think. Another idea, which she refrained from expressing, for she did
not believe Nofre capable of understanding her, helped the young girl to
make up her mind. She threw off her languor, and rose from her armchair
with a vivacity quite unexpected after the broken-down attitude she had
preserved during the singing and the dancing.

Nofre, kneeling before her, fastened on her feet sandals with turned-up
ends, cast scented powder on her hair, drew from a box several bracelets
in the shape of serpents, and a few rings with sacred scarabaei for gems,
put on her cheeks a green powder which immediately turned rose-colour as
it touched the skin, polished her nails with a cosmetic, and adjusted
the somewhat rumpled folds of her calasiris like a zealous maid who
means that her mistress shall show to the greatest advantage. Then she
called two or three servants, and ordered them to make ready the boat
and transport to the other side of the river the chariot and oxen.

The palace, or if this name seems too pompous, the dwelling of Tahoser,
rose close to the Nile, from which it was separated by gardens only.
Petamounoph's daughter, her hand resting on Nofre's shoulder, and
preceded by her servants, walked down to the water-gate through the
arbour, the broad leaves of which, softening the rays of the sun,
flecked with light shadows her lovely face. She soon reached the wide
brick quay, on which swarmed a mighty multitude, awaiting the departure
or return of the boats.

The vast city held now only the sick, the invalids, old people unable to
move, and the slaves left in charge of the houses. Through the streets,
the squares, the dromos (temple avenues), down the sphinx avenues,
through the pylons, along the quays, flowed streams of human beings all
bound for the Nile. The multitude exhibited the strangest variety. The
Egyptians were there in largest numbers, and were recognisable by their
clean profile, their tall, slender figures, their fine linen robes or
their carefully pleated calasiris. Some, their heads enveloped in
striped green or blue cloth, with narrow drawers closely fitting to
their loins, showed to the belt their bare torsos the colour of baked
clay. Against this mass of natives stood out divers members of exotic
races: negroes from the Upper Nile, as black as basalt gods, their arms
bound round with broad ivory rings, their ears adorned with barbaric
ornaments; bronzed Ethiopians, fierce-eyed, uneasy, and restless in