We now retired into the palace, it being past noon, and were conducted towards the reception-rooms of the royal banquet-hall by the grand-chamberlain. At the door we were received by the chief butler, while the other officers of the royal household stood in a line, bending low as the queen and her guests passed in. We consisted, besides her majesty, the prince and myself, of the ambassador from Chaldea, the king's messenger from the Court of Chederlaomer III., in whose country, three hundred years and more ago, the famous battle of Sodom was fought; the ambassador from the kingdom of Assyria; the young Prince of Tarshish; the Duke Chilmed of Sheba, and the Dukes Javan and Tubal; the Lord of Mesech, and the Prince of Midian. Besides these was a great and wise prince from the land of Uz, near the country of Prince Abram, the Mesopotamian. He was accompanied by two friends, philosophers and men of note, Zophar of Naamath, and Lord Eliphaz of Teman. This lord of Uz came into Egypt with a great retinue and train of servants, for he is a man of vast possessions. He had heard of the wisdom and power of Amense, and had come with his own merchants to visit her court. He is also an eminently wise man, a worshipper of the one Deity, as was the ancient king Abram. He is of venerable and majestic aspect, is learned in all the wisdom of Chaldea and Arabia, and seeks to add thereto the lore of Egypt. Besides this distinguished prince, there are other philosophers of note and name. In such noble company, dear mother, was it my fortunate lot to fall. Truly, to come into Egypt is to see the whole world!