departed　from　Annu　back　to　Abouthis。　To　be　short；　I　came　thither　in
  safety；　having　been　absent　five　years　and　a　month；　being　now　no　more　a
  boy　but　a　man　full　grown　and　having　my　mind　well　stocked　with　the
  knowledge　of　men　and　the　ancient　wisdom　of　Egypt。　So　once　again　I　saw
  the　old　lands；　and　the　known　faces；　though　of　these　some　few　were
  wanting；　having　been　gathered　to　Osiris。　Now；　as；　riding　across　the
  fields；　I　came　nigh　to　the　enclosure　of　the　Temple；　the　priests　and
  people　issued　forth　to　bid　me　welcome；　and　with　them　the　old　wife；
  Atoua；　who；　but　for　a　few　added　wrinkles　that　Time　had　cut　upon　her
  forehead；　was　just　as　she　had　been　when　she　threw　the　sandal　after　me
  five　long　years　before。
  〃/La！　la！　la！/〃　she　cried；　〃and　there　thou　art；　my　bonny　lad；　more
  bonny　even　than　thou　wert！　/La！/　what　a　man！　what　shoulders！　and　what
  a　face　and　form！　Ah；　it　does　an　old　woman　credit　to　have　dandled　thee！
  But　thou　art　over…pale；　those　priests　down　there　at　Annu　have　starved
  thee；　surely？　Starve　not　thyself：　the　Gods　love　not　a　skeleton。　'Empty
  stomach　makes　empty　head'　as　they　say　at　Alexandria。　But　this　is　a
  glad　hour；　ay；　a　joyous　hour。　Come　income　in！〃　and　as　I　lighted　down
  she　embraced　me。
  But　I　thrust　her　aside。　〃My　father！　where　is　my　father？〃　I　cried；　〃I
  see　him　not！〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　have　no　fear；〃　she　answered；　'his　Holiness　is　well；　he
  waits　thee　in　his　chamber。　There；　pass　on。　O　happy　day！　O　happy
  Abouthis！〃
  So　I　went；　or　rather　ran；　and　reached　the　chamber　of　which　I　have
  written；　and　there　at　the　table　sat　my　father；　Amenemhat；　the　same　as
  he　had　been；　but　very　old。　I　came　to　him　and；　kneeling　before　him；
  kissed　his　hand；　and　he　blessed　me。
  〃Look　up；　my　son；〃　he　said；　〃let　my　old　eyes　gaze　upon　thy　face；　that
  I　may　read　thy　heart。〃
  So　I　lifted　up　my　head；　and　he　looked　upon　me　long　and　earnestly。
  〃I　read　thee；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃thou　art　pure　and　strong　in　wisdom；
  I　have　not　been　deceived　in　thee。　Oh；　the　years　have　been　lonely；　but
  I　did　well　to　send　thee　hence。　Now；　tell　me　of　thy　life；　for　thy
  letters　have　told　me　little；　and　thou　canst　not　know；　my　son；　how
  hungry　is　a　father's　heart。〃
  And　so　I　told　him；　we　sat　far　into　the　night　and　talked　together。　And
  in　the　end　he　bade　me　know　that　I　must　now　prepare　to　be　initiated
  into　those　last　mysteries　that　are　learned　of　the　chosen　of　the　Gods。
  And　so　it　came　about　that　for　a　space　of　three　months　I　prepared
  myself　according　to　the　holy　customs。　I　ate　no　meat。　I　was　constant　in
  the　sanctuaries；　in　the　study　of　the　secrets　of　the　Great　Sacrifice
  and　of　the　woe　of　the　Holy　Mother。　I　watched　and　prayed　before　the
  altars。　I　lifted　up　my　soul　to　God；　ay；　in　dreams　I　communed　with　the
  Invisible；　till　at　length　earth　and　earth's　desires　seemed　to　pass
  from　me。　I　longed　no　more　for　the　glory　of　this　world；　my　heart　hung
