"Perhaps it costs him his life, or perhaps--perhaps he marries her and becomes Pharaoh of Egypt.

Much might depend on whether the queen chanced to care about such a man." Now Rames shook like a reed in the evening wind, and he looked at her with glowing eyes.
"Tua," he whispered, "can it be possible--do you mean that I am welcome to you, or are you but drawing me to shame and ruin ?" She made no answer to him in words, only with a certain grave deliberation, laid down the little ivory sceptre that she held, and suffering her troubled eyes to rest upon his eyes, bent forward and stretched out her arms towards him.
"Yes, Rames," she murmured into his ear a minute later, "I am drawing you to whatever may be found upon this breast of mine, love, or majesty, or shame, or ruin, or the death of one or both of us, or all of them together.

Are you content to take the chances of this high game, Rames ?" "Ask it not, Tua.

You know, you know!" She kissed him on the lips, and all her heart and all her youth were in that kiss.

Then, gently enough, she pushed him from her, saying: "Stand there, I would speak with you, and as I have said, the time is short.