“Because I cannot,” she answered angrily.  “If ever I had such power it is gone from me, who am now the mother of an Egyptian’s child.  But I have none.  There in the temple of Amon some Strength worked through me, that is all, which never will visit me again because of my sin.”

“What sin, Lady?”

“The sin of taking the Prince Seti to lord.  Now, if any god spoke through me it would be one of those of the Egyptians, since He of Israel has cast me out.”

Ki started as though some new thought had come to him, and at this moment she turned and went away.

“Would that she were high-priestess of Isis that she might work for us and not against us,” he said.

Bakenkhonsu shook his head.

“Let that be,” he answered.  “Be sure that never will an Israelitish woman offer sacrifice to what she would call the abomination of the Egyptians.”

“If she will not sacrifice to save the people, let her be careful lest the people sacrifice her to save themselves,” said Ki in a cold voice.

Then he too went away.

“I think that if ever that hour comes, then Ki will have his share in it,” laughed Bakenkhonsu.  “What is the good of a shepherd who shelters here in comfort, while outside the sheep are dying, eh, Ana?”

It was after the plague of locusts, which ate all there was left to eat in Egypt, so that the poor folk who had done no wrong and had naught to say to the dealings of Pharaoh with the Israelites starved by the thousand, and during that of the great darkness, that Laban came.  Now this darkness lay upon the land like a thick cloud for three whole days and nights.  Nevertheless, though the shadows were deep, there was no true darkness over the house of Seti at Memphis, which stood in a funnel of grey light stretching from earth to sky.

Now the terror was increased tenfold, and it seemed to me that all the hundreds of thousands of Memphis were gathered outside our walls, so that they might look upon the light, such as it was, if they could do no more.  Seti would have admitted as many as the place would hold, but Ki bade him not, saying, that if he did so the darkness would flow in with them.  Only Merapi did admit some of the Israelitish women who were married to Egyptians in the city, though for her pains they only cursed her as a witch.  For now most of the inhabitants of Memphis were certain that it was Merapi who, keeping herself safe, had brought these woes upon them because she was a worshipper of an alien god.

“If she who is the love of Egypt’s heir would but sacrifice to Egypt’s gods, these horrors would pass from us,” said they, having, as I think, learned their lesson from the lips of Ki.  Or perhaps the emissaries of Userti had taught them.

Once more we stood by the gate watching the people flitting to and fro in the gloom without, for this sight fascinated Merapi, as a snake fascinates a bird.  Then it was that Laban appeared.  I knew his hooked nose and hawk-like eyes at once, and she knew him also.