ed, greeting me with the
title of "Lord," and I bowed back to him. Then he handed me certain
rolls tied up with silk and sealed, which he said I was to deliver as
the King had commanded to the King's Satrap in Egypt, and to the Prince
Peroa. Also he gave me other letters addressed to the King's servants on
the road and written on tablets of clay in a writing I could not read,
with all of which I touched my forehead in the Eastern fashion.

After this he told me that by noon all would be ready for my journey
which I should make with the rank of the King's Envoy, duly provisioned
and escorted by his servants, with liberty to use the royal horses from
post to post. Then he ordered the slaves to bring in the gifts which the
King sent to me, and these were many, including even suits of flexible
armour that would turn any sword-thrust or arrow.

I thanked him, saying that I would be ready to start by noon, and asked
whether the King wished to see me before I rode. He replied that he had
so wished, but that as he was suffering in his head from the effects
of the sun, he could not. He bade me, however, remember all that he had
said to me and to be sure that the beauteous lady Amada, of whom I had
spoken, was sent to him without delay. In that case my reward should be
great; but if I failed to fulfil his commands, then his wrath would be
greater and I should perish miserably as he had promised.

I bowed and made no answer, after which he and his companions opened the
bags of gold to show me that it was there, offering to weigh it again
against my servant, the dwarf, so that I could see that nothing had been
taken away.

I replied that the King's word was truer than any scale, whereon the
bags were tied up again and sealed. Then I produced the bow, or rather
its counterfeit, and having shown it to the princes, wrapped it and
six of my own arrows in a linen cloth, to be taken to the King, with
a message that though hard to draw it was the deadliest weapon in the
world. The elder of them took it, bowed and bade me farewell, saying
that perhaps we should meet again ere long in Egypt, if my gods gave me
a safe journey. So we parted and I was glad to see the last of them.

Scarcely had they gone when the six hunters whom I had won in the wager
and thereby saved from death, entered the chamber and fell upon their
knees before me, asking for orders as to making ready my gear for the
journey. I inquired of them if they were coming al