“Ay，Rei。IsworeanoaththatIwouldguardtheQueenwelltillPharaohcameagain。“
“Artthoumindedtokeepthatoath，Eperitus？“askedRei，lookingonhimstrangely。“ArtthoumindedtoguardthefairfameofPharaoh’sQueen，thatismorepreciousthanherlife？Methinksthoudostunderstandmymeaning，Eperitus？“
“PerchanceIunderstand，“answeredtheWanderer。“Know，Rei，thatIamsominded。“
ThenReispakeagain，darkly。“MethinkssomesicknesshathsmittenMeriamuntheQueen，andshecravestheeforherphysician。NowthingscomeaboutastheywereforeshownintheportentofthatvisionwhereofIspoketothee。Butifthoudostbreakthyoathtohimwhosesaltthoueatest，then，Eperitus，Godorman，thouartadastard。“
“HaveInotsaidthatIhavenomindsotobreakmineoath？“heanswered，thensankhisheaduponhisbreastandcommunedwithhiscraftyheartwhileReiwatchedhim。Presentlyhelifteduphisheadandspoke: