At
length, however, he made her sit by him still holding his hand, and
asked her why in the name of Amen she had sent that handsome young
firebrand, Rames, in command of the expedition to Kesh. Then she
answered very sweetly that she would tell him. And tell him she did, at
such length that before she had finished, Pharaoh, whose strength as yet
was small, had fallen into a doze.
"Now, you understand," she said as he woke up with a start. "The
responsibility was thrust upon me, and I had to act as I thought best.
To have slain this young Rames would have been impossible, for all
hearts were with him."
"But surely, Daughter, you might have got him out of the way."
"My father, that is what I have done. I have sent him to Napata, which
is very much out of the way--many months' journey, I am told."
"But what will happen, Tua? Either the King of Kesh will kill him and
my two thousand soldiers, or perhaps he will kill the King of Kesh as he
killed his son, and seize the throne which his own forefathers held for
generations.
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