wed
obsequiously. He picked up his crumpled roll and was about to retire
when through the gloom of the falling night, some men mounted upon asses
were seen riding over the mud flats that border the Nile at this spot,
towards that bank where the ship was moored.

"The captain of my guard," said Abi, who saw the starlight gleam upon
a bronze helmet, "who brings me Pharaoh's answer. Nay, go not, bide and
hear it, Kaku, and give us your counsel on it, your true counsel."

So the astrologer stood aside and waited, till presently the captain
appeared saluting.

"What says Pharaoh, my brother?" asked the Prince.

"Lord, he says that he will receive you, though as he did not send for
you, he thinks that you can scarcely come upon any necessary errand,
as he has heard long ago of your victory over the desert-dwelling
barbarians, and does not want the offering of the salted heads of their
officers which you bring to him."

"Good," said Abi contemptuously. "The divine Pharaoh was ever a woman in
such matters, as in others. Let him be thankful that he has generals who
know how to make war and to cut off the heads of his enemies in defence
of the kingdom. We will wait upon him to-morrow."

"Lord," added the captain, "that is not all Pharaoh's message. He says
that it has been reported to him that you are accompanied by a guard of
three hundred soldiers. These soldiers he refuses to allow within the
gates. He directs that you shall appear before his Majesty attended by
five persons only."

"Indeed," answered Abi with a scornful laugh. "Does Pharaoh fear, then,
lest I should capture him and his armies and the great city with three
hundred soldiers?"

"No, Prince," answered the captain bluntly; "but I think he fears lest
you should kill him and declare yourself Pharaoh as next in blood."

"Ah!" said Abi, "as next of blood. Then I suppose that there are still
no children at the Court?"

"None, O Prince. I saw Ahura, the royal wife, the Lady of the Two Lands,
that fairest of women, and other lesser wives and beautiful slave girls
without number, but never a one of them had an infant on her breast or
at her knee. Pharaoh remains childless."

"Ah!" said Abi again. Then he walked forward out of the pavilion whereof
the curtains were drawn back, and stood a while upon the prow of the
vessel.

By now night had fallen, and the great moon, rising from the earth as it
were, poured her flood of silver light over the desert, the mou