the breast. And thus, as we walked,
she sang the song of Osiris risen, the song of Hope, the song of
Victory:

"Sing we the Trinity,
Sing we the Holy Three,
Sing we, and praise we and worship the Throne,
Throne that our Lord hath set--
There peace and truth are met
There in the Halls of the Holy alone!
There in the shadowings
Faint of the folded wings,
There shall we dwell and rejoice in our rest,
We that thy servants are!
Horus drive ill afar!
Far in the folds of the dark of the West!"

Again, as her notes died away, thundered forth the chorus of all the
voices:

"Softly we tread, our measured footsteps falling
Within the Sanctuary Sevenfold;
Soft on the Dead that liveth are we calling:
'Return, Osiris, from thy Kingdom cold!
Return to them that worship thee of old!'"

The chanting ceased, and as the sun sank the High Priest raised the
statue of the living God and held it before the multitude that was now
gathered in the court of the temple. Then, with a mighty and joyful
shout of:

"_Osiris our hope! Osiris! Osiris!_"

the people tore their black wrappings from their dress, revealing the
white robes they wore beneath, and, as one man, they bowed before the
God, and the feast was ended.

But for me the ceremony was only begun, for to-night was the night of my
initiation. Leaving the inner court I bathed myself, and, clad in pure
linen, passed, as it is ordained, into an inner, but not the inmost,
sanctuary, and laid the accustomed offerings on the altar. Then,
lifting my hands to heaven, I remained for many hours in contemplation,
striving, by holy thoughts and prayer, to gather up my strength against
the mighty moment of my trial.

The hours sped slowly in the silence of the temple, till at length the
door opened and my father Amenemhat, the High Priest, came in, clad
in white, and leading by the hand the Priest of Isis. For, having been
married, he did not himself enter into the mysteries of the Holy Mother.

I rose to my feet and stood humbly before them.

"Art thou ready?" said the priest, lifting the lamp he held so that its
light fell upon my face. "O thou chosen one, art thou ready to see the
glory of the Goddess face to face?"

"I am ready," I answered.

"Behold thee," he said again, in solemn tones, "it is no small thing. If
thou wilt carry out this thy last desire, understand, royal Harmachis,
that n