“Go，andthegodsbewithyou，friend，butstaynottoolongcopyingthoserolls，whichanyscribecando。IthinkthereistroubleathandinEgypt，andIshallneedyouatmyside。Anotherwhoholdsyoudearwillneedyoualso。“
“Ithankmylordandthatother，“Isaid，bowing，andwent。
Moreover，whileIwasmakingsomehumbleprovisionformyjourney，I
foundthatthiswasneedless，sinceaslavecametotellmethatthePrince’sbargewaswaitingtosailwiththewind。SointhatbargeI
travelledtoThebeslikeagreatnoble，oraroyalmummybeingbornetoburial。Onlyinsteadofwailingpriests，untilIsentthembacktoMemphis，musicianssatupontheprow，andwhenIwilled，dancinggirlscametoamusemyleisureand，veiledingoldennets，toserveatmytable。
SoIjourneyedasthoughIwerethePrincehimself，andasonewhowasknowntohavehisearwasmademuchofbythegovernorsoftheNomes，thechiefmenofthetowns，andthehighpriestsofthetemplesateverycitywherewemoored。For，asIhavesaid，althoughAmenmesessatuponthethrone，SetistillruledintheheartsofthefolkofEgypt。Moreover，asIsailedfurtheruptheNiletodistrictswherelittlewasknownoftheIsraelites，andthetroublestheywerebringingontheland，Ifoundthistobesomoreandmore。Whyisit，theGreatOneswouldwhisperinmyear，thathisHighnessthePrinceSetidoesnotholdhisfather’splace？ThenIwouldtellthemoftheHebrews，andtheywouldlaughandsay：
“LetthePrinceunfurlhisroyalbannerhere，andwewillshowhimwhatwethinkofthequestionoftheseIsraelitishslaves。MaynottheHeirofEgyptformhisownjudgmentonsuchamatterastowhethertheyshouldabidethereinthenorth，orgoawayintothatwildernesswhichtheydesire？“
Toallofwhich，andmuchlikeit，Iwouldonlyanswerthattheirwordsshouldbereported。MoreIdidnot，andindeeddidnotdaretosay，sinceeverywhereIfoundthatIwasbeingfollowedandwatchedbythespiesofPharaoh。
AtlengthIcametoThebesandtookupmyabodeinafinehousethatwasthepropertyofthePrince，whichIfoundthatamessengerhadcommandedshouldbemadereadyforme。ItstoodnearbytheentrancetotheAvenueofSphinxes，whichleadstothegreatestofalltheThebantemples，whereisthatmightycolumnedhallbuiltbythefirstSetiandhisson，RamesesII，thePrince’sgrandfather。
Here，havingentrancetotheplace，Iwouldoftenwanderatnight，andinmyspiritdrawasneartoheavenaseverithasbeenmylottotravel。Also，crossingtheNiletothewesternbank，IvisitedthatdesolatevalleywheretherulersofEgyptlieatrest。ThetombofPharaohMeneptahwasstillunsealed，andaccompaniedbyasinglepriestwithtorches，IcreptdownitspaintedhallsandlookeduponthesarcophagusofhimwhomsolatelyIhadseenseatedingloryuponthethrone，wondering，asIlooked，howmuchorhowlittleheknewofallthatpassedinEgyptto-day。
Moreover，IcopiedthepapyrithatIhadcometoseek，inwhichtherewasnothingworthpreserving，andsomeofrealvaluethatIdiscoveredintheancientlibrariesofthetemples，andpurchasedothers。Oneoftheseindeedtoldaverystrangetalethathasgivenmemuchcauseforthought，especiallyoflateyearsnowwhenallmyfriendsaredead。
ThusIspenttwomonths，andshouldhavestayedlongerhadnotmessengersreachedmefromthePrincesayingthathedesiredmyreturn。Ofthese，onefollowedwithinthreedaysoftheother，andhiswordswere：
