Then she answered very sweetly that she would tell him.

And tell him she did, at such length that before she had finished, Pharaoh, whose strength as yet was small, had fallen into a doze.
"Now, you understand," she said as he woke up with a start.

"The responsibility was thrust upon me, and I had to act as I thought best.
To have slain this young Rames would have been impossible, for all hearts were with him." "But surely, Daughter, you might have got him out of the way." "My father, that is what I have done.

I have sent him to Napata, which is very much out of the way--many months' journey, I am told." "But what will happen, Tua?
Either the King of Kesh will kill him and my two thousand soldiers, or perhaps he will kill the King of Kesh as he killed his son, and seize the throne which his own forefathers held for generations.

Have you thought of that ?" "Yes, my father, I thought of it, and if this last should happen through no fault of ours, would Egypt weep, think you ?" Now Pharaoh stared at Tua, and Tua looked back at Pharaoh and smiled.
"I perceive, Daughter," he said slowly, "that in you are the makings of a great queen, for within the silken scabbard of a woman's folly I see the statesman's sword of bronze.