ll you with my own hands. But what answer shall
we give, for the matter is urgent and on it hang all our lives? Bethink
you, Idernes has a great force yonder at Sais, and if I refuse outright,
he will attack us, which indeed is what the King means him to do before
we can make preparation. Say then, shall we fight, or shall we fly to
Upper Egypt, abandoning Memphis, and there make our stand?"

Now the Councillors present seemed to find no answer, for they did not
know what to say. But Bes whispered in my ear,

"Remember, Master, that you hold the King's seal. Let an answer be sent
to Idernes under the White Seal, bidding him wait on you."

Then I rose and spoke.

"O Peroa," I said, "as it chances I am the bearer of the private signet
of the Great King, which all men must obey in the north and in the
south, in the east and in the west, wherever the sun shines over the
dominions of the King. Look on it," and taking the ancient White Seal
from about my neck, I handed it to him.

He looked and the Councillors looked. Then they said almost with one
voice,

"It is the White Seal, the very signet of the Great Kings of the East,"
and they bowed before the dreadful thing.

"How you came by this we do not know, Shabaka," said Peroa. "That can
be inquired of afterwards. Yet in truth it seems to be the old Signet
of signets, that which has come down from father to son for countless
generations, that which the King of kings carries on his person and
affixes to his private orders and to the greatest documents of State,
which afterwards can never be recalled, that of which a copy is
emblazoned on his banner."

"It is," I answered, "and from the King's person it came to me for a
while. If any doubt, let the impress be brought, that is furnished to
all the officers throughout the Empire, and let the seal be set in the
impress."

Now one of the officers rose and went to bring the impress which was in
his keeping, but Peroa continued,

"If this be the true seal, how would you use it, Shabaka, to help us in
our present trouble?"

"Thus, Prince," I answered. "I would send a command under the seal to
Idernes to wait upon the holder of the seal here in Memphis. He will
suspect a trap and will not come until he has gathered a great army.
Then he will come, but meanwhile, you, Prince, can also collect an
army."

"That needs gold, Shabaka, and I have little. The King of kings takes
all in tribute."

"I have some, Prince, to the