“It is very good,” said Merytra when she had drunk, “but heavy.  If I took much of that I think I should have ‘rheumatism,’ too.  Now tell me, old friend, am I safe, in this place?  No, not from Pharaoh, he trusts me and lets me go where I will upon his business—­but from his royal brother.  He used to have a long memory, and from the look of him I do not think that his temper has improved.  You may remember a certain slap in the face and how I paid him back for it.”

“He never knew it was you, Merytra.  Being a mass of self-conceit, he thought that you ran away because he had banished you from his royal presence and presented you—­to me.”

“Oh, he thought that, did he!  What a vain fool!”

“It was a very dirty trick you played me, Merytra,” went on Kaku with indignation, for the rich wine coursing through his blood revived the sting of his loss.  “You know how fond I always was of you, and indeed am still,” he added, gazing at her admiringly.

“I felt that I was not worthy of so learned and distinguished a man,” she replied, looking at him with her dark eyes.  “I should only have hampered your life, dear Kaku, so I went into the household of that poor creature, Pharaoh, instead—­Pharaoh’s Nunnery we call it.  But you will not explain the facts to Abi, will you?”

“No, I think not, Merytra, if we continue to get on as well as we do at present.  But now you are rested, so let us come to business, for otherwise you will have to stop here all night and Pharaoh would be angry.”

“Oh, to Set with Pharaoh!  Though it is true that he is a good paymaster, and knows the value of a clever woman.  Now, what is this business?”

The old astrologer’s face grew hard and cunning.  Going to the door he made sure that it was locked and drew a curtain over it.  Then he took a stool and sat himself down in front of Merytra, in such a position that the light fell on her face while his own remained in shadow.

“A big business, Merytra, and by the gods I do not know that I should trust you with it.  You tricked me once, you have tricked Pharaoh for years; how do I know that you will not play the same game once more and earn me an order to cut my own throat, and so lose life and soul together?”

“If you think that, Kaku, perhaps you will unlock the door and give me an escort home, for we are only wasting time.”

“I don’t know what to think, for you are as cunning as you are beautiful.  Listen, woman,” he continued in a savage whisper, and clasping her by the wrist.  “If you are false, I tell you that you shall die horribly, for if the knife and poison fail, I am no charlatan, I have arts.  I can make you turn loathsome to the sight and waste away, I can haunt you at nights so that you may never sleep a wink, save in full sunshine, and I will do it all and more.  If I die, Merytra, we go together.  Now will you swear to be true, will you swear it by the oath of oaths?”