“WhatshallIdo？“mutteredSeti，ashepassedme。
“Idonotaltogetherlikehiscompany，nor，Ithink，doestheladyMerapi，butheisanillmantooffend，Prince，“Ianswered。“Look，heistalkingwithhisfamiliar。“
Setireturnedtohisplace，andshakingoffthemothwhichseemedlothtoleavehim，fortwiceitsettledonhishead，Kicamebackintotheshadow。
“Whereistheuseofyourputtingquestionstome，Ki，when，accordingtoyourownshowing，alreadyyouknowtheanswerthatIwillgive？
WhatanswershallIgive？“askedthePrince。
“Thatpaintedcreaturewhichsatuponmyhandjustnow，seemedtowhispertomethatyouwouldsay，OPrince，’Stay，Ki，andbemyfaithfulservant，anduseanylittleloreyouhavetoshieldmyhousefromill。’“
ThenSetilaughedinhiscarelessfashion，andreplied：
“Haveyourway，sinceitisarulethatnoneoftheroyalbloodofEgyptmayrefusehospitalitytothosewhoseekit，havingbeentheirfriends，andIwillnotquoteagainstyourmothwhatabatwhisperedinmyearslastnight。Nay，noneofyoursalutationsrevealedtoyoubyinsectsorbythefuture，“andhegavehimhishandtokiss。
WhenKiwasgone，Isaid：
“Itoldyouthatnight-hauntingthingwashisfamiliar。“
“Thenyoutoldmefolly，Ana。TheknowledgethatKihashedoesnotgetfrommothsorbeetles。YetnowthatitistoolateIwishthatI
hadaskedtheladyMerapiwhatherwillwasinthismatter。Youshouldhavethoughtofthat，Ana，insteadofsufferingyourmindtobeledastraybyaninsectsittingonhishand，whichisjustwhathemeantthatyoushoulddo。Well，inpunishment，daybydayitshallbeyourlottolookuponamanwithacountenancelike——likewhat？“
“LikethatwhichIsawuponthecoffinofthegoodgod，yourdivinefather，Meneptah，asitwaspreparedforhimduringhislifeintheembalmer’sshopatTanis，“Ianswered。
“Yes，“saidthePrince，“afacesmilingeternallyattheNothingnesswhichisLifeandDeath，butincertainlights，witheyesoffire。“
Onthefollowingday，byherinvitation，IwalkedwiththeladyMerapiinthegarden，theheadnursefollowingus，bearingtheroyalchildinherarms。
“IwishtoaskyouaboutKi，friendAna，“shesaid。“Youknowheismyenemy，foryoumusthaveheardthewordshespoketomeinthetempleofAmonatTanis。Itseemsthatmylordhasmadehimtheguestofthishouse——ohlook!“andshepointedbeforeher。
Ilooked，andthereafewpacesaway，wheretheshadowoftheoverhangingpalmswasdeepest，stoodKi。Hewasleaningonhisstaff，thesamethathadturnedtoasnakeinmyhand，andgazingupwardslikeonewhoislostinthought，orlistenstothesingingofbirds。
Merapiturnedasthoughtofly，butatthatmomentKisawus，althoughhestillseemedtogazeupwards。
“Greeting，OMoonofIsrael，“hesaidbowing。“Greeting，OConquerorofKi!“
Shebowedback，andstoodstill，asalittlebirdstandswhenitseesasnake。Therewasalongsilence，whichhebrokebyasking：
“WhyseekthatfromAnawhichKihimselfiseagertogive？Anaislearned，butishishearttheheartofKi？Aboveall，whytellhimthatKi，thehumblestofyourservants，isyourenemy？“
NowMerapistraightenedherself，lookedintohiseyes，andanswered：
“HaveItoldAnaaughtthathedidnotknow？DidnotAnahearthelastwordsyousaidtomeinthetempleofAmonatTanis？“
“Doubtlessheheardthem，Lady，andthereforeIamgladthatheisheretoheartheirmeaning。LadyMerapi，atthatmoment，I，theSacrificertoAmon，wasfilled——notwithmyownspirit，butwiththeangryspiritofthegodwhomyouhadhumbledasneverbeforehadbefallenhiminEgypt。Thegodthroughmedemandedofyouthesecretofyourmagic，andpromisedyouhishate，ifyourefused。Lady，youhavehishate，butmineyouhavenot，sinceIalsohavehishatebecauseI，andhethroughme，havebeenworstedbyyourprophets。
Lady，wearefellow-travellersintheValleyofTrouble。“
Shegazedathimsteadily，andIcouldseethatofallthatpassedhislipsshebelievednooneword。MakingnoanswertohimandhistalkofAmon，sheaskedonly：
