loyed the eunuch Houman approached me with a sickly
smile, saying,

"The King commands your presence, Egyptian, that you may receive your
reward."

I nodded, saying that I would come, and he returned.

"Bes," I said when he was out of hearing, "my heart sinks. I do not
trust that King who I think means mischief."

"So do I, Master. Oh! we have been great fools. When a god and a man
climb a tree together, the man should allow the god to come first to the
top, and thence tell the world that he is a god."

"Yes," I answered, "but who ever sees Wisdom until she is flying away?
Now perhaps, the god being the stronger, will cast down the man."

Then both together we advanced towards the King, leaving the chariot in
charge of soldiers. He was seated on a gilded chair which served him
as a throne, and behind him were his officers, eunuchs and attendants,
though not all of them, since at a little distance some of them were
engaged in beating the lord who had served as his charioteer upon the
feet with rods. We prostrated ourselves before him and waited till he
spoke. At length he said,

"Shabaka the Egyptian, we made a wager with you, of which you will
remember the terms. It seems that you have won the wager, since you slew
two lions, whereas we, the King, slew but one, that which leapt upon us
in the chariot."

Here Bes groaned at my side and I looked up.

"Fear nothing," he went on, "it shall be paid." Here he snatched off the
girdle of priceless, rose-hued pearls and threw it in my face.

"At the palace too," he went on, "the dwarf shall be set in the scales
and his full weight in pure gold shall be given to you. Moreover, the
lives of the six hunters are yours, and with them the men themselves."

"May the King live for ever!" I exclaimed, feeling that I must say
something.

"I hope so," he answered cruelly, "but, Egyptian, you shall not, who
have broken the laws of the land."

"In what way, O King?" I asked.

"By shooting at the lions before the King had time to draw his bow, and
by telling the King that he lied to his face, for both of which things
the punishment is death."

Now my heart swelled till I thought it would burst with rage. Then of a
sudden, a certain spirit entered into me and I rose to my feet and said,

"O King, you have declared that I must die and as this is so, I will
kneel to you no more who soon shall sup at the table of Osiris, and
there be far greater than any king, going before him