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He was a couple of hundred yards from the shore when a boat pushed out after him with one rower and three passengers. Barely had these left land when a second boat appeared with two rowers and three passengers also. Both boats pursued Lykon with stubbornness.
Lykon though in a trance felt, as it were, the pursuit; he turned quickly into a street full of movement, then to a square where a multitude of people were circling about, and then ran to the Nile by Fisher Street. There, at the end of some alley, he found a small boat, sprang into it and began to cross the river with a speed which was remarkable.
The chief left the agents before the gate, took by the arm the man dressed in the bag, and, conducted by a priest, went to the sacred chamber. When he entered, he found Mefres and Sem arrayed as high priests, with silver plates on their bosoms. He fell before them on the pavement, and said, "In accordance with your commands, I bring to you, holy fathers, the criminal Lykon.
"But hast Thou proof that Mefres imprisoned Lykon in Pi-Bast, that he brought him to Thebes, and that he lets him enter the gardens of the pharaoh to counterfeit the sovereign as insane?" "Just because I have not proof of this do I ask thee, worthiness, what to do. I am the commander of the guard and I must watch over the honor and safety of our sovereign." "What Thou must do?" repeated Antefa.
"Confess, Mefres, that second sight is not needed to know that." Mefres closed his thin lips tightly. "If this does not convince thee, worthiness, I will show something better," said he at length. "Lykon, find now the traitor who is seeking the way to the treasure of the labyrinth." The sleeping Greek looked for a while at the crystal intently, and answered,
I have learned that holy Mefres holds a certain Lykon, a Greek, on whom two crimes are weighing: he murdered the pharaoh's son, and besides he looks like his holiness. Let the worthy Mefres not bring disgrace on the revered priestly order; let him yield the murderer to justice at the earliest; for if we find Lykon, I swear that Mefres will lose not his office alone, but his head also.
Of the volunteers, three-fourths were in the pay of the priesthood. "May he live, his holiness Herhor, our lord!" cried Eunana, waving his bloody axe. "May he live through eternity!" repeated the warriors and priests, and all fell on their faces. The most worthy Herhor raised his hands and blessed them. On leaving the court of the temple, Mefres went to the underground chamber to Lykon.
"Lykon," continued Hiram, "whom the high priest Mefres stole from the police and the courts Lykon, who in Thebes ran naked through the garden as a maniac, counterfeiting thee, holiness." "What dost Thou tell me?" cried the pharaoh. "Holiness, ask the most revered queen if she saw him," answered Hiram. Ramses looked in confusion at his mother. "Yes," said she.
Dost Thou not understand that before sunrise they will imprison thee, and will strangle thee a couple of days later?" "I am sick." "Where are thy jewels?" "Under the bed." Lykon went to her bedchamber; with the light of a lamp he drew out a heavy casket, threw a mantle over Kama, and pulled her by the arm. "Make ready! Where are the doors through which he comes to thee that lord of thine?"
Besides, in every case, the temple offers thee ten talents if news of the likeness of the wretched Lykon to the heir is not reported throughout Egypt; for it is offensive and improper that an ordinary mortal should recall by his features a personage descended from divinity."
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