"The old fool firmly believes that the weal or woe of the family depends
on the gold-bays. He would like to go with you? To open Mena's eyes?
No one has yet tried to bind them!"

Katuti spoke the last words in a low tone, and her glance fell. Paaker
also looked down, and was silent; but he soon recovered his presence of
mind, and said:

"If Nefert is to be long absent, I will go."

"No--no, stay," cried the widow. "She wished to see you, and must soon
come in. There are her cake and her wine waiting for her."

With these words she took the napkin off the breakfast-table, held up the
beaker in her hand, and then said, with the cloth still in her hand:

"I will leave you a moment, and see if Nefert is not yet come home."

Hardly had she left the veranda when Paaker, having convinced himself
that no one could see him, snatched the flask from his girdle, and, with
a short invocation to his father in Osiris, poured its whole contents
into the beaker, which thus was filled to the very brim. A few minutes
later Nefert and her mother entered the hall.

Paaker took up the nosegay, which his slave had laid down on a seat, and
timidly approached the young woman, who walked in with such an aspect of
decision and self-confidence, that her mother looked at her in
astonishment, while Paaker felt as if she had never before appeared so
beautiful and brilliant. Was it possible that she should love her