Egypt, that great things hang upon this
matter here in the Land of Egypt, mayhap even who shall sit upon the
throne that thou givest to its kings. This woman of Israel dares thee to
thy face, saying that there is a greater god than thou art and that
thou canst not harm her through the buckler of his strength. She says,
moreover, that she will call upon her god to work a sign and a wonder
upon thee. Lastly, she says that if thou dost not harm her and if her
god works no sign upon thee, then she is ready to be handed over to thy
priests and die the death of a blasphemer. Thy honour is set against her
life, O great God of Egypt, and we, thy worshippers, watch to see the
balance turn."

"Well and justly put," muttered Bakenkhonsu to me. "Now if Amon fails
us, what will you think of Amon, Ana?"

"I shall learn the high-priest's mind and think what the high-priest
thinks," I answered darkly, though in my heart I was terribly afraid
for Merapi, and, to speak truth, for myself also, because of the doubts
which arose in me and would not be quenched.

Seti withdrew, taking his stand by Userti, and Ki stood forward and
said:

"O Amon, I thy Sacrificer, I thy Magician, to whom thou givest power,
I the priest and servant of Isis, Mother of Mysteries, Queen of the
company of the gods, call upon thee. She who stands before thee is but a
Hebrew woman. Yet, as thou knowest well, O Father, in this house she is
more than woman, inasmuch as she is the Voice and Sword of thine enemy,
Jahveh, god of the Israelites. She thinks, mayhap, that she has come
here of her own will, but thou knowest, Father Amon, as I know, that she
is sent by the great prophets of her people, those magicians who guide
her soul with spells to work thee evil and to set thee, Amon, beneath
the heel of Jahveh. The stake seems small, the life of this one maid, no
more; yet it is very great. This is the stake, O Father: Shall Amon rule
the world, or Jahveh. If thou fallest to-night, thou fallest for ever;
if thou dost triumph to-night, thou dost triumph for ever. In yonder
shape of stone hides thy spirit; in yonder shape of woman's flesh hides
the spirit of thy foe. Smite her, O Amon, smite her to small dust; let
not the strength that is in her prevail against thy strength, lest thy
name should be defiled and sorrows and loss should come upon the land
which is thy throne; lest, too, the wizards of the Israelites should
overcome us thy servants. Thus prayeth Ki thy mag