He drove on and the woman, who had wrapped her cloak about her as the biting wind of the hills heightened through the narrow defiles to the north, followed.
But almost the next instant Momus drew up his mount so suddenly that Laodice was roused.

He turned and began to make rapid signs.

Laodice half rose as she read them and pressed her hands together.
"Seven days!" she exclaimed in dismay.

There was silence.
Momus made the camel kneel.

He dismounted slowly, and began to undo the tent-cloth in a roll beside the howdah.