“This is fortunate, Ana,” said the Prince, laughing a little in his light way. “Now take you the half that lies nearest to you and I will take mine. If you die first I will lay my half upon your breast, and if I die first you shall do the same by me, or if the priests forbid it because I am royal and may not be profaned, cast the thing into my tomb. What should we have done had the alabaster shattered into fragments, Ana, and what omen should we have read in them?” “Why ask, O Prince, seeing that it has befallen otherwise?” Then I took my half, laid it against my forehead and hid it in the bosom of my robe, and as I did, so did Seti. So in this strange fashion the royal Seti and I sealed the holy compact of our brotherhood, as I think not for the first time or the last. CHAPTER III. USERTI Seti rose, stretching out his arms. “That is finished,” he said, “as everything finishes, and for once I am sorry. Now what next? Sleep, I suppose, in which all ends, or perhaps you would say all begins.” As he spoke the curtains at the end of the room were drawn and between them appeared the chamberlain, Pambasa, holding his gold-tipped wand ceremoniously before him. “What is it now, man?” asked Seti. “Can I not even sup in peace? Stay, before you answer tell me, do things end or begin in sleep? The learned Ana and I differ on the matter and would hear your wisdom. Bear in mind, Pambasa, that before we are born we must have slept, since of that time we remember nothing, and after we are dead we certainly seem to sleep, as any who have looked on mummies know. Now answer.” The chamberlain stared at the wine flask on the table as though he suspected his master of having drunk too much. Then in a hard official voice he said: “She comes! She comes! She comes, offering greetings and adoration to the Royal Son of Ra.” “Does she indeed?” asked Seti. “If so, why say it three times? And who comes?” “The high Princess, the heiress of Egypt, the daughter of Pharaoh, your Highness’s royal half-sister, the great lady Userti.” “Let her enter then. Ana, stand you behind me. If you grow weary and I give leave you can depart; the slaves will show you your sleeping-place.”