e."

So these great men saluted me as though I were the King of kings
himself, after which they rubbed their foreheads in the dust before Bes,
said something which I did not understand, leapt to their feet, crying
"Karoon" and sprang away into the night.

"It is good to have been a slave, Master," said Bes when they had gone,
"since it teaches one that it is even better to be a king, at least
sometimes."

Here I may add that during the days which followed Bes was often absent.
When I asked him where he had gone, he would answer, to drink in the
wisdom of the holy Tanofir by help of a certain silver vessel that the
maiden Karema held to his lips. From all of which I gathered that he was
wooing the lady who had called herself the Cup of Tanofir, and wondered
how the business went, though as he said no more I did not ask him.

Indeed I had little time to talk with Bes about such light matters,
since things moved apace in Memphis. Within six days all the great lords
left in Upper Egypt were sworn to the revolt under the leadership of
Peroa, and hour by hour their vassals or hired mercenaries flowed into
the city. These it was my duty to weld into an army, and at this task I
toiled without cease, separating them into regiments and drilling them,
also arranging for the arming and victualling of the boats of war. Then
news came that Idernes was advancing from Sais with a great force of
Easterns, all the garrison of Lower Egypt indeed, as his messengers
said, to answer the summons conveyed to him under the private Seal of
seals.

Of Amada during this time I saw little, only meeting her now and again
at the table of Peroa, or elsewhere in public. For the rest it pleased
her to keep away from me. Once or twice I tried to find her alone, only
to discover that she was engaged in the service of the goddess. Once,
too, as she left Peroa's table, I whispered into her ear that I wished
to speak with her. But she shook her head, saying,

"After the new moon, Shabaka. Then you shall speak with me as much as
you wish."

Thus it came about that never could I find opportunity to tell her of
that matter of what had happened at the court of the Great King. Still
every morning she sent me some token, flowers or trifling gifts, and
once a ring that must have belonged to her forefathers, since on its
bezel was engraved the royal _uraeus_, together with the signs of long
life and health, which ring I wore hung about my neck but not upon m