hast made a weapon of
thy wits and it shall recoil upon thee. Thou seest Egypt; not in all
the world is there another empire so piteously humbled. Her fields are
white with bones instead of harvests; her cities are loud with mourning
instead of commerce; the desert hath overrun the valley. And this from
the hands of the Hebrews' God! Who doubts it? Hath Egypt won any
honor in this quarrel with Israel? Look upon Egypt and learn. Hath
the army of the Pharaoh availed him aught against these afflictions?
Remember the polluted waters, the pests, the thunders, the darkness,
the angel of death and tell me. 'Vengeance?' Vengeance upon a God who
hath blasted a nation with His breath? Chastisement of a people whose
murmurs brought down consuming fire upon the land? And yet, for
vengeance and chastisement hast thou urged the king to follow after
Israel. I know thee better, Har-hat! That serviceable wit of thine
hath not failed thee in an hour. Thou hast not wearied of life that
thou courtest destruction by the Hebrews' God. Never hast thou meant
to overtake Israel! Never hast thou thought further to provoke their
God! Rather was it thine intent here, somewhere in the desert, thyself
to be a plague upon Meneptah and wear his crown after him!"

Confident were the words, portentous the manner as though proof were
behind, astounding the accusation. One by one the ministers had fallen
away from Har-hat and placed themselves by the king. After a long time
of humiliation for them, the supplanter, the insulter, was overtaken,
his villainy uncovered to the eyes of the king. Kenkenes had justified
them, and their triumph had come with a gust of wrath that added
further to their relief.

Hotep gazed fixedly at Kenkenes. Where had this young visionary,
new-released from prison, found evidence to impeach this powerful
favorite? How was he fortified? What would be his next play? How
much more did he know? And while Hotep asked himself these things,
trembling for Kenkenes, Har-hat put the same questions to himself. The
roll of papyrus, with its seals, still in the young man's hands, was
significant. He folded his arms and forced the issue.

"Your proof," he demanded.

"Both the hour and need of my proof are past. Already art thou
convicted." Kenkenes indicated the king and the ministers behind him.
The fan-bearer followed the motion of the arm and for the first time
met the gaze of the angry group.

Kenkenes ha