Then at my entreaty, for I feared lest trouble should arise, he gave in and returned to the house.
Following our path of the night before, we walked up a ruined street which I could see was only one of scores in what had once been a very great city, until we came to the archway that I have mentioned, a large one now overgrown with plants that from their yellow, sweet-scented bloom I judged to be a species of wallflower, also with a kind of houseleek or saxifrage.
Here Hans was stopped by guards, Billali explaining to me that he must await my return, an order which he obeyed unwillingly enough.

Then I went on down the narrow passage, lined as before by guards who stood silent as statues, and came to the curtains at the end.

Before these at a motion from Billali, who did not seem to dare to speak in this place, I stood still and waited..