for Bes, who stood behind me and whose
business it would be to wait on me at the feast, whispered in my ear,

"Note that man. He was present when you were brought before the Great
King from the boat and saw and heard all that passed."

"Then I wish he were absent now," I whispered back, for at the words a
sudden fear shot through me, of what I could not say.

By degrees all were seated in their appointed places. Mine was by that
of my mother at a long table that stood as it were across the ends of
the high table but at a little distance from them, so that I was almost
opposite to Peroa and Idernes and could see Amada, although she was too
far away for me to be able to speak to her.

The feast began and at first was somewhat heavy and silent, since, save
for the talk of courtesy, none spoke much. At length wine, whereof I
noted that Idernes drank a good deal, as did his escort, but Peroa and
the Egyptians little, loosened men's tongues and they grew merrier.
For it was the custom of the people of the Great King to discuss both
private and public business when full of strong drink, but of the
Egyptians when they were quite sober. This was well known to Peroa and
many of us, especially to myself who had been among them, which was one
of the reasons why Idernes had been asked to meet us at a feast, where
we might have the advantage of him in debate.

Presently the Satrap noted the splendid cup from which he drank and
asked some question concerning it of the hawk-eyed noble of whom I have
spoken. When it had been answered he said in a voice loud enough for me
to overhear,

"Tell me, O Prince Peroa, was this cup ever that of the Great King which
it so much resembles?"

"So I understand, O Idernes," answered Peroa. "That is, until it became
mine by gift from the lord Shabaka, who received it from the Great
King."

An expression of horror appeared upon the face of the Satrap and upon
those of his nobles.

"Surely," he answered, "this Shabaka must hold the King's favours
lightly if he passes them on thus to the first-comer. At the least, let
not the vessel which has been hallowed by the lips of the King of kings
be dishonoured by the humblest of his servants. I pray you, O Prince,
that I may be given another cup."

So a new goblet was brought to him, Peroa trying to pass the matter off
as a jest by appealing to me to tell the story of the cup. Then I said
while all listened,

"O Prince, the most high Satrap is mist