“TheprayerthatyouwillsuffermetoshelterinthishousefromthemanydangersthatthreatenmeatthehandsofPharaohandtheprophetsofyourpeople，andanofferingofsuchhelpasIcangivebymyartsandknowledgeagainstblackerdangerswhichthreaten——another。“
HereoncemorehegazedatthetrunkofthetreebeyondwhichIheardtheinfantwail。
“IfIconsent，whatthen？“sheasked，hoarsely。
“Then，Lady，IwillstrivetoprotectacertainlittleoneagainstacursewhichJabeztellsmethreatenshimandmanyothersinwhomrunsthebloodofEgypt。Iwillstrive，ifIamallowedtobidehere——IdonotsaythatIshallsucceed，forasyourlordhasremindedme，andasyoushowedmeinthetempleofAmon，mystrengthissmallerthanthatoftheprophetsandprophetessesofIsrael。“
“AndifIrefuse？“
“Then，Lady，“heansweredinavoicethatranglikeiron，“Iamsurethatonewhomyoulove——asmotherslove——willshortlyberockedinthearmsofthegodwhomwenameOsiris。“
“/Stay/，“shecriedand，turning，fledaway。
“Why，Ana，sheisgone，“hesaid，“andthatbeforeIcouldbargainformyreward。Well，thisImustfindinyourcompany。Howstrangearewomen，Ana!Hereyouhaveoneofthegreatestofhersex，asyoulearnedinthetempleofAmon。Andyetsheopensbeneaththesunofhopeandshrivelsbeneaththeshadowoffear，likethetouchedleavesofthattenderplantwhichgrowsuponthebanksoftheriver；shewho，withhereyessetonthemysterythatisbeyond，whereofshehearsthewhisperingwinds，shouldtreadbothearthlyhopeandfearbeneathherfeet，ormakeofthemsteppingstonestoglory。Weresheamanshewoulddoso，buthersexwrecksher，shewhothinksmoreofthekissofababethanofallthesplendoursshemightharbourinherbreast。
Yes，ababe，asinglewretchedlittlebabe。Youhadoneonce，didyounot，Ana？“
“Oh!toSetandhisfireswithyouandyoureviltalk，“Isaid，andlefthim。
WhenIhadgonealittleway，Ilookedbackandsawthathewaslaughing，throwinguphisstaffashelaughed，andcatchingitagain。
“Setandhisfires，“hecalledafterme。“Iwonderwhattheyarelike，Ana。Perhapsonedayweshalllearn，youandItogether，ScribeAna。“
SoKitookuphisabodewithus，inthesamelodgingsasBakenkhonsu，andalmosteverydayIwouldmeetthemwalkinginthegarden，sinceI，whowasofthePrince’stable，exceptwhenheatewiththeladyMerapi，didnottakemyfoodwiththem。Thenwewouldtalktogetheraboutmanysubjects。Onthosewhichhadtodowithlearning，orevenreligion，IhadthebetterofKi，whowasnogreatscholarormasteroftheology。Butalwaysbeforewepartedhewouldplantsomearrowinmyribs，atwhicholdBakenkhonsulaughed，andlaughedagain，yeteverthrewovermetheshieldofhisvenerablewisdom，justbecausehelovedmeIthink。
ItwasafterthisthattheplaguestruckthecattleofEgypt，sothattensofthousandsofthemdied，thoughnotallaswasreported。But，asIhavesaid，oftheherdsofSetinonedied，nor，asweweretold，didanyofthoseoftheIsraelitesinthelandofGoshen。NowtherewasgreatdistressinEgypt，butKismiledandsaidthatheknewitwouldbeso，andthattherewasmuchworsetocome，forwhichIcouldhavesmittenhimovertheheadwithhisownstaff，hadInotfearedthat，ifIdidso，itmightoncemoreturntoaserpentinmyhand。
OldBakenkhonsulookeduponthematterwithanotherface。Hesaidthatsincehislastwifedied，Ithinksomefiftyyearsbefore，hehadfoundlifeverydullbecausehemissedtheexercisesofhertemper，andherhabitofpresentingthingsastheseneverhadbeennorcouldpossiblyeverbe。Now，however，itgrewinterestingagain，sincethemarvelswhichwerehappeninginEgypt，beingquitecontrarytoNature，remindedhimofhislastwifeandherarguments。Allofwhichwashiswayofsayingthatinthoseyearswelivedinanewworld，whereoffortheEgyptiansSettheEvilOneseemedtobetheking。
ButstillPharaohwouldnotlettheHebrewsgo，perhapsbecausehehadvowedasmuchtoMeneptahwhosethimonthethrone，orperhapsforthoseotherreasons，oroneofthem，whichKihadgiventothePrince。
Thencamethecurseofsoresafflictingman，woman，andchildthroughouttheland，savethosewhodweltinthehouseholdofSeti。
Thusthewatchmanandhisfamilywhoselodgewaswithoutthegatessuffered，butthewatchmanandhisfamilywholivedwithinthegates，nottwentypacesaway，didnotsuffer，whichcausedbitternessbetweentheirwomen。InthesamewayKi，whoresidedasaguestofthePrinceatMemphis，sufferedfromnosores，whereasthoseofhisCollegewhoremainedatTanisweremoreheavilysmittenthananyothers，sothatsomeofthemdied。Whenheheardthis，Kilaughedandsaidthathehadtoldthemitwouldbeso。AlsoPharaohhimselfandevenherHighnessUsertiweresmitten，thelatteruponthecheek，whichmadeherunsightlyforawhile。Indeed，Bakenkhonsuheard，Iknownothow，thatsogreatwasherragethatsheevenbethoughtherofreturningtoherlordSeti，inwhosehouseshehadlearnedpeopleweresafe，andthebeautyofhersuccessor，MoonofIsrael，remainedunscarredandwasevengreaterthanbefore，tidingsthatIthinkBakenkhonsuhimselfconveyedtoher。Butintheendthisherpride，orherjealousy，preventedherfromdoing。
