“Andthen？“
“Andthen，Ana，camethestoryoftheHebrewprophetwhomadethewaterintoblood，andofKiandhisdiscipleswhodidlikewise。ThelatterIdidnotbelieve，becauseIsaiditwouldbemorereasonablehadKiturnedthebloodbackintowater，insteadofmakingmorebloodofwhichtherewasenoughalready。“
“Ithinkthatmagicianshavenoreason。“
“Orcandomischiefonly，Ana。Atanyrateafterthestorycametheblooditselfandstayedwithussevenwholedays，leavingmuchsicknessbehinditbecauseofthestenchoftherottingfish。Nowforthemarvel——hereaboutmyhousetherewasnoblood，thoughaboveandbelowthecanalwasfullofit。Thewaterremainedasithasalwaysbeenandthefishswaminitastheyhavealwaysdone；alsothatofthewellkeptsweetandpure。Whenthiscametobeknownthousandscrowdedtotheplace，clamouringforwater；thatisuntiltheyfoundthatoutsidethegatesitgrewredintheirvessels，afterwhich，althoughsomestillcame，theydrankthewaterwheretheystood，whichtheymustdoquickly。“
“AndwhattaledotheytellofthisinMemphis，Prince？“Iaskedastonished。
“CertainofthemsaythatnotKibutIamthegreatestmagicianinEgypt——never，Ana，wasfamemorelightlyearned。AndcertainsaythatMerapi，ofwhosedoingsinthetempleatTanissometalehasreachedthem，istherealmagician，shebeinganIsraeliteofthetribeoftheHebrewprophets。Hush!Shereturns。“
NowofalltheterrorsofwhichthisturningofthewaterintobloodwasthebeginninginEgypt，I，Ana，thescribe，willnotwrite，forifIdidso，neverinmylife-daysshouldI，whoamold，findtimetofinishthestoryofthem。Overaperiodofmany，manymoonstheycame，onebyone，tillthelandgrewmadwithwantandwoe。Alwaysthetalewasthesame。TheHebrewprophetswouldvisitPharaohatTanisanddemandthatheshouldledtheirpeoplego，threateninghimwithvengeanceifherefused。Yethedidrefuse，forsomemadnesshadholdofhim，orperhapsthegodoftheIsraeliteslaidanenchantmentonhim，whyIknownot。
ThusbutalittlewhileaftertheterrorofbloodcameaplagueoffrogsthatfilledEgyptfromnorthtosouth，andwhentheseweretakenawaymadetheairtostink。ThismiracleKiandhiscompanyworkedalso，sendingthefrogsintoGoshen，wheretheyplaguedtheIsraelites。Buthoweveritcameabout，atSeti’spalaceatMemphisandonthelandthatheownedaroundittherewerenofrogs，oratleastbutfewofthem，althoughatnightfromthefieldsaboutthesoundoftheircroakingwentuplikethesoundofbeatendrums。
Nextcameaplagueoflice，andtheseKiandhiscompanionswouldhavealsocalleddownupontheHebrews，buttheyfailed，andafterwardsstrugglednomoreagainstthemagicoftheIsraelites。Thenfollowedaplagueofflies，sothattheairwasblackwiththemandnofoodcouldbekeptsweet。OnlyinSeti’spalacetherewerenoflies，andinthegardenbutafew。Afterthisaterriblepestbeganamongthecattle，whereofthousandsdied。ButofSeti’sgreatherdnotonewasevensick，nor，aswelearned，wasthereahoofthelessinthelandofGoshen。
ThisplaguestruckEgyptbutalittlewhileafterMerapihadgivenbirthtoason，averybeautifulchildwithhismother’seyes，thatwasnamedSetiafterhisfather。NowthemarveloftheescapeofthePrinceandhishouseholdandallthatwashisfromthesecursesspreadabroadandmademuchtalk，sothatmanysenttoinquireofit。
AmongthefirstcameoldBakenkhonsuwithamessagefromPharaoh，andaprivateonetomyselffromthePrincessUserti，whosepridewouldnotsufferhertoaskaughtofSeti。WecouldtellhimnothingexceptwhatIhavewritten，whichatfirsthedidnotbelieve。Havingsatisfiedhimself，however，thatthethingwastrue，hesaidthathehadfallensickandcouldnottravelbacktoTanis。ThereforeheaskedleaveofthePrincetorestawhileinhishouse，hewhohadbeenthefriendofhisfather，hisgrandfather，andhisgreat-grandfather。Setilaughed，asindeeddidthecunningoldmanhimself，andtherewithusBakenkhonsuremainedtilltheend，toourgreatjoy，forhewasthemostpleasantofallcompanionsandthemostlearned。Asforhismessage，oneofhisservantstookbacktheanswertoPharaohandtoUserti，withthenewsofhismaster’sgrievoussickness。
Someeightdaysorsolater，asIstoodonemorningbaskinginthesunatthatgateofthepalacegardenswhichoverlooksthetempleofPtah，idlywatchingtheprocessionofpriestspassingthroughitscourtsandchantingastheywentforbecauseofthemanysicknessesatthistimeIleftthepalacebutrarely，Isawatallfigureapproachingmedrapedagainstthemorningcold。Themandrewnear，andaddressingmeovertheheadoftheguard，askedifhecouldseetheladyMerapi。I
answeredNo，asshewasengagedinnursingherson。
“Andinotherthings，Ithink，“hesaidwithmeaning，inavoicethatseemedfamiliartome。“Well，canIseethePrinceSeti？“
IansweredNo，hewasalsoengaged。
