“WomenofTanis，hearme，theQueen。Leteachsearchthefaceofeach，andiftherebeanymanamongyourmultitude，lethimbedraggedforthandtornlimbfromlimb，forinthismatternomanmayhearourcounsels，lestfollowinghismadnesshebetraythem。“
Noweverywomanlookeduponherneighbour，andshewhowasnexttoReilookedharduponhimsothathetrembledforhislife。Buthecrouchedintotheshadowandstaredbackonherboldlyasthoughhedoubtedifshewereindeedawoman，andsaidnoword。Whenallhadlooked，andnomanhadbeenfound，Meriamunspokeagain。
“Hearken，womenofTanis，hearkentoyoursisterandyourQueen。WoeuponwoeisfallenontheheadofKhem。Plagueuponplaguehathsmittentheancientland。Ourfirst-bornaredead，ourslaveshavespoiledusandfledaway，ourhostshavebeenswallowedintheSeaofWeeds，andbarbariansswarmalongourshoreslikelocusts。Isitnotso，womenofTanis？“
“Itisso，OQueen，“theyanswered，aswithonevoice。
“AstrangeevilhathfallenontheheadofKhem。AfalseGoddessiscometodwellwithintheland；hersorceriesaregreatintheland。
Monthbymonthmengouptolookuponherdeadlybeauty，andmonthbymonththeyareslainofhersorceries。Shetakesthehusbandfromhismarriagebed；shedrawstheloverfromherwhowaitstobeabride；
theslavefliestoherfromthehouseholdofhislord；thepriestsflocktoherfromthealtarsoftheGods——ay，theverypriestsofIsisflockforswornfromthealtarsofIsis。Alllookuponherwitch-
beauty，andtoeachsheshowsanalteredloveliness，andtoallshegivesoneguerdon——Death！Isitnotso，womenofTanis？“
“Alas！alas！itisso，OQueen，“answeredthewomenaswithonevoice。
“WoesarefallenonyouandKhem，mysisters，butonmemostofallarewoesfallen。Mypeoplehavebeenslain，myland——thelandIlove——
hasbeenlaidwastewithplagues；mychild，theonlyone，isdeadinthegreatdeath；handshavebeenlaidonme，theQueenofKhem。Thinkonit，yewhoarewomen！Myslavesarefled，myarmieshavebeenswallowedinthesea；andlast，Omysisters，myconsort，mybelovedlord，mightyPharaoh，sonofgreatRamesesMiamun，hathbeentakenfromme！Look！look！yewhoarewives，lookonhimwhowasyourKingandmymostbelovedlord。Therehesits，andallmytearsandallmyprayersmaynotsummononesingleansweringsighfromthatstilledheart。Thecursehathfallenonhimalso。Hetoohathbeensmittensilentlywitheverlastingsilence。Look！look！yewhoarewives，andweepwithme，yewhoareleftwidowed。“
Nowthewomenlooked，andagreatgroanwentupfromallthatmultitude，whileMeriamunhidherfacewiththehollowofherhand。
Thenagainshespoke。
“IhavebesoughttheGods，mysisters；IhavedaredtocalldownthemajestyoftheGods，whospeakthroughthelipsofthedead，andI
havelearntwhencethesewoescome。AndthisIhavewonbymyprayers，thatyewhosufferasIsuffershalllearnwhencetheycome，notfrommymortallips，indeed，butfromthelipsofthedeadthatspeakwiththevoiceoftheGods。“
Then，whilethewomentrembled，sheturnedtothebodyofPharaoh，whichwassetuponthekneesofOsiris，andspoketoit。
“DeadPharaoh！greatOsirian，rulingintheUnderworld，hearkentomenow！Hearkentomenow，thouOsiris，LordoftheWest，firstofthehostsofDeath。Hearkentome，Osiris，andbemanifestthroughthelipsofhimwhowasgreatonearth。Speakthroughhiscoldlips，speakwithmortalaccents，thatthesepeoplemayhearandunderstand。Bythespiritthatisinme，whoamyetadwellerontheearth，Ichargetheespeak。WhoisthesourceofthewoesofKhem？Say，Lordofthedead，whoarethelivingevermore？“
Nowtheflameonthealtardiedaway，anddreadfulsilencefellupontheTemple，gloomfellupontheShrine，andthroughthegloomthegoldencrownofMeriamun，andthecoldstatueoftheOsiris，andthewhitefaceofdeadMeneptahgleamedfaintandghost-like。
Thensuddenlytheflameofthealtarflaredasflaresthesummerlightning。Itflaredfullonthefaceofthedead，andlo！thelipsofthedeadmoved，andfromthemcamethesoundofmortalspeech。Theyspakeinawfulaccents，andthustheyspoke:
“/ShewhowasthecurseofAch？ans，shewhowasthedoomofIlios；shewhositsintheTempleofHathor，theFateofman，whomaynotbeharmedofMan，shecallsdownthewrathoftheGodsonKhem。Itisspoken！/“
Theechooftheawfulwordsdiedawayinthesilence。ThenfeartookholdofthemultitudeofwomenbecauseofthewordsoftheDead，andsomefellupontheirfaces，andsomecoveredtheireyeswiththeirhands。
