en their ears sway in the wind like trees; and in their leaps
they shake the chariots in the form of shells, driven by coachmen
wearing a kind of many-coloured cuirass with sleeves narrow at the
wrists and wide in the arms, with legs uncovered, full beard, and hair
shaven above the forehead after the fashion of the Huns.

Antony is deafened by the murmuring of voices. Above and below he
perceives nothing but painted faces, motley garments, and plates of
worked gold; and the sand of the arena, perfectly white, shines like a
mirror.

The Emperor converses with him, confides to him some important secrets,
informs him of the assassination of his own son Crispus, and goes so far
as to consult Antony about his health.

Meanwhile, Antony perceives slaves at the end of the stalls. They are
the fathers of the Council of Nicaea, in rags, abject. The martyr
Paphnutius is brushing a horse's mane; Theophilus is scrubbing the legs
of another; John is painting the hoofs of a third; while Alexander is
picking up their droppings in a basket.

Antony passes among them. They salaam to him, beg of him to intercede
for them, and kiss his hands. The entire crowd hoots at them; and he
rejoices in their degradation immeasurably. And now he has become one
of the great ones of the Court, the Emperor's confidant, first minister!
Constantine places the diadem on his forehead, and Antony keeps it, as
if this honour were quite natural to him.

And presently is disclosed, beneath the darkness, an immense hall,
lighted up by candelabra of gold.

Columns, half lost in shadow so tall are they, run in a row behind the
tables, which stretch to the horizon, where appear, in a luminous haze,
staircases placed one above another, successions of archways, colossi,
towers; and, in the background, an unoccupied wing of the palace, which
cedars overtop, making blacker masses above the darkness.

The guests, crowned with violets, lean upon their elbows on low-lying
couches. Beside each one are placed amphorae, from which they pour out
wine; and, at the very end, by himself, adorned with the tiara and
covered with carbuncles, King Nebuchadnezzar is eating and drinking. To
right and left of him, two theories of priests, with peaked caps, are
swinging censers. Upon the ground are crawling captive kings, without
feet or hands, to whom he flings bones to pick. Further down stand his
brothers, with shades over their eyes, for they are perfectly blind.

A consta