hout
exaggeration that outside Pi-Bast thirty thousand strangers camped
daily, Arabs, Phoenicians, Jews, Philistines, Hittites, Assyrians, and
others. The Egyptian government bore itself kindly toward these
pilgrims, who brought it a considerable income; the priests endured
them, and the people of neighboring provinces carried on an active
trade with them.

For the space of an hour's journey from Pi-Bast the mud huts and tents
of strangers covered the open country. As one neared the city, those
huts increased in number and transient inhabitants swarmed more and
more densely around them. Some were preparing food under the open sky,
others were purchasing provisions which came in continually, still
others were going in procession to the temple. Here and there were
large crowds before places of amusement, where beast-tamers, serpent-
charmers, athletes, female dancers, and jugglers exhibited their
adroitness.

Above all this multitude of people were heat and uproar.

Before the gate of the city Ramses was greeted by his court and by the
nomarch of Habu surrounded by his officials. But the greeting, despite
cordiality, was so cold that the astonished viceroy, whispered to
Tutmosis,

"What does this mean, that he looks on me as if I had come to measure
out punishment?"

"Because Thou hast the face of a man who has been associating with
divinity."

He spoke truth. Whether because of ascetic life, or the society of
priests, or of long meditation, the prince had changed greatly. He had
grown thin, his complexion had darkened, and in his face and bearing
much dignity was evident. In the course of weeks he had grown some
years older.

On one of the main streets of the city there was such a dense throng of
people that the police had to open a way for the heir and his retinue.
But these people did not greet the prince; they had merely gathered
around a small palace as if waiting for some person.

"What is this?" asked Ramses of the nomarch, for this indifference of
the throng touched the prince disagreeably.

"Here dwells Hiram," answered the nomarch, "a prince of Tyre, a man of
great charity. Every day he distributes bountiful alms, therefore poor
people rush to him."

Ramses turned on his horse, looked, and said,

"I see there laborers of the pharaoh. So they too go for alms to the
rich Phoenician?"

The nomarch was silent. Happily they approached the official palace,
and the prince forgot Hiram.

Feasts in ho