d half her battles when they gave
Phorenice her shape, and her voice, and the matters which lay within the
outlines of her face.

By this time the merchants, and the other dwellers adjacent to this part
of the harbour, where the royal quay stands, had come down, offering
changes of raiment, and houses to retire into. Phorenice was all
graciousness, and though it was little enough I cared for mere wetness
of my coat, still that part of the harbour into which we had been thrown
by the mammoth was not over savoury, and I was glad enough to follow her
example. For myself, I said no further word to Nais, and refrained even
from giving her a glance of farewell. But a small sop like this was no
meal for Phorenice, and she gave the port-captain strict orders for the
guarding of his prisoner before she left him.

At the house into which I was ushered they gave me a bath, and I eased
my host of the plainest garment in his store, and he was pleased enough
at getting off so cheaply. But I had an hour to spend outside on the
pavement listening to the distant din of bombardment before Phorenice
came out to me again, and I could not help feeling some grim amusement
at the face of the merchant who followed. The fellow was clearly ruined.
He had a store of jewels and gauds of the most costly kind, which were
only in fraction his own, seeing that he had bought them (as the custom
is) in partnership with other merchants. These had pleased Phorenice's
eye, and so she had taken all and disposed them on her person.

"Are they not pretty?" said she, showing them to me. "See how they flash
under the sun. I am quite glad now, Deucalion, that the mammoth gave us
that furious ride and that spill, since it has brought me such a bonny
present. You may tell the fellow here that some day when he has earned
some more, I will come and be his guest again. Ah! They have brought us
litters, I see. Well, send one away and do you share mine with me, sir.
We must play at being lovers to-day, even if love is a matter which will
come to us both with more certainty to-morrow. No; do not order more
bearers. My own slaves will carry us handily enough. I am glad you
are not one of your gross, overfed men, Deucalion. I am small and slim
myself, and I do not want to be husbanded by a man who will overshadow
me."

"Back to the royal pyramid?" I asked.

"No, nor to the walls. I neither wish to fight nor to sit as Empress
to-day, sir. As I have told you before, it