Kenkenes made a place for her on his chair and drew her down beside
him. Together the pair undid the scroll and Kenkenes, following the
tiny pink finger, came upon these words:
"Ah, thou shouldst see her, my sweet. Thou knowest she was born of a
prince of Egypt and a lovely Tahennu, and the mingling of our dusky
blood with that of a fair-haired northern people, hath wrought a
marvelous beauty in Ta-user. Her hair is like copper and like copper
her eyes. There is no brownness nor any flush in her skin. It is like
thick cream, smooth, soft and cool. And when she walks, she minds me
of my grandsire's leopardess, which once did stride from shadow to
shadow in the palace with that undulatory, unearthly grace. In nature,
she is world-compelling. When first she met me, she took my face
between her palms and gazed into mine eyes. Ai! she bewitched me, then
and there. My individuality died within me--I felt an unreasoning
submission, strangely mingled with aversion. I was compelled--divorced
from mine own forces, which vaguely protested from afar. . . . And
yet, thou shouldst see her meet Rameses. He makes me marvel. He
knows--she knows--aye, all Egypt knows why she hath come to court, and
yet they meet--she salutes him with bewildering grace--he inclines his
proud head with never a tremor and they pass.
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