noon
Also he gave me other letters addressed to the King 's servants on the road and written on tablets of clay in a writing I could not read , with all of which I touched my forehead in the Eastern fashion . After this he told me that by noon all would be ready for my journey which I should make with the rank of the King 's Envoy , duly provisioned and escorted by his servants , with liberty to use the royal horses from post to post . Then he ordered the slaves to bring in the gifts which the King sent to me , and these were many , including even suits of flexible armour that would turn any sword-thrust or arrow . I thanked him , saying that I would be ready to start by noon , and asked whether the King wished to see me before I rode . He replied that he had so wished , but that as he was suffering in his head from the effects of the sun , he could not . He bade me , however , remember all that he had said to me and to be sure that the beauteous lady Amada , of whom I had spoken , was sent to him without delay . In that case my reward should be great ; but if I failed to fulfil his commands , then his wrath would be greater and I should perish miserably as he had promised .