ce was animated, his
eyes were gleaming.

"I am moved," said he, "by this proof of your good-will. If the memory
of my father is so dear to you ye cannot have ill-will toward me."

"Thou hast no doubt, I think, holiness, touching our goodwill?" said
the high priest Sem.

"Thou art speaking truth," continued the pharaoh. "I suspected you
unjustly of prejudice toward me. I wish to correct my suspicion; I will
be sincere with you."

"May the gods bless thee, holiness," said Herhor.

"I will be sincere. My divine father, because of age, illness, and
perhaps priestly occupations, could not devote so much time to affairs
of state as I can. I am young, in health, free, hence I wish to rule,
myself, and will rule. As a leader must direct his army on his own
responsibility and according to his own plan, so shall I direct the
state. This is my express will and I shall not draw back from it.

"But I understand that even were I the most experienced I could not
succeed without faithful servants and wise counselors. Therefore I
shall ask your advice sometimes on various questions."

"To this end we constitute the supreme council near thy throne,"
remarked Herhor.

"I shall use," continued Ramses with animation, "your services
immediately, even from this moment."

"Command, lord," said Herhor.

"I wish to improve the condition of the Egyptian people. But since in
such affairs over-hasty action may only bring injury, I give them at
first a small thing: After six days' labor the seventh for rest."

"Such was it during the reigns of the eighteenth dynasty. That law is
as old as Egypt itself," said Pentuer.

"Rest every seventh day will give fifty days to each laborer during a
year, or it will take from his lord fifty drachma. On a million of
laborers the state will lose ten thousand talents yearly," said Mefres.
"We have calculated that in the temples."

"That is true," answered Pentuer, quickly, "but the losses will be
during the first year only, for when the people increase in strength by
rest they will recover all and more in the following years."

"That is true," answered Mefres, "but in every case it is necessary to
have ten thousand talents for that first year. I think even that twenty
thousand talents would not be amiss."

"Thou art right, worthy Mefres," said the pharaoh. "In view of the
changes which I wish to introduce in my state twenty thousand, and even
thirty thousand talents would not be too great a sum;