"This young man pleases me," whispered Hiram.

Indeed a fresher air seemed to move in the a.s.sembly. Generals straightened themselves; civilians looked at the priest with curiosity; even the pharaoh's face became livelier.

"Listen not to him, my son," implored Queen Nikotris.

"What dost thou think," asked the pharaoh on a sudden; "what would the holy Samentu do now were he living?"

"I am sure," answered the priest, energetically, "that Samentu would go to the temple of Ptah and burn incense to the G.o.ds; but he would punish murderers and traitors."

"And I repeat that thou art the worst of traitors!" cried the queen.

"I only fulfil my duty," said the priest, unmoved by her language.

"This man is a pupil of Samentu indeed," said Hiram. "He alone sees what is left us to do, and sees clearly."

The military and civil dignitaries recognized the correctness of Hiram's opinion.

"Since we have begun a struggle with the priests," said the chief scribe, "we should finish it, and finish it to-day when we have letters proving that Herhor was negotiating with the a.s.syrians, an act which is high treason against Egypt."

"He is carrying out the policy of Rameses XII.," said the queen.

"But I am Rameses XIII.," said the pharaoh impatiently.

Tutmosis rose from his chair.

"My lord," said he, "let me act. It is very dangerous to continue uncertainty in the government, and it would be folly and crime not to use this occasion. Since this priest says that the temple is not defended, let me go to it with a handful of men whom I will select."

"I am with thee!" said Kalippos. "According to my experience, an enemy while triumphant is the weakest. If we attack the temple of Ptah immediately--"

"Ye do not need to attack, but go in there as executives of the pharaoh who commands you to imprison traitors," said the chief scribe.

"Even force is not needed. How often does one policeman rush at a crowd of offenders and seize as many as he wishes."

"My son," said the queen, "yields to the pressure of your counsels.

But he does not wish force; he forbids you to use it."

"Ha! if that be the case," said the young priest of Set, "I will tell his holiness one other thing." He breathed a couple of times deeply, but still he finished in a stifled voice and with effort. "On the streets of Memphis the party of the priests is announcing, that--"

"That what? Speak boldly," said the pharaoh.

"That thou, holiness, art insane, that thou hast not the ordination of high priest, that thou art not even made pharaoh, and that--it is possible to exclude thee from the throne."

"That is just what I feared," whispered Nikotris.

The pharaoh sprang up from his seat.

"Tutmosis!" cried he, in a voice in which his recovered energy was heard. "Take as many troops as thou wishest; go to the temple of Ptah and bring me Herhor and Mefres, accused of high treason. If they are justified I will return my favor; in the opposite case--"

"Hast thou finished?" interrupted the queen.

This time the indignant pharaoh did not answer her, and the officials cried,--

"Death to traitors! When has it begun that in Egypt a pharaoh must sacrifice faithful servants to beg for himself the favor of scoundrels?"

Rameses XIII. confided to Tutmosis the package of letters of Herhor to a.s.syria, and said in a solemn voice,--

"Till the rebellion of the priests is suppressed, I place my power in the person of Tutmosis, commander of the guards. And do ye listen to him, and do thou, worthy mother, go with thy judgments to him?"

"Wisely and justly has the sovereign acted!" exclaimed the chief scribe. "It does not become a pharaoh to struggle with sedition, and a lack of firm rule might destroy us."

All the dignitaries inclined before Tutmosis. Queen Nikotris fell at her son's feet.

Tutmosis, in company with the generals, went out to the court. He commanded the first regiment of the guard to form, and said,--

"I need a few tens of men who are ready to die for the glory of our lord."

More presented themselves, both men and officers, than were needed, and at the head of them Eunana.

"Are ye prepared for death?" inquired Tutmosis.

"We will die with thee, lord, for his holiness!" exclaimed Eunana.

"Ye will not die, but ye will overcome vile criminals," replied Tutmosis. "Soldiers belonging to this expedition will become officers, and officers will be advanced two degrees. I say this to you, I, Tutmosis, supreme chief by the will of the pharaoh."

"Live thou forever!"

Tutmosis commanded to prepare twenty-five two-wheeled chariots of the heavy cavalry, and ordered the volunteers to enter. Then he with Kalippos mounted their horses, and soon the whole retinue turned toward Memphis and vanished in a dust cloud.

When Hiram saw this from the window of a villa, he bowed before the pharaoh and whispered,--

"Now for the first time I believe that thou art not in conspiracy with the high priests."

"Wert thou mad?" burst out the pharaoh.

"Pardon, sovereign, but the attack on the temple to-day was planned by the priests. How they drew thee into it, holiness, I do not understand to this moment."

It was five in the afternoon.

CHAPTER LXVI

At that same hour to a minute, the priest, watching on the pylon of the temple of Ptah in Memphis, informed the high priests and nomarchs counselling in the hall, that the palace of the pharaoh was giving some signals.

"It seems that his holiness will beg us for peace," said one of the nomarchs, smiling.

"I doubt that!" answered Mefres.