hich even in
private letters constantly follows the name of the Pharaoh.]

The Regent bowed, and then asked:

"Do you propose to obey the demand of the Pharaoh without delay?"

"He is the king. Our council, which will meet in a few days, can only
determine how, and not whether we shall fulfil his command."

"You will retard the departure of the serfs, and Rameses requires them
at once. The bloody labor of the war demands new tools."

"And the peace will perhaps demand a new master, who understands how to
employ the sons of the land to its greatest advantage--a genuine son of
Ra."

The Regent stood opposite the high-priest, motionless as an image cast
in bronze, and remained silent; but Ameni lowered his staff before him
as before a god, and then went into the fore part of the hall.

When Ani followed him, a soft smile played as usual upon his
countenance, and full of dignity he took his seat on the throne.

"Art thou at an end of thy communications?" he asked the high-priest.

"It remains for me to inform you all," replied Ameni with a louder
voice, to be heard by all the assembled dignitaries, "that the princess
Bent-Anat yesterday morning committed a heavy sin, and that in all the
temples in the land the Gods shall be entreated with offerings to take
her uncleanness from her."

Again a shadow passed over the smile on the Regent's countenance. He
looked meditatively on the ground, and then said:

"To-morrow I will visit the House of Seti; till then I beg that this
affair may be left to rest."

Ameni bowed, and the Regent left the hall to withdraw to a wing of the
king's palace, in which he dwelt.

On his writing-table lay sealed papers. He knew that they contained
important news for him; but he loved to do violence to his curiosity, to
test his resolution, and like an epicure to reserve the best dish till
the last.

He now glanced first at some unimportant letters. A dumb negro, who
squatted at his feet, burned the papyrus rolls which his master gave him
in a brazier. A secretary made notes of the short facts which Ani called
out to him, and the ground work was laid of the answers to the different
letters.

At a sign from his master this functionary quitted the room, and Ani
then slowly opened a letter from the king, whose address: "To my brother
Ani," showed that it contained, not public, but private information.

On these lines, as he well knew, hung his future life, and the road it
should follow.