"But the Israelites have no king, only priests and judges," interrupted
the prince.

"They have not, but they wish to have. They, too, are disgusted with
priestly rule."

The heir waved his hand contemptuously.

"A charioteer of his holiness means more than any king, especially any
king of the Israelites, who as yet have no kingdom."

"In every case, Sarah's fault is not so great," put in Tutmosis.

"Then know that I will pay the priests sometime."

"They are not to blame so greatly. For instance, the worthy Herhor did
this to increase the glory and power of thy dynasty. And he did it with
the knowledge of thy mother."

"But why does Mefres interfere? His single duty is to care for the
temple, not influence the fate of the pharaoh's descendants."

"Mefres is an old man growing whimsical. The whole court of his
holiness jeers at him because of practices, of which I know nothing,
though I see the holy man almost daily."

"This is curious. What does he do?"

"A number of times during twenty-four hours he performs solemn services
in the most secret parts of the temple, and he commands the priests to
see if the gods do not hold him suspended while praying."

"Ha! ha!" laughed Ramses. "And all this is going on in Pi-Bast here
under our eyes, and I do not know of it?"

"A priestly secret."

"A secret of which all in Memphis are talking! Ha! ha! ha! In the
amphitheatre I saw a Chaldean suspended in the air."

"I saw him too; but that was a trick, while Mefres wishes to be borne
above the earth really on the wings of his devotion."

"Unheard-of buffoonery! What do the other priests say to this?"

"Perhaps in our sacred papyruses there is mention that in old times
there were prophets among us who had the gift of suspending themselves
in the air; so the desires of Mefres do not astonish priests nowadays.
And since, as is known to thee, subordinates among us see whatever
pleases superiors, some holy men claim that during prayer Mefres really
rises a couple of fingers high above the pavement."

"Ha! ha! ha! And with this great secret the whole court is occupied,
and we, like laborers or earth-diggers, do not even suspect that
miracles are wrought at one side of us. A wretched fate to be heir to
the throne of Egypt!" laughed the viceroy.

When he grew calm, at the repeated request of Tutmosis, he commanded to
transfer Sarah from the servants' house to Kama's first villa. The
servants were delighted at this ch