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"I guarantee," answered Mentezufis, "that everything will be done which is needed, and should this earthly life ever be unpleasant to thee Thou wilt find them happy in the other." On hearing this Ramses was greatly affected.
Ramses took leave of the leech with increased curiosity as to what they were to show him. THE temple received Pentuer with great honor, and the inferior priests went out half an hour's journey to greet him. From all the wonderful places of Lower Egypt many prophets had assembled with the intent to hear words of wisdom. A couple of days later came the high priest Mefres and the prophet Mentezufis.
"A pity for the man in that case! He is a grand warrior, and magnanimous." AFTER their visit to Sargon the two holy men, Mentezufis and Mefres, when they had concealed themselves carefully with their burnouses, returned home, meditating deeply. "Who knows," said Mentezufis, "that the view of that drunken Sargon concerning our prince is not the right one?"
"Ye have not deigned to ask my advice in a question so difficult to determine, ye have not even thought it worth while to inform me that four regiments are disbanded, and that those men, because of hunger, are attacking our cities." "It seems to me, worthiness, that Thou art criticizing the commands of his holiness the pharaoh," interrupted Mentezufis.
"Canst Thou explain to me, worthiness, why Assyria should not pay us tribute which would save the state treasury from embarrassment?" "Because we have not the power to force Assyria to pay us tribute," answered Mentezufis, coldly. "We have an army of a hundred and twenty thousand, Assyria has three hundred thousand warriors.
"If they were to invade us," cried he, "their bones would never touch their own country! We should arm all the nobles, all the regiments of laborers, even convicts in the quarries. We should take the treasures from all temples. And Assyria would meet five hundred thousand Egyptian warriors." Ramses was delighted at this outburst of patriotism in Mentezufis. He seized him by the hand, and said,
"At the desire, therefore, of his holiness," continued Mentezufis, "and of the supreme council, Thou art to take troops from Lower Egypt and annihilate the rebels." "Where is the order?" Mentezufis drew forth from his bosom a parchment provided with seals, and gave it to the viceroy. "From this moment then I command, and am the supreme power in this province," said the viceroy.
"Egypt is first of all, and even only and exclusively, the property of Amon," said the priest. "There is absolute need, therefore, that only those should know the highest secrets to whom Amon has declared his plans and purposes." The prince, while listening, felt as if people were turning him on a bed of dagger points under which fire was burning. Mentezufis wished to rise; Ramses detained him.
At sight of him Mefres and Mentezufis looked at each other. "What do ye wish, worthy fathers?" asked the prince, dropping into an armchair. "I do not know whether Thou wilt be able to hear us," answered the anxious Mentezufis. "Ah! do ye think that I am tipsy?" cried the prince. "Have no fear. Today all Egypt is either so mad or so stupid that most sense is found among drinkers."
When the stars had risen the holy Herhor left the feast, and soon after some of the highest dignitaries slipped out also. About midnight the following worthy persons met in a subterranean chamber of the temple of Amon: the high priests Herhor, Mefres, and Mentezufis, the chief judge of Thebes, also the chiefs of the provinces of Abs, Horti, and Emsuchs.
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