ike the monkey-faced gods. He was
certainly not a god, but he looked very much like a monkey.

The result of his meditations, anxiously awaited by Nofre, was thus
expressed: "The daughter of Petamounoph is in love."

"Who told you?" cried Nofre, who thought that she was the only one who
could read her mistress's heart.

"No one; but Tahoser is very beautiful; she has already beheld sixteen
times the rise and fall of the Nile. Sixteen is the number symbolical of
voluptuousness; and for some time past she has been calling at
unaccustomed hours her players on the harp, the lute, and the flute,
like one who seeks to calm the agitation of her heart by music."

"You speak sensibly, and wisdom dwells in your old bald head. But how
have you learned to know women,--you who merely dig the earth in the
garden and bear jars of water on your shoulders?"

The slave opened his lips with a silent smile and exhibited two rows of
teeth fit to crush date-stones. The grin meant, "I have not always been
old and a captive."

Enlightened by Souhem's suggestion, Nofre immediately thought of the
handsome Ahmosis, the oeris of the Pharaoh, who so often passed below
the terrace, and who had looked so splendid on his war chariot in the
triumphal procession. As she was in love with him herself, though she
was not fully aware of it, she assumed that her mistress shared her
feelings. She put on a somewhat heavier dress and repaired to the
officer's dwelling. It was there, she fancied, that Tahoser would
certainly be found.

The young officer was seated on a low seat at the end of the room. On
the walls hung trophies of different weapons: the leather tunic covered
with bronze plates on which was engraved the cartouche of the Pharaoh;
the brazen poniard, with the jade handle open-worked to allow the
fingers to pass through; the flat-edged battle-axe, the falchion with
curved blade; the helmet with its double plume of ostrich-feathers; the
triangular bow; and the red-feathered arrows. His distinctive necklaces
were placed upon pedestals, and open coffers showed booty taken from the
enemy.

When he saw Nofre, whom he knew well, standing on the threshold, he felt
quick pleasure, his brown cheeks flushed, his muscles quivered, his
heart beat high. He thought Nofre brought him a message from Tahoser,
although the priest's daughter had never taken notice of his glances;
but the man to whom the gods have imparted the gift of beauty easily
fancies th