Part 4 (2/2)

Three days and nights among the tombs they trod In Coptos on the Hill, and every sod They turned and marked, and every graven stone, And the Scribes' writings in the House of G.o.d.

But never could they find by night nor day The tomb where MERAB and AHURE lay.

And NEFREKEPTA knew they found it not, And sent his shadow forth to guide their way.

Like an old man, a bent and aged Priest, It sate. And SETNE said: 'Joy be increased, O Father! Thou dost know the things of old; Three days and nights we search, and have not ceased,

To find the tomb which holds AHURE dead And MERAB.' Then the old man raised his head: 'The father of my grandsire in old days Spoke of it to my grandsire; and he said

The father of his grandsire once had told His grandsire how those two were laid of old Far in the southmost corner, where the house Now stands in which the scrivener tells his gold.'

And SETNE said: 'Old man, methinks I see Some hate here. Hath the scrivener injured thee, That thou wouldst wreck his house and dig beneath?'

He answered: 'Have a watch set over me;

Then raze the scrivener's house, and, under ground By the south corner, if there be not found Both MERAB and AHURE, have me slain!'

So there they held him and a guard stood round.

The scrivener's house was razed; and that same day They found where MERAB and AHURE lay, And, like great PHARAOHS, down to PHARAOH'S boat Bore them 'mid Priests and Princes in array.

And SETNE sought that ancient man, and, lo, He was not. By that sign did SETNE know This too was NEFREKEPTA. Then they built The scrivener's house again, and turned to go:

And went on board, and back to Memphis bore Those PHARAOHS home, with stream and wind and oar; Singing they went, and PHARAOH heard them sing; And PHARAOH rose and met them by the sh.o.r.e,

And led those Mighty Ones in robes of pride To NEFREKEPTA'S tomb, and sanctified Their entering in, and made a mound above; And there for ever sleep they, side by side.

And there is finished all that fell between SETNE and NEFREKEPTA and his Queen AHURE and the boy MERAB. 'Twas writ In the first month of winter, Year XV.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 5 black cats by Florence Kingsford.]

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