the flowered curtain at the back of the balcony was drawn apart and the Emperor entered and took his seat on his throne, behind him the great peacock constructed of blue sapphires and pearls and over his head two umbrellas of red velvet sewn with rubies. The Emperor’s robes were of white silk, his turban of cloth of gold, having an aigrette of diamonds and over his forehead an enormous topaz “of very high colour, cut in eight panels.” Ranged round the Emperor, a troupe of eunuchs stirred the air with fans of yaks’ tails and of peacock’s feathers.
