nfluence of a malignant spirit, and that this spirit refused to be
influenced in any way by him; in fact all his wisdom and skill availed
nothing, for the spirit was hostile to him.

[Illustration: Stele relating the Story of the Healing of Bentresht,
Princess of Bekhten.]

Then the Prince of Bekhten sent a second messenger to His Majesty,
beseeching him to send a god to Bekhten to overcome the evil spirit, and
he arrived in Egypt nine years after the arrival of the first
ambassador. Again the king was celebrating a festival of Amen, and when
he heard of the request of the Prince of Bekhten he went and stood
before the statue of Khensu, called "Nefer-hetep," and he said, "O my
fair lord, I present myself a second time before thee on behalf of the
daughter of the Prince of Bekhten." He then went on to ask the god to
transmit his power to Khensu, "Pa-ari-sekher-em-Uast," the god who
drives out the evil spirits which attack men, and to permit him to go to
Bekhten and release the Princess from the power of the evil spirit. And
the statue of Khensu Nefer-hetep bowed its head twice at each part of
the petition, and this god bestowed a fourfold portion of his spirit and
power on Khensu Pa-ari-sekher-em-Uast. Then the king ordered that the
god should set out on his journey to Bekhten carried in a boat, which
was accompanied by five smaller boats and by chariots and horses. The
journey occupied seventeen months, and the god was welcomed on his
arrival by the Prince of Bekhten and his nobles with suitable homage and
many cries of joy. The god was taken to the place where Princess
Bentresht was, and he used his magical power upon her with such good
effect that she was made whole at once. The evil spirit who had
possessed her came out of her and said to Khensu: "Welcome, welcome, O
great god, who dost drive away the spirits who attack men. Bekhten is
thine; its people, both men and women, are thy servants, and I myself am
thy servant. I am going to depart to the place whence I came, so that
thy heart may be content concerning the matter about which thou hast
come. I beseech Thy Majesty to give the order that thou and I and the
Prince of Bekhten may celebrate a festival together." The god Khensu
bowed his head as a sign that he approved of the proposal, and told his
priest to make arrangements with the Prince of Bekhten for offering up
a great offering. Whilst this conversation was passing between the evil
spirit and the god the so