less. Well,
there was a large discrepancy which must be made up from somewhere, or,
in other words, from Kaku's private store.

In a rage he caused the two head collectors of taxes to be brought
before him, and as they would not pay, bade the executioners throw
them down and beat them on the feet until they promised to produce the
missing sums, most of which he himself had stolen.

Then, somewhat soothed, he retired from the hall into his own office, to
find himself face to face with Abi, who was waiting for him. So changed
was the Prince from his old, portly self, so aged and thin and miserable
did he look, that in the dusk of that chamber Kaku failed to recognise
him. Thinking that he was some suppliant, he began to revile him and
order him to be gone. Then the fury of Abi broke out.

Rushing at him, he seized the astrologer by the beard and smote him on
the ears, saying: "Dog, is it thus that you speak to your king? Well, on
you at least I can revenge myself."

"Pardon, your Majesty," said Kaku, "I did not know you in these shadows.
Your Majesty is changed of late."

"Changed!" said Abi, letting him go. "Who would not be changed who
suffers as I do ever since I listened to your cursed counsel, and tried
to climb into the seat of Pharaoh? Before that I was happy. I had my
sons, I had my wives, as many as I wished. I had my revenues and armies.
Now everything has gone. My sons are dead, my women are driven away, my
revenues are taken from me, my armies serve another."

"At least," suggested Kaku, "you are Pharaoh, and the husband of the
most beautiful and the wisest woman in the world."

"Pharaoh!" groaned Abi. "The humblest mummy in the common city vaults
is a greater king than I am, and as for the rest----" and he stopped and
groaned again.

"What is the matter with your Majesty?" asked Kaku.

"The matter is that I have fallen under the influence of an evil
planet."

"The Star of Amen," suggested the astrologer.

"Yes, the Star of Amen, that lovely Terror whom you call my wife. Man,
she is no wife to me. Listen--there in the harem I went into the chamber
where she was, none forbidding me, and found her sitting before her
mirror and singing, clothed only in a thin robe of white, and her dark
hair--O Kaku, never did you see such hair--which fell almost to the
ground. She smiled on me, she spoke me fair, she drew me with those
glittering eyes of hers--yes, she even called me husband, and sighed
and talked