ThereforeI，theRoyalPrincessofEgypt，wouldaskofPharaoh，isthisthedecreeofPharaoh？“
“Now，“saidBakenkhonsu，“Pharaohsatwithhangingheaduponhisthroneandmadenoanswer。“
“Pharaohdoesnotspeak，“wentonUserti。“ThenIask，isthisthedecreeoftheCouncilofPharaohandofthepeopleofEgypt？ThereisstillagreatarmyinEgypt，hundredsofchariotsandthousandsoffootmen。IsthisarmytositstillwhiletheseslavesdepartintothedeserttheretorouseourenemiesofSyriaagainstusandreturnwiththemtobutcherus？“
“Atthesewords，“continuedBakenkhonsu，“fromallthatmultitudetherewentupashoutof’No。’“
“ThepeoplesayNo。WhatsaithPharaoh？“criedUserti。
Therefollowedasilence，tillsuddenlyAmenmesesroseandspoke：
“Haveitasyouwill，Princess，andonyourheadandtheheadsofallthesewhomyouhavestirreduplettheevilfallifevilcomes，thoughIthinkitisyourhusband，thePrinceSeti，whoshouldstandwhereyoustandandputupthisprayerinyourplace。“
“Myhusband，thePrinceSeti，istiedtoMemphisbyaropeofwitch’shair，orsotheytellme，“shesneered，whilethepeoplemurmuredinassent。
“Iknownot，“wentonAmenmeses，“butthisIknowthatalwaysthePrincewouldhavelettheseHebrewsgofromamongus，andattimes，assorrowfollowedsorrow，Ihavethoughtthathewasright。TrulymorethanonceIalsowouldhaveletthemgo，buteversomeStrength，I
knownotwhat，descendedonmyheart，turningittostone，andwrungfrommewordsthatIdidnotdesiretoutter。EvennowIwouldletthemgo，butallofyouareagainstme，and，perchance，ifIwithstandyou，Ishallpayforitwithmylifeandthrone。Captains，commandthatmyarmiesbemadeready，andletthemassemblehereatTanisthatImyselfmayleadthemafterthepeopleofIsraelandsharetheirdangers。“
Thenwithamightyshoutingthecompanybrokeup，sothatatthelastallweregoneandonlyPharaohremainedseateduponhisthrone，staringatthegroundwiththeair，saidBakenkhonsu，ratherofonewhoisdeadthanofalivingkingabouttowagewaruponhisfoes。
ToallthesewordsthePrincelistenedinsilence，butwhentheywerefinishedhelookedupandasked：
“Whatthinkyou，Bakenkhonsu？“
“Ithink，OPrince，“answeredthewiseoldman，“thatherHighnessdidilltostirupthismatter，thoughdoubtlessshespokewiththevoicesofthepriestsandofthearmy，againstwhichPharaohwasnotstrongenoughtostand。“
“Whatyouthink，Ithink，“saidSeti。
AtthismomenttheladyMerapientered。
“Ihear，mylord，“shesaid，“thatPharaohpurposestopursuethepeopleofIsraelwithhishost。IcometopraymylordthathewillnotjoinhimselftothehostofPharaoh。“
“Itisbutnatural，Lady，thatyoushouldnotwishmetomakewaruponyourkin，andtospeaktruthIhavenomindthatway，“repliedSeti，and，turning，leftthechamberwithher。
“Sheisnotthinkingofherkingbutofherlover’slife，“saidBakenkhonsu。“Sheisnotawitchastheydeclare，butitistruethatsheknowswhatwedonot。“
“Yes，“Ianswered，“itistrue。“
Awhilewentby；itmayhavebeenfourteendays，duringwhichweheardthattheIsraeliteshadstartedontheirjourney。Theywereamightymultitudewhoborewiththemthecoffinandthemummyoftheirprophet，amanoftheirblood，Vizier，itisreported，tothatPharaohwhowelcomedthemtoEgypthundredsofyearsbefore。Somesaidtheywentthiswayandsomethat，butBakenkhonsu，whokneweverything，declaredthattheywereheadingfortheLakeofCrocodiles，whichothersnameSeaofReeds，wherebytheywouldcrossintothedesertbeyond，andthencetoSyria。Iaskedhimhow，seeingthatatitsnarrowestpart，thislakewassixthousandpacesinwidth，andthatthedepthofitsmudwasunfathomable。Herepliedthathedidnotknow，butthatImightdowelltoinquireoftheladyMerapi。
“Soyouhavechangedyourmind，andalsothinkherawitch，“Isaid，towhichheanswered：
“Onemustbreathethewindthatblows，andEgyptissofullofwitchcraftthatitisdifficulttosay。AlsoitwassheandnootherwhodestroyedtheancientstatueofAmon。Oh!yes，witchornowitch，itmightbewelltoaskherhowherpeoplepurposetocrosstheSeaofReeds，especiallyifPharaoh’schariotschancetobebehindthem。“
SoIdidaskher，butsheansweredthatsheknewnothingofthematter，andwishedtoknownothing，seeingthatshehadseparatedfromherpeople，andremainedinEgypt。
