and saw another crowd, composed of women and
children. Among them was an old man.

"Are these prisoners?"

"No, most worthy lord. That is a family waiting for the body of a
criminal who is to be strangled oh, they are taking him already to the
chamber," said the overseer.

Then, turning to the crowd, he said,

"Be patient a short time, dear people. Ye will get the body soon."

"We thank thee greatly, worthy lord," answered an old man, doubtless
the father of the delinquent. "We left home yesterday evening, our flax
is in the field, and the river is rising."

The prince grew pale, and halted.

"Dost Thou know," asked he of the overseer, "that I have the right of
pardon?"

"Erpatr, Thou hast that right," answered the overseer, bowing; and then
he added: "The law declares, O child of the sun, that in memory of thy
presence men condemned for offences against the state and religion, but
who conduct themselves properly, should receive some abatement. A list
of such persons will be placed at thy feet within a month."

"But he who is to be strangled this moment, has he not the right to my
grace?"

The overseer opened his arms, and bent forward in silence.

They moved from place to place, and passed a number of courts. In
wooden cases on the bare ground were crowded men sentenced to
imprisonment. In one building were heard awful screams; they were
clubbing prisoners to force confession.

"I wish to see those accused of attacking my house," said the heir,
deeply moved.

"Of those there are more than three hundred," said the overseer.

"Select according to thy own judgment the most guilty, and question
them in my presence. I do not wish, though, to be known to them."

They opened to Ramses a chamber in which the investigating official was
occupied. The prince commanded him to take his usual place, but sat
himself behind a pillar.

The accused appeared one by one. All were lean; much hair had grown out
on them, and their eyes had the expression of settled bewilderment.

"Dutmoses," said the official, "tell how ye attacked the house of the
most worthy erpatr."

"I will tell truth, as at the judgment seat of Osiris. It was the
evening of that day when the Nile was to begin rising. My wife said to
me, 'Come, father, let us go up on the hills, where we can have an
earlier sight of the signal in Memphis.' Then we went up where we could
see the signal in Memphis more easily. Some warrior came to my wife and
said,