“Arise，mysisters！“criedthevoiceofMeriamun。“Yehaveheardnotfrommylips，butfromthelipsofthedead。Arise，andletusforthtotheTempleoftheHathor。Yehaveheardwhoisthefountainofourwoes；letusforthandsealitatitssourceforever。Ofmenshemaynotbeharmedwhoisthefateofmen，frommenweasknohelp，forallmenareherslaves，andforherbeauty’ssakeallmenforsakeus。Butwewillplaythepartofmen。Ourwomen’smilkshallfreezewithinourbreasts，wewilldipourtenderhandsinblood，ay，scourgedbyathousandwrongswewillforgetourgentleness，andtearthisfoulfairnessfromitshome。WewillburntheHathor’sShrinewithfire，herpriestsshallperishatthealtar，andthebeautyofthefalseGoddessshallmeltlikewaxinthefurnaceofourhate。Say，willyefollowme，mysisters，andwreakourshamesupontheShamefulOne，ourwoesupontheSpringofWoe，ourdeadupontheirmurderess？“
Sheceased，andthenfromeverywoman’sthroatwithinthegreatTempletherewentupacryofrage，fierceandshrill。
“Wewill，Meriamun，wewill！“theyscreamed。“TotheHathor！LeadustotheHathor’sShrine！Bringfire！Bringfire！LeadustotheHathor’sShrine！“
ReithePriestsawandheard。Thenturning，hestoleawaythroughthemaddenedthrongofwomenandfledwithwhatspeedhemightfromtheTemple。Hisheartwasfilledwithfearandshame，forheknewfullwellthatPharaohwasdead，notatthehandofHathor，butatthehandofMeriamuntheQueen，whomhehadloved。HeknewwellthatdeadMeneptahspakenotwiththevoiceofthedreadGods，butwiththevoiceofthemagicofMeriamun，who，ofallwomenthathavebeensincethedaysofTaia，wasthemostskilledinevilmagic，theloreoftheSnake。HeknewalsothatMeriamunwouldslayHelenforthesamecausewhereforeshehadslainPharaoh，thatshemightwintheWanderertoherarms。WhileHelenlivedhewasnottobewonaway。
NowReiwasarighteousman，lovingtheGodsandgood，andhatingevil，andhisheartburnedbecauseofthewickednessofthewomanthatoncehecherished。Thishesworethathewoulddo，iftimewerelefttohim。HewouldwarntheHelensothatshemightflythefireifsoshewilled，ay，andwouldtellherallthewickednessofMeriamunherfoe。
HisoldfeetstumbledovereachotherashefledtillhecametothegatesoftheTempleoftheHathor，andknockeduponthegates。
“Whatwouldstthou，oldcrone？“askedthepriestwhosatinthegates。
“IwouldbeledtothepresenceoftheHathor，“heanswered。
“NowomanhathpasseduptolookupontheHathor，“saidthepriest。
“Thatwomendonotseek。“
ThenReimadeasecretsign，andwonderinggreatlythatawomanshouldhavetheinnerwisdom，thepriestlethimpass。
Hecametothesecondgates。
“Whatwouldstthou？“saidthepriestwhosatinthegates。
“IwouldgoupintothepresenceoftheHathor。“
“NowomanhathwilledtolookupontheHathor，“saidthepriest。
ThenagainReimadethesecretsign，butstillthepriestwavered。
“Letmepass，thoufoolishwarden，“saidRei。“IamamessengerfromtheGods。“
“Ifthouartamortalmessenger，woman，thougoesttothydoom，“saidthepriest。
“Onmyheadbeit，“answeredRei，andthepriestlethimpasswondering。
NowhestoodbeforethedoorsoftheAlabasterShrinethatglowedwiththelightwithin。StillReipausednot，onlyutteringaprayerthathemightbesavedfromtheunseenswords；heliftedthelatchofbronze，andenteredfearfully。Butnonefelluponhim，norwashesmittenofinvisiblespears。BeforehimswungthecurtainsofTyrianweb，butnosoundofsingingcamefrombehindthecurtains。AllwassilenceintheShrine。HepassedbetweenthecurtainsandlookeduptheSanctuary。Itwaslitwithmanyhanginglamps，andbytheirlighthesawtheGoddessHelen，seatedbetweenthepillarsofherloom。Butshewovenomoreattheloom。TheweboffatewasrentbytheWanderer’shands，andlayoneitherside，ashiningclothofgold。TheGoddessHelensatsonglessinherlonelyShrine，andonherbreastgleamedtheRedStaroflightthatweptthebloodofmen。Herheadrestedonherhand，andherheavenlyeyesofbluegazedemptilydowntheemptyShrine。
Reidrewneartrembling，thoughsheseemedtoseehimnotatall，andatlastflunghimselfupontheearthbeforeher。Nowatlengthshesawhim，andspokeinhervoiceofmusic。
“Whoartthouthatdarestobreakinuponmysorrow？“shesaidwonderingly。“ArtthouindeedawomancometolookononewhobythewilloftheGodsiseachwoman’sdeadliestfoe？“
ThenReiraisedhimselfsaying:
“NowomanamI，immortalLady。IamRei，thatagedpriestwhomettheetwonightsgonebythepylongates，andledtheetothePalaceofPharaoh。AndIhavedaredtoseekthyShrinetotelltheethatthouartindangeratthehandsofMeriamuntheQueen，andalsotogivetheeacertainmessagewithwhichIamchargedbyhimwhoisnamedtheWanderer。“
