Hesaidnomore，forthePrincessUserti，whotillnowhadremainedsilent，rantohim，andthrowingherarmsabouthim，begantowhisperinhisear。Hehearkenedtoher，thensathimselfdown，andspokeagain：
“ThePrincessbringsittomymindthatthisisagreatmatter，onenottobedealtwithhastily。ItmayhappenthatwhenthePrincehastakencounselwithher，andwithhisownheart，andperchancehassoughtthewisdomofthegods，hewillchangethewordswhichhavepassedhislips。Icommandyou，Prince，towaituponmehereatthissamehouronthethirddayfromthis。Meanwhile，Icommandallpresent，uponpainofdeath，tosaynothingofwhathaspassedwithinthesewalls。“
“IhearPharaoh，“saidthePrince，bowing。
MeneptahrosetoshowthattheCouncilwasdischarged，whentheVizierNehesiapproachedhim，andasked：
“WhatoftheHebrewprisoners，OPharaoh，thosemurdererswhowerecapturedinthepass？“
“Theirguiltisproved。Letthembebeatenwithrodstilltheydie，andiftheyhavewivesorchildren，letthembeseizedandsoldasslaves。“
“Pharaoh’swillbedone!“saidtheVizier。
ThateveningIsatillateaseinmywork-chamberinSeti’spalace，makingpretencetowrite，IwhofeltthatgreatevilsthreatenedmylordthePrince，andknewnotwhattodototurnthemfromhim。Thedooropened，andoldPambasathechamberlainappearedandaddressedmebymynewtitles，sayingthattheHebrewladyMerapi，whohadbeenmynurseinsickness，wishedtospeakwithme。Presentlyshecameandstoodbeforeme。
“ScribeAna，“shesaid，“IhavebutjustseenmyuncleJabez，whohascome，orbeensent，withamessagetome，“andshehesitated。
“Whywashesent，Lady？TobringyounewsofLaban？“
“Notso。Labanhasfledawayandnoneknowwhereheis，andJabezhasonlyescapedmuchtroubleastheuncleofatraitressbyundertakingthismission。“
“Whatisthemission？“
“Toprayme，ifIwouldsavemyselffromdeathandthevengeanceofGod，toworkupontheheartofhisHighness，whichIknownothowtodo-“
“YetIthinkyoumightfindmeans，Merapi。“
“-savethroughyou，hisfriendandcounsellor，“shewenton，turningawayherface。“JabezhaslearnedthatitisinthemindofPharaohutterlytodestroythepeopleofIsrael。“
“Howdoesheknowthat，Merapi？“
“Icannotsay，butIthinkalltheHebrewsknow。Iknewitmyselfthoughnonehadtoldme。HehaslearnedalsothatthiscannotbedoneunderthelawofEgyptunlessthePrincewhoisheirtothethroneandoffullageconsents。NowIamcometoprayyoutopraythePrincenottoconsent。“
“WhynotpraytothePrinceyourself，Merapi-“Ibegan，whenfromtheshadowsbehindmeIheardthevoiceofSeti，whohadenteredbytheprivatedoorbearingsomewritingsinhishand，saying：
“AndwhatprayerhastheladyMerapitomaketome？Nay，riseandspeak，MoonofIsrael。“
“OPrince，“shepleaded，“myprayeristhatyouwillsavetheHebrewsfromdeathbythesword，asyoualonehavethepowertodo。“
AtthismomentthedoorsopenedandinswepttheroyalUserti。
“Whatdoesthiswomanhere？“sheasked。
“IthinkthatshecametoseeAna，wife，asIdid，andasdoubtlessyoudo。Alsobeinghereshepraysmetosaveherpeoplefromthesword。“
“AndIprayyou，husband，togiveherpeopletothesword，whichtheyhaveearned，whowouldhavemurderedyou。“
“Andbeenpaid，everyoneofthem，Userti，unlesssomestilllingerbeneaththerods，“headdedwithashudder。“Therestareinnocent——
whyshouldtheydie？“
“Becauseyourthronehangsuponit，Seti。IsaythatifyoucontinuetothwartthewillofPharaoh，asbythelawofEgyptyoucando，hewilldisinherityouandsetyourcousinAmenmesesinyourplace，asbythelawofEgypthecando。“
“Ithoughtit，Userti。YetwhyshouldIturnmybackupontherightoveramatterofmyprivatefortunes？Thequestionis——isittheright？“
Shestaredathiminamazement，shewhoneverunderstoodSetiandcouldnotdreamthathewouldthrowawaythegreatestthroneinalltheworldtosaveasubjectpeople，merelybecausehethoughtthattheyshouldnotdie。Still，warnedbysomeinstinct，sheleftthefirstquestionunanswered，dealingonlywiththesecond。
“Itistheright，“shesaid，“formanyreasonswhereofIneedgivebutone，forinitliealltheothers。ThegodsofEgyptarethetruegodswhomwemustserveandobey，orperishhereandhereafter。ThegodoftheIsraelitesisafalsegodandthosewhoworshiphimarehereticsandbytheirheresyundersentenceofdeath。Thereforeitismostrightthatthosewhomthetruegodshavecondemnedshoulddiebytheswordsoftheirservants。“
