se, then? In addition, holiness, Thou hast the Phoenicians
behind thee, and money, the greatest power on earth."

When Samentu took farewell, the pharaoh permitted him to kiss his feet,
and gave him a heavy gold chain and a bracelet ornamented with
sapphires. Not every dignitary received such favor after long years of
service. The visit and Samentu's promises filled the pharaoh's heart
with new hope.

What if he should succeed in getting the treasure of the labyrinth! For
a small part of it he might free the nobles from Phoenician debts,
improve the lot of the laborers and redeem the mortgaged property of
the court.

And with what edifices might the state be enriched!

Hence the treasure of this labyrinth might remove all the pharaoh's
troubles. For what was the result of a great loan from the Phoenicians?
It would be necessary to pay a loan some time, and, sooner or later,
mortgage the rest of the pharaoh's property. That was merely to defer
ruin, not avoid it.

CHAPTER LVI

In the middle of the month Famenut (January) spring began. All Egypt
was green with growing wheat. On black patches of land crowds of men
were sowing lupines, beans, and barley. In the air was the odor of
orange blossoms. The water had fallen greatly and new bits of land were
laid bare day by day.

Preparations for the funeral of Osiris-Mer-Amen-Ramses were ended.

The revered mummy of the pharaoh was enclosed in a white box, the upper
part of which repeated perfectly the features of the departed. The
pharaoh seemed to see with enameled eyes, while the god-like face
expressed a mild regret, not for the world which the ruler had left,
but for the people condemned to the sufferings of temporal existence.
On its head the image of the pharaoh had an Egyptian cap with white and
sapphire stripes; on its neck, a string of jewels; on its breast, the
picture of a man kneeling with crossed hands; on its legs, images of
the gods, sacred birds, and eyes, not set into any face, but, as it
were, gazing out of infinity.

Thus arrayed, the remains of the pharaoh rested on a costly couch in a
small cedar chapel, the walls of which were covered with inscriptions
celebrating the life and deeds of the departed sovereign. Above hovered
a miraculous falcon with a human head, and near the couch night and day
watched a priest clothed as Anubis, the god of burial, with a jackal's
head on his body.

A heavy basalt sarcophagus had been prepared which was to