“BecauseofacertaindreamthataladyofmyhouseholdwhoisHebrewhasdreamed，whichdreamforetellsdestructiontoyouandthearmyofEgypt，unlessyouhearkentothesewordsofmine。“
　　“Ithinkthatweknowofthissnakewhomyouhavetakentodwellinyourbosom，whenceitmayspitpoisonuponEgypt。ItisnamedMerapi，MoonofIsrael，isitnot？“
　　“Thatisthenameoftheladywhodreamedthedream，“repliedSetiinacoldvoice，thoughIfelthimtremblewithangeratmyside，“thedreamthatifPharaohwillsmycompanionshereshallsetoutwordforwordtohismagicians。“
　　“Pharaohdoesnotwillit，“shoutedAmenmesessmitingtheboardwithhisfist，“becausePharaohknowsthatitisbutanothertricktosavethesewizardsandthievesfromthedoomthattheyhaveearned。“
　　“AmIthenaworkeroftricks，OPharaoh？IfIhadbeensuch，whyhaveIjourneyedhithertogivewarning，whenbysittingyonderatMemphisto-morrow，Imightoncemorehavebecomeheirtothedoublecrown？Forifyouwillnothearkentome，Itellyouthatverysoonyoushallbedead，andwithyouthese“——andhepointedtoallthosewhosatattable——“andwiththemthegreatarmythatlieswithout。Ereyouspeak，tellme，whatisthatblackcloudwhichstandsbeforethecampoftheHebrews？Istherenoanswer？ThenIwillgiveyoutheanswer。Itisthepallthatshallwrapthebonesofeveryoneofyou。“
　　Nowthecompanyshiveredwithfear，yes，eventhepriestsandthemagiciansshivered。ButPharaohwentmadwithrage。Springingfromhisseat，hesnatchedatthedoublecrownuponhishead，andhurledittotheground，andInotedthatthegoldenur？usbandaboutit，rolledaway，andresteduponSeti’ssandalledfoot。Hetorehisrobesandshouted：
　　“Atleastourfateshallbeyourfate，Renegade，whohavesoldEgypttotheHebrewwitchinpaymentofherkisses。Seizethismanandhiscompanions，andwhenwegodowntobattleagainsttheseIsraelitesto-morrowafterthedarknesslifts，letthembesetwiththecaptainsofthevan。Soshallthetruthbeknownatlast。“
　　ThusPharaohcommanded，andSeti，answeringnothing，foldedhisarmsuponhisbreastandwaited。
　　MenrosefromtheirseatsasthoughtoobeyPharaohandsankbacktothemagain。Guardsstartedforwardandyetremainedstandingwheretheywere。ThenBakenkhonsuburstintooneofhisgreatlaughs。
　　“O-ho-ho，“helaughed，“PharaohshaveIseencomeandgo，oneandtwoandthree，andfourandfive，butneveryethaveIseenaPharaohwhomnoneofhiscouncillorsorguardscouldobeyhowevermuchtheywilledit。WhenyouarePharaoh，PrinceSeti，mayyourluckbebetter。Yourarm，Ana，myfriend，andleadon，RoyalHeirofEgypt。Thetruthisshowntoblindeyesthatwillnotsee。Thewordisspokentodeafearsthatwillnothearken，andthedutydone。Nightfalls。Sleepyewell，yebiddenofOsiris，sleepyewell!“
　　Thenweturnedandwalkedfromthatpavilion。AtitsentranceIlookedback，andinthelowlightthatprecedesthedarkness，itseemedtomeasthoughallseatedtherewerealreadydead。Blueweretheirfacesandhollowshonetheireyes，andfromtheirlipstherecamenoword。
　　Onlytheystaredatusaswewent，andstaredandstaredagain。
　　Withoutthedoorofthepavilion，bycommandofthePrince，IcalledaloudthesubstanceoftheladyMerapi’sdream，andwarnedallwithinearshottoceasefrompursuingthepeopleofIsrael，iftheywouldcontinuetolivetolookuponthesun。Yetevennow，althoughtospeakthuswastreasonagainstPharaoh，noneliftedahandagainstthePrince，oragainstmehisservant。OftensincethenIhavewonderedwhythiswasso，andfoundnoanswertomyquestionings。Mayhapitwasbecauseofthemajestyofmymaster，whomallknewtobethetruePharaoh，andlovedatheart。MayhapitwasbecausetheyweresurethathewouldnothavetravelledsofarandplacedhimselfinthepowerofAmenmesessavetoworkthearmiesofEgyptgood，andnotill，andtobringthemamessagethathadbeenspokenbythegodsthemselves。
　　OrmayhapitwasbecausehewasstillhedgedaboutbythatprotectionwhichtheHebrewshadvowedtohimthroughtheirprophetswiththevoiceofJabez。Atleastsoithappened。Pharaohmightcommand，buthisservantswouldnotobey。Moreover，thestoryspread，andthatnightmanydesertedfromthehostofPharaohandencampedaboutus，orfledbacktowardsthecitieswhencetheycame。AlsowiththemwerenotafewcouncillorsandpriestswhohadtalkedsecretlywithBakenkhonsu。SoitchancedthatevenifPharaohdesiredtomakeanendofus，asperhapshepurposedtodointhemidnightwatches，hethoughtitwisesttoletthematterlieuntilhehadfinishedwiththepeopleofIsrael。
　　Itwasaverystrangenight，silent，withaheavy，stirlessair。Therewerenostars，butthecurtainofblackcloudwhichseemedtohangbeyondthecampoftheEgyptianswasalivewithlightningswhichappearedtoshapethemselvestolettersthatIcouldnotread。
