Thusshespokeinacoldandquietvoice，asonemightspeakofsomethinglongexpectedorforeseen，thenmadeherreverencetothePrince，anddeparted，bearingthebodyofthechild。Never，Ithink，didMerapiseemmorebeautifultomethaninthis，herhourofbereavement，sincenowthroughherwoman’slovelinessshoneoutsomeshadowofthesoulwithin。Indeed，suchwerehereyesandsuchhermovementsthatwellmighthavebeenaspiritandnotawomanwhodepartedfromuswiththatwhichhadbeenherson。
Setileanedonmyshoulderlookingattheemptybed，andatthescarednursewhostillsatbehind，andIfeltateardropuponmyhand。OldBakenkhonsuliftedhismassiveface，andlookedathim。
“Grievenotovermuch，Prince，“hesaid，“since，ereasmanyyearsasIhavelivedouthavecomeandgone，thischildwillbeforgottenandhismotherwillbeforgotten，andevenyou，OPrince，willlivebutasanamethatoncewasgreatinEgypt。Andthen，OPrince，elsewherethegamewillbeginafresh，andwhatyouhavelostshallbefoundanew，andthesweeterforitshelteringfromthevilebreathofmen。Ki’smagicisnotallalie，orifhisis，mineholdssomeshadowofthetruth，andwhenhesaidtoyouyonderinTanisthatnotfornothingwereyounamed’LordofRebirths，’hespokewordsthatyoushouldfindcomfortableto-night。“
“Ithankyou，Councillor，“saidSeti，andturning，followedMerapi。
“NowIsupposeweshallhavemoredeaths，“Iexclaimed，hardlyknowingwhatIsaidinmysorrow。
“Ithinknot，Ana，“answeredBakenkhonsu，“sincetheshieldofJabez，orofhisgod，isoverus。AlwaysheforetoldthattroublewouldcometoMerapi，andtoSetithroughMerapi，butthatisall。“
Iglancedatthekitten。
“Itstrayedherefromthetownthreedaysago，Ana。Andthebatsalsomayhaveflownfromthetown。Harktothewailing。WaseversuchasoundheardbeforeinEgypt？“
Bakenkhonsuwasright。SavethesonofSetialone，nonediedwhodweltinorabouthishouse，thoughelsewhereallthefirst-bornofEgyptlaydead，andthefirst-bornofthebeastsalso。WhenthiscametobeknownthroughoutthelandarageseizedtheEgyptiansagainstMerapiwho，theyremembered，hadcalleddownwoeonEgyptaftershehadbeenforcedtoprayinthetempleand，astheybelieved，toliftthedarknessfromMemphis。
BakenkhonsuandIandotherswholovedherpointedoutthatherownchildhaddiedwiththerest。Tothisitwasanswered，andhereI
thoughtIsawthefingersofUsertiandofKi，thatitwasnothing，sincewitchesdidnotlovechildren。Moreover，theysaidshecouldhaveasmanyasshelikedandwhensheliked，makingthemtolooklikechildrenoutofclayfiguresandtogrowupintoevilspiritstotormenttheland。Lastly，peoplesworethatshehadbeenheardtosaythat，althoughtodoitshemustkillherownlord’sson，shewouldnotonthataccountforegohervengeanceontheEgyptians，whooncehadtreatedherasaslaveandmurderedherfather。Further，theIsraelitesthemselves，orsomeofthem，mayhapLabanamongthem，werereportedtohavetoldtheEgyptiansthatitwasthesorceresswhohadbewitchedPrinceSetiwhobroughtsuchgreattroublesonthem。
SoithappenedthattheEgyptianscametohateMerapi，whoofallwomenwasthesweetestandthemosttobeloved，andtoherothersupposedcrimes，addedthisalso，thatbyherwitcheriesshehadstolentheheartofSetiawayfromhislawfulwifeandmadehimtoturnthatlady，theRoyalPrincessofEgypt，evenfromhisgates，sothatshewasforcedtodwellaloneatTanis。ForinallthesemattersnoneblamedSeti，whomeveryoneinEgyptloved，becauseitwasknownthathewouldhavedealtwiththeIsraelitesinaverydifferentfashion，andthusavertedallthewoesthathaddesolatedtheancientlandofKhem。AsforthismatteroftheHebrewgirlwiththebigeyeswhochancedtohavethrownaspelluponhim，thatwashisill-fortune，nothingmore。Amongstthemanywomenwithwhomtheybelievedhefilledhishouse，aswasthewayofprinces，itwasnotstrangethatonefavouriteshouldbeawitch。Indeed，Iamcertainthatonlybecausehewasknowntoloveher，wasMerapisavedfromdeathbypoisonorinsomeothersecretfashion，atanyrateforawhile。
NowcamethegladtidingsthattheprideofPharaohwasbrokenatlastforhisfirst-bornchildhaddiedwiththeothers，orthatthecloudofmadnesshadliftedfromhisbrain，whicheveritmightbe，andthathehaddecreedthattheChildrenofIsraelmightdepartfromEgyptwhenandwhithertheywould。Thenthepeoplebreathedagain，seeinghopethattheirmiseriesmightend。
