nd delicately built; Nitetis,
on the other hand, tall and majestic, with black hair and eyes, evinced
in every action that she was of royal blood.

"How pale thou look'st, my child!" said Ladice, kissing Nitetis' cheek.
"Be of good courage, and meet thy future bravely. Here is the noble
Bartja, the brother of thy future husband."

Nitetis raised her dark, thoughtful eyes and fixed them long and
enquiringly on the beautiful youth. He bowed low before the blushing
maiden, kissed her garment, and said:

"I salute thee, as my future queen and sister! I can believe that
thy heart is sore at parting from thy home, thy parents, brethren and
sisters; but be of good courage; thy husband is a great hero, and
a powerful king; our mother is the noblest of women, and among the
Persians the beauty and virtue of woman is as much revered as the
life-giving light of the sun. Of thee, thou sister of the lily Nitetis,
whom, by her side I might venture to call the rose, I beg forgiveness,
for robbing thee of thy dearest friend."

As he said these words he looked eagerly into Tachot's beautiful blue
eyes; she bent low, pressing her hand upon her heart, and gazed on him
long after Amasis had drawn him away to a seat immediately opposite
the dancing-girls, who were just about to display their skill for the
entertainment of the guests. A thin petticoat was the only clothing
of these girls, who threw and wound their flexible limbs to a measure
played on harp and tambourine. After the dance appeared Egyptian singers
and buffoons for the further amusement of the company.

At length some of the courtiers forsook the hall, their grave demeanor
being somewhat overcome by intoxication.

[Unfortunately women, as well as men, are to be seen depicted on the
monuments in an intoxicated condition. One man is being carried
home, like a log of wood, on the heads of his servants. Wilkinson
II. 168. Another is standing on his head II. 169. and several
ladies are in the act of returning the excessive quantity which they
have drunk. Wilkinson II. 167. At the great Techu-festival at
Dendera intoxication seems to have been as much commanded as at the
festivals of Dionysus under the Ptolemies, one of whom (Ptolemy
Dionysus) threatened those who remained sober with the punishment of
death. But intoxication was in general looked upon by the Egyptians
as a forbidden and despicable vice. In the Papyrus Anastasi IV.,
for insta