rdian goddess greatly, and honor her before
Thou couldst kiss me."

"But is it permitted thee?"

"All things are permitted me, for I am a priestess, and have sworn to
preserve my virginity."

"Why hast Thou come hither, then?"

"To drive out thy anger. I have done so, I depart. Be well and kind
always," added she, with a piercing glance.

"Where dost Thou dwell? What is thy name?" asked Ramses.

"My name is Fondling, and I dwell Ei, why should I tell? Thou wilt not
come soon to me."

She waved her hand and vanished. The prince, as if stunned, did not
move from his chair. When after a while he looked through the window,
he saw a rich litter which four Nubians bore toward the Nile swiftly.

Ramses was not sorry for the departing woman; she astonished, but did
not attract him.

"Sarah is calmer," thought he, "and more beautiful. Moreover, it seems
to me that that Phoenician must be cold, and her fondlings are
studied."

But from that time the prince ceased to be angry at Dagon, all the more
since on a day when he was at Sarah's earth-tillers came to him, and
thanking him for protection declared that the Phoenician forced them to
pay new rents no longer.

That was the case close to Memphis, but on other lands the prince's
tenants made good Dagon's losses.

CHAPTER XIV

In the month of Choeak (from the middle of September to the middle of
October), the waters of the Nile were highest, and began to fall
slightly. In the gardens people gathered tamarinds, dates, olives; and
trees blossomed a second time.

At this juncture his holiness Ramses XII left his sun-bright palace in
Memphis, and with a grand suite on some tens of stately barges sailed
to Thebes, to thank the gods there for the bounteous inundation, and
also to place offerings oil the tombs of his eternally living
ancestors.

The most worthy ruler took farewell of his heir very graciously; but
the direction of state affairs during his absence he left with Herhor.

Ramses felt this proof of want of confidence so greatly that for three
days he took no food and did not leave his villa; he only wept. Later
he ceased to shave, and transferred himself to Sarah's house, so as not
to meet Herhor or annoy his own mother, whom he considered the cause of
his failures.

On the following day Tutmosis visited him in this retreat, bringing two
boats filled with musicians and dancers, and a third containing baskets
of food and flowers, with pitchers of wine