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hunted jackal through the open gates； and on till I reached the first
great Hall of Pillars。 Here I paused and gazed around menot a sight；
not a sound； in the dim and holy place！ I went on with a beating heart
to the second great hall； the hall of six…and…thirty pillars where I
had been crowned Lord of all the Lands： still not a sight or a sound！
Thence； half fearful of my own footfall； so terribly did it echo in
the silence of the deserted Holies； I passed down the passage of the
names of the Pharaohs towards my father's chamber。 The curtain still
swung over the doorway； but what would there be within？also
emptiness？ I lifted it； and noiselessly passed in； and there in his
carven chair at the table on which his long white beard flowed； sat my
father； Amenemhat； clad in his priestly robes。 At first I thought that
he was dead； he sat so still； but at length he turned his head； and I
saw that his eyes were white and sightless。 He was blind； and his face
was thin as the face of a dead man； and woeful with age and grief。
I stood still and felt the blind eyes wandering over me。 I could not
speak to himI dared not speak to him； I would go and hide myself
afresh。
I had already turned and grasped the curtain； when my father spoke in
a deep； slow voice：
〃Come hither； thou who wast my son and art a traitor。 Come hither；
thou Harmachis； on whom Khem builded up her hope。 Not in vain； then；
have I drawn thee from far away！ Not in vain have I held my life in me
till I heard thy footfall creeping down these empty Holies； like the
footfall of a thief！〃
〃Oh！ my father；〃 I gasped； astonished。 〃Thou art blind： how knowest
thou me？〃
〃How do I know thee？and askest thou that who hast learned of our
lore？ Enough； I know thee and I brought thee hither。 Would； Harmachis；
that I knew thee not！ Would that I had been blasted of the Invisible
ere I drew thee down from the womb of Nout； to be my curse and shame；
and the last woe of Khem！〃
〃Oh； speak not thus！〃 I moaned； 〃is not my burden already more than I
can bear？ Am I not myself betrayed and utterly outcast？ Be pitiful； my
father！〃
〃Be pitiful！be pitiful to thee who hast shown so great pity？ It was
thy pity which gave up noble Sepa to die beneath the hands of the
tormentors！〃
〃Oh； not thatnot that！〃 I cried。
〃Ay； traitor； that！to die in agony； with his last poor breath
proclaiming thee； his murderer； honest and innocent！ Be pitiful to
thee； who gavest all the flower of Khem as the price of a wanton's
arms！thinkest thou that； labouring in the darksome desert mines；
those noble ones in thought are pitiful to thee； Harmachis？ Be pitiful
to thee； by whom this Holy Temple of Abouthis hath been ravaged； its
lands seized； its priests scattered； and I alone； old and withered；
left to count out its ruinto thee； who hast poured the treasures of
/Her/ into thy leman's lap； who hast forsworn Thyself； thy Country；
thy Birthright； and thy Gods！ Yea； thus am I pitiful： Accursed be
thou； fruit of my loins！Shame be thy portion； Agony thy end； and
Hell receive thee at the last！ Where art thou？ Yea； I grew blind with
weeping when I heard the truthsure； they strove to hide it from me。
Let me find thee that I may spit upon thee； thou Renegade！ thou
Apostate！ thou Outcast！〃and he rose from his seat and staggered like
a living Wrath toward me； smiting the air with his wand。 And as he
came with outstretched arms； awful to see； suddenly his end found him；
and with a cry he sank down upon the ground； the red blood streaming
from his lips。 I ran to him and lifted him； and as he died； he
babbled：
〃He was my son； a bright…eyed lovely boy； and full of promise as the
Spring； and nowand nowoh； would that he were dead！〃
Then came a pause and the breath rattled in his throat。
〃Harmachis；〃 he gasped； 〃art there？〃
〃Yea； father。〃
〃Harmachis； atone！atone！ Vengeance can still be wreakedforgiveness
may still be won。 There's gold； I've hidden itAtouashe can tell
theeah； this pain！ Farewell！〃
And he struggled faintly in my arms and was dead。
Thus； then； did I and my holy father； the Prince Amenemhat； meet
together for the last time in the flesh； and for the last time part。
CHAPTER II
OF THE LAST MISERY OF HARMACHIS； OF THE CALLING DOWN OF THE
HOLY ISIS BY THE WORD OF FEAR； OF THE PROMISE OF ISIS； OF THE
COMING OF ATOUA； AND OF THE WORDS OF ATOUA
I crouched upon the floor gazing at the dead body of my father； who
had lived to curse me； the utterly accursed； while the darkness crept
and gathered round us； till at length the dead and I were alone in the
black silence。 Oh； how tell the misery of that hour！ Imagination
cannot dream it； nor words paint it forth。 Once more in my
wretchedness I bethought me of death。 A knife was at my girdle； with
which I might cut the thread of sorrow and set my spirit free。 Free？
ay； free to fly and face the last vengeance of the Holy Gods！ Alas！
and alas！ I did not dare to die。 Better the earth with all its woes
than the quick approach of those unimagined terrors that； hovering in
dim Amenti； wait the advent of the fallen。
I grovelled on the ground and wept tears of agony for the lost
unchanging pastwept till I could weep no more； but no answer came
from the silenceno answer but the echoes of my grief。 Not a ray of
hope！ My soul wandered in a darkness more utter than that which was
about meI was forsaken of the Gods and cast out of men。 Terror took
hold upon me crouching in that lonely place hard by the majesty of the
awful Dead。 I rose to fly。 How could I fly in this gloom？And where
should I fly who had no place of refuge？ Once more I crouched down；
and the great fear grew on me till the cold sweat ran from my brow and
my soul was faint within me。 Then； in my last despair； I prayed aloud
to Isis； to whom I had not dared to pray for many days。
〃O Isis！ Holy Mother！〃 I cried； 〃put away Thy wrath； and of Thine
infinite pity； O Thou all…pitiful； hearken to the voice of the anguish
of him who was Thy son and servant； but who by sin hath fallen from
the vision of Thy love。 O throned Glory； who； being in all things；
hast of all things understanding and of all griefs knowledge； cast the
weight of Thy mercy against the scale of my evil…doing； and make the
balance equal。 Look down upon my woe； and measure it； count up the sum
of my repentance and take Thou note of the flood of sorrow that sweeps
my soul away。 O Thou Holy； whom it was given to me to look upon face
to face； by that dread hour of commune I summon Thee； I summon Thee by
the mystic word。 Come； then； in mercy； to save me； or； in anger； to
make an end of that which can no more be borne。〃
And； rising from my knees； I stretched out my arms and dared to cry
aloud the Word of Fear； to use which unworthily is death。
Swiftly the answer came。 For in the silence I heard the sound of the
shaken sistra heralding the coming of the Glory。 Then；