sun had already passed the meridian, when a disturbance, accompanied
by loud cries, took possession of the masses of people, who stood round
the scribes in the palace court.

Many men and women were streaming together towards one spot, and even the
most impassive of the Thebans present turned their attention to an
incident so unusual in this place.

A detachment of constabulary made a way through the crushing and yelling
mob, and another division of Lybian police led a prisoner towards a side
gate of the court. Before they could reach it, a messenger came up with
them, from the Regent, who desired to be informed as to what happened.

The head of the officers of public safety followed him, and with eager
excitement informed Ani, who was waiting for him, that a tiny man, the
dwarf of the Lady Katuti, had for several hours been going about in the
court, and endeavoring to poison the minds of the citizens with seditious
speeches.

Ani ordered that the misguided man should be thrown into the dungeon; but
so soon as the chief officer had left him, he commanded his secretary to
have the dwarf brought into his presence before sundown.

While he was giving this order an excitement of another kind seized the
assembled multitude.

As the sea parted and stood on the right hand and on the left of the
Hebrews, so that no wave wetted the foot of the pursued fugitives, so the
crowd of people of their own free will, but as if in reverent submission
to some high command, parted and formed a broad way, through which walked
the high-priest of the House of Seti, as, full robed and accompanied by
some of the "holy fathers," he now entered the court.

The Regent went to meet him, bowed before him, and then withdrew to the
back of the hall with him alone. "It is nevertheless incredible," said
Ameni, "that our serfs are to follow the militia!"

"Rameses requires soldiers--to conquer," replied the Regent.

"And we bread--to live," exclaimed the priest.

"Nevertheless I am commanded, at once, before the seed-time, to levy the
temple-serfs. I regret the order, but the king is the will, and I am only
the hand."

"The hand, which he makes use of to sequester ancient rights, and to open
a way to the desert over the fruitful land."

["With good management," said the first Napoleon, "the Nile
encroaches upon the desert, with bad management the desert
encroaches upon the Nile."]

"Your acres will not long remain unprovided for. R