ed to him, with his finger
pressed on his mouth, and quitting the quadrangle, they entered the
gardens.

Lofty terraces, dark masses of cypress, winding walks of acacia, in
the distance an interminable paradise, and here and there a glittering
pavilion and bright kiosk! Its appearance on the river had not prepared
Alroy for the extent of the palace itself. It seemed infinite, and it
was evident that he had only viewed a small portion of it. While they
were moving on, there suddenly rose a sound of trumpets. The sound grew
nearer and nearer, louder and louder: soon was heard the tramp of
an approaching troop. Honain drew Alroy aside. A procession appeared
advancing from a dark grove of cypress. Four hundred men led as many
white bloodhounds with collars of gold and rubies.[29] Then came one
hundred men, each with a hooded hawk; then six horsemen in rich dresses;
after them a single horseman, mounted on a steed, marked on its forehead
with a star.[30] The rider was middle-aged, handsome, and dignified. He
was plainly dressed, but the staff of his hunting-spear was entirely of
diamonds and the blade of gold.

He was followed by a company of Nubian eunuchs, with their scarlet
dresses and ivory battle-axes, and the procession closed.

'The Caliph,' whispered Honain, when they had passed, placing at the
same time his finger on his lip to prevent any inquiry. This was
the first intimation that had reached Alroy of what he had already
suspected, that he was a visitor to the palace of the Commander of the
Faithful.

The companions turned down a wild and winding walk, which, after some
time, brought them to a small and gently sloping lawn, surrounded
by cedar-trees of great size. Upon the lawn was a kiosk, a long and
many-windowed building, covered with blinds, and further screened by
an overhanging roof. The kiosk was built of white and green marble,
the ascent to it was by a flight of steps the length of the building,
alternately of white and green marble, and nearly covered with
rose-trees. Honain went up these steps alone, and entered the kiosk.
After a few minutes he looked out from the blinds and beckoned to Alroy.
David advanced, but Honain, fearful of some indiscretion, met him, and
said to him in a low whisper between his teeth, 'Remember you are deaf,
a mute, and a eunuch.' Alroy could scarcely refrain from smiling, and
the Prince of the Captivity and the physician of the Caliph entered
the kiosk together. Two wome