The Washington times., 1919-04-27


succeed him on the throne, but XII
said he did not know, as a Kherheb
who had been threatened could
never remember anything, which
indeed he never can-except to pay
back the threatener."
"And did he know, Bakenk-
honsu%
By way Of answer the old COun-
cillor crumbled some bread fine
upon the table, then with his finger
traced among the crumbs the rough
likeness of a jackal-headed god and
of two feathers, after which with a
swift movement he swept the
crumbs onto the floor.
"Seti!" / whispered. reading the
hieroglyphics Of the Princes name,
and he nodded and laughed in his
great fashion.
men come to their own some
times, Ana, especially If they do
not seek their own" he said. But
If so, much must happen first that
is terrible. The new Pharaoh is
not the only man who dreams, Ana.
OF late years my sleep has been
light and sometimes / dream,
though have no magic like to that
of XII"
''What did you dream?"
'T dreamed Of a great multitude
marching like locusts over Egypt.
Before them went a column Of fire
in which were two hands. One Of
these held Anon by the throat and
one held the new Pharaoh by the
throat. After them came a column
Of cloud, and In 1t a shape like to
that Of an unwrapped mummy, q
shape Of death standing upon water
that was full Of countless dead"
Now / bethought me Of the pic
ture that the Prince and had seen
in the skies yonder in the land Of
Goshen, but Of it l said nothing.
Yet l think that Bakenkhonsu saw
into my mind, for he asked:
do you never dream, friend?
You see visions that come true
Amenmeses on the throne, for tn'
stance. Do you not also dream st
times? No? Well, then, the Prince?
You look like men who might, and
the time is ripe and pregnant. Oh!
/ remember. You are both OF you
dreaming, not Of the pictures that
pass across the terrible eyes Of XII,
but of those that the moon reflects
upon the waters Of Memphis, the
Moon Of Israel. Ana, be advised by
me. put away the flesh and increase
the spirit, for in Il alone is happi-
ness, whereof woman and all our
joys are but earthly symbols,
shadows thrown by that mortal
cloud which lies between US and
the Light Above. see that you
understand, because some Of that
light has struggled to your heart.
Do you remember that you saw 1t
shining in the hour when your littlet
daughter died? Ahi / thought so.
It was the gift she left you, q gift
that will grow and grow in such q
breast as yours, If only you will put
away the flesh and make room Tor
it, Ana. Man, do not weep-laugh
as I do, Oho-ho! Give me my stan,
and goodnight. Forget not that
we sit together at the croWning to-
morrow, for you are q Kings Com
panion and that rank once con-
ferred Is one which no new Pha-
raoh can take away. It is like the
gift of the spirit, Ana, which Is
hard to win, but once won more
eternal than the stars. Oh! why
do I live so long who would bathe
in It, as when l child / used TO
bathe in Nile?"
On the following day at the ap-
pointed hour / went to the great
hall Of the palace, that in which !
had first seen Meneptah, and took
my stand in the place allotted to
me. It was somewhat far back,
perhaps because it was not wished
that |, who was known to be the
private scribe Of Seti, should re-
mind Egypt Of him by appearing
where all could see me.
Great as was the hall the crowd
filled it to its furthest corners.
no common man was
present there, but rather every
noble and head-priest in Egypt. and
with them their wives and daugh-
,ers, so that all the dim courts
3hone with gold and precious gems
let upon festal garments. While /
vas waiting old Bakenkhonsu hob,
,led toward me, the crowd making
way for him, and I could see that
here was laughter in his sunken
Eyes.
1--WE are ill-placed, Ana" he said.
Still, If any of the many gods
here are in Egypt should chance
o rain fires at Pharaoh, we shall
,e the safer. Talking of GODS" he
vent on in a whisper, "haVe you
heard what happened an hour ago
n the temple Of Ptah of Tanis,
whence l have just come? Pha-
'aOh and all the blood-royal-saVe
according to custom,
before the statue of the god which,
Is you know, should bow it's head
o show that he chooses and &C.
,epts the king. In front of Amen
neses went the Princess Userti,
Ind as she passed the head of the
;od bowed, for saw it, though all
pretended that they did not see.
Then came Pharaoh and stood wait
ng, but 1t would not bow, though
he priests called in the old for.
nula, The god greets the king
"At length he went on, looking