“Nextdayarumourbegantorunthatthisawfulthinghadhappened。Itgrewstrongerandstronger，untilallsworethatithadhappened。Nowthefuryofthepeopleroseagainstme，andtheyravenedroundthepalacelikelionsofthedesert，roaringformyblood。Yetitwasasthoughtheycouldnotenterhere，sincewhenevertheyrushedatthegatesorwalls，theyfellbackagain，forsomespiritseemedtoprotecttheplace。Thedayswentby；thenightcameagainandatthedawn，thisdawnthatispast，oncemoreIstoodupontheterrace，andoncemorethecloakedmanappearedfromamongthetrees。
　　“’Nowyouhaveheard，MoonofIsrael，’hesaid，’andnowyoumustbelieveandcome，althoughyouthinkyourselfsafebecauseatthebeginningoftheplaguesthis，thehomeofSeti，wasenchantedagainstevil，sothatnonewithinitcanbeharmed。’
　　“’Ihaveheard，andIthinkthatIbelieve，thoughhowthetidingsreachedMemphisinanhourIdonotunderstand。Yet，stranger，Isaytoyouthatitisnotenough。’
　　“Thenthemandrewapapyrusrollfromhisbosomandthrewitatmyfeet。Iopeneditandread。ThewritingwasthewritingofAnaasI
　　knewwell，andthesignaturewasthesignatureofyou，mylord，anditwassealedwithyourseal，andwiththesealofBakenkhonsuasawitness。Hereitis，“andfromthebreastofhergarment，shedrewoutarollandgaveittomeuponwhomsherestedallthiswhile。
　　Iopenedit，andbythelightoftorchesthePrince，Bakenkhonsu，andIread。Itwasasshehadtoldusinwhatseemedtobemywriting，andsignedandsealedasshehadsaid。Thewordsran：
　　“ToMerapi，MoonofIsrael，inmyhouseatMemphis。
　　“Come，Lady，FlowerofLove，tomeyourlord，towhomthebearerofthiswillguideyousafely。Comeatonce，forIamingreatdanger，asyouare，andtogetheronlycanwebesafe。“
　　“Ana，whatmeansthis？“askedthePrinceinaterriblevoice。“Ifyouhavebetrayedmeandher-“
　　“Bythegods，“Ibeganangrily，“amIamanthatIshouldlivetohearevenyourHighnessspeakthustome，oramIbutadogofthedesert？“
　　Iceased，foratthatmomentBakenkhonsubegantolaugh。
　　“Lookattheletter!“helaughed。“Lookattheletter。“
　　Welooked，andaswelooked，beholdthewritingonitturnedfirsttothecolourofbloodandthenfadedaway，tillpresentlytherewasnothinginmyhandbutablanksheetofpapyrus。
　　“Oho-ho!“laughedBakenkhonsu。“Truly，friendKi，youarethefirstofmagicians，savethoseprophetsoftheIsraeliteswhohavebroughtyou——Whitherhavetheybroughtyou，friendKi？“
　　ThenforthefirsttimethepaintedsmileleftthefaceofKi，anditbecamelikeablockofstoneinwhichweresettwoangryjewelsthatwerehiseyes。
　　“Continue，Lady，“saidthePrince。
　　“Iobeyedtheletter。Ifledawaywiththemanwhosaidhehadachariotwaiting。Wepassedoutbythelittlegate。
　　“’Whereisthechariot？’Iasked。
　　“’Wegobyboat，’heanswered，andledthewaytowardstheriver。Aswethreadedthebigpalmgrovemenappearedfrombetweenthetrees。
　　“’Youhavebetrayedme，’Icried。
　　“’Nay，’heanswered，’Iammyselfbetrayed。’
　　“ThenforthefirsttimeIknewhisvoiceforthatofLaban。
　　“Themenseizedus；attheheadofthemwasKi。
　　“’Thisisthewitch，’hesaid，’who，herwickednessfinished，flieswithherHebrewlover，whoisalsothefamiliarofhersorceries。’
