Atlength，twomonthsormoreafterweleftAlexandria，fromthedeckoftheboatinwhichwehadhiredapassageforthelasthundredmilesofourjourney，MartinasawtotheeasttheruinsofThebes。Tothewestshesawotherruins，andseatedinfrontofthem/twomightyfiguresofstone/。
“Thisistheplace，“shesaid，andmyheartleaptatherwords。“Nowletuslandandfollowourfortune。“
Sowhentheboatwastiedupatsunset，tothewestbankoftheriver，asithappened，webadefarewelltotheownerandwentashore。
“Whithernow？“askedMartina。
“Tothefiguresofstone，“Ianswered。
Sosheledmethroughfieldsinwhichthecornwasgrowing，totheedgeofthedesert，meetingnomanalltheway。Thenforamileormorewetrampedthroughsand，tillatlength，lateatnight，Martinahalted。
“Westandbeneaththestatues，“shesaid，“andtheyareawesometolookon；mighty，seatedkings，higherthanatalltree。“
“Whatliesbehindthem？“Iasked。
“Theruinsofagreattemple。“
“Leadmetothattemple。“
Sowepassedthroughagatewayintoacourt，andtherewehalted。
“Nowtellmewhatyousee，“Isaid。
“Westandinwhathasbeenahallofmanycolumns，“sheanswered，“butthemostofthemarebroken。Atourfeetisapoolinwhichthereisalittlewater。Beforeusliestheplainonwhichthestatuessit，stretchingsomemilestotheNile，thatisfringedwithpalms。AcrossthebroadNilearetheruinsofoldThebes。Behindusaremoreruinsandalineofruggedhillsofstone，andinthem，alittletothenorth，themouthofavalley。Thesceneisverybeautifulbeneaththemoon，butverysadanddesolate。“
“ItistheplacethatIsawinmydreammanyyearsagoatAar，“I
said。
“Itmaybe，“sheanswered，“butifsoitmusthavechanged，since，saveforajackalcreepingamongthecolumnsandadogthatbarksinsomedistantvillage，Ineitherseenorhearalivingthing。Whatnow，Olaf？“
“Nowwewilleatandsleep，“Isaid。“Perhapslightwillcometousinoursleep。“
Soweateofthefoodwehadbroughtwithus，andafterwardslaydowntorestinalittlechamber，paintedroundwithgods，thatMartinafoundintheruinsofthetemple。
Duringthatnightnodreamscametome，nordidanythinghappentodisturbus，eveninthisoldtemple，ofwhichtheverypaving-stoneswerewornthroughbythefeetofthedead。
BeforethedawnMartinaledmebacktothecolossalstatues，andwewaitedthere，hopingthatweshouldhearthemsing，astraditionsaidtheydidwhenthesunrose。Yetthesuncameupasithaddonefromthebeginningoftheworld，andstruckuponthosegianteffigiesasithaddoneforsometwothousandyears，orsoIwastold，andtheyremainedquitesilent。IdonotthinkthateverIgrievedmoreovermyblindnessthanonthisday，whenImustdependuponMartinatotellmeofthegloryofthatsunriseovertheEgyptiandesertandthosemightyruinsrearedbythehandsofforgottenmen。
Well，thesunrose，and，sincethestatueswouldnotspeak，Itookmyharpandplayeduponit，andMartinasangawildEasternsongtomyplaying。Itseemedthatourmusicwasheard。Atanyrate，afewfolkgoingouttolabourcametoseebywhomitwascaused，andfindingonlytwowanderingmusicians，presentlywentawayagain。Still，oneremained，awoman，Copticbyherdress，withwhomIheardMartinatalk。Sheaskedwhowewereandwhywehadcometosuchaplace，whereonMartinarepeatedtoherthestorywhichwehadtoldahundredtimes。Thewomanansweredthatweshouldearnlittlemoneyinthoseparts，asthefaminehadbeensorethereowingtothelowNileofthepreviousseason。Untilthecropswereripeagain，whichinthecaseofmostofthemwouldnotbeforsomeweeks，evenfood，sheadded，mustbescarce，thoughfewwerelefttoeatit，sincetheMoslemshadkilledoutmostofthosewhodweltinthatdistrictofUpperEgypt。
Martinarepliedthatsheknewthiswasso，andthereforewehadproposedeithertotravelontoNubiaortoreturnnorth。Still，asI，herblinduncle，wasnotwell，wehadlandedfromaboathopingthatwemightfindsomeplacewherewecouldrestforaweekortwountilI
grewstronger。
“Yet，“shecontinuedmeaningly，“beingpoorChristianfolkweknownotwheretolookforsuchaplace，sinceCrossworshippersarenotwelcomeamongthosewhofollowtheProphet。“
Now，whenthewomanheardthatwewereChristianshervoicechanged。
“IalsoamaChristian，“shesaid；“butgivemethesign。“
SowemadethesignoftheCrossonourbreasts，whichaMoslemwilldieratherthando。
“MyhusbandandI，“wentonthewoman，“liveyonderatthevillageofKurna，whichissituatedneartothemouthofthevalleythatiscalledBiban-el-Meluk，orGateoftheKings，fortherethemonarchsofolddays，whoweretheforefathersorrulersofusCopts，lieburied。
