sty in thy person will be like a Nile boat without a
rudder. Thou wilt drive the priests from the court, but who will remain
with thee? Who will be thy eye in the Lower and the Upper Country, who
in foreign lands? But the pharaoh must see everything, whatever it be,
on which fall the divine rays of Osiris."

"The priests will be my servants, not my ministers."

"They are the most faithful servants. Thanks to their prayers thy
father reigns thirty-three years, and avoids war which might be fatal."

"To the priests?"

"To the pharaoh and the state!" interrupted the lady. "Knowest Thou
what takes place in our treasury, from which in one day Thou takest ten
talents and desirest fifteen more? Knowest Thou that were it not for
the liberality of the priests, who on behalf of the treasury even take
real jewels from the gods and put false ones in their places, the
property of the pharaoh would be now in the hands of Phoenicians?"

"One fortunate war would overflow our treasury as the increase of the
Nile does our fields."

"No. Thou, Ramses, art such a child yet that we may not even reckon thy
godless words as sinful. Occupy thyself, I beg, with thy Greek
regiments, get rid of the Jew girl as quickly as may be, and leave
politics to us."

"Why must I put away Sarah?"

"Shouldst Thou have a son from her, complications might rise in the
State, which is troubled enough as matters now are. Thou mayst be angry
with the priests," added she, "if Thou wilt not offend them in public.
They know that it is necessary to overlook much in an heir to the
throne, especially when he has such a stormy character. But time
pacifies everything to the glory of the dynasty and the profit of
Egypt."

The prince meditated; then he said suddenly,

"I cannot count, therefore, on money from the treasury."

"Thou canst not in any case. The grand secretary would have been forced
to stop payment today had I not given him fourteen talents sent from
Tyre to me."

"And what shall I do with the army?" asked the prince, rubbing his
forehead impatiently.

"Put away the Jewess, and beg the priests. Perhaps they will make a
loan to thee."

"Never! I prefer a loan from Phoenicians."

The lady shook her head.

"Thou art erpatr, act as may please thee. But I say that Thou must give
great security, and the Phoenicians, when once thy creditors, will not
let thee go. They surpass the Jews in treachery."

"A part of my income will suffice to cover suc