CHAPTER VIII

THE MAGIC IMAGE

That night Pharaoh and Tua rested in privacy with those members of the Court whom they had brought with them, but on the morrow began a round of festivals such as history scarcely told of in Egypt. Indeed, the feast with which it opened was more splendid than any Tua had seen at Thebes even at the time of her crowning, or on that day of blood and happiness when Amathel and his Nubian guards were slain and she and Rames declared their love. At this feast Pharaoh and the young Queen sat in chairs of gold, while the Prince Abi was placed on her right hand, and not on that of Pharaoh as he should have been as host and subject.

"I am too much honoured," said Tua, looking at him sideways. "Why do you not sit by Pharaoh, my uncle?"

"Who am I that I should take the seat of honour when my sovereigns come to visit me?" answered Abi, bowing his great head. "Let it be reserved for the high-priest of Osiris, that Holy One whom, after Ptah, we worship here above all other deities, for he is clothed with the majesty of the god of death."

"Of death," said Tua. "Is that why you put him by my father?"

"Indeed not," replied Abi, spreading out his hands, "though if a choice must be made, I would rather that he sat near one who is old and must soon be called the 'ever-living,' than at the side of the loveliest queen that Egypt has ever seen, to whom it is said that Amen himself has sworn a long life," and again he bowed.

Answer this series of questions:

1. What is Tua's uncle's name?
2. Would he sit beside the Pharaoh?
3. who did the Pharaoh and Tua spend the night in the company of?
4. in public?
5. where did the people come from?
6. what did they start the next day?
7. was the first feast small?
8. wahat was it bigger than?
9. spcifically?
10. or when else?
11. what were the seats made of that the couple sat on?
12. where was the prince sitting?
13. did she object?
14. how did she look at him?
15. Who else shoukld have the seat next to the Pharaoh
16. who did Abi say should have it?
17. wearing what?
18. why did ABi prefer the priest there?
19. how did he describe Tua?
20. who was the Pharaoh?

Numbered answers:
1. Abi
2. he should have
3. members of the Court
4. no
5. Thebes
6. a round of festivals
7. no
8. any Tua had seen at Thebes
9. even at the time of her crowning
10. on that day of blood and happiness when Amathel and his Nubian guards were slain and she and Rames declared their love
11. gold
12. on her right hand
13. yes
14. sideways
15. Prince Abi
16. the high-priest of Osiris
17. the majesty of the god of death
18. He would rather that he sat near one who is old
19. the loveliest queen that Egypt has ever seen
20. unknown