couriers--dead through fatigue!"

The wild asses are stretched motionless on the ground.

"For three great moons they have journeyed at an even pace, with pebbles
in their teeth to cut the wind, their tails always erect, their hams
always bent, and always in full gallop. You will not find their equals.
They came to me from my maternal grandfather, the Emperor Saharil, son
of Jakhschab, son of Jaarab, son of Kastan. Ah! if they were still
living, we would put them under a litter in order to get home quickly.
But ... how now? ... What are you thinking of?"

She inspects him.

"Ah! when you are my husband, I will clothe you, I will fling perfumes
over you, I will pick out your hairs."

Antony remains motionless, stiffer than a stake, pale as a corpse.

"You have a melancholy air: is it at quitting your cell? Why, I have
given up everything for your sake--even King Solomon, who has, no doubt,
much wisdom, twenty thousand war-chariots, and a lovely beard! I have
brought you my wedding presents. Choose."

She walks up and down between the row of slaves and the merchandise.

"Here is balsam of Genesareth, incense from Cape Gardefan, ladanum,
cinnamon and silphium, a good thing to put into sauces. There are within
Assyrian embroideries, ivories from the Ganges, and the purple cloth of
Elissa; and this case of snow contains a bottle of Chalybon, a wine
reserved for the Kings of Assyria, which is drunk pure out of the horn
of a unicorn. Here are collars, clasps, fillets, parasols, gold dust
from Baasa, tin from Tartessus, blue wood from Pandion, white furs from
Issidonia, carbuncles from the island of Palaesimundum, and tooth-picks
made with the hair of the tachas--an extinct animal found under the
earth. These cushions are from Emathia, and these mantle-fringes from
Palmyra. Under this Babylonian carpet there are ... but come, then!
Come, then!"

She pulls Saint Antony along by the beard. He resists. She goes on:

"This light tissue, which crackles under the fingers with the noise of
sparks, is the famous yellow linen brought by the merchants from
Bactriana. They required no less than forty-three interpreters during
their voyage. I will make garments of it for you, which you will put on
at home.

"Press the fastenings of that sycamore box, and give me the ivory casket
in my elephant's packing-case!"

They draw out of a box some round objects covered with a veil, and bring
her a little case covered with carvings.