had never dared to ask the name of one whom even my master held to be
as a goddess, although as boy and girl they had been brought up
together.

"Then the King saw his opportunity to ease his conscience and inquired
of an old councillor if there were not a law which gave the king power
to alter his decree if thereby he could satisfy his soul and acquire
knowledge. The councillor answered that there was such a law and began
to give examples of its working, till the King cut him short and said
that by virtue of it he commanded that you should be brought out of
your bed in the boat and led before him to answer a question.

"So you were sent for, Master, but I did not go with the messengers,
fearing lest if I did the King would forget all about the matter
before you came. Therefore I stayed and amused him with tales of
hunting, till I could not think of any more, for you were long in
coming. Indeed I began to fear lest he should declare the feast at an
end. But at the last, just as he was yawning and spoke to one of his
councillors, bidding him send to the House of Women that they might
make ready to receive him there, you came, and the rest you know."

Now I looked at Bes and said,

"May the blessing of all the gods of all the lands be on your head,
since had it not been for you I should now lie in torment in that
boat. Hearken, friend: If ever we reach Egypt again, you will set foot
on it, not as a slave but as a free man. You will be rich also, Bes,
that is, if we can take the gold I won with us, since half of it is
yours."