“Sayon，“mutteredMeneptah。
　　“Pharaoh，havingyourleave，ItellyouthatIthinkyouhavedoneaveryevilworkthisday，onethatisunpleasingtothosePowerswhichruletheworld，whoeverandwhatsoevertheymaybe，onetoothatwillbringuponEgyptsorrowscountlessasthesand。IbelievethattheseHebrewswhomyouunjustlyseektoslayworshipagodasgreatorgreaterthanourown，andthattheyandhewilltriumphoverEgypt。I
　　believealsothatthemightyheritagewhichyouhavetakenfrommewillbringneitherjoynorhonourtohimbywhomithasbeenreceived。“
　　HereAmenmesesstartedforward，butMeneptahhelduphishand，andhewassilent。
　　“Ibelieve，Pharaoh——alas!thatImustsayit——thatyourdaysoneartharefewandthatforthelasttimewelookoneachotherliving。
　　Farewell，Pharaohmyfather，whomstillIlovemayhapmoreinthishourofpartingthaneverIdidbefore。Farewell，Amenmeses，PrinceofEgypt。Takefrommethisornamentwhichhenceforthshouldbewornbyyouonly，“andliftingfromhisheaddressthatroyalcircletwhichmarkstheheirtothethrone，heheldittoAmenmeses，whotookitand，withasmileoftriumph，setitonhisbrow。
　　“Farewell，LordsandCouncillors；itismyhopethatinyonderprinceyouwillfindamastermoretoyourlikingthateverIcouldhavebeen。Come，Ana，myfriend，ifitstillpleasesyoutoclingtomeforalittlewhile，nowthatIhavenothinglefttogive。“
　　Forafewmomentshestoodstilllookingveryearnestlyathisfather，wholookedbackathimwithtearsinhisdeep-set，fadedeyes。
　　Then，thoughwhetherthiswasbychanceIcannotsay，takingnonoteofthePrincessUserti，whogazedathimperplexedandwrathful，Setidrewhimselfupandcriedintheancientform：
　　“Life!Blood!Strength!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!“andbowedalmosttotheground。
　　Meneptahheard。Mutteringbeneathhisbreath，“Oh!Seti，myson，mymostbelovedson!“hestretchedouthisarmsasthoughtocallhimbackorperhapstoclasphim。AshedidsoIsawhisfacechange。Nextinstanthefellforwardtothegroundandlaytherestill。Allthecompanystoodstruckwithhorror，onlytheroyalphysicianrantohim，whileRoiandotherswhowerepriestsbegantomutterprayers。
　　“HasthegoodgodbeengatheredtoOsiris？“askedAmenmesespresentlyinahoarsevoice，“becauseifitbeso，IamPharaoh。“
　　“Nay，Amenmeses，“exclaimedUserti，“thedecreeshavenotyetbeensealedorpromulgated。Theyhaveneitherstrengthnorweight。“
　　Beforehecouldanswerthephysiciancried：
　　“Peace!Pharaohstilllives，hisheartbeats。Thisisbutafitwhichmaypass。Begone，everyone，hemusthavequiet。“
　　Sowewent，butfirstSetikneltdownandkissedhisfatheronthebrow。
　　AnhourlaterthePrincessUsertibrokeintotheroomofhispalacewherethePrinceandIweretalking。
　　“Seti，“shesaid，“Pharaohstilllives，butthephysicianssayhewillbedeadbydawn。Thereisyettime。HereIhaveawriting，sealedwithhissignetandwitnessed，whereinherecallsallthathedecreedintheCourtto-day，anddeclaresyou，hisson，tobethetrueandonlyheirofthethroneofEgypt。“
　　“Isitso，wife？Tellmenowhowdidadyingmaninaswooncommandandsealthiswriting？“andhetouchedthescrollsheheldinherhand。
