NorwasMerapialtogetherlonesome，seeingthattheredweltinMemphiscertainladieswhohadHebrewbloodintheirveins，orwerebornoftheIsraelitesandhadmarriedEgyptiansagainsttheirlaw。Amongtheseshemadefriends，andtogethertheyworshippedintheirownfashionwithnonetosaythemnay，sinceherenopriestswereallowedtotroublethem。
　　Forourpartweheldintercoursewithasmanyaswepleased，sincefewforgotthatSetiwasbybloodthePrinceofEgypt，thatis，amanalmosthalfdivine，andallwereeagertovisithim。Alsohewasmuchbelovedforhisownsakeandmoreparticularlybythepoor，whosewantsitwashisdelighttorelievetothefulllimitofhiswealth。
　　Thusitcameaboutthatwheneverhewentabroad，althoughagainsthiswill，hewasreceivedwithhonoursandhomagethatwerealmostroyal，forthoughPharaohcouldrobhimoftheCrownhecouldnotemptyhisveinsofthebloodofkings。
　　ItwasonthisaccountthatIfearedforhissafety，sinceIwassurethatthroughhisspiesAmenmesesknewallandwouldgrowjealousofadethronedprincewhowasstillsomuchadoredbythoseoverwhomofrightheshouldhaveruled。ItoldSetiofmydoubtsandthatwhenhetravelledthestreetsheshouldbeguardedbyarmedmen。Butheonlylaughedandansweredthat，astheHebrewshadfailedtokillhim，hedidnotthinkthatanyotherswouldsucceed。MoreoverhebelievedtherewerenoEgyptiansinthelandwhowouldliftaswordagainsthim，orputpoisoninhisdrink，whoeverbadethem。Alsoheaddedthesewords：
　　“Thebestwaytoescapedeathistohavenofearofdeath，forthenOsirisshunsus。“
　　NowImusttellofthehappeningsatTanis。PharaohMeneptahlingeredbutafewhoursandneverfoundhismindagainbeforehisspiritflewtoHeaven。Thentherewasgreatmourningintheland，for，ifhewasnotloved，Meneptahwashonouredandfeared。OnlyamongtheIsraelitestherewasopenrejoicing，becausehehadbeentheirenemyandtheirprophetshadforetoldthatdeathwasneartohim。TheygaveitoutthathehadbeensmittenoftheirGod，whichcausedtheEgyptianstohatethemmorethanever。Therewasdoubt，too，andbewildermentinEgypt，forthoughhisproclamationdisinheritingthePrinceSetihadbeenpublishedabroad，thepeople，andespeciallythosewhodweltinthesouth，couldnotunderstandwhythisshouldhavebeendoneoveramatteroftheshepherdslaveswhodweltinGoshen。Indeed，hadthePrincebuthelduphishand，tensofthousandswouldhaveralliedtohisstandard。Yetthisherefusedtodo，whichastonishedalltheworld，whothoughtitmarvellousthatanymanshouldrefuseathronewhichwouldhaveliftedhimalmosttothelevelofthegods。Indeed，toavoidtheirimportunitieshehadsetoutatonceforMemphis，andthereremainedhiddenawayduringtheperiodofmourningforhisfather。SoitcameaboutthatAmenmesessucceededwithnonetosayhimnay，sincewithoutherhusbandUserticouldnotorwouldnotact。
