you stand and will live on.... But I--I... Oh, it is
so hard to leave the light.... Anubis will lead me before the judgment
seat of Osiris. My heart will be weighed, and then...."

Here she shuddered and opened and closed her trembling hands; but she
soon regained her composure and began to speak again. Miriam, however,
sternly forbade this, because it would hasten her death.

Then the sufferer, summoning all her strength, exclaimed hastily, as
loudly as her voice would permit, after measuring the prophetess'
tall figure with a long glance: "You wish to prevent me from doing my
duty--you?"

There had been a slight touch of mockery in the question; but Kasana
doubtless felt that it was necessary to spare her strength; for she
continued far more quietly, as though talking to herself:

"I cannot die so, I cannot! How it happened; why I sacrificed all,
all.... I must atone for it; I will not complain, if he only learns how
it came to pass. Oh, Nun, dear old Nun, who gave me the lamb when I was
a little thing--I loved it so dearly--and you, Ephraim, my dear boy, I
will tell you everything."

Here a painful fit of coughing interrupted her; but as soon as she
recovered her breath, she turned to Miriam, and called in a tone which
so plainly expressed bitter dislike, that it would have surprised any
one who knew her kindly nature:

"But you, yonder,--you tall woman with the deep voice who are a
physician, you lured him from Tanis, from his soldiers and from me. He,
he obeyed your summons. And you... you became another's wife; probably
after his arrival... yes! For when Ephraim summoned him, he called you
a maiden... I don't know whether this caused him, Hosea, pain....
But there is one thing I do know, and that is that I want to confess
something and must do so, ere it is too late.... And no one must hear it
save those who love him, and I--do you hear--I love him, love him better
than aught else on earth! But you? You have a husband, and a God whose
commands you eagerly obey--you say so yourself. What can Hosea be to
you? So I beseech you to leave us. I have met few who repelled me, but
you--your voice, your eyes--they pierce me to the heart--and if you were
near I could not speak as I must.... and oh, talking hurts me so! But
before you go--you are a leech--let me know this one thing--I have many
messages to leave for him ere I die.... Will it kill me to talk?"

Again the prophetess found no other words in answer except