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If thou darest, let it pass thy lips, or let us be gone. "'Nay, it shall be spoken, she said and thus she wrought. Passing to the statue she hid her head within her cloak and with both hands grasped the feet of the slain Hataska. "Seeing this I also crouched upon the floor and hid my face, for it is death to hear that Word with an uncovered face.
Now, as before, it grew and wound itself about her, and whispered in her ear, bidding her clothe herself in bridal white and clasp the Evil around her; then think upon the beauty she had seen gather on the face of dead Hataska in the Temple of Osiris, and on the face of the Bai, and the face of the Ka.
"And thus spoke the voice of Hataska in the lips of the Ka: "'What wouldest thou with me who am no more of thy company, O thou by whose hand my body did perish? Why troublest thou me? "And Meriamun made answer: 'I would this of thee, that thou shouldest declare unto me the future, even in the presence of this great company. Speak, I command thee.
"With a little nod to the Queen, and a wave of her slim hand, Hataska drank, and instantly, with a great cry, she fell dead across the board.
"Pharaoh is dead!" she shrilled in the tone of women who wail the dirges. "Pharaoh, great Pharaoh is dead! Ere a man may count a hundred thy days are numbered. Strange! but to-morrow, Meneptah, shalt thou sit where Hataska sat, dead on the knees of Death, an Osirian in the lap of the Osiris. Die, Pharaoh, die! But while thy diest, hearken. There is one I love, the Wanderer who leads thy hosts.
He bethought him of the Wanderer's beauty as he stood upon the board while the long shafts hailed down the hall. Then he recalled the vision of Meriamun, which she had told him long years ago, and the shadow in a golden helm which watched the changed Hataska. The more he thought, the more he was perplexed and lost in wonder. What did the Gods intend?
But Meriamun fell indolently back in her chair of ivory, and with a sweep of her slim hand she disordered the pieces, and bade her waiting woman, the lady Hataska, gather up the board, and carry all away. But Hataska's eyes were secretly watching the Prince. "'Greeting, Princess, our Royal sister, said Meneptah.
With a dreadful laugh it twined itself about her, and lo! it shrank to the shape of a girdling, double-headed snake of gold, with eyes of ruby flame. And as it shrank Meriamun the Queen thought on the beauty she had seen upon the face of the dead Hataska, on the face of the Bai, and the face of the Ka, and all the while she watched her beauty in the mirror.
"'Thrice mayest thou speak to me, O thou greatly daring, answered the dread Khou, 'and thrice I may make reply, and then farewell till I meet thee on the threshold of the hall whence thou hast drawn me. Look now on the face of that Hataska whom thou slewest.
I fear not, but if perchance thou fearest, Rei, depart hence and leave me to the task alone. "'Nay, I said. 'I also am instructed, and I go not. But I say to thee that this is unholy. "Then Meriamun spoke no more but lifting up her hands she held them heavenwards, and so for a while she stood, her face fixed, as was the face of dead Hataska.
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