Thatnighttherewerenonewhorejoicedinthestreetsofthecity，andsaveinthepalaceandhousesofthoseoftheCourt，nonewhofeasted。Iwalkedabroadinthemarket-placeandnotedthepeoplegoingtoandfrogloomily，ortalkingtogetherinwhispers。Presentlyamanwhosefacewashiddeninahoodbegantospeakwithme，sayingthathehadamessageformymaster，thePrinceSeti。IansweredthatItooknomessagesfromveiledstrangers，whereonhethrewbackhishood，andIsawthatitwasJabez，theuncleofMerapi。IaskedhimwhetherhehadobeyedthePrince，andbornethebodyofthatprophetbacktoGoshenandtoldtheeldersofthemanneroftheman’sdeath。
“Yes，“heanswered，“norweretheEldersangrywiththePrinceoverthismatter。Theysaidthattheirmessengerhadexceededhisauthority，sincetheyhadnevertoldhimtocurseMerapi，andmuchlessattempttokillher，andthatthePrincedidrighttoslayonewhowouldhavedonemurderbeforehisroyaleyes。Stilltheyaddedthatthecurse，havingoncebeenspokenbythispriest，wouldsurelyfalluponMerapiinthiswayorinthat。“
“Whatthenshouldshedo，Jabez？“
“Idonotknow，Scribe。Ifshereturnstoherpeople，perchanceshewillbeabsolved，butthenshemustsurelymarryLaban。Itisforhertojudge。“
“Andwhatwouldyoudoifyouwereinherplace，Jabez？“
“IthinkthatIshouldstaywhereIwas，andmakemyselfverydeartoSeti，takingthechancethatthecursemaypassherby，sinceitwasnotlawfullydecreeduponher。Whicheverwayshelooks，troublewaits，andattheworst，awomanmightwishtosatisfyherheartbeforeitfalls，especiallyifthatheartshouldhappentoturntoonewhowillbePharaoh。“
“Whydoyousay’whowillbePharaoh，’Jabez？“Iasked，forwewerestandinginanemptyplacealone。
“ThatImaynottellyou，“herepliedcunningly，“yetitwillcomeaboutasIsay。HewhositsuponthethroneismadasMeneptahwasmad，andwillfightagainstastrengththatisgreaterthanhisuntilitoverwhelmshim。InthePrince’sheartalonedoesthelightofwisdomshine。Thatwhichyousawto-dayisonlythefirstofmanymiracles，ScribeAna。Icansaynomore。“
“Whatthenisyourmessage，Jabez？“
“This：BecausethePrincehasstriventodealwellwiththepeopleofIsraelandfortheirsakehascastasideacrown，whatevermaychancetoothers，lethimfearnothing。Noharmshallcometohim，ortothoseabouthim，suchasyourself，ScribeAna，whoalsowoulddealjustlybyus。YetitmayhappenthatthroughmynieceMerapi，onwhoseheadtheevilwordhasfallen，agreatsorrowmaycometobothhimandher。Therefore，perhaps，althoughsettingthisagainstthat，shemaybewisetostayinthehouseofSeti，he，onthebalance，maybewisetoturnherfromhisdoors。“
“Whatsorrow？“Iasked，whogrewbewilderedwithhisdarktalk，buttherewasnoanswer，forhehadgone。
Neartomylodginganothermanmetme，andthemoonlightshiningonhisfaceshowedmetheterribleeyesofKi。
“ScribeAna，“hesaid，“youleaveforMemphisto-morrowatthedawn，andnottwodayshenceasyoupurposed。“
“Howdoyouknowthat，MagicianKi？“Ianswered，forIhadtoldmychangeofplantonone，noteventoBakenkhonsu，havingindeedonlydetermineduponitsinceJabezleftme。
“Iknownothing，Ana，savethatafaithfulservantwhohaslearnedallyouhavelearnedto-daywillhurrytomakereportofittohismaster，especiallyifthereissomeothertowhomhewouldalsowishtomakereport，asBakenkhonsuthinks。“
“Bakenkhonsutalkstoomuch，whateverhemaythink，“Iexclaimedtestily。
“Theagedgrowgarrulous。Youwereatthecrowningto-day，wereyounot？“
“Yes，andifIsawarightfromfaraway，thoseHebrewprophetsseemedtoworstyouatyourowntradethere，Kherheb，whichmustgrieveyou，asyouweregrievedinthetemplewhenAmonfell。“
“Itdoesnotgrieveme，Ana。IfIhavepowers，theremaybeotherswhohavegreaterpowers，asIlearnedinthetempleofAmon。WhythereforeshouldIfeelashamed？“
“Powers!“Irepliedwithalaugh，forthestringsofmymindseemedtornthatnight，“wouldnotcraftbeabetterword？Howdoyouturnastickintoasnake，athingwhichisimpossibletoman？“
“Craftmightbeabetterword，sincecraftmeansknowledgeaswellastrickery。’Impossibletoman!’AfterwhatyousawawhileagointhetempleofAmon，doyouholdthatthereisanythingimpossibletomanorwoman？Perhapsyoucoulddoasmuchyourself。“
“Whydoyoumockme，Ki？Istudybooks，notsnake-charming。“
Helookedatmeinhiscalmfashion，asthoughhewerereading，notmyface，butthethoughtsbehindit。Thenhelookedatthecedarwandinhishandandgaveittome，saying：
“Studythis，Ana，andtellme，whatisit。“
“AmIachild，“Iansweredangrily，“thatIshouldnotknowapriest’srodwhenIseeone？“
“Ithinkthatyouaresomethingofachild，Ana，“hemurmured，allthewhilekeepingthoseeyesofhisfixeduponmyface。
