"That is just the place in which to learn everything."

"Tell me, worthiness," said the viceroy, striking the table with his fist. "I am not pleased when men are amused at my expense."

"Give a great promise not to betray me to any one and I will tell, though I cannot believe that they have not informed the heir of this."

"Dost thou not trust me?" asked the astonished prince.

"In this affair I should require a promise from the pharaoh himself,"

answered Hiram, with decision.

"If I swear on my sword, and the standards of my troops, that I will tell no man--"

"Enough," said Hiram.

"I am listening."

"Does the prince know what is happening at this moment in Phnicia?"

"I know nothing of that, even," interrupted the irritated viceroy.

"Our ships," whispered Hiram, "are coming home from all parts of the earth to convey at the first signal our people and treasures to some place--beyond the sea--to the west."

"Why?" asked the astounded viceroy.

"Because a.s.syria is to take us under her dominion."

"Thou hast gone mad, worthy man!" exclaimed Rameses. "a.s.syria to take Phnicia! But we?--Egypt--what would we say to that?"

"Egypt has consented already."

Blood rushed to the prince's head.

"The heat has disturbed thy mind, aged man," said he, in a calm voice.

"Thou hast forgotten, even, that such an affair could not take place without the pharaoh's permission and mine."

"That will follow. Meanwhile the priests have concluded a treaty."

"With whom? What priests?"

"With Beroes, the high priest of Chaldea, at commission of King a.s.sar," said Hiram. "And who from your side? I will not state to a certainty. But it seems to me that his worthiness Herhor, his worthiness Mefres, and the holy prophet Pentuer."

The prince became pale.

"Consider, Phnician," said he, "that thou art accusing of treason the highest dignitaries of Egypt."

"Thou art mistaken, prince, this is no treason: the high priest of Egypt and the minister of his holiness have the right to make treaties with neighboring states. Besides, how dost thou know, worthiness, that all this is not done with consent of the pharaoh?"

Rameses was obliged to confess in his soul that such a treaty would not be treason, but disregard toward him, the erpatr.

So then the priests treated him in this way,--him who might be the pharaoh a year hence? That is why Pentuer criticised war, and Mefres supported him.

"When could that have happened, and where?" asked the prince.

"Very likely they concluded the treaty at night in the temple of Set at Memphis," answered Hiram. "And when?--I know not exactly, but it seems to me that it took place when thou wert setting out from Memphis."

"The wretches!" thought the viceroy. "That is how they respect my position! Some kind G.o.d made me doubt in the temple of Hator."

After a time of internal conflict he added,--

"Impossible! I shall not believe till proof be given."

"Proof there will be," replied Hiram. "One of these days a great lord will come to Pi-Bast from a.s.syria, Sargon, the friend of King a.s.sar.

He will come under pretext of a pilgrimage to the temple of Astaroth, he will bring gifts to thee and to his holiness; then he will make a treaty. Ye will in fact put seals to that which the priests have determined to the ruin of Phnicia, and perhaps to your own great misfortune."

"Never! What return could a.s.syria give Egypt?"

"That speech is worthy of a pharaoh. What return would Egypt get?

Every treaty is good for a state if only something be gained through it. I am astonished specially by this," continued Hiram, "that Egypt should conclude a bad transaction: besides Phnicia, a.s.syria will take almost all Asia, and to you will be left, in the form of a favor, the Israelites, the Philistines, and the peninsula of Sinai. In that case the tributes belonging to Egypt will be lost, and the pharaoh will never receive those hundred and five thousand talents."

The viceroy shook his head.

"Thou dost not know Egyptian priests," said he; "not one of them would accept such a treaty."

"Why not? The Phnician proverb says: 'Better barley in the granary than gold in the desert.' Should Egypt feel very weak she might prefer Sinai and Palestine to a war with a.s.syria. But this is what sets me to thinking: Not Egypt, but a.s.syria, is easy to conquer. a.s.syria has a quarrel on the northwest; a.s.syria has few troops, and those of poor quality. Were Egypt to attack she would destroy a.s.syria, seize immense treasures in Babylon and Nineveh, and establish her authority in Asia at once and securely--"

"Such a treaty cannot exist, as thou seest," interrupted Rameses.

"In one case alone could I understand such a treaty," continued Hiram.

"If 'tis the plan of the priests to set aside kingly power in Egypt; and toward this, O prince, they have been striving since the days of thy grandfather."

"Thou art speaking aside from the question," said Rameses, but he felt alarm in his heart.

"Perhaps I am mistaken," answered Hiram, looking into his eyes quickly. "But hear me out, worthiness."

He moved up his armchair to the prince, and said in a lowered voice,--

"If the pharaoh should make war on a.s.syria, he would have a great army attached to his person; a hundred thousand talents of tribute in arrears, about two hundred thousand talents from Nineveh and Babylon, finally about a hundred thousand talents yearly from conquered countries. Such immense wealth would enable him to redeem the property mortgaged to the priests, and put an end at once and forever to their meddling."

The prince's eyes glittered, and Hiram continued,--

"To-day the army depends on Herhor, and therefore on the priests; remove the foreign regiments, and the pharaoh, in case of war, could not depend on his warriors.

"Besides, the royal treasury is empty, and the greater part of the pharaoh's property belongs to the temples. He must contract new debts yearly even to maintain his household; and since there will be no Phnicians among you, ye must borrow of the temples. In this way, when ten years have pa.s.sed, his holiness--may he live through eternity!--will lose what is left of his property, and then what?"

On the forehead of Rameses perspiration came out in drops.

"Thou seest then, worthy lord," continued Hiram, "the priests might and even would be forced in one case to accept the most disgraceful treaty with a.s.syria: if they are working to lower and destroy the power of the pharaoh--well, there may be another case: if Egypt were so weak as to need peace at any price--"