makers，areoftencustom-breakers。Andofallwomen，Meriamunleastlovestobeobedient，eventothedead。Andyetshehasobeyed，anditcameaboutthus。HerbrotherMeneptah——whonowisPharaoh——thePrinceofKushwhileherdivinefatherlived，hadmanyhalf-sisters，butMeriamunwasthefairestofthemall。Sheisbeautiful，aMoon-childthecommonpeoplecalledher，andwise，andshedoesnotknowthefaceoffear。Andthusitchancedthatshelearned，whatevenourRoyalwomenrarelylearn，alltheancientsecretwisdomofthisancientland。ExceptQueenTaiaofold，nowomanhasknownwhatMeriamunknows，whatIhavetaughther——Iandanothercounsellor。“
Hepausedhere，andhismindseemedtoturnonunhappythings。
“Ihavetaughtherfromchildhood，“hewenton——“wouldthatIhadbeenheronlyfamiliar——and，afterherdivinefatherandmother，shelovedmemorethanany，forshelovedfew。ButofallwhomshedidnotloveshelovedherRoyalbrotherleast。Heisslowofspeech，andsheisquick。Sheisfearlessandhehasnoheartforwar。Fromherchildhoodshescornedhim，mockedhim，andmasteredhimwithhertongue。Sheevenlearnedtoexcelhiminthechariotraces——thereforeitwasthattheKinghisfathermadehimbutaGeneraloftheFootSoldiers——andinguessingriddles，whichourpeoplelove，shedelightedtoconquerhim。Thevictorywaseasyenough，forthedivinePrinceisheavy-
witted；butMeriamunwasnevertiredofgirdingathim。Plainly，evenasalittlechildshegrudgedthatheshouldcometowieldthescourgeofpower，andwearthedoublecrown，whilesheshouldliveinidleness，andhungerforcommand。“
“Itisstrange，then，thatofallhissisters，ifonemustbeQueen，heshouldhavechosenher，“saidtheWanderer。