As they rode, Sembobitis instructed him in the influences of the planets,{*} as well as in the virtues7 of precious stones, and Menkera sang to him canticles from the sacred mysteries. He paid but little heed8 to them, but amused himself instead watching the jackals with their ears pricked9 up, sitting erect10 on the edge of the desert.
At last, after a march of twelve days, Balthasar became conscious of the fragrance12 of roses, and very soon they saw the gardens that surround the city of Sheba. On their way they passed young girls dancing under pomegranate trees in full bloom.
“The dance,” said Sembobitis the mage, “is a prayer.”
“One could sell these women for a great price,” said Menkera the eunuch.
As they entered the city they were amazed at the extent of the sheds and warehouses13 and workshops that lay before them, and also at the immense quantities of merchandise with which these were piled.
For a long time they walked through streets thronged14 with chariots, street porters, donkeys and donkey-drivers, until all at once the marble walls, the purple awnings15 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 tinkling16 cadence17 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 spoke18 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.”
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 pointed21 to the purple cushions on the ground. Balthasar sat down, gave a great sigh, and grasping a cushion in each hand he cried hastily:
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 bosom23 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.
The king did not know what to answer.
“Now please tell me, please,” she urged.
Whereupon with a mighty25 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 Candace. Is she more beautiful than I am? Do not deceive me.”
“More beautiful than you, madam,” Balthasar cried as he fell at the feet of Balkis, “how could that possibly be!”
“Well, then, her eyes? her mouth, her colour? her throat?” the queen continued.
With his arms outstretched towards her, Balthasar cried:
“Give me but the little feather that has fallen on your neck and in return you shall have half my kingdom as well as the wise Sembobitis and Menkera the eunuch.”
When the mage and the eunuch returned they found their master plunged27 deep in thought which was not his custom.
“My lord!” asked Sembobitis, “have you concluded a good commercial treaty?”
That day Balthasar supped with the Queen of Sheba and drank the wine of the palm-tree.
“It is true, then,” said Balkis as they supped together, “that Queen Guidace is not so beautiful as I?”
“Queen Candace is black,” replied Balthasar.
Balkis looked expressively28 at Balthasar.
“One may be black and yet not ill-looking,” she said.
“Balkis!” cried the king.
He said no more, but seized her in his arms, and the head of the queen sank back under the pressure of his lips. But he saw that she was weeping. Thereupon he spoke to her in the low, caressing29 tones that nurses use to their nurslings. He called her his little blossom and his little star.
“Why do you weep?” he asked. “And what must one do to dry your tears? If you have a desire tell me and it shall be fulfilled.”
She ceased weeping, but she was sunk deep in thought He implored30 her a long time to tell him her desire. And at last she spoke.
“I wish to know fear.”
And as Balthasar did not seem to understand, she explained to him that for a long time past she had greatly longed to face some unknown danger, but she could not, for the men and gods of Sheba watched over her.
“And yet,” she added with a sigh, “during the night I long to feel the delicious chill of terror penetrate31 my flesh. To have my hair stand up on my head with horror. O! it would be such joy to be afraid!”
She twined her arms about the neck of the dusky king, and said with the voice of a pleading child:
“Night has come. Let us go through the town in disguise. Are you willing?”
He agreed. She ran to the window at once and looked though the lattice into the square below.
“A beggar is lying against the palace wall. Give him your garments and ask him in exchange for his camel-hair turban and the coarse cloth girt about his loins. Be quick and I will dress myself.”
Balthasar took off his linen33 tunic34 embroidered35 with gold and girded himself with the skirt of the beggar. It gave him the look of a real slave. The queen soon reappeared dressed in the blue seamless garment of the women who work in the fields.
“Come!” she said.
And she dragged Balthasar along the narrow corridors towards a little door which opened on the fields.
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1
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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6
tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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versed
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| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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warehouses
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| 仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 ) | |
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14
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
awnings
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| 篷帐布 | |
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tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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cadence
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| n.（说话声调的）抑扬顿挫 | |
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18
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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19
prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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conserve
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| vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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27
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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28
expressively
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| ad.表示(某事物)地；表达地 | |
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caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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33
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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34
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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