“Whatofhim？Tellme，whatofKurri？ThiswouldIaskthee，Queen，thathebelaidwhereIlie，anddiethedeathtowhichIamdoomed。“
“GladlywouldIgivetheetheboon，“sheanswered，“butthouaskesttoolate。TheFalseHathorlookeduponhim，andheslewhimself。NowI
willaway——thenightwanesandPharaohmustdreamdreamseredawn。
Faretheewell，Odysseus。Thybedishardto-night，butsoftisthecouchofkingsthatwaitsthee，“andshewentforthfromhim。
“Ay，Meriamun，“saidtheWanderer，lookingafterher。“Hardismybedto-night，andsoftisthecouchofthekingsofMenthatwaitsmeintherealmsofQueenPersephone。Butitisnotthouwhoshaltshareit。
Hardismybedto-night，hardershallthinebethroughallthenightsofdeaththataretocomewhentheErinnyesworktheirwillonfolkforsworn。“
Pharaohsleptheavilyinhisplace，forhewasweariedwithgriefandtoil。ButMeriamunpassedintothechamber，andstandingatthefootofthegoldenbed，liftedupherhandsandbyherartcalledvisionsdownonPharaoh，falsedreamsthroughtheIvoryGate。SoPharaohdreamed，andthushisvisionwent:——
Hedreamedthathesleptinhisbed，andthatthestatueofPtah，theCreator，descendedfromthepedestalbythetemplegateandcametohim，toweringoverhimlikeagiant。Thenhedreamedthatheawoke，andprostratinghimselfbeforetheGod，askedthemeaningofhiscoming。ThereontheGodspoketohim:——
“Meneptah，myson，whomIlove，hearkenuntome。TheNine-bowbarbariansoverruntheancientlandofKhem；ninenationsmarchupagainstKhemandlayitwaste。Hearkenuntome，myson，andIwillgivetheevictory。Awake，awakefromsloth，andIwillgivetheevictory。ThoushalthewdowntheNine-bowbarbariansasacountrymanhewsarottingpalm；theyshallfall，andthoushaltspoilthem。Buthearkenuntome，myson，thoushaltnotthyselfgoupagainstthem。
Lowinthydungeonthereliesamightychief，skilledinthewarfareofthebarbarians，aWandererwhohathwanderedfar。Thoushaltreleasehimfromhisbondsandsethimoverthyarmies，andofthesinthathehassinnedthoushalttakenoheed。Awake，awake，Meneptah；
withthisbowwhichIgivetheeshaltthousmitetheNine-bowbarbarians。“
ThenMeriamunlaidthebowoftheWanderer，eventheblackbowofEurytus，onthebedbesidePharaoh，andpassedthencetoherownchamber，andthedeceitfuldreamtoopassedaway。
Earlyinthemorning，awaiting-womancametotheQueensayingthatPharaohwouldspeakwithher。Shewentintotheante-chamberandfoundhimthere，andinhishandwastheblackbowofEurytus。
“Dostthouknowthisweapon？“heasked。
“Yea，Iknowit，“sheanswered；“andthoushouldstknowitalso，forsurelyitsavedusfromthefuryofthepeopleonthenightofthedeathofthefirst-born。ItisthebowoftheWanderer，wholiesintheplaceoftorment，andwaitshisdoombecauseofthewronghewouldhavewroughtuponme。“
“Ifhehathwrongedthee，yetitishewhoshallsaveKhemfromthebarbarians，“saidPharaoh。“ListennowtothedreamthatIhavedreamed，“andhetoldherallthevision。
“Itisindeedevilthathewhowouldhavewroughtsuchwickednessuponmeshouldgoforthhonoured，thefirstofthehostofPharaoh，“quothMeriamun。“YetastheGodhathspoken，soletitbe。Sendnowandbidthemloosethemanfromtheplaceoftorment，andputhisarmouronhimandbringhimbeforethee。“
SoPharaohwentout，andtheWandererwasloosedfromhisbedofstoneandclothedagaininhisgoldenharness，andcameforthglorioustosee，andstoodbeforePharaoh。Butnoarmsweregivenhim。ThenPharaohtoldhimallhisdream，andwhyhecausedhimtobereleasedfromthegripofthetormentors。TheWandererhearkenedinsilence，sayingnoword。
“Nowchoose，thouWanderer，“saidPharaoh:“chooseifthouwiltbebornebacktothebedoftorment，theretodiebeneaththehandsofthetormentors，orifthouwiltgoforthasthecaptainofmyhosttodobattlewiththeNine-bowbarbarianswhowastethelandofKhem。Itseemsthereislittlefaithinthineoaths，thereforeIasknomoreoathsfromthee。ButthisIswear，thatifthouartfalsetomytrust，Iwillyetfindmeanstobringtheebacktothatchamberwhencethouwastledbutnow。“
ThentheWandererspoke:——
“Ofthatcharge，Pharaoh，whichislaidagainstmeIwillsaynothing，thoughperchanceifIstooduponmytrialforthesinthatislaidagainstme，Imightfindwordstosay。Thouaskestnooathfromme，andnooathIswear，yetItelltheethatifthougivestmetenthousandsoldiersandahundredchariots，IwillsmitethesefoesofthinesothattheyshallcomenomoretoKhem，ay，thoughtheybeofmyownpeople，yetwillIsmitethem，andifIfail，thenmaythosewhogowithmeslaymeandsendmedowntoHades。“
