rself with a great
retinue of damsels.

In the dining-hall were numbers of small tables for two or four
persons, also a larger table, on a loftier place, for the pharaoh. To
show honor to Antefa and his favorite, Tutmosis, Ramses approached
Hebron and invited her to his table.

The young lady was really beautiful, and as it seemed had experience, a
thing not exceptional in Egypt. Ramses soon noticed that the betrothed
turned no attention whatever toward Tutmosis, but to make up for this
she turned eloquent glances toward him, the pharaoh.

That also was no wonder in Egypt.

When the guests had taken their places, when music sounded and female
dancers began to bring fruit and wine to the tables, Ramses said to
Hebron,

"The longer I look at thee, the more I am astonished. Were some
stranger to enter he might consider thee a high priestess or a goddess,
but never a woman at the time of happy betrothal."

"I am happy," said she, "at this moment, though not because of
betrothal."

"How is that?" interrupted the pharaoh.

"Marriage does not entice me, and surely I should rather be the high
priestess of Isis than be married."

"Then why marry?"

"I marry because it is the absolute wish of my father to have an heir
to his glory, but mainly because it is thy wish, my sovereign."

"Can it be that Tutmosis does not please thee?"

"I will not say that he does not please me. Tutmosis is fine-looking;
he is the first exquisite in Egypt, be plays well, and takes prizes at
games. His position, as commander of thy guard, is one of the highest.
Still, were it not for the prayers of my father, and thy command I
should not marry Tutmosis. Even as it is, I shall not be his wife. My
property will suffice Tutmosis and the titles after my father; the rest
he can find among dancing girls."

"But does he know of his misfortune?"

Hebron smiled.

"He knows this long time that even were I not the daughter of Antefa,
but of the lowest dissector, I would not give myself to a man unless I
loved him. I could love only a man who is above me."

"Art Thou speaking seriously?" asked Ramses in wonder.

"I am twenty years old. Since I was six years of age adorers have
surrounded me; but I measured them quickly. And today I would rather
hear learned priests than songs and declarations from youthful
exquisites."

"In that case I ought not to sit near thee, Hebron, for I am not even
an exquisite, and I have no priestly wisdom whatever