Oh! my heart was glad when looking up, outside the temple, I
caught sight of you clad in that strange Eastern armour, and knew that
you had returned safe from your long wanderings. Yet afterwards I must
do penance for it by saying two added prayers, since at such a time my
thoughts should have been with the goddess only."

"Greeting, Cousin Amada," I answered, "but she must be a jealous goddess
who grudges a thought to a relative--and friend--at such a time."

"She is jealous, Shabaka, as being the Queen of women she must be who
demands to reign alone in the hearts of her votaries. But tell me of
your travels in the East and how you came by that rope of wondrous
pearls, if indeed there can be pearls so large and beautiful."

This at the time I had little chance of doing, however, since the young
Princess on the other side of her began to talk to Amada about some
forthcoming festival, and the Prince's son next to me who was fond of
hunting, to question me about sport in the East and when, unhappily, I
said that I had shot lions there, gave me no peace for the rest of that
feast. Also the Princess opposite was anxious to learn what food noble
people ate in the East, and how it was cooked and how they sat at table,
and what was the furniture of their rooms and did women attend feasts as
in Egypt, and so forth. So it came about that what between these things
and eating and drinking, which, being well-nigh starved, I was obliged
to do, for, save a cup of wine, I had taken nothing in my mother's
house, I found little chance of talking with the lovely Amada, although
I knew that all the while she was studying me out of the corners of her
large eyes. Or perhaps it was the rose-hued pearls she studied, I was
not sure.

Only one thing did she say to me when there was a little pause while the
cup went round, and she pledged me according to custom and passed it on.
It was,

"You look well, Shabaka, though somewhat tired, but sadder than you
used, I think."

"Perhaps because I have seen things to sadden me, Amada. But you too
look well but somewhat lovelier than you used, I think, if that be
possible."

She smiled and blushed as she replied,

"The Eastern ladies have taught you how to say pretty things. But you
should not waste them upon me who have done with women's vanities and
have given myself to learning and--religion."

"Have learning and religion no vanities of their own?" I began, when
suddenly the Prince gave a