ooty, come hither, come up to us. We
have good wine and gladsome women."

The two wanderers made no answer to those hospitable invitations; they
hurried on in their own way. At last they came to a quarter where the
houses were fewer, the gardens more frequent, the trees, thanks to damp
sea-breezes, more luxuriant and higher than in the southern provinces
of Egypt.

"It is not far now," said Hiram.

The prince raised his eyes, and over the dense green of trees he saw a
square tower of blue color; on it a more slender tower, which was
white. This was the temple of Astaroth. Soon they entered the garden,
whence they could take in at a glance the whole building.

It was composed of a number of stories. The top of the lowest was a
square platform with sides four hundred yards long; its walls were a
few meters high, and all of black color. At the eastern side was a
projection to which came two wide stairways. Along the other three
sides of this first story were small towers, ten on each side; between
each pair of towers were five windows.

More or less in the centre of this lowest platform rose a quadrangular
building with sides two hundred yards long. This had a single stairway,
towers at the comers, and was purple. On the top of this building was
another of golden color, and above it, one upon the other, two towers
one blue, the other white.

The whole building looked as if some power had placed on the earth one
enormous black dice, on it a smaller one of purple, on that a golden
one, on that a blue, and, highest of all, a silver dice. To each of
these elevations stairs led, either double flights along the sides or
single front stairs, always on the eastern walls.

At the sides of the stairs and doors stood, alternately, great Egyptian
sphinxes, or winged Assyrian human-headed bulls.

The viceroy looked with delight at this edifice, which in the moonlight
and against the background of rich vegetation had an aspect of
marvelous beauty. It was built in Chaldean style, and differed
essentially from the temples of Egypt, first, by the system of stories,
second, by the perpendicular walls.

Among the Egyptians every great building had sloping sides receding
inward as they rose.

The garden was not empty. At various points small villas and houses
were visible, lights were flashing, songs and music were heard. From
time to time among trees appeared shadows of loving couples.

All at once an old priest approached them