NowI，Ana，listening，wishedthatKiwouldappearbeforethefaceofPharaoh，althoughIdidnotbelievethathecouldbekilledbyhimorbyanybodyelse，sinceagainstdeathhehadcharms。ForIwasafraidofKi，andfeltinmyselfthatagainhewasplottingeviltoMerapiwhomIknewtobeinnocent。
ThePrincewalkedupanddownthechamberaswashisfashionwhenlostinthought。Presentlyhestoppedoppositetomeandsaid：
“FriendAna，bepleasedtocommandthatmychariotsbemadereadywithageneral’sescortofahundredmenandsparehorsestoeachchariot。
Werideatdawn，youandI，toseekoutthearmyofPharaohandprayaudienceofPharaoh。“
“Mylord，“saidMerapiinakindofcry，“Iprayyougonot，leavingmealone。“
“WhyshouldIleaveyou，Lady？Comewithmeifyouwill。“Sheshookherhead，saying：
“Idarenot。Prince，therehasbeensomecharmuponmeoflatethatdrawsmebacktomyownpeople。TwiceinthenightIhaveawakenedandfoundmyselfinthegardenswithmyfacesettowardsthenorth，andheardavoiceinmyears，eventhatofmyfatherwhoisdead，saying：
“’MoonofIsrael，thypeoplewanderinthewildernessandneedthylight。’
“ItiscertainthereforethatifIcameneartothemIshouldbedraggeddownaswoodisdraggedofaneddy，norwouldEgyptseemeanymore。“
“ThenIprayyoubidewhereyouare，Merapi，“saidthePrince，laughingalittle，“sinceitiscertainthatwhereyougoImustfollow，whohavenodesiretowanderinthewildernesswithyourHebrewfolk。Well，itseemsthatasyoudonotwishtoleaveMemphisandwillnotcomewithme，Imuststaywithyou。“
Kifixedhispiercingeyesuponthepairofthem。
“LetthePrinceforgiveme，“hesaid，“butIswearitbythegodsthatneverdidIthinktolivetohearthePrinceSetiMeneptahsetawoman’swhimsbeforehishonour。“
“Yourwordsarerough，“saidSeti，drawinghimselfup，“andhadtheybeenspokeninotherdays，mayhap，Ki-“
“Oh!mylord，“saidKiprostratinghimselftillhisforeheadtouchedtheground，“bethinkyouthenhowgreatmustbetheneedwhichmakesmedaretospeakthem。WhenfirstIcamehitherfromthecourtofTanis，thespiritthatiswithinmespeakingthroughmylipsgavecertaintitlestoyourHighness，forwhichyourHighnesswaspleasedtoreproveme。YetthespiritinmecannotlieandIknowwell，andbidallheremakerecordofmywords，thatto-nightIstandinthepresenceofhimwhoeretwomoonshavepassedwillbecrownedPharaoh。“
“Trulyyouwereeverabearerofill-tidings，Ki，butifso，whatofit？“
“ThisyourHighness：WereitnotthatthespiritsofTruthandRightcompelmefortheirownreasons，shouldI，whohavebloodthatcanbeshedorbonesthatcanbebroken，daretohurlhardwordsathimwhowillbePharaoh？ShouldIdaretocrossthewillofthesweetdovewhonestlesonhisheart，thewise，whitedovethatmurmursthemysteriesofheaven，whenceshecame，andisstrongerthanthevultureofIsisandswifterthanthehawkofRa；thedovethat，weresheangry，couldrendmeintomorefragmentsthandidSetOsiris？“
NowIsawBakenkhonsubegintoswellwithinwardlaughterlikeafrogabouttocroak，butSetiansweredinawearyvoice：
“ByallthebirdsofEgyptwiththesacredcrocodilesthrownin，Idonotknow，sincethatmindofyours，Ki，isnotanopenwritingwhichcanbereadbythepasser-by。Still，ifyouwouldtellmewhatisthereasonwithwhichthegoddessesofTruthandJusticehaveinspiredyou-“
