Thusshespokeinacoldandquietvoice，asonemightspeakofsomethinglongexpectedorforeseen，thenmadeherreverencetothePrince，anddeparted，bearingthebodyofthechild。Never，Ithink，didMerapiseemmorebeautifultomethaninthis，herhourofbereavement，sincenowthroughherwoman’slovelinessshoneoutsomeshadowofthesoulwithin。Indeed，suchwerehereyesandsuchhermovementsthatwellmighthavebeenaspiritandnotawomanwhodepartedfromuswiththatwhichhadbeenherson。
　　Setileanedonmyshoulderlookingattheemptybed，andatthescarednursewhostillsatbehind，andIfeltateardropuponmyhand。OldBakenkhonsuliftedhismassiveface，andlookedathim。
　　“Grievenotovermuch，Prince，“hesaid，“since，ereasmanyyearsasIhavelivedouthavecomeandgone，thischildwillbeforgottenandhismotherwillbeforgotten，andevenyou，OPrince，willlivebutasanamethatoncewasgreatinEgypt。Andthen，OPrince，elsewherethegamewillbeginafresh，andwhatyouhavelostshallbefoundanew，andthesweeterforitshelteringfromthevilebreathofmen。Ki’smagicisnotallalie，orifhisis，mineholdssomeshadowofthetruth，andwhenhesaidtoyouyonderinTanisthatnotfornothingwereyounamed’LordofRebirths，’hespokewordsthatyoushouldfindcomfortableto-night。“
　　“Ithankyou，Councillor，“saidSeti，andturning，followedMerapi。
　　“NowIsupposeweshallhavemoredeaths，“Iexclaimed，hardlyknowingwhatIsaidinmysorrow。
　　“Ithinknot，Ana，“answeredBakenkhonsu，“sincetheshieldofJabez，orofhisgod，isoverus。AlwaysheforetoldthattroublewouldcometoMerapi，andtoSetithroughMerapi，butthatisall。“
　　Iglancedatthekitten。
　　“Itstrayedherefromthetownthreedaysago，Ana。Andthebatsalsomayhaveflownfromthetown。Harktothewailing。WaseversuchasoundheardbeforeinEgypt？“
　　Bakenkhonsuwasright。SavethesonofSetialone，nonediedwhodweltinorabouthishouse，thoughelsewhereallthefirst-bornofEgyptlaydead，andthefirst-bornofthebeastsalso。WhenthiscametobeknownthroughoutthelandarageseizedtheEgyptiansagainstMerapiwho，theyremembered，hadcalleddownwoeonEgyptaftershehadbeenforcedtoprayinthetempleand，astheybelieved，toliftthedarknessfromMemphis。
　　BakenkhonsuandIandotherswholovedherpointedoutthatherownchildhaddiedwiththerest。Tothisitwasanswered，andhereI
　　thoughtIsawthefingersofUsertiandofKi，thatitwasnothing，sincewitchesdidnotlovechildren。Moreover，theysaidshecouldhaveasmanyasshelikedandwhensheliked，makingthemtolooklikechildrenoutofclayfiguresandtogrowupintoevilspiritstotormenttheland。Lastly，peoplesworethatshehadbeenheardtosaythat，althoughtodoitshemustkillherownlord’sson，shewouldnotonthataccountforegohervengeanceontheEgyptians，whooncehadtreatedherasaslaveandmurderedherfather。Further，theIsraelitesthemselves，orsomeofthem，mayhapLabanamongthem，werereportedtohavetoldtheEgyptiansthatitwasthesorceresswhohadbewitchedPrinceSetiwhobroughtsuchgreattroublesonthem。
　　SoithappenedthattheEgyptianscametohateMerapi，whoofallwomenwasthesweetestandthemosttobeloved，andtoherothersupposedcrimes，addedthisalso，thatbyherwitcheriesshehadstolentheheartofSetiawayfromhislawfulwifeandmadehimtoturnthatlady，theRoyalPrincessofEgypt，evenfromhisgates，sothatshewasforcedtodwellaloneatTanis。ForinallthesemattersnoneblamedSeti，whomeveryoneinEgyptloved，becauseitwasknownthathewouldhavedealtwiththeIsraelitesinaverydifferentfashion，andthusavertedallthewoesthathaddesolatedtheancientlandofKhem。AsforthismatteroftheHebrewgirlwiththebigeyeswhochancedtohavethrownaspelluponhim，thatwashisill-fortune，nothingmore。Amongstthemanywomenwithwhomtheybelievedhefilledhishouse，aswasthewayofprinces，itwasnotstrangethatonefavouriteshouldbeawitch。Indeed，Iamcertainthatonlybecausehewasknowntoloveher，wasMerapisavedfromdeathbypoisonorinsomeothersecretfashion，atanyrateforawhile。
　　NowcamethegladtidingsthattheprideofPharaohwasbrokenatlastforhisfirst-bornchildhaddiedwiththeothers，orthatthecloudofmadnesshadliftedfromhisbrain，whicheveritmightbe，andthathehaddecreedthattheChildrenofIsraelmightdepartfromEgyptwhenandwhithertheywould。Thenthepeoplebreathedagain，seeinghopethattheirmiseriesmightend。
　　ItwasatthistimethatJabezappearedoncemoreatMemphis，drivinganumberofchariothorses，whichhesaidhewishedtoselltothePrince，ashedidnotdesirethemtopassintoanyotherhands。Hewasadmittedandstatedthepriceofhishorses，accordingtowhichtheymusthavebeenbeastsofgreatvalue。
