her rough words.

Presently she dried her tears, and said:

"Say to my lord that I rejoice to hear that he is well and send him
greetings, but that never of my own wish will I look upon his living
face again unless indeed he takes another counsel, and sets himself to
win that which is his own. Say to him that though he has so little care
for me, and pays no heed to my desires, still I watch over his welfare
and his safety, as best I may."

"His safety, Princess! Pharaoh assured me not an hour ago that he had
naught to fear, as indeed he fears naught."

"Oh! which of you is the more foolish," she exclaimed stamping her foot,
"the man or his master? You believe that the Prince has naught to fear
because that usurper tells you so, and he believes it--well, because he
fears naught. For a little while he may sleep in peace. But let him wait
until troubles of this sort or of that arise in Egypt and, understanding
that the gods send them on account of the great wickedness that my
father wrought when death had him by the throat and his mind was
clouded, the people begin to turn their eyes towards their lawful king.
Then the usurper will grow jealous, and if he has his way, the Prince
will sleep in peace--for ever. If his throat remains uncut, it will be
for one reason only, that I hold back the murderer's hand. Farewell, I
can talk no more, for I say to you that my brain is afire--and to-morrow
he should have been crowned, and I with him," and she swept away, royal
as ever, leaving me wondering what she meant when she spoke of troubles
arising in Egypt, or if the words were but uttered at hazard.

Afterwards Bakenkhonsu and I supped together at the college of the
temple of Ptah, of which because of his age he was called the father,
when I heard more of this matter.

"Ana," he said, "I tell you that such gloom hangs over Egypt as I have
never known even when it was thought that the Ninebow Barbarians would
conquer and enslave the land. Amenmeses will be the fifth Pharaoh whom
I have seen crowned, the first of them when I was but a little
child hanging to my mother's robe, and not once have I known such
joylessness."

"That may be because the crown passes to one who should not wear it,
Bakenkhonsu."

He shook his head. "Not altogether. I think this darkness comes from the
heavens as light does. Men are afraid they know not of what."

"The Israelites," I suggested.

"Now you are near to it, Ana, for doubtless they have