who have never before loved. If it is given to a woman whose
heart is filled with the image of another man her passion for him only
will grow the stronger."

"Yet another," said Ani. "Is there any way of destroying an enemy at a
distance?"

"Certainly," said the witch. "Little people may do mean things, and great
people can let others do things that they cannot do themselves. My story
has stirred thy gall, and it seems to me that thou dost not love the poet
Pentaur. A smile! Well then--I have not lost sight of him, and I know he
is grown up as proud and as handsome as Assa. He is wonderfully like him,
and I could have loved him--have loved as this foolish heart had better
never have loved. It is strange! In many women, who come to me, I see how
their hearts cling to the children of men who have abandoned them, and we
women are all alike, in most things. But I will not let myself love
Assa's grandchild--I must not. I will injure him, and help everyone that
persecutes him; for though Assa is dead, the wrongs he did me live in me
so long as I live myself. Pentaur's destiny must go on its course. If
thou wilt have his life, consult with Nemu, for he hates him too, and he
will serve thee more effectually than I can with my vain spells and silly
harmless brews. Now let me go home!"

A few hours later Ameni sent to invite the Regent to breakfast.

"Do you know who the witch Hekt is?" asked Ani.

"Certainly--how should I not know? She is the singer Beki--the former
enchantress of Thebes. May I ask what her communications were?"

Ani thought it best not to confide the secret of Pentaur's birth to the
high-priest, and answered evasively. Then Ameni begged to be allowed to
give him some information about the old woman, and how she had had a hand
in the game; and he related to his hearer, with some omissions and
variations--as if it were a fact he had long known--the very story which
a few hours since he had overheard, and learned for the first time. Ani
feigned great astonishment, and agreed with the high-priest that Paaker
should not for the present be informed of his true origin.

"He is a strangely constituted man," said Ameni, "and he is not incapable
of playing us some unforeseen trick before he has done his part, if he is
told who he is."

The storm had exhausted itself, and the sky, though covered still with
torn and flying clouds, cleared by degrees, as the morning went on; a
sharp coolness succeeded the hot blast