“Then you will not refuse your help towards its restoration.  You understand how necessary the priesthood is to me, and I have sworn not to make any attempt on Pentaur’s life; but, I repeat it, he stands in my way.  I have my spies in the House of Seti, and I know through them what the sending of the poet to Chennu really means.  For a time they will let him hew sandstone, and that will only improve his health, for he is as sturdy as a tree.  In Chennu, as you know, besides the quarries there is the great college of priests, which is in close alliance with the temple of Seti.  When the flood begins to rise, and they hold the great Nile-festival in Chennu, the priests there have the right of taking three of the criminals who are working in the quarries into their house as servants.  Naturally they will, next year, choose Pentaur, set him at liberty—­and I shall be laughed at.”

“Well considered!” said aid Hekt.

“I have taken counsel with myself, with Katuti, and even with Nemu,” continued Ani, “but all that they have suggested, though certainly practicable, was unadvisable, and at any rate must have led to conjectures which I must now avoid.  What is your opinion?”

“Assa’s race must be exterminated!” muttered the old woman hoarsely.

She gazed at the ground, reflecting.

“Let the boat be scuttled,” she said at last, “and sink with the chained prisoners before it reaches Chennu.”

“No-no; I thought of that myself, and Nemu too advised it,” cried Ani.  “That has been done a hundred times, and Ameni will regard me as a perjurer, for I have sworn not to attempt Pentaur’s life.”

“To be sure, thou hast sworn that, and men keep their word—­to each other.  Wait a moment, how would this do?  Let the ship reach Chennu with the prisoners, but, by a secret order to the captain, pass the quarries in the night, and hasten on as fast as possible as far as Ethiopia.  From Suan,—­[The modern Assuan at the first cataract.]—­the prisoners may be conducted through the desert to the gold workings.  Four weeks or even eight may pass before it is known here what has happened.  If Ameni attacks thee about it, thou wilt be very angry at this oversight, and canst swear by all the Gods of the heavens and of the abyss, that thou hast not attempted Pentaur’s life.  More weeks will pass in enquiries.  Meanwhile do thy best, and Paaker do his, and thou art king.  An oath is easily broken by a sceptre, and if thou wilt positively keep thy word leave Pentaur at the gold mines.  None have yet returned from thence.  My father’s and my brother’s bones have bleached there.”

“But Ameni will never believe in the mistake,” cried Ani, anxiously interrupting the witch.

“Then admit that thou gavest the order,” exclaimed Hekt.  “Explain that thou hadst learned what they proposed doing with Pentaur at Chennu, and that thy word indeed was kept, but that a criminal could not be left unpunished.  They will make further enquiries, and if Assa’s grandson is found still living thou wilt be justified.  Follow my advice, if thou wilt prove thyself a good steward of thy house, and master of its inheritance.”