" said the second woman, "here are the Temple gates. By Isis did
any ever see such a multitude of women, and never a man to cheer them, a
dreary sight, indeed! Come, push on, push on or we shall find no place.
Yea, thou soldier--we are women, all women, have no fear. No need to
bare our breasts, look at our eyes blind with weeping over the dead.
Push on! push on!"

So they passed by the guards and into the gates of the Temple, and with
them went Rei unheeded. Already it was well-nigh filled with women.
Although the sun was not yet dead, torches were set about to lighten
the gloom, and by them Rei saw that the curtains before the Shrine were
drawn. Presently the Temple was full to overflowing, the doors were shut
and barred, and a voice from behind the veil cried:

"_Silence!_"

Then all the multitude of women were silent, and the light of the
torches flared strangely upon their shifting upturned faces, as fires
flare over the white sea-foam. Now the curtains of the Shrine of Osiris
were drawn aside slowly, and the light that burned upon the altar
streamed out between them. It fell upon the foremost ranks of women, it
fell upon the polished statue of the Osiris. On the knees of Osiris sat
the body of Pharaoh Meneptah, his head resting against the breast of
the God. Pharaoh was wrapped about with winding clothes like the marble
statue of the God, and in his cold hands were bound the crook, the
sceptre, and the scourge, as the crook, the sceptre, and the scourge
were placed in the hands of the effigy of the God. As was the statue of
the God, so was the body of Pharaoh that sat upon his knees, and cold
and awful was the face of Osiris, and cold and awful was the face of
Meneptah the Osirian.

At the side, and somewhat in front of the statue of the God, a throne
was placed of blackest marble, and on the throne sat Meriamun the Queen.
She was glorious to look on. She wore the royal robes of Khem, the
double-crown of Khem fashioned of gold, and wreathed with the uraeus
snakes, was set upon her head; in her hand was the crystal cross of
Life, and between her mantle's purple folds gleamed the eyes of her
snake girdle. She sat awhile in silence speaking no word, and all the
women wondered at her glory and at dead Pharaoh's awfulness. Then at
length she spoke, low indeed, but so clearly that every word reached the
limits of the Temple hall.

"Women of Tanis, hear me, the Queen. Let each search the face of each,
and if there