Itisbutaverysmallvillage，fortheMoslemshavekilledmostofusinawarthatwasraisedawhileagobetweenthemandourhereditaryprince，Magas。YetmyhusbandandIhaveagoodhousethere，and，beingpoor，shallbegladtogiveyoufoodandshelterifyoucanpayussomething。“
Theendofitwasthataftersomechaffering，forwedarednotshowthatwehadmuchmoney，abargainwasstruckbetweenusandthisgoodwoman，whowasnamedPalka。Havingpaidheraweek’schargesinadvance，sheledustothevillageofKurna，whichwasnearlyanhour’swalkaway，andheremadeusknowntoherhusband，amiddle-agedmannamedMarcus，whotooklittlenoteofanythingsavehisfarming。
Thishecarriedonuponapatchoffertilegroundthatwasirrigatedbyaspringwhichflowedfromthemountains；alsohehadotherlandsneartotheNile，wherehegrewcornandfodderforhisbeasts。Inhishouse，thatoncehadbeenpartofsomegreatstonebuildingoftheancients，andstillremainedfarlargerthanhecoulduse，forthispairhadnochildren，weweregiventwogoodrooms。Herewedweltincomfort，since，notwithstandingthescarcityofthetimes，Marcuswasricherthanheseemedandlivedwell。AsforthevillageofKurna，itspeoplealltolddidnotamounttomorethanthirtysouls，Christianseveryoneofthem，whowerevisitedfromtimetotimebyaCopticpriestfromsomedistantmonasteryinthemountains。
BydegreeswegrewfriendlywithPalka，apleasant，bustlingwomanofgoodbirth，wholovedtohearoftheoutsideworld。Moreover，shewasveryshrewd，andsoonbegantosuspectthatweweremorethanmerewanderingplayers。
Pretendingtobeweakandill，Ididnotgooutmuch，butfollowedheraboutthehousewhileshewasworking，talkingtoheronmanymatters。
ThusIledupthesubjectofPrinceMagasandhisrebellion，andlearnedthathehadbeenkilledataplaceaboutfiftymilessouthfromKurna。ThenIaskedifitweretruethathisdaughterhadbeenkilledwithhim。
“WhatdoyouknowoftheladyHeliodore？“sheaskedsharply。
“Onlythatmyniece，whoforawhilewasaservantinthepalaceatByzantiumbeforeshewasdrivenawaywithothersaftertheEmpressfell，sawherthere。Indeed，itwasherbusinesstowaituponherandherfatherthePrince。Therefore，sheisinterestedinherfate。“
“Itseemsthatyouaremoreinterestedthanyourniece，whohasneverspokenawordtomeconcerningher，“answeredPalka。“Well，sinceyouareaman，Ishouldnothavethoughtthisstrange，hadyounotbeenblind，fortheysayshewasthemostbeautifulwomaninEgypt。Asforherfate，youmustaskGod，sincenoneknowit。WhenthearmyofMusawasencampedyonderbytheNilemyhusband，Marcus，whohadtakentwodonkey-loadsofforageforsaletothecampandwasreturningbymoonlight，sawherrunpasthim，aredknifeinherhand，herfacesettowardstheGatewayoftheKings。Afterthathesawhernomore，nordidanyoneelse，althoughtheyhuntedlongenough，eveninthetombs，whichtheMoslems，likeourpeople，feartovisit。Doubtlessshefellorthrewherselfintosomeholeintherocks；orperhapsthewildbeastsateher。BettersothanthatachildoftheoldPharaohsshouldbecomethewomanofaninfidel。“
“Yes，“Ianswered，“betterso。Butwhydofolkfeartovisitthosetombsofwhichyouspeak，Palka？“
“Why？Becausetheyarehaunted，thatisall，andeventhebravestdreadthesightofaghost。Howcouldtheybeotherwisethanhaunted，seeingthatyondervalleyissownwiththemightydeadlikeafieldwithcorn？“
“Yetthedeadsleepquietlyenough，Palka。“
“Aye，thecommondead，Hodur；butnotthesekingsandqueensandprinces，who，beinggodsofakind，cannotdie。Itissaidthattheyholdtheirrevelsyonderatnightwithsongsandwildlaughter，andthatthosewholookuponthemcometoanevilendwithinayear。
WhetherthisbesoIcannotsay，sinceformanyyearsnonehavedaredtovisitthatplaceatnight。YetthattheyeatIknowwellenough。“
“Howdoyouknow，Palka？“
“Foragoodreason。WiththeothersinthisvillageIsupplytheofferingsoftheirfood。Thestoryrunsthatoncethegreatbuilding，ofwhichthishouseisapart，wasacollegeofheathenpriestswhosedutyitwastomakeofferingstothedeadintheroyaltombs。WhentheChristianscame，thosepriestsweredrivenaway，butweofKurnawholiveintheirhousestillmaketheofferings。Ifwedidnot，misfortunewouldovertakeus，asindeedhasalwayshappenediftheywereforgottenorneglected。Itistherentthatwepaytotheghostsofthekings。Twiceaweekwepayit，settingfoodandmilkandwateruponacertainstoneneartothemouthofthevalley。“
“Thenwhathappens，Palka？“
“Nothing，exceptthattheofferingistaken。“
