alms in the
garden of the palace when we were affianced? Oh! there was time in
plenty but it did not please you to tell me that you had bought safety
and great gifts at the price of the honour of the Lady of Egypt whose
love you stole."

"You do not understand!" I exclaimed wildly.

"Forgive me, Shabaka, but I understand very well indeed, since from
your own words I learned at the feast given to Idernes that 'the name
of Amada' slipped your lips by chance and thus came to the ears of the
Great King."

"The tale that Idernes and his captain told was false, Lady, and for it
Bes and I took their lives with our own hands."

"It had perhaps been better, Shabaka, if you had kept them living that
they might confess that it was false. But doubtless you thought them
safer dead, since dead men cannot speak, and for this reason challenged
them to single combat."

I gasped and could not answer for my mind seemed to leave me, and she
went on in a gentler voice,

"I do not wish to speak angrily to you, my cousin Shabaka, especially
when you have just wrought such great deeds for Egypt. Moreover by the
law I serve I may speak angrily to no man. Know then that on learning
the truth, since I could love none but you according to the flesh and
therefore can never give myself in marriage to another, I sought refuge
in the arms of the goddess whom for your sake I had deserted. She was
pleased to receive me, forgetting my treason. On this very day for the
second time I took the oaths which may no more be broken, and that I may
dwell where I shall never see you more, Pharaoh here has been pleased,
at my request to name me high priestess and prophetess of Isis and to
appoint me as a dwelling-place her temple at Amada where I was born far
away in Upper Egypt. Now all is said and done, so farewell."

"All is not said and done," I broke out in fury. "Pharaoh, I ask your
leave to tell the full story of this business of the naming of the lady
Amada to the King of kings, and that in the presence of the dwarf Bes.
Even a slave is allowed to set out his tale before judgment is passed
upon him."

Peroa glanced at Amada who made no sign, then said,

"It is granted, General Shabaka."

So Bes was called into the chamber and having looked about him
curiously, seated himself upon the ground.

"Bes," I said, "you have heard nothing of what has passed." (Here I was
mistaken, for as he told me afterwards he had heard everything through
the door