The King rose from the ground, for he was unharmed, and said in a loud voice,
“Had not that shaft of mine gone home, I think that the East would have bowed to another lord to-night.”
Now, forgetting that I was speaking to the King of the earth, forgetting the wager and all besides, I exclaimed,
“Nay, your shaft missed; mine went home,” whereon one of the courtiers cried,
“This Egyptian is a liar, and calls the King one!”
“A liar?” I said astonished. “Look at the arrow and see from whose quiver it came,” and I drew one from my own of the Egyptian make and marked with my mark.
Then a tumult broke out, all the courtiers and eunuchs talking at once, yet all bowing to the mud-stained person of the King, like ears of wheat to a tree in a storm. Not wishing to urge my claims further, for my part I returned to the chariot and the hunting being done, as I supposed, unstrung my bow which I prized above all things, and set it in its case.
While I was thus employed the eunuch Houman approached me with a sickly smile, saying,
“The King commands your presence, Egyptian, that you may receive your reward.”
I nodded, saying that I would come, and he returned.