“As to my master, the Lord Menna, I serve the Prince from gratitude. He found me well nigh starving in the streets of Thinis and gave me food and shelter. All my work he purchased and put me in the place of Beq, a sculptor whose work is excellent, according to your Egyptian standard. His portrait of thee I myself have much admired. “Yet, Most Beautiful, ’tis not thee! ’Twould answer as well for any Lady of the Court. Were _I_ to model thee, Fragrance of the Gods, thou shouldst see a living, breathing ‘double’ of thyself, thy very _ka_ in stone. This I could prove to thee as could no other.” During this conversation Bhanar had continued to ply the ostrich-feather fan above her mistress’s head. Anguish for Renny, pity for herself, showed in her beautiful eyes. Sesen’s heart bled for her. Sesen knew Bhanar’s history well. Bhanar never tired of talking about her beloved village, of her dear Rippa, nestled among the distant Syrian hills. The little Princess had soon perceived that Bhanar’s girlish love for her childhood’s companion had ripened into something stronger. She had soon noticed how artfully Bhanar managed to forestall Sesen’s other maids whenever Renny’s name was announced by the usher. Renny’s joy and relief at finding her in the household of the Princess had been genuine, since for a time, he had felt that he and Yakab had failed her. Thereafter, at each and every visit to the Palace, he had quite naturally sought his beautiful countrywoman. He knew that through her he would the more readily reach the lady of his master’s infatuation. Renny had strict orders to deliver his master’s notes into the hand of Sesen in person. This at first he could never have accomplished, had it not been for Bhanar’s assistance. This insistence of Renny to reach her through Bhanar alone Sesen had misinterpreted. Then came that fatal day when Bhanar listened to Renny as he poured out his tale of love for her mistress. Bhanar’s heart seemed to stop its beating. From that moment she realized that she loved Renny with all the love that he—that he, alas, felt for Sesen, her mistress. At this moment an agonizing sympathy for Renny seemed to freeze her heart. She knew that Renny at best did but provide distraction for the Princess. And now, in this statue of which he talked, Renny held out still further hopes of diversion. From her frequent visits to Enana’s villa, Bhanar knew that the absent Ramses was ever in Sesen’s mind, though never once had the little maid referred to him. In vain had she confided her knowledge of the mutual love of Sesen and Ramses to the unheeding Renny. Sesen turned from the sculptor as if to leave. At the threshold of the steps she paused for a moment: “Syrian, if you can indeed model such a portrait as that of which you speak, gladly will I purchase it of thee, and with it thy freedom.” The overjoyed Renny kissed the hand she gave him: