ghastly smile; but he soon recovered himself.

"You see," he said, "how you have injured me by your unworthy
suspicions; I meant to have restored your favorite to you myself
to-morrow."

"Forgive me, then, for having anticipated your plan," said Ameni, taking
his seat near the king. Hundreds of slaves hurried to and fro loaded
with costly dishes. Large vessels of richly wrought gold and silver were
brought into the hall on wheels, and set on the side-boards. Children
were perched in the shells and lotus-flowers that hung from the painted
rafters; and from between the pillars, that were hung with cloudy
transparent tissues, they threw roses and violets down on the company.
The sounds of harps and songs issued from concealed rooms, and from an
altar, six ells high, in the middle of the hall, clouds of incense were
wafted into space.

The king-one of whose titles was "Son of the Sun,"--was as radiant as
the sun himself. His children were once more around him, Mena was his
cupbearer as in former times, and all that was best and noblest in the
land was gathered round him to rejoice with him in his triumph and his
return. Opposite to him sat the ladies, and exactly in front of him,
a delight to his eyes, Bent-Anat and Nefert. His injunction to Mena to
hold the wine cup steadily seemed by no means superfluous, for his looks
constantly wandered from the king's goblet to his fair wife, from whose
lips he as yet had heard no word of welcome, whose hand he had not yet
been so happy as to touch.

All the guests were in the most joyful excitement. Rameses related the
tale of his fight at Kadesh, and the high-priest of Heliopolis observed,
"In later times the poets will sing of thy deeds."

"Their songs will not be of my achievements," exclaimed the king,
"but of the grace of the Divinity, who so miraculously rescued your
sovereign, and gave the victory to the Egyptians over an innumerable
enemy."

"Did you see the God with your own eyes? and in what form did he appear
to you?" asked Bent-Anat. "It is most extraordinary," said the king,
"but he exactly resembled the dead father of the traitor Paaker. My
preserver was of tall stature, and had a beautiful countenance; his
voice was deep and thrilling, and he swung his battle-axe as if it were
a mere plaything."

Ameni had listened eagerly to the king's words, now he bowed low before
him and said humbly: "If I were younger I myself would endeavor, as was
the custom with our fat