Then, still staring at them as though they held his eyes in their hearts, Rames departed, and the captain led them to their lodging.

It was the hour of sundown, and Tua, adorned in beautiful white raiment, broidered with royal purple, that she carried in her baggage on the camel, with her long hair combed out and scented, a necklace of great pearls upon her bosom, a veil flung over her head, and her harp of gold and ivory in her hand, waited to be led before Rames.  Asti, his mother, waited also, but she was clad in a plain black robe, and over her head was a black veil.  Presently that captain who had shown them their lodging, came to them and asked if they were ready to be led before the Viceroy of Napata.

“Viceroy?” answered Asti, “I thought he was a King.”

“So he is, my good Woman,” replied the captain, “but it his fancy to call himself the Viceroy of Neter-Tua, Star of Amen, wife of Abi the Usurper who rules in Egypt.  A mad fancy when he might be a Pharaoh on his own account, but so it is.”

“Well, Sir,” said Asti, “we merchants have nothing to do with these high matters; lead us to this Pharaoh, or General, or Viceroy, with whom we hope to transact business.”

So the captain conducted them to a side gate of the palace, and thence through various passages and halls, in some of which Tua recognised officers of her own whom she had commanded to accompany Rames, to an apartment of no great size, where he bade them be seated.  Presently a door opened, and through it came Rames, plainly dressed in the uniform of an Egyptian general, on which they saw he wore no serpent crest or other of the outward signs of royalty.  Only on his right hand that lacked the little finger, gleamed a certain royal ring, which Tua knew.  With him also were several captains to whom he talked of military affairs.

Seeing the two women, he bowed to them courteously, and asked them to forgive him for having kept them waiting for him.  Then he said: 

“What was it that you wished to show me, Ladies?  Oh!  I remember, precious stones.  Well, I fear me that you have brought them to a bad market, seeing that although Napata is called the City of Gold, she needs all her wealth for her own purposes, and I draw from it only a general’s pay, and a sum for the sustenance of my household, which is small.  Still, let me look at your wares, for if I do not buy myself, perhaps I may be able to find you a customer.”

Now when they saw the young man’s noble face and bearing, and heard his simple words, the hearts of Asti and Tua, his mother and his love, beat so hard within their breasts that for a while they could scarcely speak.  Glad were they, indeed, that the veils they wore hid their troubled faces from his eyes, which, as in the morning, lingered on them curiously.

At length, controlling herself with an effort, Asti answered: 

“Perchance, Lord, the Great Lady your wife, or the ladies your companions, will buy if you do not.”