be any man among your multitude, let him be dragged
forth and torn limb from limb, for in this matter no man may hear our
counsels, lest following his madness he betray them."

Now every woman looked upon her neighbour, and she who was next to Rei
looked hard upon him so that he trembled for his life. But he crouched
into the shadow and stared back on her boldly as though he doubted if
she were indeed a woman, and said no word. When all had looked, and no
man had been found, Meriamun spoke again.

"Hearken, women of Tanis, hearken to your sister and your Queen. Woe
upon woe is fallen on the head of Khem. Plague upon plague hath smitten
the ancient land. Our first-born are dead, our slaves have spoiled us
and fled away, our hosts have been swallowed in the Sea of Weeds, and
barbarians swarm along our shores like locusts. Is it not so, women of
Tanis?"

"It is so, O Queen," they answered, as with one voice.

"A strange evil hath fallen on the head of Khem. A false Goddess is come
to dwell within the land; her sorceries are great in the land. Month by
month men go up to look upon her deadly beauty, and month by month they
are slain of her sorceries. She takes the husband from his marriage bed;
she draws the lover from her who waits to be a bride; the slave flies
to her from the household of his lord; the priests flock to her from the
altars of the Gods--ay, the very priests of Isis flock forsworn from the
altars of Isis. All look upon her witch-beauty, and to each she shows an
altered loveliness, and to all she gives one guerdon--Death! Is it not
so, women of Tanis?"

"Alas! alas! it is so, O Queen," answered the women as with one voice.

"Woes are fallen on you and Khem, my sisters, but on me most of all are
woes fallen. My people have been slain, my land--the land I love--has
been laid waste with plagues; my child, the only one, is dead in the
great death; hands have been laid on me, the Queen of Khem. Think on it,
ye who are women! My slaves are fled, my armies have been swallowed in
the sea; and last, O my sisters, my consort, my beloved lord, mighty
Pharaoh, son of great Rameses Miamun, hath been taken from me! Look!
look! ye who are wives, look on him who was your King and my most
beloved lord. There he sits, and all my tears and all my prayers may not
summon one single answering sigh from that stilled heart. The curse hath
fallen on him also. He too hath been smitten silently with everlasting
silence. Look! lo