“Thinkyou，ScribeAna，thatbecauseIamnomorePrinceofEgyptIamnolongertobeobeyed？Ifso，bearinmindthatthegodsmaydecreethatonedayIshallgrowtallerthaneverIwasbefore，andthenbesurethatIwillrememberyourdisobedience，andmakeyoushorterbyahead。Comeswiftly，myfriend，forIgrowlonely，andneedamantotalkwith。“
TowhichIreplied，thatIreturnedasfastasthebargewouldcarryme，beingsoheavilyladenwiththemanuscriptsthatIhadcopiedandpurchased。
SoIstarted，being，totelltruth，gladtogetaway，forthisreason。
Twonightsbefore，whenIwaswalkingalonefromthegreattempleofthehouse，awomandressedinmanycoloursappearedandaccostedmeassuchlostonesdo。Itriedtoshakeheroff，butsheclungtome，andIsawthatshehaddrunkmorethanenoughofwine。Presentlysheasked，inavoicethatIthoughtfamiliar，ifIknewwhowastheofficerthathadcometoThebesonthebusinessofsomeRoyalOneandabodeinthedwellingthatwasknownasHouseofthePrince。I
answeredthathisnamewasAna。
“OnceIknewanAnaverywell，“shesaid，“butIlefthim。“
“Why？“Iasked，turningcoldinmylimbs，foralthoughIcouldnotseeherfacebecauseofahoodshewore，nowIbegantobeafraid。
“Becausehewasapoorfool，“sheanswered，“nomanatall，butonewhowasalwaysthinkingaboutwritingsandmakingthem，andanothercamemywaywhomIlikedbetteruntilhedesertedme。“
“AndwhathappenedtothisAna？“Iasked。
“Idonotknow。Isupposehewentondreaming，orperhapshetookanotherwife；ifso，Iamsorryforher。Only，ifbychanceitisthesamethathascometoThebes，hemustbewealthynow，andIshallgoandclaimhimandmakehimkeepmewell。“
“Hadyouanychildren？“Iasked。
“Onlyone，thankthegods，andthatdied——thankthegodsagain，forotherwiseitmighthavelivedtobesuchasIam，“andshesobbedonceinahardfashionandthenfelltohervileendearments。
Asshedidso，thehoodslippedfromherheadandIsawthatthefacewasthatofmywife，stillbeauteousinaboldfashion，butgrowndreadfulwithdrinkandsin。Itrembledfromheadtofoot，thensaidinthedisguisedvoicethatIhadusedtoher。
“Woman，IknowthisAna。Heisdeadandyouwerehisruin。Still，becauseIwashisfriend，takethisandgoreformyourways，“andI
drewfrommyrobeandgavetoherabagcontainingnomeanweightofgold。
Shesnatcheditasahawksnatches，andseeingitscontentsbythestarlight，thankedme，saying：
“SurelyAnadeadisworthmorethanAnaalive。Alsoitiswellthatheisdead，forheisgonewherethechildwent，whichhelovedmorethanlife，neglectingmeforitssakeandtherebymakingmewhatIam。Hadhelived，too，beingasIhavesaidafool，hewouldhavehadmoreill-luckwithwomen，whomheneverunderstood。Farewell，friendofAna，whohavegivenmethatwhichwillenablemetofindanotherhusband，“andlaughingwildlyshereeledoffbehindasphinxandvanishedintothedarkness。
Forthisreason，then，IwasgladtoescapefromThebes。Moreover，thatmiserableonehadhurtmesorely，makingmesureofwhatIhadonlyguessed，namely，thatwithwomenIwasbutafool，sogreatafoolthatthenandthereIsworebymyguardiangodthatneverwouldI
lookwithloveononeofthemagain，anoathwhichIhavekeptwellwhateverothersImayhavebroken。Againshestabbedmethroughwiththetalkofourdeadchild，foritistruethatwhenthatsweetonetookflighttoOsirismyheartbrokeandinafashionhasnevermendeditselfagain。Lastly，IfearedlestitmightalsobetruethatIhadneglectedthemotherforthesakeofthischildwhichwasthejewelofmyworship，yes，andis，andtherebyhelpedherontoshame。SomuchdidthisthoughttormentmethatthroughanagentwhomItrusted，whobelievedthatIwasbutprovidingforonewhomIhadwronged，Icausedenoughtobepaidtohertokeepherincomfort。
