n gate by her desire, and there they spoke to each other
without opening it. He was an old friend of her father's, and since the
death of the Mukaukas, had been her guardian; he now agreed to stand as
her Kyrios, and as such he ratified her will and the signature, though
she would not allow him to read the document.

Finally she went to the slaves quarters, from whence a few more
sufferers had been removed to the Necropolis, and desired her boatman to
get the holiday barge in readiness early in the morning, as she purposed
seeing the ceremonial from the river. She gave particular orders to the
gardener as to how it was to be decorated, and what flowers he was to
cut for her personal adornment.

She went to bed far less excited than she had been the night before,
and before she had ended her evening prayer, slumber overtook her weary
brain.

When she awoke at sunrise, the large and splendid boat, which her father
had had built at great cost in Alexandria, was manned and ready to put
out. No one interfered to prevent her embarking with Anubis and a few
female servants, for all the guards who had surrounded the house till
yesterday had been withdrawn to do duty at the great ceremonial of
the marriage and sacrifice, since a popular tumult was not unlikely to
arise.

CHAPTER XXV.

A great number of persons had collected during the night on the quay
near Nesptah's inn. The crowd was increasing every minute, and in spite
of the intense heat, not a Memphite could bear to stop within doors,
Men, women and children were flocking to the scene of the festival; they
came in thousands from the neighboring towns, hamlets and villages,
to witness the unprecedented sacrifice which was to put an end to
the misery of the land. Who had ever heard of such a marriage? What a
privilege, what a happiness, to be so fortunate as to see it!

The senate had not been idle and had done all in their power to surround
it with magnificence and to enable as many as possible to enjoy
the pageant, which had been planned with a lavish hand and liberal
munificence.

Round the cove by Nesptah's inn a semi-circular wooden stand had been
constructed, on which thousands found seats or standing-room. Stalls
furnished with hangings were erected in the middle of the tribune for
the authorities and their families as well as for the leading Arab
officials, and arm-chairs were placed in them for the Vekeel, for the
Kadi, for the head of the senate, for