CHAPTER IV
THE SUMMONING OF AMEN
The years went by and the Princess Neter-Tua, who was called MorningStar of Amen, came at length to womanhood, and went through theceremonies of Purification. In all Egypt there was no maiden so wise andspirited or so lovely. Tall and slender was her shape, blue as the seawere her eyes, rosy like the dawn were her cheeks, and when she did notwear it in a net of gold, her black and curling hair fell almost to herwaist. Also she was very learned, for priests and priestesses taught herall things that she ought to know, together with the arts of playingon the harp and of singing and dancing, while her own excellent Spirit,that Ka which Amen had given her, instructed her in a deeper wisdomwhich she gathered unconsciously in sleep and waking dreams, as theslumbering earth gathers dew at night.
Moreover, her father, the wise old Pharaoh, opened to her the craft ofstatesmanship, by help of which she might govern men and overthrow herenemies. Indeed, he did more, for when her education was finished, hejoined her with him in the government of Egypt, saying:
"I who always lacked bodily strength, grow aged and feeble. This mightycrown is too heavy for me to bear alone. Daughter, you must share itsweight."
So the young Neter-Tua became a queen, and great was the ceremony of hercoronation. The high priests and priestesses, clothed in the robesand symbols of their gods and goddesses, addressed speeches to her andblessed her in their names, giving her every good gift and promising toher eternal life. Princes and nobles made her offerings; foreign chiefsand kings bowed before her by their ambassadors. The Counts and headmenof the Two Lands swore allegiance to her, and, finally, in the presenceof all the Court, Pharaoh himself set the double crown upon her browand gave her her throne-names of "Glorious in Ra and Hathor Strong inBeauty."
So for a while Tua sat splendid on her golden seat while the peopleadored her, but in that triumphant hour her eyes searched for one faceonly, that of the tall and gallant captain, Rames, her foster-brother,and for a moment rested there content. Yes, their eyes met, those ofthe new-crowned Empress on her throne and of the youthful noble in thethrong below. Short was the greeting, for next instant she looked away,yet more full of meaning than whole days of speech.
"The Queen does not forget what the child remembered, the goddess isstill a woman," it seemed to say. And so sweet was that message thatRames staggered from the Court like one stricken by the sun.