Shedidmarryagain，amerchantaboutwhomshehadcasthertoils，andinduecoursespenthiswealthandbroughthimtoruin，afterwhichheranawayfromher。Asforher，shediedofherevilhabitsinthethirdyearofthereignofSetiII。But，thegodsbethankedsheneverknewthattheprivatescribeofPharaoh’schamberwasthatAnawhohadbeenherhusband。HereIwillendherstory。
NowasIwaspassingdowntheNilewithaheartmoreheavythanthegreatstonethatservedasanchoronthebarge，wemooredatduskonthethirdnightbythesideofavesselthatwassailingupNilewithastrongnortherlywind。OnboardthisboatwasanofficerwhomIhadknownattheCourtofPharaohMeneptah，travellingtoThebesonduty。
ThismanseemedsomuchafraidthatIaskedhimifanythingweigheduponhismind。Thenhetookmeasideintoapalmgroveuponthebank，andseatinghimselfonthepolewherebyoxenturnedawaterwheel，toldmethatstrangethingswerepassingatTanis。
ItseemedthattheHebrewprophetshadoncemoreappearedbeforePharaoh，whosincehisaccessionhadlefttheIsraelitesinpeace，notattackingthemwiththeswordasMeneptahhadwishedtodo，itwasthoughtthroughfearlestifhedidsoheshoulddieasMeneptahdied。
Asbefore，theyhadputuptheirprayerthatthepeopleoftheHebrewsshouldbesufferedtogotoworshipinthewilderness，andPharaohhadrefusedthem。Thenwhenhewentdowntosailupontheriverearlyinthemorningofanotherday，theyhadmethimandoneofthemstruckthewaterwithhisrod，andithadturnedtoblood。WhereonKiandKherhebandhiscompanyalsostruckthewaterwiththeirrods，anditturnedtoblood。Thatwassixdaysago，andnowthisofficersworetomethatthebloodwascreepinguptheNile，ataleatwhichIlaughed。
“Comethenandsee，“hesaid，andledmebacktohisboat，whereallthecrewseemedasfearfulashewashimself。
Hetookmeforwardtoagreatwaterjarthatstoodupontheprowand，behold!itseemedtobefullofblood，andinitwasafishdead，and——stinking。
“Thiswater，“saidhe，“IdrewfromtheNilewithmyownhands，notfivehourssailtothenorth。Butnowwehaveoutspedtheblood，whichfollowsafterus，“andtakingalamphehelditovertheprowoftheboatandIsawthatallitsplanksweresplashedasthoughwithblood。
“Beadvisedbyme，learnedscribe，“headded，“andfilleveryjarandskinthatyoucangatherwithsweetwater，lestto-morrowyouandyourcompanyshouldgothirsty，“andhelaughedaverydrearylaugh。
Thenwepartedwithoutmorewords，forneitherofusknewwhattosay，andaboutmidnighthesailedonwiththewind，takinghischanceofgroundingonthesandbanksinthedarkness。
FormypartIdidashebademe，thoughmyrowerswhohadnotspokenwithhismen，thoughtthatIwasmadtoloadupthebargewithsomuchwater。
AtthefirstbreakofdayIgavetheordertostart。LookingoverthesideofthebargeitseemedtomeasthoughthelightsofdawnhadfallenfromtheskyintotheNilewhereofthewaterhadbecomepink-
hued。Moreover，thishue，whichgreweverdeeper，wastravellingupstream，notdown，againstthecourseofnature，andcouldnotthereforehavebeencausedbyredsoilwashedfromthesouthernlands。
Thebargemenstaredandmutteredtogether。Thenoneofthem，leaningovertheside，scoopedupwaterinthehollowofhishandanddrewsomeintohismouth，onlytospititoutagainwithacryoffear。