MoreoverthePrincevisitedmeeveryday，andevenbeforeIleftmybedbegantodictatetomehisreporttoPharaoh，sincehewouldemploynootherscribe。Thesubstanceofitwaswhathehadforeshadowed，namelythatthepeopleofIsrael，havingsufferedmuchforgenerationsatthehandsoftheEgyptians，shouldnowbeallowedtodepartastheirprophetsdemanded，andgowhithertheywouldunharmed。Oftheattackuponusinthepasshemadelight，sayingitwastheevilworkofafewzealotswroughtonbyfanciedinsulttotheirgod，adeedforwhichthewholepeopleshouldnotbecalledupontosuffer。Thelastwordsofthereportwere：
“Remember，OPharaoh，Ipraythee，thatAmon，godoftheEgyptians，andJahveh，thegodoftheIsraelites，cannotruletogetherinthesameland。IfbothabideinEgypttherewillbeawarofthegodswhereinmortalsmaybegroundtodust。Therefore，Ipraythee，letIsraelgo。“
AfterIhadrisenandwasrecovered，Icopiedoutthisreportinmyfairestwriting，refusingtotellanyofitspurport，althoughallasked，amongthemtheVizierNehesi，whoofferedmeabribetodiscloseitssecret。ThiscametotheearsofSeti，Iknownothow，andhewasmuchpleasedwithmeaboutthematter，sayingherejoicedtofindthattherewasonescribeinEgyptwhocouldnotbebought。
Usertialsoquestionedme，andwhenIrefusedtoanswer，strangetosay，wasnotangry，because，shedeclared，Ionlydidmyduty。
Atlasttherollwasfinishedandsealed，andthePrincewithhisownhand，butwithoutspeaking，laiditonthekneesofPharaohatapublicCourt，forthishewouldtrustnooneelsetodo。Amenmesesalsobroughtuphisreport，asdidNehesitheVizier，andtheCaptainoftheguardwhichsavedusfromdeath。EightdayslaterthePrincewassummonedtoagreatCouncilofState，aswereallothersoftheroyalHouse，togetherwiththehighofficers。Itooreceivedasummons，asonewhohadbeenconcernedinthesematters。
ThePrince，accompaniedbythePrincess，drovetothepalaceinPharaoh’sgoldenchariot，drawnbytwomilk-whitehorsesofthebloodofthosefamoussteedsthathadsavedthelifeofthegreatRamesesintheSyrianwar。Alldownthestreets，thatwerefilledwiththousandsofthepeople，theywerereceivedwithshoutsofwelcome。
“See，“saidtheoldcouncillorBakenkhonsu，whowasmycompanioninasecondchariot，“Egyptisproudandglad。ItthoughtthatitsPrincewasbutadreamerofdreams。Butnowithasheardthetaleoftheambushinthepassandlearnedthatheisamanofwar，awarriorwhocanfightwiththebest。Thereforeitloveshimandrejoices。“
“Then，bythesamerule，Bakenkhonsu，abutchershouldbemoregreatthanthewisestofscribes。“
“Soheis，Ana，especiallyifthebutcherbeoneofmen。Thewritercreates，buttheslayerkills，andinaworldruledofdeathhewhokillshasmorehonourthanhewhocreates。Hearken，nowtheyareshoutingoutyourname。Isthatbecauseyouaretheauthorofcertainwritings？Itellyou，No。Itisbecauseyoukilledthreemenyonderinthepass。Ifyouwouldbecomefamousandbeloved，Ana，ceasefromthewritingofbooksandtaketothecuttingofthroats。“
“Yetthewriterstillliveswhenheisdead。“
“Oho!“laughedBakenkhonsu，“youareevenmorefoolishthanIthought。
Howisamanadvantagedbywhathappenswhenheisdead？Why，to-daythatblindbeggarwhiningonthetemplestepsmeansmoretoEgyptthanallthemummiesofallthePharaohs，unlesstheycanberobbed。Takewhatlifecangiveyou，Ana，anddonottroubleabouttheofferingswhicharelaidinthetombsfortimetocrumble。“
“Thatisameanfaith，Bakenkhonsu。“
“Verymean，Ana，likeallelsethatwecantasteandhandle。Ameanfaithsuitedtomeanhearts，amongwhomshouldbereckonedallsaveoneineverythousand。Yet，ifyouwouldprosper，followit，andwhenyouaredeadIwillcomeandlaughuponyourgrave，andsay，’HereliesoneofwhomIhadhopedhigherthings，asIhopethemofyourmaster。’“
“Andnotinvain，Bakenkhonsu，whatevermayhappentotheservant。“
“Thatweshalllearn，anderelong，Ithink。IwonderwhowillrideathissidebeforethenextNileflood。Bythen，perchance，hewillhavechangedPharaoh’sgoldenchariotforanox-cart，andyouwillgoadtheoxenandtalktohimofthestars——or，mayhapofthemoon。Well，youmightbothbehappierthus，andsheofthemoonisajealousgoddesswholovesworship。Oho-ho!Herearethepalacesteps。Helpmetodescend，PriestoftheLadyoftheMoon。“
WeenteredthepalaceandwereledthroughthegreathalltoasmallerchamberwherePharaoh，whodidnotwearhisrobesofstate，awaitedus，seatedinacedarchair。GlancingathimIsawthathisfacewassternandtroubled；alsoitseemedtomethathehadgrownolder。ThePrinceandPrincessmadeobeisancetohim，asdidwelesserfolk，buthetooknoheed。Whenallwerepresentandthedoorshadbeenshut，Pharaohsaid：
“Ihavereadyourreport，SonSeti，concerningyourvisittotheIsraelites，andallthatchancedtoyou；andalsothereportsofyou，nephewAmenmeses，andofyou，Officers，whoaccompaniedthePrinceofEgypt。BeforeIspeakofthem，lettheScribeAna，whowasthechariotcompanionofhisHighnesswhentheHebrewsattackedhim，standforwardandtellmeallthatpassed。“
