"It cannot be hidden," thought he. "I have betrayed myself and procured mortal enemies. The position is difficult. The struggle begins at a moment which is for me most unfavorable. But let us go on.

More than one pharaoh has struggled with the priests and conquered, even without having very strong allies."

Still he felt the danger of his position so clearly that at that moment he swore by the sacred head of his father that he would never drink wine again freely. He summoned Tutmosis. The confidant appeared at once, perfectly sober.

"We have a war, and I am commander," said the viceroy.

Tutmosis bent to the earth.

"I will never get drunk again," added the prince. "And knowest thou why?"

"A leader should abstain from wine and stupefying perfumes," said Tutmosis.

"I have not thought of that,--that is nothing; but I have babbled out a secret before the priests."

"What secret?" cried the terrified Tutmosis.

"This,--that I hate them, and jeer at their miracles."

"Oh, that is no harm. They never calculate on the love of people."

"And that I know their political secrets," added the prince.

"Ei!" hissed Tutmosis. "That is the one thing that was not needed."

"No help for it now," said Rameses. "Send out our couriers immediately to the regiments; let the chiefs meet to-morrow morning in a military council. Give command to light alarm signals, so that all the troops of Lower Egypt may march toward the western border to-morrow. Go to the nomarchs here, and command them to inform all the others to collect clothing, provisions, and weapons."

"We shall have trouble with the Nile," said Tutmosis.

"Then let every boat and barge be held at the arms of the Nile to ferry over troops. We must summon every nomarch to occupy himself in fitting out reserves."

Meanwhile Mefres and Mentezufis returned to their dwellings in the temple of Ptah. When they were alone in a cell, the high priest raised his hands, and exclaimed,--

"O Trinity of immortal G.o.ds,--Osiris, Isis, and Horus,--save Egypt from destruction! Since the world became the world, no pharaoh has ever uttered so many blasphemies as we have heard to-day from that stripling. What do I say, pharaoh?--No enemy of Egypt, no Hitt.i.te, Phnician, or Libyan has ever dared so to insult priestly immunity."

"Wine makes a man transparent," answered Mentezufis.

"But in that youthful heart is a nest of serpents. He insults the priestly rank, he jeers at miracles, he has no belief in G.o.ds."

"But this concerns me most," said Mentezufis, thoughtfully,--"how did he learn of our negotiations with Beroes? for he knows them, I will swear to that."

"A dreadful treason has been committed," added Mefres, seizing his head.

"A very wonderful thing! There were four of us."

"Not at all four of us. The elder priestess of Isis knew of Beroes, two priests who showed him the road to the temple of Set, and a priest who received him at the door. But wait! that priest spends all his time in underground places. But if he overheard?"

"In every case he did not sell the secret to a stripling, but to some one more important; and that is dangerous."

The high priest of the temple of Ptah, the holy Sem, knocked at the door of the cell.

"Peace to you," said he, entering.

"Blessing to thy heart."

"I came, for ye were raising your voices as if some misfortune had happened. Does this war with the wretched Libyans not surprise you?"

"What dost thou think of the prince,--the heir to the throne?" asked Mentezufis, interrupting him.

"I think," answered Sem, "that he must be quite satisfied with the war and supreme command. He is a born hero. When I look at him I remember that lion, Rameses the Great. This youth is ready to rush at all the bands of Libya, and, indeed, he may scatter them."

"This youth," added Mefres, "is capable of overturning all our temples, and wiping Egypt from the face of the earth."

Holy Sem drew forth quickly a gold amulet which he wore on his breast, and whispered,--

"Flee, evil words, to the desert. Go far, and harm not the just. What art thou saying, worthiness?" continued he, more loudly, and in a tone of reproach.

"The worthy Mefres speaks truth," said Mentezufis. "Thy head would ache, and thy stomach also, should human lips repeat the blasphemous words which we have heard this day from that giddy stripling."

"Jest not, O prophet," said the high priest Sem, with indignation.

"Sooner would I believe that water burns and air quenches than that Rameses would commit blasphemy."

"He did so in seeming drunkenness," said Mefres, maliciously.

"Even if he were drunk--I do not deny that the prince is frivolous, and a rioter; but a blasphemer--"

"So, too, did we think," said Mentezufis. "And we were so sure of knowing his character that when he returned from the temple of Hator we ceased even to exercise control over him."

"Thou wert sparing of gold to pay men for watching," said Mefres.

"Thou seest now what results are involved in a neglect which seemed slight to thee."

"But what has happened?" inquired Sem, impatiently.

"I will answer briefly: the prince reviles the G.o.ds."

"Oho!"

"He criticises the commands of the pharaoh."

"Is it possible?"

"He calls the supreme council traitors."

"But--"

"But from whom did he learn of the coming of Beroes, even of his interview with Mefres, Herhor, and Pentuer, in the temple of Set?"

The high priest Sem, seizing his head with both hands, walked up and down through the cell.