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Pentuer assured the man that no longer than two weeks before he had seen Ramses in the best of health. He observed at once, however, that the engineer did not believe him. "This is Herhor's work!" thought he. "Priests alone could have news from Thebes so promptly."
"Indeed the gods predestined him to power so as to free Egypt from misfortunes brought on by Ramses XIII, who was a woman-hunter and frivolous." A few days sufficed the people to forget that all Herhor's acts were merely the accomplishment of plans made by the young and lofty-minded pharaoh.
But, Ramses, the time is coming when Thou wilt have to take a wife whose children will be princes of the blood royal and whose son will be thy heir. I am thinking of that time." "And what?" "Nothing defined yet. In every case political wisdom suggests to me that thy wife should be a priest's daughter." "Perhaps Herhor's?" said the prince, with a laugh. "What would there be blamable in that?
"Our troops have not assembled yet," objected Tutmosis. "And we have not Herhor's letters to Assyria," added the chief scribe. "Never mind!" answered the pharaoh. "Proclaim tomorrow that Herhor and Mefres are traitors, and we will show the nomarchs and priests the proofs three days later when Hiram returns from Pi-Bast to us."
That golden shield set with precious stones, besides its great value in money, had moreover the virtue of an amulet; hence it was a regal present. But the prince's words might have the loftier meaning that Herhor would equal Amenhotep in position. Amenhotep had been the father-in-law of a pharaoh. Had the heir decided already to marry Herhor's daughter?
"So he is always dreaming of that?" thought the high priest. The pharaoh, as if to confirm Herhor's fears, changed the subject. "How many troops have we?" asked he. "Here in Memphis?" "No, in all Egypt." "Thou hadst ten regiments, holiness," answered Herhor. "The worthy Nitager on the eastern boundary has fifteen.
Every hour, at times every half hour, some one approached Herhor's litter, now a priest of lower rank, an ordinary "servant of the gods," a marauding soldier, a freedman, or a slave, who, passing as it were indifferently the silent retinue of the minister, threw out a word. That word Pentuer recorded sometimes, but more frequently he remembered it, for his memory was amazing.
"And wilt Thou not be sorry for me?" "Why should I? I aim at a great object; I wish to occupy Herhor's place." "I swear that Thou shalt have it." "Unless I perish," added Samentu. "But if I go along precipices to mountain summits, and in that wandering my foot slips and I fall, what does it signify? Thou, lord, wilt care for the future of my children?" "Go forward," said Ramses.
"Listen to Herhor," said Mefres with a voice of decision; "try by all means that the attack be made on the morning of the 20th." "But if they beat us in fact?" inquired the judge in confusion. "If Herhor's spells fail I will call the gods to assist us," replied Mefres, and in his eyes was an ominous glitter. "Ah, ye high priests have secrets which ye may not explain to us.
Besides, Hiram, who intercepted Herhor's letters to the Assyrians will return no sooner than the 20th. So only on the 21st of Paofi shall we have proofs in our hands that the high priests are traitors, and we shall announce their treason in public." "Then am I to go to Fayum?" inquired Kalippos. "Oh, no! Thou and Tutmosis will remain near me with chosen regiments.
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