t these men, who after all, however evil has
been their deed, are brave and upright, will be written in all the books
of all the lands as common murderers, and go down to Osiris with that
ill name branded on their brows. Yes, and their shame will cling to the
pure hands of Pharaoh and his councillors."

Now at this picture the people murmured, and some of the noble women
there began to weep outright.

"But," proceeded Tua with her pleading voice, "how if we were to take
another course? How if we commanded this Count Rames and his companions
to journey, with an escort such as befits the Majesty of Pharaoh, to the
far city of Napata, and there to lay before the great king of that land
by writings and the mouths of witnesses, all the sad story of the death
of his only son? How if we sent letters to this Majesty of Kesh, saying,
'Thou hast heard our tale, thou knowest all our woe. Now judge. If thou
art noble-hearted and it pleases thee to acquit these men, acquit them
and we will praise thee. But if thou art wroth and stern and it pleases
thee to condemn these men, condemn them, and send them back to us for
punishment, that punishment which thou dost decree.' Is that plan good,
my people? Can his Majesty of Kesh complain if he is made judge in his
own cause? Can the kings and captains of other lands then declare that
in Egypt we work murder on our guests? Tell me, who have so little
wisdom, if this plan is good, as I dare to say to you, it seems to me."

Now with one voice the Council and all the guests, and especially the
guards themselves who were on their trial, save Rames, who still knelt
in silence before the Queen, cried out that it was very good. Yes; they
clapped their hands and shouted, vowing to each other that this young
Queen of theirs was the Spirit of Wisdom come to earth, and that her
excellent person was filled with the soul of a god.

But she frowned at their praises and, holding up her sceptre, sternly
commanded silence.

"Such is your decree, O my Council," she cried, "and the decree of all
you here present, who are the noblest of my people, and I, as I am bound
by my oath of crowning, proclaim and ratify it, I, Neter-Tua, who am
named Star and Daughter of Amen, who am named Glorious in Ra, who am
named Hathor, Strong in Beauty, who am crowned Queen of the Upper and
the Lower Land. I proclaim--write it down, O Scribes, and let it
be registered this night that the decree may stand while the world
end