ce, returning unexpectedly, he saw in the space before the villa a
crowd of naked children playing joyously. All were yellow, and at sight
of him they vanished with cries like wild geese from a swampy meadow.
Before he reached the terrace they were gone, not a trace was left.

"Who are those little things," asked he, "who rushed away from me?"

"Those are children of my servants," replied Sarah.

"Of Jews?"

"Of my brothers."

"Gods, what a numerous people!" laughed Ramses. "And who is that
again?" added he, pointing to a man who looked timidly from beyond the
wall.

"That is Aod, son of Barak, my relative. He wants to serve thee, lord.
May I take him?"

The prince shrugged his shoulders.

"This is thy place," answered he; "take those who please thee. But if
these people increase so, they will soon master Memphis."

"Thou canst not endure my brethren," whispered Sarah, as she dropped to
his feet frightened.

The prince looked at her with astonishment.

"I do not even think of them," answered he, proudly.

These little happenings, which fell on Sarah's soul like drops of fire,
did not change Ramses with regard to her. He was kind and as fond as he
had been, though his eyes turned more frequently to the other bank of
the river, and rested on the mighty pylons of his father's palace.

Soon he discovered that others were yearning because he was in a
banishment of his own choosing. A certain day from the opposite shore a
stately royal barge pushed out into the river; it crossed the Nile from
Memphis, and then circled near the prince's villa, so near that Ramses
could recognize the persons in it. In fact he recognized beneath the
purple baldachin his mother among court ladies, and opposite, on a low
stool, the vice-pharaoh, Herhor. They did not look toward the villa, it
is true, but the prince divined that they saw him.

"Ha! ha!" thought he. "My worthy mother and his worthiness the minister
would be glad to entice me hence before his holiness returns to
Memphis."

The mouth Tobi (the end of October and beginning of November) came. The
Nile had fallen a distance equaling the stature of a man, and one-half
in addition, uncovering daily new strips of black clammy earth.
Wherever the water withdrew a narrow plough appeared drawn by two oxen.
Behind the plough went a naked ploughman, at the side of he oxen a
driver with a short club, and behind him a sower, who, wading to his
ankles in earth, carried wheat in a