"Willingly, my dear friend. She will be delighted to see you, and to thank you."
"Farewell, Katuti."
"Call me mother," said the widow, and she waved her veil to him as a last farewell.
CHAPTER XIX.
As soon as Paaker had disappeared behind the shrubs, Katuti struck a little sheet of metal, a slave appeared, and Katuti asked her whether Nefert had returned from the temple.
"Her litter is just now at the side gate," was the answer.
"I await her here," said the widow. The slave went away, and a few minutes later Nefert entered the hall.
"You want me?" she said; and after kissing her mother she sank upon her couch. "I am tired," she exclaimed, "Nemu, take a fan and keep the flies off me."
The dwarf sat down on a cushion by her couch, and began to wave the semi- circular fan of ostrich-feathers; but Katuti put him aside and said:
"You can leave us for the present; we want to speak to each other in private."