en colour.

"We are always children," he said, smiling gravely. "See an old child
whom thou hast made happy with a toy. But we are men too soon again;
the King bids thee come with me before him. And, my son, if thou wouldst
please me more than by any gift, I pray thee pluck that spear-head from
thy helmet before thou comest into the presence of the Queen."

"Pardon me," said the Wanderer. "I would not harm my helmet by tearing
it roughly out, and I have no smith's tools here. The spear-point, my
father, is a witness to the truth of my tale, and for one day more, or
two, I must wear it."

Rei sighed, bowed his head, folded his hands, and prayed to his God
Amen, saying:

"O Amen, in whose hand is the end of a matter, lighten the burden of
these sorrows, and let the vision be easy of accomplishment, and I pray
thee, O Amen, let thy hand be light on thy daughter Meriamun, the Lady
of Khem."

Then the old man led the Wanderer out, and bade the priests make ready
a chariot for him; and so they went through Tanis to the Court of
Meneptah. Behind them followed the priests, carrying gifts that the
Wanderer had chosen from the treasures of the Sidonians, and the
miserable captain of the Sidonians was dragged along after them, bound
to the hinder part of a chariot. Through the gazing crowd they all
passed on to the Hall of Audience, where, between the great pillars,
sat Pharaoh on his golden throne. Beside him, at his right hand, was
Meriamun, the beautiful Queen, who looked at the priests with weary
eyes, as if at a matter in which she had no concern. They came in
and beat the earth with their brows before the King. First came the
officers, leading the captain of the Sidonians for a gift to Pharaoh,
and the King smiled graciously and accepted the slave.

Then came others, bearing the cups of gold fashioned like the heads of
lions and rams, and the swords with pictures of wars and huntings echoed
on their blades in many-coloured gold, and the necklets of amber from
the North, which the Wanderer had chosen as gifts for Pharaoh's Queen
and Pharaoh. He had silks, too, embroidered in gold, and needlework of
Sidonian women, and all these the Queen Meriamun touched to show her
acceptance of them, and smiled graciously and wearily. But the covetous
Sidonian groaned, when he saw his wealth departing from him, the gains
for which he had hazarded his life in unsailed seas. Lastly, Pharaoh
bade them lead the Wanderer in before his pre