Evennow，asitchanced，wedidnotreachGoshenwithoutfurthertrouble。JustaswehadcrossedthebridgeoverthecanalI，toilingbehind，sawintheclearmoonlightayoungmanrunningtowardsus。HewasaHebrew，tall，well-madeandveryhandsomeinhisfashion。Hiseyesweredarkandfierce，hisnosewashooked，histeethwhereregularandwhite，andhislong，blackhairhungdowninamassuponhisshoulders。Heheldawoodenstaffinhishandandanakedknifewasgirdedabouthismiddle。Seeingthechariothehaltedandpeeredatit，thenaskedinHebrewifthosewhotravelledhadseenaughtofayoungIsraelitishladywhowaslost。
　　“Ifyouseekme，Laban，Iamhere，“repliedMerapi，speakingfromtheshadowofthecloak。
　　“WhatdoyoutherealonewithanEgyptian，Merapi？“hesaidfiercely。
　　WhatfollowedIdonotknowfortheyspokesoquicklyintheirunfamiliartonguethatIcouldnotunderstandthem。AtlengthMerapiturnedtothePrince，saying：
　　“Lord，thisisLabanmyaffianced，whocommandsmetodescendfromthechariotandaccompanyhimasbestIcan。“
　　“AndI，Lady，commandyoutostayinit。Labanyouraffiancedcanaccompanyus。“
　　NowatthisLabangrewangry，asIcouldseehewaspronetodo，andstretchedouthishandasthoughtopushSetiasideandseizeMerapi。
　　“Haveacare，man，’saidthePrince，whileI，throwingdownthestraw，drewmyswordandsprangbetweenthem，crying：
　　“Slave，wouldyoulayhandsuponthePrinceofEgypt？“
　　“PrinceofEgypt!“hesaid，drawingbackastonished，thenaddedsullenly，“WellwhatdoesthePrinceofEgyptwithmyaffianced？“
　　“Hehelpsherwhoishurttoherhome，havingfoundherhelplessinthedesertwiththisaccursedstraw，“Ianswered。
　　“Forward，driver，“saidthePrince，andMerapiadded，“Peace，Laban，andbearthestrawwhichhisHighness’scompanionhascarriedsuchawearyway。“
　　Hehesitatedamoment，thensnatchedupthebundleandsetitonhishead。
　　Aswewalkedsidebyside，hiseviltemperseemedtogetthebetterofhim。Withoutceasing，hegrumbledbecauseMerapiwasaloneinthechariotwithanEgyptian。AtlengthIcouldbearitnolonger。
　　“Besilent，fellow，“Isaid。“LeastofallmenshouldyoucomplainofwhathisHighnessdoes，seeingthatalreadyhehasavengedthekillingofthislady’sfather，andnowhassavedherfromlyingoutallnightamongthewildbeastsandmenofthewilderness。“
　　“OfthefirstIhaveheardmorethanenough，“heanswered，“andoftheseconddoubtlessIshallhearmorethanenoughalso。Eversincemyaffiancedmetthisprince，shehaslookedonmewithdifferenteyesandspokentomewithanothervoice。Yes，andwhenIpressformarriage，shesaysitcannotbeforalongwhileyet，becausesheismourningforherfather；herfatherforsooth，whomsheneverforgavebecausehebetrothedhertomeaccordingtothecustomofourpeople。“
　　“Perhapsshelovessomeotherman？“Iqueried，wishingtolearnallI
　　couldaboutthislady。
　　“Shelovesnoman，ordidnotawhileago。Shelovesherselfalone。“
　　“Onewithsomuchbeautymaylookhighinmarriage。“
　　“High!“herepliedfuriously。“HowcanshelookhigherthanmyselfwhoamalordofthelineofJudah，andthereforegreaterfarthananupstartprinceoranyotherEgyptian，werehePharaohhimself？“
　　“Surelyyoumustbetrumpetertoyourtribe，“Imocked，formytemperwasrising。
　　“Why？“heasked。“ArenottheHebrewsgreaterthantheEgyptians，asthoseoppressorssoonshalllearn，andisnotalordofIsraelmorethananyidol-worshipperamongyourpeople？“
　　Ilookedatthemancladinmeangarmentsandfoulfromhislabourinthebrickfield，marvellingathisinsolence。Therewasnodoubtbutthathebelievedwhathesaid；Icouldseeitinhisproudeyeandbearing。Hethoughtthathistribewasofmoreimportintheworldthanourgreatandancientnation，andthathe，anunknownyouth，equalledorsurpassedPharaohhimself。Then，beingenragedbytheseinsults，Ianswered：
　　“Yousayso，butletusputittotheproof。Iambutascribe，yetI
　　haveseenwar。LingeralittlethatwemaylearnwhetheralordofIsraelisbetterthanascribeofEgypt。“
