rians were very abstemious. Notwithstanding the
abundance of wine, they drank little, and did not shout greatly. Sargon
did not even once burst into loud laughter, though that was his custom;
he cast down his eyes and thought deeply.

But the two priests Istubar, the Chaldean, and Mentezufis, the Egyptian
were calm, like men to whom the future is known, and who command it.

CHAPTER XXXVI

AFTER his reception by the viceroy, Sargon delayed at Pi-Bast, waiting
for letters from the pharaoh at Memphis. Meanwhile strange reports
began to circulate among officers and nobles.

The Phoenicians told, of course as the greatest secret, that the
priests, it was unknown for what reason, not only forgave the Assyrians
the unpaid tribute, not only freed them once and for all time from
paying it, but, besides, to facilitate some northern war for the
Assyrians, had concluded a treaty of peace for many years with them.

"The pharaoh," said the Phoenicians, "on learning of these concessions
to Assyria fell very ill. Prince Ramses is troubled, and goes around
grief-stricken. But both must give way to the priests, for they are not
sure of the nobles and the army."

This enraged the Egyptian aristocracy.

"Is it possible?" whispered magnates who were in debt. "Does the
dynasty not trust us? Have the priests undertaken to disgrace and ruin
Egypt? For it is clear that if Assyria has a war in the distant north
somewhere, now is just the time to attack her and fill the reduced
treasury of the pharaoh and the aristocracy with plunder."

One and another of the young lords made bold to ask the prince what he
thought of Assyrians. Ramses was silent, but the gleam in his eyes and
his fixed lips expressed his feelings sufficiently.

"It is clear," whispered the lords, later on, "that this dynasty is
bound by the priesthood. It yields not its confidence to nobles; great
misfortunes are threatening Egypt."

Silent anger was soon turned into secret councils, which had even the
semblance of conspiracy. Though many persons took part in this action,
the priests were self-confident, or knew nothing of this in their
blindness; and Sargon, though he felt the existing hatred, did not
attach to it importance. He learned that Prince Ramses disliked him,
but that he attributed to the event in the arena, and to his jealousy
in the affair of the priestess. Confident, however, in his position as
ambassador, he drank, feasted, and slipped away almost ev