f Cheops a certain high priest wished absolutely to fly
through the air. With this object he prayed to the gods, and commanded
his inferiors to see whether unseen powers were not raising him. And
what will ye say, holy fathers? From that time forth there was no day
when prophets did not assure the high priest that he was borne in the
air, not very high, it is true, about a finger from the pavement."

"But what is that to thy power, worthiness?" inquired he of Mefres,
suddenly.

"The high priest, when he heard his own story, shook in the chair, and
would have fallen had not Mentezufis supported him."

Ramses bustled about, gave the old man water to drink, rubbed vinegar
on his temples and forehead, and fanned him.

Soon the holy Mefres recovered, rose from the chair, and said to
Mentezufis,

"May we not go now?"

"I think so."

"But what am I to do?" asked the prince, feeling that something evil
had happened.

"Accomplish the duties of leader," said Mentezufis, coldly.

Both priests bowed to the prince ceremoniously, and departed. Ramses
was not entirely sober, but a great weight fell on his heart. At that
moment he understood that he had committed two grievous errors: He had
confessed to the priests that he knew their great secret, and he had
jeered, without mercy, at Mefres. He would have given a year of his
life could he have blotted from their memories all that drunken
conversation. But it was too late then to do so.

"It cannot be hidden," thought he. "I have betrayed myself and procured
mortal enemies. The position is difficult. The struggle begins at a
moment which is for me most unfavorable. But let us go on. More than
one pharaoh has struggled with the priests and conquered, even without
having very strong allies."

Still he felt the danger of his position so clearly that at that moment
he swore by the sacred head of his father that he would never drink
wine again freely. He summoned Tutmosis. The confidant appeared at
once, perfectly sober.

"We have a war, and I am commander," said the viceroy.

Tutmosis bent to the earth.

"I will never get drunk again," added the prince. "And knowest Thou
why?"

"A leader should abstain from wine and stupefying perfumes," said
Tutmosis.

"I have not thought of that, that is nothing; but I have babbled out a
secret before the priests."

"What secret?" cried the terrified Tutmosis.

"This, that I hate them, and jeer at their miracles."

"Oh, that is