Heshookhishead。“Notaltogether。Ithinkthisdarknesscomesfromtheheavensaslightdoes。Menareafraidtheyknownotofwhat。“
　　“TheIsraelites，“Isuggested。
　　“Nowyouareneartoit，Ana，fordoubtlesstheyhavemuchtodowiththematter。HaditnotbeenforthemSetiandnotAmenmeseswouldbecrownedto-morrow。AlsothetaleofthemarvelwhichthebeautifulHebrewwomanwroughtinthetempleyonderhasgotabroadandistakenasanomen。DidItellyouthatsixdaysgoneafinenewstatueofthegodwasconsecratedthereandonthefollowingmorningwasfoundlyingonitsside，orratherwithitsheadrestingonthebreastofMut？“
　　“Ifso，Merapiisblameless，becauseshehasgoneawayfromthiscity。“
　　“Ofcourseshehasgoneaway，forhasnotSetigonealso？ButIthinksheleftsomethingbehindher。Howeverthatmaybe，evenournewdivinelordisafraid。Hedreamsill，Ana，“headded，droppinghisvoice，“soillthathehascalledinKi，theKherheb，[*]tointerprethisvisions。“
　　[*]“Kherheb“wasthetitleofthechiefofficialmagicianinancientEgypt。
　　“AndwhatsaidKi？“
　　“Kicouldsaynothingor，rather，thattheonlyanswervouchsafedtohimandhiscompany，whentheymadeinquiryoftheirKas，wasthatthisgod’sreignwouldbeveryshortandthatitandhislifewouldendtogether。“
　　“WhichperhapsdidnotpleasethegodAmenmeses，Bakenkhonsu？“
　　“Whichdidnotpleasethegodatall。HethreatenedKi。Itisafoolishthingtothreatenagreatmagician，Ana，astheKherhebKi，himselfindeedtoldhim，lookinghimintheeyes。Thenheprayedhispardonandaskedwhowouldsucceedhimonthethrone，butKisaidhedidnotknow，asaKherhebwhohadbeenthreatenedcouldneverrememberanything，whichindeedhenevercan——excepttopaybackthethreatener。“
　　“Anddidheknow，Bakenkhonsu？“
　　BywayofanswertheoldCouncillorcrumbledsomebreadfineuponthetable，thenwithhisfingertracedamongthecrumbstheroughlikenessofajackal-headedgodandoftwofeathers，afterwhichwithaswiftmovementhesweptthecrumbsontothefloor。
　　“Seti!“Iwhispered，readingthehieroglyphsofthePrince’sname，andhenoddedandlaughedinhisgreatfashion。
　　“Mencometotheirownsometimes，Ana，especiallyiftheydonotseektheirown，“hesaid。“Butifso，muchmusthappenfirstthatisterrible。ThenewPharaohisnottheonlymanwhodreams，Ana。OflateyearsmysleephasbeenlightandsometimesIdream，thoughIhavenomagicliketothatofKi。“
　　“Whatdidyoudream？“
　　“IdreamedofagreatmultitudemarchinglikelocustsoverEgypt。
　　Beforethemwentacolumnoffireinwhichweretwohands。OneoftheseheldAmonbythethroatandoneheldthenewPharaohbythethroat。Afterthemcameacolumnofcloud，andinitashapeliketothatofanunwrappedmummy，ashapeofdeathstandinguponwaterthatwasfullofcountlessdead。“
　　NowIbethoughtmeofthepicturethatthePrinceandIhadseenintheskiesyonderinthelandofGoshen，butofitIsaidnothing。YetIthinkthatBakenkhonsusawintomymind，forheasked：
　　“Do/you/neverdream，Friend？Youseevisionsthatcometrue——
　　Amenmesesonthethrone，forinstance。Doyounotalsodreamattimes？
　　No？Well，then，thePrince？Youlooklikemenwhomight，andthetimeisripeandpregnant。Oh!Iremember。Youarebothofyoudreaming，notofthepicturesthatpassacrosstheterribleeyesofKi，butofthosethatthemoonreflectsuponthewatersofMemphis，theMoonofIsrael。Ana，beadvisedbyme，putawaythefleshandincreasethespirit，forinitaloneishappiness，whereofwomanandallourjoysarebutearthlysymbols，shadowsthrownbythatmortalcloudwhichliesbetweenusandtheLightAbove。Iseethatyouunderstand，becausesomeofthatlighthasstruggledtoyourheart。Doyourememberthatyousawitshininginthehourwhenyourlittledaughterdied？Ah!Ithoughtso。Itwasthegiftsheleftyou，agiftthatwillgrowandgrowinsuchabreastasyours，ifonlyyouwillputawaythefleshandmakeroomforit，Ana。Man，donotweep——laughasIdo，Oho-
　　ho!Givememystaff，andgood-night。Forgetnotthatwesittogetheratthecrowningto-morrow，foryouareaKing’sCompanionandthatrankonceconferredisonewhichnonewPharaohcantakeaway。Itislikethegiftofthespirit，Ana，whichishardtowin，butoncewonmoreeternalthanthestars。Oh!whydoIlivesolongwhowouldbatheinit，aswhenachildIusedtobatheinNile？“
