, too, show the world my son."

Again he was thoughtful; this disquieted Tutmosis.

"Yes, they are clever!" thought Ramses. "That they deceive the common
people, even by rude methods, I knew. Poor sacred Apis! how many prods
he got during processions when people lay prostrate before him! But to
deceive me, I should not have believed that, voices of gods, invisible
hands, a man covered with pitch; these were accessories! Then came
Pentuer's song about the decrease of land and population, the
officials, the Phoenicians, and all that to disgust me with war."

Tutmosis said suddenly,

"I fall on my face before thee."

"I must bring hither, gradually, regiments from cities near the sea. I
wish to have a review and reward them for loyalty."

"But we, the nobles, are we not loyal to thee?" inquired Tutmosis,
confused.

"The nobles and the army are one."

"But the nomarchs and the officials?"

"Even the officials are loyal," answered the prince. "What do I say?
The Phoenicians even are so, though in many other points they are
deceivers."

"By the gods! speak in a lower voice," whispered Tutmosis; and he
looked toward the other room timidly.

"Oho!" laughed the prince, "why this alarm? So for thee, too, it is no
secret that we have traitors?"

"I know of whom Thou art speaking, worthiness, for Thou wert always
prejudiced against."

"Against whom?"

"Against whom I divine. But I thought that after the agreement with
Herhor, after a long stay in the temple."

"What of the temple? In the temple, and in the whole country, for that
matter, I have convinced myself of one thing, that the very best lands,
the most active population, and immense wealth are not the property of
the pharaoh."

"Quieter! quieter!" whispered Tutmosis.

"But I am quiet always; I have a calm face at all times, so let me
speak even here; besides, I should have the right to say, even in the
supreme council, that in this Egypt, which belongs entirely to my
father, I, his heir and viceroy, had to borrow a hundred talents from a
petty prince of Tyre. Is this not a shame?"

"But how did this come to thy mind today?" asked Tutmosis, wishing to
put an end to the perilous conversation as quickly as possible.

"How?" answered the prince; and he grew silent, to sink again into
meditation.

"It would not mean so much," thought he, "if they deceived me alone; I
am only heir to the pharaoh, and not admitted to all secrets. But who
will assure me t