old Horapollo and also for the
Christian priesthood, though it was well known that they would not be
present at the ceremony.

The lower classes, who could not afford to pay for admission to these
seats, had established themselves on the banks of the river; wandering
dealers had followed them, and wherever the crowd was densest they had
displayed their wares--light refreshments or solid food--on two-wheeled
trucks, or on little carpets spread on the ground. In the tribune itself
the cries of the water-sellers were incessant as they offered filtered
Nile water and fruit syrups for sale.

The parched tops of the palms, where turtle doves, lapwings and
sparrow-hawks were wont to perch, were crowded with the vagabond boys of
the town, who whiled away the time by pulling the withered and diseased
dates from the great clumps and flinging them down on the bystanders
below, till the guard took aim at them with their arrows and stopped the
game.

The centre of attraction to all eyes was a wooden platform or pontoon,
built far out into the stream; from thence the bride was to be flung
into the watery embrace of the expectant bridegroom. Here the masters
of the ceremonies had put forth their best efforts, and it was
magnificently decorated with hangings and handkerchiefs, palm-leaves and
flags; with heavy garlands of tamarisk and willow, mingled with bright
blossoms of the lotos and mallow, lilies and roses; with devices
emblematic of the province, and other gilt ornaments. Only the furthest
end of it was unadorned and without even a railing, that there might be
nothing to intercept the view of the "marriage."

Three hours before noon none were absent but those whose places were
secured, and ere long curiosity brought them also to the spot. The
town-watch found it required all their efforts to keep the front ranks
of the people from being pushed into the river by those behind; indeed,
this accident could not be everywhere guarded against; but, thanks to
the shallow state of the water, no one was the worse. But the cries of
those who were in danger nevertheless drowned the music of the bands
performing on raised platforms and the shouts of applause which rose
on all sides to hail Horapollo--who was here, there, everywhere on his
white ass as brisk as a lad--or to greet some leading official.

And now and again loud cries of anguish were heard, or the
closely-packed throng parted with exclamations of horror. A citizen had
had