dred and fifty to two hundred miles above Fayum on the left
bank of the Nile is Siut, where Ramses XIII took a rest of two days. He
was even obliged to halt there, for the mummy of the late pharaoh was
still in Abydos, where they were making solemn prayers at the grave of
Osiris.

Siut was one of the richest parts of Upper Egypt. At that place were
made the famous vessels of white and black clay, and there they wove
linen. It was also the chief market-place to which people brought goods
from the oases scattered throughout the desert. There besides was the
famous temple of the jackal-headed god, Anubis.

On the second day of his stay in that place the priest Pentuer appeared
before Ramses. He was the chief of that commission sent to investigate
the condition of the people.

"Hast Thou news?" inquired the sovereign.

"I have this, O holiness, that all the country blesses thee. All with
whom I speak are full of hope, and say, 'His reign will be a new life
for Egypt.'."

"I wish," replied Ramses, "my subjects to be happy; I wish the toiling
man to rest; I wish that Egypt might have eight millions of people as
aforetime and win back that land seized from it by the desert; I wish
the laborer to rest one day in seven and each man who digs the earth to
have some little part of it."

Pentuer fell on his face before the kindly sovereign.

"Rise," said Ramses. "But I have had hours of grievous sadness: I see
the suffering of my people; I wish to raise them, but the treasury is
empty. Thou thyself knowest best that without some tens of thousands of
talents I cannot venture on such changes. But now I am at rest; I can
get the needed treasure from the labyrinth."

Pentuer looked at his sovereign with amazement.

"The overseer of the treasure explained to me what I am to do," said
the pharaoh. "I must call a general council of all orders, thirteen of
each order. And if they declare that Egypt is in need the labyrinth
will furnish me with treasure."

"O gods!" added he, "for a couple for one of the jewels which lie there
it would be possible to give the people fifty rest days in a year!
Never will they be used to better purpose."

Pentuer shook his head.

"Lord," said he, "the six million Egyptians, with me and my friends
before others, will agree that Thou take from that treasure. But, O
holiness, be not deceived; one hundred of the highest dignitaries of
the state will oppose, and then the labyrinth will give nothing."