The man who has passed safely through this ordeal has now to meet the gods of the underworld, and the Book of the Dead provides the words which “the heart which is righteous and sinless” shall say unto them.  One of the fullest and most correct texts of “the speech of the deceased when he cometh forth true of voice from the Hall of the Ma[=a]ti goddesses” is found in the Papyrus of Nu; in it the deceased says:—­

“Homage to you, O ye gods who dwell in the Hall of the Ma[=a]ti goddesses, I, even I, know you, and I know your names.  Let me not fall under your knives of slaughter, and bring ye not forward my wickedness unto the god in whose train ye are; and let not evil hap come upon, me by your means.  O declare ye me true of voice in the presence of Neb-er-teber, because I have done that which is right and true in Ta-mera (i.e., Egypt).  I have not cursed God, therefore let not evil hap come upon me through the King who dwelleth in his day.

“Homage to you, O ye gods, who dwell in the Hall of the Ma[=a]ti goddesses, who are without evil in your bodies, and who live upon right and truth, and who feed yourselves upon right and truth in the presence of the god Horus, who dwelleth in his divine Disk; deliver ye me from the god Baba [Footnote:  The first born son of Osiris.] who feedeth upon the entrails of the mighty ones upon the day of the great reckoning, O grant ye that I may come to you, for I have not committed faults, I have not sinned, I have not done evil, I have not borne false witness; therefore let nothing [evil] be done unto me.  I live upon right and truth, and I feed upon right and truth.  I have performed the commandments of men [as well as] the things whereat are gratified the gods; I have made God to be at peace [with me by doing] that which is his will.  I have given bread to the hungry man, and water to the thirsty man, and apparel to the naked man, and a boat to the [shipwrecked] mariner.  I have made holy offerings to the gods, and sepulchral meals to the beatified dead.  Be ye then my deliverers, be ye then my protectors, and make ye not accusation against me in the presence of [Osiris].  I am clean of mouth and clean of hands; therefore let it be said unto me by those who shall behold me, ’Come in peace, come in peace.’  I have heard the mighty word which the spiritual bodies spake unto the Cat [Footnote:  i.e., R[=a] as the slayer of the serpent of darkness, the head of which be cuts off with a knife. (See above, p. 63).  The usual reading is “which the Ass spake to the Cat;” the Ass being Osiris and the cat R[=a].] in the house of Hapt-re.  I have testified in the presence of Hra-f-ha-f, and he hath given [his] decision.  I have seen the things over which the Persea tree spreadeth within Re-stau.  I am he who hath offered up prayers to the gods and who knoweth their persons.  I have come, and I have advanced to make the declaration of right and truth, and to set the Balance upon