And how
unhappy she looks!"

"The paraschites must be ill," replied Bent-Anat. "He must have had too
much wine down at the feast," said Rameri laughing. "No doubt of it!
Only look how his lips tremble, and his eyes roll. It is hideous--he
looks like one possessed."

[It was thought that the insane were possessed by demons. A stele
admirably treated by F. de Rouge exists at Paris, which relates
that the sister-in law of Rameses III., who was possessed by devils,
had them driven out by the statue of Chunsu, which was sent to her
in Asia.]

"He is unclean too!" said Nefert.

"But he is a good, kind man, with a tender heart," exclaimed the
princess eagerly. "I have enquired about him. He is honest and sober,
and I am sure he is ill and not drunk."

"Now she is standing up," said Rameri, and he dropped the paper-lantern
which he had bought at a booth. "Step back, Bent-Anat, she must be
expecting some one. Did you ever see any one so very fair, and with such
a pretty little head. Even her red hair becomes her wonderfully; but
she staggers as she stands--she must be very weak. Now she has sat down
again by the old man, and is rubbing his forehead. Poor souls! look how
she is sobbing. I will throw my purse over to them."

"No, no!" exclaimed Bent-Anat. "I gave them plenty of money, and the
tears which are shed there cannot be staunched with gold. I will send
old Asnath over to-morrow to ask how we can help them. Look, here comes
the procession, Nefert. How rudely the people press! As soon as the God
is gone by we will go home."

"Pray do," said Nefert. "I am so frightened!" and she pressed trembling
to the side of the princess.

"I wish we were at home, too," replied Bent-Anat.

"Only look!" said Rameri. "There they are. Is it not splendid? And how
the heart shines, as if it were a star!"

All the crowd, and with them our three friends, fell on their knees.

The procession paused opposite to them, as it did at every thousand
paces; a herald came forward, and glorified, in a loud voice, the great
miracle, to which now another was added--the sacred heart since the
night had come on had begun to give out light.

Since his return home from the embalming house, the paraschites had
taken no nourishment, and had not answered a word to the anxious
questions of the two frightened women. He stared blindly, muttered a few
unintelligible words, and often clasped his forehead in his hand. A few
hours before h