thy features did I not see them in my heart every
moment. Thou art unkind. How many times have I gone with the first
dignitary of the state toward thy villa, thinking that at last Thou
wouldst cease to be offended, but Thou didst bring out thy favorite in
my presence."

"I beg thy pardon I beg thy pardon!" said Ramses, kissing his mother.

She conducted him to a garden in which peculiar flowers grew, and when
they were without witnesses, she said,

"I am a woman, so a woman and a mother has interest for me. Dost Thou
wish to take that girl with thee on thy journey? Remember that the
tumult and the movement which will surround thee may harm her, for in
her condition calm and quiet are needed."

"Art Thou speaking of Sarah?" inquired Ramses, astonished. "She has
said nothing to me of that condition."

"She may be ashamed; perhaps she does not herself know," replied the
queen. "In every case the journey."

"I have no intention of taking her!" exclaimed Ramses. "But why does
she hide this from me as if the child were not mine?"

"Be not suspicious," chided the lady. "This is the usual timidity of
young women. Moreover, she may be hiding her condition from fear lest
Thou cast her away from thee."

"For that matter, I shall not take her to my court!" broke out the
prince, so impatiently that the queen's eyes were smiling, but she
covered them with their long lashes.

"It is not well to be over-harsh with a woman who loved thee. I know
that Thou hast given an assured support to her. We will give her
something also. And a child of the royal blood must be reared well, and
have property."

"Naturally," answered Ramses. "My first son, though without princely
rights, must be so placed that I may not be ashamed of him, and he must
not regret separation from me."

After parting with the queen, Ramses wished to go to Sarah, and with
that object returned to his chambers.

Two feelings were roused in him, anger at Sarah for hiding the cause of
her weakness, and pride that he was going to be a father.

He a father! This title gave him an importance which, as it were,
supported his titles of commander and viceroy. Father! that did not
mean a stripling who must look perforce with reverence on older people.

He was roused and enraptured. He wished to see Sarah, to scold, then
embrace her and give her presents.

But when he returned to his part of the palace he found there two
nomarchs from Lower Egypt who had come to repo