"I will take the matter in hand for you. You will need two suits; one
for Court ceremonies, and the other for ordinary wear in the Palace."
"I shall be very much obliged to you, Pertaub, for indeed I have no
idea what ought to be got. Had we better present ourselves at the
Palace this evening, or tomorrow morning?"
"This evening, certainly. Did he take it into his head to inquire
whether you were in the Palace, and found that you were not, it might
alter his humour towards you altogether. He is changeable in his
moods. The favourite of one day may be in disgrace, and ordered to
execution, the next. You will soon feel that it is as if you were in a
real tiger's den, and that the animal may at any moment spring upon
you.
"Take with you the clothes you now wear, and those in which you came,
so that at any moment, if you see a storm gathering, you can slip on a
disguise, and leave the Palace unobserved. In that case hasten here,
and you can then dress yourselves as merchants."
"The worst of it is, Pertaub, that our faces will soon become known to
so many in the Palace that they would be recognised, whatever our
dress."
"A little paint, and some false hair, and a somewhat darker stain to
your skin, would alter you so that those who know you best would pass
you without suspicion. I trust that no such misfortune will befall,
but I will keep everything in readiness to effect a transformation,
should it be required.
"Now I will go out at once, to get the clothes."
In two hours he returned, followed by a boy carrying the goods he had
purchased; and in a few minutes, Dick and his companion were arrayed
in Court dresses. The turbans were pure white, and the tunic was of
dark, rich stuff, thickly woven with gold thread. A short cloak or
mantle, secured at the neck by a gold chain, three or four inches in
length, hung from the back; but could, if necessary, be drawn round
the shoulders. A baldric, embroidered with gold, crossed the chest,
and from this hung a sword with an ivory handle.
The waist sash was of blue and gold in Dick's case, purple and gold in
that of Surajah. Silver-mounted pistols and daggers were stuck into
the sashes. The dresses were precisely alike, except that they
differed in colour. The trousers were white.
Surajah was greatly delighted with his dress. Dick laughed.
"Of course, it comes naturally to you," he said, "but I feel as if I
were dressed up for a masquerade."
The other suits wer
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