"Let it pass, then. Deny me not the joy of loving her, nor her the small content of loving me. If there should be change, let it be in thy prohibitions, not in our love. Enough. Art thou weary? Wouldst thou sleep?" "Nay," she answered bluntly. "Then I would take counsel with thee. Thou knowest the end of Israel?" he asked. "I know the purpose of the Pharaoh, but there is no end to Israel." "Not yet, perchance," he said calmly, "or never. But we shall not put trust in auguries. The oppression of the people is already begun at Pa-Ramesu and the brick-fields. Ye shall not return to those dire hardships. Ye can not return to Masaarah. In Memphis I offer my father's house, but Rachel refuses it. In Nehapehu there is safety among the peasantry on the murket's lands. My father lost an all-powerful signet in the tomb of the Incomparable Pharaoh at Tape, and did not search for it because he believed that Rameses had taken it away from him. The king will honor it and grant whatever petition I make to him. If ye are unafraid to abide in this tomb for the few remaining hours of this night I shall take you to Nehapehu at dawn. There ye can abide till I go to Tape and return. What sayest thou?" The old woman looked at him quietly for a moment. "Is this place safe?" she asked. "The forty-two demons of Amenti could not drive an Egyptian into this tomb." "How comes it that thou art not afraid?" "I have no belief in spirits." "Nor have we. Why need we go hence? We shall abide here till thou shalt return." "In this place!" Kenkenes exclaimed, recoiling. "Nay! I shall be gone sixteen days at least." "We shall not fear to live in a tomb, we who have defied untombed death daily. We shall remain here." "This hole--this cave of death!" "We have shelter, and by thine own words, none will molest us here. We are not spoiled with soft living, nor would we take peril to any. Without are fowls, herbs, roots, water--within, security, meat and wine. We shall not fear the dead whom, living, Joseph rebuked. We shall be content and well housed." "But thou art wounded," he essayed. She scouted his words with heroic scorn. "Nay, let us have no more. If thou canst accomplish this thing for Rachel, do it with a light heart, for we shall be safe. If thou art successful, Israel will rise up and call thee blessed; if thou failest, the sons of Abraham will still remember thee with respect." No humility, no cringing gratitude in this. Queen Hatasu, talking with her favorite general, could not have commended him in a more queenly way. To Kenkenes it seemed that their positions had been reversed. He craved to serve them and they suffered him. "I shall go then to-night," he said simply. "Nay, bide with us to-night, for thou art weary. There is no need for such haste." He opened his lips to protest, his objections manifesting themselves in his manner. But she waved them aside.