Itwasaftertheplagueoflocusts，whichatealltherewaslefttoeatinEgypt，sothatthepoorfolkwhohaddonenowrongandhadnaughttosaytothedealingsofPharaohwiththeIsraelitesstarvedbythethousand，andduringthatofthegreatdarkness，thatLabancame。Nowthisdarknesslayuponthelandlikeathickcloudforthreewholedaysandnights。Nevertheless，thoughtheshadowsweredeep，therewasnotruedarknessoverthehouseofSetiatMemphis，whichstoodinafunnelofgreylightstretchingfromearthtosky。
Nowtheterrorwasincreasedtenfold，anditseemedtomethatallthehundredsofthousandsofMemphisweregatheredoutsideourwalls，sothattheymightlookuponthelight，suchasitwas，iftheycoulddonomore。Setiwouldhaveadmittedasmanyastheplacewouldhold，butKibadehimnot，saying，thatifhedidsothedarknesswouldflowinwiththem。OnlyMerapididadmitsomeoftheIsraelitishwomenwhoweremarriedtoEgyptiansinthecity，thoughforherpainstheyonlycursedherasawitch。FornowmostoftheinhabitantsofMemphiswerecertainthatitwasMerapiwho，keepingherselfsafe，hadbroughtthesewoesuponthembecauseshewasaworshipperofanaliengod。
“IfshewhoistheloveofEgypt’sheirwouldbutsacrificetoEgypt’sgods，thesehorrorswouldpassfromus，“saidthey，having，asI
think，learnedtheirlessonfromthelipsofKi。OrperhapstheemissariesofUsertihadtaughtthem。
Oncemorewestoodbythegatewatchingthepeopleflittingtoandfrointhegloomwithout，forthissightfascinatedMerapi，asasnakefascinatesabird。ThenitwasthatLabanappeared。Iknewhishookednoseandhawk-likeeyesatonce，andsheknewhimalso。