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But the people sent me to redeem their faults, and above all I have a son, Tehenna, on whom the prince will pour out his wrath unless I win favor." To the crowd of Libyans galloped up two Asiatic horsemen, who declared that their lord was waiting for submission. Musawasa sighed bitterly and went toward the height on which the conqueror had halted. Never before had he made such a painful journey.
He looked backward frequently to be sure that the naked slaves carrying gifts to the prince were not stealing gold chains, or what was worse, stealing jewels. For Musawasa knowing life, knew that man is glad to make use of his neighbor's misfortune.
I will impale you on stakes, if I do not learn this minute where that poisonous reptile is, that son of a wild boar." "Ei! where our leader is?" cried one of the Libyans, pointing to a little crowd on horseback which was advancing slowly in the depth of the desert. "What is that?" inquired the prince. "The wretch Musawasa is fleeing!" said Patrokles, and he almost fell to the ground.
"Thou hast spoken truth," replied the Libyan. "This is Tehenna, the son of Musawasa; he is our leader; he is worthy to be even prince of Egypt." "But where is Musawasa?" "In Glaucus. He will collect a great army and avenge us." The other Libyans said nothing; they did not even look at their conquerors.
When the military council had heard this speech the Libyans were sent from the tent, and Prince Ramses asked the holy Mentezufis directly for his opinions; this astonished even the generals. "Only yesterday," said the worthy prophet, "I should have been glad to refuse the prayer of Musawasa, transfer the war to Libya, and destroy that nest of robbers.
At a certain distance behind the prince's retinue came a small division of the guard, in the midst of it Tehenna, son of the Libyan chief Musawasa. A few hundred paces from the Egyptians, at the entrance of the ravine, stood the gloomy crowd of Libyans imploring the conqueror's favor.
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.
These dignitaries, as if dissatisfied with things in Egypt, or offended at the pharaoh and the priesthood, had come to Libya from the seashore; they took no part in conversations, they avoided meetings with disbanded warriors, and explained to Musawasa, as the greatest secret, and with proofs in hand, that that was just his time to fall on Egypt.
And in the neighborhood beyond that, toward the sea, appeared bands of Libyans, sent, as it were, by the terrible chief, Musawasa, who, it seemed, was to declare a sacred war against Egypt. Moreover, if any evening a western strip of sky was red for too long a time alarm fell on Pi-Bast.
"She confessed that she killed thy son." "What?" A great cry was heard at the prince's feet: the Libyan prisoners captured in battle were marching past, and at the head of them the sorrowful Tehenna. Ramses had at that moment a heart so full of pain that he nodded to Tehenna, and said, "Stand near thy father Musawasa, so that he may touch thee, and see thee living."
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