he daughter of Hornecht, for whom he asked,
he turned to the chamberlain who came out of the former one, showed him
the letter, and asked to be taken to the prince; but the former
offered to deliver the letter to his master--whose steward he was--and
Ephraim--for he was the messenger--agreed, if he would obtain him
immediate admission to the young widow.

The steward seemed to lay much stress upon getting possession of the
letter and, after scanning Ephraim from top to toe, he asked if Kasana
knew him, and when the other assented, adding that he brought her a
verbal message, the Egyptian said smiling:

"Well then; but we must protect our carpets from such feet, and you seem
weary and in need of refreshment. Follow me."

With these words he took him to a small tent, before which an old slave
and one scarcely beyond childhood were sitting by the fire, finishing
their late meal with a bunch of garlic.

They started up as they saw their master; but he ordered the old man to
wash the messenger's feet, and bade the younger ask the prince's cook
in his name for meat, bread, and wine. Then he led Ephraim to his
tent, which was lighted by a lantern, and asked how he, who from his
appearance was neither a slave nor a person of mean degree, had come
into such a pitiable plight. The messenger replied that on his way he
had bandaged the wounds of a severely injured man with the upper part
of his apron, and the chamberlain instantly went to his baggage and gave
him a piece of finely plaited linen.

Ephraim's reply, which was really very near the truth, had cost him so
little thought and sounded so sincere, that it won credence, and the
steward's kindness seemed to him so worthy of gratitude that he made no
objection when the courtier, without injuring the seal, pressed the roll
of papyrus with a skilful hand, separating the layers and peering into
the openings to decipher the contents. While thus engaged, the corpulent
courtier's round eyes sparkled brightly and it seemed to the youth as
if the countenance of the man, whose comfortable plumpness and smooth
rotundity at first appeared like a mirror of the utmost kindness of
heart, now had the semblance of a cat's.

As soon as the steward had completed his task, he begged the youth to
refresh himself in all comfort, and did not return until Ephraim had
bathed, wrapped a fresh linen upper-garment around his hips, perfumed
and anointed his hair, and, glancing into the mirror, was i