And taking him to the bathroom, he placed him in the hands of his slaves who, in a twinkling, perfumed and clothed him in beautiful robes of silk and gold.
Pinchauvas, accompanied by the great chancellor, went to the imperial rooms, and there, on account of the person who accompanied him being the head of the government, had only to wait in eleven ante-chambers, after which he was shown into the imperial presence.
"Here I bring you, celebrated princess, the most famous and wise necromancer of the world," said the chancellor, who must have been fond of exaggerating. "A whirlwind made him fall on this palace dragging him from far lands, and in the centre of the whirlwind it seems to me I saw great Confucius, who held him by the neck."
"Rise, wise man!" said the empress sweetly.
"Rise, Wise Man," said the Empress, sweetly.
Pinchauvas did not move.
"Get up, wise man!" repeated the chancellor in French.
"Do you mean me?" exclaimed Pinchauvas. And with one bound he stood up.
"Bow down, or you are a dead man," shouted the chancellor to him.