“Thatiswellargued，Userti，andifitbeso，mayhapmymindwillbecomeasyoursinthismatter，sothatIshallnolongerstandbetweenPharaohandhisdesire。Butisitso？There’stheproblem。I
willnotaskyouwhyyousaythatthegodsoftheEgyptiansarethetruegods，becauseIknowwhatyouwouldanswer，orratherthatyoucouldgivenoanswer。ButIwillaskthisladywhetherhergodisafalsegod，andifsherepliesthatheisnot，Iwillaskhertoprovethistomeifshecan。Ifsheisabletoproveit，thenIthinkthatwhatIsaidtoPharaohto-dayIshallrepeatthreedayshence。Ifsheisnotabletoproveit，thenIshallconsiderveryearnestlyofthematter。Answernow，MoonofIsrael，rememberingthatmanythousandsoflivesmayhangonwhatyousay。“
“OyourHighness，“beganMerapi。Thenshepaused，claspedherhandsandlookedupwards。Ithinkthatshewaspraying，forherlipsmoved。
AsshestoodthusIsaw，andIthinkSetisawalso，averywonderfullightgrowonherfaceandgatherinhereyes，akindofdivinefireofinspirationandresolve。
“HowcanI，apoorHebrewmaiden，provetoyourHighnessthatmyGodisthetrueGodandthatthegodsofEgyptarefalsegods？Iknownot，andyet，isthereanyonegodamongallthemanywhomyouworship，whomyouarepreparedtosetupagainsthim？“
“Ofasurety，Israelite，“answeredUserti。“ThereisAmon-Ra，Fatherofthegods，ofwhomallothergodshavetheirbeing，andfromwhomtheydrawtheirstrength。Yonderhisstatuesitsinthesanctuaryofhisancienttemple。Letyourgodstirhimfromhisplace!ButwhatwillyoubringforwardagainstthemajestyofAmon-Ra？“
“MyGodhasnostatues，Princess，andhisplaceisintheheartsofmen，orsoIhavebeentaughtbyhisprophets。Ihavenothingtobringforwardinthiswarsavethatwhichmustbeofferedinallwars——mylife。“
“Whatdoyoumean？“askedSeti，astounded。
“ImeanthatI，unfriendedandalone，willenterthepresenceofAmon-
Rainhischosensanctuary，andinthenameofmyGodwillchallengehimtokillme，ifhecan。“
Westaredather，andUsertiexclaimed：
“Ifhecan!Hearkennowtothisblasphemer，anddoyou，Seti，acceptherchallengeashereditaryhigh-priestofthegodAmon？Letherlifepayforfeitforhersacrilege。“
“AndifthegreatgodAmoncannot，ordoesnotdeigntokillyou，Lady，howwillthatprovethatyourgodisgreaterthanhe？“askedthePrince。“Perhapshemightsmileandinhispity，lettheinsultpass，asyourgoddidbyme。“
“Thusitshallbeproved，yourHighness。Ifnaughthappenstome，orifIamprotectedfromanythingthatdoeshappen，thenIwilldaretocalluponmygodtoworkasignandawonder，andtohumbleAmon-Rabeforeyoureyes。“
“Andifyourgodshouldalsosmileandletthematterpass，Lady，ashedidbymetheotherdaywhenhispriestscalleduponhim，whatshallwehavelearnedastohisstrength，orastothatofAmon-Ra？“
“OPrince，youwillhavelearnednothing。YetifIescapefromthewrathofAmonandmyGodisdeaftomyprayer，thenIamreadytobedeliveredoverintothehandsofthepriestsofAmonthattheymayavengemysacrilegeuponme。“
“Therespeaksagreatheart，“saidSeti；“yetIamnotmindedthatthisladyshouldsetherlifeuponsuchanissue。Idonotbelievethateitherthehigh-godofEgyptorthegodoftheIsraeliteswillstir，butIamquitesurethatthepriestsofAmonwillavengethesacrilege，andthatcruellyenough。Thediceareloadedagainstyou，Lady。Youshallnotproveyourfaithwithblood。“
“Whynot？“askedUserti。“Whatisthisgirltoyou，Seti，thatyoushouldstandbetweenherandthefruitofherwickedness，youwhoatleastinnamearethehigh-priestofthegodwhomsheblasphemesandwhowearhisrobesattemplefeasts？Shebelievesinhergod，leaveittohergodtohelpherasshehasdaredtosayhewill。“
“YoubelieveinAmon，Userti。Areyoupreparedtostakeyourlifeagainsthersinthiscontest？“
“Iamnotsomadandvain，Seti，astobelievethatthegodofalltheworldwilldescendfromheaventosavemeatmyprayer，asthisimpiousgirlpretendsthatshebelieves。“
“Yourefuse。Then，Ana，whatsayyou，whoarealoyalworshipperofAmon？“
“Isay，OPrince，thatitwouldbepresumptuousofmetotakeprecedenceofhishigh-priestinsuchamatter。“