he land of Egypt and bring death upon us."

"What! does that reptile jugglery frighten you?" replied the Pharaoh.
"Did you not see that my wise men produced serpents with their wands?"

"Yes, but Aharon's devoured them, and that is an ill omen."

"What matters it? Am I not the favourite of Phre, the preferred of Ammon
Ra? Have I not under my sandals the effigies of conquered nations? With
one breath I shall sweep away when I please the whole of that Hebrew
race, and I shall see if their god can protect them."

"Beware, Pharaoh," said Tahoser, who remembered Poeri's words about the
power of Jehovah. "Do not allow pride to harden your heart. Mosche and
Aharon terrify me; they must be supported by a more powerful god, for
they braved your wrath."

"If their god is so powerful," said the Pharaoh, answering the fear
expressed by Tahoser, "would he leave them thus captives, humiliated and
bowing like beasts of burden under the harvest labour? Let us forget
these vain prodigies and live in peace. Think rather of the love I bear
you, and remember that the Pharaoh is more powerful than the Lord, the
fanciful god of the Hebrews."

"Yes, you are the destroyer of the nations and the ruler of thrones, and
men are before you like grains of sand blown by the southern wind. I
know it," replied Tahoser.

"And yet I cannot make you love me," said the Pharaoh, with a smile.

"The ibex fears the lion, the dove dreads the hawk, the eye shrinks from
the sun, and I can see you yet only through terror and blazing light. It
takes human weakness a long time to become familiar with royal majesty;
a god always terrifies a mortal."

"You fill me with regret, Tahoser, that I am not the first-comer, an
officer, a nomarch, a priest, a labourer, or even less. But since I
cannot make the King into a man, I can make a queen out of the woman and
bind the golden uraeus upon your lovely brow. The Queen will no longer
dread the King."

"Even when you make me sit by you on your throne, my thoughts remain
kneeling at your feet. But you are so good in spite of your superhuman
beauty, your power so boundless and your splendour so dazzling, that
perhaps my heart will grow bold and will dare to beat against yours."

Thus talked the Pharaoh and Tahoser. The priest's daughter could not
forget Poeri, and sought to gain time by flattering the passion of the
King. To escape from the palace, to find the young Hebrew again, was
impossible. Besides, Poeri had