nnected, be employed in the two last
capacities by a modern European State on the strength of his success
in the first. Is rather to be pitied just now in view of the fact that
Julius Caesar is invading his country. Not knowing this, is intent on
his game with the Persian, whom, as a foreigner, he considers quite
capable of cheating him.

His subalterns are mostly handsome young fellows whose interest in
the game and the story symbolizes with tolerable completeness the main
interests in life of which they are conscious. Their spears are leaning
against the walls, or lying on the ground ready to their hands. The
corner of the courtyard forms a triangle of which one side is the front
of the palace, with a doorway, the other a wall with a gateway. The
storytellers are on the palace side: the gamblers, on the gateway side.
Close to the gateway, against the wall, is a stone block high enough
to enable a Nubian sentinel, standing on it, to look over the wall. The
yard is lighted by a torch stuck in the wall. As the laughter from the
group round the storyteller dies away, the kneeling Persian, winning the
throw, snatches up the stake from the ground.

BELZANOR. By Apis, Persian, thy gods are good to thee.

THE PERSIAN. Try yet again, O captain. Double or quits!

BELZANOR. No more. I am not in the vein.

THE SENTINEL (poising his javelin as he peers over the wall). Stand. Who
goes there?

They all start, listening. A strange voice replies from without.

VOICE. The bearer of evil tidings.

BELZANOR (calling to the sentry). Pass him.

THE SENTINEL. (grounding his javelin). Draw near, O bearer of evil
tidings.

BELZANOR (pocketing the dice and picking up his spear). Let us receive
this man with honor. He bears evil tidings.

The guardsmen seize their spears and gather about the gate, leaving a
way through for the new comer.

PERSIAN (rising from his knee). Are evil tidings, then, honorable?

BELZANOR. O barbarous Persian, hear my instruction. In Egypt the bearer
of good tidings is sacrificed to the gods as a thank offering but no
god will accept the blood of the messenger of evil. When we have good
tidings, we are careful to send them in the mouth of the cheapest slave
we can find. Evil tidings are borne by young noblemen who desire to
bring themselves into notice. (They join the rest at the gate.)

THE SENTINEL. Pass, O young captain; and bow the head in the House of
the Queen.

VOICE. Go anoint thy javelin wit