it for a while, but at last dropped it.

Next day the revered lady Niort's summoned Tutmosis. The favorite of
the pharaoh was frightened when he looked at her. The queen was
terribly pale, her eyes were sunken and she was almost demented.

"Sit down!" said she, indicating a stool near her armchair.

Tutmosis hesitated.

"Sit down! And and swear that Thou wilt repeat to no one what I tell
thee."

"By the shade of my father, I will not."

"Hear me," said the queen in a low voice; "I have been almost a mother
to thee. Wert Thou to betray this secret the gods would punish thee. No
they would only cast on thy head a part of those misfortunes which are
hanging over my family."

Tutmosis listened with astonishment.

"Is she mad?" thought he with fear.

"Look at that window," continued the queen; "look at that tree. Dost
Thou know whom I saw last night on that tree outside the window?"

"Could the brother of his holiness have come to Thebes?"

"It was not he," whispered she, sobbing. "It was my Ramses himself."

"On the tree? Last night?"

"Yes. The light of the lamp fell on his face and figure perfectly. He
had a coat in white and blue stripes, his eyes were wandering he
laughed wildly, like his unfortunate brother, and said, 'Look at me,
mother, I am able to fly now, a thing that neither Seti, nor Ramses the
Great, nor Cheops could do. See what wings are growing out on me!' He
stretched his hands toward me, and I, unconscious from sorrow, touched
his hands through the window and his face, covered with cold
perspiration. At last he slipped down the tree and vanished."

Tutmosis listened in terror. All at once he struck his forehead.

"That was not Ramses," said he with decision. "That was a man very like
him, that villain, the Greek Lykon, who killed Sarah's son, and who is
now under control of the high priests. That was not Ramses. This is a
crime of Herhor and Mefres, those wretches."

Hope gleamed on the queen's face, but only for a moment.

"How could I fail to recognize my son?"

"Lykon is very like him," answered Tutmosis. "This is a trick of the
priests. They are infamous! For them death is too slight a punishment."

"Did the pharaoh sleep at home last night?" inquired the lady.

Tutmosis was confused and dropped his eyes.

"So he did not sleep at home?"

"He did," answered the favorite with an uncertain voice.

"That is not true. But tell me, at least, did he not wear a coat with
white and b