ven as he laid down the cup, and as the Queen looked at him with eyes
of wrath, there came from the bow beside his seat a faint shrill sound,
a ringing and a singing of the bow, a noise of running strings and a
sound as of rushing arrows.

The warrior heard it, and his eyes burned with the light of battle, for
he knew well that the swift shafts should soon fly to the hearts of the
doomed. Pharaoh awoke and heard it, and heard it the Lady Meriamun the
Queen, and she looked on the Wanderer astonished, and looked on the bow
that sang.

"The minstrel's tale was true! This is none other but the Bow of
Odysseus, the sacker of cities," said Meriamun. "Hearken thou, Eperitus,
thy great bow sings aloud. How comes it that thy bow sings?"

"For this cause, Queen," said the Wanderer; "because birds gather on the
Bridge of War. Soon shall shafts be flying and ghosts go down to doom.
Summon thy Guards, I bid thee, for foes are near."

Terror conquered the drunkenness of Pharaoh; he bade the Guards who
stood behind his chair summon all their company. They went forth, and a
great hush fell again upon the Hall of Banquets and upon those who sat
at meat therein. The silence grew deadly still, like air before the
thunder, and men's hearts sank within them, and turned to water in their
breasts. Only Odysseus wondered and thought on the battle to be, though
whence the foe might come he knew not, and Meriamun sat erect in her
ivory chair and looked down the glorious hall.

Deeper grew the silence and deeper yet, and more and more the cloud of
fear gathered in the hearts of men. Then suddenly through all the hall
there was a rush like the rush of mighty wings. The deep foundations
of the Palace rocked, and to the sight of men the roof above seemed
to burst asunder, and lo! above them, against the distance of the sky,
there swept a shape of Fear, and the stars shone through its raiment.

Then the roof closed in again, and for a moment's space once more there
was silence, whilst men looked with white faces, each on each, and even
the stout heart of the Wanderer stood still.

Then suddenly all down the hall, from this place and from that, men rose
up and with one great cry fell down dead, this one across the board,
and that one across the floor. The Wanderer grasped his bow and counted.
From among those who sat at meat twenty and one had fallen dead. Yet
those who lived sat gazing emptily, for so stricken with fear were they
that scarce d