hing of what Thou
hast said to me. But remember, one thing: I myself ran naked once when
I had drunk too much wine, and I gave a good reward to those who failed
to see me. Common people, Eunana, and laborers always go naked; great
persons only when it may please them. And if the wish should come to me
or any of the officials to stand head downward, a wise and pious
officer should not wonder at my action."

"I understand," replied Eunana, looking into the eyes of his chief
quickly. "And not only will I repeat that to my warriors, but I will
even go naked this night through the garden to let them know that
superiors have the right to do whatever pleases them."

Still, notwithstanding the small number of men who had seen the pharaoh
or his counterfeit in a state of insanity, the reports of these strange
happenings circulated everywhere very quickly. In a few days all the
inhabitants of Thebes, from dissectors and water-carriers to scribes
and merchants, whispered that Ramses XIII was affected with the disease
which had deprived his older brothers of succession.

Dread of the pharaoh and honor for him were so great that people feared
to speak openly, especially before strangers. Still, all heard of it
all save Ramses.

But most peculiar was this, that the report went around the whole
kingdom very speedily; a proof that it circulated by means of the
temples. For priests alone possessed the power of communicating in a
few hours from one end of Egypt to the other.

No one mentioned these disagreeable tidings to Tutmosis directly, but
the chief of the pharaoh's guard felt their existence everywhere. From
the bearing of people with whom circumstances brought him in contact he
divined that the servants, the slaves, the warriors, the purveyors of
the court were discussing the insanity of the pharaoh, and were silent
only when some superior might overhear them.

At last Tutmosis, impatient and alarmed, decided on a conversation with
the Theban nomarch.

On arriving at the palace of his father-in-law he found Antefa lying on
a sofa in a room, one half of which was filled with rare plants like a
garden. In the centre played a fountain of water perfumed with roses;
in the comers of the room were statues of gods; on the walls were
depicted the deeds of the renowned nomarch. Standing near his head was
a black slave who cooled his master with an ostrich feather fan; on the
pavement sat the scribe of the province reading a report