“Whydoyoucomeheretodomeillwhohavedoneyounone？“
“Youaremistaken，Lady，“hereplied。“IcomeheretorefugefromAmon，andfromhisservantPharaoh，whomAmondrivesontoruin。I
knowwellthat，ifyouwillit，youcanwhisperintheearofthePrinceandpresentlyhewillputmeforth。Onlythen-“andhelookedoverherheadtowherethenursestoodrockingthesleepingchild。
“Thenwhat，Magician？“
Givingnoanswer，heturnedtome。
“LearnedAna，toyouremembermeetingmeatTanisonenight？“
Ishookmyhead，thoughIguessedwellenoughwhatnighthemeant。
“Yourmemoryweakens，learnedAna，orratherisconfused，forwemetoften，didwenot？“
Thenhestaredatthestaffinhishand。Istaredalso，becauseI
couldnothelpit，andsaw，orthoughtIsaw，thedeadwoodbegintoswellandcurve。ThiswasenoughformeandIsaidhastily：
“IfyoumeanthenightoftheCoronation，Idorecall-“
“Ah!Ithoughtyouwould。You，learnedAna，wholikeallscribesobservesoclosely，willhavenotedhowlittlethings——suchasthescentofaflower，orthepassingofabird，oreventhewrithingofasnakeinthedust——oftenbringbacktothemindeventsorwordsithasforgottenlongago。“
“Well——whatofourmeeting？“Ibrokeinhastily。
“Nothingatall——oronlythis。JustbeforeityouweretalkingwiththeHebrewJabez，theladyMerapi’suncle，wereyounot？“
“Yes，Iwastalkingwithhiminanopenplace，alone。“
“Notso，learnedScribe，foryouknowweareneveralone——quite。Couldyoubutseeit，everygrainofsandhasanear。“
“Bepleasedtoexplain，OKi。“
“Nay，Ana，itwouldbetoolong，andshortjestsareeverthebest。AsIhavetoldyou，youwerenotalone，forthoughthereweresomewordsthatIdidnotcatch，/I/heardmuchofwhatpassedbetweenyouandJabez。“
“Whatdidyouhear？“Iaskedwrathfully，andnextinstantwishedthatIhadbittenthroughmytonguebeforeitshapedthewords。
“Much，much。Letmethink。YouspokeabouttheladyMerapi，andwhethershewoulddowelltobideatMemphisintheshadowofthePrince，ortoreturntoGoshenintotheshadowofacertain——Iforgetthename。Jabez，awell-instructedman，saidhethoughtthatshemightbehappieratMemphis，thoughperhapsherpresencetherewouldbringagreatsorrowuponherselfand——another。“
Hereagainhelookedatthechild，whichseemedtofeelhisglance，foritwokeupandbeattheairwithitslittlehands。
Thenursefeltitalso，althoughherheadwasturnedaway，forshestartedandthentookshelterbehindtheboleofoneofthepalm-
trees。NowMerapisaidinalowandshakenvoice：
“Iknowwhatyoumean，Magician，forsincethenIhaveseenmyuncleJabez。“
“AsIhavealso，severaltimes，Lady，whichmayexplaintoyouwhatAnaherethinkssowonderful，namelythatIshouldhavelearnedwhattheysaidtogetherwhenhethoughttheywerealone，which，asIhavetoldhim，noonecaneverbe，atleastinEgypt，thelandoflisteninggods-“
“Andspyingsorcerers，“Iexclaimed。
“-Andspyingsorcerers，“herepeatedafterme，“andscribeswhotakenotes，andlearnthembyheart，andpriestswithearsaslargeasasses，andleavesthatwhisper——andmanyotherthings。“
“Ceaseyourgibes，andsaywhatyouhavetosay，“saidMerapi，inthesamebrokenvoice。
Hemadenoanswer，butonlylookedatthetreebehindwhichthenurseandchildhadvanished。
“Oh!Iknow，Iknow，“sheexclaimedintonesthatwerelikeacry。“Mychildisthreatened!Youthreatenmychildbecauseyouhateme。“
“Yourpardon，Lady。Itistruethatevilthreatensthisroyalbabe，orsoIunderstoodfromJabez，whoknowssomuch。ButitisnotIthatthreatenit，anymorethanIhateyou，inwhomIacknowledgeafellowofmycraft，butonegreaterthanmyselfthatitismydutytoobey。“
“Havedone!Whydoyoutormentme？“
“CanthepriestsoftheMoon-goddesstormentIsis，MotherofMagic，withtheirprayersandofferings？AndcanIwhowouldmakeaprayerandanoffering-“
“Whatprayer，andwhatoffering？“