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Harmachis； and； bending herself； she made obeisance to me； and saluted
me； calling me Royal； and worthy of all honour； and beloved； and
chosen of the Holy Three； ay； and by the name of the Pharaoh！ the
Deliverer！
But I； thinking that terror had made her sick of mind； asked her of
what she would speak。
〃Is it a great thing；〃 I asked； 〃that I should slay a lion？ Is it a
matter worthy of such talk as thine？ There live； and have lived； men
who have slain many lions。 Did not the Divine Amen…hetep the Osirian
slay with his own hand more than a hundred lions？ Is it not written on
the scarab？us that hangs within my father's chamber； that he slew
lions aforetime？ And have not others done likewise？ Why then； speakest
thou thus； O foolish woman？〃
All of which I said； because； having now slain the lion； I was minded；
after the manner of youth； to hold it as a thing of no account。 But
she did not cease to make obeisance； and to call me by names that are
too high to be written。
〃O Royal One；〃 she cried； 〃wisely did thy mother prophecy。 Surely the
Holy Spirit； the Knepth； was in her； O thou conceived by a God！ See
the omen。 The lion therehe growls within the Capitol at Romeand
the dead man； he is the Ptolemythe Macedonian spawn that； like a
foreign weed； hath overgrown the land of Nile； with the Macedonian
Lagid？ thou shalt go to smite the lion of Rome。 But the Macedonian cur
shall fly； and the Roman lion shall strike him down； and thou shalt
strike down the lion； and the land of Khem shall once more be free！
free！ Keep thyself but pure； according to the commandment of the Gods；
O son of the Royal House； O hope of Khemi！ be but ware of Woman the
Destroyer； and as I have said； so shall it be。 I am poor and wretched；
yea； stricken with sorrow。 I have sinned in speaking of what should be
hid； and for my sin I have paid in the coin of that which was born of
my womb； willingly have I paid for thee。 But I have still of the
wisdom of our people； nor do the Gods； in whose eyes all are equal；
turn their countenance from the poor； the Divine Mother Isis hath
spoken to mebut last night she spakebidding me come hither to
gather herbs； and read to thee the signs that I should see。 And as I
have said； so it shall come to pass； if thou canst but endure the
weight of the great temptation。 Come hither； Royal One！〃 and she led
me to the edge of the canal； where the water was deep； and still and
blue。 〃Now gaze upon that face as the water throws it back。 Is not
that brow fitted to bear the double crown？ Do not those gentle eyes
mirror the majesty of kings？ Hath not the Ptah； the Creator； fashioned
that form to fit the Imperial garb； and awe the glance of multitudes
looking through thee to God？
〃Nay； nay！〃 she went on in another voicea shrill old wife's voice
〃I willbe not so foolish； boythe scratch of a lion is a venomous
thing； a terrible thing； yea； as bad as the bite of an aspit must be
treated； else it will fester； and all thy days thou shalt dream of
lions； ay； and snakes； and； also； it will break out in sores。 But I
know of itI know。 I am not crazed for nothing。 For mark！ everything
has its balancein madness is much wisdom； and in wisdom much
madness。 /La！ la！ la！/ Pharaoh himself can't say where the one begins
and the other ends。 Now； don't stand gazing there； looking as silly as
a cat in a crocus…coloured robe； as they say in Alexandria； but just
let me stick these green things on the place； and in six days you'll
heal up as white as a three…year…child。 Never mind the smart of it；
lad。 By Him who sleeps at Phil？； or at Abouthis； or at Abydusas our
divine masters have it nowor wherever He does sleep； which is a
thing we shall all find out before we want toby Osiris； I say；
you'll live to be as clean from scars as a sacrifice to Isis at the
new moon； if you'll but let me put it on。
〃Is it not so； good folk？〃and she turned to address some people who；
while she prophesied； had assembled unseen by me〃I've been speaking
a spell over him； just to make a way for the virtue of my medicine
/la！ la！/ there's nothing like a spell。 If you don't believe it； just
you come to me next time your wives are barren； it's better than
scraping every pillar in the Temple of Osiris； I'll warrant。 I'll make
'em bear like a twenty…year…old palm。 But then； you see； you must know
what to saythat's the pointeverything comes to a point at last。
/La！ la！/〃
Now； when I heard all this； I； Harmachis； put my hand to my head； not
knowing if I dreamed。 But presently looking up； I saw a grey…haired
man among those who were gathered together； who watched us sharply；
and afterwards I learned that this man was the spy of Ptolemy； the
very man； indeed； who had wellnigh caused me to be slain of Pharaoh
when I was in my cradle。 Then I understood why Atoua spoke so
foolishly。
〃Thine are strange spells； old wife；〃 the spy said。 〃Thou didst speak
of Pharaoh and the double crown and of the form fashioned by Ptah to
bear it； is it not so？〃
〃Yea； yeapart of the spell； thou fool； and what can one swear by
better nowadays than by the Divine Pharaoh the Piper； whom； and whose
music； may the Gods preserve to charm this happy land？what better
than by the double crown he wearsgrace to great Alexander of
Macedonia？ By the way； you know about everything： have they got back
his chlamys yet； which Mithridates took to Cos？ Pompey wore it last；
didn't he？in his triumph； toojust fancy Pompey in the cloak of
Alexander！a puppy…dog in a lion's skin！ And talking of lionslook
what this lad hath doneslain a lion with his own spear； and right
glad you village folks should be to see it； for it was a very fierce
lionjust see his teeth and his clawshis claws！they are enough to
make a poor silly old woman like me shriek to look at them！ And the
body there； the dead bodythe lion slew it。 Alack！ he's an Osiris＇*＇
now； the bodyand to think of it； but an hour ago he was an everyday
mortal like you or me！ Well； away with him to the embalmers。 He'll
soon swell in the sun and burst； and that will save them the trouble
of cutting him open。 Not that they will spend a talent of silver over
him anyway。 Seventy days in natronthat's all he's likely to get。
/La！ la！/ how my tongue does run； and it's getting dark。 Come； aren't
you going to take away the body of that poor lad； and the lion； too？
There； my boy； you keep those herbs on； and you'll never feel your
scratches。 I know a thing or two for all I'm crazy； and you； my own
grandson！ Dear； dear； I'm glad his Holiness the High Priest adopted
you when PharaohOsiris bless his holy namemade an end of his son；
you look so bonny。 I warrant the real Harmachis could not have killed
a lion like that。 Give me the common blood； I sayit's so lusty。〃
＇*＇ The soul when it has been absorbed in the Godhead。Editor。
〃You know too much and talk too fast；〃 grumbled the spy； now quite
deceived。 〃Well； he is a brave youth。 Here； you men； bear this body