for the
soul of a burned man is transferred to eternal regions immediately; the
soul of a mummied man may live during thousands of years on this earth
and enjoy its beauties.

"But the Egyptian priests, O chief, let this not offend thy ears hated
Patrokles. Who will assure us, then, that these priests in making him a
mummy are not detaining him on earth so as to subject him to tortures?
And what would our worth be if we who suspect revenge did not protect
from it the soul of our compatriot and leader?"

Great was the prince's astonishment.

"Do," said he, "as ye think proper."

"But if they will not give us the body?"

"Prepare the funeral pile; I will attend to the rest of the ceremony."

The Greeks left the tent. The prince sent for Mentezufis.

CHAPTER XLVII

THE priest observed the heir stealthily, and found him much changed.
Ramses was pale; he had almost grown thin in a few hours; his eyes had
lost their glitter and had sunk beneath his forehead.

When Mentezufis heard what the Greeks had in mind he did not hesitate a
moment to surrender the body of Patrokles.

"The Greeks are right," said the holy man, "in thinking that we have
power to torment the shade of Patrokles, but they are fools to suppose
that any priest of Chaldea or Egypt would permit such a crime. Let them
take the body of their compatriot, if they think that after death he
will be happier under protection of their own rites."

The prince sent an officer straightway with the needful order, but he
detained Mentezufis. Evidently he wished to say something to him,
though he hesitated.

After some silence Ramses asked suddenly,

"Thou knowest, of course, holy prophet, that one of my women, Sarah, is
dead, and that her son was murdered?"

"That happened," said Mentezufis, "the night that we marched from Pi-
Bast."

The prince sprang up.

"By the eternal Amon!" cried he. "Did that take place so long ago, and
ye did not mention it? Ye did not even tell me that I was suspected of
murdering my own son?"

"Lord," said the priest, "the leader of an army in the day before
battle has neither son nor father; he has no one whatever save the army
and the enemy. Could we in extreme moments disturb thee with such
tidings?"

"That is true," replied the prince, after some thought. "If we were
attacked today I am not sure that I could command the army. In general
I am not sure of my power to regain peace of mind.

"Such a little such a beauti