Part 16 (1/2)

”Indeed. Do you know anything of Neter-Tua?”

”As much as any other man knows; but what do you mean?”

”I mean that I shall be sorry for the husband who marries her against her will, however beautiful and high-placed she may be. I tell you that woman is a flame. She has more strength in her than all the magicians in Egypt, yourself among them. They say she is a daughter of Amen, and I believe it. I believe that the G.o.d dwells in her, and woe be to him whom she may chance to hate, if he comes to her as a husband.”

”That is Abi's business, is it not? Our business, Merytra, is to get him there. Now we may take it this will not be with her consent.”

”Certainly not, Kaku,” she answered. ”The gossip goes that she is in love with young Count Rames, who fought and killed the Prince of Kesh before her eyes, and now has gone to make amends to the king his father at the head of an army.”

”That may be true, Merytra. Why not? He is her foster-brother and of royal blood, bold, too, and handsome, they say. Well, queens have no business to be in love. That is the privilege of humbler folk like you and me, Merytra. Say, is she suspicious--about Prince Abi, I mean?”

”I do not know, but Asti, her nurse and favourite lady, the wife of Mermes and mother of Rames, is suspicious enough. She is a greater magician than you are, Kaku, and if she could have had her way Pharaoh would never have set foot in Memphis. But I got your letter and over-persuaded him, the poor fool. You see he thinks me faithful to his House, and that is why I am allowed to be here to-night, to collect information.”

”Ah! Well, what Asti knows the Queen will know, and she is stronger than Pharaoh, and notwithstanding all Abi's s.h.i.+ps and soldiers, may break away from Memphis and make war upon him. So it comes to this--Pharaoh must stay here, for his daughter will not desert him.”

”How will you make him stay here, Kaku? Not by----” and she glanced towards the shrouded crystal.

”Nay, no blood if it can be helped. He must not even seem to be a prisoner, it is too dangerous. But there are other ways.”

”What ways? Poison?”

”Too dangerous again. Now, if he fell sick, and he has been sick before, and could not stir, it would give us time to bring about the marriage, would it not? Oh! I know that he is well at present--for him, but look here, Merytra, I have something to show you.”

Then going to a chest Kaku took from it a plain box of cedar wood which was shaped like a mummy case, and, lifting off its lid, revealed within it a waxen figure of the length of a hand. This figure was beautifully fas.h.i.+oned to the living likeness of Pharaoh, and crowned with the double crown of Egypt.

”What is it?” asked Merytra, shrinking back. ”An _ushapti_ to be placed in his tomb?”

”No, woman, a magic Ka fas.h.i.+oned with many a spell out of yonder ancient roll, that can bring _him_ to the tomb if it be rightly used, as you shall use it.”

”I!” she exclaimed, starting. ”How?”

”Thus: You, as one of Pharaoh's favourite ladies, have charge of the chamber where he sleeps. Now you must make s.h.i.+ft to enter there alone and lay this figure in his bed, that the breath of Pharaoh may enter into it. Then take it from the bed and say these words, 'Figure, figure, I command thee by the power within thee and in the name of the Lord if Ill, that as thy limbs waste, so shall the limbs of him in whose likeness thou art fas.h.i.+oned waste also.' Having spoken thus, hold the legs of the image over the flame of a lamp until it be half melted, and convey the rest of it away to your own sleeping-place and hide it there.

So it shall come about that during that night the nerves and muscles in the legs of Pharaoh will wither and grow useless to him, and he be paralysed and unable to stir. Afterwards, if it be needful, I will tell you more.”

Now, bold though she was, Merytra grew afraid.

”I cannot do it,” she said, ”it is black sorcery against one who is a G.o.d, and will bring my soul to h.e.l.l. Find some other instrument, or place the waxen imp in the bed of Pharaoh yourself, Kaku.”

The face of the magician grew fierce and cruel.

”Come with me, Merytra,” he said, and taking her by the wrist he led her to the open window-place whence he observed the stars.

So giddy was the height at the top of this lofty tower that the houses beneath looked small and far away, and the sky quite near.

”Behold Memphis and the Nile, and the wide lands of Egypt gleaming in the moonlight, and the Pyramids of the ancient kings. You wish to rule over all these, like myself--do you not, Merytra?--and if you obey me you shall do so.”

”And if I do not obey?”