t was current in the army, that when Prince Ramses mounted the
throne, he would begin a war with Assyria, which would assure great
profit to those taking part in it. The lowest soldier, they said, would
not return without a thousand drachmas, or perhaps a still larger sum.

It was whispered among people that when the pharaoh returned with
victory from Nineveh, he would give slaves to the earth-tillers, and
remit for a number of years all taxes.

The aristocracy, on its part, judged that the new pharaoh would, first
of all, take from priests and return to nobles all lands which had
become temple property, and would pay also the debts of nobles. It was
said, too, that the coming pharaoh would govern independently, without
a supreme priestly council.

Finally, in all social circles there reigned a conviction that Ramses,
to secure the aid of Phoenicia, had had recourse to the goddess Istar,
[Another form of Astarte.] to whom he showed marked devotion. In every
case it was certain that the heir had once visited the temple of Istar,
and had seen, in the night, certain miracles. Finally, rumors were
current among Asiatics that Ramses had made immense presents to the
temple, and in return had taken thence a priestess to confirm him in
the faith of the goddess.

All these tidings were collected by the most worthy Sem and his
assistants. The holy fathers, Mefres and Mentezufis, communicated to
him other information which had come to them from Memphis:

The Chaldean priest and miracle-worker, Beroes, was received in the
subterranean parts of the temple of Set by the priest Osochar, who,
when giving his daughter in marriage two months later, had presented
her with rich jewels and bought a good estate for her and her husband.
And since Osochar had no considerable income, a suspicion rose that
that priest had overheard the conversation of Beroes with the Egyptian
priests, and had sold to Phoenicians, criminally, the secret of the
treaty, and received a great estate from them.

When he heard this, the high priest Sem added,

"If the holy Beroes does, indeed, perform miracles, then ask him, first
of all, if Osochar has betrayed the secret."

"They inquired of Beroes," said Mefres, "but the holy man answered that
in that affair he preferred to be silent. He added, also, that even if
some one had heard their conversation, and reported to Phoenicians,
neither Egypt nor Chaldea would suffer any injury; and if they should
find the