NowtheheartofEgyptbegantoturntowardsSetiingoodearnest。ThePrince，theysaid，hadopposedthepolicyoftheoppressionoftheHebrews，andbecausehecouldnotprevailhadabandonedhisrighttothethrone，whichPharaohAmenmeseshadpurchasedatthepriceofacceptingthatpolicywhereofthefruitshadbeenprovedtobedestruction。Therefore，theyreasoned，ifAmenmesesweredeposed，andthePrincereigned，theirmiserieswouldcease。Sotheysentdeputationstohimsecretly，prayinghimtoriseagainstAmenmesesandpromisinghimsupport。Buthewouldlistentononeofthem，tellingthemthathewashappyashewasandsoughtnootherstate。StillPharaohgrewjealous，forallthesethingshisspiesreportedtohim，andsetaboutplotstodestroySeti。
OfthefirstoftheseUsertiwarnedmebyamessenger，butthesecondandworseKidiscoveredinsomestrangeway，sothatthemurdererwastrappedatthegateandkilledbythewatchman，whereonSetisaidthatafterallhehadbeenwisetogivehospitalitytoKi，thatis，iftocontinuetolivewerewisdom。TheladyMerapialsosaidasmuchtome，butInotedthatalwayssheshunnedKi，whomsheheldinmistrustandfear。
Thencamethehail，andsomemonthsafterthehailthelocusts，andEgyptwentmadwithwoeandterror。Itwasknowntous，forwithKiandBakenkhonsuinthepalacewekneweverything，thattheHebrewprophetshadpromisedthishailbecausePharaohwouldnotlistentothem。ThereforeSeticausedittobeputaboutthroughallthelandthattheEgyptiansshouldsheltertheircattle，orsuchaswerelefttothem，atthefirstsignofstorm。ButPharaohheardofitandissuedaproclamationthatthiswasnottobedone，inasmuchasitwouldbeaninsulttothegodsofEgypt。Stillmanydidsoandthesesavedtheircattle。Itwasstrangetoseethatwallofjaggedicestretchingfromearthtoheavenanddestroyingalluponwhichitfell。
Thetalldate-palmswerestrippedevenoftheirbark；thesoilwaschurnedup；menandbeastsifcaughtabroadwereslainorshattered。
Istoodatthegateandwatchedit。There，notayardaway，fellthewhitehail，turningtheworldtowreck，whileherewithinthegatetherewasnotasinglestone。Merapiwatchedalso，andpresentlycameKiaswell，andwithhimBakenkhonsu，whoforoncehadneverseenanythinglikethisinallhislonglife。ButKiwatchedMerapimorethanhedidthehail，forIsawhimsearchingoutherverysoulwiththosemercilesseyesofhis。
“Lady，“hesaidatlength，“tellyourservant，Ibeseechyou，howyoudothisthing？“andhepointedfirsttothetreesandflowerswithinthegateandthentothewreckwithout。
AtfirstIthoughtthatshehadnotheardhimbecauseoftheroarofthehail，forshesteppedforwardandopenedthesidewickettoadmitapoorjackalthatwasscratchingatthebars。Stillthiswasnotso，forpresentlysheturnedandsaid：
“DoestheKherheb，thegreatestmagicianinEgypt，askanunlearnedwomantoteachhimofmarvels？Well，Ki，Icannot，becauseIneitherdoitnorknowhowitisdone。“
Bakenkhonsulaughed，andKi’spaintedsmilegrewasitwerebrighterthanbefore。
“ThatisnotwhattheysayinthelandofGoshen，Lady，“heanswered，“andnotwhattheHebrewwomensayhereinMemphis。NorisitwhatthepriestsofAmonsay。ThesedeclarethatyouhavemoremagicthanallthesorcerersoftheNile。Hereistheproofofit，“andhepointedtotheruinwithoutandthepeacewithin，adding，“Lady，ifyoucanprotectyourownhome，whycannotyouprotecttheinnocentpeopleofEgypt？“
“BecauseIcannot，“sheansweredangrily。“IfeverIhadsuchpoweritisgonefromme，whoamnowthemotherofanEgyptian’schild。ButI
havenone。ThereinthetempleofAmonsomeStrengthworkedthroughme，thatisall，whichneverwillvisitmeagainbecauseofmysin。“
“Whatsin，Lady？“
“ThesinoftakingthePrinceSetitolord。Now，ifanygodspokethroughmeitwouldbeoneofthoseoftheEgyptians，sinceHeofIsraelhascastmeout。“
Kistartedasthoughsomenewthoughthadcometohim，andatthismomentsheturnedandwentaway。
“Wouldthatshewerehigh-priestessofIsisthatshemightworkforusandnotagainstus，“hesaid。
Bakenkhonsushookhishead。
“Letthatbe，“heanswered。“BesurethatneverwillanIsraelitishwomanoffersacrificetowhatshewouldcalltheabominationoftheEgyptians。“
“Ifshewillnotsacrificetosavethepeople，letherbecarefullestthepeoplesacrificehertosavethemselves，“saidKiinacoldvoice。
Thenhetoowentaway。
“Ithinkthatifeverthathourcomes，thenKiwillhavehisshareinit，“laughedBakenkhonsu。“Whatisthegoodofashepherdwhosheltershereincomfort，whileoutsidethesheeparedying，eh，Ana？“