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_Maitreya._ Show me the way, madam.

_Maid._ Come, sir, and enter the sixth court.

_Maitreya._ [_Enters and looks about._] Well! Here in the sixth
court they are working in gold and jewels. The arches set with
sapphires look as if they were the home of the rainbow. The jewelers
are testing the lapis lazuli, the pearls, the corals, the topazes,
the sapphires, the cat's-eyes, the rubies, the emeralds, and all the
other kinds of gems. Rubies are being set in gold. Golden ornaments
are being fashioned. Pearls are being strung on a red cord.
Pieces of lapis lazuli are being cleverly polished. Shells are being
pierced. Corals are being ground. Wet bundles of saffron are being
dried. Musk is being moistened. Sandalwood is being ground
to make sandal-water. Perfumes are being compounded. Betel-leaves
and camphor are being given to courtezans and their lovers.
Coquettish glances are being exchanged. Laughter is going on.
Wine is being drunk incessantly with sounds of glee. Here are
men-servants, here are maid-servants, and here are men who forget
child and wife and money. When the courtezans, who have
drunk the wine from the liquor-jars, give them the mitten, they--drink.
Show me the way, madam.

P. 121.5]

_Maid._ Come, sir, and enter the seventh court.

_Maitreya._ [_Enters and looks about._] Well! Here in the seventh
court the mated doves are sitting comfortably in their snug dovecotes,
billing and cooing and nothing else, and perfectly happy.
And there is a parrot in a cage, chanting like a Brahman with a
bellyful of curdled milk and rice. And here, again, is a talking
thrush, chattering like a housemaid who spreads herself because
somebody noticed her. A cuckoo, her throat still happy from tasting
all sorts of fruit-syrups, is cooing like a procuress. Rows of
cages are hanging from pegs. Quails are being egged on to fight.
Partridges are being made to talk. Caged pigeons are being provoked.
A tame peacock that looks as if he was adorned with all
sorts of gems is dancing happily about, and as he flaps his wings,
he seems to be fanning the roof which is distressed by the rays
of the sun. [_He looks in another direction._] Here are pairs of flamingos
like moonbeams rolled into a ball, that wander about after
pretty girls, as if they wanted to learn how to walk gracefully.
And here, again, are tame cranes, walking around like ancient
eunuchs. Well, well! This courtezan keeps a