Asti answered, from the city of Meroe, adding that they were singers and dealers in pearls.

“Then you have come to the right place,” answered the woman, “for pearls are rare at Napata, which is so far from the sea; also it is said that the young King loves singing if it be good.”

“The young King?” asked Asti.  “What is his name, and where is the old king?”

“You cannot have dwelt long in Meroe, Strangers,” answered the woman suspiciously, “or you would know that the old King dwells with Osiris beneath yonder pyramid, where the general of the Pharaoh of Egypt, he who rules here now, buried him after the great battle.  Oh! it is a strange story, and I do not know the rights of it who sell my stuff and take little heed of such things.  But at the last high Nile before one this general came with three thousand soldiers of Egypt, and the body of the Prince of Kesh, whom it seems he had slain somewhere, it is said because both of them sought the favour of the Queen of Egypt.  As they tell, this was the command of that Queen—­that he should submit himself to the King of Napata to be judged for his crime.  This he did, and the King in his fury commanded that he should be hanged from the mast of the sacred boat of Amen.  The general answered that he was ready to be hanged if the King could hang him.  Then there was a war between the people of Napata and the Egyptians, aided by many of the soldiers of the city who hated their master and rebelled against his rule, which was ever cruel.  The end of it was that the Egyptians and the rebels won, and the King having fallen in the fight, they crowned the Egyptian general in his place.

“His name?—­Oh, I forget it, he has so many, but he is a goodly man to look at, and all love him although he is mad.  See, the gates are open at last.  Farewell,” and dragging her asses by the halter, the peasant woman mingled with the crowd and was gone.

Tua and Asti also mingled with the crowd, and rode on up a wide street till they came to a square planted round with trees, on one side of which was built a splendid palace.  Here they halted their camels, not knowing whither they should go, and as they stood irresolute the gates of the palace opened and through them came a body of horsemen clad in armour.

“See the writing on their shields,” whispered Asti.

Tua looked and read, and lo! there in the royal cartouche was her own name, and after it new titles—­Queen of the Upper and the Lower Land, Opener of the Gates of the South, Divine Lady of Napata by grace of Amen, Father of the Gods.

“It seems that I have subjects here,” she murmured, “who elsewhere have none,” then ceased.

For now through the gate rode one mounted on a splendid horse, whose shape seemed familiar to her even while he was far away.

“Who is that?” faltered Tua.

“My heart tells me it is Rames my son,” answered Asti, grasping at her saddle-rope.