The chamberlain led me and Bes to an ante-chamber of the banqueting hall and left us, saying that he would summon the Prince who wished to see me before he ate.  This, however, was not necessary since while he spoke Peroa, who as I guessed had been waiting for me, entered by another door.  He was a majestic-looking man of middle age, for grey showed in his hair and beard, clad in white garments with a purple hem and wearing on his brow a golden circlet, from the front of which rose the uraeus in the shape of a hooded snake that might be worn by those of royal blood alone.  His face was full of thought and his black and piercing eyes looked heavy as though with sleeplessness.  Indeed I could see that he was troubled.  His gaze fell upon us and his features changed to a pleasant smile.

“Greeting, Cousin Shabaka,” he said.  “I am glad that you have returned safe from the East, and burn to hear your tidings.  I pray that they may be good, for never was good news more needed in Egypt.”

“Greeting, Prince,” I answered, bowing my knee.  “I and my servant here are returned safe, but as for our tidings, well, judge of them for yourself,” and drawing the letter of the Great King from my robe, I touched my forehead with the roll and handed it to him.

“I see that you have acquired the Eastern customs, Shabaka,” he said as he took it.  “But here in my own house which once was the palace of our forefathers, the Pharaohs of Egypt, by your leave I will omit them.  Amen be my witness,” he added bitterly, “I cannot bear to lay the letter of a foreign king against my brow in token of my country’s vassalage.”

Then he broke the silk of the seals and read, and as he read his face grew black with rage.

“What!” he cried, casting down the roll and stamping on it.  “What!  Does this dog of an Eastern king bid me send my niece, by birth the Royal Princess of Egypt, to be his toy until he wearies of her?  First I will choke her with my own hands.  How comes it, Shabaka, that you care to bring me such a message?  Were I Pharaoh now I think your life would pay the price.”

“As it would certainly have paid the price, had I not done so.  Prince, I brought the letter because I must.  Also a copy of it has gone, I believe, to Idernes the Satrap at Sais.  It is better to face the truth, Prince, and I think that I may be of more service to you alive than dead.  If you do not wish to send the lady Amada to the King, marry her to someone else, after which he will seek her no more.”

He looked at me shrewdly and said,

“To whom then?  I cannot marry her, being her uncle and already married.  Do you mean to yourself, Shabaka?”

“I have loved the lady Amada from a child, Prince,” I answered boldly.  “Also I have high blood in me and having brought much gold from the East, am rich again and one accustomed to war.”

“So you have brought gold from the East!  How?  Well, you can tell me afterwards.  But you fly high.  You, a Count of Egypt, wish to marry the Royal Lady of Egypt, for such she is by birth and rank, which, if ever Egypt were free again, would give you a title to the throne.”