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"My black slave is a valiant warrior and a man full of judgment. A priest defends a Jewess, because she is mine. What a strange priest he is! The Egyptian people who kneel down before the pharaoh's dogs attack the house of the erpatr under direction of unknown enemies of Egypt. I myself must look into this."
"Oh, Erpatr!" cried the leader of the newly arrived, "thy troops are rending their garments and scattering dust on their heads, thinking that Thou hast perished. All the cavalry has scattered over the desert to find traces, while the gods have permitted us, the unworthy, to be first to greet thee."
"Who threw stones?" "I could not tell. The men did not look like earth-workers, but more like unclean dissectors who open dead bodies for embalming." "And didst Thou see the priest?" "With thy permission, O watchfulness, that was not a priest, but some spirit that guards the house of the erpatr may he live through eternity!" "Why a spirit?"
But the people became silent all at once, for from the depth of the garden came a man with shaven head; from this man's shoulders depended a panther skin. "A prophet! A holy father!" murmured some in the crowd. Those sitting on the wall began now to spring down from it. "People of Egypt," said the priest, calmly, "with what right do ye raise hands on the property of the erpatr?"
The moon from the highest point in the heavens had lowered toward the west. At the side of the column Ramses found his sword and burnous. He raised them, and moved down the steps like a drunken man. When he returned to his palace at a late hour, Tutmosis, on seeing his pale face and troubled look, cried with alarm, "By the gods! where hast Thou been, Erpatr?
Sargon, a relative of King Assar, has become all at once such a devotee that for whole months he goes on a difficult journey only to do honor in Pi-Bast to the goddess Astaroth. But in Nineveh he could have found greater gods and more learned priests. Ha! ha! ha!" Tutmosis looked at the prince with astonishment. "What has happened to thee, Erpatr?" asked he.
Meanwhile, worthiness, though reared by priests, Thou pushest thyself away from the temples decisively." "How is that? Then, if I do not become a priest, will ye not explain to me?" "There are things, worthiness, which Thou mayest know even now, as erpatr, there are others which Thou wilt know when Thou art the pharaoh. There are still others which only a high priest may know."
"Well, Erpatr, dost Thou believe now in the might of the gods of Egypt?" "Indeed," answered he, "ye are such great sages that the whole world ought to give you offerings and homage. If ye can see the future in an equal degree nothing can oppose you." After these words a priest entered the chapel and began to pray; soon a voice was heard from the chapel, saying,
The prince commanded him to take his usual place, but sat himself behind a pillar. The accused appeared one by one. All were lean; much hair had grown out on them, and their eyes had the expression of settled bewilderment. "Dutmoses," said the official, "tell how ye attacked the house of the most worthy erpatr." "I will tell truth, as at the judgment seat of Osiris.
"Thou art mistaken, prince, this is no treason: the high priest of Egypt and the minister of his holiness have the right to make treaties with neighboring states. Besides, how dost Thou know, worthiness, that all this is not done with consent of the pharaoh?" Ramses was obliged to confess in his soul that such a treaty would not be treason, but disregard toward him, the erpatr.
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