　　“TheytorethecloakandthefalsebeardfromhimandtherebeforemestoodLaban。Icursedhimtohisface。Butallheansweredwas：
　　“’Merapi，whatIhavedoneIdidforloveofyou。Itwasmypurposetotakeyouawaytoourpeople，forhereIknewthattheywouldkillyou。
　　ThismagicianpromisedyoutomeifIcouldtemptyoufromthesafetyofthepalace，inreturnforcertaintidingsthatIhavegivenhim。’
　　“Theseweretheonlywordsthatpassedbetweenustilltheend。Theydraggedustothesecretprisonofthegreattemplewherewewereseparated。HerealldaylongKiandtheprieststormentedmewithquestions，towhichIgavenoanswer。TowardstheeveningtheybroughtmeoutandledmeherewithLabanatmyside。Whenthepeoplesawmeagreatcrywentupof’Sorceress!Hebrewwitch!’Theybrokethroughtheguard；theyseizedme，threwmetothegroundandbeatme。Labanstrovetoprotectmebutwastornaway。Atlengththepeopleweredrivenoff，andoh!mylord，youknowtherest。Ihavespokentruth，I
　　cannomore。“
　　Sosayingherkneesloosenedbeneathherandsheswooned。Weborehertothechariot。
　　“Youhaveheard，Ki，“saidthePrince。“Now，whatanswer？“
　　“None，OPharaoh，“herepliedcoldly，“forPharaohyouare，asI
　　promisedthatyoushouldbe。Myspirithasdesertedme，thoseHebrewshavestolenitaway。Thatwritingshouldhavefadedfromthescrollassoonasitwasreadbyyonderlady，andthenIwouldhavetoldyouanotherstory；astoryofsecretlove，ofbetrayalandattemptedflightwithherlover。Butsomeevilgodkeptitthereuntilyoualsohadread，youwhoknewthatyouhadnotwrittenwhatappearedbeforeyoureyes。Pharaoh，Iamconquered。Doyourwillwithme，andfarewell。Belovedyoushallalwaysbeasyouhavealwaysbeen，buthappyneverinthisworld。“
　　“OPeople，“criedSeti，“Iwillnotbejudgeinmyowncause。Youhaveheard，doyoujudge。Forthiswizard，whatreward？“
　　Thentherewentupagreatcryof“Death!Deathbyfire。Thedeathhehadmadereadyfortheinnocent!“
　　Thatwastheend，buttheytoldmeafterwardsthat，whenthegreatpyrehadburnedout，initwasfoundtheheadofKilookinglikeared-hotstone。Whenthesunlightfellonit，however，itcrumbledandfadedaway，asthewritinghadfadedfromtheroll。IfthisbetrueI
　　donotknow，whowasnotpresentatthetime。
　　WeboreMerapitothepalace。Shelivedbutthreedays，shewhosebodyandspiritwerebroken。ThelasttimeIsawherwaswhenshesentformenotanhourbeforedeathcame。ShewaslyinginSeti’sarmsbabblingtohimoftheirchildandlookingverysweetandhappy。Shethankedmeformyfriendship，smilingthewhileinawaywhichshowedmethatsheknewitwasmorethanfriendship，andbademetendmymasterwelluntilweallmetagainelsewhere。ThenshegavemeherhandtokissandIwentawayweeping。
　　AftershewasdeadastrangefancytookSeti。Inthegreathallofthepalacehecausedagoldenthronetobeputup，andonthisthronehesetherinregalgarments，withpectoralandnecklacesofgems，crownedlikeaqueenofEgypt，andthusheshowedhertothelordsofMemphis。Thenhecausedhertobeembalmedandburiedinasecretsepulchre，theplaceofwhichIhaveswornnevertoreveal，butwithoutanyritesbecauseshewasnotofthefaithofEgypt。
　　TherethenshesleepsinhereternalhouseuntiltheDayofResurrection，andwithhersleepsherlittleson。
