his arm about Io, who
stood beside him and whispered exultantly or irreverently concerning
the vigilance of the cup-bearer and the murket.

"And," he continued oracularly, "there will be a third attending us
when we return, if thou hast been coy with the gentle Seti during his
long absence."

"Nay, I have sent him messages faithfully and in no little point have I
failed him in constancy. But I can not see why he should love me, who
am to the court-ladies as a thrush to peafowls. He writes me such
praise of Ta-user."

"Now, Io! Art thou so little versed in the ways of men that thou dost
wonder why we love or how we love or whom we love? The very fact that
thou art different from Seti's surroundings is like to make him love
thee best."

"I am not jealous; only he hath so much to tell of Ta-user."

"Aye, since she is like to become his sister, it is not strange. But
what says he of her?"

Io thrust her hand into the mist of gauzes over her bosom and with a
soft flush on her cheeks drew forth a small, flattened roll of linen.
Kenkenes made a place for her on his chair and drew her down beside
him. Together the pair undid the scroll and Kenkenes, following the
tiny pink finger, came upon these words:

"Ah, thou shouldst see her, my sweet. Thou knowest she was born of a
prince of Egypt and a lovely Tahennu, and the mingling of our dusky
blood with that of a fair-haired northern people, hath wrought a
marvelous beauty in Ta-user. Her hair is like copper and like copper
her eyes. There is no brownness nor any flush in her skin. It is like
thick cream, smooth, soft and cool. And when she walks, she minds me
of my grandsire's leopardess, which once did stride from shadow to
shadow in the palace with that undulatory, unearthly grace. In nature,
she is world-compelling. When first she met me, she took my face
between her palms and gazed into mine eyes. Ai! she bewitched me, then
and there. My individuality died within me--I felt an unreasoning
submission, strangely mingled with aversion. I was compelled--divorced
from mine own forces, which vaguely protested from afar. . . . And
yet, thou shouldst see her meet Rameses. He makes me marvel. He
knows--she knows--aye, all Egypt knows why she hath come to court, and
yet they meet--she salutes him with bewildering grace--he inclines his
proud head with never a tremor and they pass. Or, if they tarry to
talk, it is an awesome sight to see the determined encoun