It was midnight, and in their chamber of the palace of Rames, Asti andTua knelt side by side in prayer to Amen, Father of the Gods. Then,their petitions finished, Asti rose to her feet, and once again, as inthe pylon tower at Memphis, uttered the awful words that in bygone dayshad been spoken to her by the spirit of Ahura the divine in Osiris.
There was a sound as of whispering, a sound as of beating wings. Lo!in the shadow beyond the lamplight a mist gathered that brightened bydegrees and took shape, the shape of a royal woman clad in the robesand ornaments of Egypt's Queen, whose face was as the face of Neter-Tua,only prouder and more unearthly. In silence it stood before themscanning them with its glittering eyes.
"Whence come you, O Double?" asked Asti.
"From that place where your command found me, O Mistress of SecretThings, from the house of Abi at Thebes, wherein he seems to rule asPharaoh," the Form answered in its cold voice.
"How fares it with Abi and with Egypt, O Double?"
"With Abi it fares but ill; he wastes in toil and fear and longings,and knows no happy hour. But with Egypt it fares well. Never, O Ladyof Strength, was she more great than she is to-day, for in all things Ihave fulfilled the commandments that were laid upon me, and now I desireto rest in that bosom whence I came," and she pointed to Tua, who stoodand watched.
"Not yet, O Double, for there is still work for you to do, and then youshall be at peace till the day of the last Awakening. Hearken: Returnto Thebes, and tell a false tale in the ears of Abi and his councillors.Say that Rames the Egyptian, who has seized the rule of Kesh, hasdeclared himself Pharaoh of Egypt by right of race, and your husbandby the promise of him who ruled before you whom Abi did to death. Causethis Abi to gather a great army, and to march southward to make an endof Rames. But secretly whisper into the ears of the generals of thisarmy, that it is true the divine Pharaoh who is gone promised you inmarriage to Rames with your own consent, and by the command of Amen,Father of the Gods, and of your Spirit. Whisper to them that Amen iswrath with Abi because of his crime, as he will show them in due season,and that those who rebel against him shall have his love and favour. Atthe Gateway of the South, whence the Nile rushes northward between greatwalls of rock, Rames shall meet the army of Abi. With him will come herof whom you are, and I whom you must obey; also perchance another whois greater than all of us. There at the Gateway of the South your taskshall be accomplished, and you shall find the rest you seek. It issaid."
"I hear the command, and it shall be done," answered the Ka in its cold,passionless voice. "Only, Lady of the Secrets, Doer of the Will Divine,delay not, lest, outworn, I should break back like a flame to yonderbreast that is my home, slaying as I come, and leaving wreck behind me."
Then as the figure had appeared, so also it disappeared, growing faintby degrees, and vanishing away into the night out of which it came.