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I feel that above my head is a spider of immense size, and he is binding me with a web of ship ropes." Beroes turned his dagger point upward. "Mer-Amen-Ramses," said he again, "look ever at the spark, and never at the sides. Here is a sign which I raise in thy presence," whispered he.
"But from whom did he learn of the coming of Beroes, even of his interview with Mefres, Herhor, and Pentuer, in the temple of Set?" The high priest Sem, seizing his head with both hands, walked up and down through the cell. "Impossible!" said he. "Impossible! Has any one cast a spell over that young man? Perhaps the Phoenician priestess, whom he stole from the temple."
Beroes!" cried the vision, with a restrained voice. "Why dost Thou summon me?" "I wish my brethren of this temple to receive me with sincere hearts, and incline their ears to the words which I bring them from brethren in Babylon," said the Chaldean. "Be it so," said the vision, and vanished. The Chaldean stood as motionless as a statue, with his head thrown back, with hands lifted upward.
At the appointed hour four of the highest priests dressed the pharaoh in a robe of new linen, pronounced a great prayer above him, this prayer expelled every evil power absolutely, and seating him in a litter they bore him to that simple chamber where there was but one small table. Beroes was there already, and, looking toward the east, was praying.
"I see here holy men in such numbers that, if one of them thinks of me, I shall be in health again." And he smiled imperceptibly. "We are all only men," interrupted Beroes; "hence our souls cannot always rise to the footstool of Him who existed before the ages. But, holiness, I will use an infallible method by which to find a man whose prayers have the utmost sincerity, and the highest effect."
I confided it to Hiram, for he meets dignitaries of ours whom I never see." "But why did Herhor and Mefres conclude such a treaty?" inquired Ramses. "In my opinion, they are men of weak heads whom Beroes, the great Chaldean priest, frightened. He told them that for ten years evil fates would threaten Egypt; that if we began war with Assyria during that time we should be defeated."
"Approach not temptation!" exclaimed Beroes. "If the pharaoh were to stretch his hand today toward Phoenicia, in a month Assyrian armies intended for the north and east would turn southward, and a year hence or earlier their horses would be swimming in your sacred river." "Egypt cannot renounce influence over Phoenicia," interrupted Herhor, with an outburst.
The viceroy laughed sneeringly. "I speak of Beroes. If thou, holy man, hast not heard of him, ask the revered Mefres, and if he has forgotten turn then to Herhor and Pentuer." "That is a great secret of our temples
"What good is a treaty made by Beroes with Egyptian priests?" put in Rabsun, thinking deeply. "Thou art dull!" answered Dagon. "Pharaoh does nothing except what the priests ordain." "There will be a treaty with the pharaoh, never fear!" interrupted Hiram. "We know to a certainty in Tyre that the Assyrian ambassador Sargon is coming to Egypt with gifts and with a great retinue.
"Ye must know," continued Hiram, "that Chaldean priests consider the priests in Egypt as their brothers, and that Beroes enjoys great esteem in the Court of King Assar, so reports concerning that treaty may be very truthful." "Why does Assyria want Phoenicia?" inquired Dagon, as he bit his finger-nails. "Why does a thief want another man's granary?" replied Hiram.
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