most of them contradictory; but one was
accurate, and confirmed by the temple servants, to the great regret of
the crowd--Bent-Anat was excluded from the Feast of the Valley.

She stood on her balcony with her brother Rameri and her friend Nefert,
and looked down on the river, and on the approaching God.

Early in the previous morning Bek-en-Chunsu, the old high-priest of the
temple of Anion had pronounced her clean, but in the evening he had
come to communicate to her the intelligence that Ameni prohibited her
entering the Necropolis before she had obtained the forgiveness of the
Gods of the West for her offence.

While still under the ban of uncleanness she had visited the temple of
Hathor, and had defiled it by her presence; and the stern Superior
of the City of the Dead was in the right--that Bek-en-Chunsu himself
admitted--in closing the western shore against her. Bent-Anat then had
recourse to Ani; but, though he promised to mediate for her, he came
late in the evening to tell her that Ameni was inexorable. The Regent at
the same time, with every appearance of regret, advised her to avoid
an open quarrel, and not to defy Ameni's lofty severity, but to remain
absent from the festival.

Katuti at the same time sent the dwarf to Nefert, to desire her to join
her mother, in taking part in the procession, and in sacrificing in her
father's tomb; but Nefert replied that she neither could nor would leave
her royal friend and mistress.

Bent-Anat had given leave of absence to the highest members of
her household, and had prayed them to think of her at the splendid
solemnity.

When, from her balcony, she saw the mob of people and the crowd of
boats, she went back into her room, called Rameri, who was angrily
declaiming at what he called Ameni's insolence, took his hands in hers,
and said:

"We have both done wrong, brother; let us patiently submit to the
consequences of our faults, and conduct ourselves as if our father were
with us."

"He would tear the panther-skin from the haughty priest's shoulders,"
cried Rameri, "if he dared to humiliate you so in his presence;" and
tears of rage ran down his smooth cheeks as he spoke.

"Put anger aside," said Bent-Anat. "You were still quite little the last
time my father took part in this festival."

"Oh! I remember that morning well," exclaimed Rameri, "and shall never
forget it."

"So I should think," said the princess. "Do not leave us, Nefert--you
are now my sis