“Pharaoh!“saidtheman。“WehavesuretidingsthatPharaohandhisarmiesareslainbywizardryinthesea。“
　　“Fool!“thunderedthePrince，“Pharaohneverdies。PharaohAmenmesesiswithOsirisbutthegoodgodSetiMeneptahwho/is/Pharaohbidsyouopen。“
　　Thenthebronzegatesrolledback，andthosewhoguardedthemprostratedthemselvesinthedust。
　　“Man，“Icalledtothecaptain，“whatmeansyondershouting？“
　　“Sir，“heanswered，“Idonotknow，butIamtoldthatthewitchwhohasbroughtwoeonEgyptandbymagiccausedthedeathofPharaohAmenmesesandhisarmies，diesbyfireintheplacebeforethetemple。“
　　“Bywhosecommand？“Icriedagainasthecharioteerfloggedthehorses，butnoanswerreachedourears。
　　Werushedonupthewidestreettothegreatplacethatwaspackedwithtensofthousandsofthepeople。Wedrovethehorsesatthem。
　　“WayforPharaoh!WayfortheMightyOne，thegoodgod，SetiMeneptah，KingoftheUpperandtheLowerLand!“shoutedtheescort。
　　ThepeopleturnedandsawthetallshapeofthePrincestillcladintherobesofstatewhichhehadwornwhenhestoodbeforeAmenmesesinthepavilionbythesea。
　　“Pharaoh!Pharaoh!HailtoPharaoh!“theycried，prostratingthemselves，andthecrypassedonthroughMemphislikeawind。
　　Nowwewerecometothecentreoftheplace，andthereinfrontofthegreatgatesofthetempleburnedavastpyreofwood。Beforethepyremovedfigures，inoneofwhomIknewKidressedinhismagician’srobe。Outsideofthesetherewasadoublecircleofsoldierswhokeptthepeopleback，whichtheseneeded，fortheyravedlikemadmenandshooktheirfists。Agroupofpriestsnearthefireseparated，andI
　　sawthatamongthemstoodamanandawoman，thelatterwithdishevelledhairandtornrobesasthoughshehadbeenroughlyhandled。Atthismomentherstrengthseemedtofailherandshesanktotheground，liftingherfaceasshedidso。ItwasthefaceofMerapi，MoonofIsrael。
　　Soshewasnotdead。Themanathersidestoopedasthoughtoliftherup，butastonethrownoutoftheshadowstruckhiminthebackandcausedhimtostraightenhimself，whichhedidwithacurseatthethrower。Iknewthevoiceatonce，althoughthespeakerwasdisguised。
　　ItwasthatofLabantheIsraelite，hewhohadbeenbetrothedtoMerapi，andhadstriventomurderusinthelandofGoshen。Whatdidhehere？Iwondereddimly。
　　Kiwasspeaking。“HarkhowtheHebrewcatspits，“hesaid。“Well，thecausehasbeentriedandtheverdictgiven，andIthinkthatthefamiliarshouldfeedtheflamesbeforethewitch。Watchhimnow，andperhapshewillchangeintosomethingelse。“
　　Allthishesaid，smilinginhisusualpleasantfashion，evenwhenhemadeasigntocertainblacktempleslaveswhostoodnear。Theyleaptforward，andIsawthefirelightshoneupontheircopperarmletsastheygrippedLaban。Hefoughtfuriously，shouting：
　　“Whereareyourarmies，Egyptians，andwhereisyourdogofaPharaoh？
　　GodigthemfromtheSeaofReeds。Farewell，MoonofIsrael。Lookhowyourroyallovercrownsyouatthelast，Ofaithless-“
　　Hesaidnomore，foratthismomenttheslaveshurledhimheadlongintotheheartofthegreatfire，whichblackenedforalittleandburnedbrightagain。
　　ThenitwasthatMerapistruggledtoherfeetandcriedinaringingvoicethoseverywordswhichthePrinceandIhadseemedtohearherspeakfarawaybytheSeaofReeds——“/Oh!helpmemylordSeti!Helpme，mylordSeti!/“Yes，thesamewordswhichhadechoedinourearsdaysbeforetheypassedherlips，orsowebelieved。
　　Nowallthiswhileourchariotshadbeenforcingtheirwayfootbyfootthroughthewallofthewatchingcrowd，perhapswhileamanmightcountahundred，nomore。Astheechoesofhercrydiedawayatlengthwewerethroughandleapingtotheground。
　　“Thewitchcallsononewhosupsto-nightattheboardofOsiriswithPharaohandhishost，“sneeredKi。“Well，lethergotoseekhimthereiftheguardiangodswillsufferit，“andagainhemadeasigntotheblackslaves。
　　ButMerapihadseenorfeltSetiadvancingfromtheshadowsandseeingflungherselfuponhisbreast。Hekissedheronthebrowbeforethemall，thenbademeholdherupandturnedtofacethepeople。
　　“Bowdown。Bowdown。Bowdown!“criedthedeepvoiceofBakenkhonsu。
　　“Life!Blood!Strength!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!“andwhathesaidtheescortechoed。
　　Thenofasuddenthemultitudeunderstood。Totheirkneestheyfellandfromeverysiderosetheancientsalutation。Setihelduphishandandblessedthem。Watching，IsawKisliptowardsthedarkness，andwhisperedawordtotheguards，whospranguponhimandbroughthimback。
