"We only gossip together," said the prince coloring, "and no one shall recognize me. But certainly, if you mean that, I will leave the basket of roses, and go to her alone. No--sister, I will not be forbidden this; she is so charming, so white, so gentle, and her voice is so soft and sweet! And she has little feet, as small as--what shall I say?--as small and graceful as Nefert's hand. We talked most about Pentaur. She knows his father, who is a gardener, and knows a great deal about him. Only think! she says the poet cannot be the son of his parents, but a good spirit that has come down on earth--perhaps a God. At first she was very timid, but when I spoke of Pentaur she grew eager; her reverence for him is almost idolatry--and that vexed me." "You would rather she should reverence you so," said Nefert smiling. "Not at all," cried Rameri. "But I helped to save her, and I am so happy when I am sitting with her, that to-morrow, I am resolved, I will put a flower in her hair. It is red certainly, but as thick as yours, Bent- Anat, and it must be delightful to unfasten it and stroke it." The ladies exchanged a glance of intelligence, and the princess said decidedly: "You will not go to the City of the Dead to-morrow, my little son!" "That we will see, my little mother!" He answered laughing; then he turned grave. "I saw my school-friend Anana too," he said. "Injustice reigns in the House of Seti! Pentaur is in prison, and yesterday evening they sat in judgment upon him. My uncle was present, and would have pounced upon the poet, but Ameni took him under his protection. What was finally decided, the pupils could not learn, but it must have been something bad, for the son of the Treasurer heard Ameni saying, after the sitting, to old Gagabu: 'Punishment he deserves, but I will not let him be overwhelmed;' and he can have meant no one but Pentaur. To-morrow I will go over, and learn more; something frightful, I am afraid--several years of imprisonment is the least that will happen to him." Bent-Anat had turned very pale. "And whatever they do to him," she cried, "he will suffer for my sake! Oh, ye omnipotent Gods, help him--help me, be merciful to us both!" She covered her face with her hands, and left the room. Rameri asked Nefert: What can have come to my sister? she seems quite strange to me; and you too are not the same as you used to be." "We both have to find our way in new circumstances." "What are they?" "That I cannot explain to you!--but it appears to me that you soon may experience something of the same kind. Rumeri, do not go again to the paraschites." CHAPTER XXXII. Early on the following clay the dwarf Nemu went past the restored hut of Uarda's father--in which he had formerly lived with his wife--with a man in a long coarse robe, the steward of some noble family. They went towards old Hekt's cave-dwelling.