riers with food and wine, tents and furniture. But the
prince sent them back to Atribis; and when the hour came for army food,
he commanded to serve that to him; so he ate dried meat with oat cakes.

These were the mercenary regiments of Libya. When the prince ordered
them to lay aside arms in the evening, and took farewell of the men, it
seemed as though the soldiers and officers had yielded to madness.
Shouting "May he live through eternity!" they kissed his hands and
feet, made a litter of their spears and mantles, and bore him to the
city, disputing on the way with one another for the honor of carrying
the heir on their shoulders.

The nomarch and the officials of the province were frightened, when
they saw the enthusiasm of the Libyans, and the favor which the heir
showed barbarians.

"Here is a ruler!" whispered the chief secretary to Sofra. "If he
wished, those people would kill us and our children."

The troubled nomarch sighed to the gods, and commended himself to their
gracious protection.

Late at night Ramses found himself in his own palace, and there the
servants told him that another bedchamber had been given him.

"Why is this?"

"Because in the first chamber people saw a poisonous serpent, which
hid, and no one could find it."

In a wing near the house of the nomarch was a new sleeping chamber, a
four-cornered room, surrounded by columns on all sides. Its walls were
of alabaster, covered with painted bas-reliefs; below were plants in
vases; higher up garlands of olive and laurel.

Almost in the centre of the room stood a great bed inlaid with ebony,
gold, and ivory. The chamber was lighted by two fragrant tapers; under
the colonnade were small tables with wine, food, and garlands of roses.
In the ceiling was a large quadrangular opening covered with linen.

The prince bathed and lay on the soft bed; his servants went to remote
chambers. The tapers were burning out; cool air filled with the odor of
flowers moved in the chamber. At the same time low music from harps was
heard above him.

Ramses raised his head. The linen canopy of the chamber slipped to one
side, and through the opening he saw the constellation Leo, and in it
the brilliant star Regulus. The music of harps became louder.

"Are the gods preparing to make me a visit?" thought the viceroy, with
a smile.

In the opening of the ceiling shone a broad streak of light; it was
powerful but tempered. A moment later a litter appeared i