'
'Tell me; whisper it to me; it is a name not to be lightly mentioned.'
Cypros advanced, and bending her head, breathed a word in the ear of
the lady, who instantly, blushing deeply, murmured with a faint smile,
'Yes.'
'It is he, then,' said Cypros, 'who is one of us.'
CHAPTER LII.
_A Royal Audience_
OUR travellers were speculating, not very sanguinely, on the possible
resources which Gindarics might supply for the amusement of a week,
when, to their great relief, they were informed by Keferinis, that the
Queen had fixed noon, on this the day after their arrival, to receive
them. And accordingly at that time some attendants, not accompanying,
however, the chief minister, waited on Tancred and Fakredeen, and
announced that they were commanded to usher them to the royal presence.
Quitting their apartments, they mounted a flight of steps, which led
to the wooden gallery, along which they pursued their course. At its
termination were two sentries with their lances. Then they descended
a corresponding flight of stairs and entered a chamber where they were
received by pages; the next room, of larger size, was crowded, and
here they remained for a few minutes. Then they were ushered into the
presence.
The young Queen of the Ansarey could not have received them with an air
more impassive had she been holding a levee at St.
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