ed to bring her up as our
own daughter. We do not, however, wish that this deed should be made
known, either to the world or to the child herself, and I ask you to keep
the secret and spread a report that Ladice has given birth to twins. If
you accomplish this according to our wish, you shall receive to-day five
thousand rings of gold, and the fifth part of this sum yearly, during
your life. I made my obeisance in silence, ordered every one to leave the
sick room, and, when I again called them in, announced that Ladice had
given birth to a second girl. Amasis' real child received the name of
Tachot, the spurious one was called Nitetis."

At these words Cambyses rose from his seat, and strode through the hall;
but Onuphis continued, without allowing himself to be disturbed: "Sixth
day of the month Thoth. This morning I had just lain down to rest after
the fatigues of the night, when a servant appeared with the promised gold
and a letter from the king, asking me to procure a dead child, to be
buried with great ceremony as the deceased daughter of King Hophra. After
a great deal of trouble I succeeded, an hour ago, in obtaining one from a
poor girl who had given birth to a child secretly in the house of the old
woman, who lives at the entrance to the City of the Dead. The little one
had caused her shame and sorrow enough, but she would not be persuaded to
give up the body of her darling, until I promised that it should be
embalmed and buried in the most splendid manner. We put the little corpse
into my large medicine-chest, my son Nebenchari carried it this time
instead of my servant Hib, and so it was introduced into the room where
Hophra's widow had died. The poor girl's baby will receive a magnificent
funeral. I wish I might venture to tell her, what a glorious lot awaits
her darling after death. Nebenchari has just been sent for by the king."

At the second mention of this name, Cambyses stopped in his walk, and
said: "Is our oculist Nebenchari the man whose name is mentioned in this
manuscript?"

"Nebenchari," returned Phanes, "is the son of this very Sonnophre who
changed the children."

The physician did not raise his eyes; his face was gloomy and sullen.

Cambyses took the roll of papyrus out of Onuphis' band, looked at the
characters with which it was covered, shook his head, went up to
Nebenchari and said:

"Look at these characters and tell me if it is your father's writing."

Nebenchari fell on his knees