Neter-Tua awoke. Through the pylon window-place crept the firstgrey light of dawn. Her eyes searching the gloom fell first upon thedark-robed figure of Asti sleeping in a chair, her head resting uponher hand. Then a brightness drew them to the foot of her bed, and there,clothed in a faint, white light, that seemed as though it were drawnfrom the stars and the moon, wearing the Double Crown, and arrayed inall the royal robes of Egypt, she saw--_herself_.
Now Tua knew that she dreamed, and for a long while lay still, for itpleased her, starved and wretched as she was, a prisoner in the hands ofher foes, a netted bird, to let her fancy dwell upon this splendid imageof what she had been before an evil fate, speaking with the voice ofMerytra, Lady of the Footstool, had beguiled dead Pharaoh to Memphis. Ifthings had gone well with her, she should be as that image was to-day,that image which wore her crown and robes of state, yes, and her veryjewels. Such were the changes of fortune even in the lives of princeswhose throne seemed to be set upon a rock, princes whom the god of godshad fathered. Never before in her young life had the thing come so hometo her, for until now, even through the hunger and the fear, her pridehad borne her up. But in this chilly hour that precedes the dawn, thehour when, as they say, men are wont to die, it was otherwise with her.Her end was near--she knew it and understood that between the mightiestmonarch in the world and the humblest peasant maid at the last there isno difference, save perchance a difference of the soul within.
Here she lay, a shadow, who must choose between a miserable end bythirst and hunger, or a loathsome marriage. And what availed it that shewas called Morning-Star of Amen, she the only child of Pharaoh and ofhis royal wife, and that when she was dead they would grant her a statefuneral, and inscribe her name among the lists of kings, while Abi, thefoul usurper, sat upon her throne. Here on the bed lay what she was,there at the foot of it stood what she should be if the gods had notdeserted her.
Her poor heart was filled with bitterness like a cup with vinegar,bitterness flowed through her in the place of blood. It seemed hardto die so young, she whom men named a god; to die robbed of her crown,robbed of her vengeance, and taking with her her deep, unfruitful love.Would she and Rames meet beyond the grave, she wondered? Would they wedand bear children there, who should rule as Pharaohs in the Under-world?Would Osiris redeem her mortal flesh, and Amen the Father, receive her;or would she rush down into everlasting blackness where sleep is all inall?
Oh! for one hour of strength and freedom, one short hour while at thehead of her armies she rolled down upon rebellious Memphis in her might,and trod its high walls flat, and gave its palaces to the flames,and cast its accursed prince to the jaws of crocodiles. Her sunk eyesflashed at the thought of it, and her wasted bosom heaved, and lo! theeyes of that royal queen of her dreams flashed also as though in answer,and on its breast the jewels rose as though pride or anger lifted them.
Then this marvel came to pass, for the beautiful face--could her ownever have been so beautiful?--the imperial face, bent forward a little,and from the red lips came a soft voice, her own rich voice, that said:
"Speak your will, Queen, and it shall be done. I, who stand here, amyour servant to command, O Morning-Star, O Amen's royal child."
Tua sat up in her bed and laughed at the vision.
"My will!" she said. "O Dream, why do you mock me? Let me think. What ismy will? Well, Dream, it is that of the beggar at the gate--I desire adrink of water, and a crust of bread."
"They are there," answered the figure, pointing with the crystal sceptrein her hand to the table beside the couch.
Idly enough Tua looked, and so it was! On the table stood pure waterin a silver cup, and by it cakes of bread upon a golden platter. Shestretched out her hand, for surely this fantasy was pleasant, and tookthat ghost of a silver cup, her own cup that Pharaoh had given her as achild, and brought it to her lips and drank, and lo! water pure andcold flowed down her throat, until at length even her raging thirst wassatisfied. Then she stretched out her hand again, and took the loavesof bread, and ate them hungrily till all were gone, and as she swallowedthe last of them, exclaimed in bitter shame:
"Oh! what a selfish wretch am I who have drunk and eaten all, leavingnothing for my foster-mother, Asti, who lies asleep, and dies of want asI did."
"Fear not," answered the Dream. "Look, there are more for Asti." And itwas true, for the silver cup brimmed once more with cold water, and onthe golden platter were other cakes.
Now the Dream spoke again:
"Surely," it said, "there were other wishes in your heart, OMorning-Star, than that for human sustenance?"
"Aye, O Dream, I wished for vengeance upon Abi, the traitor, Abithe murderer of my father, who would bring me to the last shame ofwomanhood. I wished for vengeance upon Abi, and all who cling to him."
The bright figure bowed, stretching out its jewelled hands, andanswered:
"I am your servant to obey. It shall be worked, O Queen, such vengeanceas you cannot dream of, vengeance poured drop by drop like poison in hisveins, the torment of disappointed love, the torment of horrible fear,the torment of power given and snatched away, the torment of a deathof shame, and the everlasting torment of the Eater-up of Souls--thisvengeance shall be worked upon Abi and all who cling to him. Was therenot another wish in your heart, O Morning-Star, O Queen divine?"
"Aye," answered Tua, "but I may not speak it all even to myself insleep."
"It shall be given to you, O Morning-Star. You shall find your lovethough far away beyond the horizon, and he shall return with you, andyou twain shall rule in the Upper and the Lower Land, and in all thelands beyond with glory such as has not been known in Egypt."
