ll be
discontinued."

"I expected these demands. The priests have discovered a sharp weapon to
wield against me. Well, I am prepared to yield to the wishes of my
enemies, with whom thou hast leagued thyself, but only on two conditions.
First, I insist that the letter, which I confess to have written to the
father of Nebenchari in a moment of inconsideration, be restored to me.
If left in the hands of thy party, it could reduce me from a king to the
contemptible slave of priestly intrigue."

"That wish is reasonable. The letter shall be returned to thee, if. . . . "

"Not another if! on the contrary, know that I consider thy petition for
the punishment of Gyges so imprudent, that I refuse to grant it. Now
leave me and appear not again before mine eyes until I summon thee!
Yesterday I gained a son, only to lose him to-day. Rise! I demand no
tokens of a love and humility, which thou hast never felt. Go to the
priests when thou needest comfort and counsel, and see if they can supply
a father's place. Tell Neithotep, in whose hands thou art as wax, that he
has found the best means of forcing me to grant demands, which otherwise
I should have refused. Hitherto I have been willing to make every
sacrifice for the sake of upholding Egypt's greatness; but now, when I
see that, to attain their own ends, the priests can strive to move me by
the threat of treachery to their own country, I feel inclined to regard
this privileged caste as a more dangerous enemy to Egypt, than even the
Persians. Beware, beware! This once, having brought danger upon Egypt
through my own fatherly weakness, I give way to the intrigues of my
enemies; but, for the future, I swear by the great goddess Neith, that
men shall see and feel I am king; the entire priesthood shall be
sacrificed rather than the smallest fraction of my royal will!
Silence--depart!"

The prince left, but this time a longer interval was necessary, before
the king could regain even outward cheerfulness sufficient to enable him
to appear before his guests.

Psamtik went at once to the commander of the native troops, ordered him
to banish the Egyptian captain who had failed in executing his revengeful
plans, to the quarries of Thebais, and to send the Ethiopians back to
their native country. He then hurried to the high-priest of Neith, to
inform him how much he had been able to extort from the king,

Neithotep shook his head doubtfully on hearing of Amasis' threats, and
dismissed t