　　“BeholdtheBookofFatewritteninfirebythehandofGod!“saidBakenkhonsu，ashewatched。
　　Aboutmidnightamightyeastwindbegantoblow，sostronglythatwemustlieuponourfacesundertheleaofthechariots。Thenthewinddiedawayandweheardtumultandshoutings，bothfromthecampofEgypt，andfromthecampofIsraelbeyondthecloud。Nexttherecameashockasofearthquake，whichthrewthoseofuswhowerestandingtotheground，andbyablood-redmoonthatnowappearedweperceivedthatallthearmyofPharaohwasbeginningtomovetowardsthesea。
　　“Whithergothey？“IaskedofthePrincewhoclungtomyarm。
　　“Todoom，Ithink，“heanswered，“buttowhatdoomIdonotknow。“
　　Afterthiswesaidnomore，becauseweweretoomuchafraid。
　　Dawncameatlast，showingthemostawfulsightthatwaseverbeheldbytheeyeofman。
　　Thewallofcloudhaddisappeared，andintheclearlightofthemorning，weperceivedthatthedeepwatersoftheSeaofReedshaddividedthemselves，leavingaraisedroadwaythatseemedtohavebeenclearedbythewind，orperchancetohavebeenthrownupbytheearthquake。Whocansay？NotIwhoneversetfootuponthatpathofdeath。AlongthiswideroadstreamedthetensofthousandsoftheIsraelites，passingbetweenthewaterontherighthand，andthewaterontheleft，andafterthemfollowedallthearmyofPharaoh，savethosewhohaddeserted，andstoodorlayaroundus，watching。WecouldevenseethegoldenchariotsthatmarkedthepresenceofPharaohhimself，andofhisbodyguard，deepintheheartofthebrokenhostthatstruggledforwardwithoutdisciplineororder。
　　“Whatnow？Oh!whatnow？“murmuredSeti，andashespoketherewasasecondshockofearthquake。Thentothewestontheseatherearoseamightywave，whereofthecrestseemedtobehighasapyramid。Itrolledforwardwithacurvedandfoaminghead，andinthehollowofitforamoment，nomore，wesawthearmyofEgypt。YetinthatmomentI
　　seemedtoseemightyshapesfleeinglandwardsalongthecrestofthewave，whichshapesItooktobethegodsofEgypt，pursuedbyaformoflightandglorythatdrovethemaswithascourge。Theycame，theywent，accompaniedbyasoundofwailing，andthewavefell。
　　Butbeyondit，thehordesofIsraelstillmarched——uponthefurthershore。
　　Densegloomfollowed，andthroughthegloomIsaw，orthoughtIsaw，Merapi，MoonofIsrael，standingbeforeuswithatroubledfaceandheardorthoughtIheardhercry：
　　“/Oh!helpme，mylordSeti!Helpme，mylordSeti!/“
　　Thenshetoowasgone。
　　“Harnessthechariots!“criedSeti，inahollowvoice。
　　Fastasspedourhorses，rumour，orratherthetruth，carriedbythosewhohadgonebeforeus，flewfaster。Oh!thatjourneywasasadreambegottenbytheevilgods。Onwegallopedthroughthedayandthroughthenightandlo!ateverytownandvillagewomenrusheduponuscrying：
　　“Isittrue，Otravellers，isittruethatPharaohandhishostareperishedinthesea？“
　　ThenoldBakenkhonsuwouldcallinanswer：
　　“Itistruethathewho/was/Pharaohandhishostareperishedinthesea。Butlo!hereishewho/is/Pharaoh，“andhepointedtothePrince，whotooknoheedandsaidnothing，save：
　　“On!On!“
　　Thenforwardwewouldplungeagaintilloncemorethesoundofwailingdiedintosilence。
　　Itwassunset，andatlengthwedrewneartothegatesofMemphis。ThePrinceturnedtomeandspoke。
　　“HeretoforeIhavenotdaredtoask，“hesaid，“buttellme，Ana。Inthegloomafterthegreatcliffofwaterfellandtheshapesofterrorsweptby，didyouseemtoseeawomanstandbeforeusanddidyouseemtohearherspeak？“
　　“Idid，OPrince。“
　　“Whowasthatwomanandwhatdidshesay？“
　　“Shewasonewhoboreachildtoyou，OPrince，whichchildisnot，andshesaid，’Oh!helpme，mylordSeti。Helpme，mylordSeti!’“
　　Hisfacegrewashenevenbeneathitsveilofdust，andhegroaned。
　　“Twowholovedherhaveseenandtwowholovedherhaveheard，“hesaid。“Thereisnoroomfordoubt。Ana，sheisdead!“
　　“Ipraythegods-“
　　“Praynot，forthegodsofEgyptarealsodead，slainbythegodofIsrael。Ana，whohasmurderedher？“
　　WithmyfingerIwhoamadraughtsmandrewinthethickdustthatlayontheboardofthechariotthebrowsofamanandbeneaththemtwodeepeyes。Thegiltontheboardwherethesuncaughtitlookedlikelightintheeyes。
　　ThePrincenoddedandsaid：
　　“NowweshalllearnwhethergreatmagicianssuchasKicandielikeothermen。Yes，ifneedbe，tolearnthatIwillputonPharaoh’scrown。“
　　WehaltedatthegatesofMemphis。Theywereshutandbarred，butfromwithinthevastcityroseasoundoftumult。
　　“Open!“criedthePrincetotheguard。
　　“Whobidsmeopen？“answeredthecaptainofthegatepeeringatus，forthelowsunlaybehind。
　　“Pharaohbidsyouopen。“