the throne
and give a signal to the Indian slave who guided the elephants.
The cloth was flung aside, revealing to the astonished eyes of the
spectators a bouquet of flowers such as no Alexandrian had ever beheld.
It consisted entirely of blossoming rose-bushes. The red flowers formed
a circle in the centre, surrounded by a broad light garland of white
ones. The whole gigantic work rested like an egg in its cup in a
holder of palm fronds which, as it were, framed it in graceful curving
outlines. More than a thousand blossoms were united in this peerless
bouquet, and the singular gigantic gift was characteristic of its giver.

He advanced on foot to the platform, his figure towering above the
brown, light-hued, and black freedmen and slaves who followed as, on the
monuments of the Pharaohs, the image of the sovereign dominates those of
the subjects and foes.

He could look down upon the tallest men, and the width of his shoulders
was as remarkable as his colossal height. A long, gold-broidered purple
mantle, floating to his ancles, increased his apparent stature. Powerful
arms, with the swelling muscles of an athlete, were extended from his
sleeveless robe towards the beloved Queen.

The well-formed head, thick dark hair, and magnificent beard
corresponded with the powerful figure. Formerly these locks had adorned
the head of the youth with the blue-black hue of the raven's plumage;
now the threads of grey scattered abundantly through them were
concealed by the aid of dye. A thick wreath of vine leaves rested on the
Imperator's brow, and leafy vine branches, to which clung several dark
bunches of grapes, fell over his broad shoulders and down his back,
which was covered like a cloak, not by a leopard-skin, but that of a
royal Indian tiger of great size--he had slain it himself in the arena.
The head and paws of the animal were gold, the eyes two magnificent
sparkling sapphires. The clasp of the chain, by which the skin
was suspended, as well as that of the gold belt which circled the
Imperator's body above the hips, was covered with rubies and emeralds.
The wide armlets above his elbows, the ornaments on his broad breast,
nay, even his red morocco boots, glittered and flashed with gems.

Radiant magnificent as his former fortunes seemed the attire of this
mighty fallen hero, who but yesterday had shrunk timidly and sadly from
the eyes of his fellow-men. His features, too, were large, noble, and
beautiful in outline;