, who preservest grains of wheat from robber
whirlwinds, and the bodies of our fathers from the destructive toil of
time, Isis, take pity on my son and preserve him! Thrice be thy name
repeated and here and there and beyond, today and forever, and for the
ages of ages, as long as the temples of our gods shall gaze on
themselves in the waters of the Nile."

Thus praying and sobbing, the queen bowed down and touched the pavement
with her forehead. Above her at that moment a low whisper was audible,

"The voice of the just is heard always."

The worthy lady sprang up, and full of astonishment looked around. But
there was no one in the chamber. Only the painted flowers gazed at her
from the walls, and from above the altar the statue of the goddess full
of super-terrestrial calm.

CHAPTER VIII

The prince returned to his villa full of care, and summoned Tutmosis.

"Thou must," said Ramses, "teach me how to find money."

"Ha!" laughed the exquisite; "that is a kind of wisdom not taught in
the highest school of the priests, but wisdom in which I might be a
prophet."

"In those schools they explain that a man should not borrow money,"
said Ramses.

"If I did not fear that blasphemy might stain my lips, I should say
that some priests waste their time. They are wretched, though holy!
They eat no meat, they are satisfied with one wife, or avoid women
altogether, and they know not what it is to borrow. I am satisfied,
Ramses," continued the exquisite, "that Thou wilt know this kind of
wisdom through my counsels. Today Thou wilt learn what a source of
sensations lack of money is. A man in need of money has no appetite, he
springs up in sleep, he looks at women with astonishment, as if to ask,
'Why were they created?' Fire flashes in his face in the coolest
temple. In the middle of a desert shivers of cold pass through him
during the greatest heat. He looks like a madman; he does not hear what
people say to him. Very often he walks along with his wig awry and
forgets to sprinkle it with perfume. His only comfort is a pitcher of
strong wine, and that for a brief moment. Barely has the poor man's
thoughts come back when again he feels as though the earth were opening
under him.

"I see," continued the exquisite, "that at present Thou art passing
through despair from lack of money. But soon Thou wilt know other
feelings which will be as if a great sphinx were removed from thy
bosom. Then Thou wilt yield to the sweet con