The prince had no such purpose in mind.
"O by Besa! here is what I have sought for so long," he exclaimed, at
last. "Hither! thou treasure, thou dear, defiant little shrew! Thou
art more to me than all the wealth of Pithom. Hither, I tell thee!"
But she did not move. The company was breathing with considerable
relief by this time, but not a few of them were casting furtive glances
at Ta-user.
"Hither!" Rameses commanded, stamping his foot. "Nay, I had forgot she
defies my power. Behold, then, I come to thee."
Masanath anticipated his intent, and rising with much dignity, she put
the ivory throne between her and the prince. Cool and self-possessed
she gathered up her lotuses, as fresh after an evening in her hand as
they were when the slaves gathered them from the Nile; found her fan
and made other serene preparations to depart. Rameses, fended from her
by the chair, stood before her and watched with a smile in his eyes.
Presently he waved his hand to the other guests.
"Arise; the princess is going," he commanded.
In the stir and rustle, laughter and talk of the guests, getting up at
the prince's sign--for it was customary to permit the highest of rank
to dismiss a company--Masanath slipped from among them and attempted to
leave unnoticed.
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