woven flax and ornamented as I have described, where we found food
made ready for us in plenty, milk in bowls and the flesh of sheep and
oxen boiled and roasted. Bes, however, was taken to a place apart, which
made Karema even more angry than she was before.

Scarcely had we finished eating when a herald rushed into the tent
crying, "Prostrate yourselves! Yea, be prostrated, the Grasshopper
comes! Karoon comes."

Here I must say that I found that the title of Karoon meant "Great
Grasshopper," but Karema who did not know this, asked indignantly why
she should prostrate herself to a grasshopper. Indeed she refused to
do so even when Bes entered the pavilion wonderfully attired in a
gorgeous-coloured robe of which the train was held by two huge men. So
absurd did he look that my mother and I must bow very deeply to hide our
laughter while Karema said,

"It would be better, Husband, if you found children to carry your robe
instead of two giants. Moreover, if it is meant to copy the colours of
a grasshopper, 'tis badly done, since grasshoppers are green and you
are gold and scarlet. Also they do not wear feathers set awry upon their
heads."

Bes rolled his eyes as though in agony, then turning, bade his
attendants be gone. They obeyed, though doubtfully as though they did
not like to leave him alone with us, whereon he let down the flap of the
pavilion, threw off his gorgeous coverings and said,

"You must learn to understand, Wife, that our customs are different from
those of Egypt. There I was happy as a slave and you were held to
be beautiful as the Cup of the holy Tanofir, also learned. Here I am
wretched as a king and you are held to be ugly, also ignorant as a
stranger. Oh! do not answer, I pray you, but learn that all goes well.
For the time you are accepted as my wife, subject to the decision of a
council of matrons, aged relatives of my family, who will decide when
we reach the City of the Grasshopper whether or not you shall be
acknowledged as the Queen of the Ethiopians. No, no, I pray you say
nothing since I must go away at once, as according to the law of the
Ethiopians the time has come for the Grasshopper to sleep, alone,
Karema, as you are not yet acknowledged as my wife. You also can sleep
with the lady Tiu and for Shabaka a tent is provided. Rest sweetly,
Wife. Hark! They fetch me."

"Now, if I had my way," said Karema, "I would rest in that boat going
back to Egypt. What say you, lord Shabaka?"

B