Atlength，twomonthsormoreafterweleftAlexandria，fromthedeckoftheboatinwhichwehadhiredapassageforthelasthundredmilesofourjourney，MartinasawtotheeasttheruinsofThebes。Tothewestshesawotherruins，andseatedinfrontofthem/twomightyfiguresofstone/。
　　“Thisistheplace，“shesaid，andmyheartleaptatherwords。“Nowletuslandandfollowourfortune。“
　　Sowhentheboatwastiedupatsunset，tothewestbankoftheriver，asithappened，webadefarewelltotheownerandwentashore。
　　“Whithernow？“askedMartina。
　　“Tothefiguresofstone，“Ianswered。
　　Sosheledmethroughfieldsinwhichthecornwasgrowing，totheedgeofthedesert，meetingnomanalltheway。Thenforamileormorewetrampedthroughsand，tillatlength，lateatnight，Martinahalted。
　　“Westandbeneaththestatues，“shesaid，“andtheyareawesometolookon；mighty，seatedkings，higherthanatalltree。“
　　“Whatliesbehindthem？“Iasked。
　　“Theruinsofagreattemple。“
　　“Leadmetothattemple。“
　　Sowepassedthroughagatewayintoacourt，andtherewehalted。
　　“Nowtellmewhatyousee，“Isaid。
　　“Westandinwhathasbeenahallofmanycolumns，“sheanswered，“butthemostofthemarebroken。Atourfeetisapoolinwhichthereisalittlewater。Beforeusliestheplainonwhichthestatuessit，stretchingsomemilestotheNile，thatisfringedwithpalms。AcrossthebroadNilearetheruinsofoldThebes。Behindusaremoreruinsandalineofruggedhillsofstone，andinthem，alittletothenorth，themouthofavalley。Thesceneisverybeautifulbeneaththemoon，butverysadanddesolate。“
　　“ItistheplacethatIsawinmydreammanyyearsagoatAar，“I
　　said。
　　“Itmaybe，“sheanswered，“butifsoitmusthavechanged，since，saveforajackalcreepingamongthecolumnsandadogthatbarksinsomedistantvillage，Ineitherseenorhearalivingthing。Whatnow，Olaf？“
　　“Nowwewilleatandsleep，“Isaid。“Perhapslightwillcometousinoursleep。“
　　Soweateofthefoodwehadbroughtwithus，andafterwardslaydowntorestinalittlechamber，paintedroundwithgods，thatMartinafoundintheruinsofthetemple。
　　Duringthatnightnodreamscametome，nordidanythinghappentodisturbus，eveninthisoldtemple，ofwhichtheverypaving-stoneswerewornthroughbythefeetofthedead。
　　BeforethedawnMartinaledmebacktothecolossalstatues，andwewaitedthere，hopingthatweshouldhearthemsing，astraditionsaidtheydidwhenthesunrose。Yetthesuncameupasithaddonefromthebeginningoftheworld，andstruckuponthosegianteffigiesasithaddoneforsometwothousandyears，orsoIwastold，andtheyremainedquitesilent。IdonotthinkthateverIgrievedmoreovermyblindnessthanonthisday，whenImustdependuponMartinatotellmeofthegloryofthatsunriseovertheEgyptiandesertandthosemightyruinsrearedbythehandsofforgottenmen。
　　Well，thesunrose，and，sincethestatueswouldnotspeak，Itookmyharpandplayeduponit，andMartinasangawildEasternsongtomyplaying。Itseemedthatourmusicwasheard。Atanyrate，afewfolkgoingouttolabourcametoseebywhomitwascaused，andfindingonlytwowanderingmusicians，presentlywentawayagain。Still，oneremained，awoman，Copticbyherdress，withwhomIheardMartinatalk。Sheaskedwhowewereandwhywehadcometosuchaplace，whereonMartinarepeatedtoherthestorywhichwehadtoldahundredtimes。Thewomanansweredthatweshouldearnlittlemoneyinthoseparts，asthefaminehadbeensorethereowingtothelowNileofthepreviousseason。Untilthecropswereripeagain，whichinthecaseofmostofthemwouldnotbeforsomeweeks，evenfood，sheadded，mustbescarce，thoughfewwerelefttoeatit，sincetheMoslemshadkilledoutmostofthosewhodweltinthatdistrictofUpperEgypt。
　　Martinarepliedthatsheknewthiswasso，andthereforewehadproposedeithertotravelontoNubiaortoreturnnorth。Still，asI，herblinduncle，wasnotwell，wehadlandedfromaboathopingthatwemightfindsomeplacewherewecouldrestforaweekortwountilI
　　grewstronger。
　　“Yet，“shecontinuedmeaningly，“beingpoorChristianfolkweknownotwheretolookforsuchaplace，sinceCrossworshippersarenotwelcomeamongthosewhofollowtheProphet。“
　　Now，whenthewomanheardthatwewereChristianshervoicechanged。
　　“IalsoamaChristian，“shesaid；“butgivemethesign。“
　　SowemadethesignoftheCrossonourbreasts，whichaMoslemwilldieratherthando。
　　“MyhusbandandI，“wentonthewoman，“liveyonderatthevillageofKurna，whichissituatedneartothemouthofthevalleythatiscalledBiban-el-Meluk，orGateoftheKings，fortherethemonarchsofolddays，whoweretheforefathersorrulersofusCopts，lieburied。