Thenahorrorcameabout。FortherodbegantotwistinmyhandandwhenIstaredatit，lo!itwasalong，yellowsnakewhichIheldbythetail。Ithrewthereptiledownwithascream，foritwasturningitsheadasthoughtostrikeme，andthereinthedustittwistedandwrithedawayfrommeandtowardsKi。Yetaninstantlateritwasonlyastickofyellowcedar-wood，thoughbetweenmeandKitherewasasnake’strackinthesand。
“Itissomewhatshamelessofyou，Ana，“saidKi，asheliftedthewand，“toreproachmewithtrickerywhileyouyourselftrytoconfoundapoorjugglerwithsuchartsasthese。“
ThenIknownotwhatIsaidtohim，savetheendofitwasthatI
supposedhewouldtellmenextthatIcouldfillahallwithdarknessatnoondayandcoveramultitudewithterror。
“Letushavedonewithjests，“hesaid，“thoughthesearewellenoughintheirplace。Willyoutakethisrodagainandpointittothemoon？
Yourefuseandyoudowell，forneitheryounorIcancoverupherface。Ana，becauseyouarewiseinyourwayandconsortwithonewhoiswiser，andwerepresentinthetemplewhenthestatueofAmonwasshatteredbyacertainwitchwhomatchedherstrengthagainstmineandconqueredme，I，thegreatmagician，havecometoask/you/——whencecamethatdarknessinthehallto-day？“
“FromGod，Ithink，“Iansweredinanawedwhisper。
“SoIthinkalso，Ana。Buttellme，oraskMerapi，MoonofIsrael，totellme——fromwhatgod？Oh!IsaytoyouthataterriblepowerisafootinthislandandthatthePrinceSetididwelltorefusethethroneofEgyptandtoflytoMemphis。Repeatittohim，Ana。“
Thenhetoowasgone。
NowIreturnedinsafetytoMemphisandtoldallthesetidingstothePrince，wholistenedtothemeagerly。Onceonlywashegreatlystirred；itwaswhenIrepeatedtohimthewordsofUserti，thatneverwouldshelookuponhisfaceagainunlessitpleasedhimtoturnittowardsthethrone。Onhearingthistearscameintohiseyes，andrising，hewalkedupanddownthechamber。
“Thefallenmustnotlookforgentleness，“hesaid，“anddoubtless，Ana，youthinkitfollythatIshouldgrievebecauseIamthusdeserted。“
“Nay，Prince，forItoohavebeenabandonedbyawifeandthepainisunforgotten。“
“ItisnotofthewifeIthink，Ana，sinceintruthherHighnessisnowifetome。ForwhatevermaybetheancientlawsofEgypt，howcouldithappenotherwise，atanyrateinmycaseandhers？Itisofthesister。Forthoughmymotherwasnothers，sheandIwerebroughtuptogetherandinourwaylovedeachother，thoughalwaysitwasherpleasuretolorditoverme，asitwasminetosubmitandpayherbackinjests。ThatiswhysheissoangrybecausenowofasuddenIhavethrownoffherruletofollowmyownwillwherebyshehaslostthethrone。“
“IthasalwaysbeenthedutyoftheroyalheiressofEgypttomarrythePharaohofEgypt，Prince，andhavingwedonewhowouldbePharaohaccordingtothatduty，theblowcutsdeep。“
“ThenshehadbestthrustasidethatfoolishwifeofhisandwedhimwhoisPharaoh。Butthatshewillneverdo；Amenmesesshehasalwayshated，somuchthatsheloathedtobeinthesameplacewithhim。Norindeedwouldhewedher，whowishestoruleforhimself，notthroughawomanwhosetitletothecrownisbetterthanhisown。Well，shehasputmeawayandthere’sanend。HenceforthImustgolonely，unless——
unless-Continueyourstory，friend。Itiskindofherinhergreatnesstopromisetoprotectonesohumble。Ishouldrememberthat，althoughitistruethatfallenheadssometimesriseagain，“headdedbitterly。
“SoatleastJabezthinks，Prince，“andItoldhimhowtheIsraelitesweresurethathewouldbePharaoh，whereathelaughedandsaid：
“Perhaps，fortheyaregoodprophets。FormypartIneitherknoworcare。OrmaybeJabezseesadvantageintalkingthus，forasyouknowheisaclevertrader。“
“Idonotthinkso，“Iansweredandstopped。
“HadJabezmoretosayofanyothermatter，Ana？OftheladyMerapi，forinstance？“
Nowfeelingittobemyduty，ItoldhimeverywordthathadpassedbetweenJabezandmyself，thoughsomewhatshamefacedly。
“ThisHebrewtakesmuchforgranted，Ana，evenastowhomtheMoonofIsraelwouldwishtoshineupon。Why，friend，itmightbeyouwhomshedesirestotouchwithherlight，orsomeyouthinGoshen——notLaban——
ornoone。“
“Me，Prince，me!“Iexclaimed。
“Well，Ana，Iamsureyouwouldhaveitso。Beadvisedbymeandaskherminduponthematter。Looknotsoconfused，man，foronewhohasbeenmarriedyouaretoomodest。CometellmeofthisCrowning。“
SogladenoughtoescapefromthematterofMerapi，IspokeatlengthofallthathadhappenedwhenPharaohAmenmesestookhisseatuponthethrone。WhenIdescribedhowtherodoftheHebrewprophethadbeenturnedtoasnakeandhowKiandhiscompanyhaddonelikewise，thePrincelaughedandsaidthattheseweremerejugglers’tricks。ButwhenItoldofthedarknessthathadseemedtogatherinthehallandofthegloomthatfilledtheheartsofallmenandoftheawesomedreamofBakenkhonsu，alsoofthewordsofKiafterhehadcloudedmymindandplayedhisjestuponme，helistenedwithmuchearnestnessandanswered：