anofir, the hermit and magician.

"Great things happen yonder, Shabaka. So great that I have come from my
sepulchre to see, or rather, being blind, to listen, who thrice in my
life days have known the like before," and he pointed to the glittering
throng in the court within. "Yes," he went on, "I have seen Pharaohs
crowned and Pharaohs die--one of them at the hand of a conqueror. What
will happen to this Pharaoh, think you, Shabaka?"

"You should be better able to answer that question than I, who am no
prophet, my Uncle."

"How, my Nephew, seeing that your dwarf has borne away my magic Cup? I
do not grudge her to him for he is a brave dwarf and clever, who may yet
prove a good prop to you, as he has done before, and to Egypt also. But
she has gone and the new vessel is not yet shaped to my liking. So how
can I answer?"

"Out of the store of wisdom gathered in your breast."

"So! my Nephew. Well, my store of wisdom tells me that feasts are
sometimes followed by want and rejoicings by sorrow and victories by
defeat, and splendid sins by repentance and slow climbing back to good
again. Also that you will soon take a long journey. Where is the Royal
Lady Amada? I did not hear her step among those who passed in to the
Crowning. But even my hearing has grown somewhat weak of late, except in
the silence of the night, Shabaka."

"I do not know, my Uncle, who have only been in Memphis one hour. But
what do you mean? Doubtless she prepares herself for the feast where I
shall meet her."

"Doubtless. Tell me, what passes at the temple of Isis? As I crept past
the pylon feeling my way with my beggar's staff, I thought--but how
can you know who have only been in Memphis an hour? Yet surely I heard
voices just now calling out that you, Shabaka, should be named as the
next successor to the throne of Egypt. Was it so?"

"Yes, holy Tanofir. That is why I have left who was vexed and am sworn
to seek no such honour, which indeed I do not desire."

"Just so, Nephew. Yet gifts have a way of coming to those who do not
desire them and the last vision that I saw before my Cup left me, or
rather that she saw, was of you wearing the Double Crown. She said that
you looked very well in it, Shabaka. But now begone, for hark, here
comes the procession with the new-anointed Pharaoh whose royal robe you
won for him yonder in the pass, when you smote down Idernes and held his
legions. Oh! it was well done and my new Cup, though faulty, was goo