The Washington times., 1919-05-11

to ask aught Of Seti. We could tell him
nothing except what have written. which
at first he did not believe. Having salts
fed himself. however. that the thing was
true, he said that he had fallen sick and
could not travel back to Tanis. Therefore
he asked leave Of the Prince to rest a
while in his house. he who had been the
the friend Of his father. his grandfather
and his great-grandfather.
Seti laughed as indeed did the cunning
old man himself, and there with US
Bakenkhonsu remained till the end, to our
great joy. for he was the most pleasant Of
all companions and the most learned. As
for his message, one Of his servants took
back the answer to Pharaoh and to Userti,
with the news of his masters grievous
sickness.
Some eight days OF so later, as I stood
one morning basking in the sun at that
gate OF the palace gardens which over
looks the temple of Ptah. idly watching the
procession OF priests passing through its
courts and chanting as they went (for be-
cause Of the many sicknesses at this time
! left the palace but rarely, I saw a tall
figure approaching me. draped against the
morning cold.I The man drew near, and,
addressing me over the head of the guard,
asked II he could see the lady Merapi. I
answered No. as she was engaged in nurs-
ing her son.
"And in other things. I think" he said
with meaning. in voice that seemed famil-
lar to me. well. can see the Prince
Seu?"
I answered no. he was also engaged.
'In nursing his own soul. studying the
eyes Of the lady Merapi, the smile Of his
nfant son, the wisdom Of the scribe Ana,
and the attributes Of the hundred and one
lods that are known to him, including that
of Israel, l suppose" said the familiar
voice, adding: "Then can see the scribe
Ana, who. understand. being lucky, holds
himself learned?'.
Now. angered at the seofhng Of this
stranger Though all the time felt that he
was none). answered that the scribe Ana
was striving to mend his lack of luck by
the pursuit of the goddess OF learning In
his study.
Let him pursue" Knocked the stranger.
since she is the only woman that he Is
ever likely to catch. Yet It is true that
once one caught him. II you are Of his
acquaintance ask him of his. talk with her
in the avenue of the Sphinxes outside the
great temple at Thebes and of what it cost
him in gold and tears"
Hearing this. put my hand to my fore
head and rubbed my eyes. thinking that
must have fallen into a dream there in the
sunshine When lifted it again all was
the same as before. There stood the SEN
try, Indifferent to that which had no inter
est for him; the cock that had moulted its
Ill scratched in the dirt; the crested
hoopoe still sat spreading its wings on the
sead of one of the two great statues Of
3ameses which watched the gate; a water
Her in the distance still cried his wares.
rat the stranger was gone. Then knew
that had been dreaming. and turned to
go also. to find myself face to face with
him.
MAN." I said, Indignantly. how in the
name of Ptah and all his priests did you
pass a sentry and through that gate with
out my seeing you?"
do not trouble yourself with a new
problem when already you have so many
to perplex you, friend Ana. Say have you
yet solved that of how a rod like this turned
itself into snake in your hand?" and he
threw back his hood, revealing the shaved
head and the glowing eyes of the Kher-
heb XII
NO. ] have not I answered. and l
thank you" for here he proffered me the
staff, but I will not try the trick again
Next time the beast might bite. Well. X,
as you can pass in here without my leave.
why do you ask it? In short what do you
want with me, now that those Hebrew
prunhets have put YOU on your. back?"
Hush, Ana. Never grow angry; 1t
wastes strength, of which We have so little
to spare. You know. being 80 wise. or per-
haps You do not know. that at birth the
gods give us a certain Store of IL. and
when that is used We di" AMI have tn go
elsewhere TO fetch more. - rh., race lour
life will be short. Ana. for yor s,-iand"r i.
IT, emotions"
What do YOU want? - repeated. being
too angry to dispute with him.
Il want to find an answer to he uues-
tion you asked so roughly: Why The
Hebrew prophets have. as you say, Put me
on my back"
Not being a magician, as you pretend