Andwhenhehadmadeanendofprayerhespoke。
“/Thou/arttheman，“hesaid。“OutoftheseathouhastcometobringthedoomofloveontheLadyMeriamunandonthyselfthedoomofdeath。ThisIknew，butoftherestIknownothing。Now，Ipraythee，ohthouwhocomestinthearmouroftheNorth，thouwhosefaceisclothedinbeauty，andwhoartofallmenthemightiestandhastofallmenthesweetestandmostguilefultongue，goback，gobackintotheseawhencethoucamest，andthelandswhencethouhastwandered。“
“Notthuseasilymaymenescapetheirdoom，“quoththeWanderer。“Mydeathmaycome，ascomeitmust；butknowthis，Rei，IdonotseektheloveofMeriamun。“
“Thenitwellmaychancethatthoushaltfindit，foreverthosewhoseeklovelose，andthosewhoseeknotfind。“
“Iamcometoseekanotherlove，“saidtheWanderer，“andIseekhertillIdie。“
“ThenIpraytheGodsthatthoumayestfindher，andthatKhemmaythusbesavedfromsorrow。ButhereinEgyptthereisnowomansofairasMeriamun，andthoumustseekfartherasquicklyasmaybe。Andnow，Eperitus，beholdImustawaytodoserviceintheTempleoftheHolyAmen，forIamhisHighPriest。ButIamcommandedbyPharaohfirsttobringtheetothefeastatthePalace。“
ThenheledtheWandererfromhischamberandbroughthimbyasideentrancetothegreatPalaceofthePharaohatTanis，neartheTempleofPtah。AndfirsthetookhimtoachamberthathadbeenmadereadyforhiminthePalace，abeautifulchamber，richlypaintedwithbeast-
headedGodsandfurnishedwithivorychairs，andcouchesofebonyandsilver，andwithagildedbed。
ThentheWandererwentintotheshiningbaths，anddark-eyedgirlsbathedhimandanointedhimwithfragrantoil，andcrownedhimwithlotusflowers。Whentheyhadbathedhimtheybadehimlayasidehisgoldenarmourandhisbowandthequiverfullofarrows，butthistheWandererwouldnotdo，forashelaidtheblackbowdownitthrilledwithathinsoundofwar。SoReiledhim，armedashewas，toacertainantechamber，andtherehelefthim，sayingthathewouldreturnagainwhenthefeastwasdone。TrumpetsblaredastheWandererwaited，drumsrolled，andthroughthewidethrowncurtainssweptthelovelyMeriamunandthedivinePharaohMeneptah，withmanylordsandladiesoftheCourt，allcrownedwithrosesandwithlotusblooms。
TheQueenwasdeckedinRoyalattire，hershininglimbswereveiledinbroideredsilk；abouthershoulderswasapurplerobe，androundherneckandarmswereringsofwell-wroughtgold。Shewasstatelyandsplendidtosee，withpalebrowsandbeautifuldisdainfuleyeswheredreamsseemedtosleepbeneaththeshadowofhereyelashes。Onshesweptinallherstateandprideofbeauty，andbehindhercamethePharaoh。Hewasatallman，butill-madeandheavy-browed，andtotheWandereritseemedthathewasheavy-heartedtoo，andthatcareandterrorofeviltocomewerealwaysinhismind。
Meriamunlookedupswiftly。
“Greeting，Stranger，“shesaid。“Thoucomestinwarlikeguisetograceourfeast。“
“Methought，RoyalLady，“hemadeanswer，“thatanonwhenIwouldhavelaiditby，thisbowofminesangtomeofpresentwar。ThereforeIamcomearmed——eventothyfeast。“
“Hasthybowsuchforesight，Eperitus？“saidtheQueen。“Ihaveheardbutonceofsuchaweapon，andthatinaminstrel’stale。HecametoourCourtwithhislyrefromtheNorthernSea，andhesangoftheBowofOdysseus。“
“Minstrelornot，thoudoeswelltocomearmed，Wanderer，“saidthePharaoh；“forifthybowsings，myownheartmuttersmuchtomeofwartobe。“
“Followme，Wanderer，howeveritfallout，“saidtheQueen。
SohefollowedherandthePharaohtilltheycametoasplendidhall，carvenroundwithimagesoffightingandfeasting。Here，onthepaintedwalls，RamesesMiamundrovethethousandsoftheKhitabeforehissinglevalour；heremenhuntedwild-fowlthroughthemarsheswithagreatcatfortheirhound。NeverhadtheWandererbeheldsuchahallsincehesuppedwiththeSeaKingofthefairyisle。Ontheda？s，raisedabovetherest，satthePharaoh，andbyhimsatMeriamuntheQueen，andbytheQueensattheWandererinthegoldenarmourofParis，andheleanedtheblackbowagainsthisivorychair。
Nowthefeastwentonandmenateanddrank。TheQueenspokelittle，butshewatchedtheWandererbeneaththelidsofherdeep-fringedeyes。
Suddenly，astheyfeastedandgrewmerry，thedoorsattheendofthechamberwerethrownwide，theGuardsfellbackinfear，andbehold，attheendofthehall，stoodtwomen。Theirfacesweretawny，dry，wastedwithdesertwandering；theirnoseswerehookedlikeeagles’
beaks，andtheireyeswereyellowastheeyesoflions。Theywerecladinroughskinsofbeasts，girdledabouttheirwaistswithleathernthongs，andfiercelytheyliftedtheirnakedarms，andwavedtheirwandsofcedar。Bothmenwereold，onewaswhite-bearded，theotherwasshavensmoothlikethepriestsofEgypt。AstheyliftedtherodsonhightheGuardsshranklikebeatenhounds，andalltheguestshidtheirfaces，saveMeriamunandtheWandereralone。EvenPharaohdarednotlookonthem，buthemurmuredangrilyinhisbeard:
