long journeys upon my business, Ana," he said.
Then he considered me curiously for a while, and since he could read my
mind, as indeed I could his, saw that I knew all, and added in a gentle
voice:

"You should have done as I told you, and spoken first. If so, who
knows----"

"You do, Prince," I answered, "you and another."

"Go, and the gods be with you, friend, but stay not too long copying
those rolls, which any scribe can do. I think there is trouble at hand
in Egypt, and I shall need you at my side. Another who holds you dear
will need you also."

"I thank my lord and that other," I said, bowing, and went.

Moreover, while I was making some humble provision for my journey, I
found that this was needless, since a slave came to tell me that the
Prince's barge was waiting to sail with the wind. So in that barge I
travelled to Thebes like a great noble, or a royal mummy being borne
to burial. Only instead of wailing priests, until I sent them back to
Memphis, musicians sat upon the prow, and when I willed, dancing girls
came to amuse my leisure and, veiled in golden nets, to serve at my
table.

So I journeyed as though I were the Prince himself, and as one who was
known to have his ear was made much of by the governors of the Nomes,
the chief men of the towns, and the high priests of the temples at every
city where we moored. For, as I have said, although Amenmeses sat
upon the throne, Seti still ruled in the hearts of the folk of Egypt.
Moreover, as I sailed further up the Nile to districts where little
was known of the Israelites, and the troubles they were bringing on the
land, I found this to be so more and more. Why is it, the Great Ones
would whisper in my ear, that his Highness the Prince Seti does not
hold his father's place? Then I would tell them of the Hebrews, and they
would laugh and say:

"Let the Prince unfurl his royal banner here, and we will show him what
we think of the question of these Israelitish slaves. May not the Heir
of Egypt form his own judgment on such a matter as to whether they
should abide there in the north, or go away into that wilderness which
they desire?"

To all of which, and much like it, I would only answer that their words
should be reported. More I did not, and indeed did not dare to say,
since everywhere I found that I was being followed and watched by the
spies of Pharaoh.

At length I came to Thebes and took up my abode in a fine house that was
the property of t