Masanath saw him through her despairing tears--strong, immovable,
terrible--in his youth and his purposes and his capabilities.
Then the curtain fell behind him.
Crushed and stunned with despair and horror, she made her way to her
apartments in a mist of tears.
There was no help for the beloved Rachel or for the young lover. All
whom she might ask to approach the king in their favor were helpless or
prejudiced. Seti was disgraced; the queen, useless; Hotep, already too
imminently imperiled; Rameses, Har-hat, against the lovers; and the
king--the poor, feeble king, hopelessly beyond any appeal that she might
direct to him.
A sorry resolve shaped itself in her mind. To-morrow at dawn she also
would put forth searchers, and finding Rachel, send her out of Egypt, and
Kenkenes after her.
CHAPTER XL
THE FIRST-BORN
At the door of her apartments Masanath was met by the faithful Nari,
who drew her within and showed her triumphantly that the usurping
ladies-in-waiting had departed. The unhappy girl was grateful for the
change. The relief for her sorrow was its expression, and she dreaded
the restraint put upon her by the presence of discerning and unfamiliar
eyes.
All desire for sleep had left her.
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