“Thereasonis，OPrince，thatthefateofallEgypt’sarmymaybehiddeninyourhand。ThetimeisshortandIwillbeplain。Denyitasshewillthisladyhere，whoseemstobebutathingofloveandbeauty，isthegreatestsorceressinEgypt，asIwhomshehasmasteredknowwell。ShematchedherselfagainstthehighgodofEgyptandsmotehimtothedust，andhaspaidbackuponhim，hisprophets，andhisworshipperstheillsthathewouldhaveworkedtoher，asinthelikecaseanyofourfellowshipwoulddo。Nowshehasdreamedadream，orherspirithastoldherthatthearmyofEgyptisindangerofdestruction，andIknowthatthisdreamistrue。Hastenthen，O
Prince，tosavethehostsofEgypt，whichyouwillsurelyneedwhenyoucometosituponitsthrone。“
“Iamnosorceress，“criedMerapi，“andyet——alas!thatImustsayit——thissmiling-featured，cold-eyedwizard’swordsaretrue。/TheswordofdeathhangsoverthehostsofEgypt!/“
“Commandthatthechariotsbemadeready，“saidSetiagain。
Eightdayshadgoneby。ItwassunsetandwedrewreinoveragainsttheSeaofReeds。DayandnightwehadfollowedthearmyofPharaohacrossthewildernessonaroadbeatendownbyhischariotwheelsandsoldiers，andbythetensofthousandsoftheIsraeliteswhohadpassedthatwaybeforethem。Nowfromtheridgewherewehadhaltedwesawitencampedbeneathus，averygreatarmy。Moreover，stragglerstoldusthatbeyond，alsoencamped，wasthecountlesshordeoftheIsraelites，andbeyondthesethevastSeaofReedswhichbarredtheirpath。Butwecouldnotseethemforaverystrangereason。BetweentheseandthearmyofPharaohroseablackwallofcloud，builtasitwerefromearthtoheaven。OneofthosestragglersofwhomIhavespoken，toldusthatthiscloudtravelledbeforetheIsraelitesbyday，butatnightwasturnedintoapillaroffire。Onlyonthisday，whenthearmyofPharaohapproached，ithadmovedroundandcomebetweenthepeopleofIsraelandthearmy。
NowwhenthePrince，Bakenkhonsu，andIheardthesethingswelookedateachotherandweresilent。OnlypresentlythePrincelaughedalittle，andsaid：
“WeshouldhavebroughtKiwithus，evenifwehadtocarryhimbound，thathemightinterpretthismarvel，foritissurethatnooneelsecan。“
“ItwouldbehardtokeepKibound，Prince，ifhewishedtogofree，“
answeredBakenkhonsu。“Moreover，beforeeverweenteredthechariotsatMemphishehaddepartedsouthforThebes。Isawhimgo。“
“AndIgaveordersthatheshouldnotbeallowedtoreturn，forIholdhimanillguest，orsothinkstheladyMerapi，“repliedSetiwithasigh。
“NowthatweareherewhatwouldthePrincedo？“Iasked。
“DescendtothecampofPharaohandsaywhatwehavetosay，Ana。“
“Andifhewillnotlisten，Prince？“
“Thencryourmessagealoudandreturn。“
“Andifhewillnotsufferustoreturn，Prince？“
“Thenstandstillandliveordieasthegodsmaydecree。“
“Trulyourlordhasagreatheart!“exclaimedBakenkhonsu，“andthoughIfeeloveryoungtodie，Iammindedtoseetheendofthismatterwithhim，“andhelaughedaloud。
ButIwhowasafraidthoughtthat/O-ho-ho/ofhis，whichtheskyseemedtoechobackuponourheads，astrangeandindeedafearfulsound。
Thenweputonrobesofceremonythatwehadbroughtwithus，butneitherswordsnorarmour，andhavingeatensomefood，droveonwiththehalfofourguardtowardstheplacewherewesawthebannersofPharaohflyingabouthispavilion。Therestofourguardweleftencamped，biddingthem，ifaughthappenedtous，toreturnandmakereportatMemphisandintheothergreatcities。Aswedrewneartothecamptheoutpostssawusandchallenged。Butwhentheyperceivedbythelightofthesettingsunwhoitwasthattheychallenged，amurmurwentthroughthem，of：
