Merytra, recovered from her madness, lay upon a bed, when a woman entered and stood over her. Looking up she saw it was the Queen.
“Hearken to me,” said the Queen in an icy voice, “and tell the words I speak to Abi. The time is accomplished, and I leave him. If he would look again upon Neter-Tua, Morning Star of Amen, the Great Lady of Egypt, let him seek her in the camp of Rames. There he shall find her in the temple of Amen, which is set upon the mountain in the midst of the camp.”
Then she was gone.
Merytra rose from the bed, and called to the guards to lead her to Abi. So loudly did she call, saying that she had a message for him which must not be delayed, that at length one went and told him of her words, and he came to her.
“What is it now, Sorceress?” he asked. “Have you dreamed more ill-omened dreams?”
“Nay, Pharaoh,” she answered, “but the Queen has fled to Rames,” and word for word she repeated what had been told her.
“It is a lie,” said Abi. “How can she have fled through a triple line of guards?”
“Search, then, and see, O Pharaoh.”
So Abi searched, but though none had seen her pass, and none had gone with her, the Queen could not be found.
It was midnight, and while they still searched, by the light of the moon a tall figure clad in tattered robes, who bore a thornwood staff in his hand, and had a white beard that fell down below his middle, was perceived walking to and fro about the camp.