Howfineathing，thoughtItomyself，itistobeaPrincewhobyliftingafingercanthuscommandserviceatanymomentofthedayornight。
JustatthatmomentSetisaidtome：
“See，Ana，howsadathingitistobeaPrince，whocannotevenstirabroadwithoutnoticetohishouseholdandcommandingtheserviceofasecretguardtospyuponhiseveryaction，anddoubtlesstomakereportthereoftothepoliceofPharaoh。“
Therearetwofacestoeverything，thoughtItomyselfagain。
Wewalkeddownabroadstreetborderedbytrees，beyondwhichwerelime-washed，flat-roofedhousesbuiltofsun-driedbrick，standing，eachofthem，initsowngarden，tillatlengthwecametothegreatmarket-placejustasthefullmoonroseabovethepalm-trees，makingtheworldalmostaslightasday。Tanis，orRamesesasitisalsocalled，wasaveryfinecitythen，ifonlyhalfthesizeofMemphis，thoughnowthattheCourthasleftitIhearitismuchdeserted。
Aboutthismarket-placestoodgreattemplesofthegods，withpylonsandavenuesofsphinxes，alsothatwonderoftheworld，thecolossalstatueofthesecondRameses，whiletothenorthuponamoundwasthegloriouspalaceofPharaoh。Otherpalacestherewerealso，inhabitedbythenoblesandofficersoftheCourt，andbetweenthemranlongstreetswheredweltthecitizens，ending，someofthem，onthatbranchoftheNilebywhichtheancientcitystood。
Setihaltedtogazeatthesewondrousbuildings。
“Theyareveryold，“hesaid，“butmostofthem，likethewallsandthosetemplesofAmonandPtah，havebeenrebuiltinthetimeofmygrandfatherorsincehisdaybythelabourofIsraelitishslaveswhodwellyonderintherichlandofGoshen。“
“Theymusthavecostmuchgold，“Ianswered。
“TheKingsofEgyptdonotpaytheirslaves，“remarkedthePrinceshortly。
Thenwewentonandmingledwiththethousandsofthepeoplewhowerewanderingtoandfroseekingrestafterthebusinessoftheday。HereonthefrontierofEgyptweregatheredfolkofeveryrace；Bedouinsfromthedesert，SyriansfrombeyondtheRedSea，merchantsfromtherichIsleofChittim，travellersfromthecoast，andtradersfromthelandofPuntandfromtheunknowncountriesofthenorth。Allweretalking，laughingandmakingmerry，savesomewhogatheredincirclestolistentoatelleroftalesorwanderingmusicians，ortowatchwomenwhodancedhalfnakedforgifts。
Nowandagainthecrowdwouldparttoletpassthechariotofsomenobleorladybeforewhichwentrunningfootmenwhoshouted，“Makeway，Makeway!“andlaidaboutthemwiththeirlongwands。Thencameaprocessionofwhite-robedpriestsofIsistravellingbymoonlightaswasfittingfortheservantsoftheLadyoftheMoon，andbearingalofttheholyimageofthegoddessbeforewhichallmenbowedandforalittlewhileweresilent。Afterthisfollowedthecorpseofsomegreatonenewlydead，precededbyatroopofhiredmournerswhorenttheairwiththeirlamentationsastheyconductedittothequarteroftheembalmers。Lastly，fromoutofoneofthesidestreetsemergedagangofseveralhundredhook-nosedandbeardedmen，amongwhomwereafewwomen，looselyropedtogetherandescortedbyacompanyofarmedguards。
“Whoarethese？“Iasked，forIhadneverseentheirlike。
“SlavesofthepeopleofIsraelwhoreturnfromtheirlabouratthediggingofthenewcanalwhichistoruntotheRedSea，“answeredthePrince。
Westoodstilltowatchthemgoby，andInotedhowproudlytheireyesflashedandhowfiercewastheirbearingalthoughtheywerebutmeninbonds，verywearytooandstainedbytoilinmudandwater。Presentlythishappened。Awhite-beardedmanlaggedbehind，draggingonthelineandcheckingthemarch。Thereuponanoverseerranupandfloggedhimwithacruelwhipcutfromthehideofthesea-horse。Themanturnedand，liftingawoodenspadethathecarried，strucktheoverseersuchablowthathecrackedhisskullsothathefelldowndead。OtheroverseersrushedattheHebrew，astheseIsraeliteswerecalled，andbeathimtillhealsofell。Thenasoldierappearedand，seeingwhathadhappened，drewhisbronzesword。Fromamongthethrongsprangoutagirl，youngandverylovelyalthoughshewasbutroughlyclad。
SincethenIhaveseenMerapi，MoonofIsrael，asshewascalled，cladintheproudraimentofaqueen，andonceevenofagoddess，butnever，Ithink，didshelookmorebeauteousthaninthishourofherslavery。Herlargeeyes，neitherbluenorblack，caughtthelightofthemoonandwereaswimwithtears。Herplenteousbronze-huedhairflowedingreatcurlsoverthesnow-whitebosomthatherroughroberevealed。Herdelicatehandswereliftedasthoughtowardofftheblowswhichfelluponhimwhomshesoughttoprotect。Hertallandslendershapestoodoutagainstaflareoflightwhichburneduponsomemarketstall。Shewasbeauteousexceedingly，sobeauteousthatmyheartstoodstillatthesightofher，yes，minethatforsomeyearshadheldnothoughtofwomansavesuchaswereblackandevil。
