"Come with me, O Wife of a royal hero," said Tua to Asti, who had
covered her eyes with her hand, and was leaning against the wall.
"Widow, not wife, Queen. Did you not see his spirit pass?"
Then Tua led her up more steps to the top of the pylon tower, where Asti
sank down moaning in her misery. Tua walked to the outermost edge of the
tower and stood there waiting the end. It was the moment of dawn. On
the eastern horizon the red rim of the sun arose out of the desert in
a clear sky. There upon that lofty pinnacle, clad in shining mail, and
wearing a helm shaped like the crown of Lower Egypt, Tua stood in its
glorious rays that turned her to a figure of fire set above a world of
shadow. The thousands of the people watching from the streets below, and
from boats upon the Nile, saw her, and raised a shout of wonder and of
adoration.
"The Daughter of Amen-Ra!" they cried. "Behold her clad in the glory of
the god!"
Soldiers crept up the stairs to the pylon roof and saw her also, while,
now that the fray was ended, with them came the Prince Abi.
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