“Innursinghisownsoul，studyingtheeyesoftheladyMerapi，thesmileofhisinfant，thewisdomofthescribeAna，andtheattributesofthehundredandonegodsthatareknowntohim，includingthatofIsrael，Isuppose，“saidthefamiliarvoice，adding，“ThencanIseethisscribeAna，whoIunderstand，beinglucky，holdshimselflearned。“
Now，angeredatthescoffingofthisstrangerthoughallthetimeI
feltthathewasnone，IansweredthatthescribeAnawasstrivingtomendhisluckbythepursuitofthegoddessoflearninginhisstudy。
“Lethimpursue，“mockedthestranger，“sincesheistheonlywomanthatheiseverlikelytocatch。Yetitistruethatonceonecaughthim。IfyouareofhisacquaintanceaskhimofhistalkwithherintheavenueoftheSphinxesoutsidethegreattempleatThebesandofwhatitcosthimingoldandtears。“
HearingthisIputmyhandtomyforeheadandrubbedmyeyes，thinkingthatImusthavefallenintoadreamthereinthesunshine。WhenI
lifteditagainallwasthesameasbefore。Therestoodthesentry，indifferenttothatwhichhadnointerestforhim；thecockthathadmoulteditstailstillscratchedinthedirt；thecrestedhoopoestillsatspreadingitswingsontheheadofoneofthetwogreatstatuesofRameseswhichwatchedthegate；awater-sellerinthedistancestillcriedhiswares，butthestrangerwasgone。ThenIknewthatIhadbeendreamingandturnedtogoalso，tofindmyselffacetofacewithhim。
“Man，“Isaid，indignantly，“howinthenameofPtahandallhispriestsdidyoupassasentryandthroughthatgatewithoutmyseeingyou？“
“Donottroubleyourselfwithanewproblemwhenalreadyyouhavesomanytoperplexyou，friendAna。Say，haveyouyetsolvedthatofhowarodlikethisturneditselfintoasnakeinyourhand？“andhethrewbackhishood，revealingtheshavedheadandtheglowingeyesoftheKherhebKi。
“No，Ihavenot，“Ianswered，“andIthankyou，“forhereheprofferedmethestaff，“butIwillnottrythetrickagain。Nexttimethebeastmightbite。Well，Ki，asyoucanpassinherewithoutmyleave，whydoyouaskit？Inshort，whatdoyouwantwithme，nowthatthoseHebrewprophetshaveputyouonyourback？“
“Hush，Ana。Nevergrowangry，itwastesstrength，ofwhichwehavesolittletospare，foryouknow，beingsowise，orperhapsyoudonotknow，thatatbirththegodsgiveusacertainstoreofit，andwhenthatisusedwedieandhavetogoelsewheretofetchmore。Atthisrateyourlifewillbeshort，Ana，foryousquanderitinemotions。“
“Whatdoyouwant？“Irepeated，beingtooangrytodisputewithhim。
“Iwanttofindananswertothequestionyouaskedsoroughly：WhytheHebrewprophetshave，asyousay，putmeonmyback？“
“Notbeingamagician，asyoupretendyouare，Icangiveyounone，Ki。“
“NeverforonemomentdidIsupposethatyoucould，“herepliedblandly，stretchingouthishands，andleavingthestaffwhichhadfallenfromthemstandinginfrontofhim。ItwasnottillafterwardsthatIrememberedthatthisaccursedbitofwoodstoodthereofitselfwithoutvisiblesupport，foritrestedonthepaving-stoneofthegateway。“But，asitchances，youhaveinthishousethemaster，orratherthemistressofallmagicians，aseveryEgyptianknowsto-day，theladyMerapi，andIwouldseeher。“
“Whydoyousaysheisamistressofmagicians？“Iaskedindignantly。
“Whydoesonebirdknowanotherofitsownkind？Whydoesthewaterhereremainpure，whenallotherwaterturnstoblood？WhydonotthefrogscroakinSeti’shalls，andwhydothefliesavoidhismeat？Why，also，didthestatueofAmonmeltbeforeherglance，whileallmymagicfellbackfromherbreastlikearrowsfromashirtofmail？
ThosearethequestionsthatEgyptasks，andIwouldhaveananswertothemfromthebelovedofSeti，orofthegodSet，shewhoisnamedMoonofIsrael。“
“Thenwhynotgoseekitforyourself，Ki？Toyou，doubtless，itwouldbeasmallmattertotaketheformofasnakeorarat，orabird，andcreeporrunorflyintothepresenceofMerapi。“
“Mayhapitwouldnotbedifficult，Ana。Or，betterstill，Imightvisitherinhersleep，asIvisitedyouonacertainnightatThebes，whenyoutoldmeofatalkyouhadheldwithawomanintheavenueoftheSphinxes，andofwhatitcostyouingoldandtears。But，asitchances，Iwishtoappearasamanandafriend，andtostayawhile。
BakenkhonsutellsmethathefindslifehereatMemphisverypleasant，freetoofromthesicknesseswhichjustnowseemtobesocommoninEgypt；sowhyshouldnotIdothesame，Ana？“
Ilookedathisround，ripeface，onwhichwasfixedasmileunchangingasthatwornbythemasksonmummycoffins，fromwhichI
thinkhemusthavecopiedit，andatthecold，deepeyesabove，andshiveredalittle。TotelltruthIfearedthisman，whomIfelttobeintouchwithpresencesandthingsthatarenotofourworld，andthoughtitwisesttowithstandhimnomore。
“ThatisaquestionwhichyouhadbestputtomymasterSetiwhoownsthishouse。Come，Iwillleadyoutohim，“Isaid。