me--that coronet of yours is somewhat awry."

At last she was gone and I rose, wiping my brow with a corner of my
robe, and looking at the Prince who stood before the fire laughing
softly.

"Make a note of all this talk, Ana," he said; "there is more in it than
meets the ear."

"I need no note, Prince," I answered; "every word is burnt upon my mind
as a hot iron burns a tablet of wood. With reason too, since now her
Highness will hate me for all her life."

"Much better so, Ana, than that she should pretend to love you, which
she never would have done while you are my friend. Women oftimes respect
those whom they hate and even will advance them because of policy, but
let those whom they pretend to love beware. The time may come when you
will yet be Userti's most trusted councillor."

Now here I, Ana the Scribe, will state that in after days, when this
same queen was the wife of Pharaoh Saptah, I did, as it chanced, become
her most trusted councillor. Moreover, in those times, yes, and even in
the hour of her death, she swore from the moment her eyes first fell
on me she had known me to be true-hearted and held me in esteem as no
self-seeker. More, I think she believed what she said, having forgotten
that once she looked upon me as her enemy. This indeed I never was, who
always held her in high regard and honour as a great lady who loved
her country, though one who sometimes was not wise. But as I could not
foresee these things on that night of long ago, I only stared at the
Prince and said: