“Sayon，“mutteredMeneptah。
“Pharaoh，havingyourleave，ItellyouthatIthinkyouhavedoneaveryevilworkthisday，onethatisunpleasingtothosePowerswhichruletheworld，whoeverandwhatsoevertheymaybe，onetoothatwillbringuponEgyptsorrowscountlessasthesand。IbelievethattheseHebrewswhomyouunjustlyseektoslayworshipagodasgreatorgreaterthanourown，andthattheyandhewilltriumphoverEgypt。I
believealsothatthemightyheritagewhichyouhavetakenfrommewillbringneitherjoynorhonourtohimbywhomithasbeenreceived。“
HereAmenmesesstartedforward，butMeneptahhelduphishand，andhewassilent。
“Ibelieve，Pharaoh——alas!thatImustsayit——thatyourdaysoneartharefewandthatforthelasttimewelookoneachotherliving。
Farewell，Pharaohmyfather，whomstillIlovemayhapmoreinthishourofpartingthaneverIdidbefore。Farewell，Amenmeses，PrinceofEgypt。Takefrommethisornamentwhichhenceforthshouldbewornbyyouonly，“andliftingfromhisheaddressthatroyalcircletwhichmarkstheheirtothethrone，heheldittoAmenmeses，whotookitand，withasmileoftriumph，setitonhisbrow。
“Farewell，LordsandCouncillors；itismyhopethatinyonderprinceyouwillfindamastermoretoyourlikingthateverIcouldhavebeen。Come，Ana，myfriend，ifitstillpleasesyoutoclingtomeforalittlewhile，nowthatIhavenothinglefttogive。“
Forafewmomentshestoodstilllookingveryearnestlyathisfather，wholookedbackathimwithtearsinhisdeep-set，fadedeyes。
Then，thoughwhetherthiswasbychanceIcannotsay，takingnonoteofthePrincessUserti，whogazedathimperplexedandwrathful，Setidrewhimselfupandcriedintheancientform：
“Life!Blood!Strength!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!“andbowedalmosttotheground。
Meneptahheard。Mutteringbeneathhisbreath，“Oh!Seti，myson，mymostbelovedson!“hestretchedouthisarmsasthoughtocallhimbackorperhapstoclasphim。AshedidsoIsawhisfacechange。Nextinstanthefellforwardtothegroundandlaytherestill。Allthecompanystoodstruckwithhorror，onlytheroyalphysicianrantohim，whileRoiandotherswhowerepriestsbegantomutterprayers。
“HasthegoodgodbeengatheredtoOsiris？“askedAmenmesespresentlyinahoarsevoice，“becauseifitbeso，IamPharaoh。“
“Nay，Amenmeses，“exclaimedUserti，“thedecreeshavenotyetbeensealedorpromulgated。Theyhaveneitherstrengthnorweight。“
Beforehecouldanswerthephysiciancried：
“Peace!Pharaohstilllives，hisheartbeats。Thisisbutafitwhichmaypass。Begone，everyone，hemusthavequiet。“
Sowewent，butfirstSetikneltdownandkissedhisfatheronthebrow。
AnhourlaterthePrincessUsertibrokeintotheroomofhispalacewherethePrinceandIweretalking。
“Seti，“shesaid，“Pharaohstilllives，butthephysicianssayhewillbedeadbydawn。Thereisyettime。HereIhaveawriting，sealedwithhissignetandwitnessed，whereinherecallsallthathedecreedintheCourtto-day，anddeclaresyou，hisson，tobethetrueandonlyheirofthethroneofEgypt。“
“Isitso，wife？Tellmenowhowdidadyingmaninaswooncommandandsealthiswriting？“andhetouchedthescrollsheheldinherhand。
“Herecoveredforalittlewhile；Nehesiwilltellyouhow，“shereplied，lookinghiminthefacewithcoldeyes。Thenbeforehecouldspeak，sheadded，“Wastenomorebreathinquestions，butactandatonce。TheGeneraloftheguardswaitsbelow；heisyourfaithfulservant。ThroughhimIhavepromisedagifttoeverysoldieronthedaythatyouarecrowned。Nehesiandmostoftheofficersareonourside。OnlythepriestsareagainstusbecauseofthatHebrewwitchwhomyoushelter，andofhertribewhomyoubefriend；buttheyhavenothadtimetostirupthepeoplenorwilltheyattemptrevolt。Act，Seti，act，fornonewillmovewithoutyourexpresscommand。Moreover，noquestionwillberaisedafterwards，sincefromThebestotheseaandthroughouttheworldyouareknowntobetheheirofEgypt。“
“Whatwouldyouhavemedo，wife？“askedSeti，whenshepausedforlackofbreath。
“Cannotyouguess？MustIputstatecraftintoyourheadaswellasaswordintoyourhand？Whythatscribeofyours，whofollowsyourheelslikeafavoureddog，wouldbemoreaptapupil。Hearkenthen。
Amenmeseshassentouttogatherstrength，butasyettherearenotfiftymenabouthimwhomhecantrust。“Sheleantforwardandwhisperedfiercely，“Killthetraitor，Amenmeses——allwillholditarighteousact，andtheGeneralwaitsyourword。ShallIsummonhim？“
“Ithinknot，“answeredSeti。“BecausePharaoh，ashehasarighttodo，ispleasedtonameacertainmanofroyalbloodtosucceedhim，howdoesthismakethatmanatraitortoPharaohwhostilllives？But，traitorornone，IwillnotmurdermycousinAmenmeses。“
“Thenhewillmurderyou。“
“Maybe。ThatisamatterbetweenhimandthegodswhichIleavethemtosettle。Theoathhesworeto-dayisnotonetobelightlybroken。
Butwhetherhebreaksitornot，Ialsosworeanoath，atleastinmyheart，namelythatIwouldnotattempttodisputethewillofPharaohwhom，afterall，Iloveasmyfatherandhonourasmyking，Pharaohwhostilllivesandmay，asIhope，recover。WhatshouldIsaytohimifherecoveredor，attheworst，whenatlastwemeetelsewhere？“
“Pharaohneverwillrecover；Ihavespokentothephysicianandhetoldmeso。Alreadytheypiercehisskulltoletouttheevilspiritofsickness，afterwhichnoneofourfamilyhavelivedforverylong。“
“Because，asIhold，thereby，whateverpriestsandphysiciansmaysay，theyletinthegoodspiritofdeath。Ana，IprayyouifI-“
“Man，“shebrokein，strikingherhanduponthetablebywhichshestood，“doyouunderstandthatwhileyoumuseandmoraliseyourcrownispassingfromyou？“
“Ithasalreadypassed，Lady。DidyounotseemegiveittoAmenmeses？“
“Doyouunderstandthatyouwhoshouldbethegreatestkinginalltheworld，insomefewhoursifindeedyouareallowedtolive，willbenothingbutaprivatecitizenofEgypt，oneatwhomtheverybeggarsmayspitandtakenoharm？“
“Surely，Wife。Moreover，thereislittlevirtueinwhatIdo，sinceonthewholeIpreferthatprospectandamwillingtotaketheriskofbeinghurriedfromanevilworld。Hearken，“headded，withachangeoftoneandgesture。“Youthinkmeafoolandaweakling；adreameralso，you，theclear-eyed，hard-brainedstateswomanwholooktotheglitteringgainofthemomentforwhichyouarereadytopayinblood，andguessnothingofwhatliesbeyond。Iamnoneofthesethings，except，perchance，thelast。Iamonlyamanwhostrivestobejustandtodoright，asrightseemstome，andifIdream，itisofgood，notevil，asIunderstandgoodandevil。Youaresurethatthisdreamingofminewillleadmetoworldlylossandshame。Evenofthat/I/amnotsure。Thethoughtcomestomethatitmayleadmetothoseverybaublesonwhichyousetyourheart，butbyapathstrewnwithspicesandwithflowers，notbyonepavedwiththebonesofmenandreekingwiththeirgore。Crownsthatareboughtwiththepromiseofbloodandheldwithcrueltyareapttobelostinblood，Userti。“
