at the
breast, he rent it, and cried in a terrible voice:

"Hear him, ye gods of Egypt! Hear this son of mine who defies me to my
face and would set your necks beneath the heel of a stranger god. Prince
Seti, in the presence of these royal ones, and these my councillors,
I----"

He said no more, for the Princess Userti, who till now had remained
silent, ran to him, and throwing her arms about him, began to whisper in
his ear. He hearkened to her, then sat himself down, and spoke again:

"The Princess brings it to my mind that this is a great matter, one not
to be dealt with hastily. It may happen that when the Prince has taken
counsel with her, and with his own heart, and perchance has sought the
wisdom of the gods, he will change the words which have passed his lips.
I command you, Prince, to wait upon me here at this same hour on the
third day from this. Meanwhile, I command all present, upon pain of
death, to say nothing of what has passed within these walls."

"I hear Pharaoh," said the Prince, bowing.

Meneptah rose to show that the Council was discharged, when the Vizier
Nehesi approached him, and asked:

"What of the Hebrew prisoners, O Pharaoh, those murderers who were
captured in the pass?"

"Their guilt is proved. Let them be beaten with rods till they die, and
if they have wives or children, let them be seized and sold as slaves."

"Pharaoh's will be done!" said the Vizier.

CHAPTER IX

THE SMITING OF AMON

That evening I sat ill at ease in my work-chamber in Seti's palace,
making pretence to write, I who felt that great evils threatened my
lord the Prince, and knew not what to do to turn them from him. The door
opened, and old Pambasa the chamberlain appeared and addressed me by my
new titles, saying that the Hebrew lady Merapi, who had been my nurse in
sickness, wished to speak with me. Presently she came and stood before
me.

"Scribe Ana," she said, "I have but just seen my uncle Jabez, who has
come, or been sent, with a message to me," and she hesitated.

"Why was he sent, Lady? To bring you news of Laban?"

"Not so. Laban has fled away and none know where he is, and Jabez has
only escaped much trouble as the uncle of a traitress by undertaking
this mission."

"What is the mission?"

"To pray me, if I would save myself from death and the vengeance of God,
to work upon the heart of his Highness, which I know not how to do----"

"Yet I think you might find means, Merapi."

"----s