e very great
villainy. I must inform the elders of the Phoenician society, as
quickly as possible, that this Hittite knows how to be in two places at
once. I shall also beg him to move out of my inn. I do not take people
who have two forms, one their own, the other in supply. For a man of
that kind is a great criminal, a wizard, or a conspirator."

Asarhadon was afraid of such things; so he secured himself against
enchantment by prayers to all the gods which adorned his inn. Then he
hurried to the city, where he notified the elder of the Phoenician
society and the elder of the guild of thieves of what had happened.
Then, returning home, he summoned the decurion of police, and informed
him that Phut might be a dangerous person. Finally he asked the man of
Harran to leave the inn, to which he brought no profit, nothing but
loss and suspicion.

Phut agreed to the proposition willingly, and informed the innkeeper
that he intended to sail for Thebes that same evening.

"May Thou never return!" thought the hospitable host. "May Thou rot in
the quarries, or fall into the river to be eaten by crocodiles."

CHAPTER XXI

Prince Ramses began his journey in the most beautiful season of the
year, during the month Phamenoth (end of December and beginning of
January). The river had fallen to half its height, laying bare new
strips of land day by day. From Thebes many barges with wheat were
sailing down toward the sea; in Lower Egypt clover and beans had been
harvested. Orange and pomegranate trees were covered with blossoms; in
the fields earth tillers had sown lupines, flax, barley, and had
planted various beans, cucumbers, and other garden products.

Escorted to the landing of Memphis by priests, the highest dignitaries
of the state, the guards of his holiness the pharaoh, the heir entered
a gilded barge about ten in the morning. Under the bridge, on which
were costly tents, twenty soldiers worked the oars, at the mast and at
both ends of the boat the best naval engineers had taken their places.
Some looked after the sails, others commanded the rowers, while still
others steered the vessel.

Ramses had invited to his boat the most worthy high priest Mefres and
the holy father Mentezufis, who were to be with him on the journey and
in governing. The prince had invited also the worthy nomarch of
Memphis, who conducted him to the boundary of his province.

Some hundreds of yards in front of the viceroy sailed the beautiful