Asenath awoke the next morning, still covered in sweat and very teary-eyed and very much alone. Her father, mother and most of the servants had packed up and gone to their country estate. Only the seven virgins stayed behind with Asenath in the tower.
Joseph's prayer had a great effect on Asenath. She knew in her heart that she wanted to believe in his God, the God most High. Being all alone with no one to guide her through a conversion process, she followed her aching, penitant heart.
The hour still being early she crept downstairs and out into the yard. The portress had a cubicle near the gate, where a fire burnt all night to keep her warm. The cubicle was empty now, the portress having seen the family on their way and her shift being over, went home to sleep. The fire had also died and was now only ashes. It was the ashes that Asenath had come down to collect. Arriving at the cubicle. she realised that she had brought nothing with to carry the ashes in. Looking around, she could find nothing suitable. In desperation she yanked off the leather curtain that hung at the cubicles entrance, laying it on the ground, she loaded the ash onto the curtain and gathering the four corners, threw it over her shoulder. She hurried off to her room.
Asenath, after dumping the makeshift bag on the floor, quietly crept out again and collected an old black frock and some cord from her dressing room next door. She returned to her bedroom and locked and bolted the door behind her.
One of her companions, just waking up, thought she heard a noise. Looking up and down the passage, she saw nothing. Perhaps it was Asenath, so she tip toed to her friend's room and tried to open the door. It was locked. "Asenath" the companion called. Inside Asenath had to think quickly. What she was about to do, she wanted to do alone. She was also scared that, discovering her plan, someone might try and stop her. So in a croaky voice she answered, "What do you want?"
The companion asked, "Is there something wrong? Why is the door locked?"
Asenath answered, "I am sick, go away"
Her companion insisted, "Open the door and I will tend to you "
Asenath replied, "My limbs are weak, I cannot stand. I cannot get out of bed. Please do not fret. Let me rest now, I will come to you when I am stronger."
Listening at the door to make sure her friend had gone away, Asenath continued with her penitance. Firstly she untied and removed the golden girdle from her waist. Next she kicked off her satin slippers. Her royal blue robe and under garments were next. Lastly she removed her tiara and diadem. Standing naked, she looked at the bruises on her chest, where she had beaten herself before falling asleep, last night.
Slowly she gathered up the black mourning tunic and slipped it over her head, picking up the rope she tied it around her waist. She was not satisfied with the way she looked, even without all her costly adornments, her natural beauty made her look anything but penitent.
Asenath bent down and lifting up a handful of ashes, rubbed it into her hair and on her face.
Kicking her clothes on the floor into a heap, she picked it up and walked to the window on the street side of the room, opening the window she threw the bundle out onto the street below.
Turning around she was greeted by all the faces of the Egyptian gods displayed on cupboards and stands all around her room, staring at her, challenging her to go ahead with her self-inflicted penitence. Screaming, Asenath lunged forward and in one foul sweep knocked all the silent idols to the floor.
She stood there, panting from the effort. Suddenly she heard a loud commotion coming from the street. Hastning to the window, she peered over the sill. Down below beggars and destitute people were either fighting over the clothes she had thrown down or looking expectantly up to the window to see if any more apparel would come floating down.
Asenath stood for a minute, then something like a smile crossed her blackened face.
She stormed round the room, grabbing every idol and using one as a hammer smashed them all into little pieces. Little heaps of gold, silver and other precious stones covered her floor. All that remained of her former gods. Gathering the pieces in her hands she ran back and forth to the open window, each time throwing the pieces in her hands out the window to the people gathered below. Asenath gathered her gold bangles, necklaces and gold chains that used to adorn her ankles and wrists and threw them out the window. After the last trip, she didn't even look out, but closed the window to block out the screams and shrieks that sounded awfully like her mother's voice, scolding her for what she had done. But what would the Most High God say, would He be pleased. She felt in her heart that God of Joseph was saying that she should give more, but there was nothing more to give. Just then she heard the sound of barking in the street. Looking out the window, she saw a large quantity of dogs had assembled beneath her window, sniffing around and raising their heads, barked to the sky. The voice inside her spoke again, saying feed them. For a moment Asenath was perplexed, not knowing what to do. She shuffled round the room thinking perhaps she should go to the kitchen to find some food for the dogs, but she really didn't want to face meeting her companions and explaining her behaviour to them. They wouldn't understand. Also, this time of penitence was between her and the living God. Still shuffling round the room, deep in thought, she suddenly let out a painful cry as she stubbed her toe against a silver tray lying on the floor. Not only was the tray on the floor, but scattered on the floor was all the food that had been brought to her the night before. She had not touched the food. She was in such a state after Joseph's prayer. Asenath remembered now that she had accidentally knocked the tray off the table when she had bashed the idols off the stands. Picking up the food and placing it on the tray, she carried it to the window and emptied the tray into the street. The barking turned to yelps and growls as the dogs began to fight over the food. Now, finally, the room was empty of everything that was associated with the old Asenath.
Humiliation flooded over her whole being. Asenath poured out the ashes from the leather curtain on the floor, spreading the ashes out, she lay down on her bed of ashes, she curled herself up into a fetal position. She would not open her mouth to eat or talk. She lay in this position for the next seven days.
