Mentezufis, standing near the elevation, turned toward Rameses.

"Prince," whispered he, "the Lord Sargon is waiting for a gracious answer."

"Then answer him that I do not understand by what right he speaks to me as if he were my equal in dignity."

Mentezufis was confused, which still more angered the prince, whose lips began to tremble; and again his eyes flashed. But the Chaldean, Istubar, understanding Egyptian, said quickly to Sargon,--

"Let us fall on our faces."

"Why should I fall on my face?" inquired the indignant Sargon.

"Fall, unless thou wish to lose the favor of King a.s.sar, and perhaps thy head also."

Thus speaking, Istubar lay on the floor at full length, and Sargon next to him.

"Why should I lie on my belly before that stripling?" muttered Sargon, indignantly.

"Because he is viceroy," answered Istubar.

"Have I not been viceroy of my lord?"

"But he will be king, and thou wilt not."

"What are the amba.s.sadors of the most mighty King a.s.sar discussing?"

inquired the prince, now satisfied, of the interpreter.

"This: whether they are to show thy worthiness the gifts intended for the pharaoh, or only to give those sent to thee," replied the dextrous interpreter.

"I wish to see the gifts intended for his holiness my father," said the prince, "and I permit the amba.s.sadors to rise."

Sargon rose, purple from rage or weariness, and sat down on the floor cross-legged.

"I knew not," said he, "that I, a relative and an amba.s.sador of the great a.s.sar, should be forced to wipe with my garments dust from the pavement of an Egyptian viceroy."

Mentezufis knew a.s.syrian, and commanded, without asking Rameses, to bring immediately two benches covered with cushions, on which sat at once the panting Sargon and the calm Istubar.

When Sargon had puffed himself quiet, he gave command to produce a great gla.s.s goblet, a steel sword, and to lead up before the entrance two horses decked with gold housings. When his command was obeyed he rose and, inclining, addressed Rameses,--

"My lord, King a.s.sar sends thee, O prince, two wonderful horses,--may they bear thee only to victory! He sends also a goblet,--may gladness always flow to thy heart from it!--and a sword the like of which thou wilt not find in the armory of the mightiest ruler."

He drew from its scabbard a rather long sword, shining like silver, and bent it. The sword bent like a bow, and then sprang out straight again.

"A wonderful weapon, indeed," said Rameses.

"If thou permit, O viceroy, I will show thee another of its qualities," said Sargon, who, with the chance to praise a.s.syrian arms, which at that time were excellent, forgot his anger.

At his request one of the Egyptian officers unsheathed a bronze sword and held it as if to attack. Then Sargon raised his steel blade, struck and cut a slice from the weapon of the other man.

In the hall rose a murmur of astonishment, and an intense flush came out on the face of Rameses.

"That foreigner," thought he, "took the bull from me in the circus, he wishes to marry Kama, and now he shows a sword which cuts our blades into shavings."

And he felt a still deeper hatred toward King a.s.sar, toward all a.s.syrians in general, and toward Sargon especially. But he endeavored to command himself, and with politeness begged the envoy to show those gifts intended for the pharaoh.

They brought immediately immense packs made of fragrant wood; from one of these the higher a.s.syrian officials took articles,--goblets, pitchers, steel weapons, bows made of goat horns, gilded weapons, and shields set with jewels.

But the most splendid gift was a model of King a.s.sar's palace in gold and silver. It looked like three edifices,--the second smaller than the first, the third smaller than the second; the second built upon the first, the third upon the second. Each was surrounded thickly by columns, and instead of a roof had a flat pavement. Each entrance was guarded by lions or winged bulls with human heads. On both sides of the stairs stood statues of va.s.sals of the king, bearing gifts; on both sides of the entrance were carved horses in various positions.

Sargon removed one wall of the model, and showed rich chambers filled with priceless furniture. Special wonder was roused by the audience hall, where were figures representing the king on a lofty throne, and near him courtiers, warriors, and va.s.sals giving homage.

The entire model was as long as twice the height of a man, and almost as high as the height of one man. The Egyptians whispered that that gift alone was worth a hundred and fifty talents.

When the packs were carried out, the heir invited the amba.s.sadors and their retinue to a feast, during which abundant gifts were bestowed on the a.s.syrians. Rameses pushed his politeness so far that when one of the women pleased Sargon the prince presented her to the amba.s.sador, of course with her consent and the permission of her mother.

The prince was polite and bountiful, but his face was still clouded.

And when Tutmosis asked him if King a.s.sar had not a beautiful palace, the prince answered,--.

"Its ruins on the ashes of Nineveh would be more beautiful to my eyes."

At that feast the a.s.syrians were very abstemious. Notwithstanding the abundance of wine, they drank little, and did not shout greatly.

Sargon did not even once burst into loud laughter, though that was his custom; he cast down his eyes and thought deeply.

But the two priests--Istubar, the Chaldean, and Mentezufis, the Egyptian--were calm, like men to whom the future is known, and who command it.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI

After his reception by the viceroy, Sargon delayed at Pi-Bast, waiting for letters from the pharaoh at Memphis. Meanwhile strange reports began to circulate among officers and n.o.bles.

The Phnicians told, of course as the greatest secret, that the priests, it was unknown for what reason, not only forgave the a.s.syrians the unpaid tribute, not only freed them once and for all time from paying it, but, besides, to facilitate some northern war for the a.s.syrians, had concluded a treaty of peace for many years with them.

"The pharaoh," said the Phnicians, "on learning of these concessions to a.s.syria fell very ill. Prince Rameses is troubled, and goes around grief-stricken. But both must give way to the priests, for they are not sure of the n.o.bles and the army."

This enraged the Egyptian aristocracy.

"Is it possible?" whispered magnates who were in debt. "Does the dynasty not trust us? Have the priests undertaken to disgrace and ruin Egypt? For it is clear that if a.s.syria has a war in the distant north somewhere, now is just the time to attack her and fill the reduced treasury of the pharaoh and the aristocracy with plunder."

One and another of the young lords made bold to ask the prince what he thought of a.s.syrians. Rameses was silent, but the gleam in his eyes and his fixed lips expressed his feelings sufficiently.

"It is clear," whispered the lords, later on, "that this dynasty is bound by the priesthood. It yields not its confidence to n.o.bles; great misfortunes are threatening Egypt."

Silent anger was soon turned into secret councils, which had even the semblance of conspiracy. Though many persons took part in this action, the priests were self-confident, or knew nothing of this in their blindness; and Sargon, though he felt the existing hatred, did not attach to it importance. He learned that Prince Rameses disliked him, but that he attributed to the event in the arena, and to his jealousy in the affair of the priestess. Confident, however, in his position as amba.s.sador, 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.

The courtiers answered that one of his women was visiting their lord, and that they would not disturb him. But when Mentezufis insisted with increasing emphasis, they called out Rameses.