woman that she can drive away
collectors with her tongue; and neither cow nor woman knows that she is
stupid."

"Thou art stupid!" said the woman. "Sun-like lord with the form of a
pharaoh."

"I call to witness that this woman blasphemes," said the official to
his people in a low voice.

"Odorous flower, whose voice is like a flute, listen to me!" implored
the woman of Ramses. "Then my husband answered this official, 'I would
rather lose two bulls, if I had them, than give my boys away, though
Thou wert to give me four drachmas; for when a boy leaves home for
service no one ever sees him after that.'."

"Would that I were choked! would that fish were eating my body in the
bottom of the Nile!" groaned the earth-tiller. "Thou wilt destroy all
our house with thy complaints, woman."

The official, seeing that he had the support of the side mainly
interested, stepped forth and began, in nasal tones, a second time,

"Since the sun rises beyond the palace of the pharaoh and sets over the
pyramids, various wonders have happened in this country. In the days of
the Pharaoh Sememphes marvelous things appeared near the pyramid of
Kochom, and a plague fell on Egypt. In the time of Boetus the ground
opened near Bubastis and swallowed many people. In the reign of
Neferches the waters of the Nile for eleven days were as sweet as
honey. Men saw these and many other things of which I know, for I am
full of wisdom. But never has it been seen that some unknown man came
up out of the water and stopped the collection of rent in the lands of
the heir to the throne of Egypt."

"Be silent," shouted Ramses, "and be off out of this place! No one will
take thy children," said he to the woman.

"It is easy for me to go away," said the collector, "for I have a swift
boat and five rowers. But, worthiness, give me some sign for my lord
Dagon."

"Take off thy wig and show him the sign on thy forehead," said Ramses.
"And tell Dagon that I will put marks of the same kind all over his
body."

"Listen to that blasphemy!" whispered the collector to his men, drawing
back toward the bank with low bows.

He sat down in the boat, and when his assistants had moved off and
pushed away some tens of yards, he stretched out his hand and shouted,

"May gripe seize thy intestines, blasphemer, rebel! From here I will go
straight to Prince Ramses and tell him what is happening on his lands."

Then he took his cane and belabored his men because they had