“ThePrinceofEgypt!ThePrinceofEgypt!“forsotheyhadneverceasedtonameSeti，andtheysalutedwiththeirspearsandletuspass。
SoatlengthwecametothepavilionofPharaoh，roundaboutwhichawholeregimentstoodonguard。Thesidesofitwereloopeduphighbecauseoftheheatofthenightwhichwasgreat，andwithinsatPharaoh，hiscaptains，hiscouncillors，hispriests，hismagicians，andmanyothersatmeatorservingfoodanddrink。Theysatatatablethatwasbentlikeabow，withtheirfacestowardstheentrance，andPharaohwasinthecentreofthetablewithhisfan-bearersandbutlersbehindhim。
Weadvancedintothepavilion，thePrinceinthecentre，Bakenkhonsuleaningonhisstaffontherighthand，andI，wearingthegoldchainthatPharaohMeneptahhadgivenme，ontheleft，butthosewithusremainedamongtheguardattheentrance。
“Whoarethese？“askedAmenmeses，lookingup，“whocomehereunbidden？“
“ThreecitizensofEgyptwhohaveamessageforPharaoh，“answeredSetiinhisquietvoice，“whichwehavetravelledfastandfartospeakintime。“
“Howareyounamed，citizensofEgypt，andwhosendsyourmessage？“
“Wearenamed，SetiMeneptahaforetimePrinceofEgypt，andheirtoitscrown；BakenkhonsutheagedCouncillor，andAnathescribeandKing’sCompanion，andourmessageisfromthegods。“
“Wehaveheardthosenames，whohasnot？“saidPharaoh，andashespokeall，orverynearlyall，thecompanyrose，orhalfrose，andbowedtowardsthePrince。“Willyouandyourcompanionsbeseatedandeat，PrinceSetiMeneptah？“
“WethankthedivinePharaoh，butwehavealreadyeaten。HavewePharaoh’sleavetodeliverourmessage？“
“Speakon，Prince。“
“OPharaoh，manymoonshavegoneby，sincelastwelookeduponeachotherfacetoface，onthatdaywhenmyfather，thegoodgodMeneptah，disinheritedme，andafterwardsfledhencetoOsiris。PharaohwillrememberwhyIwasthuscutofffromtheroyalrootofEgypt。ItwasbecauseofthematteroftheseIsraelites，whoinmyjudgmenthadbeenevillydealtby，andshouldbesufferedtoleaveourland。ThegoodgodMeneptah，beingsoadvisedbyyouandothers，OPharaoh，wouldhavesmittentheIsraeliteswiththesword，makinganendofthem，andtothishedemandedmyassentastheHeirofEgypt。Irefusedthatassentandwascastout，andsincethen，you，OPharaoh，havewornthedoublecrown，whileIhavedweltasacitizenofMemphis，livinguponsuchlandsandrevenuesasaremyown。Betweenthathourandthis，O
Pharaoh，manygriefshavesmittenEgypt，andthelastofthemcostyouyourfirst-born，andmemine。Yetthroughthemall，OPharaoh，youhaverefusedtolettheseHebrewsgo，asIcounselledshouldbedoneatthebeginning。Atlengthafterthedeathofthefirst-born，yourdecreewasissuedthattheymightgo。Yetnowyoufollowthemwithagreatarmyandpurposetodotothemwhatmyfather，thegoodgodMeneptah，wouldhavedone，hadIconsented，namely——todestroythemwiththesword。Hearme，Pharaoh!“
“Ihear；alsothecaseiswellifbrieflyset。WhatelsewouldthePrinceSetisay？“
“This，OPharaoh。ThatIprayyoutoreturnwithallyourhostfromthefollowingoftheseHebrews，notto-morroworthenextday，butatonce——thisnight。“
“Why，OPrince？“