* The Double and the Spirit here mentioned were doubtless those constituent parts of the human entity which were known respectively to the old Egyptians as the Ka (the Double), and the Khu (the Soul itself). Of these, some traditional knowledge might very well have descended to Bakhita.
She ceased and watched a little lamp which burnt upon the prow of the boat, in front of the object that looked like a toy mummy. Mea also rose and watched, while out of the darkness Rupert and the dog watched too. For a little while the boat remained still, then one of the numerous draughts that blew about these caverns seemed to catch its sail, and slowly it drew away across the water.
“It goes west,” whispered Mea.
“Aye,” answered Bakhita, “west as he does. But will it bide in the west?”
“I pray not,” answered Mea, “since ever from of old the west has been the land of death, and therefore to the west of these waters lie the sepulchres, and where the sun sets beyond the west bank of the Nile, there for thousands of years our people laid their dead. Nay, boat, tarry not in the west where Osiris rules, the cold and sorrowful west. Return, return to the House of Ra, and in his light abide.”
Thus she murmured on, like one who makes a song to herself in the Eastern fashion, all the while intently watching the little lamp that showed the position of the boat. Having reached the western edge of the pool, it seemed inclined to remain there, whereon Mea, turning to Bakhita, began to scold her, asking her why she had brought her there to see this childish play, and whether she thought that she, Mea, who had been educated at Luxor and received many lessons from the Bey, believed in her silly magic, or that a toy boat, even though it did carry a man’s foot made up like a mummy, could possibly tell whither he would wander.
“If the boat sails right, then you will believe; if it sails wrong, then you will not believe. That I expected, and it is best,” answered Bakhita drily, and at that moment something happened to the little lamp that stood before the mummy foot, for suddenly it went out.
Now Mea grew positively angry, and spoke sharp words to Bakhita as to her methods of divination and the benighted and primitive condition of her intelligence in general.
“Were I to accept the augury of your boat,” she said, “I must be sure not only that he will stay in the west, but that he will die there, for look, the light is out.”
“Other things die beside men’s bodies,” answered Bakhita, in her brief fashion; “their hopes, or beliefs, or perhaps their good luck—who can say?”