ng hesitation knows
what he must do, and has faith in his own abilities. So then, to free
himself of even the traces of his recent indignation, he went to Sarah.
Amusement with his little son always calmed him, and filled his heart
with serenity.

He passed the garden, entered Sarah's villa, and found her in tears
again.

"Oh, Sarah!" cried he, "if the Nile were in thy bosom Thou wouldst weep
it all away."

"I will not weep any longer," said she; but a more abundant stream
flowed from her eyes.

"What is this?" asked the prince; "or hast Thou brought in some witch
again who frightens thee with Phoenician women?"

"I am not afraid of Phoenician women, but of Phoenicia," said Sarah;
"Thou knowest not, lord, what bad people the Phoenicians are."

"Do they burn children?" laughed Ramses.

"Thou thinkest that they do not?" asked she, looking at him with great
eyes.

"A fable! I know, besides, from Prince Hiram, that that is a fable."

"Hiram!" cried Sarah, "Hiram! but he is the most wicked of all! Ask my
father, and he will tell thee bow Hiram entices young girls of distant
countries to his ships, and raising the sails takes away the
unfortunates to sell them. Even we had a bright-haired slave girl
stolen by Hiram. She became insane from sorrow for her country. But she
could not even say where her country was; and she died. Such is Hiram,
such is that vile Dagon, and all those wretches."

"Perhaps; but how does this concern us?" inquired Ramses.

"Very much. Thou, O lord, art listening to Phoenician counsels; but our
Jews have learned that Phoenicia wants to raise a war between Egypt and
Assyria. Even their first bankers and merchants have bound themselves
by dreadful oaths to raise it."

"Why should they want war?" inquired the prince, with apparent
indifference.

"Because they will furnish arms to you and to Assyrians; they will
furnish, also, supplies and information, and for everything they
furnish they will make you pay ten prices. They will plunder the dead
and wounded of both armies. They will buy slaves from your warriors and
from the Assyrians. Is that little? Egypt and Assyria will ruin
themselves, but the Phoenicians will build up new storehouses with
wealth from both sides!"

"Who explained such wisdom to thee?" asked the prince, smiling.

"Do I not hear my father and our relatives and friends whispering of
this, while they look around in dread lest some one may hear what they
are saying? Bes