  above　it　as　an　eagle　on　his　outstretched　wings；　and　the　voice　of　the
  world's　blame　could　not　stir　it；　and　the　vision　of　its　beauty　brought
  no　delight。　For　above　me　was　the　vast　vault　of　heaven；　where　in
  unalterable　procession　the　stars　pass　on；　drawing　after　them　the
  destinies　of　men；　where　the　Holy　Ones　sit　upon　their　burning　thrones；
  and　watch　the　chariot…wheels　of　Fate　as　they　roll　from　sphere　to
  sphere。　O　hours　of　holy　contemplation！　who；　having　once　tasted　of　your
  joy　could　wish　again　to　grovel　on　the　earth？　O　vile　flesh　to　drag　us
  down！　I　would　that　thou　hadst　then　altogether　fallen　from　me；　and　left
  my　spirit　free　to　seek　Osiris！
  The　months　of　probation　passed　but　too　swiftly；　and　now　the　holy　day
  drew　near　when　I　was　in　truth　to　be　united　to　the　universal　Mother。
  Never　hath　Night　so　longed　for　the　promise　of　the　Dawn；　never　hath　the
  heart　of　a　lover　so　passionately　desired　the　sweet　coming　of　his
  bride；　as　I　longed　to　see　Thy　glorious　face；　O　Isis！　Even　now　that　I
  have　been　faithless　to　Thee；　and　Thou　art　far　from　me；　O　Divine！　my
  soul　goes　out　to　Thee；　and　once　more　I　know　But　as　it　is　bidden
  that　I　should　draw　the　veil；　and　speak　of　things　which　have　not　been
  told　since　the　beginning　of　this　world；　let　me　pass　on　and　reverently
  set　down　the　history　of　that　holy　morn。
  For　seven　days　the　great　festival　had　been　celebrated；　the　suffering
  of　the　Lord　Osiris　had　been　commemorated；　the　grief　of　the　Mother　Isis
  had　been　sung　and　glory　had　been　done　to　the　memory　of　the　coming　of
  the　Divine　Child　Horus；　the　Son；　the　Avenger；　the　God…begot。　All　these
  things　had　been　carried　out　according　to　the　ancient　rites。　The　boats
  had　floated　on　the　sacred　lake；　the　priests　had　scourged　themselves
  before　the　sanctuaries；　and　the　images　had　been　borne　through　the
  streets　at　night。
  And　now；　as　the　sun　sank　on　the　seventh　day；　once　more　the　great
  procession　gathered　to　chant　the　woes　of　Isis　and　tell　how　the　evil
  was　avenged。　We　went　in　silence　from　the　temple；　and　passed　through
  the　city　ways。　First　came　those　who　clear　the　path；　then　my　father
  Amenemhat　in　all　his　priestly　robes；　and　the　wand　of　cedar　in　his
  hand。　Then；　clad　in　pure　linen；　I；　the　neophyte；　followed　alone；　and
  after　me　the　white…robed　priests；　holding　aloft　banners　and　emblems　of
  the　Gods。　Next　came　those　who　bear　the　sacred　boat；　and　after　them　the
  singers　and　the　mourners；　while；　stretching　as　far　as　the　eye　could
  reach；　all　the　people　marched；　clad　in　melancholy　black　because　Osiris
  was　no　more。　We　went　in　silence　through　the　city　streets　till　at
  length　we　came　to　the　wall　of　the　temple　and　passed　in。　And　as　my
  father；　the　High　Priest；　entered　beneath　the　gateway　of　the　outer
  pylon；　a　sweet…voiced　woman　singer　began　to　sing　the　Holy　Chant；　and
  thus　she　sang：
  〃Sing　we　Osiris　dead；
  Lament　the　fallen　head：
