room there was much young
revel in his honor.

Aromatic torches flaring in sconces lighted the friezes of lotus, the
painted paneling on the walls, and the clustered pillars that upheld
the ceiling of the chamber. The tables had been removed; the musicians
and tumblers common to such occasions were not present, for the rout
was small and sufficient unto itself for entertainment.

Gathered about a central figure, which must needs be the one of highest
rank--and in this instance it was the crown prince--were the young
guests. They were noblemen and gentlewomen of Memphis, freed for an
evening from the restraint of pretentious affairs and spared the
awesome repression of potentates and monitors.

Hotep was host and these were his guests.

First, there was Rameses, languid, cynical, sumptuous, and enthroned in
a capacious fauteuil, significantly upholstered in purple and gold.

Close beside him and similarly enthroned was Ta-user. She wore a
double robe of transparent linen, very fine and clinging in its
texture. The over-dress was simply a white gauze, striped with narrow
lines of green and gold. From the fillet of royalty about her
forehead, an emerald depended between her eyes. Her zone was a broad
braid of golden cords, girdling her beneath the breast, encompassing
her again about the hips, and fastened at last in front by a
diamond-shaped buckle of clustered emeralds. Her sandals were mere
jeweled straps of white gazelle-hide, passing under the heel and ball
of the foot. She was as daringly dressed as a lissome dancing-girl.

On a taboret at her right was Seti, the little prince. Although he was
nearly sixteen he looked to be of even tenderer years. In him, the
charms of the Egyptian countenance had been so emphasized, and its
defects so reduced, that his boyish beauty was unequaled among his
countrymen.

At his feet was Io, playing at dice with Ta-meri and Nechutes. Ta-meri
was more than usually brilliant, and Nechutes, flushed with her favor,
was playing splendidly and rejoicing beyond reason over his gains.

Opposite this group was another, the center of which was Masanath. She
sat in the richest seat in the house of Senci. It was ivory tricked
with gold; but small and young as the fan-bearer's daughter was, there
was none in that assembly who might queen it as royally as she from its
imperial depths. By her side was the boon companion of Rameses. He
was Menes, surnamed "the Bland," captain o