“WhosowouldenterintothecourtandlookupontheHolyHathorlethimdrawnigh。Knowyethis，allmen，theHathoristohimwhocanwinher。Butifhepassnot，thenshallhedieandbeburiedwithinthetemple，norshallheeverlookuponthesunagain。Ofthisyearewarned。SincetheHathorcameagaintoKhem，ofmensevenhundredandthreehavegonetowinher，andofbodiessevenhundredandtwoliewithinthevaults，forofallthesemenPharaohMeneptahalonehathgonebackliving。Yetthereisplaceformore！Enter，yewhowouldlookupontheHathor！“
Nowtherearoseamightywailingfromthewomen。Theyclungmadlyaboutthenecksofthosewhoweredeartothem，andsomeclungnotinvain。Fortheheartsofmanyfailedthematthelast，andtheyshrankfromenteringin。ButafewofthosewhohadalreadylookedupontheHathorfromafar，perchanceascoreinall，struckthewomenfromthemandrusheduptothegates。
“Surelythouwiltnotenterin？“quothRei，clingingtothearmoftheWanderer。“Oh，turnthybackondeathandcomebackwithme。Ipraytheeturn。“
“Nay，“saidtheWanderer，“Iwillgoin。“
ThenReithePriestthrewdustuponhishead，weptaloud，andturnedandfled，neverstoppingtillhecametothePalace，wheresatMeriamuntheQueen。
Nowthepriestunbarredawicketinthegatesofbronze，andonebyonethosewhowerestrickenofthemadnessenteredin。ForallofthesehadseentheHathormanytimesfromafarwithoutthewall，andnowtheycouldnomorewithstandtheirlonging。Andastheyenteredtwootherprieststookthembythehandandboundtheireyeswithcloths，sothatunlesstheywilledittheymightnotseethegloryoftheHathor，butonlyhearthesweetnessofhervoice。Buttwotherewerewhowouldnotbeblindfolded，andoftheseonewasthatmanwhosewifehadfaintedbytheway，andtheotherwasamansightlessfromhisyouth。ForalthoughhemightnotseethebeautyoftheGoddess，thismanwasmademadbythesweetnessofhervoice。Now，whenallhadenteredin，savetheWanderer，therewasastirinthecrowd，andamanrushedup。Hewastravel-stained，hehadablackbeard，blackeyes，andanosehookedlikeavulture’sbeak。
“Hold！“hecried。“Hold！Shutnotthegates！NightanddayhaveI
journeyedfromthehostoftheApurawhoflyintothewilderness。
NightanddayhaveIjourneyed，leavingwifeandflocksandchildrenandthePromiseoftheLand，thatImayoncemorelookuponthebeautyoftheHathor。Shutnotthegates！“
“Passin，“saidthepriest，“passin，soshallweberidofoneofthosewhomKhemnurtureduptorobher。“
Heentered；then，asthepriestwasabouttobarthewicket，theWandererstrodeforward，andhisgoldenarmourclashedbeneaththeportal。
“Wouldstthouindeedentertothydoom，thoumightylord？“askedthepriest，forheknewhimwellagain。
“Ay，Ienter；butperchancenottomydoom，“answeredtheWanderer。
Thenhepassedinandthebrazengatewasshutbehindhim。
Nowthetwopriestscameforwardtobindhiseyes，butthishewouldnotendure。
“Notso，“hesaid；“Iamcomeheretoseewhatmaybeseen。“
“Goto，thoumadman，goto！anddiethedeath，“theyanswered，andledallthementothecentreofthecourtyardwhencetheymightseethepylontop。Thenthepriestsalsocovereduptheireyesandcastthemselvesatlengthupontheground；soforawhiletheylay，andallwassilencewithinandwithoutthecourt，fortheywaitedthecomingoftheHathor。TheWandererglancedthroughthebarsofbronzeatthemultitudegatheredthere。Silenttheystoodwithupturnedeyes，eventhewomenhadceasedfromweepingandstoodinsilence。Helookedatthosebesidehim。Theirbandagedfaceswereliftedandtheystaredtowardsthepylontopasthoughtheirvisionpiercedthecloths。Theblindman，too，staredupward，andhispalelipsmoved，butnosoundcamefromthem。Nowatthefootofthepylonlayalittlerimofshadow。Thinnerandthinneritgrewasthemomentscreptontowardstheperfectnoon。Nowtherewasbutaline，andnowthelinewasgone，forthesun’sreddiscburnedhighintheblueheavenstraightabovethepylonbrow。Thensuddenlyandfromafartherecameafaintsweetsoundofsinging，andatthefirstnoteofthesoundagreatsighwentupthroughthequietair，fromallthemultitudewithout。ThosewhowereneartheWanderersighedalso，andtheirlipsandfingerstwitched，andhehimselfsighed，thoughheknewnotwhy。
