Here Bes rolled his eyes and smiled, but Tanofir did not seem in the least astonished, and said,

“Much of this is known to me and the rest can be guessed.  Pass on to what will happen in Egypt, before the spirit leaves you.”

“There will be war in Egypt,” she answered.  “I see fightings; Shabaka and others lead the Egyptians.  The Easterns are driven away or slain.  Peroa rules as Pharaoh, I see him on his throne.  Shabaka is driven away in his turn, I see him travelling south with the dwarf and with myself, looking very sad.  Time passes.  I see the moons float by; I see messengers reach Shabaka, sent by Peroa and you O holy Tanofir; they tell of trouble in Egypt.  I see Shabaka and the dwarf coming north at the head of a great army of black men armed with bows.  With them I come rejoicing, for my heart seems to shine.  He reaches a temple on the Nile about which is camped another great army, a countless army of Easterns under the command of the King of kings.  Shabaka and the dwarf give battle to that army and the fray is desperate.  They destroy it, they drive it into the Nile; the Nile runs red with blood.  The Great King falls, an arrow from the bow of Shabaka is in his heart.  He enters the temple, a conqueror, and there lies Peroa, dying or dead.  A veiled priestess is there before an image, I cannot see her face.  Shabaka looks on her.  She stretches out her arms to him, her eyes burn with woman’s love, her breast heaves, and above the image frowns and threatens.  All is done, for Tanofir, Master of spirits, you die, yonder in the temple on the Nile, and therefore I can see no more.  The power that comes through you, has left me.”

Then once more she became as a woman asleep.

“You have heard, Shabaka and Bes,” said Tanofir quietly and stroking his long white beard, “and what that maiden seemed to read in the water you may believe or disbelieve as you will.”

“What do you believe, O holy Tanofir?” I asked.

“The only part of the story whereof I am sure,” he replied, evading a direct answer, “is that which said that I shall die, and that when I am dead I shall no longer be able to cause the maiden Karema to see visions.  For the rest I do not know.  These things may happen or they may not.  But,” he added with a note of warning in his voice, “whether they happen or not, my counsel to you both is that you say nothing of them beforehand.”

“What then shall we report to those who bid me seek the oracle of your wisdom, O Tanofir?”

“You can tell them that my wisdom declared that the omens were mixed with good and evil, but that time would show the truth.  Hush now, the maiden is about to awake and must not be frightened.  Also it is time for me to be led from this sepulchre to where I sleep, for I think that Ra has set and I am weary.  Oh!  Shabaka, why do you seek to peer into the future, which from day to day will unroll itself as does a scroll?  Be content with the present, man, and take what Fate gives you of good or ill, not seeking to learn what offerings he hides beneath his robe in the days and the years and the centuries to come.”