“His safety, Princess!  Pharaoh assured me not an hour ago that he had naught to fear, as indeed he fears naught.”

“Oh! which of you is the more foolish,” she exclaimed stamping her foot, “the man or his master?  You believe that the Prince has naught to fear because that usurper tells you so, and he believes it—­well, because he fears naught.  For a little while he may sleep in peace.  But let him wait until troubles of this sort or of that arise in Egypt and, understanding that the gods send them on account of the great wickedness that my father wrought when death had him by the throat and his mind was clouded, the people begin to turn their eyes towards their lawful king.  Then the usurper will grow jealous, and if he has his way, the Prince will sleep in peace—­for ever.  If his throat remains uncut, it will be for one reason only, that I hold back the murderer’s hand.  Farewell, I can talk no more, for I say to you that my brain is afire—­and to-morrow he should have been crowned, and I with him,” and she swept away, royal as ever, leaving me wondering what she meant when she spoke of troubles arising in Egypt, or if the words were but uttered at hazard.

Afterwards Bakenkhonsu and I supped together at the college of the temple of Ptah, of which because of his age he was called the father, when I heard more of this matter.

“Ana,” he said, “I tell you that such gloom hangs over Egypt as I have never known even when it was thought that the Ninebow Barbarians would conquer and enslave the land.  Amenmeses will be the fifth Pharaoh whom I have seen crowned, the first of them when I was but a little child hanging to my mother’s robe, and not once have I known such joylessness.”

“That may be because the crown passes to one who should not wear it, Bakenkhonsu.”

He shook his head.  “Not altogether.  I think this darkness comes from the heavens as light does.  Men are afraid they know not of what.”

“The Israelites,” I suggested.

“Now you are near to it, Ana, for doubtless they have much to do with the matter.  Had it not been for them Seti and not Amenmeses would be crowned to-morrow.  Also the tale of the marvel which the beautiful Hebrew woman wrought in the temple yonder has got abroad and is taken as an omen.  Did I tell you that six days gone a fine new statue of the god was consecrated there and on the following morning was found lying on its side, or rather with its head resting on the breast of Mut?”

“If so, Merapi is blameless, because she has gone away from this city.”

“Of course she has gone away, for has not Seti gone also?  But I think she left something behind her.  However that may be, even our new divine lord is afraid.  He dreams ill, Ana,” he added, dropping his voice, “so ill that he has called in Ki, the Kherheb,[*] to interpret his visions.”

     [*] “Kherheb” was the title of the chief official magician
     in ancient Egypt.