gine
the princess to be that child, and the stone a loaf that she would fain
give to feed a beggar. Would you then give it to her if your father and
your mother and all that is dear and precious to you were in the chariot?
Answer not! the princess will visit the paraschites again to-morrow. You
must await her in the man's hut, and there inform her that she has
transgressed and must crave to be purified by us. For this time you are
excused from any further punishment.

"Heaven has bestowed on you a gifted soul. Strive for that which is
wanting to you--the strength to subdue, to crush for One--and you know
that One--all things else--even the misguiding voice of your heart, the
treacherous voice of your judgment.--But stay! send leeches to the house
of the paraschites, and desire them to treat the injured girl as though
she were the queen herself. Who knows where the man dwells?"

"The princess," replied Pentaur, "has left Paaker, the king's pioneer,
behind in the temple to conduct the leeches to the house of Pinem."

The grave high-priest smiled and said. "Paaker! to attend the daughter of
a paraschites."

Pentaur half beseechingly and half in fun raised his eyes which he had
kept cast down. "And Pentaur," he murmured, "the gardener's son! who is
to refuse absolution to the king's daughter!"

"Pentaur, the minister of the Gods--Pentaur, the priest--has not to do
with the daughter of the king, but with the transgressor of the sacred
institutions," replied Ameni gravely. "Let Paaker know I wish to speak
with him."

The poet bowed low and quitted the room, the high priest muttered to
himself: "He is not yet what he should be, and speech is of no effect
with him."

For a while he was silent, walking to and fro in meditation; then he said
half aloud, "And the boy is destined to great things. What gifts of the
Gods doth he lack? He has the faculty of learning--of thinking--of
feeling--of winning all hearts, even mine. He keeps himself undefiled and
separate--" suddenly the prelate paused and struck his hand on the back of
a chair that stood by him. "I have it; he has not yet felt the fire of
ambition. We will light it for his profit and our own."

CHAPTER III.

Pentauer hastened to execute the commands of the high-priest. He sent a
servant to escort Paaker, who was waiting in the forecourt, into the
presence of Ameni while he himself repaired to the physicians to impress
on them the most watchful care of the un