oman who led three asses laden with green barley and vegetables,
which she purposed to sell in the market-place, fell into talk with
them, asking them whence they came.

Asti answered, from the city of Meroe, adding that they were singers and
dealers in pearls.

"Then you have come to the right place," answered the woman, "for pearls
are rare at Napata, which is so far from the sea; also it is said that
the young King loves singing if it be good."

"The young King?" asked Asti. "What is his name, and where is the old
king?"

"You cannot have dwelt long in Meroe, Strangers," answered the woman
suspiciously, "or you would know that the old King dwells with Osiris
beneath yonder pyramid, where the general of the Pharaoh of Egypt,
he who rules here now, buried him after the great battle. Oh! it is a
strange story, and I do not know the rights of it who sell my stuff and
take little heed of such things. But at the last high Nile before one
this general came with three thousand soldiers of Egypt, and the body
of the Prince of Kesh, whom it seems he had slain somewhere, it is said
because both of them sought the favour of the Queen of Egypt. As they
tell, this was the command of that Queen--that he should submit himself
to the King of Napata to be judged for his crime. This he did, and the
King in his fury commanded that he should be hanged from the mast of the
sacred boat of Amen. The general answered that he was ready to be hanged
if the King could hang him. Then there was a war between the people of
Napata and the Egyptians, aided by many of the soldiers of the city who
hated their master and rebelled against his rule, which was ever cruel.
The end of it was that the Egyptians and the rebels won, and the King
having fallen in the fight, they crowned the Egyptian general in his
place.

"His name?--Oh, I forget it, he has so many, but he is a goodly man to
look at, and all love him although he is mad. See, the gates are open at
last. Farewell," and dragging her asses by the halter, the peasant woman
mingled with the crowd and was gone.

Tua and Asti also mingled with the crowd, and rode on up a wide street
till they came to a square planted round with trees, on one side of
which was built a splendid palace. Here they halted their camels, not
knowing whither they should go, and as they stood irresolute the gates
of the palace opened and through them came a body of horsemen clad in
armour.

"See the writing on their sh