the immense
quantities of merchandise with which these were piled.

For a long time they walked through streets thronged with chariots,
street porters, donkeys and donkey-drivers, until all at once the marble
walls, the purple awnings and the gold cupolas of the palace of Balkis,
lay spread out before them.

The Queen of Sheba received them in a courtyard cooled by jets of
perfumed water which fell with a tinkling cadence like a shower of
pearls.

Smiling, she stood before them in a jewelled robe.

At sight of her Balthasar was greatly troubled.

She seemed to him lovelier than a dream and more beautiful than desire.

"My lord," and Sembobitis spoke under his breath, "remember to conclude
a good commercial treaty with the queen."

"Have a care, my lord," Menkera added. "It is said she employs magic
with which to gain the love of men."

Then, having prostrated themselves, the mage and the eunuch retired.

Balthasar, left alone with Balkis, tried to speak; he opened his mouth
but he could not utter a word. He said to himself, "The queen will be
angered at my silence."

But the queen still smiled and looked not at all angry. She was the
first to speak with a voice sweeter than the sweetest music.

"Be welcome, and sit down at my side." And with a slender finger like
a ray of white light she pointed to the purple cushions on the ground.
Balthasar sat down, gave a great sigh, and grasping a cushion in each
hand he cried hastily:

"Madam, I would these two cushions were two giants, your enemies; I
would wring their necks."

And as he spoke he clutched the cushions with such violence in his hands
that the delicate stuff cracked and out flew a cloud of snow-white down.
One of the tiny feathers swayed a moment in the air and then alighted on
the bosom of the queen.

"My lord Balthasar," Balkis said, blushing; "why do you wish to kill
giants?"

"Because I love you," said Balthasar.

"Tell me," Balkis asked, "is the water good in the wells of your
capital?"

"Yes," Balthasar replied in some surprise.

"I am also curious to know," Balkis continued, "how a dry conserve of
fruit is made in Ethiopia?"

The king did not know what to answer.

"Now please tell me, please," she urged.

Whereupon with a mighty effort of memory he tried to describe how
Ethiopian cooks preserve quinces in honey. But she did not listen. And
suddenly, she interrupted him.

"My lord, it is said that you love your neighbour, Queen C