　　“Whydoyouwishtosellyourhorses？“askedSeti。
　　“BecauseIgowithmypeopleintolandswherethereislittlewaterandtheretheymightdie，OPrince。“
　　“Iwillbuythehorses。Seetoit，Ana，“saidSeti，althoughIknewwellthatalreadyhehadmorethanheneeded。
　　ThePrincerosetoshowthattheinterviewwasended，whereonJabez，whowasbowinghisthanks，saidhurriedly：
　　“Irejoicetolearn，ORoyalOne，thatthingshavebefallenasI
　　foretold，orratherwasbiddentoforetell，andthatthetroubleswhichhaveafflictedEgypthavepassedbyyourdwelling。“
　　“Thenyourejoicetolearnafalsehood，Hebrew，sincetheworstofthosetroubleshasmadeitshomehere。Mysonisdead，“andheturnedaway。
　　Jabezliftedhisshiftyeyesfromthefloorandglancedathim。
　　“Prince，“hesaid，“Iknowandgrievebecausethislosshascutyoutotheheart。Yetitwasnofaultofmineorofmypeople。Ifyouthink，youwillrememberthatbothwhenIbuiltawallofprotectionaboutthisplacebecauseofyourgooddeedstoIsrael，OPrince，andbefore，Iwarned，andcausedyoutobewarned，thatifyouandmyniece，MoonofIsrael，cametogetheragreattroublemightfallonyouthroughherwho，havingbecomethewomanofanEgyptianindefianceofcommand，mustbearthefateofEgyptianwomen。“
　　“Itmaybeso，“saidthePrince。“ThematterisnotoneofwhichI
　　caretotalk。IfthisdeathwerewroughtbythemagicofyourwizardsIhaveonlythistosay——thatitisanillpaymenttomeinreturnforallthatIhavestriventodoonbehalfoftheHebrews。Yet，whatelsecouldIexpectfromsuchapeopleinsuchaworld？Farewell。“
　　“Oneprayer，OPrince。Iwouldaskyourleavetospeakwithmyniece，Merapi。“
　　“Sheisveiled。Sincethemurderofherchildbywizardry，sheseesnoman。“
　　“StillIthinkshewillseeheruncle，OPrince。“
　　“Whatthendoyouwishtosaytoher？“
　　“OPrince，throughtheclemencyofPharaohwepoorslavesareabouttoleavethelandofEgyptnevertoreturn。Therefore，ifmynieceremainsbehind，itisnaturalthatIshouldwishtobidherfarewell，andtoconfidetohercertainmattersconnectedwithourraceandfamily，whichshemightdesiretopassontoherchildren。“
　　Nowwhenheheardthisword“children“Setisoftened。
　　“Idonottrustyou，“hesaid。“YoumaybechargedwithmoreofyourHebrewcursesagainstMerapi，oryoumaysaywordstoherthatwillmakeherevenunhappierthansheis。Yetifyouwouldwishtoseeherinmypresence-“
　　“MylordPrince，Iwillnottroubleyousofar。Farewell。Bepleasedtoconvey-“
　　“Orifthatdoesnotsuityou，“interruptedSeti，“inthepresenceofAnahereyoucandoso，unlesssherefusestoreceiveyou。“
　　Jabezreflectedforamoment，andanswered：
　　“TheninthepresenceofAnaletitbe，sinceheisamanwhoknowswhentobesilent。“
　　Jabezmadeobeisanceanddeparted，andatasignfromthePrinceI
　　followedhim。PresentlywewereusheredintothechamberoftheladyMerapi，whereshesatlookingmostsadandlonely，withaveilofblackuponherhead。
　　“Greeting，myuncle，“shesaid，afterglancingatme，whosepresenceI
　　thinksheunderstood。“Areyouthebearerofmoreprophecies？Ipraynot，sinceyourlastwereovertrue，“andshetouchedtheblackveilwithherfinger。
　　“Iamthebeareroftidings，andofaprayer，Niece。ThetidingsarethatthepeopleofIsraelareabouttoleaveEgypt。Theprayer，whichisalsoacommand，is——thatyoumakereadytoaccompanythem-“
　　“ToLaban？“sheasked，lookingup。
　　“No，myniece。LabanwouldnotwishasawifeonewhohasbeenthemistressofanEgyptian，buttoplayyourpart，howeverhumble，inthefortunesofourpeople。“
　　“IamgladthatLabandoesnotwishwhathenevercouldobtain，myuncle。Tellme，Iprayyou，whyshouldIhearkentothisprayer，orthiscommand？“
　　“Foragoodreason，Niece——thatyourlifehangsonit。Heretoforeyouhavebeensufferedtotakeyourheart’sdesire。ButifyoubideinEgyptwhereyouhavenolongeramissiontofulfil，havingdoneallthatwassoughtofyouinkeepingwiththemindofyourlover，thePrinceSeti，truetothecauseofIsrael，youwillsurelydie。“
　　“Youmeanthatourpeoplewillkillme？“
　　“No，notourpeople。Stillyouwilldie。“
　　Shetookasteptowardshim，andlookedhimintheeyes。
　　“YouarecertainthatIshalldie，myuncle？“
　　“Iam，oratleastothersarecertain。“
　　Nowshelaughed；itwasthefirsttimeIhadseenherlaughforseveralmoons。
　　“ThenIwillstayhere，“shesaid。
　　Jabezstaredather。
　　“IthoughtthatyoulovedthisEgyptian，whoindeedisworthyofanywoman’slove，“hemutteredintohisbeard。