ItwasatthistimethatJabezappearedoncemoreatMemphis，drivinganumberofchariothorses，whichhesaidhewishedtoselltothePrince，ashedidnotdesirethemtopassintoanyotherhands。Hewasadmittedandstatedthepriceofhishorses，accordingtowhichtheymusthavebeenbeastsofgreatvalue。
“Whydoyouwishtosellyourhorses？“askedSeti。
“BecauseIgowithmypeopleintolandswherethereislittlewaterandtheretheymightdie，OPrince。“
“Iwillbuythehorses。Seetoit，Ana，“saidSeti，althoughIknewwellthatalreadyhehadmorethanheneeded。
ThePrincerosetoshowthattheinterviewwasended，whereonJabez，whowasbowinghisthanks，saidhurriedly：
“Irejoicetolearn，ORoyalOne，thatthingshavebefallenasI
foretold，orratherwasbiddentoforetell，andthatthetroubleswhichhaveafflictedEgypthavepassedbyyourdwelling。“
“Thenyourejoicetolearnafalsehood，Hebrew，sincetheworstofthosetroubleshasmadeitshomehere。Mysonisdead，“andheturnedaway。
Jabezliftedhisshiftyeyesfromthefloorandglancedathim。
“Prince，“hesaid，“Iknowandgrievebecausethislosshascutyoutotheheart。Yetitwasnofaultofmineorofmypeople。Ifyouthink，youwillrememberthatbothwhenIbuiltawallofprotectionaboutthisplacebecauseofyourgooddeedstoIsrael，OPrince，andbefore，Iwarned，andcausedyoutobewarned，thatifyouandmyniece，MoonofIsrael，cametogetheragreattroublemightfallonyouthroughherwho，havingbecomethewomanofanEgyptianindefianceofcommand，mustbearthefateofEgyptianwomen。“
“Itmaybeso，“saidthePrince。“ThematterisnotoneofwhichI
caretotalk。IfthisdeathwerewroughtbythemagicofyourwizardsIhaveonlythistosay——thatitisanillpaymenttomeinreturnforallthatIhavestriventodoonbehalfoftheHebrews。Yet，whatelsecouldIexpectfromsuchapeopleinsuchaworld？Farewell。“
“Oneprayer，OPrince。Iwouldaskyourleavetospeakwithmyniece，Merapi。“
“Sheisveiled。Sincethemurderofherchildbywizardry，sheseesnoman。“
“StillIthinkshewillseeheruncle，OPrince。“
“Whatthendoyouwishtosaytoher？“
“OPrince，throughtheclemencyofPharaohwepoorslavesareabouttoleavethelandofEgyptnevertoreturn。Therefore，ifmynieceremainsbehind，itisnaturalthatIshouldwishtobidherfarewell，andtoconfidetohercertainmattersconnectedwithourraceandfamily，whichshemightdesiretopassontoherchildren。“
Nowwhenheheardthisword“children“Setisoftened。
“Idonottrustyou，“hesaid。“YoumaybechargedwithmoreofyourHebrewcursesagainstMerapi，oryoumaysaywordstoherthatwillmakeherevenunhappierthansheis。Yetifyouwouldwishtoseeherinmypresence-“
“MylordPrince，Iwillnottroubleyousofar。Farewell。Bepleasedtoconvey-“
“Orifthatdoesnotsuityou，“interruptedSeti，“inthepresenceofAnahereyoucandoso，unlesssherefusestoreceiveyou。“
Jabezreflectedforamoment，andanswered：
“TheninthepresenceofAnaletitbe，sinceheisamanwhoknowswhentobesilent。“
Jabezmadeobeisanceanddeparted，andatasignfromthePrinceI
followedhim。PresentlywewereusheredintothechamberoftheladyMerapi，whereshesatlookingmostsadandlonely，withaveilofblackuponherhead。
“Greeting，myuncle，“shesaid，afterglancingatme，whosepresenceI
thinksheunderstood。“Areyouthebearerofmoreprophecies？Ipraynot，sinceyourlastwereovertrue，“andshetouchedtheblackveilwithherfinger。
“Iamthebeareroftidings，andofaprayer，Niece。ThetidingsarethatthepeopleofIsraelareabouttoleaveEgypt。Theprayer，whichisalsoacommand，is——thatyoumakereadytoaccompanythem-“
“ToLaban？“sheasked，lookingup。
“No，myniece。LabanwouldnotwishasawifeonewhohasbeenthemistressofanEgyptian，buttoplayyourpart，howeverhumble，inthefortunesofourpeople。“
“IamgladthatLabandoesnotwishwhathenevercouldobtain，myuncle。Tellme，Iprayyou，whyshouldIhearkentothisprayer，orthiscommand？“
“Foragoodreason，Niece——thatyourlifehangsonit。Heretoforeyouhavebeensufferedtotakeyourheart’sdesire。ButifyoubideinEgyptwhereyouhavenolongeramissiontofulfil，havingdoneallthatwassoughtofyouinkeepingwiththemindofyourlover，thePrinceSeti，truetothecauseofIsrael，youwillsurelydie。“
“Youmeanthatourpeoplewillkillme？“
“No，notourpeople。Stillyouwilldie。“
Shetookasteptowardshim，andlookedhimintheeyes。
“YouarecertainthatIshalldie，myuncle？“
“Iam，oratleastothersarecertain。“
Nowshelaughed；itwasthefirsttimeIhadseenherlaughforseveralmoons。
“ThenIwillstayhere，“shesaid。
Jabezstaredather。
“IthoughtthatyoulovedthisEgyptian，whoindeedisworthyofanywoman’slove，“hemutteredintohisbeard。