But the god made no answer, and wearied out at length they rose and departed.  At the door of the sanctuary they found the high-priest awaiting them, a wizened, aged man.

“The god gave no sign, O High-priest,” said Pharaoh sadly; “no voice spoke to us.”

The old priest looked at the weeping queen, and a light of pity crept into his eyes.

“To me, watching without,” he said, “a voice seemed to speak, though what it said I may not reveal.  Go to your palace now, O Pharaoh, and O Queen Ahura, and take your rest side by side.  I think that in your sleep a sign will come to you, for Amen is pitiful, and loves his children who love him.  According to that sign so speak to the Prince Abi, speak without fear or doubt, since for good or ill it shall be fulfilled.”

Then like shadows, hand in hand, this royal pair glided down the vast, pillared halls till at the pylon gates, which were opened for them, they found their litters, and were borne along the great avenue of ram-headed sphinxes back to a secret door in the palace wall.

It was past midnight.  Deep darkness and heavy silence lay upon Thebes, broken only by dogs howling at the stars and the occasional challenge of soldiers on the walls.  Side by side in their golden bed the wearied Pharaoh and his queen slept heavily.  Presently Ahura woke.  She started up in the bed; she stared at the darkness about her with frightened eyes; she stretched out her hand and clasping Pharaoh by the arm, whispered in a thrilling voice,

“Awake, awake!  I have that which I must tell you.”

Pharaoh roused himself, for there was something in Ahura’s voice which swept away the veils of sleep.

“What has chanced, Ahura?” he asked.

“O Pharaoh, I have dreamed a dream, if indeed it were but a dream.  It seemed to me that the darkness opened, and that standing in the darkness I saw a Glory which had neither shape nor form.  Yet a voice spoke from the Glory, a low, sweet voice:  ‘Queen Ahura, my daughter,’ it said, ’I am that Spirit to whom thou and thy husband did pray this night in the sanctuary of my temple.  It seemed to both of you that your prayers remained unheard, yet it was not so, as my priest knew well.  Queen Ahura, thou and Pharaoh thy husband have put your trust in me these many years, and not in vain.  A daughter shall be given to thee and Pharaoh, and my Spirit shall be in that child.  She shall be beautiful and glorious as no woman was before her, for I clothe her with health and power and wisdom.  She shall rule over the Northern and the Southern Lands; yea, for many years the double crown shall rest upon her brow, and no king that went before her, and no king that follows after her, shall be more great in Egypt.  Troubles and dangers shall threaten her, but the Spirit that I give to her shall protect her in them all, and she shall tread her enemy beneath her feet.  A royal lover shall come to her also, and she shall