but take on the likeness of their mother, who tells me that she is
fair. Hush! she stirs.

"Karema, are you awake? Good. Then lead me from the sepulchre, that I
may make my evening prayer beneath the stars. Go, Shabaka and Bes, you
are brave men, both of you, and I am glad to have the one for nephew
and the other for pupil. My greetings to your mother, Tiu. She is a
good woman and a true, one to whom you will do well to hearken. To the
lady Amada also, and bid her study her beauteous face in a mirror and
not be holy overmuch, since too great holiness often thwarts itself
and ends in trouble for the unholy flesh. Still she loves pearls like
other women, does she not, and even the statue of Isis likes to be
adorned. As for you, Bes, though I think that is not your name, do not
lie except when you are obliged, for jugglers who play with too many
knives are apt to cut their fingers. Also give no more evil counsel to
your Master on matters that have to do with woman. Now farewell. Let
me hear how fortune favours you from time to time, Shabaka, for you
take part in a great game, such as I loved in my youth before I became
a holy hermit. Oh! if they had listened to me, things would have been
different in Egypt to-day. But it was written otherwise, and as ever,
women were the scribes. Good night, good night, good night! I am glad
that my thought reached you yonder in the East, and taught you what to
say and do. It is well to be wise sometimes, for others' sake, but not
for our own, oh! not for our own."



"Master," said Bes as we ambled homewards beneath the stars, "the holy
Tanofir is a man for thought to feed on, since having climbed to the
topmost peak of holiness, he does not seem to like its cold air and