Thushespoke，andashespokehesearchedthehallwithhiseyes。ForhedesiredtoseeReithePriest，andchargehimwithamessagetoHelen。Buthesoughthiminvain，forReihadfled，andwasinhidingfromtheangerofMeriamun。
ThenPharaohbadehisofficerstaketheWanderer，andsethiminachariotandbearhimtothecityofOn，wherePharaoh’shostwasgathering。Theirchargewastowatchhimnightanddaywithupliftedswords，andifhesomuchasturnedhisfacefromthefoetowardsTanis，thentheyshouldslayhim。ButwhenthehostofPharaohmarchedfromOntodobattleonthefoe，thentheyshouldgivetheWandererhisownswordandthegreatblackbow，andobeyhimineverything。Butifheturnedhisbackuponthefoe，thentheyshouldslayhim；orifthehostofPharaohweredrivenbackbythefoe，thentheyshouldslayhim。
TheWandererheard，andsmiledasawolfsmiles，butspokenoword。
ThereonthegreatofficersofPharaohtookhimandledhimforth。Theysethiminachariot，andwiththechariotwentathousandhorsemen；
andsoonMeriamun，watchingfromthewallsofTanis，sawthelonglineofdesertdustthatmarkedthepassingoftheWandererfromthecitywhichheshouldseenomore。
TheWandereralsolookedbackonTaniswithaheavyheart。There，faraway，hecouldseetheshrineofHathorgleaminglikecrystalabovethetawnyfloodofwaters。Andhemustgodowntodeath，leavingnowordforHerwhosatintheshrineanddeemedhimfaithlessandforsworn。EvilwasthelotthattheGodshadlaiduponhim，andbitterwashisguerdon。
HisthoughtsweresadenoughwhilethechariotrolledtowardsthecityofOn，wherethehostofPharaohwasgathering，andthethunderofthefeetofhorsesechoedinhisears，when，ashepondered，itchancedthathelookedup。There，onaknollofsandbeforehim，abow-shotfromthechariot，stoodacamel，andonthecamelamansatasthoughhewaitedthecomingofthehost。IdlytheWandererwonderedwhothismightbe，and，ashewondered，themanurgedthecameltowardsthechariot，and，haltingbeforeitcried“Hold！“inaloudvoice。
“Whoartthou？“criedthecaptainofthechariot，“whodarestcry’hold’tothehostofPharaoh？“
“Iamonewhohavetidingsofthebarbarians，“themanmadeanswerfromthecamel。
TheWandererlookedonhim。Hewaswondrouslittle，witheredandold；
moreover，hisskinwasblackasthoughwiththeheatofthesun，andhisclothingwasasabeggar’srags，thoughthetrappingsofthecamelwereofpurpleleatherandbossedwithsilver。AgaintheWandererlooked；heknewhimnot，andyettherewasthatinhisfacewhichseemedfamiliar。
Nowthecaptainofthechariotbadethedriverhaltthehorses，andcried，“Drawnearandtellthytidings。“
“TononewillItellmytidingssavetohimwhoshallleadthehostofPharaoh。Lethimcomedownfromthechariotandspeakwithme。“
“Thatmaynotbe，“saidthecaptain，forhewaschargedthattheWanderershouldhavespeechwithnone。
“Asthouwilt，“answeredtheagedmanuponthecamel；“gothen，gotothydoom！thouartnotthefirstwhohathturnedasideamessengerfromtheGods。“
“Iammindedtobidthesoldiersshoottheewitharrows，“criedthecaptaininanger。
“Soshallmywisdomsinkinthesandwithmyblood，andbelostwithmybreath。Shooton，thoufool。“
Nowthecaptainwasperplexed，forfromtheaspectofthemanhedeemedthathewassentbytheGods。HelookedattheWanderer，whotookbutlittleheed，orsoitseemed。Butinhiscraftyheartheknewthatthiswasthebestwaytowinspeechwiththemanuponthecamel。
Thenthecaptaintookcounselwiththecaptainofthehorsemen，andintheendtheysaidtotheWanderer:
“Descendfromthechariot，lord，andwalktwelvepacesforward，andthereholdspeechwiththeman。Butifthougoonepacefurther，thenwewillshoottheeandthemanwitharrows。“Andthishecriedoutalsotohimwhosatuponthecamel。
Thenthemanonthecameldescendedandwalkedtwelvepacesforward，andtheWandererdescendedalsofromthechariotandwalkedtwelvepacesforward，butasonewhoheedslittlewhathedoes。Nowthetwostoodfacetoface，butoutofearshotofthehost，whowatchedthemwitharrowssetuponthestrings。
“Greetings，OdysseusofIthaca，sonofLaertes，“hesaidwhowasclothedinthebeggar’sweeds。
TheWandererlookeduponhimhard，andknewhimthroughhisdisguise。
“Greeting，ReithePriest，CommanderoftheLegionofAmen，ChiefoftheTreasuryofAmen。“
