h
orders to come to Abouthis and cut off the head of the child of the High
Priest and bring it to him in a basket.

But, as it chanced, the boat in which the guards came was of deep
draught, and, the time of their coming being at the lowest ebb of the
river, it struck and remained fast upon a bank of mud that is opposite
the mouth of the road running across the plains to Abouthis, and, as the
north wind was blowing very fiercely, it was like to sink. Thereon
the guards of Pharaoh called out to the common people, who laboured at
lifting water along the banks of the river, to come with boats and take
them off; but, seeing that they were Greeks of Alexandria, the people
would not, for the Egyptians do not love the Greeks. Then the guards
cried that they were on Pharaoh's business, and still the people would
not, asking what was their business. Whereon a eunuch among them who
had made himself drunk in his fear, told them that they came to slay the
child of Amenemhat, the High Priest, of whom it was prophesied that he
should be Pharaoh and sweep the Greeks from Egypt. And then the people
feared to stand longer in doubt, but brought boats, not knowing what
might be meant by the man's words. But there was one amongst them--a
farmer and an overseer of canals--who was a kinsman of my mother's and
had been present when she prophesied; and he turned and ran swiftly for
three parts of an hour, till he came to where I lay in the house that
is without the north wall of the great Temple. Now, as it chanced, my
father was away in that part of the Place of Tombs which is to the left
of the large fortress, and Pharaoh's guards, mounted on asses, were hard
upon us. Then the messenger cried to the old wife, Atoua, whose tongue
had brought about the evil, and told how the soldiers drew near to slay
me. And they looked at each other, not knowing what to do; for, had they
hid me, the guards would not have stayed their search till I was found.
But the man, gazing through the doorway, saw a little child at play:

"Woman," he said, "whose is that child?"

"It is my grandchild," she answered, "the foster-brother of the Prince
Harmachis; the child to whose mother we owe this evil case."

"Woman," he said, "thou knowest thy duty, do it!" and he again pointed
at the child. "I command thee, by the Holy Name!"

Atoua trembled exceedingly, because the child was of her own blood; but,
nevertheless, she took the boy and washed him and set a robe of s