SoIadvanced，andwithbowedheadrepeatedthattale，onlyleavingoutsofaraswaspossibleanymentionofmyself。WhenIhadfinished，Pharaohsaid：
“Hewhospeaksbuthalfthetruthissometimesmoremischievousthanaliar。Didyouthensitinthechariot，Scribe，doingnothingwhilethePrincebattledforhislife？Ordidyourunaway？Speak，Seti，andsaywhatpartthismanplayedforgoodorill。“
ThenthePrincetoldofmyshareinthefight，withwordsthatbroughtthebloodtomybrow。HetoldalsohowthatitwasIwho，takingtheriskofhiswrath，hadorderedtheguardoftwentymentofollowusunseen，haddisguisedtwoseasonedsoldiersaschariotrunners，andhadthoughttosendbackthedrivertosummonhelpatthecommencementofthefray；howIhadbeenhurtalso，andwasbutlatelyrecovered。
Whenhehadfinished，Pharaohsaid：
“ThatthisstoryistrueIknowfromothers。Scribe，youhavedonewell。Butforyouto-dayhisHighnesswouldlieuponthetableoftheembalmers，asindeedforhisfollyhedeservestodo，andEgyptwouldmournfromThebestothemouthsofNile。Comehither。“
Icamewithtremblingsteps，andkneltbeforehisMajesty。Aroundhisneckhungabeauteouschainofwroughtgold。Hetookit，andcastitovermyhead，saying：
“Becauseyouhaveshownyourselfbothbraveandwise，withthisgoldI
giveyouthetitleofCouncillorandKing’sCompanion，andtherighttoinscribethesameuponyourfuneralstele。Letitbenoted。Retire，ScribeAna，CouncillorandKing’sCompanion。“
SoIwithdrewconfused，andasIpassedSeti，hewhisperedinmyear：
“Iprayyou，mylord，donotceasetobePrince’sCompanion，becauseyouhavebecomethatoftheKing。“
ThenPharaohorderedthattheCaptainoftheguardshouldbeadvancedinrank，andthatgiftsshouldbegiventoeachofthesoldiers，andprovisionbemadeforthechildrenofthosewhohadbeenkilled，withdoubleallowancetothefamiliesofthetwomenwhomIhaddisguisedasrunners。
Thisdone，oncemorePharaohspoke，slowlyandwithmuchmeaning，havingfirstorderedthatallattendantsandguardsshouldleavethechamber。Iwasabouttogoalso，butoldBakenkhonsucaughtmebytherobe，sayingthatinmynewrankofCouncillorIhadtherighttoremain。
“PrinceSeti，“hesaid，“afterallthatIhaveheard，Ifindthisreportofyoursstrangereading。Moreover，thetenorofitisdifferentindeedtothatofthoseoftheCountAmenmesesandtheofficers。YoucounselmetolettheseIsraelitesgowheretheywill，becauseofcertainhardshipsthattheyhavesufferedinthepast，whichhardships，however，haveleftthemmanyandrich。ThatcounselI
amnotmindedtotake。RatheramImindedtosendanarmytothelandofGoshenwithorderstodespatchthispeople，whoconspiredtomurderthePrinceofEgypt，throughtheGatewayoftheWest，theretoworshiptheirgodinheavenorinhell。Aye，toslaythemallfromthegreybearddowntothesucklingatthebreast。“
“IhearPharaoh，“saidSeti，quietly。
“Suchismywill，“wentonMeneptah，“andthosewhoaccompaniedyouuponyourbusiness，andallmycouncillorsthinkasIdo，fortrulyEgyptcannotbearsohideousatreason。Yet，accordingtoourlawandcustomitisneedful，beforesuchgreatactsofwarandpolicyareundertaken，thathewhostandsnexttothethrone，andisdestinedtofillit，shouldgiveconsentthereto。Doyouconsent，PrinceofEgypt？“
“Idonotconsent，Pharaoh。Ithinkitwouldbeawickeddeedthattensofthousandsshouldbemassacredforthereasonthatafewfoolswaylaidamanwhochancedtobeofroyalblood，becausebyinadvertence，hehaddesecratedtheirsanctuary。“
NowIsawthatthisanswermadePharaohwroth，forneverbeforehadhiswillbeencrossedinsuchafashion。Stillhecontrolledhimself，andasked：
“Doyouthenconsent，Prince，toagentlersentence，namelythattheHebrewpeopleshouldbebrokenup；thatthemoredangerousofthemshouldbesenttolabourinthedesertminesandquarries，andtherestdistributedthroughoutEgypt，theretoliveasslaves？“
“Idonotconsent，Pharaoh。Mypoorcounseliswritteninyonderrollandcannotbechanged。“
Meneptah’seyesflashed，butagainhecontrolledhimself，andasked：
“Ifyoushouldcometofillthisplaceofmine，PrinceSeti，tellus，hereassembled，whatpolicywillyoupursuetowardstheseHebrews？“
“Thatpolicy，OPharaoh，whichIhavecounselledintheroll。IfeverIfillthethrone，Ishallletthemgowhithertheywill，takingtheirgoodswiththem。“
Nowallthosepresentstaredathimandmurmured。ButPharaohrose，shakingwithwrath。Seizinghisrobewhereitwasfastenedatthebreast，herentit，andcriedinaterriblevoice：
“Hearhim，yegodsofEgypt!Hearthissonofminewhodefiesmetomyfaceandwouldsetyournecksbeneaththeheelofastrangergod。
PrinceSeti，inthepresenceoftheseroyalones，andthesemycouncillors，I“