was before me. Now listen--do this one thing and all shall be well.
Go on thy path and leave me to follow mine. Queen I am, Queen I will
remain, and in all matters of the State mine must be an equal voice
though it is thine that speaks. And, for the rest, we are apart
henceforth, for thou fearest me, and Meneptah, I love not thee, nor any
man.'

"'As thou hast spoken, so be it,' quoth Pharaoh, for his heart sank, and
his fear came back upon him. 'Evil was the day when first we met, and
this is the price of my desire. Henceforth we are apart in bed and
board, but in the council we are still one, for our ends are one. I know
thy power, Meriamun, thou gifted of the evil Gods; thou needest not fear
that I shall seek to slay thee, for a spear cast against the heavens
returns on him who threw it. Rei, my servant, thou art witness to our
oaths; hear now their undoing. Meriamun, the Queen of ancient Khem, thou
art no more wife of mine. Farewell.'

"And he went heavily and stricken with fear.

"'Nay,' she said, gazing after him, 'no more am I Meneptah's wife, but
still am I Khem's dreaded Queen. Oh, thou old priest, I am aweary. See
what a lot is mine, who have all things but love, and yet am sick of
all! I longed for power, and power is mine, and what is power? It is
a rod wherewith we beat the air that straightway closes on the stroke.
Yes, I tire of my loveless days and of this dull round of common things.
Oh, for one hour of love and in that hour to die! Oh that the future
would lift its veil and disclose the face of time to be! Say, Rei! Wilt
thou be bold and dare a deed?' And she clasped me by the sleeve and
whispered in my ear, in the dead tongue known to her and me--'Her I
slew--thou sawest----'