ee the city in
darkness. Two secretaries have been awaiting me yonder for the last two
hours. Ho! Sachons! give orders to the captain of the guard to accompany
our noble guests with a hundred men."

"But why? a single guide, perhaps one of the Greek officers, would be
amply sufficient."

"No, my young friends, it is better so. Foreigners can never be too
prudent in Egypt. Do not forget this, and especially be careful not to
ridicule the sacred animals. And now farewell, my young heroes, till we
meet again this evening over a merry wine-cup."

The Persians then quitted the palace, accompanied by their interpreter,
a Greek, but who had been brought up in Egypt, and spoke both languages
with equal facility.

[Psamtik I. is said to have formed a new caste, viz.: the caste of
Interpreters, out of those Greeks who had been born and bred up in
Egypt. Herod. II. 154. Herodotus himself was probably conducted by
such a "Dragoman."]

Those streets of Sais which lay near the palace wore a pleasant aspect.
The houses, many of which were five stories high, were generally covered
with pictures or hieroglyphics; galleries with balustrades of carved and
gaily-painted wood-work, supported by columns also brightly painted, ran
round the walls surrounding the courts. In many cases the proprietor's
name and rank was to be read on the door, which was, however, well
closed and locked. Flowers and shrubs ornamented the flat roofs, on
which the Egyptians loved to spend the evening hours, unless indeed,
they preferred ascending the mosquito-tower with which nearly every
house was provided. These troublesome insects, engendered by the Nile,
fly low, and these little watch-towers were built as a protection from
them.

The young Persians admired the great, almost excessive cleanliness, with
which each house, nay, even the streets themselves, literally shone. The
door-plates and knockers sparkled in the sun; paintings, balconies and
columns all had the appearance of having been only just finished, and
even the street-pavement looked as if it were often scoured.

[The streets of Egyptian towns seem to have been paved, judging from
the ruins of Alabastron and Memphis. We know at least with
certainty that this was the case with those leading to the temples.]

But as the Persians left the neighborhood of the Nile and the palace,
the streets became smaller. Sais was built on the slope of a moderately
high hill, and had only