She made no answer, only her lips seemed to shape themselves to a certain sound that they did not utter. The two women looked each other in the eyes, then Asti shook her head.
"It may not be," she whispered, "for many reasons, and amongst them that by the solemn decree of long ago whereof I have told you, our blood is barred for ever from the throne. None would dare to break it, not even the Pharaoh himself. You would bring my son to his death, Tua, which such another look as you gave him in yonder hall would surely do.""No," she answered slowly, "I would not bring him to his death, but to life and honour and--love, and one day /I/ shall be Pharaoh. Only, Asti, if you betray me to him I swear that I will bring you to your death, although you are so dear.""I shall not betray you," answered the priestess, smiling again. "In truth, most Beautiful, I do not think there is any need, even if Iwould. Say now, why did a certain captain turn faint and leave the hall to-day when your eyes chanced to fall on him?""The heat," suggested Tua, colouring.
"Yes, it was hot, but he is stronger than most men and had borne it long--like others. Still there are fires----""Because he was afraid of my majesty," broke in Tua hurriedly. "You know I looked very royal there, Mother.""Yes, doubtless fear moved him--or some other passion. Yet, Beloved, put that thought from your heart as I do. When you are Pharaoh you will learn that a monarch is a slave to the people and to the law.
Breathe but his name in love, and never will you see him more till you meet before Osiris."Tua hid her eyes in her hands for a moment, then she glanced up and there was another look upon her face, a strange, new look.
"When I am Pharaoh," she answered, "there are certain matters in which I will be my own law, and if the people do not like it, they may find another Pharaoh."Asti started at her words, and a light of joy shone in her deep eyes.
"Truly your heart is high," she said; "but, oh! if you love me--and another--bury that thought, bury it deep, or he will never live to see you placed alone upon the golden seat. Know, Lady, that already from hour to hour I fear for him--lest he should drink a poisoned cup, lest at night he should chance to stumble against a spear, lest an arrow--shot in sport--should fall against his throat and none know whence it came."Tua clenched her hands.
"If so, there should be such vengeance as Egypt has not heard of since Mena ruled.""Of what use is vengeance, Child, when the heart is empty and the tomb is sealed?"Again Tua thought. Then she said:
"There are other gods besides Osiris. Now what do men call me, Mother?
Nay, not my royal names."
"They call you Morning Star of Amen; they call you Daughter of Amen.""Is that story true, Asti the Magician?"
"Aye, at least your mother dreamed the dream, for she told it to me and I have read its record, who am a priestess of Amen.""Then this high god should love me, should he not? He should hear my prayers and give me power--he should protect those who are dear to me.
Mother, they say that you, the Mistress of secret things, can open the ears of the gods and cause their mouths to speak. Mother, I command you as your Queen, call up my father Amen before me, so that I may talk with him, for I have words to which he must listen.""Are you not afraid?" asked Asti, looking at her curiously. "He is the greatest of all the gods, and to summon him lightly is a sacrilege.""Should a daughter fear her father?" answered Tua.
"When the divine Queen your mother and Pharaoh knelt before him in his shrine, praying that a child might be given to them, Amen did not deign to appear to them, save afterwards in a dream. Will you dare more than they? Lie down and dream, O Star of the Morning.""Nay, I trust no dreams which change like summer clouds and pass as soon," answered the girl boldly. "If the god is my father, in the spirit or the flesh, I know not which, let him appear before me face to face. I ask his wisdom for myself and his favour for another. Call him, if you have the power, Asti. Call him even if he slay me. Better that I should die than----""Hush!" said Asti, laying her hand upon her lips, "speak not that name. Well, I have some skill, and for your sake--and another's--Iwill try, but not here. Perchance he may listen, perchance not, or, perchance, if he comes you and I must pay the price. Put on your robes, now, O Queen, and over them this veil, and follow me--if you dare."Along narrow passages they crept and down many a secret-stair, till at length they came to a door at the foot of a long slope of rock. This door Asti unlocked and thrust open, then when they had entered, re-locked it behind them.
"What is this place?" whispered Tua.
"The burial crypt of the high priestesses of Amen, where it is said that the god watches. None have entered it for hard on thirty years.
See here in the dust run the footsteps of those who bore the last priestess to her rest."She held up her lamp, and by the light of it Tua saw that they were in a great cave painted with figures of the gods which had on either side of it recesses. In each of these was set a coffin with a gilded face, and behind it an alabaster statue of her who lay therein, and in front of it a table of offerings. At the head of the crypt stood a small altar of black stone, for the rest the place was empty.