The second chair was empty, for the Prince was walking restlessly up and down the chamber, his ceremonial robe somewhat disarrayed and the uraeus circlet of gold which he wore, tilted back upon his head, because of his habit of running his fingers through his brown hair.  As I still stood in the dark shadow, for Pambasa had left me, and thus remained unseen, the talk went on.

“I am prepared, Husband.  Pardon me, it is you who look otherwise.  Why would you dismiss the scribes and the household before the ceremony was ended?”

“Because they wearied me,” said Seti, “with their continual bowing and praising and formalities.”

“In which I saw nothing unusual.  Now they must be recalled.”

“Let whoever it is enter,” he exclaimed.

Then I stepped forward into the light, prostrating myself.

“Why,” he cried, “it is Ana returned from Memphis!  Draw near, Ana, and a thousand welcomes to you.  Do you know I thought that you were another high-priest, or governor of some Nome of which I had never heard.”

“Ana!  Who is Ana?” asked the Princess.  “Oh!  I remember that scribe——.  Well, it is plain that he has returned from Memphis,” and she eyed my dusty robe.

“Royal One,” I murmured abashed, “do not blame me that I enter your presence thus.  Pambasa led me here against my will by the direct order of the Prince.”

“Is it so?  Say, Seti, does this man bring tidings of import from Memphis that you needed his presence in such haste?”

“Yes, Userti, at least I think so.  You have the writings safe, have you not, Ana?”

“Quite safe, your Highness,” I answered, though I knew not of what writings he spoke, unless they were the manuscripts of my stories.

“Then, my Lord, I will leave you to talk of the tidings from Memphis and these writings,” said the Princess.

“Yes, yes.  We must talk of them, Userti.  Also of the journey to the land of Goshen on which Ana starts with me to-morrow.”

“To-morrow!  Why this morning you told me it was fixed for three days hence.”

“Did I, Sister—­I mean Wife?  If so, it was because I was not sure whether Ana, who is to be my chariot companion, would be back.”

“A scribe your chariot companion!  Surely it would be more fitting that your cousin Amenmeses——­”

“To Set with Amenmeses!” he exclaimed.  “You know well, Userti, that the man is hateful to me with his cunning yet empty talk.”

“Indeed!  I grieve to hear it, for when you hate you show it, and Amenmeses may be a bad enemy.  Then if not our cousin Amenmeses who is not hateful to me, there is Saptah.”

“I thank you; I will not travel in a cage with a jackal.”

“Jackal!  I do not love Saptah, but one of the royal blood of Egypt a jackal!  Then there is Nehesi the Vizier, or the General of the escort whose name I forget.”

“Do you think, Userti, that I wish to talk about state economies with that old money-sack, or to listen to boastings of deeds he never did in war from a half-bred Nubian butcher?”