Take the last amulets!' And An-Herru
Flew with them to the dead man's gate, and flew
Through all the windings, all the doors, and, lo,
The game was playing still between those two.
He laid the amulets on Setne's head,
And Setne shivered in the earth, and said
A great spell; then, upstriving from the ground,
Reached out his arm, and caught the Book, and fled.
Light went before him, and behind great gloom
Closed, and he heard Ahure for her doom
Wailing: 'King Darkness, come! King Light, farewell!
Gone, gone, is the last comfort of the Tomb.'
But Nefrekepta on his marble bed
Lay back and laughed: 'A little while,' he said,
'O Shadow of my Sister, and this man
Shall come again. Therefore be comforted.
His dreams shall bring him back, before mine ire
Kneeling, to do the worst of our desire,
A fork upon his neck, a rod between
His hands, and on his head a bowl of fire.'
[Ta-Buvuë, and the Return of the Book]
But Setne out into the light above
Returned, and saw the light with a great love;
And sealed the tomb, and stood at Pharaoh's throne
And told his doings and the end thereof.
And Pharaoh said to Setne: 'These be vain
Doings. Go back and give the dead again
His book, as a wise man to a wise man,
Now, lest thou give it some day with much pain.'
But Setne hearkened not. By day and night
He read the Book and took therein delight,
And showed it at his feasts; and all his days
Were sweet to Setne and his breath was light.