s were bound
behind me. Then I was led out in charge of the eunuch Houman, who
informed me with a leer that it would be his duty to attend to my
comfort till the end. With him were four black men all dressed in the
same way. These, he said, were the executioners. Lastly came Bes watched
by three of the king's guards armed with spears, lest he should attempt
to rescue me or to do anyone a mischief.

Now my heart began to sink and I asked Houman what was to happen to me.

"This, O Egyptian slayer of lions. You will be laid upon a bed in a
little boat upon the river and another boat will be placed over you, for
these boats are called the Twins, Egyptian, in such a fashion that your
head and your hands will project at one end and your feet at the other.
There you will be left, comfortable as a baby in its cradle, and twice
every day the best of food and drink will be brought to you. Should your
appetite fail, moreover, it will be my duty to revive it by pricking
your eyes with the point of a knife until it returns. Also after each
meal I shall wash your face, your hands and your feet with milk and
honey, lest the flies that buzz about them should suffer hunger, and to
preserve your skin from burning by the sun. Thus slowly you will
grow weaker and at length fall asleep. The last one who went into the
boat--he, unlucky man, had by accident wandered into the court of the
House of Women and seen some of the ladies there unveiled--only
lived for twelve days, but you, being so strong, may hope to last for
eighteen. Is there anything more that I can tell you? If so, ask it
quickly for we draw near to the river."

Now when I heard this and understood all the horror of my fate, I forgot
the vision of my great uncle, the holy Tanofir, and his comfortable
prophecies, and my heart failed me altogether, so that I stood stock
still.

"What, Lion-hunter and Bearder of kings, do you think it is too early to
go to bed?" mocked this devilish eunuch. "On with you!" and he began to
beat me about the face with the handle of his fly-whisk.

Then my manhood came back to me.

"When did the King tell you to touch me, you fatted swine?" I roared,
and turning, since I could not reach him with my bound hands, kicked
him in the body with all my strength, so that he fell down, writhing and
screaming with agony. Indeed, had not the executioners leapt upon me, I
would have trampled the life out of him where he lay. But they held me
fast and presen