er that Nitager was able to cut off the road before us."

"Perhaps Ramses counted on your dignity," said Nitager.

"In government and war we must count on no man: one unreckoned little
stone may overturn everything," said the minister.

"If thou, worthiness," answered Patrokles, "had not pushed the columns
from the road because of those scarabs."

"Thou, worthiness, art a foreigner and an unbeliever," retorted Herhor,
"hence this speech. But we Egyptians understand that when the people
and the soldiers cease to reverence the scarabs, their sons will cease
to fear the ureus (the serpent). From contempt of the gods is born
revolt against the pharaohs."

"But what are axes for?" asked Nitager. "Whoso wishes to keep a head on
his shoulders let him listen to the supreme commander."

"What then is your final opinion of the heir?" asked the pharaoh of
Herhor.

"Living image of the sun, child of the gods," replied the minister.
"Command to anoint Ramses, give him a grand chain and ten talents, but
do not appoint him yet to command the corps in Memphis. The prince is
too young for that office, too passionate and inexperienced. Can we
recognize him as the equal of Patrokles, who has trampled the
Ethiopians and the Libyans in twenty battles? Or can we place him at
the side of Nitager, whose name alone brings pallor to our northern and
eastern enemies?"

The pharaoh rested his head on his hand, meditated, and said,

"Depart with my favor and in peace. I will do what is indicated by
wisdom and justice."

The dignitaries bowed low, and Ramses XII, without waiting for his
suite, passed to remoter chambers.

When the two leaders found themselves alone in the entrance hall,
Nitager said to Patrokles,

"Here priests rule as in their own house. I see that. But what a leader
that Herhor is! He vanquished us before we spoke; he does not grant a
corps to the heir."

"He praised me so that I dared not utter a word," said Patrokles.

"He is far seeing, and does not tell all he thinks. In the wake of the
heir various young lords who go to war taking singers would have shoved
themselves into the corps, and they would occupy the highest places.
Naturally old officers would fall into idleness from anger, because
promotion had missed them; the exquisites would be idle for the sake of
amusement, and the corps would break up without even meeting an enemy.
Oh, Herhor is a sage!"

"May his wisdom not cost thee more than the inexperie