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"What dost Thou wish, my son?" asked the high priest of the chief, who was somewhat confused by the meeting. Tutmosis mastered himself quickly, and said, "Herhor, high priest of Amon in Thebes, because of letters which Thou hast written to Sargon, the Assyrian satrap, which letters I have with me, Thou art accused of high treason to the state, and must justify thyself before the pharaoh."
Pentuer, not wishing to speak of such ticklish subjects, told Herhor why he was going to Lower Egypt. "Very well," answered Herhor, "let Ramses XIII call an assembly of all the orders. He has a right to call it." "But," he added suddenly, "I am sorry that Thou art involved in such labor. Great changes have taken place in thee.
"Ha! ha! ha!" burst out Mefres, but suddenly he grew serious and bowing said in an ironical tone, "That pertains to thee, worthiness. A man who for so many years has directed the state should prepare for such dangers." "Let us suppose," said Herhor, slowly, "that I can find means against dangers to the state.
And when he ascended the throne I speak incorrectly, when he had barely stood on the first step of the throne, he tried to make the priests odious; he disturbed the earth-tillers and the warriors, and renewed vows with his friends the Phoenicians. "Dost thou, worthy Herhor, forget all this? And if Thou remember, dost Thou not understand the dangers which threaten us from this milksop?
He could not sleep; he was so excited that the buzz of a fly pained his nerves, and at moments he did not understand what people said when they talked to him. In this position Herhor came again to assist the viceroy.
The whole population had come out on the streets, or had collected around the temples, mainly around the temple of Ptah, which was the best defended, and where the spiritual dignitaries had come together, also those lay officials who were under the direction of Herhor and Mefres.
The Thebans fortified Gebelên in the South and el-Hêbi in the North against attack, and evidently their relations with the Tanites were not always friendly. In Syria nothing of the imperial power remained. The prestige of the god Amen of Thebes, however, was still very great. We see this clearly from a very interesting papyrus of the reign of Herhor, published in 1899 by Mr.
"The heir has borne himself with such correctness toward his warriors and his people, and has shown so much compunction in withdrawing from the limits of the palace, that his mother may forgive small errors," answered Herhor. "Oh, if he were not sitting in that boat, I would give command to break it!" said the worthy lady. "For what reason?" asked the minister.
Tutmosis covered his ears, and, stamping, cried, "Be silent! be silent! every word of thine is blasphemy. His holiness alone directs the state, and whatever is done on earth proceeds from his will. Herhor is a servant of the pharaoh and does what his lord enjoins on him. If Thou wilt convince thyself oh, that my words be not ill understood."
"But if the overseers themselves give the necessary part of the treasure," inquired the pharaoh. "They will not do that while Mefres, Herhor, and their confederates are living. Believe me, sovereign, the question for those dignitaries is to roll thee in swaddling clothes, like an infant." Ramses grew pale from anger. "Unless I wind them in chains! How wilt Thou discover the way?"
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