"You want me?" she said; and after kissing her mother she sank upon her
couch. "I am tired," she exclaimed, "Nemu, take a fan and keep the
flies off me."

The dwarf sat down on a cushion by her couch, and began to wave the semi-
circular fan of ostrich-feathers; but Katuti put him aside and said:

"You can leave us for the present; we want to speak to each other in
private."

The dwarf shrugged his shoulders and got up, but Nefert looked at her
mother with an irresistible appeal.

"Let him stay," she said, as pathetically as if her whole happiness
depended upon it. "The flies torment me so, and Nemu always holds his
tongue."

She patted the dwarf's big head as if he were a lap-dog, and called the
white cat, which with a graceful leap sprang on to her shoulder and stood
there with its back arched, to be stroked by her slender fingers.

Nemu looked enquiringly at his mistress, but Katuti turned to her
daughter, and said in a warning voice:

"I have very serious things to discuss with you."

"Indeed?" said her daughter, "but I cannot be stung by the flies all the
same. Of course, if you wish it--"

"Nemu may stay then," said Katuti, and her voice had the tone of that of