Shecriedaloud。Standingoverthefallenmansheappealedtothesoldierformercy。Then，seeingthattherewasnonetohopeforfromhim，shecasthergreateyesarounduntiltheyfelluponthePrinceSeti。
“Oh!Sir，“shewailed，“youhaveanobleair。Willyoustandbyandseemyfathermurderedfornofault？“
“Dragheroff，orIsmitethroughher，“shoutedthecaptain，fornowshehadthrownherselfdownuponthefallenIsraelite。Theoverseersobeyed，tearingheraway。
“Hold，butcher!“criedthePrince。
“Whoareyou，dog，thatdaretoteachPharaoh’sofficerhisduty？“
answeredthecaptain，smitingthePrinceinthefacewithhislefthand。
ThenswiftlyhestruckdownwardsandIsawthebronzeswordpassthroughthebodyoftheIsraelitewhoquiveredandlaystill。Itwasalldoneinaninstant，andonthesilencethatfollowedrangoutthesoundofawoman’swail。ForamomentSetichoked——withrage，Ithink。
Thenhespokeasingleword——“Guards!“
ThefourNubians，who，asordered，hadkeptatadistance，burstthroughthegatheredthrong。EretheyreachedusI，whotillnowhadstoodamazed，sprangatthecaptainandgrippedhimbythethroat。Hestruckatmewithhisbloodysword，buttheblow，fallingonmylongcloak，onlybruisedmeontheleftthigh。ThenI，whowasstronginthosedays，grappledwithhimandwerolledtogetherontheground。
Afterthistherewasgreattumult。TheHebrewslavesbursttheirropeandflungthemselvesuponthesoldierslikedogsuponajackal，batteringthemwiththeirbarefists。Thesoldiersdefendedthemselveswithswords；theoverseerspliedtheirhidewhips；womenscreamed，menshouted。ThecaptainwhomIhadseizedbegantogetthebetterofme；
atleastIsawhisswordflashabovemeandthoughtthatallwasover。
Doubtlessitwouldhavebeen，hadnotSetihimselfdraggedthemanbackwardsandthusgiventhefourNubianguardstimetoseizehim。
NextIheardthePrincecryoutinaringingvoice：
“Hold!ItisSeti，thesonofPharaoh，theGovernorofTanis，withwhomyouhavetodo。See，“andhethrewbackthehoodofhiscloaksothatthemoonshoneuponhisface。
Instantlytherewasagreatquiet。Now，firstoneandthenanotherasthetruthsunkintothem，menbegantofallupontheirknees，andI
heardonesayinanawedvoice：
“TheroyalSon，thePrinceofEgyptstruckinthefacebyasoldier!
Bloodmustpayforit。“
“Howisthatofficernamed？“askedSeti，pointingtothemanwhohadkilledtheIsraeliteandwell-nighkilledme。
SomeoneansweredthathewasnamedKhuaka。
“BringhimtothestepsofthetempleofAmon，“saidSetitotheNubianswhoheldhimfast。“Followme，friendAna，ifyouhavethestrength。Nay，leanuponmyshoulder。“
SorestingupontheshoulderofthePrince，forIwasbruisedandbreathless，Iwalkedwithhimahundredpacesormoretothestepsofthegreattemplewhereweclimbedtotheplatformattheheadofthestairs。Afteruscametheprisoner，andafterhimallthemultitude，averygreatnumberwhostooduponthestepsandontheflatgroundbeyond。ThePrince，whowasverywhiteandquiet，sathimselfdownuponthelowgranitebaseofatallobeliskwhichstoodinfrontofthetemplepylon，andsaid：
“AsGovernorofTanis，theCityofRameses，withpoweroflifeanddeathatallhoursandinallplaces，IdeclaremyCourtopen。“
“TheRoyalCourtisopen!“criedthemultitudeintheaccustomedform。
“Thisisthecase，“saidthePrince。“YondermanwhoisnamedKhuaka，byhisdressacaptainofPharaoh’sarmy，ischargedwiththemurderofacertainHebrew，andwiththeattemptedmurderofAnathescribe。
Letwitnessesbecalled。Bringthebodyofthedeadmanandlayitherebeforeme。Bringthewomanwhostrovetoprotecthim，thatshemayspeak。“
Thebodywasbroughtandlaidupontheplatform，itswideeyesstaringupatthemoon。Thensoldierswhohadgatheredthrustforwardtheweepinggirl。
“Ceasefromtears，“saidSeti，“andswearbyKepherathecreator，andbyMaatthegoddessoftruthandlaw，tospeaknothingbutthetruth。“
Thegirllookedupandsaidinarichlowvoicethatinsomewayremindedmeofhoneybeingpouredfromajar，perhapsbecauseitwasthickwithstrangledsobs：
“ORoyalSonofEgypt，IcannotswearbythosegodswhoamadaughterofIsrael。“