  The　light　has　left　the　world；　the　world　is　grey。
  Athwart　the　starry　skies
  The　web　of　Darkness　flies；
  And　Isis　weeps　Osiris　passed　away。
  Your　tears；　ye　stars；　ye　fires；　ye　rivers；　shed；
  Weep；　children　of　the　Nile；　weep　for　your　Lord　is　dead！〃
  She　paused　in　her　most　sweet　song；　and　the　whole　multitude　took　up　the
  melancholy　dirge：
  〃Softly　we　tread；　our　measured　footsteps　falling
  Within　the　Sanctuary　Sevenfold；
  Soft　on　the　Dead　that　liveth　are　we　calling：
  'Return；　Osiris；　from　thy　Kingdom　cold！
  Return　to　them　that　worship　thee　of　old！'〃
  The　chorus　ceased；　and　once　again　she　sang：
  〃Within　the　court　divine
  The　Sevenfold　sacred　shrine
  We　pass；　while　echoes　of　the　Temple　walls
  Repeat　the　long　lament
  The　sound　of　sorrow　sent
  Far　up　within　the　imperishable　halls；
  Where；　each　in　the　other's　arms；　the　Sisters　weep；
  Isis　and　Nephthys；　o'er　His　unawaking　sleep。〃
  And　then　again　rolled　forth　the　solemn　chorus　of　a　thousand　voices：
  〃Softly　we　tread；　our　measured　footsteps　falling
  Within　the　Sanctuary　Sevenfold；
  Soft　on　the　Dead　that　liveth　are　we　calling：
  'Return；　Osiris；　from　thy　Kingdom　cold！
  Return　to　them　that　worship　thee　of　old！'〃
  It　ceased；　and　sweetly　she　took　up　the　song：
  〃O　dweller　in　the　West；
  Lover　and　Lordliest；
  Thy　love；　thy　Sister　Isis；　calls　thee　home！
  Come　from　thy　chamber　dun
  Thou　Master　of　the　Sun；
  Thy　shadowy　chamber　far　below　the　foam！
  With　weary　wings　and　spent
  Through　all　the　firmament；
  Through　all　the　horror…haunted　ways　of　Hell；
  I　seek　thee　near　and　far；
  From　star　to　wandering　star；
  Free　with　the　dead　that　in　Amenti　dwell。
  I　search　the　height；　the　deep；　the　lands；　the　skies；
  Rise　from　the　dead　and　live；　our　Lord　Osiris；　rise！〃
  〃Softly　we　tread；　our　measured　footsteps　falling
  Within　the　Sanctuary　Sevenfold；
  Soft　on　the　Dead　that　liveth　are　we　calling：
  'Return；　Osiris；　from　thy　Kingdom　cold！
  Return　to　them　that　worship　thee　of　old！'〃
  Now　in　a　strain　more　high　and　glad　the　singer　sang：
  〃He　wakesfrom　forth　the　prison
  We　sing　Osiris　risen；
  We　sing　the　child　that　Nout　conceived　and　bare。
  Thine　own　love；　Isis；　waits
  The　Warden　of　the　Gates；
  She　breathes　the　breath　of　Life　on　breast　and　hair；
  And　in　her　breast　and　breath
  Behold！　he　waketh；
  Behold！　at　length　he　riseth　out　of　rest；
  Touched　with　her　holy　hands；
  The　Lord　of　all　the　Lands；
  He　stirs；　he　rises　from　her　breath；　her　breast！
  But　thou；　fell　Typhon；　fly；
  The　judgment　day　drawn　nigh；
  Fleet　on　thy　track　as　flame　speeds　Horus　from　the　sky。〃
  〃Softly　we　tread；　our　measured　footsteps　falling
  Within　the　Sanctuary　Sevenfold；
  Soft　on　the　Dead　that　liveth　are　we　calling：
  'Return；　Osiris；　from　thy　Kingdom　cold！
  Return　to　them　that　worship　thee　of　old！'〃
  Once　more；　as　we　bowed　before　the　Holy；　she　sang；　and　sent　the　full
  breath　of　her　glad　music　ringing　up　the　everlasting　walls　till　the
  silence　quivered　with　h