　　AfterthedaysofembalmmentwereaccomplishedthebodyofPharaohMeneptahwascarrieduptheNiletobelaidinhiseternalhouse，thesplendidtombthathehadmadereadyforhimselfintheValleyofDeadKingsatThebes。TothisgreatceremonythePrinceSetiwasnotbidden，lest，asBakenkhonsutoldmeafterwards，hispresenceshouldcausesomerisinginhisfavour，withorwithouthiswill。Forthisreasonalsothedeadgod，ashewasnamed，wasnotsufferedtorestatMemphisonhislastjourneyuptheNile。DisguisedasamanofthepeoplethePrincewatchedhisfather’sbodypassinthefuneralbargeguardedbyshaven，white-robedpriests，thecentreofasplendidprocession。Infrontwentotherbargesfilledwithsoldiersandofficersofstate，behindcamethenewPharaohandallthegreatonesofEgypt，whilethesoundsoflamentationfloatedfaroverthefaceofthewaters。Theyappeared，theypassed，theydisappeared，andwhentheyhadvanishedSetiweptalittle，forinhisownfashionhelovedhisfather。
　　“Ofwhatuseisittobeakingandnamedhalf-divine，Ana，“hesaidtome，“seeingthattheendofsuchgodsastheseisthesameasthatofthebeggaratthegate？“
　　“This，Prince，“Ianswered，“thatakingcandomoregoodthanabeggarwhilethebreathisinhisnostrils，andleavebehindhimagreatexampletoothers。“
　　“Ormoreharm，Ana。Alsothebeggarcanleaveagreatexample，thatofpatienceinaffliction。Still，ifIweresurethatIshoulddonothingbutgood，thenperhapsIwouldbeaking。ButIhavenotedthatthosewhodesiretodothemostgoodoftenworkthegreatestharm。“
　　“Which，iffollowedout，wouldbeanargumentforwishingtodoevil，Prince。“
　　“Notso，“heanswered，“becausegoodtriumphsatthelast。Forgoodistruthandtruthrulesearthandheaven。“
　　“Thenitisclear，Prince，thatyoushouldseektobeaking。“
　　“Iwillremembertheargument，Ana，ifevertimebringsmeanopportunityunstainedbyblood，“heanswered。
　　WhentheobsequiesofPharaohwerefinished，AmenmesesreturnedtoTanis，andtherewascrownedasPharaoh。Iattendedthisgreatceremony，bearingcoronationgiftsofcertainroyalornamentswhichthePrincesenttoPharaoh，sayingitwasnotfitthathe，asaprivateperson，shouldwearthemanylonger。TheseIpresentedtoPharaoh，whotookthemdoubtfully，declaringthathedidnotunderstandthePrinceSeti’smindandactions。
　　“Theyhidenosnare，OPharaoh，“Isaid。“Asyourejoiceintheglorythatthegodshavesentyou，sothePrincemymasterrejoicesintherestandpeacewhichthegodshavegivenhim，askingnomore。“
　　“Itmaybeso，Scribe，butIfindthissostrangeathing，thatsometimesIfearlesttherichflowersofthisgloryofmineshouldhidesomedeadlysnake，whereofthePrinceknows，ifhedidnotsetitthere。“
　　“Icannotsay，OPharaoh，butwithoutdoubt，althoughhecouldworknoguile，thePrinceisnotasareothermen。Hismindisbothwideanddeep。“
　　“Toodeepforme，“mutteredAmenmeses。“Nevertheless，saytomyroyalcousinthatIthankhimforhisgifts，especiallyassomeofthemwereworn，whenhewasheirtoEgypt，bymyfatherKhaemuas，whoIwouldhadleftmehiswisdomaswellashisblood。Saytohimalsothatwhileherefrainsfromworkingmeharmuponthethrone，asIknowhehasdoneuptothepresent，hemaybesurethatIwillworkhimnoneinthestationwhichhehaschosen。“
　　AlsoIsawthePrincessUsertiwhoquestionedmecloselyconcerningherlord。Itoldhereverything，keepingnaughtback。Shelistenedandasked：
　　“WhatofthatHebrewwoman，MoonofIsrael？Withoutdoubtshefillsmyplace。“
　　“Notso，Princess，“Ianswered。“ThePrincelivesalone。Neithershenoranyotherwomanfillsyourplace。Sheisafriendtohim，nomore。“
　　“Afriend!Well，atleastweknowtheendofsuchfriendships。Oh!
