Prince Seti, does your Highness think that this was a kind jest to practise upon one alone and in fear ?" "Lady Merapi," he answered smiling, "be not wroth, for at least it was a good one and you have told us nothing that we did not know.

You may remember that at Tanis you said that you were affianced and there was that in your voice----.

Suffer me now to tend this wound of yours." Then he knelt down, tore a strip from his ceremonial robe of fine linen, and began to bind up her foot, not unskilfully, being a man full of strange and unexpected knowledge.

As he worked at the task, watching them, I saw their eyes meet, saw too that rich flood of colour creep once more to Merapi's brow.

Then I began to think it unseemly that the Prince of Egypt should play the leech to a woman's hurts, and to wonder why he had not left that humble task to me.
Presently the bandaging was done and made fast with a royal scarabaeus mounted on a pin of gold, which the Prince wore in his garments.