　　OnthefollowingdayattheappointedhourIwenttothegreathallofthepalace，thatinwhichIhadfirstseenMeneptah，andtookmystandintheplaceallottedtome。Itwassomewhatfarback，perhapsbecauseitwasnotwishedthatI，whowasknowntobetheprivatescribeofSeti，shouldremindEgyptofhimbyappearingwhereallcouldseeme。
　　Greataswasthehallthecrowdfilledittoitsfurthestcorners。
　　Moreovernocommonmanwaspresentthere，butrathereverynobleandhead-priestinEgypt，andwiththemtheirwivesanddaughters，sothatallthedimcourtsshonewithgoldandpreciousgemssetuponfestalgarments。WhileIwaswaitingoldBakenkhonsuhobbledtowardsme，thecrowdmakingwayforhim，andIcouldseethattherewaslaughterinhissunkeneyes。
　　“Weareill-placed，Ana，“hesaid。“StillifanyofthemanygodsthereareinEgyptshouldchancetorainfiresonPharaoh，weshallbethesafer。Talkingofgods，“hewentoninawhisper，“haveyouheardwhathappenedanhouragointhetempleofPtahofTaniswhenceIhavejustcome？PharaohandalltheBlood-royal——saveone——walkedaccordingtocustombeforethestatueofthegodwhich，asyouknow，shouldbowitsheadtoshowthathechoosesandacceptstheking。InfrontofAmenmeseswentthePrincessUserti，andasshepassedtheheadofthegodbowed，forIsawit，thoughallpretendedthattheydidnotsee。
　　ThencamePharaohandstoodwaiting，butitwouldnotbow，thoughthepriestscalledintheoldformula，’Thegodgreetstheking。’
　　“Atlengthhewenton，lookingasblackasnight，andothersofthebloodofRamesesfollowedintheirorder。LastofalllimpedSaptahand，behold!thegodbowedagain。“
　　“Howandwhydoesitdothesethings？“Iasked，“andatthewrongtime？“
　　“Askthepriests，Ana，orUserti，orSaptah。Perhapsthedivineneckhasnotbeenoiledoflate，ortoomuchoiled，ortoolittleoiled，orprayers——orstrings——mayhavegonewrong。OrPharaohmayhavebeenniggardinhisgiftstothatcollegeofthegreatgodofhisHouse。
　　WhoamIthatIshouldknowthewaysofgods？ThatinthetemplewhereIservedatThebesfiftyyearsagodidnotpretendtobowortotroublehimselfastowhichoftheroyalracesatuponthethrone。
　　Hush!HerecomesPharaoh。“
　　Theninasplendidprocession，surroundedbyprinces，councillors，ladies，priests，andguards，AmenmesesandtheRoyalWife，Urnure，alargewomanwhowalkedawkwardly，enteredthehall，aglitteringband。
　　Thehigh-priest，Roi，andthechancellor，Nehesi，receivedPharaohandledhimtohisthrone。Themultitudeprostrateditself，trumpetsblewandthricetheoldsaluteof“Life!Blood!Strength!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!
　　Pharaoh!“wascriedaloud。
　　Amenmesesroseandbowed，andIsawthathisheavyfacewastroubledandlookedolder。ThenhesworesomeoathtogodsandmenwhichRoidictatedtohim，andbeforeallthecompanyputonthedoublecrownandtheotheremblems，andtookinhishandsthescourgeandgoldensickle。Nexthomagewaspaid。ThePrincessUserticamefirstandkissedPharaoh’shand，butbentnoknee。Indeedfirstshespokewithhimawhile。Wecouldnothearwhatwassaid，butafterwardslearnedthatshedemandedthatheshouldpubliclyrepeatallthepromiseswhichherfatherMeneptahhadmadetoherbeforehim，confirmingherinherplaceandrights。Thisintheendhedid，thoughitseemedtomeunwillinglyenough。
　　Sowithmanyformsandancientcelebrationstheceremonywenton，tillallgrewwearywaitingforthattimewhenPharaohshouldmakehisspeechtothepeople。Thatspeech，however，wasnevermade，forpresently，thrustingpastus，IsawthosetwoprophetsoftheIsraeliteswhohadvisitedMeneptahinthissamehall。Menshrankfromthem，sothattheywalkedstraightuptothethrone，nordideventheguardsstrivetobartheirway。WhattheysaidthereIcouldnothear，butIbelievethattheydemandedthattheirpeopleshouldbeallowedtogotoworshiptheirgodintheirownfashion，andthatAmenmesesrefusedasMeneptahhaddone。
　　ThenoneofthemcastdownarodanditturnedtoasnakewhichhissedatPharaoh，whereontheKherhebKiandhiscompanyalsocastdownrodsthatturnedtosnakes，thoughIcouldonlyhearthehissing。Afterthisagreatgloomfelluponthehall，sothatmencouldnotseeeachother’sfacesandeveryonebegantocallaloudtillthecompanybrokeupinconfusion。BakenkhonsuandIwerebornetogethertothedoorwaybythepressureofthepeople，whenceweweregladenoughtoseetheskyagain。
　　ThusendedthecrowningofAmenmeses。