“I showed myself to the people as a woman of the people,” answered Bent-Anat, “and I must take the consequences.  Bek en Chunsu, the high-priest of Amon, has been with me, and I have had a long conversation with him.  The worthy man is good to me, I know, and my father ordered me to follow his advice before any one’s.  He showed me that I have erred deeply.  In a state of uncleanness I went into one of the temples of the Necropolis, and after I had once been into the paraschites’ house and incurred Ameni’s displeasure, I did it a second time.  They know over there all that took place at the festival.  Now I must undergo purification, either with great solemnity at the hands of Ameni himself, before all the priests and nobles in the House of Seti, or by performing a pilgrimage to the Emerald-Hathor, under whose influence the precious stones are hewn from the rocks, metals dug out, and purified by fire.  The Goddess shall purge me from my uncleanness as metal is purged from the dross.  At a day’s journey and more from the mines, an abundant stream flows from the holy mountain-Sinai,” as it is called by the Mentut—­and near it stands the sanctuary of the Goddess, in which priests grant purification.  The journey is a long one, through the desert, and over the sea; But Bek en Chunsu advises me to venture it.  Ameni, he says, is not amiably disposed towards me, because I infringed the ordinance which he values above all others.  I must submit to double severity, he says, because the people look first to those of the highest rank; and if I went unpunished for contempt of the sacred institutions there might be imitators among the crowd.  He speaks in the name of the Gods, and they measure hearts with an equal measure.  The ell-measure is the symbol of the Goddess of Truth.  I feel that it is all not unjust; and yet I find it hard to submit to the priest’s decree, for I am the daughter of Rameses!”

“Aye, indeed!” exclaimed Nefert, “and he is himself a God!”

“But he taught me to respect the laws!” interrupted the princess.  “I discussed another thing with Bek en Chunsu.  You know I rejected the suit of the Regent.  He must secretly be much vexed with me.  That indeed would not alarm me, but he is the guardian and protector appointed over me by my father, and yet can I turn to him in confidence for counsel, and help?  No!  I am still a woman, and Rameses’ daughter!  Sooner will I travel through a thousand deserts than humiliate my father through his child.  By to-morrow I shall have decided; but, indeed, I have already decided to make the journey, hard as it is to leave much that is here.  Do not fear, dear! but you are too tender for such a journey, and to such a distance; I might—­”

“No, no,” cried Nefert.  “I am going, too, if you were going to the four pillars of heaven, at the limits of the earth.  You have given me a new life, and the little sprout that is green within me would wither again if I had to return to my mother.  Only she or I can be in our house, and I will re-enter it only with Mena.”