“BythenameofOsiris，“hesaid，“herebethoseSoothsayersoftheApuraonceagain。NowDeathwaitsonthosewholetthempassthedoors。“
Thenoneofthetwomen，hewhowasshavenlikeapriest，criedwithagreatvoice:
“/Pharaoh！Pharaoh！Pharaoh！/HearkentothewordofJahveh。Wiltthouletthepeoplego？“
“Iwillnotletthemgo，“heanswered。
“/Pharaoh！Pharaoh！Pharaoh！/HearkentothewordofJahveh。Ifthouwiltnotletthepeoplego，thenshallallthefirstbornofKhem，ofthePrinceandtheslave，oftheoxandtheass，besmittenofJahveh。
Wiltthouletthepeoplego？“
NowPharaohhearkened，andthosewhowereatthefeastroseandcriedwithaloudvoice:
“OPharaoh，letthepeoplego！GreatwoesarefallenuponKhembecauseoftheApura。OPharaoh，letthepeoplego！“
NowPharaoh’sheartwassoftenedandhewasmindedtoletthemgo，butMeriamunturnedtohimandsaid:
“Thoushaltnotletthepeoplego。Itisnottheseslaves，northeGodoftheseslaves，whobringtheplaguesonKhem，butitisthatstrangeGoddess，theFalseHathor，whodwellshereinthecityofTanis。Benotsofearful——everhadstthouacowardheart。DrivetheFalseHathorthenceifthouwilt，butholdtheseslavestotheirbondage。Istillhavecitiesthatmustbebuilt，andyonslavesshallbuildthem。“
ThenthePharaohcried:“Hence！Ibidyou。Hence，andto-morrowshallyourpeoplebeladenwithadoubleburdenandtheirbacksshallberedwithstripes。Iwillnotletthepeoplego！“
Thenthetwomencriedaloud，andpointingupwardwiththeirstaffstheyvanishedfromthehall，andnonedaredtolayhandsonthem，butthosewhosatatthefeastmurmuredmuch。
NowtheWanderermarvelledwhyPharaohdidnotcommandtheGuardstocutdowntheseunbiddenguests，whospoiledhisfestival。TheQueenMeriamunsawthewonderinhiseyesandturnedtohim。
“Knowthou，Eperitus，“shesaid，“thatgreatplagueshavecomeoflateonthislandofours——plaguesofliceandfrogsandfliesanddarkness，andthechangingofpurewaterstoblood。AndthesethingsourLordthePharaohdeemshavebeenbroughtuponusbythecurseofyondermagicians，conjurersandpriestsamongcertainslaveswhoworkinthelandatthebuildingofourcities。ButIknowwellthatthecursescomeonusfromHathor，theLadyofLove，becauseofthatwomanwhohathsetherselfuphereinTanis，andisworshippedastheHathor。“
“Whythen，OQueen，“saidtheWanderer，“isthisfalseGoddesssufferedtoabideinyourfaircity？for，asIknowwell，theimmortalGodsareeverangeredwiththosewhoturnfromtheirworshiptobowbeforestrangealtars。“
“Whyisshesuffered？Nay，askofPharaohmyLord。Methinksitisbecauseherbeautyismorethanthebeautyofwomen，sothemensaywhohavelookedonit，butIhavenotseenit，foronlythosemenseeitwhogotoworshipathershrine，andthenfromafar。ItisnotmeetthattheQueenofalltheLandsshouldworshipattheshrineofastrangewoman，come——likethyself，Eperitus——fromnoneknowswhere:ifindeedshebeawomanandnotafiendfromtheUnderWorld。Butifthouwouldestlearnmore，askmyLordthePharaoh，forheknowstheShrineoftheFalseHathor，andheknowswhoguardit，andwhatisitthatbarstheway。“
NowtheWandererturnedtoPharaohsaying:“OPharaoh，mayIknowthetruthofthismystery？“
ThenMeneptahlookedup，andtherewasdoubtandtroubleonhisheavyface。
“Iwilltelltheereadily，thouWanderer，forperchancesuchamanasthou，whohasttravelledinmanylandsandseenthefacesofmanyGods，mayunderstandthetale，andmayhelpme。Inthedaysofmyfather，theholyRamesesMiamun，thekeepersoftheTempleoftheDivineHathorawoke，andlo！intheSanctuaryofthetemplewasawomaninthegarboftheAquaiusha，whowasBeauty’sself。Butwhentheylookeduponher，nonecouldtellthesemblanceofherbeauty，fortoonesheseemeddarkandtotheotherfair，andtoeachmanofthemsheshowedadiverseloveliness。Shesmileduponthem，andsangmostsweetly，andloveenteredtheirhearts，sothatitseemedtoeachmanthatsheonlywashisHeart’sDesire。Butwhenanymanwouldhavecomenearerandembracedher，therewasthataboutherwhichdrovehimback，andifhestroveagain，behold，hefelldowndead。Soatlasttheysubduedtheirhearts，anddesiredhernomore，butworshippedherastheHathorcometoearth，andmadeofferingsoffoodanddrinktoher，andprayers。Sothreeyearspassed，andattheendofthethirdyearthekeepersofthetemplelookedandtheHathorwasgone。Nothingremainedofherbutamemory。Yetthereweresomewhosaidthatthismemorywasdearerthanallelsethattheworldhastogive。
“Twentymoreseasonswentby，andIsatuponthethroneofmyfather，andwasLordoftheDoubleCrown。And，onaday，amessengercamerunningandcried: