"'Dare not to touch Khem's anointed Queen lest your fate be as _her_
fate. For thee, Meneptah, forget not thy marriage oath. What, am I
Queen, and shall thy wantons throw their insolence in my teeth and name
me their sister? Not so, for if my eyes be blind yet my ears are open.
Peace, she is rightly served--choose thou a lowlier mistress!'

"And Pharaoh made no answer, for he feared her with an ever-growing
fear. But she, sinking back in her seat of state, played with the gold
kepher on her breast, and watched them bear the body forth to the House
of Osiris. One by one all the company made obeisance and passed thence,
glad to be gone, till at the last there were left only Pharaoh and
Meriamun the Queen, and myself--Rei the Priest--for all were much
afraid. Then Pharaoh spoke, looking neither at her nor at me, and half
in fear, half in anger.

"'Thou hateful woman, accursed be the day when first I looked upon thy
beauty. Thou hast conquered me, but beware, for I am still Pharaoh and
thy Lord. Cross my purpose once again, and, by Him who sleeps at Philæ,
I will discrown thee and give thy body to the tormentors, and set thy
soul loose to follow her whom thou hast slain.'

"Then Meriamun answered proudly:

"'Pharaoh, be warned: lift but one finger against my majesty and thou
art doomed. Thou canst not slay me, but I can over-match thee, and I
swear by the same oath! By Him who sleeps at Philæ, lift a hand against
me, ay, harbour one thought of treachery, and thou diest. Not lightly
can I be deceived, for I have messengers that thou canst not hear.
Something, Royal Meneptah, do I know of the magic of that Queen Taia who