Shewavedherhand。“Iprayyoukeeptherest，Seti，tillIhavemoretimetolisten。MoreoverifIneedprophecies，IthinkitbettertoturntoKiandthosewhomakethemtheirlife-study。Formethisisadayofdeeds，notdreams，andsinceyourefusemyhelp，andbehaveasasickgirllostinfancies，Imustseetomyself。AswhileyouliveI
cannotreignaloneorwagewarinmyownnameonly，IgotomaketermswithAmenmeses，whowillpaymehighforpeace。“
“Yougo——anddoyoureturn，Userti？“
Shedrewherselftoherfullheight，lookingveryroyal，andansweredslowly：
“Idonotreturn。I，thePrincessofEgypt，cannotliveasthewifeofacommonmanwhofallsfromathronetosethimselfupontheearth，andsmearshisownbrowwithmudforaur？uscrown。Whenyourpropheciescometrue，Seti，andyoucrawlfromyourdust，thenperhapswemayspeakagain。“
“Aye，Userti，butthequestionis，whatshallwesay？“
“Meanwhile，“sheadded，assheturned，“Ileaveyoutoyourchosencounsellors——yonderscribe，whomfoolishness，notwisdom，haswhitenedbeforehistime，andperchancetheHebrewsorceress，whocangiveyoumoonbeamstodrinkfromthosefalselipsofhers。Farewell，Seti，onceaprinceandmyhusband。“
“Farewell，Userti，who，Ifear，muststillremainmysister。“
Thenhewatchedhergo，andturningtome，said：
“To-day，Ana，Ihavelostbothacrownandawife，yetstrangetotellIdonotknowwhichofthesecalamitiesgrievesmeleast。Yetitistimethatfortuneturned。Ormayhapalltheevilsarenotdone。Wouldyounotgoalso，Ana？Althoughshegibesatyouinheranger，thePrincessthinkswellofyou，andwouldkeepyouinherservice。
Remember，whoeverfallsinEgypt，shewillbegreattillthelast。“
“Oh!Prince，“Ianswered，“haveInotborneenoughto-daythatyoumustaddinsulttomyload，youwithwhomIbrokethecupandsworetheoath？“
“What!“helaughed。“IsthereoneinEgyptwhoremembersoathstohisownloss？Ithankyou，Ana，“andtakingmyhandhepressedit。
Atthatmomentthedooropened，andoldPambasaentered，saying：
“TheHebrewwoman，Merapi，wouldseeyou；alsotwoHebrewmen。“
“Admitthem，“saidSeti。“Note，Ana，howyonderoldtime-serverturnshisfacefromthesettingsun。Thismorningevenitwouldhavebeen’toseeyourHighness，’utteredwithbowssolowthathisbeardsweptthefloor。Nowitis’toseeyou’andnotsomuchasaninclinationoftheheadincommoncourtesy。This，moreover，fromonewhohasrobbedmeyearbyyearandgrownfatonbribes。Itisthefirstofmanybitterlessons，orratherthesecond——thatofherHighnesswasthefirst；IpraythatImaylearnthemwithhumility。“
Whilehemusedthusand，havingnocomforttooffer，Ilistenedsadatheart，Merapientered，andamomentafterherthewide-eyedmessengerwhomwehadseeninPharaoh’sCourt，andheruncleJabezthecunningmerchant。ShebowedlowtoSeti，andsmiledatme。Thentheothertwoappeared，andwithsmallsalutationthemessengerbegantospeak。
“Youknowmydemand，Prince，“hesaid。“Itisthatthiswomanshouldbereturnedtoherpeople。Jabez，heruncle，willleadheraway。“
“Andyouknowmyanswer，Israelite，“answeredSeti。“ItisthatIhavenopoweroverthecomingorthegoingoftheladyMerapi，oratleastwishtoclaimnone。Addressyourselftoher。“
“Whatisityouwishwithme，Priest？“askedMerapiquickly。
“ThatyoushouldreturntothetownofGoshen，daughterofNathan。
Haveyounoearstohear？“
“Ihear，butifIreturn，whatwillyouofme？“