ad of the Wanderer, who might
not see her because of the straitness of his bonds. Yet it seemed to her
that he heard somewhat, for he ceased from singing and turned his ear
to hearken. She stood awhile in silence looking on him she loved, who
of all living men was the goodliest by far. Then at length he spoke
craftily:

"Who art thou?" he said. "If thou art of the number of the tormentors,
begin thy work. I fear thee not, and no groan shall thy worst torture
wring from these lips of mine. But I tell thee this, that ere I be three
days dead, the Gods shall avenge me terribly, both on thee and those who
sent thee. With fire and with sword they shall avenge me, for a great
host gathers and draws nigh, a host of many nations gathered out of all
lands, ay, and a fleet manned with the sons of my own people, of the
Achaeans terrible in war. They rush on like ravening wolves, and the land
is black before them, but the land shall be stamped red behind their
feet. Soon they shall give this city to the flames, the smoke of it
shall go up to heaven, and the fires shall be quenched at last in the
blood of its children--ay, in thy blood, thou who dost look on me."

Hearing these words Meriamun bent forward to look on the face of the
speaker and to see what was written there; and as she moved, her cloak
slipped apart, showing the Snake's head with the eyes of flame that was
set about her as a girdle. Fiercely they gleamed, and the semblance of
them was shown faintly on the polished surface of the brazier wherein
the fire burned at the Wanderer's feet. He saw it, and now he knew who
stood behind him.

"Say, Meriamun the Queen--Pharaoh's dishonoured wife," he said, "say,
wherefore art thou come to look upon thy work? Nay, stand not behind
me, stand where I may see thee. Fear not, I am strongly bound, nor may I
lift a hand against thee."

Then Meriamun, still speaking no word, but wondering much because he
knew her ere his eyes fell upon her, passed round the bed of torment,
and throwing down her cloak stood before him in her dark and royal
loveliness.

He looked upon her beauty, then spoke again:

"Say, wherefore art thou come hither, Meriamun? Surely, with my ears I
heard thee swear that I had wronged thee. Wouldst thou then look on him
who wronged thee, or art thou come, perchance, to watch my torments,
while thy slaves tear limb from limb, and quench yon fires with my
blood? Oh, thou evil woman, thou hast worked woe on me inde