is the capture," replied the priest severely, "for which the
supreme chief must leave his army; especially when a new enemy may
attack at any moment."

The prince felt all the justice of this reproach, but for that very
cause did anger spring up in him. He clinched his fist, his eyes
gleamed.

"In the name of thy mother, be silent," whispered Pentuer, standing
behind him.

The heir was so astonished by the unexpected words of his adviser, that
in one moment he regained self-control, and then he understood that it
would be best to recognize his error.

"Thou speakest truth," answered he. "An army should never leave its
leader, nor the leader his army. I thought, however, that Thou wouldst
take my place, since Thou art a representative of the ministry of war."

The calm answer mollified Mentezufis, so the priest did not remind the
prince of the maneuvers of the previous year when he left the army in
the same way and incurred the pharaoh's disfavor.

At that moment Patrokles approached them with great uproar. The Grecian
general was drunk again and called from afar to the viceroy,

"See, heir, what the holy Mentezufis has done. Thou didst proclaim
pardon to the Libyans who would leave the invaders and return to the
army of his holiness. Those men came to me, and owing to thy promise I
broke the left wing of the enemy. But the worthy Mentezufis gave
command to slay every man of them. About a thousand prisoners have
perished all recent warriors of ours, who were to have pardon."

The blood rushed to the prince's head again, but Pentuer, who stood
there always behind him, whispered,

"Be silent, for the sake of the gods, be silent."

But Patrokles had no adviser, so he continued,

"From this moment we lose forever, not only the confidence of others,
but also that of our own people. For our army must become demoralized
utterly when it learns that traitors are forcing their way to the head
of it."

"Vile hireling," replied Mentezufis, coldly, "how darest Thou talk thus
of the army and the confidants of his holiness? Since the world became
the world such blasphemy has not been uttered! And I fear lest the gods
may avenge the insult wrought on them."

Patrokles laughed loudly.

"While I sleep among the Greeks, I am not afraid of the vengeance of
night gods. And while I am on the alert they will do nothing in the
daytime."

"Go to sleep! go among thy Greeks, drunkard," said Mentezufis, "lest a
thunderbolt fall