"I don't speak because there is nothing to say: he is right," the king answered.
"Well said, Abby darling!" Princess Meritatona exclaimed, clapping her hands with delight.
Everyone looked at her with surprise.
"What does this mean, sire?" Panehesy faltered.
"It means, my friend, that if there is no God man is worse off than a beast, because a beast does not know its end and a man does."
"But there is God."
"Yes, there is. Everyone says there is, but acts as though there were not. And haven't you read, my son, that we shall have to give a terrible answer for empty words? Pentu, too, is right: there is poison in that song. But poison may be a medicine. There are two endings to the song: one is 'eat, drink and die' and another 'feed the starving, give drink to the thirsty'.... But it is better not to speak of it. God is a spring in the wilderness, sealed for the talkers and open for the silent. Merira is silent and he is right, more right than any of us. Don't be vexed with our chatter, our silent friend, forgive us!"
Merira made no answer, he merely looked at the king and his face remained as unmoved as though he were asleep or dead.
Suddenly there came through the stillness the slow, measured clang of the cymbals on the roof of Aton's temple, as though a huge heart of brass began beating in the night.
All rose from their seats; the king, the queen, the princesses, the heir-apparent and Merira walked to the altar that stood in the depths of the room before a bas-relief of the god Aton.