oment the chariot
of Septah, the chief haruspex, and a vehicle with the heavily-armed
guard of the House of Seti, stopped near the terrace.

The angry old man sprang quickly to the ground, called the host of
escaped pupils to him in a stern voice, ordered the guard to drive them
back to the school, and hurried up to the temple gates like a vigorous
youth. The priests received him with the deepest reverence, and at once
laid their complaints before him.

He heard them willingly, but did not let them discuss the matter; then,
though with some difficulty, he quickly mounted the steps, down which
Bent-Anat came towards him.

The princess felt that she would divert all the blame and
misunderstanding to herself, if Septah recognized her; her hand
involuntarily reached for her veil, but she drew it back quickly, looked
with quiet dignity into the old man's eyes, which flashed with anger,
and proudly passed by him. The haruspex bowed, but without giving her
his blessing, and when he met Pentaur on the second terrace, ordered
that the temple should be cleared of worshippers.

This was done in a few minutes, and the priests were witnesses of
the most painful, scene which had occurred for years in their quiet
sanctuary.

The head of the haruspices of the House of Seti was the most determined
adversary of the poet who had so early been initiated into the
mysteries, and whose keen intellect often shook those very ramparts
which the zealous old man had, from conviction, labored to strengthen
from his youth up. The vexatious occurrences, of which he had been a
witness at the House of Seti, and here also but a few minutes since, he
regarded as the consequence of the unbridled license of an ill-regulated
imagination, and in stern language he called Pentaur to account for the
"revolt" of the school-boys.

"And besides our boys," he exclaimed, "you have led the daughter of
Rameses astray. She was not yet purged of her uncleanness, and yet you
tempt her to an assignation, not even in the stranger's quarters--but in
the holy house of this pure Divinity." Undeserved praise is dangerous
to the weak; unjust blame may turn even the strong from the right way.
Pentaur indignantly repelled the accusations of the old man, called them
unworthy of his age, his position, and his name, and for fear that
his anger might carry him too far, turned his back upon him; but the
haruspex ordered him to remain, and in his presence questioned the
priests