"And she rose, and standing full in the light of the lamps, the Royal
uraeus on her brow, she mocked him, bidding him come do homage to her
who had won his crown, and stretching forth her small hand for him to
kiss it. And so wondrous was her beauty that the divine Prince of Kush
ceased to call upon the evil Gods because of his ill fortune, and stood
gazing on her.

"'By Ptah, but thou art fair,' he cried, 'and I pardon my father at last
for willing thee to be my Queen!'

"'But I will never pardon him,' said Meriamun.

"Now the Prince had drunk much wine.

"'Thou shalt be my Queen,' he said, 'and for earnest I will kiss thee.
This, at the least, being the strongest, I can do.' And ere she could
escape him, he passed his arm about her and seized her by the girdle,
and kissed her on the lips and let her go.

"Meriamun grew white as the dead. By her side there hung a dagger.
Swiftly she drew it, and swiftly struck at his heart, so that had he
not shrunk from the steel surely he had been slain; and she cried as she
struck, 'Thus, Prince, I pay thy kisses back.'

"But as it chanced, she only pierced his arm, and before she could
strike again I had seized her by the hand.

"'Thou serpent,' said the Prince, pale with rage and fear. 'I tell thee
I will kiss thee yet, whether thou wilt or not, and thou shalt pay for
this.'