Now, at length, Tua seemed to awake. She rubbed her eyes and looked.There was the sleeping Asti; there on the table beside her were thewater and the bread; there at the foot of the couch, glimmering in thelow lights of dawn, was the glorious figure of herself draped in thesplendid robes.
"Who, and what are you?" she cried. "Are you a god or a spirit, or areyou but a mocking vision caught in the web of my madness?"
"I am none of these things, O Morning-Star, I am yourself. I am that Kawhom our father Amen gave to you at birth to dwell with you and protectyou. Do you not remember me when as a child we played together?"
"I remember," answered Tua. "You warned me of the danger of the sacredcrocodile in the Temple tank, but since then I have never seen you. Whatgives you the strength to appear in the flesh before me, O Double?"
"The magic of Asti with which she has been endowed from on high to saveyou, Neter-Tua, that gives me strength. Know that although you cannotalways see me, I am your eternal companion. Through life I go withyou, and when you die I watch in your tomb, perfect, incorruptible,preserving your wisdom, your loveliness, and all that is yours, untilthe day of resurrection. I have power, I have the secret knowledge whichdwells in you, although you cannot grasp it; I remember the Past, theinfinite, infinite Past that you forget, I foresee the Future, theendless, endless Future that is hidden from you, to which the life youknow is but as a single leaf upon the tree, but as one grain of sand inthe billions of the Desert. I look upon the faces of the gods, and heartheir whisperings; Fate gives me his book to read; I sleep secure in thepresence of the Eternal who sent me forth, and to whom at last I returnagain, my journey ended, my work fulfilled, bearing you in my holy arms.O Morning-Star, the spells of Asti have clothed me in this magic flesh,the might of Amen has set me on my feet. I am here, your servant, toobey."
Now, amazed, bewildered, Tua called out:
"Awake, Nurse, awake, for I am mad. It seems to me that a messenger fromon high, robed in my own flesh, stands before me and speaks with me."
Asti opened her eyes, and, perceiving the beautiful figure, rose and didobeisance to it, but said no word.
"Be seated," said the Ka, "and hear me, time is short. I awoke at thesummons, I came forth, I am present, I endure until the spell is takenoff me, and I return whence I came. O Interpreter, speak the will of herof whom I am,
that I may do it in my own fashion. There is food--eat anddrink, then speak."
So Asti ate and drank as Tua had done, and when she had finished andwas satisfied, behold! the cup and the platter vanished away. Next in aslow, quiet voice she spoke, saying:
"O Shadow of this royal Star, by my spells incorporate, this is ourcase: Here we starve in misery, and without the gate Abi waits the end.If the Queen lives, he will take her who hates him to be his wife; ifshe dies he will seize her throne. Our wisdom is finished. What must wedo to save this Star that it may shine serene until its appointed hourof setting?"
"Is that all you seek?" asked the Double, when she had finished.
"Nay," broke in Tua hurriedly, "I would not shine alone, I seek anotherStar to share my sky with me."
"Have you faith and will you obey?" asked the Double again. "For withoutfaith I can do nothing."
Now Asti looked at Tua who bowed her head in assent to an unspokenquestion, then she answered:
"We have faith, we will obey."
"So be it," said the Shadow. "Presently Abi will come to ask whether theQueen consents to be his wife, or whether she will bide here until shedies. I who wear the fashion of the Queen will go forth and be his wife,oh! such a wife as man never had before," and as she spoke the words anawful look swept across her face, and her deep eyes flamed. "Ill goes itwith the mortal man who weds a wraith that hates him and is commanded towork his woe," she added.
Now Asti and Tua understood and smiled, then the Queen said:
"So you will sit in my seat, O Shadow, and as your lord, Abi will sit onPharaoh's throne and find it hard. But what of Egypt and my people?"
"Fear not for Egypt and your people, O Morning Star. With these it shallgo well enough until you come back to claim them."
"And what of my companion and myself?" asked Tua.
The Double raised her sceptre, and pointed to the open window-spacebetween them, beneath which, hundreds of feet beneath, ran the milkywaters of the river.
"You shall trust yourselves to the bosom of Father Nile," she answeredsolemnly.
Now the Queen and Asti stared at each other.
"That means," said Tua, "that we must trust ourselves to Osiris, fornone can fall so far and live."
"Think you so, O Star? Where, then, is that faith you promised, withoutwhich I can do nothing? Nay, I tell no more. Do my bidding, or let mego, and deal with Abi as it pleases you. Choose now, he draws near," andas she spoke the words they heard the bronze gates of the temple clashupon their hinges.
Tua shivered at the sound, then sprang from the couch, and drew herselfto her full height, exclaiming:
"For my part I have chosen. Never shall it be said that Pharaoh'sdaughter was a coward. Better the breast of Osiris than the arms ofAbi, or slow death in a dungeon. In Amen and in thee, O Double, I put mytrust."
The Shadow looked from her to Asti, who answered briefly:
"Where my Lady goes there I follow, knowing that Mermes always waits.What shall we do?"
The Ka motioned to them to stand together in the narrow winding-place,and this they did, their arms about each other. Next she lifted hersceptre and spoke some word.
Then fire flashed before their eyes, a rush of wind beat upon theirbrows, and they knew no more.