ith some
trepidation at being thus singled out from the rest, clung to her
brother, she hardly knew why.

"My sublime master, emperor of the world, lord of the sun, and ruler
of the seven celestial configurations, sendeth his slave unto the most
high and mighty Queen--whose beauty, as a girdle, doth encompass the
whole earth--with greeting."

"And who is he?" said Alice, timidly enough.

"The Sultan Ibrahim, lord of the seven golden towers, the emerald
islands, and ruler over an hundred nations. He bade his slave kiss the
hem of his mistress's garment, and beseech her to put her foot on the
neck of his bondsman, her slave's slave, and accept his gift."

"And who is this thy companion?" said Alice, growing bolder, while the
company were gradually gathering round them.

"This, whom your unworthy slave hath brought, most gracious Queen, is
the renowned Doctor Aboulfahrez, high conjuror to the Khan of Tartary,
and physician to the Great Mogul. He doth drive hence all pains and
diseases whatsoever, and will cure your great majesty of any disorder
of the spirit, by reason of charms or love-philtres heretofore
administered."

With a slight bend of his illustrious person, as though the high
conjuror to the Khan of Tartary, and physician to the Great Mogul,
thought himself too nearly on an equality with her "high mightinesse"
the Queen, the learned doctor for the first time broke silence--

"Will it please the Queen's grace to command an ensample of mine art?"

"We must first be assured unto what purpose. Hast thou not heard,"
said Alice, with increasing confidence, "that it is treason to put
forth strange or unlawful devices before the Queen?"

The stranger bowed. "But your grace hath traitors in those fair eyes
which do prompt treason if they practise none."

This gallant speech was much applauded by the company, and relieved
Alice from the necessity of a speedy and suitable answer; for she
began to be somewhat perplexed by the address of these bold admirers.

"Look at this precious phial, the incomparable elixir, the pabulum of
life, the grand arcanum, the supernaculum, the mother and regenerator
of nature, the source and the womb of all existence, past, present,
and to come!" The learned doctor paused, more from want of breath than
from scarcity of epithets wherewith to blazon forth the great virtues
of his discovery. Soon, however, he breathed again through the
mouth-slit in his mask, and blew on the phial, whe