“Me, Prince, me!” I exclaimed.

“Well, Ana, I am sure you would have it so.  Be advised by me and ask her mind upon the matter.  Look not so confused, man, for one who has been married you are too modest.  Come tell me of this Crowning.”

So glad enough to escape from the matter of Merapi, I spoke at length of all that had happened when Pharaoh Amenmeses took his seat upon the throne.  When I described how the rod of the Hebrew prophet had been turned to a snake and how Ki and his company had done likewise, the Prince laughed and said that these were mere jugglers’ tricks.  But when I told of the darkness that had seemed to gather in the hall and of the gloom that filled the hearts of all men and of the awesome dream of Bakenkhonsu, also of the words of Ki after he had clouded my mind and played his jest upon me, he listened with much earnestness and answered: 

“My mind is as Ki’s in this matter.  I too think that a terrible power is afoot in Egypt, one that has its home in the land of Goshen, and that I did well to refuse the throne.  But from what god these fortunes come I do not know.  Perhaps time will tell us.  Meanwhile if there is aught in the prophesies of these Hebrews, as interpreted by Jabez, at least you and I may sleep in peace, which is more than will chance to Pharaoh on the throne that Userti covets.  If so, this play will be worth the watching.  You have done your mission well, Ana.  Go rest you while I think over all that you have said.”

It was evening and as the palace was very hot I went into the garden and making my way to that little pleasure-house where Seti and I were wont to study, I sat myself down there and, being weary, fell asleep.  When I awoke from a dream about some woman who was weeping, night had fallen and the full moon shone in the sky, so that its rays fell on the garden before me.

Now in front of this little house, as I have said, grew trees that at this season of the year were covered with white and cup-like blossoms, and between these trees was a seat built up of sun-dried bricks.  On this seat sat a woman whom I knew from her shape to be Merapi.  Also she was sad, for although her head was bowed and her long hair hid her face I could hear her gentle sighs.

The sight of her moved me very much and I remembered what the Prince had said to me, telling me that I should do well to ask this lady whether she had any mind my way.  Therefore if I did so, surely I could not be blamed.  Yet I was certain that it was not to me that her heart turned, though to speak the truth, much I wished it otherwise.  Who would look at the ibis in the swamp when the wide-winged eagle floated in heaven above?

An evil thought came into my mind, sent by Set.  Suppose that this watcher’s eyes were fixed upon the eagle, lord of the air.  Suppose that she worshipped this eagle; that she loved it because its home was heaven, because to her it was the king of all the birds.  And suppose one told her that if she lured it down to earth from the glorious safety of the skies, she would bring it to captivity or death at the hand of the snarer.  Then would not that loving watcher say:  “Let it go free and happy, however much I long to look upon it,” and when it had sailed from sight, perhaps turn her eyes to the humble ibis in the mud?