never knows. As we drew toward the end of our ride--a ride of quite twenty
Roman miles--we found ourselves forsaken of all the rest of the company,
owing either to our horses not being equal to the others, or rather,
perhaps, to the frequent pauses which we made at all those points where
the scenery presented any thing beautiful or uncommon.

Every thing now at last indicated that we were not far from the royal
demesne. All around were marks of the hand and eye of taste having been
there, and of the outlay of enormous wealth. It was not, however, till we
had, for a mile and more, ridden through lawns and fields covered with
grain and fruit, laid out in divisions of tillage or of wood, that,
emerging from a dark grove, we came within sight of the palace. We could
just discern, by the glittering of the sun upon the jewelry of their
horses, that the last of the company were wheeling into the grounds in
front of what seemed the principal part of the vast structure. That we
might not be too much in the rear of all, we put our horses to their
speed, which then, with the fleetness of wind, bore us to the outer gates
of the palace. Passing these, we were in a moment in the midst of those
who had preceded us, the grooms and slaves of the palace surrounding us,
and taking charge of our horses. Zenobia was still standing in the great
central portico, where she had dismounted, her face glowing with the
excitement of the ride, and engaged in free discourse with, the group
around her. Soon as Julia reined up her horse, and quicker than any other
could approach, she sprang to her daughter's side, and assisted her to
dismount, holding with a strong hand the while, the fiery and restless
animal she rode.

'Welcome in safety, Julia,' said the Queen, 'and thanks, noble Piso, for
your care of your charge. But perhaps we owe your safety more to the
strength of your Arab's girth, than to any care of Piso.'