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When, toward evening, it was necessary to call a military council, he summoned Mentezufis and Pentuer. No one mentioned the sudden death of Patrokles; perhaps because there was more urgent business; for Libyan envoys had come imploring in the name of Musawasa mercy for his son Tehenna, and offering to Egypt surrender and peace forever.
I suppose that more than one bone was broken in that struggle." "But to attack an ambassador! Consider, worthy lord, an ambassador protected by the majesty of Assyria and Egypt," said the priest. "Ho! ho!" laughed the prince. "Then King Assar sends ambassadors even to Phoenician dancers?" Mentezufis was confused. All at once he tapped his forehead, and cried out also, with laughter,
"Thou forgettest, worthiness, that it is not proper to call a priest wretched," replied Mentezufis. "And if want threatens none of them, the merit is found in their moderate style of living." "In that case the statues drink the wine which is carried every day to the temples, while stone gods dress their wives in gold and jewels," jeered Ramses. "But no more about your abstemiousness.
Confident, however, in his position as ambassador, he drank, feasted, and slipped away almost every evening to Kama, who received with increasing favor his courting and his presents. Such was the condition of mind in the higher circles, when on a certain night the holy Mentezufis rushed to the prince's dwelling, and declared that he must see the viceroy immediately.
At this moment an adjutant entered the hall, and, stepping over a number of guests lying prostrate, hurried up to Ramses. "Worthy lord," said he, "the holy Mefres and the holy Mentezufis wish to speak at once with thee." The viceroy pushed the girls away, and with red face, stained garments, and tottering steps went to his chamber in the upper story.
"On the contrary," answered Pentuer, "do not interrupt the solemnity, and I guarantee that he will not have a joyous face." "Thou wilt perform a miracle." "If I succeed I shall merely show him that in this world great delight is attended by deep suffering." "Do as Thou wishest," said Mentezufis, "for the gods have given thee wisdom worthy a member of the highest council."
Now I will tell you: I, if ye were to poison me, would not sign a treaty like the one ye mention. Luckily that does not depend on me, but on his holiness, whose will we must all obey." "What wouldst Thou do, then, wert Thou the pharaoh?" "What the honor and the profit of the state demanded." "Of that I doubt not," said Mentezufis. "But what dost Thou consider the profit of the state?
Ramses accepted the invitation willingly; the holy priests Mefres and Mentezufis had no objection to the presence of the prince in honoring the goddess Astaroth. "First of all, Astaroth," said the worthy Mefres to Mentezufis, "is the same as our Is is and the Chaldean Istar; second, if we permit Asiatics to build temples in our land it is proper to be kindly to their gods at seasons."
Taking Pentuer, Tutmosis, and twenty of the best Asiatic horsemen, he went himself on a sharp trot toward Memphis. In five hours they passed half the journey; at the halt, as Mentezufis had declared, were fresh horses and a new escort. The Asiatics remained at that point, and after a short rest the prince with his two companions and a new escort went farther. "Woe to me!" said Tutmosis.
"I bow down before thy wisdom," said Mefres; "still I vote to lay a complaint against the heir before the supreme council." "But I vote against a complaint," answered Sem, energetically. "The council must learn of all acts of the viceroy, not through a complaint, but through an ordinary report to it." "I too am opposed to a complaint," said Mentezufis.
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