was my uncle Sepa. I told him that I had been
watching the sun rise over the city of Alexandria.

"So!" he said, looking at me from beneath his shaggy eyebrows; "and what
thinkest thou of Alexandria?"

"I think it is like some city of the Gods," I answered.

"Ay!" he replied fiercely, "a city of the infernal Gods--a sink of
corruption, a bubbling well of iniquity, a home of false faith springing
from false hearts. I would that not one stone of it was left upon
another stone, and that its wealth lay deep beneath yonder waters! I
would that the gulls were screaming across its site, and that the wind,
untainted by a Grecian breath, swept through its ruins from the ocean to
Mareotis! O royal Harmachis, let not the luxury and beauty of Alexandria
poison thy sense; for in their deadly air, Faith perishes, and Religion
cannot spread her heavenly wings. When the hour comes for thee to rule,
Harmachis, cast down this accursed city and, as thy fathers did, set
up thy throne in the white walls of Memphis. For I tell thee that, for
Egypt, Alexandria is but a splendid gate of ruin, and, while it endures,
all nations of the earth shall march through it, to the plunder of the
land, and all false Faiths shall nestle in it and breed the overthrow of
Egypt's Gods."

I made no answer, for there was truth in his words. And yet to me the
city seemed very fair to look on. After we had eaten, my uncle told me
it was now time to set out to view the march of Cleopatra, as she went
in triumph to the Shrine of Serapis. For although she would not pass
till within two hours of the midday, yet these people of Alexandria have
so great a love of shows and idling that had we not presently set forth,
by no means could we have come through the press of the multitudes who
were already gathering along the highways where the Queen must ride. So
we went out to take our places upon a stand, built of timber, that had
been set up at the side of the great road which pierces through the
city, to the Canopic Gate. For my uncle had already purchased a right to
enter there, and that dearly.

We won our way with much struggle through the great crowds that were
already gathered in the streets till we reached the scaffolding of
timber, which was roofed in with an awning and gaily hung with scarlet
cloths. Here we seated ourselves upon a bench and waited for some hours,
watching the multitude press past shouting, singing, and talking loudly
in many tongues. At leng