"He knows its docility, its sensibility, and its fidelity," said the philosopher, in a subdued tone. "True, good Agelastes," said the Princess; "we should not criticise the animal which kneels to take us up.--Come, lady of a foreign land," she continued, turning to the Frank Count, and especially his Countess--"and you her gallant lord! When you return to your native country, you shall say you have seen the imperial family partake of their food, and in so far acknowledge themselves to be of the same clay with other mortals, sharing their poorest wants, and relieving them in the same manner." "That, gentle lady, I can well believe," said Count Robert; "my curiosity would be more indulged by seeing this strange animal at his food." "You will see the elephant more conveniently at his mess within doors," answered the Princess, looking at Agelastes. "Lady," said Brenhilda, "I would not willingly refuse an invitation given in courtesy, but the sun has waxed low unnoticed, and we must return to the city." "Be not afraid," said the fair historian; "you shall have the advantage of our Imperial escort to protect you in your return." "Fear?---afraid?--escort?--protect?--These are words I know not. Know, lady, that my husband, the noble Count of Paris, is my sufficient escort; and even were he not with me, Brenhilda de Aspramonte fears nothing, and can defend herself." "Fair daughter," said Agelastes, "if I may be permitted to speak, you mistake the gracious intentions of the Princess, who expresses herself as to a lady of her own land. What she desires is to learn from you some of the most marked habits and manners of the Franks, of which you are so beautiful an example; and in return for such information the illustrious Princess would be glad to procure your entrance to those spacious collections, where animals from all corners of the habitable world have been assembled at the command of our Emperor Alexius, as if to satisfy the wisdom of those sages to whom all creation is known, from the deer so small in size that it is exceeded by an ordinary rat, to that huge and singular inhabitant of Africa that can browse on the tops of trees that are forty feet high, while the length of its hind-legs does not exceed the half of that wondrous height." "It is enough," said the Countess, with some eagerness; but Agelastes had got a point of discussion after his own mind. "There is also," he said, "that huge lizard, which, resembling in shape the harmless inhabitant of the moors of other countries, is in Egypt a monster thirty feet in length, clothed in impenetrable scales, and moaning over his prey when he catches it, with the hope and purpose of drawing others within his danger, by mimicking the lamentations of humanity." "Say no more, father!" exclaimed the lady. "My Robert, we will go--will we not, where such objects are to be seen?"