und some far off rest, and whom they hoped sooner
or later to see again.

The sun was near setting when at last the princess and her companions
reached the spot where the feast was being held. Here stood numbers of
stalls and booths, with eatables of every sort, particularly sweet cakes
for the children, dates, figs, pomegranates, and other fruits. Under
light awnings, which kept off the sun, were sold sandals and kerchiefs
of every material and hue, ornaments, amulets, fans, and sun-shades,
sweet essences of every kind, and other gifts for offerings or for
the toilet. The baskets of the gardeners and flower-girls were already
empty, but the money-changers were full of business, and the tavern and
gambling booths were driving a brisk trade.

Friends and acquaintances greeted each other kindly, while the children
showed each other their new sandals, the cakes they had won at the
games, or the little copper rings they had had given to them, and
which must now be laid out. The largest crowd was gathered to see the
magicians from the House of Seti, round which the mob squatted on the
ground in a compact circle, and the children were good-naturedly placed
in the front row.

When Bent-Anat reached the place all the religious solemnity was ended.

There stood the canopy under which the king and his family were used
to listen to the festal discourse, and under its shade sat to-day
the Regent Ani. They could see too the seats of the grandees, and
the barriers which kept the people at a distance from the Regent, the
priests, and the nobles.

Here Ameni himself had announced to the multitude the miracle of the
sacred heart, and had proclaimed that a new Apis had been found among
the herds of the Regent Ani.

His announcement of these divine tokens had been repeated from mouth to
mouth; they were omens of peace and happiness for the country through
the means of a favorite of the Gods; and though no one said it, the
dullest could not fail to see that this favorite was none other than
Ani, the descendant of the great Hatasu, whose prophet had been graced
by the transfer to him of the heart of the sacred rain. All eyes were
fixed on Ani, who had sacrificed before all the people to the sacred
heart, and received the high-priest's blessing.

Pentaur, too, had ended his discourse when Bent-Anat reached the scene
of the festival. She heard an old man say to his son:

"Life is hard. It often seems to me like a heavy burden laid on