a game is lost for one false move,
or one throw of the dice; and our child is dead and our armies are
scattered, and the barbarians come like flies when Sihor stirs within
his banks. Love only is left to us, Meriamun."

She looked at him not unkindly, as if sorrow and wrong had softened her
heart also, but she did not speak.

"Can dead Love waken, Meriamun, and can angry Love forgive?"

She had lifted the lute and her fingers touched listlessly on the cords.

"Nay, I know not," she said; "who knows? How did Pentaur sing of Love's
renewal, Pentaur the glorious minstrel of our father, Rameses Miamun?"

He laid the gold king on the board, and began listlessly to cast the
dice. He threw the "Hathor" as it chanced, the lucky cast, two sixes,
and a thought of better fortune came to him.

"How did the song run, Meriamun? It is many a year since I heard thee
sing."

She touched the lute lowly and sweetly, and then she sang. Her thoughts
were of the Wanderer, but the King deemed that she thought of himself.

O joy of Love's renewing,
Could Love be born again;
Relenting for thy rueing,
And pitying my pain:
O joy of Love's awaking,
Could Love arise from sleep,
Forgiving our forsaking
The fields we would not reap!

Fleet, fleet we fly, pursuing
The Love that fled amain,
But will he list our wooing,
Or call we but in vain?
Ah! vain is all our wooing,
And all our prayers are vain,
Love listeth not our suing,
Love will not wake again.

"Will he not waken again?" said Pharaoh. "If two pray together, will
Love refuse their prayer?"

"It might be so," she said, "if two prayed together; for if they prayed,
he would have heard already!"

"Meriamun," said the Pharaoh eagerly, for he thought her heart was moved
by pity and sorrow, "once thou didst win my crown at the Pieces, wilt
thou play me for thy love?"

She thought for one moment, and then she said:

"Yes, I will play thee, my Lord, but my hand has lost its cunning, and
it may well be that Meriamun shall lose again, as she has lost all. Let
me set the Pieces, and bring wine for my lord."

She set the Pieces, and crossing the room, she lifted a great cup of
wine, and put it by Pharaoh's hand. But he was so intent on the game
that he did not drink.

He took the field, he moved, she replied, and so the game went between
them, in the dark fragrant chamber where