1
Balthasar, by Anatole France
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Balthasar, by Anatole France This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Balthasar And Other Works - 1909
Author: Anatole France
Editor: Frederic Chapman
Translator: Mrs. John Lane
Release Date: May 9, 2008 [EBook #22059]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BALTHASAR ***
Produced by David Widger
BALTHASAR
And Other Works
By Anatole France
Translated by Mrs. John Lane
Edited by Frederic Chapman
London: John Lane: MCMIX
CONTENTS;
Balthasar
The Cure's Mignonette
M. Pigeonneau
The Daughter Of Lilith
Laeta Acilia
The Red Egg
Balthasar
TO THE VICOMTE EUGENE MELCHIOR DE VOGUE
"Magos regos fere habuit Oriens."{*} --Tertullian.
I.
In those days Balthasar, whom the Greeks called Saracin, reigned in Ethiopia. He was black, but comely of countenance. He had a simple soul and a generous heart The third year of his reign, which was the twenty-second of his age, he left his dominions on a visit to Balkis, Queen of Sheba. The mage Sembobitis and the eunuch Menkera accompanied him. He had in his train seventy-five camels bearing cinnamon, myrrh, gold dust, and elephants' tusks.
As they rode, Sembobitis instructed him in the influences of the planets,{*} as well as in the virtues of p