h
fierce eyes that they drew back with frightened yelps and let her pass
by.

She had soon passed the dangerous and deserted places inhabited at night
by the members of the thieves' association, and entered the wealthy
quarter of Thebes. Three or four streets bordered with tall buildings,
the shadows of which fell in great angles, led her to the outer wall of
the palace, which was the object of her trip. The difficulty was to
enter,--no easy matter at that time of the night for an old Hebrew
servant with dusty feet and shabby garments.

[Illustration: Copyright 1901, by George D. Sproul

GILBO & CO.

_The Pharaoh slew but a short time ago three messengers with a blow of
his sceptre._]

She went to the main pylon, before which watched, stretched at length,
fifty ram-headed sphinxes, arranged in two lines like monsters
ready to crush between their granite jaws the imprudent ones who should
attempt to force a passage. The sentinels stopped her, struck her
roughly with the shafts of their javelins, and then asked her what she
wished.

"I want to see the Pharaoh," replied the old woman, rubbing her back.

"That's right,--very nice! Waken for this witch the Pharaoh, favourite
of Phre, beloved of Ammon Ra, the destroyer of nations!" said the
soldiers, laughing loudly.

Thamar repeated obstinately, "I want to see the Pharaoh at once."

"A very good time you have chosen for it! The Pharaoh slew but a short
time ago three messengers with a blow of his sceptre. He sits on his
terrace, motionless and sinister like Typhon, the god of evil," said a
soldier who condescended to give this explanation.

Ra'hel's maid endeavoured to force her way through; the javelins rattled
on her head like hammers on an anvil. She began to yell like a bird
plucked alive.

An officer came out on hearing the tumult; the soldiers stopped beating
Thamar.

"What does this woman want?" said the officer, "and why are you beating
her in this way?"

"I want to see the Pharaoh," cried Thamar, dragging herself to the knees
of the officer.

"Out of the question," replied the latter; "it is out of the
question,--even if, instead of being a low wretch, you were one of the
greatest personages in the kingdom."

"I know where is Tahoser," whispered the old woman in his ear, laying
stress on each syllable.

On hearing this, the officer took Thamar by the hand, led her through
the first pylon and through the avenue of pillars and the hypostyle hall