　　surelythePrincemustbestrickenwithmadnessfromthegods!“
　　“Itmaybeso，yourHighness，butIthinkthatifthegodssmotemoremenwithsuchmadness，theworldwouldbebetterthanitis。“
　　“Theworldistheworld，andthebusinessofthosewhoareborntogreatnessistoruleitasitis，nottohideawayamongstbooksandflowers，andtotalkfollywithabeautifuloutlandwoman，andascribehoweverlearned，“sheansweredbitterly，adding，“Oh!ifthePrinceisnotmad，certainlyhedrivesotherstomadness，andme，hisspouse，amongthem。Thatthroneishis，his；yethesuffersacross-
　　graineddolttotakehisplace，andsendshimgiftsandblessings。“
　　“IthinkyourHighnessshouldwaittilltheendofthestorybeforeyoujudgeofit。“
　　Shelookedatmesharply，andasked：
　　“Whydoyousaythat？IsthePrincenofoolafterall？Doheandyou，whobothseemtobesosimple，perchanceplayagreatandhiddengame，asIhaveknownmenfeignfollyinordertodowithsafety？OrhasthatwitchofanIsraelitesomesecretknowledgeinwhichsheinstructsyou，suchasawomanwhocanshatterthestatueofAmontofinedustmightwellpossess？Youmakebelievenottoknow，whichmeansthatyouwillnotanswer。Oh!ScribeAna，ifonlyitweresafe，IthinkIcouldfindawaytowringthetruthoutofyou，althoughyoudopretendtobebutababeforinnocence。“
　　“ItpleasesyourHighnesstothreatenandwithoutcause。“
　　“No，“sheanswered，changinghervoiceandmanner，“Idonotthreaten；
　　itisonlythemadnessthatIhavecaughtfromSeti。Wouldyounotbemadifyouknewthatanotherwomanwastobecrownedto-morrowinyourplace，because——because-“andshebegantoweep，whichfrightenedmemorethanallherroughwords。
　　Presentlyshedriedhertears，andsaid：
　　“SaytomylordthatIrejoicetohearthatheiswellandsendhimgreetings，butthatneverofmyownwishwillIlookuponhislivingfaceagainunlessindeedhetakesanothercounsel，andsetshimselftowinthatwhichishisown。Saytohimthatthoughhehassolittlecareforme，andpaysnoheedtomydesires，stillIwatchoverhiswelfareandhissafety，asbestImay。“
　　“Hissafety，Princess!Pharaohassuredmenotanhouragothathehadnaughttofear，asindeedhefearsnaught。“
　　“Oh!whichofyouisthemorefoolish，“sheexclaimedstampingherfoot，“themanorhismaster？YoubelievethatthePrincehasnaughttofearbecausethatusurpertellsyouso，andhebelievesit——well，becausehefearsnaught。Foralittlewhilehemaysleepinpeace。ButlethimwaituntiltroublesofthissortorofthatariseinEgyptand，understandingthatthegodssendthemonaccountofthegreatwickednessthatmyfatherwroughtwhendeathhadhimbythethroatandhismindwasclouded，thepeoplebegintoturntheireyestowardstheirlawfulking。Thentheusurperwillgrowjealous，andifhehashisway，thePrincewillsleepinpeace——forever。Ifhisthroatremainsuncut，itwillbeforonereasononly，thatIholdbackthemurderer’shand。Farewell，Icantalknomore，forIsaytoyouthatmybrainisafire——andto-morrowheshouldhavebeencrowned，andI
　　withhim，“andshesweptaway，royalasever，leavingmewonderingwhatshemeantwhenshespokeoftroublesarisinginEgypt，orifthewordswerebututteredathazard。
　　AfterwardsBakenkhonsuandIsuppedtogetheratthecollegeofthetempleofPtah，ofwhichbecauseofhisagehewascalledthefather，whenIheardmoreofthismatter。
　　“Ana，“hesaid，“ItellyouthatsuchgloomhangsoverEgyptasIhaveneverknownevenwhenitwasthoughtthattheNinebowBarbarianswouldconquerandenslavetheland。AmenmeseswillbethefifthPharaohwhomIhaveseencrowned，thefirstofthemwhenIwasbutalittlechildhangingtomymother’srobe，andnotoncehaveIknownsuchjoylessness。“
　　“Thatmaybebecausethecrownpassestoonewhoshouldnotwearit，Bakenkhonsu。“