g from the palace the very same who watched every movement
of his, made reports regarding him, but did not tell him, the heir to
the throne, even of the treaty with Assar, the very same dignitaries
who had employed deceit against him in the temple of Hator, and who at
the Soda Lakes slaughtered prisoners to whom he had promised freedom.

The pharaoh recalled the obeisances of Herhor, the looks of Mefres, and
the tones of voice which both used. Beneath the show of good-will,
their pride and their contempt for him appeared each moment. He asks
for money, they promise prayers. Nay! they dare to tell him that he is
not sole ruler in the land of Egypt.

The young sovereign laughed in spite of himself, for he called to mind
the hired herdsmen who told the owner of the flock that he had no right
to do what he liked with it. Besides the ridiculous aspect there was in
the case a point which was terrible. The treasury contained perhaps a
thousand talents which, according to the recent rate of outlay would
last from seven to ten days. And then what? How would the officials,
the servants, and above all how would the army, exist, not only without
pay, but without sustenance?

The high priests knew this position of the pharaoh if they did not
hasten to assist him they wished to ruin him, and to ruin him in the
course of a few days, even before the funeral of his father.

Ramses recalled a certain event of his childhood.

He was at a school of the priests when, on the festival of the goddess
Mut, after various amusements they introduced the most famous buffoon
in Egypt. This artist represented an unfortunate hero: when he
commanded he was not obeyed, his anger was answered with laughter, and
when, to punish those who made sport of him, he seized an axe, the axe
broke in his hands. At last they let out a lion at him and when the
defenseless hero began to flee it turned out that not a lion was
chasing him, but a pig in a lion's skin.

The pupils and the teachers laughed at those adventures till the tears
came; but the little prince sat gloomily; he was sorry for the man who
was eager for great things but fell covered with ridicule.

That scene and the feelings which he experienced then were revived in
the memory of the pharaoh. "They want to make me like that buffoon,"
thought he. Despair seized him, for he felt that his power would end
when the last talent was issued, and with his power his life also.

But here came a certain r