Now the King grew very angry and cried,

“What!  Did the dog dare to strike a freeborn noble Egyptian?”

Here Houman threw himself upon his face in terror and began to babble out I know not what about the punishment of the boat, which was unlucky for him, for it put the matter into the King’s mind.

“The boat!” he cried.  “Ah! yes, the boat; being so fat you will fit it well, Eunuch.  To the boat with him, and before he enters it a hundred blows upon the feet with the rods,” and he pointed at him with his sceptre.

Then guards sprang upon Houman and dragged him away.  As he went he clutched at Bes, but hissing something into his ear, the dwarf bit him through the hand till he let go.  So Houman departed and the King’s guests laughed at the sight, for he had worked mischief to many.

When he had gone the King stared at me and asked,

“But why did I disturb you from your sleep, Egyptian?  Oh!  I remember.  This dwarf says that he has seen the fairest woman in the whole world, and the most learned, some lady of Egypt, but that he does not know her name, that you alone know her name.  I disturbed you that you might tell it to me but if you have forgotten it, you can go back to your bed and rest there till it returns to you.  There are plenty of boats in the river, Egyptian.”

“The fairest and most learned woman in the world?” I said astonished.  “Who can that be, unless he means the lady Amada?” and I paused, wishing I had bitten out my tongue before I spoke, for I smelt a trap.

“Yes, Master,” said Bes in a clear voice.  “That was the name, the lady Amada.”

“Who is this lady Amada?” asked the King, seeming to grow suddenly sober.  “And what is she like?”

“I can tell you that, O King,” said Bes.  “She is like a willow shaken in the wind for slenderness and grace.  She has eyes like those of a buck at gaze; she has lips like rosebuds; she has hair black as the night and soft as silk, the odour of which floats round her like that of flowers.  She has a voice that whispers like the evening wind, and yet is rich as honey.  Oh! she is beautiful as a goddess and when men see her their hearts melt like wax in the sun and for a long while they can look upon no other woman, not till the next day indeed if they meet her in the evening,” and Bes smacked his thick lips and gazed upwards.

“By the holy Fire,” laughed the King, “I feel my heart melting already.  Say, Shabaka, what do you know of this Amada?  Is she married or a maiden?”

Now I answered because I must, for after all that boat was not far away, nor did I dare to lie.

“She is married, O King of kings, to the goddess Isis whom she loves alone.”

“A woman married to a woman, or rather to the Queen of women,” he answered laughing, “well, that matters little.”

“Nay, O King, it matters much since she is under the protection of Isis and inviolate.”