Through life henceforth you
shall fly from a shadow, and if you climb a throne, it shall be such
a one as that on which I stand encircled with the perilous depths of
darkness. Thence you shall fall at last, dying by a death of shame, and
the evil gods shall seize upon you, O Traitor, and drag you to the maw
of the Eater-up of Souls, and therein you shall vanish for ever for
aye, you and all your House, and all those who cling to you. Thus saith
Neter-Tua, speaking with the voice of Amen who created her, her father
and the god of gods."
Now when the soldiers heard these dreadful words, one by one they turned
and crept down the stairs, till at last there were left upon the pylon
roof only the Queen, Asti crouching at her feet, and the monstrous Abi,
her uncle.
He looked at her, and thrice he tried to speak but failed, for the words
choked in his throat. A fourth time he tried, and they came hoarsely:
"Take off your curse, O mighty Queen," he said, "and I will let you go.
I am old, to-night all my lawful sons are dead; take off your curse,
leave me in my Government, and though I desire you more than the throne
of Egypt, O Beautiful, still I will let you go.
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