　　ItwaswithinamoonofthisfuneralthatthegreatonesofEgyptcametoMemphistonamethePrinceasPharaoh，andwiththemcameherHighness，theQueenUserti。Iwaspresentattheceremony，whichtomewasverystrange。TherewastheVizierNehesi；therewasthehigh-
　　priestRoiandwithhimmanyotherpriests；andtherewaseventheoldchamberlainPambasa，pompousyetgrovellingasbefore，althoughhehaddesertedthehouseholdofthePrinceafterhisdisinheritanceforthatofthePharaohAmenmeses。Hisappearancewithhiswandofofficeandlongwhitebeard，ofwhichhewassoproudbecauseitwashisown，drewfromSetitheonlylaughIhadheardhimutterformanyweeks。
　　“Soyouarebackagain，ChamberlainPambasa，“hesaid。
　　“OmostHoly，OmostRoyal，“answeredtheoldknave，“hasPambasa，thegrainofdustbeneathyourfeet，everdesertedtheHouseofPharaoh，orthatofhimwhowillbePharaoh？“
　　“No，“repliedSeti，“itisonlywhenyouthinkthathewillnotbePharaohthatyoudesert。Well，getyoutoyourduties，rogue，whoperhapsatbottomareashonestastherest。“
　　ThenfollowedthegreatandancientceremonyoftheOfferingoftheCrown，inwhichspokepriestsdisguisedasgodsandotherpriestsdisguisedasmightyPharaohsofthepast；alsothenoblesoftheNomesandthechiefmenofcities。WhenallhadfinishedSetianswered：
　　“Itakethis，myheritage，“andhetouchedthedoublecrown，“notbecauseIdesireitbutbecauseitismyduty，asIsworethatIwouldtoonewhohasdeparted。BlowuponblowhavesmittenEgyptwhich，I
　　think，hadmyvoicebeenlistenedto，wouldneverhavefallen。Egyptliesbleedingandwell-nighdead。Letitbeyourworkandminetotrytonurseherbacktolife。FornolongwhileamIwithyou，whoalsohavebeensmitten，howitmattersnot，yetwhileIamhere，IwhoseemtoreignwillbeyourservantandthatofEgypt。Itismydecreethatnofeastsorceremonialsshallmarkthismyaccession，andthatthewealthwhichwouldhavebeenscattereduponthemshallbedistributedamongthewidowsandchildrenofthosewhoperishedintheSeaofReeds。Depart!“
　　Theywent，humbleyethappy，sinceherewasaPharaohwhoknewtheneedsofEgypt，onetoowholovedherandwhoalonehadshownhimselfwiseofheartwhileotherswerefilledwithmadness。ThenherHighnessentered，splendidlyapparelled，crownedandfollowedbyherhousehold，andmadeobeisance。
　　“GreetingtoPharaoh，“shecried。
　　“GreetingtotheRoyalPrincessofEgypt，“heanswered。
　　“Nay，Pharaoh，theQueenofEgypt。“
　　BySeti’ssidetherewasanotherthrone，thatinwhichhehadsetdeadMerapiwithacrownuponherhead。Heturnedandlookedatitawhile。
　　Then，hesaid：
　　“Iseethatthisseatisempty。LettheQueenofEgypttakeherplacethereifsoshewills。“
　　Shestaredathimasifshethoughtthathewasmad，thoughdoubtlessshehadheardsomethingofthatstory，thensweptupthestepsandsatherselfdownintheroyalchair。
　　“YourMajestyhasbeenlongabsent，“saidSeti。
　　“Yes，“sheanswered，“butasmyMajestypromisedshewoulddo，shehasreturnedtoherlawfulplaceatthesideofPharaoh——nevertoleaveitmore。“
　　“PharaohthanksherMajesty，“saidSeti，bowinglow。
　　Somesixyearshadgoneby，whenonenightIwasseatedwiththePharaohSetiMeneptahinhispalaceatMemphis，fortherehealwayschosetodwellwhenmattersofStateallowed。