s of Egypt which is
different. For the rest it does cut me to the heart that my royal sister
should have deserted me, for that which she loves better--power and
pomp. But so it is, unless Ana dreams. It seems therefore that we are in
the same case, both outcasts, you and I, is it not so?"

She made no answer but continued to look upon the ground, and he went on
very slowly:

"A thought comes into my mind on which I would ask your judgment. If two
who are forlorn came together they would be less forlorn by half, would
they not?"

"It would seem so, Prince--that is if they remained forlorn at all. But
I do not understand the riddle."

"Yet you have answered it. If you are lonely and I am lonely apart, we
should, you say, be less lonely together."

"Prince," she murmured, shrinking away from him, "I spoke no such
words."

"No, I spoke them for you. Hearken to me, Merapi. They think me a
strange man in Egypt because I have held no woman dear, never having
seen one whom I could hold dear." Here she looked at him searchingly,
and he went on, "A while ago, before I visited your land of Goshen--Ana
can tell you about the matter, for I think he wrote it down--Ki and
old Bakenkhonsu came to see me. Now, as you know, Ki is without doubt
a great magician, though it would seem not so great as some of your
prophets. He told me that he and others had been searching out my future
and that in Goshen I should find a woman whom it was fated I must love.
He added that this woman would bring me much joy." Here Seti paused,
doubtless remembering this was not all that Ki had said, or Jabez
either. "Ki told me also," he went on slowly, "that I had already known
this woman for thousands of years."

She started and a strange look came into her face.

"How can that be, Prince?"

"That is what I asked him and got no good answer. Still he said it,
not only of the woman but of my friend Ana as well, which indeed would
explain much, and it would appear that the other magicians said it also.
Then I went to the land of Goshen and there I saw a woman----"

"For the first time, Prince?"

"No, for the third time."

Here she sank upon the bench and covered her eyes with her hands.

"----and loved her, and felt as though I had loved her for 'thousands of
years.'"

"It is not true. You mock me, it is not true!" she whispered.

"It is true for if I did not know it then, I knew it afterwards, though
never perhaps completely until to-day, wh