d others coloured in various ways;
monstrously huge elephant's-tusks, cups of gold, silver, gilded glass;
statues marvellous both as regards the material and the workmanship.

In every room the Pharaoh caused to be taken a litter-load borne by two
robust slaves of Kousch and Scheto, and clapping his hands, he called
Timopht, the servant who had followed Tahoser, and said to him, "Have
all these things taken to Tahoser, the daughter of the high-priest
Petamounoph, from the Pharaoh."

Timopht placed himself at the head of the procession, which crossed the
Nile on a royal barge, and soon the slaves with their load reached
Tahoser's house.

"For Tahoser, from the Pharaoh," said Timopht, knocking at the door.

At the sight of those treasures Nofre nearly fainted, half with fear,
half with amazement. She dreaded lest the King should put her to death
on learning that the priest's daughter was no longer there.

"Tahoser has gone," said she, tremulously, "and I swear by the four
sacred geese, Amset, Sis, Soumauts, and Kebhsniv, which fly to the four
quarters of the wind, that I know not where she is."

"The Pharaoh beloved of Phre, favourite of Ammon Ra, has sent these
gifts,--I cannot take them back. Keep them until Tahoser is found. You
shall answer for them on your head. Have them put away in rooms and
guarded by faithful servants," replied the envoy of the King.

When Timopht returned to the palace and, prostrate, his elbows close to
his sides, his brow in the dust, said that Tahoser had vanished, the
King became very wroth, and he struck the slab of the flooring so
fiercely with his sceptre that the slab was split.

VIII

Tahoser, nevertheless, scarce bestowed a thought on Nofre, her favourite
maid, or on the anxiety which her absence would necessarily cause. The
beloved mistress had completely forgotten her beautiful home in Thebes,
her servants, and her ornaments,--a most difficult and incredible thing
in a woman. The daughter of Petamounoph had not the least suspicion of
the Pharaoh's love for her; she had not observed the glance full of
desire which had fallen upon her from the heights of that majesty which
nothing on earth could move. Had she seen it, she would have deposited
the royal love as an offering, with all the flowers of her soul, at the
feet of Poeri.

While driving her spindle with her toe to make it ascend along the
thread,--for this was the task which had been set her,--she followed
wit