t."

"What changes? And who is the man who during the life of the pharaoh
may dare to speak of the plans of his successor?"

Now the prince grew gloomy.

"That is one thing, but I will tell thee another," said, Tutmosis, "for
misfortunes, like hyenas, never come singly. Dost Thou know that the
lowest people sing songs about thee, sing how Thou didst free the
attackers from prison, and what is worse, they repeat again, that, when
Thou shalt succeed his holiness, rents will be abolished. It must be
added that when common people speak of injustice and rents,
disturbances follow; and either a foreign enemy attacks our weakened
state, or Egypt is divided into as many parts as there are nomarchs.
Finally, judge for thyself, is it proper that any man's name should be
mentioned oftener than the pharaoh's, and that any man should stand
between the people and our lord? If Thou permit, I will tell how
priests look on this matter."

"Of course, speak."

"Well, a very wise priest who from the summit of the temple of Amon
examines celestial movements, has thought out this statement: 'The
pharaoh is the sun, the heir to the throne the moon. When the moon
follows the god of light from afar, we have brightness in the daytime
and clearness at night. When the moon wishes to be too near the sun, it
disappears itself and the nights are dark. But if the moon stands
before the sun there is an eclipse, and in the world great terror '."

"And all this babble," interrupted Ramses, "goes to the ears of his
holiness. Misfortune on my head! Would that I had never been the son of
a pharaoh!"

"The pharaoh, as a god upon earth, knows everything; but he is too
mighty to care for the drunken shouts of soldiers or the whispers of
earth tillers. He understands that every Egyptian would die for him,
and Thou first of all."

"Thou hast spoken truth!" answered the anxious prince. "But in all this
I see new vileness and deceit of the priests," added he, rousing
himself. "It is I, then, who hide the majesty of our lord, because I
free the innocent from prison, or do not let my tenant torture earth-
workers with unjust tribute. But when his worthiness Herhor manages the
army, appoints leaders, negotiates with foreign princes, and directs my
father to spend his time in prayers."

Tutmosis covered his ears, and, stamping, cried, "Be silent! be silent!
every word of thine is blasphemy. His holiness alone directs the state,
and whatever is done on eart