e
panther-skins and other parts of the ceremonial vestments of the priests
were being aired and set out; here sceptres, censers and other
metal-vessels were being cleaned, and there the sacred bark which was to
be carried in the procession was being decorated. In the sacred groves of
the temple the school-boys, under the direction of the gardeners, wove
garlands and wreaths to decorate the landing-places, the sphinxes, the
temple, and the statues of the Gods. Flags were hoisted on the
brass-tipped masts in front of the pylon, and purple sails were spread to
give shadow to the court.

The inspector of sacrifices was already receiving at a side-door the
cattle, corn and fruit, offerings which were brought as tribute to the
House of Seti, by citizens from all parts of the country, on the occasion
of the festival of the Valley, and he was assisted by scribes, who kept
an account of all that was brought in by the able-bodied temple-servants
and laboring serfs.

Ameni was everywhere: now with the singers, now with the magicians, who
were to effect wonderful transformations before the astonished multitude;
now with the workmen, who were erecting thrones for the Regent, the
emissaries from other collegiate foundations--even from so far as the
Delta--and the prophets from Thebes; now with the priests, who were
preparing the incense, now with the servants, who were trimming the
thousand lamps for the illumination at night--in short everywhere; here
inciting, there praising. When he had convinced himself that all was
going on well he desired one of the priests to call Pentaur.

After the departure of the exiled prince Rameri, the young priest had
gone to the work-room of his friend Nebsecht.

The leech went uneasily from his phials to his cages, and from his cages
back to his flasks. While he told Pentaur of the state he had found his
room in on his return home, he wandered about in feverish excitement,
unable to keep still, now kicking over a bundle of plants, now thumping
down his fist on the table; his favorite birds were starved to death, his
snakes had escaped, and his ape had followed their example, apparently in
his fear of them.

"The brute, the monster!" cried Nebsecht in a rage. He has thrown over
the jars with the beetles in them, opened the chest of meal that I feed
the birds and insects upon, and rolled about in it; he has thrown my
knives, prickers, and forceps, my pins, compasses, and reed pens all out
of wind