Naught else could be wrung from him by any
tormentthat is known.
Moreover didthey not live in my house at Memphis as
father and daughter?
Shall we not behead this man at once and make an
end?
May it please the King, Obil is here as the King
commanded, said thecaptain. How soon men forget the voices of those they thought
fair enough tohold close not a sunrise ago! Do you hear that you are condemned
todie? More, he had driven a knife into herthroat to still her struggles while he
robbed her.
Nor was oneneeded at this season of the year when
no rain fell. O King, he said, the Kings command cannot be carried out on
theinstant. It is enough, said Belshazzar, when the interpreter had renderedthem
all.
They bore them in withribald shouts and
lo!
Nay, O King, his name is Ramose, she exclaimed
astonished.
I stumbled on dragging Myra with me; we came to
thehidden door. I heard her scream my name; I sawher fall and vanish beneath the
stamping feet. Some of that glittering mob were overthrownand trampled, among them
my mother.
A madness fell upon thecompany and the rage of
terror. At that moment the moon thathad been half hidden by a cloud, shone out
fully. Well, soon we shall hear another story from you. They stared astonished and
terrified; in uttersilence they sat still and stared.
You have heard, he said in that horrible soft voice
of his.
But doubtless you have your reasons which it does
notbecome me to ask.
Well, soon we shall hear another story from you.
Can you not take me back by the road we came, Lady? How came you here and for what
purpose, O Ptahmes?
She peered down the little passage to learnwhether
it were empty, and I glanced back at the hall.