o men who
have all else, and well-nigh always happens to women, save myself and
perhaps one or two others that history tells of, doubtless magnifying
their fabled charms.

"The Pharaoh of that day, the last of the native blood, him whom the
Persians drove to doom, had a daughter, the Princess of Egypt, Amenartas
by name, a fair woman in her fashion, though somewhat swarthy. In her
youth this Amenartas became enamoured of Kallikrates and he of her, when
he was a captain of the Grecian Mercenaries at Pharaoh's Court. Indeed,
she brought blood upon his hands because of her, wherefore he fled to
Isis for forgiveness and for peace. Thither in after time she followed
him and again urged her love.

"Learning of the thing and knowing it for sacrilege, I summoned this
priest and warned him of his danger and of the doom which awaited him
should he continue in that path. He grew affrighted. He flung himself
upon the ground before me with groans and supplications, and kissing
my feet, vowed most falsely to me that his dealings with the royal
Amenartas were but a veil and that it was I whom he worshipped. His
unhallowed words filled me with horror and sternly I bade him begone and
do penance for his crime, saying that I would pray the goddess on behalf
of him.

"He went, leaving me alone lost in thought in the darkening shrine. Then
sleep fell on me and in my sleep I dreamed a dream, or saw a vision.
For suddenly there stood before me a woman beauteous as myself clad in
nothing save a golden girdle and a veil of gossamer.

"'O Ayesha,' she said in a honeyed voice, 'priestess of Isis of the
Egyptians, sworn to the barren worship of Isis and fed on the ashes of
her unprofitable wisdom, know that I am Aphrodite of the Greeks whom
many times thou hast mocked and defied, and Queen of the breathing
world, as Isis is Queen of the world that is dead. Now because thou
didst despise me and pour contempt upon my name, I smite thee with
my strength and lay a curse upon thee. It is that thou shalt love and
desire this man who but now hath kissed thy feet, ever longing till the
world's end to kiss his lips in payment, although thou art as far above
him as the moon thou servest is above the Nile. Think not that thou
shalt escape my doom, for know that however strong the spirit, here upon
the earth the flesh is stronger still and of all flesh I am the queen.'

"Then she laughed softly and smiting me across the eyes with a lock of
her scented