　　“Herecoveredforalittlewhile；Nehesiwilltellyouhow，“shereplied，lookinghiminthefacewithcoldeyes。Thenbeforehecouldspeak，sheadded，“Wastenomorebreathinquestions，butactandatonce。TheGeneraloftheguardswaitsbelow；heisyourfaithfulservant。ThroughhimIhavepromisedagifttoeverysoldieronthedaythatyouarecrowned。Nehesiandmostoftheofficersareonourside。OnlythepriestsareagainstusbecauseofthatHebrewwitchwhomyoushelter，andofhertribewhomyoubefriend；buttheyhavenothadtimetostirupthepeoplenorwilltheyattemptrevolt。Act，Seti，act，fornonewillmovewithoutyourexpresscommand。Moreover，noquestionwillberaisedafterwards，sincefromThebestotheseaandthroughouttheworldyouareknowntobetheheirofEgypt。“
　　“Whatwouldyouhavemedo，wife？“askedSeti，whenshepausedforlackofbreath。
　　“Cannotyouguess？MustIputstatecraftintoyourheadaswellasaswordintoyourhand？Whythatscribeofyours，whofollowsyourheelslikeafavoureddog，wouldbemoreaptapupil。Hearkenthen。
　　Amenmeseshassentouttogatherstrength，butasyettherearenotfiftymenabouthimwhomhecantrust。“Sheleantforwardandwhisperedfiercely，“Killthetraitor，Amenmeses——allwillholditarighteousact，andtheGeneralwaitsyourword。ShallIsummonhim？“
　　“Ithinknot，“answeredSeti。“BecausePharaoh，ashehasarighttodo，ispleasedtonameacertainmanofroyalbloodtosucceedhim，howdoesthismakethatmanatraitortoPharaohwhostilllives？But，traitorornone，IwillnotmurdermycousinAmenmeses。“
　　“Thenhewillmurderyou。“
　　“Maybe。ThatisamatterbetweenhimandthegodswhichIleavethemtosettle。Theoathhesworeto-dayisnotonetobelightlybroken。
　　Butwhetherhebreaksitornot，Ialsosworeanoath，atleastinmyheart，namelythatIwouldnotattempttodisputethewillofPharaohwhom，afterall，Iloveasmyfatherandhonourasmyking，Pharaohwhostilllivesandmay，asIhope，recover。WhatshouldIsaytohimifherecoveredor，attheworst，whenatlastwemeetelsewhere？“
　　“Pharaohneverwillrecover；Ihavespokentothephysicianandhetoldmeso。Alreadytheypiercehisskulltoletouttheevilspiritofsickness，afterwhichnoneofourfamilyhavelivedforverylong。“
　　“Because，asIhold，thereby，whateverpriestsandphysiciansmaysay，theyletinthegoodspiritofdeath。Ana，IprayyouifI-“
　　“Man，“shebrokein，strikingherhanduponthetablebywhichshestood，“doyouunderstandthatwhileyoumuseandmoraliseyourcrownispassingfromyou？“
　　“Ithasalreadypassed，Lady。DidyounotseemegiveittoAmenmeses？“
　　“Doyouunderstandthatyouwhoshouldbethegreatestkinginalltheworld，insomefewhoursifindeedyouareallowedtolive，willbenothingbutaprivatecitizenofEgypt，oneatwhomtheverybeggarsmayspitandtakenoharm？“
　　“Surely，Wife。Moreover，thereislittlevirtueinwhatIdo，sinceonthewholeIpreferthatprospectandamwillingtotaketheriskofbeinghurriedfromanevilworld。Hearken，“headded，withachangeoftoneandgesture。“Youthinkmeafoolandaweakling；adreameralso，you，theclear-eyed，hard-brainedstateswomanwholooktotheglitteringgainofthemomentforwhichyouarereadytopayinblood，andguessnothingofwhatliesbeyond。Iamnoneofthesethings，except，perchance，thelast。Iamonlyamanwhostrivestobejustandtodoright，asrightseemstome，andifIdream，itisofgood，notevil，asIunderstandgoodandevil。Youaresurethatthisdreamingofminewillleadmetoworldlylossandshame。Evenofthat/I/amnotsure。Thethoughtcomestomethatitmayleadmetothoseverybaublesonwhichyousetyourheart，butbyapathstrewnwithspicesandwithflowers，notbyonepavedwiththebonesofmenandreekingwiththeirgore。Crownsthatareboughtwiththepromiseofbloodandheldwithcrueltyareapttobelostinblood，Userti。“
