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Of the future I know naught; seek thou that which knows. "'Rest thou where thou art, quoth the Queen, and there it rested, awful to see. "Then once more Meriamun called upon Hataska, bidding her hear the summons where she was. "And behold the eyes of the Dead One that was upon the knee of Osiris glowed, and glowed the eyes of the Dweller in the Tomb, and of the winged Messenger who sat above.
"Then once more she called upon Hataska and there came a sound of rushing wings. And behold, on the head of the statue of Osiris sat a great bird, feathered as it were with gold. But the bird had the head of a woman, and the face was fashioned as the face of Hataska. And thus it spoke, that was the Bai: "'What wouldest thou with me, Meriamun, who am no more of thy company?
"But hers was the master-mind, and she ruled Pharaoh as she ruled all else. "For me, my lot was bettered; she talked much with me, and advanced me to great dignity, so that I was the first Master Builder in Khem, and Commander of the legion of Amen. "Now it chanced that Meriamun made a feast, where she entertained Pharaoh and Hataska sat beside him.
"Presently she lifted her own cup in turn and toyed with it, then made pretence to drink, and said softly to the King's paramour, who had pledged her: "'Pledge me in answer, Hataska, my servant, for soon, methinks, thou shalt be greater than the Queen. "Now this foolish woman read her saying wrong, and took the golden cup from the eunuch who bore it.
This way and that went the game, till she lost, and he swept the board. Then in triumph he drained the poisoned cup of wine, and cried, "Pharaoh is dead!" "Pharaoh is dead!" answered Meriamun, gazing into his eyes. "What is that look in thine eyes, Meriamun, what is that look in thine eyes?" And the King grew pale as the dead, for he had seen that look before when Meriamun slew Hataska.
And then there was a sound as the sound of wind, and from above, cleaving the darkness, descended a Tongue of Flame and rested on the brow of the dead Hataska. And the eyes of all the thousand thousand spirits turned and gazed upon the Tongue of Flame. And then dead Hataska spoke though her lips moved not, yet she spoke.
"And we looked, and behold the face of dead Hataska changed, and changed the face of the Double, the Ka that stood on one side, and the face of the great bird, the Bai, that spread his wings about the head of Osiris. And they grew beautiful, yes, most exceeding beautiful so that it cannot be told, and the beauty was that of a woman asleep.
Then lo, there hung above Hataska, as it were, the shadow of one who was watching her sleeping. And his face we saw not, O thou Wanderer, it was hidden by the visor of a golden two-horned helm, and in that helm stood fast the bronze point of a broken spear!
And the Spirit of Rei answered: "Her face is that beauty which gathered like a mask upon the face of dead Hataska, and upon the face of the Bai, and the face of the Ka, when thou spakest with the spirit of her thou hadst slain." Now Meriamun groaned aloud, for she knew that doom was on her.
And when the three globes of fire had melted into air, passing over the head of the statue of Osiris, thrice did Meriamun cry aloud: "'Hataska! Hataska! Hataska! "'By the dreadful Name I summon thee. "'I summon thee from the threshold of the Double Hall. "'I summon thee from the Gates of Judgment. "'I summon thee from the door of Doom.
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