The crowd manifested some curiosity, which Setos noted out of the corner of his eye as they went by. If he had failed to win all he had played for, he had at least accomplished something. Gratified ambition sent a glow of satisfaction through Setos which made him feel quite amiable toward Yermah, despite his fixed determination to either rule or ruin the Dorado—beloved of the people. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE FOR REASONS OF STATE—ORONDO ESPOUSES ILDIKO Three months intervened between the betrothal announcement, immediately after Ildiko’s consent was obtained, and the beginning of the wedding festival, which lasted thirty days. This brought the actual consummation down to the time in October when the sun and moon were in conjunction. Those were happy days for Ildiko, who was in a flutter of excitement from morning until night over the preparation of her trousseau. Everything necessary for her comfort was furnished in sets of twelve. There were exquisitely ornamented terra-cotta jars provided for each of her dresses, which were placed in a row around the walls of her room, much more suggestive of tea than of a wardrobe. For the ceremony in the Temple of Venus there was a creation of vivid yellow, wrought in heavy bands of silk embroidery and tawny gold. The veil to match was of the finest yellow gauze, worked with floss and glitter until it was like a cobweb with the sun shining through it. The material of the gown was that of rare, fine texture which writers are always drawing through a finger-ring. In the voluminous skirt, at least twenty yards of gossamer silk had been used, but the effect was soft, clinging and graceful in the extreme. The waist was like an Eton jacket, too short to reach the skirt, and had half-length sleeves. The substitute for material at the waist line was a broad girdle of jewels. Orondo himself superintended the making of this article. It would be his privilege to unclasp it on the nuptial night and hang it outside the bridal chamber, as a pledge of his wife’s honor. It was not a straight band, but broadened over the hips, and was sacred to Venus, the love planet. The second of the bridal robes was of scarlet silk, almost covered with gold-thread embroidery, in which precious stones were skillfully imbedded. With it was provided a red gauze veil edged with gold fringe. Both gowns were fashioned alike, except that the red skirt was narrower, and finished in a long train edged with peacock feathers, which hung as a mantle from the shoulders. As soon as the city was decorated, and during the entire thirty days’ preliminary festivities, Ildiko wore simple white, destitute of ornament. She did not appear in public, except in going to and from the Temple of Venus, where she greeted the rising sun every morning and offered special prayers on behalf of her new duties.