from her beaming countenance, and the rate at which she travels. But we
can hardly converse while we are going so fast.'

'No bond has been signed,' said I, 'that we should ride like couriers.
Suppose, princess, we slacken our pace.'

'That will we,' she replied, 'and leave it to the Queen to announce our
approach. Here now, alas! are Zabdas and Longinus overtaking us. The Queen
wonders at your delay,' said she, addressing them; 'put spurs to your
horses, and you may easily overtake her.'

'Is it required?' asked the Egyptian, evidently willing to linger.

'Not so indeed,' answered Julia, 'but it would be gallant; the Queen,
save Fausta, is alone. How can we answer it, if evil befall her? Her
girth may break.'

At which alarming suggestion, taking it as merrily as it was given, the
two counsellors quickened their pace, and bidding us good morning, soon,
as we saw at the ascent of a little hill, overtook Zenobia.

For the rest of us, we were passing and repassing each other, mingling
and separating all the remainder of the way. Our road lay through a rough
and hilly country, but here and there sprinkled with bright spots of the
richest beauty and highest cultivation, The valleys, whenever we descended
into them, we found well watered and tilled, and peopled by an apparently
happy peasantry. And as we saw them from first one eminence and then
another, stretching away and winding among the hills, we agreed that they
presented delicious retreats for those who, weary of the world, wished to
taste, toward the close of life, the sweets of a repose which the world