"
"Nay, keep it from her yet a while. Tell her not now."
"How may we?" Deborah asked helplessly.
"Listen. I am a householder in Memphis for a year. The place is
secure from much visiting and only my trusted servants are there. They
will not tell her--none else will--thou and I shall keep discreet
tongues, but if the fact creep out, in the way of such things, we need
not accuse ourselves of killing her hope. As thou sayest, the young
man may not be dead. But let us not risk anything.
"And furthermore," she caught up the line of her talk before Deborah
could answer, "I may as well work good out of an evil I can not escape.
I am betrothed to the heir of the crown of Egypt--"
Deborah flung up her hand, drawing away in her amazement.
"Thou! A coming queen over the proud land of Mizraim--a guest in the
retreat of enslaved Israel!"
Masanath bent her head. "Ye, in your want and distress, are not more
poor or wretched than I."
The old Israelite's brilliant eyes glittered in the dark.
"Hold!" she exclaimed. "Thou art not a slave--"
"Nay, am I not?" Masanath rejoined swiftly. "A slave, a chattel,
doubly enthralled! But enough of this, I would have said that if I wed
the prince, I can ask Rachel's freedom at his hands.
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