es on a fatted ox. Moreover, here you have but a
guard of five hundred men, whereas Abi's regiments, summoned to do you
honour, and his ships of war block the river and the southern road. How
then will you leave Memphis without his good leave; how will you even
send messengers to summon aid which could not reach you under fifty
days?"

Now when she saw the greatness of the danger, Tua grew quite calm and
answered:

"You have done wrong, Asti; if you foresaw all these things of which I
never thought, you should have warned Pharaoh and his Council."

"Queen, I did warn them, and Mermes warned them also, but they would not
listen, saying that they were but the idle dreams of one who strives to
peep into the future and sees false pictures there. More, Pharaoh sent
for me himself, and whilst thanking me and Mermes my husband, told me
that he had inquired into the matter and found no cause to distrust Abi
or those under his command. Moreover, he forbade me to speak to your
Majesty about it, lest, being but young and a woman, you might be
frightened and your pleasure spoilt."

"Who was his counsellor?" asked Tua.

"A strange one, I think, Queen. You know his waiting-woman, Merytra, she
of whom he is so fond, and who stood behind him with a fan this night."

"Aye, I know her," replied Tua, with emphasis. "She was ever whispering
with that tall astrologer at the feast. But does Pharaoh take counsel
with waiting-ladies of his private household?"

"With this waiting-lady, it seems, Queen. Perhaps you have not heard all
her story, in the year before your birth Merytra came up the Nile with
Abi. She was then quite young and very pretty; one of Abi's women. It
seems that the Prince struck her for some fault, and being clever she
determined to be revenged upon him. Soon she got her chance, for she
heard Abi disclose to the astrologer Kaku, that same man whom you saw
to-night talking with her, a plan that he had made to murder Pharaoh and
declare himself king, from which Kaku dissuaded him. Having this secret
and being bold, she fled at once from the ship of Abi, and that night
told Pharaoh everything. But he forgave Abi, and sent him home again
with honour who should have slain him for his treason. Only Merytra
remained in the Court, and from that time forward Pharaoh, who trusted
her and was caught by her wit and beauty, made it a habit to send for
her when he wished to have news of Memphis where she was born, because
she see