this child was the same as that of which I was guardian! It might have
been, since the papyri came from that temple. What do you think?"

"I don't think anything," I answered, "except that it is all very odd.
I don't even understand what Isis and the child Horus represent. They
were not mere images either in Egypt or Kendah Land. There must be an
idea behind them somewhere."

"Oh! there was. Isis was the universal Mother, Nature herself with all
the powers, seen and unseen, that are hidden in Nature; Love
personified also, although not actually the queen of Love like Hathor,
her sister goddess. The Horus child, whom the old Egyptians called
Heru-Hennu, signified eternal regeneration, eternal youth, eternal
strength and beauty. Also he was the Avenger who overthrew Set, the
Prince of Darkness, and thus in a way opened the Door of Life to men."

"It seems to me that all religions have much in common," I said.

"Yes, a great deal. It was easy for the old Egyptians to become
Christian, since for many of them it only meant worshipping Isis and
Horus under new and holier names. But come in, it grows cold."

We had tea in Lady Ragnall's boudoir and after it had been taken away
our conversation died. She sat there on the other side of the fire
with a cigarette between her lips, looking at me through the perfumed
smoke till I began to grow uncomfortable and to feel that a crisis of
some sort was at hand. This proved perfectly correct, for it was.
Presently she said,

"We took a long journey once together, Mr. Quatermain, did we not?"