　　Itisbutaverysmallvillage，fortheMoslemshavekilledmostofusinawarthatwasraisedawhileagobetweenthemandourhereditaryprince，Magas。YetmyhusbandandIhaveagoodhousethere，and，beingpoor，shallbegladtogiveyoufoodandshelterifyoucanpayussomething。“
　　Theendofitwasthataftersomechaffering，forwedarednotshowthatwehadmuchmoney，abargainwasstruckbetweenusandthisgoodwoman，whowasnamedPalka。Havingpaidheraweek’schargesinadvance，sheledustothevillageofKurna，whichwasnearlyanhour’swalkaway，andheremadeusknowntoherhusband，amiddle-agedmannamedMarcus，whotooklittlenoteofanythingsavehisfarming。
　　Thishecarriedonuponapatchoffertilegroundthatwasirrigatedbyaspringwhichflowedfromthemountains；alsohehadotherlandsneartotheNile，wherehegrewcornandfodderforhisbeasts。Inhishouse，thatoncehadbeenpartofsomegreatstonebuildingoftheancients，andstillremainedfarlargerthanhecoulduse，forthispairhadnochildren，weweregiventwogoodrooms。Herewedweltincomfort，since，notwithstandingthescarcityofthetimes，Marcuswasricherthanheseemedandlivedwell。AsforthevillageofKurna，itspeoplealltolddidnotamounttomorethanthirtysouls，Christianseveryoneofthem，whowerevisitedfromtimetotimebyaCopticpriestfromsomedistantmonasteryinthemountains。
　　BydegreeswegrewfriendlywithPalka，apleasant，bustlingwomanofgoodbirth，wholovedtohearoftheoutsideworld。Moreover，shewasveryshrewd，andsoonbegantosuspectthatweweremorethanmerewanderingplayers。
　　Pretendingtobeweakandill，Ididnotgooutmuch，butfollowedheraboutthehousewhileshewasworking，talkingtoheronmanymatters。
　　ThusIledupthesubjectofPrinceMagasandhisrebellion，andlearnedthathehadbeenkilledataplaceaboutfiftymilessouthfromKurna。ThenIaskedifitweretruethathisdaughterhadbeenkilledwithhim。
　　“WhatdoyouknowoftheladyHeliodore？“sheaskedsharply。
　　“Onlythatmyniece，whoforawhilewasaservantinthepalaceatByzantiumbeforeshewasdrivenawaywithothersaftertheEmpressfell，sawherthere。Indeed，itwasherbusinesstowaituponherandherfatherthePrince。Therefore，sheisinterestedinherfate。“
　　“Itseemsthatyouaremoreinterestedthanyourniece，whohasneverspokenawordtomeconcerningher，“answeredPalka。“Well，sinceyouareaman，Ishouldnothavethoughtthisstrange，hadyounotbeenblind，fortheysayshewasthemostbeautifulwomaninEgypt。Asforherfate，youmustaskGod，sincenoneknowit。WhenthearmyofMusawasencampedyonderbytheNilemyhusband，Marcus，whohadtakentwodonkey-loadsofforageforsaletothecampandwasreturningbymoonlight，sawherrunpasthim，aredknifeinherhand，herfacesettowardstheGatewayoftheKings。Afterthathesawhernomore，nordidanyoneelse，althoughtheyhuntedlongenough，eveninthetombs，whichtheMoslems，likeourpeople，feartovisit。Doubtlessshefellorthrewherselfintosomeholeintherocks；orperhapsthewildbeastsateher。BettersothanthatachildoftheoldPharaohsshouldbecomethewomanofaninfidel。“
　　“Yes，“Ianswered，“betterso。Butwhydofolkfeartovisitthosetombsofwhichyouspeak，Palka？“
　　“Why？Becausetheyarehaunted，thatisall，andeventhebravestdreadthesightofaghost。Howcouldtheybeotherwisethanhaunted，seeingthatyondervalleyissownwiththemightydeadlikeafieldwithcorn？“
　　“Yetthedeadsleepquietlyenough，Palka。“
　　“Aye，thecommondead，Hodur；butnotthesekingsandqueensandprinces，who，beinggodsofakind，cannotdie。Itissaidthattheyholdtheirrevelsyonderatnightwithsongsandwildlaughter，andthatthosewholookuponthemcometoanevilendwithinayear。
　　WhetherthisbesoIcannotsay，sinceformanyyearsnonehavedaredtovisitthatplaceatnight。YetthattheyeatIknowwellenough。“
　　“Howdoyouknow，Palka？“
　　“Foragoodreason。WiththeothersinthisvillageIsupplytheofferingsoftheirfood。Thestoryrunsthatoncethegreatbuilding，ofwhichthishouseisapart，wasacollegeofheathenpriestswhosedutyitwastomakeofferingstothedeadintheroyaltombs。WhentheChristianscame，thosepriestsweredrivenaway，butweofKurnawholiveintheirhousestillmaketheofferings。Ifwedidnot，misfortunewouldovertakeus，asindeedhasalwayshappenediftheywereforgottenorneglected。Itistherentthatwepaytotheghostsofthekings。Twiceaweekwepayit，settingfoodandmilkandwateruponacertainstoneneartothemouthofthevalley。“
　　“Thenwhathappens，Palka？“
　　“Nothing，exceptthattheofferingistaken。“