ThenKicame，Iknownotwhence，andhavingmadehispeacewithSetiastothedressingofMerapiintherobesofIsiswhich，hevowed，wasdonebythepriestsagainsthiswish，toldusthatPharaohandagreathosthadstartedtopursuetheIsraelites。ThePrinceaskedhimwhyhehadnotgonewiththehost，towhichherepliedthathewasnosoldier，alsothatPharaohhidhisfacefromhim。InreturnheaskedthePrincewhy/he/hadnotgone。
Setianswered，becausehadbeendeprivedofhiscommandwithhisotherofficersandhadnowishtotakeshareinthisbusinessasaprivatecitizen。
“Youarewise，asalways，Prince，“saidKi。
Itwasonthefollowingnight，verylate，whilethePrince，Ki，BakenkhonsuandI，Ana，sattalking，thatsuddenlytheladyMerapibrokeinuponusasshehadrisenfromherbed，wild-eyed，andwithherhairflowingdownherrobes。
“Ihavedreamedadream!“shecried。“IdreamedthatIsawallthethousandsofmypeoplefollowingafteraflamethatburnedfromearthtoheaven。TheycametotheedgeofagreatwaterandbehindthemrushedPharaohandallthehostsoftheEgyptians。Thenmypeopleranontothefaceofthewater，anditborethemasthoughitweresoundland。NowthesoldiersofthePharaohwerefollowing，butthegodsofEgyptappeared，Amon，Osiris，Horus，Isis，Hathor，andtherest，andwouldhaveturnedthemback。Stilltheyrefusedtolisten，anddraggingthegodswiththem，rushedoutuponthewater。Thendarknessfell，andinthedarknesssoundsofwailingandofamightylaughter。
Itpassed，themoonrose，shininguponemptiness。Iawoke，tremblinginmylimbs。Interpretmethisdreamifyoucan，OKi，MasterofMagic。“
“Whereistheneed，Lady，“heanswered，awakingasthoughfromsleep，“whenthedreamerisalsotheseer？Shallthepupilventuretoinstructtheteacher，orthenovicetomakeplainthemysteriestothehigh-priestessofthetemple？Nay，Lady，IandallthemagiciansofEgyptarebeneathyourfeet。“
“Whywillyouevermockme？“shesaid，andasshespoke，sheshivered。
ThenBakenkhonsuopenedhislips，saying：
“ThewisdomofKihasbeenburiedinacloudoflate，andgivesnolighttous，hisdisciples。Yetthemeaningofthisdreamisplain，thoughwhetheritbealsotrueIdonotknow。ItisthatallthehostofEgypt，andwithitthegodsofEgypt，arethreatenedwithdestructionbecauseoftheIsraelites，unlessonetowhomtheywillhearkencanbefoundtoturnthemfromsomepurposethatIdonotunderstand。Buttowhomwillthemadhearken，oh!towhomwilltheyhearken？“andliftinghisgreathead，helookedstraightatthePrince。
“Nottome，Ifear，whonowamnooneinEgypt，“saidSeti。
“Whynottoyou，OPrince，whoto-morrowmaybeeveryoneinEgypt？“
askedBakenkhonsu。“AlwaysyouhavepleadedthecauseoftheHebrews，andsaidthatnaughtbutevilwouldbefallEgyptbecauseofthem，ashashappened。Towhom，then，willthepeopleandthearmylistenmorereadily？“
“Moreover，OPrince，“brokeinKi，“aladyofyourhouseholdhasdreamedaveryevildream，ofwhich，ifnaughtbesaid，itmightbeheldthatitwasnodream，butaspellofpoweraimedagainstthemajestyofEgypt；suchaspellasthatwhichcastgreatAmonfromhisthrone，suchaspellasthatwhichhassetamagicfencearoundthishouseandfield。“
“AgainItellyouthatIweavenospells，OKi，whowithmyownchildhavepaidthepriceofthem。“
“Yetspellswerewoven，Lady，andhasbeenknownfromofold，strengthisperfectedinsacrificealone，“Kianswereddarkly。
“Havedonewithyourtalkofspells，Magician，“exclaimedthePrince，“orifyoumustspeakofthem，speakofyourown，whicharemany。ItwasJabezwhoprotectedushereagainsttheplagues，andthestatueofAmonwasshatteredbysomegod。“
“Iaskyourpardon，Prince，“saidKibowing，“itwas/not/thisladybutherunclewhofencedyourhouseagainsttheplagueswhichravagedEgypt，anditwas/not/thisladybutsomegodworkinginherwhichoverthrewAmonofTanis。ThePrincehassaidit。YetthisladyhasdreamedacertaindreamwhichBakenkhonsuhasinterpretedalthoughI
cannot，andIthinkthatPharaohandhiscaptainsshouldbetoldofthedream，thatonittheymayformtheirownjudgment。“
“Thenwhydoyounottellthem，Ki？“
“IthaspleasedPharaoh，OPrince，todismissmefromhisserviceasonewhofailedandtogivemyofficeofKherhebtoanother。IfI
appearbeforethefaceofPharaohIshallbekilled。“