A Prince's Bride

The chief merchant of Ascalon stood in the guest-chamber of his house.

Although it was a late winter day the old man was clad in the free
white garments of a midsummer afternoon, for to the sorrow of
Philistia the cold season of the year sixty-nine had been warm, wet
and miasmic. An old woman entering presently glanced at the closed
windows of the apartment when she noted the flushed face of the
merchant but she made no movement to have them opened. More than the
warmth of the day was engaging the attention of the grave old man, and
the woman, by dress and manner of equal rank with him, stood aside
until he could give her a moment.

His porter bowed at his side.

"The servants of Philip of Tyre are without," he said. "Shall they
enter?"

"They have come for the furnishings," Costobarus answered. "Take thou
all the household but Momus and Hiram, and dismantle the rooms for
them. Begin in the library; then the sleeping-rooms; this chamber
next; the kitchen last of all. Send Hiram to the stables to except
three good camels from the herd for our use. Let Momus look to the
baggage. Where is Keturah?"

A woman servant hastening after a line of men bearing a great divan,
picking up the draperies and pillows that had dropped, stopped and
salaamed to her master.

"Is our apparel ready?" he asked.