下载辰思小说免费APP
“Ifhehadnot，Lady，Ithinktherewouldhavebeennoneofuslefttotrick，seeingthatthepeoplewerecrazedwiththedreadofthedarknessandbelievedthatitcouldbeliftedbyyoualone，asindeedhappened，“Iaddedsomewhatdoubtfully。
“MoreofKi’stricks!Oh!doyounotunderstandthattheliftingofthedarknessatthatmomentwasKi’swork，becausehewishedthepeopletobelievethatIamindeedasorceress。“
“Why？“Iasked。
“Idonotknow。Perhapsthatonedayhemayfindavictimtobindtothealtarinhisplace。AtleastIknowwellthatitisIwhomustpaytheprice，Iandmyfleshandblood，whateverKimaypromise，“andshelookedatthesleepingchild。
“Donotbeafraid，Lady，“Isaid。“Kihasleftthepalaceandyouwillseehimnomore。“
“Yes，becausethePrincewasangrywithhimaboutthetrickinthetempleofIsis。Thereforesuddenlyhewent，orpretendedtogo，forhowcanonetellwheresuchamanmayreallybe？Buthewillcomebackagain。Bethinkyou，KiwasthegreatestmagicianinEgypt；evenoldBakenkhonsucanremembernoneliketohim。Thenhematcheshimselfagainsttheprophetsofmypeopleandfails。“
“Butdidhefail，Lady？Whattheydidhedid，sendingamongtheIsraelitestheplaguesthatyourprophetshadsentamongus。“
“Yes，someofthem，buthewasoutpaced，orfearedtobeoutpacedatlast。IsKiamantoforgetthat？AndifKichancesreallytobelievethatIamhisadversaryandhismasteratthisblackwork，asbecauseofwhathappenedinthetempleofAmonthousandsbelieveto-day，willhenotmetememyownmeasuresoonorlate？Oh!IfearKi，Ana，andI
fearthepeopleofEgypt，andwereitnotformylordbeloved，Iwouldfleeawayintothewildernesswithmyson，andgetmeoutofthishauntedland!Hush!hewakes。“
FromthistimeforwarduntiltheswordfelltherewasgreatdreadinEgypt。Noneseemedtoknowexactlywhattheydreaded，butallthoughtthatithadtodowithdeath。Peoplewentaboutmournfullylookingovertheirshouldersasthoughsomeonewerefollowingthem，andatnighttheygatheredtogetherinknotsandtalkedinwhispers。OnlytheHebrewsseemedtobegladandhappy。Moreover，theyweremakingpreparationsforsomethingnewandstrange。ThusthoseIsraelitishwomenwhodweltinMemphisbegantosellwhatpropertytheyhadandtoborrowoftheEgyptians。Especiallydidtheyaskfortheloanofjewels，sayingthattheywereabouttocelebrateafeastandwishedtolookfineintheeyesoftheircountrymen。Nonerefusedthemwhattheyaskedbecauseallwereafraidofthem。TheyevencametothepalaceandbeggedherornamentsfromMerapi，althoughshewasacountrywomanoftheirownwhohadshowedthemmuchkindness。Yes，andseeingthathersonworealittlegoldcircletonhishair，oneofthembeggedthatalso，nordidshesayhernay。But，asitchanced，thePrinceentered，andseeingthewomanwiththisroyalbadgeinherhand，grewveryangryandforcedhertorestoreit。
“Whatistheuseofcrownswithoutheadstowearthem？“shesneered，andfledawaylaughing，withallthatshehadgathered。
AftershehadheardthatsayingMerapigrewevensadderandmoredistraughtthanshewas
