Her mistress knew that something unusual must have happened to detain her so long from her post at Barine’s side, and her appearance showed that she had been attending to important matters which had severely taxed her strength.  Her shining dark skin looked ashen grey, her high forehead, surrounded by tangled woolly locks, was dripping with perspiration, and her thick lips were pale.  Although she must have undergone great fatigue, she did not seem in need of rest; for, after greeting the ladies, apologizing for her long absence, and telling Barine that this time Dion had seemed to her half on the way to recovery, a rapid side glance at her mistress conveyed an entreaty that she would follow her into the next room.

But the language of the Nubian’s eyes had not escaped the suspicious watchfulness of the anxious Barine and, overwhelmed with fresh terror, she begged that she might hear all.

Charmian ordered her maid to speak openly; but Anukis, ere she began, assured them that she had received the news she brought from a most trustworthy source—­only it would make a heavy demand upon the resolution and courage of Barine, whom she had hoped to find in a very different mood.  There was no time to lose.  She was expected at the appointed place an hour after sunset.

Here Charmian interrupted the maid with the exclamation “Impossible!” and reminded her of the guards which Alexas, aided by Iras, who was thoroughly familiar with the palace, had stationed the day before in the anteroom, at all the doors—­nay, even beneath the windows.

The Nubian replied that everything had been considered; but, to gain time, she must beg Barine to let her colour her skin and curl her hair while she was talking.

The surprise visible in the young beauty’s face caused her to exclaim:  “Only act with entire confidence.  You shall learn everything directly.  There is so much to tell!  On the way here I had planned how to relate the whole story in regular order, but it can’t be done now.  No, no!  Whoever wants to save a flock of sheep from a burning shed must lead out the bell-wether first—­the main thing, I mean—­so I will begin with that, though it really comes last.  The explanation of how all this—­”

Here, like a cry of joy, Barine’s exclamation interrupted her: 

“I am to fly, and Dion knows it and will follow me!  I see it in your face.”

In fact, every feature of the dusky maid-servant’s ugly face betrayed that pleasant thoughts were agitating her mind.  Her black eyes flashed with fearless daring, and a smile beautified her big mouth and thick lips as she replied: 

“A loving heart like yours understands the art of prophecy better than the chief priest of the great Serapis.  Yes, my young mistress, he of whom you speak must disappear from this wicked city where so much evil threatens you both.  He will certainly escape and, if the immortals aid us and we are wise and brave, you also.  Whence the help comes can be told later.  Now, the first thing is to transform you—­don’t be reluctant—­into the ugliest woman in the world—­black Anukis.  You must escape from the palace in this disguise.—­Now you know the whole plan, and while I get what is necessary from my chest of clothes, I beg you, mistress, to consider how we are to obtain the black stains for that ivory skin and golden hair.”