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Article THE CONTEST. ← Page 3 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Contest.
upon the new-born babe , was thought to secure it happiness and prosperity ; but when those few short days of adoration were past , the fatal wreath of lotus was twined around her brow , the mystic ring placed upon her finger , and , amidst the shouts of the superstitious people , the hapless maiden was plunged into the idol fiver , to rise no more from his cold bed . From the fearful chance afforded by the ordeal , the daughters of the kings alone were exemptall others must inscribe their names
, within the fatal urn . Mycerinus spoke not of tbe sad tidings to his beloved and only child , the beautiful Nementbis ; be deemed that sorrow was too much of earth to approach one so pure and lovely . Safe in her secure retreat , in the zenana of the palace , where no male foot save that of her father and the bight priest dared venture , she passed her days in blissful innocence , her pleasures being as simple as her thoughts were innocent . The wind
gently whispered through the foliage of the regal gardens , and was answered by the slow gurgling of the stream as it disappeared beneath the hundred arches upon which the gardens rested ; above were verdant bowers of rose , acacia , jasmine , and citron , and long avenues of the dark sycamore , the golden orange , and the fig-tree with its azure fruit . Beneath was a vast hall , the roof of which was supported by massive columns of basalt ; from the centre rose a domeopen at tbe topand
, , surrounded by a ballustrade of blue and gold , permitting tbe eye to wander to the far higher and more brilliant dome above , which surmounted tbe garden pavilion . Through this opening rose a fountain , which , till it reached its destined height , was one unbroken column of water ; then , spreading itself like a sparkling shower , it fell as a silver
veil beyond the ballustrade , and formed a cooling shade to the pavilion . In this luxurious retreat , robed in a loose dress of the finest linen , reclined the Princess Nementbis ; her rich bracelets of engraven gems scattered among the flowers she had thrown upon the tessellated floor , and her beautiful head resting upon fragrant pillows , she lay dreaming the lingering hours away . In her slumbers she fancied herself walking on the banks of the vast river , the murmurs of whose distant waters had lulled her to repose ; suddenlyfrom the receding wavea hideous form
, , approached , and would have clasped her in its scaly folds , but for the interference of a gallant youth , around whose head was twined tbe golden serpent crown , the emblem of immortality : so vivid was the impression of her dream , that , with a half-muttered cry of terror and surprise , the maiden awoke . All was calm around , and she raised herself upon one hand to collect her scattered sensesaspassing the other over her browshe turned
to-, , , wards the light of the declining moon . Was she indeed awake ? within the sacred line of columns , where none but royal foot , or that of the high priest of Anubis , ever trod , there stood before her , proud in his commanding height , the same faultless form she had beheld in her dream . The same deep blue eye was fixed on hers , but no aspic crown encircled the brows of alabaster , from which the wind gently raised the rich and clustering curls . She gazed in mute yet pleased astonishment upon the
youth , who seemed about to speak , when a faint stir among the distant columns warned him of the approach of a third person . With a light bound , he reached the verge of the pavilion , whence , having turned once more to gaze upon the motionless princess , he snatched a rose from the flowers scattered around , pressed it passionately to his lips , and was quickly lost amongst the aromatic shrubs of the garden . Nementbis had
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Contest.
upon the new-born babe , was thought to secure it happiness and prosperity ; but when those few short days of adoration were past , the fatal wreath of lotus was twined around her brow , the mystic ring placed upon her finger , and , amidst the shouts of the superstitious people , the hapless maiden was plunged into the idol fiver , to rise no more from his cold bed . From the fearful chance afforded by the ordeal , the daughters of the kings alone were exemptall others must inscribe their names
, within the fatal urn . Mycerinus spoke not of tbe sad tidings to his beloved and only child , the beautiful Nementbis ; be deemed that sorrow was too much of earth to approach one so pure and lovely . Safe in her secure retreat , in the zenana of the palace , where no male foot save that of her father and the bight priest dared venture , she passed her days in blissful innocence , her pleasures being as simple as her thoughts were innocent . The wind
gently whispered through the foliage of the regal gardens , and was answered by the slow gurgling of the stream as it disappeared beneath the hundred arches upon which the gardens rested ; above were verdant bowers of rose , acacia , jasmine , and citron , and long avenues of the dark sycamore , the golden orange , and the fig-tree with its azure fruit . Beneath was a vast hall , the roof of which was supported by massive columns of basalt ; from the centre rose a domeopen at tbe topand
, , surrounded by a ballustrade of blue and gold , permitting tbe eye to wander to the far higher and more brilliant dome above , which surmounted tbe garden pavilion . Through this opening rose a fountain , which , till it reached its destined height , was one unbroken column of water ; then , spreading itself like a sparkling shower , it fell as a silver
veil beyond the ballustrade , and formed a cooling shade to the pavilion . In this luxurious retreat , robed in a loose dress of the finest linen , reclined the Princess Nementbis ; her rich bracelets of engraven gems scattered among the flowers she had thrown upon the tessellated floor , and her beautiful head resting upon fragrant pillows , she lay dreaming the lingering hours away . In her slumbers she fancied herself walking on the banks of the vast river , the murmurs of whose distant waters had lulled her to repose ; suddenlyfrom the receding wavea hideous form
, , approached , and would have clasped her in its scaly folds , but for the interference of a gallant youth , around whose head was twined tbe golden serpent crown , the emblem of immortality : so vivid was the impression of her dream , that , with a half-muttered cry of terror and surprise , the maiden awoke . All was calm around , and she raised herself upon one hand to collect her scattered sensesaspassing the other over her browshe turned
to-, , , wards the light of the declining moon . Was she indeed awake ? within the sacred line of columns , where none but royal foot , or that of the high priest of Anubis , ever trod , there stood before her , proud in his commanding height , the same faultless form she had beheld in her dream . The same deep blue eye was fixed on hers , but no aspic crown encircled the brows of alabaster , from which the wind gently raised the rich and clustering curls . She gazed in mute yet pleased astonishment upon the
youth , who seemed about to speak , when a faint stir among the distant columns warned him of the approach of a third person . With a light bound , he reached the verge of the pavilion , whence , having turned once more to gaze upon the motionless princess , he snatched a rose from the flowers scattered around , pressed it passionately to his lips , and was quickly lost amongst the aromatic shrubs of the garden . Nementbis had