Muslak scowled at first when he read the letter, then smiled. When he had finished, he read it again before he rolled it up and put it into his chest.

The three of us found a scribe, and from what Muslak said I learned that the letter had been from the satrap of Kemet. Muslak told him that his ship was large and sound and his crew strong, and declared that he would obey at once. The soldier left with Muslak's letter, although I would have liked to speak more with him.

"You'll see thousands like that, Lewqys. We're going to the White Wall, the biggest fortress in the whole country."

"To see the satrap?"

Muslak nodded. "To see Prince Achaemenes himself. He has a job for us."

I asked whether this Achaemenes would pay us, for I wish to earn money.

"He says he'll reward us handsomely." Muslak fingered his beard. "He must be one of the richest men in the world."

There were more merchants, but the heat made me sleepy. I found a shady spot under a tree in the courtyard of our inn and slept.

2

IN THE EVENING

MUSLAK WOKE ME to go to the temple. He asked what I remembered, and I told him everything.

"That's good. You'll have forgotten most of it tomorrow, I'm afraid, but you may remember telling me now. Here, carry this."

It was a ram skin dyed red, very fine. "We'll have to give the goddess a nice present," Muslak explained, "and that can be sold for a good bit more than I'm willing to give."

The priest smiled when I held it up, and accepted it graciously; he is a tranquil man of middle height and middle years, with a shaven head. I took advantage of the moment to ask about Hathor, explaining that I was a stranger to his country and knew only that she was a great goddess here.

He nodded solemnly. "I would rather try to teach you, young man, than those who feel that they already know more than enough, as I must so often do in the House of Life. First let me assure you that no mortal ever knows enough, much less more than enough. You have seen her image?"