Idernes drank a good deal, as did his escort, but
Peroa and the Egyptians little, loosened men's tongues and they grew
merrier. For it was the custom of the people of the Great King to
discuss both private and public business when full of strong drink,
but of the Egyptians when they were quite sober. This was well known
to Peroa and many of us, especially to myself who had been among them,
which was one of the reasons why Idernes had been asked to meet us at
a feast, where we might have the advantage of him in debate.

Presently the Satrap noted the splendid cup from which he drank and
asked some question concerning it of the hawk-eyed noble of whom I
have spoken. When it had been answered he said in a voice loud enough
for me to overhear,

"Tell me, O Prince Peroa, was this cup ever that of the Great King
which it so much resembles?"

"So I understand, O Idernes," answered Peroa. "That is, until it
became mine by gift from the lord Shabaka, who received it from the