peace today, respect
the house which belongs to Astaroth."

"Then Thou wilt remove to my palace?" asked the prince.

"O gods, what hast Thou said? Since the sun first rose and set, no
priestess of As But this is difficult! Phoenicia, lord, gives thee a
proof of attachment and honor such as no son of hers has received at
any time."

"Then?" interrupted the prince.

"But not today, and not here," implored Kama.

CHAPTER XXXVIII,

LEARNING from Hiram that the Phoenicians had given him the priestess,
Ramses wished to have her in his house at the earliest, not because he
could not live without her, but because she had become for him a
novelty.

Kama delayed her coming; she implored the prince to leave her in peace
till the inflow of pilgrims diminished, and above all till the most
noted among them should go from Pi-Bast. Were she to become his
favorite during their presence, the income of the temple might decrease
and danger threaten the priestess.

"Our sages and great men," said she to Ramses, "would forgive me. But
the common people would call the vengeance of the gods on my head, and
thou, lord, knowest that the gods have long hands."

"May they not lose these hands in thrusting them under my roof," said
Ramses.

But he did not insist greatly, as his attention was much occupied at
that juncture.

The Assyrian ambassadors, Sargon and Istubar, had gone to Memphis to
put their names to the treaty. At the same time the pharaoh had
summoned Ramses to give a report of his journey.

The prince commanded his scribes to write accurately of all that had
happened from the time of leaving Memphis; hence the review of
artisans, the visits to fields and factories, the conversations with
nomarchs and officials. To present the report he appointed Tutmosis.

"Thou wilt be heart and lips for me before the face of the pharaoh,"
said the prince to him, "and this is what Thou must do there.

"When the most worthy Herhor asks what, to my thinking, causes the
poverty of Egypt and the treasury, tell the minister to turn to his
assistant, Pentuer, and he will explain my views in the same way that
he did his own in the temple of Hator.

"When Herhor wishes to know my opinion of a treaty with Assyria, answer
that my duty is to carry out the commands of my master."

Tutmosis nodded in sign that he comprehended.

"But," continued the heir, "when Thou shalt stand in the presence of my
father, may he live through eternity! a