　　Shewavedherhand。“Iprayyoukeeptherest，Seti，tillIhavemoretimetolisten。MoreoverifIneedprophecies，IthinkitbettertoturntoKiandthosewhomakethemtheirlife-study。Formethisisadayofdeeds，notdreams，andsinceyourefusemyhelp，andbehaveasasickgirllostinfancies，Imustseetomyself。AswhileyouliveI
　　cannotreignaloneorwagewarinmyownnameonly，IgotomaketermswithAmenmeses，whowillpaymehighforpeace。“
　　“Yougo——anddoyoureturn，Userti？“
　　Shedrewherselftoherfullheight，lookingveryroyal，andansweredslowly：
　　“Idonotreturn。I，thePrincessofEgypt，cannotliveasthewifeofacommonmanwhofallsfromathronetosethimselfupontheearth，andsmearshisownbrowwithmudforaur？uscrown。Whenyourpropheciescometrue，Seti，andyoucrawlfromyourdust，thenperhapswemayspeakagain。“
　　“Aye，Userti，butthequestionis，whatshallwesay？“
　　“Meanwhile，“sheadded，assheturned，“Ileaveyoutoyourchosencounsellors——yonderscribe，whomfoolishness，notwisdom，haswhitenedbeforehistime，andperchancetheHebrewsorceress，whocangiveyoumoonbeamstodrinkfromthosefalselipsofhers。Farewell，Seti，onceaprinceandmyhusband。“
　　“Farewell，Userti，who，Ifear，muststillremainmysister。“
　　Thenhewatchedhergo，andturningtome，said：
　　“To-day，Ana，Ihavelostbothacrownandawife，yetstrangetotellIdonotknowwhichofthesecalamitiesgrievesmeleast。Yetitistimethatfortuneturned。Ormayhapalltheevilsarenotdone。Wouldyounotgoalso，Ana？Althoughshegibesatyouinheranger，thePrincessthinkswellofyou，andwouldkeepyouinherservice。
　　Remember，whoeverfallsinEgypt，shewillbegreattillthelast。“
　　“Oh!Prince，“Ianswered，“haveInotborneenoughto-daythatyoumustaddinsulttomyload，youwithwhomIbrokethecupandsworetheoath？“
　　“What!“helaughed。“IsthereoneinEgyptwhoremembersoathstohisownloss？Ithankyou，Ana，“andtakingmyhandhepressedit。
　　Atthatmomentthedooropened，andoldPambasaentered，saying：
　　“TheHebrewwoman，Merapi，wouldseeyou；alsotwoHebrewmen。“
　　“Admitthem，“saidSeti。“Note，Ana，howyonderoldtime-serverturnshisfacefromthesettingsun。Thismorningevenitwouldhavebeen’toseeyourHighness，’utteredwithbowssolowthathisbeardsweptthefloor。Nowitis’toseeyou’andnotsomuchasaninclinationoftheheadincommoncourtesy。This，moreover，fromonewhohasrobbedmeyearbyyearandgrownfatonbribes。Itisthefirstofmanybitterlessons，orratherthesecond——thatofherHighnesswasthefirst；IpraythatImaylearnthemwithhumility。“
　　Whilehemusedthusand，havingnocomforttooffer，Ilistenedsadatheart，Merapientered，andamomentafterherthewide-eyedmessengerwhomwehadseeninPharaoh’sCourt，andheruncleJabezthecunningmerchant。ShebowedlowtoSeti，andsmiledatme。Thentheothertwoappeared，andwithsmallsalutationthemessengerbegantospeak。
　　“Youknowmydemand，Prince，“hesaid。“Itisthatthiswomanshouldbereturnedtoherpeople。Jabez，heruncle，willleadheraway。“
　　“Andyouknowmyanswer，Israelite，“answeredSeti。“ItisthatIhavenopoweroverthecomingorthegoingoftheladyMerapi，oratleastwishtoclaimnone。Addressyourselftoher。“
　　“Whatisityouwishwithme，Priest？“askedMerapiquickly。
　　“ThatyoushouldreturntothetownofGoshen，daughterofNathan。
　　Haveyounoearstohear？“
　　“Ihear，butifIreturn，whatwillyouofme？“