“‘Here shall you find me, where are no wars or fears or troubles, and here shall we dwell together happily for many an age, though what will chance to us in the end I do not know.’
“‘But the child. What of the child?’ I asked. ‘Must we lose the child?’
“‘Nay, Beloved,’ he answered, ‘presently she will be with us.’
“‘Then, Lord, is she also doomed to die to the world before she has known the world?’
“‘Not so, Beloved, but here there is no time, and soon her hour there will be accomplished and she will be counted of our company.’
“‘Yet she will never know us, Lord, who died when she was without understanding.’
“‘The dead know everything; in death all that seems lost is found again; in death all is forgiven, even those priests and princes who would have betrayed you to the Shepherds are forgiven, for some of them whom the axe of Ru sent hither, stand by me and ask pardon of you as I speak. In death are life and understanding. Therefore come hither swiftly and without fear.’
“Then I awoke, happy for the first time since Ru bore the body of King Kheperra out of the battle.”
“A strange dream. A very strange dream, Queen. But who can put faith in such visions of the night?” exclaimed Kemmah, for she was frightened and knew not what to say, adding:
“Now rise, if it pleases you, and let me dress you in these garments that have been provided. Afterwards we will call the Lord Tau, for I am sure he is no sailor man but a lord, and explore this place, which it would seem might be worse, for here are good food and light and friends and dark caverns where we may hope to hide ourselves away if foes should come.”