The city residence of Alric, general in command of Their Majesties’ forces, was within the palace enclosure.
The house was two stories in height, the ground being used for the servants’ quarters, offices, store-rooms, and the like, while the upper floor, was divided into commodious apartments and the flat top roof covered with linen awnings, forming a luxurious roof garden, where the master, his family and friends, were wont to spend their waking hours after sunset, for in Egypt the storms are so infrequent, that only once or twice in a hundred years is there any down pouring.
The structure of the house, was of burnt brick, and built in the form of a quadrangle. In the center was a court, laid out in walks that were bright with beds of flowers, and foliage plants, all glistening with the spray, thrown upon them by innumerable fountains. There too, were tanks full of brilliant colored, swiftly darting fish, and pools where the Lotus blossoms, (flower and leaf,) grew and throve casting a penetrating sweetness upon the air.
The stairway (as in all Egyptian mansions) was upon the outer side of the building, the floors were of some composite material and formed into squares of red and blue checker work, over which were laid rugs of white fur and large mats of colored camel’s hair. About the rooms were scattered chairs, and divans, and tables of exquisite workmanship, the woods wonderfully polished and inlaid with gold and precious stones. And the chairs and lounges were cushioned and upholstered in rich silken stuffs.
In the dining hall stood a huge sandal wood side-board not at all unlike in its fashioning, those used in houses a century ago and on this side-board were ranged golden flagons holding choice wines and cordials, golden filigree baskets, filled with fruits and flowers, golden goblets, and loving cups, golden ewers (or finger bowls) and delicate pottery; and there too, were to be found knives, and forks, and spoons.
In this room were many little round tables covered with dainty linen cloths of purest white, beautifully embroidered about their edges in representation of roses, ferns, fruits, or berries.
The walls were hung with trophies of the chase (for the Egyptian gentlemen were great hunters—and fishermen too) and in this dining room in the city house of Alric some famous artist had painted on the ceiling allegorical figures representing Pleasure, Plenty, and Hospitality; in this room as in all the others there was a charcoal stove because during the year there are chilly days in Egypt.
Then there was the Library where on shelf after shelf, lay the papyrus and parchment scrolls holding a wealth of literature the science, history, poetry and fiction of many centuries.
Beyond the Library after passing through a stone court one came to the bath. This was a high ceilinged apartment sweet and cool and fragrant and in its centre was set a deep pool of ever running water. All along the walls of this room were closets in which every article necessary for the bath was to be found. Brushes soft and hard, rough, and smooth, towels, ungents, oils, powders, perfumes and bags of brans and spices. This was not simply a luxury as in Egypt the preservation of health made it necessary to bathe at least five times daily.
Seated at a table in his Library was the General in Chief of the Egyptian army and about him were gathered his staff.