　　“GladlywouldIchastiseyou，Writer，“heanswered，“didInotseeyourplot。Youwishtodelaymehere，andperhapstomurdermebysomefoulmeans，whileyourmasterbasksinthesmilesoftheMoonofIsrael。ThereforeIwillnotstay，butanothertimeitshallbeasyouwish，andperhapserelong。“
　　NowIthinkthatIshouldhavestruckhimintheface，thoughIamnotoneofthosewholovebrawling。ButatthismomentthereappearedacompanyofEgyptianhorseledbynoneotherthantheCountAmenmeses。
　　SeeingthePrinceintheChariot，theyhaltedandgavethesalute。
　　Amenmesesleapttotheground。
　　“WearecomeouttosearchforyourHighness，“hesaid，“fearinglestsomehurthadbefallenyou。“
　　“Ithankyou，Cousin，“answeredthePrince，“butthehurthasbefallenanother，notme。“
　　“Thatiswell，yourHighness，“saidtheCount，studyingMerapiwithasmile。“Whereistheladywounded？Notinthebreast，Itrust。“
　　“No，Cousin，inthefoot，whichiswhyshetravelswithmeinthischariot。“
　　“YourHighnesswaseverkindtotheunfortunate。Iprayyouletmetakeyourplace，orsuffermetosetthisgirluponahorse。“
　　“Driveon，“saidSeti。
　　So，escortedbythesoldiers，whomIheardmakingjeststoeachotheraboutthePrinceandthelady，asIthinkdidtheHebrewLabanalso，forheglaredabouthimandgroundhisteeth，wecameatlasttothetown。Here，guidedbyMerapi，thechariotwashaltedatthehouseofJabezheruncle，awhite-beardedoldHebrewwithacunningeye，whorushedfromthedoorofhismud-roofeddwellingcryinghehaddonenoharmthatsoldiersshouldcometotakehim。
　　“ItisnotyouwhomtheEgyptianswishtocapture，itisyournieceandmybetrothed，“shoutedLaban，whereatthesoldierslaughed，asdidsomewomenwhohadgatheredround。MeanwhilethePrincewashelpingMerapitodescendoutofthechariot，fromwhichindeedheliftedher。
　　ThesightseemedtomaddenLaban，whorushedforwardtotearherfromhisarms，andintheattemptjostledhisHighness。Thecaptainofthesoldiers——hewasanofficerofPharaoh’sbodyguard——liftedhisswordinafuryandstruckLabansuchablowupontheheadwiththeflatofthebladethathefelluponhisfaceandlaytheregroaning。
　　“AwaywiththatHebrewdogandscourgehim!“criedthecaptain。“IstheroyalbloodofEgypttobehandledbysuchashe？“
　　Soldierssprangforwardtodohisbidding，butSetisaidquietly：
　　“Letthefellowbe，friends；helacksmanners，thatisall。Ishehurt？“
　　AshespokeLabanleapttohisfeetand，fearingworsethings，fledawaywithacurseandaglareofhateatthePrince。
　　“Farewell，Lady，“saidSeti。“Iwishyouaquickrecovery。“
　　“IthankyourHighness，“sheanswered，lookingaboutherconfusedly。
　　“BepleasedtowaitalittlewhilethatImayreturntoyouyourjewel。“
　　“Nay，keepit，Lady，andifeveryouareinneedortroubleofanysort，sendittomewhoknowitwellandyoushallnotlacksuccour。“
　　Sheglancedathimandburstintotears。
　　“Whydoyouweep？“heasked。
　　“Oh!yourHighness，becauseIfearthattroubleisnearathand。Myaffianced，Laban，hasarevengefulheart。Helpmetothehouse，myuncle。“
　　“Listen，Hebrew，“saidSeti，raisinghisvoice；“ifaughtthatisevilbefallsthisnieceofyours，orifsheisforcedtowalkwhithershewouldnotgo，sorrowshallbeyourportionandthatofallwithwhomyouhavetodo。Doyouhear？“
　　“OmyLord，Ihear，Ihear。Fearnothing。Sheshallbeguardedcarefullyas——asshewilldoubtlessguardthattrinketonherfoot。“
　　“Ana，“saidthePrincetomethatnight，whenIwastalkingwithhimbeforehewenttorest，“Iknownotwhy，butIfearthatmanLaban；hehasanevileye。“
　　“ItoothinkitwouldhavebeenbetterifyourHighnesshadlefthimtobedealtwithbythesoldiers，afterwhichtherewouldhavebeennothingtofearfromhiminthisworld。“
　　“Well，Ididnot，sothere’sanend。Ana，sheisafairwomanandasweet。“
　　“ThefairestandthesweetestthateverIsaw，myPrince。“
　　“Becareful，Ana。Iprayyoubecareful，lestyoushouldfallinlovewithonewhoisalreadyaffianced。“
　　Ionlylookedathiminanswer，andasIlookedIbethoughtmeofthewordsofKitheMagician。So，Ithink，didthePrince；atleasthelaughednotunhappilyandturnedaway。
　　FormypartIrestedillthatnight，andwhenatlastIslept，itwastodreamofMerapimakingherprayerintheraysofthemoon。