burial, and here a water-carrier wailed over the carcass of the ass that
won him his livelihood.

At length, passing through the crowd, they came to a temple that stood
near to the Temple of the God Ptah. The pylons of this temple faced
towards the houses of the city, but the inner courts were built against
the walls of Tanis and looked out across the face of the water. Though
not one of the largest temples, it was very strong and beautiful in its
shape. It was built of the black stone of Syene, and all the polished
face of the stone was graven with images of the Holy Hathor. Here she
wore a cow's head, and here the face of a woman, but she always bore
in her hands the lotus-headed staff and the holy token of life, and her
neck was encircled with the collar of the gods.

"Here dwells that Strange Hathor to whom thou didst drink last night,
Eperitus," said Rei the Priest. "It was a wild pledge to drink before
the Queen, who swears that she brings these woes on Khem. Though,
indeed, she is guiltless of this, with all the blood on her beautiful
head. The Apura and their apostate sorcerer, whom we ourselves
instructed, bring the plagues on us."

"Does the Hathor manifest herself this day?" asked the Wanderer.

"That we will ask of the priests, Eperitus. Follow thou me."

Now they passed down the avenue of sphinxes within the wall of brick,
into the garden plot of the Goddess, and so on through the gates of the
outer tower. A priest who watched there threw them wide at the sign that
was given of Rei, the Master-Builder, the beloved of Pharaoh, and they
came to the outer court. Before the second tower they halted, and Rei
showed to the Wanderer that place upon the pylon roof where the Hathor
was wont to stand and sing till the hearers' hearts were melted like
wax. Here they knocked once more, and were admitted to the Hall of
Assembly where the priests were gathered, throwing dust upon their heads
and mourning those among them who had died with the Firstborn. When they
saw Rei, the instructed, the Prophet of Amen, and the Wanderer clad in
golden armour who was with him, they ceased from their mourning, and an
ancient priest of their number came forward, and, greeting Rei, asked
him of his errand. Then Rei took the Wanderer by the hand and made him
known to the priest, and told him of those deeds that he had done, and
how he had saved the life of Pharaoh and of those of the Royal House who
sat at the feast with Pharaoh.