t close up to
Pentaur, but stood trembling behind him not daring to speak to him.

Several minutes passed. Suddenly Pentaur raised his head, lifted his
hands to heaven, and cried:

"O Thou! the One!--though stars may fall from the heavens in summer
nights, still Thy eternal and immutable laws guide the never-resting
planets in their paths. Thou pure and all-prevading Spirit, that dwellest
in me, as I know by my horror of a lie, manifest Thyself in me--as light
when I think, as mercy when I act, and when I speak, as truth--always as
truth!"

The poet spoke these words with absorbed fervor, and Nebsecht heard them
as if they were speech from some distant and beautiful world. He went
affectionately up to his friend, and eagerly held out his hand. Pentaur
grasped it, pressed it warmly, and said:

"That was a fearful moment! You do not know what Ameni has been to me,
and now, now!"

He hardly had ceased speaking when steps were heard approaching the
physician's room, and a young priest requested the friends to appear at
once in the meeting-room of the Initiated. In a few moments they both
entered the great hall, which was brilliantly lighted.

Not one of the chiefs of the House of Seti was absent.

Ameni sat on a raised seat at a long table; on his right hand was old
Gagabu, on his left the third Prophet of the temple. The principals of
the different orders of priests had also found places at the table, and
among them the chief of the haruspices, while the rest of the priests,
all in snow-white linen robes, sat, with much dignity, in a large
semicircle, two rows deep. In the midst stood a statue of the Goddess of
truth and justice.

Behind Ameni's throne was the many-colored image of the ibis-headed Toth,
who presided over the measure and method of things, who counselled the
Gods as well as men, and presided over learning and the arts. In a niche
at the farther end of the hall were painted the divine Triad of Thebes,
with Rameses I. and his son Seti, who approached them with offerings. The
priests were placed with strict regard to their rank, and the order of
initiation. Pentaur's was the lowest place of all.

No discussion of any importance had as yet taken place, for Ameni was
making enquiries, receiving information, and giving orders with reference
to the next day's festival. All seemed to be well arranged, and promised
a magnificent solemnity; although the scribes complained of the scarce
influx of beasts from