day of thy triumph."

Now there passed below the prince an endless line of Libyans with fruit
and bread in baskets, as well as wine and olive oil in roomy pitchers
for the army. At sight of this a murmur of delight was spread among the
warriors, but Ramses, occupied with Pentuer's story, took no note of
what was passing.

"The gods," said the prophet in a whisper, "have punished the
traitorous Kama."

"Is she caught?" inquired the prince.

"She is caught, but they have sent her to the eastern colony, because
leprosy attacked her."

"O gods!" whispered Ramses. "But may it not threaten me?"

"Be calm, lord; if it had infected thee Thou wouldst be leprous this
moment."

The prince felt a chill in every member. How easy for the gods to
thrust a man down from the highest summits to the depths of the lowest
misery!

"And Lykon?"

"He is a great criminal," said Pentuer; "a criminal of such kind that
the earth has given few such."

"I know him. He is as like me as a reflection of me in a mirror,"
replied Ramses.

Now came a crowd of Libyans leading strange animals. At the head of
these was a one-humped camel with white hair, one of the first which
they had caught in the desert, next two rhinoceroses, a herd of horses,
and a tame lion caged. Then a multitude of cages holding birds of
various colors, monkeys, and small dogs intended for court ladies.
Behind them were driven great herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep as
food for the pharaoh's army.

The prince cast an eye on the moving menagerie, and asked the priest,

"But is Lykon caught?"

"I will tell thee now the worst news, unhappy lord," whispered Pentuer.
"But remember that the enemies of Egypt must not notice grief in thee."

The heir moved.

"Thy second woman, Sarah the Jewess."

"Has she run away too?"

"She died in prison."

"O gods! Who dared imprison her?"

"She confessed that she killed thy son."

"What?"

A great cry was heard at the prince's feet: the Libyan prisoners
captured in battle were marching past, and at the head of them the
sorrowful Tehenna.

Ramses had at that moment a heart so full of pain that he nodded to
Tehenna, and said,

"Stand near thy father Musawasa, so that he may touch thee, and see
thee living."

At these words all the Libyans and the whole army gave forth a mighty
shout; but the prince did not hear it.

"Is my son dead?" asked he of the priest. "Sarah accused herself of
child-murder? Did madness fal