The men were for the most part arrayed like himself,—­though here and there he met some few whose garments were of soft silk instead of linen, who wore gold belts in place of silver, and who carried their daggers in sheaths that were literally encrusted all over with flashing jewels.

As he advanced more into the city’s centre, the crowds increased, —­so much so that the noise of traffic and clatter of tongues became quite deafening to his ears.  Richly ornamented chariots drawn by spirited horses, and driven by personages whose attire seemed to be a positive blaze of gold and gems, rolled past in a continuous procession,—­fruit-sellers, carrying their lovely luscious merchandise in huge gilded moss-wreathed baskets, stood at almost every corner,—­flower-girls, fair as flowers, bore aloft in their gracefully upraised arms wide wicker trays, overflowing with odorous blossoms tied into clusters and wreaths,—­and there were countless numbers of curious little open square carts to which mules, wearing collars of bells, were harnessed, the tinkle-tinkle of their constant passage through the throng making incessant merry music.  These vehicles bore the names of traders,—­ purveyors in wine and dealers in all sorts of provisions,—­but with the exception of such necessary business caterers, the streets were full of elegant loungers of both sexes, who seemed to have nothing whatever to do but amuse themselves.

The women were especially noticeable for their lazy grace of manner,—­they glided to and fro with an indolent floating ease that was indescribably bewitching,—­the more so as many of them were endowed with exquisite beauty of form and feature,—­beauty greatly enhanced by the artistic simplicity of their costume.

This was composed of a straight clinging gown, slightly gathered at the throat, and bound about the waist with a twisted girdle of silver, gold, and, in some cases, jewels,—­their arms, like those of the men, were bare, and their small, delicate feet were protected by sandals fastened with crossed bands of ribbon coquettishly knotted.  The arrangement of their hair was evidently a matter of personal taste, and not the slavish copying of any set fashion,—­some allowed it to hang in loosely flowing abundance over their shoulders,—­others had it closely braided, or coiled carelessly in a thick soft mass at the top of the head,—­but all without exception wore white veils,—­veils, long, transparent, and filmy as gossamer, which they flung back or draped about them at their pleasure ... and presently, after watching several of these fairy creatures pass by and listening to their low laughter and dulcet speech, a sudden memory leaped into Alwyn’s confused brain,—­an old, old memory that seemed to have lain hidden among his thoughts for centuries,—­the memory of a story called “Lamia” told in verse as delicious as music aptly played.  Who wrote the story? ...  He could not tell,—­but he recollected that it was about a snake in the guise