Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-07
CHAPTER XVII.
The Heir Intervenes.

At Tanis. the next day after the arrival
OF Meneptah, there came a messenger from
Thebes to Hotep, and the royal scribe re-
tired to his apartments to read the letter.
And after he had read he was glad that
he had secluded himself, for his demun-
STATIONS of relief at the news the message
impaired were most extravagant and unre-
strained. For the moment he permitted no
reminder of Kenkenes' present plight to
subdue his joy in the realization that mis-
friend was not dead.
Having exulted, he read the letter again,
and then he summoned all his shrewdness
to his aid.
He would wait till the confusion Of the
courts settling itself had subsidized before
he presented the petition to Meneptah.
Furthermore, he would relieve his under
lings and write the kings communications
with his own hand till he knew that the
reply to Kenkenes had been sent. Har-hat
should be watched vigilantly.
But order and routine were not restored
in the palace of Meneptah. The unrest that
precedeS national crisis had developed
into irritability and pugnacity.
Tanis was within hearing of the plants
of Israel, and the atmosphere quivered with
omen and portent Moses appeared in this
place and that, each time nearer the tenn
porary capital, and wherever he came he
left rejoicing shudderfng behind him.
Meanwhile the fan-bearer laughed MS
way into the throne. Meneptah's weakness
for him grew into stubborn worship. The
old and trusted ministers of the monarch
took offense and sealed their lips; the new
held their peace for treptdation. The queen,
heretofore meek and Self-effacing, laid aside
her spindle one day and, meeting her lord
at the door of the council chamber, pro-
tested in the name of his dynasty and his
realm.
But the king was beyond help. and the
queen, angry and hurt. bade him keep Har-
hat out of her sight. and returned to her
women. Thereafter even Meneptah saw
her rarely
The betrothal of Rameses to Har-hat's
daughter gave further material FOR con-
tention. 1t seemed to indicate that the
fan-bearer had builded for himself for two
reigns.
Hotep's situation was most poignantly I'M
happy. He was fixed under the same roof
with the man that had, taken his love by
piracy; he must greet him affably and rev.
erently every day: he must live in daily
contemplation of the time when he must
meet Masanath also as bis soverefgn-the
wife of the prince, whom he must serve till
death. Hardest of all, he must wear a
serene countenance and cover his sorrow
most surely, for his own sake and for Masa-
mathis.
Ta-user still remained at court. Seti. in a
fume of boyish Indignation at Rameses, at
tended her like a shadow. Among the
courtiers there were ochers who were not
alive to the true nature of. the princess and
who joined seti in his resentment against
the heir. DM
Amon-meses and siptah. snarling and
malevolent. had left the, COURT abruptly on
the morning of it's departure for Tanis. The
Hak-heb received them once again, and an
ominous calm settled over that little pocket
of fertility in the Nehapehu.
Thus the court was torn with factions;
old internal dissensions made themselves
evident again. but the vast murmur In
Goshen was heard above the strife
70 In
space of a month. When half of that time
had elapsed. Hotep. fearing to delay the
petition of kenkenes longer, lest conditions
Should become worse rather than bettef. met
the Pharoah In the hall one day and gave
him the writing. Earnestly the scribe i'm
pressed Meneptah with. tine Importance OF
tn. petition and begged him to acquaint
himself In an hour of solitude with Its con-
tents and the identity of the supplicant.
Meneptah promised and continued to his
apartments. There Har-hat came In few
moments. and Meneptah. after his custom.
gave over to him the state communica-
lions OF the day, and after some little hest
tation. tossed the petition Of kenkenes
among them.
Thou canst attend to this matter as well.