“Arrest thy steps,” they cried, frantically. “The person of Istar, our ruler, is sacred. None but dwellers within this, her temple, may look upon her.”
“Retire,” she cried to the eunuchs. “I commanded him to approach me.”
The men slunk back to their places in chagrin, and as they did so I advanced yet another couple of paces, and dropped upon one knee before her. Her beauty was amazing. The sweet perfumes that exuded from her ample draperies filled my nostrils.
“Whence comest thou?” she asked me in calm, serious voice, gazing upon me with her huge, wonderful eyes.
“From the world that lieth beyond the impregnable limits of thy kingdom, O Queen,” I answered.
“Who art thou, that thou shouldst speak our sacred tongue?” she inquired quickly, in surprise.
“I am but a wanderer,” I replied. “The language of ancient Assyria hath been recovered by our wise men from the monuments of Nimroud and of Babylon.” Her surprise found echo in the murmurings of the eager, excited crowd; but a moment later she asked,—
“How camest thou hither?”
“By an entrance which I followed. It led me through the Valley of Mists, until I came hither unto this thy city.”
“An entrance!” she cried, in alarm. “Then thou earnest not as a bird of the air!”