Nearercamethesweetsoundofsinging，andstrongeritswelled，tillpresentlythosewithoutthetemplegatewhowereonhighergroundcaughtsightofherwhosang。Thenahoarseroarwentupfromeverythroat，andmadnesstookthem。Ontheyrushed，dashingthemselvesagainstthegatesofbronzeandthesteepwallsoneitherside，andbeatuponthemmadlywiththeirfistsandbrows，andclimbedoneachother’sshoulders，gnawingatthebarswiththeirteeth，cryingtobeletin。Butthewomenthrewtheirarmsaboutthemandscreamedcursesonherwhosebeautybroughtallmentomadness。
Soitwentforawhile，tillpresentlytheWandererlookedup，andlo！
uponthepylon’sbrowstoodthewoman’sself，andathercomingallwereoncemoresilent。Shewastallandstraight，cladinclingingwhite，butonherbreastthereglowedablood-redrubystone，fashionedlikeastar，andfromitfellreddropsthatstainedforonemomentthewhitenessofherrobes，andthentherobewaswhiteagain。
Hergoldenhairwastossedthiswayandthat，andshoneinthesunlight，herarmsandneckwerebare，andsheheldonehandbeforehereyesasthoughtohidethebrightnessofherbeauty。For，indeed，shecouldnotbecalledbeautifulbutBeautyitself。
Andtheywhohadnotlovedsawinherthatfirstlovewhomnomanhaseverwon，andtheywhohadlovedsawthatfirstlovewhomeverymanhaslost。Andallaboutherrolledaglory——likethegloryofthedyingday。Sweetlyshesangasongofpromise，andhervoicewasthevoiceofeachman’sdesire，andtheheartoftheWandererthrilledinanswertoitasthrillsaharpsmittenbyacunninghand；andthusshesang:
Whomhastthoulongedformost，Trueloveofmine？
Whomhastthoulovedandlost？
Lo，sheisthine！
ShethatanotherwedBreaksfromhervow；
ShethathathlongbeendeadWakesfortheenow。
Dreamshauntthehaplessbed，Ghostshauntthenight，Lifecrownsherlivinghead，LoveandDelight。
Nay，notadreamnorghost，Nay，butDivine，ShethatwaslovedandlostWaitstobethine！
Sheceased，andamoanofdesirewentupfromallwhoheard。
ThentheWanderersawthatthosebesidehimtoreatthebandagesabouttheirbrowsandrentthemloose。Onlythepriestswholayuponthegroundstirrednot，thoughtheyalsomoaned。
Andnowagainshesang，stillholdingherhandbeforeherface:
Yethatseekme，yethatsueme，Yethatflockbeneathmytower，Yewouldwinme，wouldundome，Imustperishinanhour，DeadbeforetheLovethatslewme，claspedtheBrideandcrushedtheflower。
Hearthewordandmarkthewarning，Beautylivesbutinyoursight，Beautyfadesfromallmen’sscorningInthewatchesofthenight，Beautywanesbeforethemorning，andLovediesinhisdelight。
Sheceased，andoncemoretherewassilence。Thensuddenlyshebentforwardacrossthepylonbrowsofarthatitseemedthatshemustfall，andstretchingoutherarmsasthoughtoclaspthosebeneath，showedallthegloryofherloveliness。
TheWandererlooked，thendroppedhiseyesasonewhohasseenthebrightnessofthenoondaysun。Inthedarknessofhismindtheworldwaslost，andhecouldthinkofnaughtsavetheclamourofthepeople，whichfrettedhisears。Theywereallcrying，andnonewerelistening。
“See！see！“shoutedone。“Lookatherhair；itisdarkastheraven’swing，andhereyes——theyaredarkasnight。Oh，mylove！mylove！“
“See！see！“criedanother，“wereeverskiessoblueasthoseeyesofhers，waseverfoamsowhiteasthosewhitearms？“
“EvensoshelookedwhomonceIwedmanysummersgone，“murmuredathird，“evensowhenfirstIdrewherveil。Herswasthatgentlesmilebreakinglikeripplesonthewater，hersthatcurlinghair，hersthatchild-likegrace。“
“Waseverwomansoqueenlymade？“saidafourth。“Looknowonthebrowofpride，lookonthedeep，darkeyesofstorm，thearchedlips，andtheimperialair。Ah，hereindeedisaGoddessmeetforworship。“
“NotsoIseeher，“criedafifth，thatmanwhohadcomefromthehostoftheApura。“Palesheisandfair，tallindeed，butdelicatelyshaped，brownisherhair，andbrownarehergreateyesliketheeyesofastag，andah，sadlyshelooksuponme，lookingformylove。“
“Myeyesareopened，“screamedtheblindmanattheWanderer’sside。
“Myeyesareopened，andIseethepylontowerandthesplendidsun。
Lovehathtouchedmeontheeyesandtheyareopened。Butlo！notoneshapehathshebutmanyshapes。Oh，sheisBeauty’sself，andnotonguemaytellherglory。Letmedie！letmedie，formyeyesareopened。IhavelookedonBeauty’sself！Iknowwhatalltheworldjourneysontoseek，andwhywedieandwhatwegotofindindeath。“