　　ThenthePrincespoke：
　　“YenamemePharaoh，peopleofMemphis，andPharaohIfearIambydescentofbloodto-day，thoughwhetherIwillconsenttobeartheburdensofgovernment，shouldEgyptwishitofme，asyetIknownot。
　　Stillhewhoworethedoublecrownis，Ibelieve，deadinthemidstofthesea；attheleastIsawthewatersoverwhelmhimandhisarmy。
　　Therefore，ifonlyforanhour，IwillbePharaoh，thatasPharaohI
　　mayjudgeofcertainmatters。LadyMerapi，tellme，Iprayyou，howcameyoutothispass？“
　　“Mylord，“sheanswered，inalowvoice，“afteryouhadgonetowarnthearmyofPharaohbecauseofthatdreamIdreamed，Ki，whodepartedonthesameday，returnedagain。Throughoneofthewomenofthehousehold，overwhomhehadpower，orsoIthink，heobtainedaccesstomewhenIwasaloneinmychamber。Therehemademethisoffer：
　　“’Giveme，’hesaid，’thesecretofyourmagicthatImaybeavengeduponthewizardsoftheHebrewswhohavebroughtaboutmydownfall，andupontheHebrewsthemselves，andalsouponallmyotherenemies，andthusoncemorebecomethegreatestmaninEgypt。InturnIwillfulfilallyourdesires，andmakeyou，andnoother，QueenofEgypt，andbeyourfaithfulservant，andthatofyourlordSetiwhoshallbePharaoh，untiltheendofyourlives。Refuse，andIwillstirupthepeopleagainstyou，andbeforeeverthePrincereturns，ifhereturnsatall，theywhobelieveyoutobeanevilsorceressshallmeteouttoyouthefateofasorceress。’
　　“Mylord，IansweredtoKiwhatIhaveoftentoldhimbefore，thatI
　　hadnomagictorevealtohim，Iwhoknewnothingoftheblackartsofsorcery，seeingthatitwasnotIwhodestroyedthestatueofAmoninthetempleatTanis，butthatsamePowerwhichsincethenhasbroughtalltheplaguesonEgypt。Isaid，too，thatIcarednothingforthegiftsheofferedtome，asIhadnowishtobeQueenofEgypt。Mylord，helaughedinmyface，sayingIshouldfindthathewasoneilltomock，asothershadfoundbeforeme。Thenhepointedatmewithhiswandandmutteredsomespelloverme，whichseemedtonumbmylimbsandvoice，holdingmehelplesstillhehadbeengonealongwhile，andcouldnotbefoundbyyourservants，whomIcommandedinyournametoseize，andkeephimtillyourreturn。
　　“Fromthathourthepeoplebegantothreatenme。Theycrowdedaboutthepalacegatesinthousands，cryingdayandnightthattheyweregoingtokillme，thewitch。Iprayedforhelp，butfromme，asinner，heavenhasgrownsofarawaythatmyprayersseemtofallbackunhearduponmyhead。Eventheservantsinthepalaceturnedagainstme，andwouldnotlookuponmyface。Igrewmadwithfearandloneliness，sinceallfledbeforeme。AtlastonenighttowardsthedawnIwentontotheterrace，andsincenogodwouldhearme，IturnedtowardsthenorthwhitherIknewthatyouhadgone，andcriedtoyoutohelpmeinthosesamewordswhichIcriedagainjustnowbeforeyouappeared。“
　　HerethePrincelookedatmeandIAnalookedathim。“Thenitwasthatfromamongthebushesofthegardenappearedaman，hiddeninalong，sheepskincloak，sothatIcouldnotseehisface，whosaidtome：
　　“’MoonofIsrael，IhavebeensentbyhisHighness，thePrinceSeti，totellyouthatyouareindangerofyourlife，asheisindangerofhis，whereforehecannotcometoyou。Hiscommandisthatyoucometohim，thattogetheryoumayfleeawayoutofEgypttoalandwhereyouwillbothbesafeuntilallthesetroublesarefinished。’
　　“’HowknowIthatyouoftheveiledfaceareatruemessenger？’I
　　asked。’Givemeasign。’
　　“Thenheheldouttomethatscarab？usoflapis-lazuliwhichyourHighnessgavetomefarawayinthelandofGoshen，thesamethatyouaskedbackfrommeasalovetokenwhenweplightedtroth，andyougavemeyourroyalring，whichscarab？usIhadseeninyourrobewhenyoudroveawaywithAna。“
　　“IlostitonourjourneytotheSeaofReeds，butsaidnothingofittoyou，Ana，becauseIthoughttheomenevil，havingdreamedinthenightthatKiappearedandstoleitfromme，“whisperedthePrincetome。
　　“’Itisnotenough，’Ianswered。’Thisjewelmayhavebeenthievedaway，orsnatchedfromthedeadbodyofthePrince，ortakenfromhimbymagic。’
　　“Thecloakedmanthoughtawhileandsaid，’Thisnight，notanhourago，PharaohandhischariotswereoverwhelmedintheSeaofReeds。
　　Letthatserveasasign。’
　　“’Howcanthisbe？’Ianswered，’sincetheSeaofReedsisfaraway，andsuchtidingscannottravelthenceinanhour。Getyougone，falsetempter。’
　　“’Yetitisso，’heanswered。
　　“’Whenyouproveittome，Iwillbelieve，andcome。’
　　“’Good，’hesaid，andwasgone。