rious instruments.

For some years Pentuer had not been in that place; hence he was struck
by neglect in it, and poverty. The brick wall was falling, in the
garden the trees were withering, in the yard a lean goat moved around
and a few hens were scratching.

There was no one near the temple. Only after Pentuer had called out did
an old man come down from a pylon. His feet were bare, on his head was
a soiled cap like that of a laborer, around his waist was a ragged
girdle, and on his shoulder a panther skin from which the hair had
fallen. Still, his bearing was dignified, and his face full of wisdom.
He looked quickly at the guest and said,

"Either I am mistaken, or Thou art Pentuer?"

"I am he," answered the newly arrived, and he embraced the old man with
heartiness.

"Ho! ho!" exclaimed Menes, for it was he; "I see that Thou hast changed
for official reasons. Thou hast a smoother face, whiter hands, and a
gold chain on thy neck. Mother Nut of the heavenly ocean would have to
wait long for such ornaments."

Pentuer wished to remove the chain, but Menes stopped him with a smile.

"Do not. If Thou knew what jewels we have in the heavens Thou wouldst
not hasten with an offering of gold. Well, hast Thou come to stay with
us?"

Pentuer shook his head.

"No," replied he, "I have come only to bow down before thee, divine
teacher."

"And again to court?" laughed the old man. "Oh ye, ye courtiers! If ye
knew what ye lose by deserting wisdom for palaces ye would be the
saddest of mankind."

"Art Thou alone, O my teacher?"

"As a palm in a desert, especially today when my deaf and dumb servant
has gone with a basket to Memphis to beg something for the mother of Ra
and her chaplain."

"And is it not disagreeable here?"

"For me! "'exclaimed Menes. "Since I saw thee last I have snatched from
the gods some secrets which I would not give for the two crowns of
Egypt."

"Are they secrets between thee and me?" inquired Pentuer.

"How, secrets? A year ago I completed all measures and calculations
touching the size of the earth."

"What does that mean?"

Menes looked around and lowered his voice,

"Of course it is known to thee that the earth is not flat like a table,
but is an immense ball on the surface of which seas, countries, and
cities are situated?"

"That is known," said Pentuer.

"Not to all," answered Menes. "And it was not known to any one how
great that globe might be."

"But dost Thou know?" i